I'm Feeling: Evening Coats

Something I have been drawn to since I was a little girl, is a nice, crisp evening coat. Probably spawning back to the days where my moma forced me to watch "I Love Lucy" with her (which I have grown to appreciate), I've developed a love for 50s fashion. Not the cheesy, cliche polka dots swing skirt with a red lip, but the elegance of waking up in the morning, putting on a fresh dress and face to do housework and cook breakfast for your husband. Well it seems the decline of huswifery was partnered with the decline of opulence and putting your best foot forward. I am truth to this example; I am sitting on the couch in sweatpants and yesterday's make up at 4 in the afternoon. My point being, I miss the age where women took pride in their dress and were excited to dress up and vacuum the carpet. Okay, enough of my little rant, but growing from my love of said show, is the love of Lucy's clothing, as I mentioned above. One of my favorite outfits from the show (in the episode where she meets Bill Holden and catches her "nose" on fire) was her polka dot evening coat (please excuse the... barbie..). She dawned this little beauty over a simple shirt and slacks, which is my favorite way to style this article of clothing, contrary to the name. Evening coats are, to me, floor length coats that are open to show your dress or outfit. Here are a look at some of my favorite styles, most of which have been styled down for a more casual look.

Audrey in a YSL coat

Carolina Herrera in a gorgeous velvet option

Chanel

....Lucy

Miranda Kerr in a Chanel cardigan that serves the same purpose

1 via vogue // 2 via pinterest // 3 via stylebistro // 4 via chanel // 5 via barbiecollector.com // 6 via WhoWhatWear

I'm Feeling: Head Scarves

When I was growing up, I stayed with my Grandmommy and Papa. My Grandmommy would take me take me on a walk with her everyday, and she would follow the same routine every morning before we set out for our little adventure. She would wrap her head in a scarf. That's where I first developed my love for the square pieces of silk. Then my cousin, whom I love and look up to, would always talk about going thrift shopping and finding neat little vintage head scarves. I have inherited this love from two of the women in my life that I look up to. Usually I wear them when I am cleaning my house (ala-I Love Lucy and not too often). I have been finding more inspiration from pics on the web, mainly from my trusted Pinterest, and have tried to find more ways, other than the typical knotted head band style. Here are a couple of my favorite looks.

 

 

1 via pinterest // 2 via crushculdesac.tumblr // 3 via refinery29 // 4 via cocokelly.com // 5 via modaoperandi.com // 6 via cocokelly.com

Monday Muse: Audrey Hepburn

One of my favorite ways to pull inspiration for my outfits, home design, etc., is by other people. Some would think of this as copying or not having ideas of your own, but I think that it is impossible to not take inspiration from something. Today for the first installment of Monday Muse, a new series where I will look at people or things that inspire me most, I am taking a look at my rock and role mode, Audrey Hepburn (surprising right). I think it's an understatement to say that I love her... I mean I named my blog after her parents for heaven sakes (even though she hated her father and had an unaffectionate but loving mother doesn't dim the light on the fact that without them, I wouldn't have my girl). It would be a lie to say that I don't cry at certain pictures of her. I literally know so much about her, have seen every movie she's been it, read the majority of her biographies, repinned and saved every picture I've come across. I accredit all of my strengths to her, and some of my weaknesses.. She was the most loving, stylish, beautiful, iconic, memorable, sincere, generous person I have ever heard of who just wanted to be loved, but most of all, give it. I always carry a little piece of her in my heart because I feel as if we have similar back stories and passions (not to mention we are almost the exact same size!!! Minus the 20 in waistline of course..). I don't know what I would do without the guidance of my mentor and life coach, and will never find another person in the world who will have the same affect on me as she has. No one will EVER be able to emulate the style, grace, love, or any other positive adjective of this beautiful woman, and I pray to God every night to let me be in Heaven with his most beautiful angel.

Here is just a small collection of my favorite pictures of her. I love the ones that show her completely and utterly happy, as well as her natural, distinct, odd, rare beauty. Oh I love her so.

 

All pictures from Pinterest. A plethora of tears were produced in the making of this post.

Get to Know

I'm starting a new series of posts called 'Get to Know' where I will find people who I think display a very special, confident style, and have them answer a couple of questions. Mainly I just wanted to see if some other people were as kooky and fashion oriented as I am. So to start, I will post my answers to the questions, some fashion related, others not.

1. Style Icon(s): Audrey Hepburn, my spirit animal, and Poppy Delevingne, my soul sister, and Mira Duma, my russian doll

 

Favorite Designer: Temperley London, Stella McCartney, Rochas, Giambattista Valli, MSGM, too many to choose from! I try to be rather "label-less," so I like to mix labels or designers (in my head since I can't afford them), so I don't get caught up in wearing the clothes for the label and not the look.

One thing you can't live without: My camera/phone. I'm probably the most sentimental person ever, so I am constantly documenting my life with pictures, writing things down that people say in a note pad.. yeah it's pretty bad.

 Why you love fashion: I don't love fashion, I live off of fashion. It's my lifeline, my best friend, my worst enemy, my everything. I can't drive down the road without seeing something and being inspired by it. It's my way of escaping reality and putting myself in a new place for a day or even for a couple of hours. It helps me feel like myself and gives me confidence. And most importantly, it helps me remember my memories. Weird, I know, but I can look at an outfit in my closet and remember exactly what I did in it, where I went, and who I was I with. Fashion is teaches me to dream, appreciate what I have, and work for what I don't, and I am forever grateful because of it.

Style Aesthetic: This is possibly the hardest question on the planet for me.. I consider myself to be feminine, masculine, structured, loose-fitting, boho, vintage, classic, and about any other adjective you could think of. I love to try everything, and mix everything, but basically, if I find something that I think is beautiful, I'll try it.

On my Wish List: These Miu Miu booties are so fun and borderline ugly that I am obsessed with them It's obvious that I love old style, but this is like I'm about to go out to a women's suffrage rally. I don't know what it is about them, but I am loving them. I think that this bathing suit is so fun and flirty and I hope that the weather this summer is warm and constant so I won't have to take it off. Who doesn't want a classic chanel bag? Well this camera bag is in the smartest hue and makes me want to cry. Lastly, this skort from Topshop is so fun and almost looks like a globe, which can help soothe my desires to travel.

  

 

 

       

One person (dead or alive) you would love to have lunch with: Gregory Peck! I'm naming my son after the ideal dad I never had.

Fashion celebrity you would like to shadow: Leandra Medine. She is so crazy and hysterical I just love her! And I guess she doesn't dress that bad... 

What city/place can you see yourself living in?: This is so hard for me! I love the mountains in Asheville, New York City (obviously), and London because I am such an anglophile! Maybe I'll be blessed enough to marry a brit, live in NYC, and have time to visit my family back home. 

Favorite Movie: Fashion movie/best movie ever, Breakfast at Tiffany's for obvious reasoning and Fried Green Tomatoes because I'm a southern girl at heart and it has such a good story! (and the costume designer is Elizabeth McBride)

Favorite Book: William Faulker's "As I Lay Dying." Since my mom is an English Teacher, I love reading and I love analyzing books. This novel seems like a simple story of a family, but is very deep and emotional if you can get to the real point. I recommend this book to everyone!

If you were a shoe, what kind would you be: A satin, pointed toe heel.

Most treasured possession: My perfume ring that has my initials on it. Usually I am against monograms of all kinds, but this is very near and dear to my heart. My mom gave it to me on my 13th birthday. She has one, and so does my aunt, who has since given it to her daughter.

I hope you have enjoyed this post! Look forward to Elizabeth Hawn of Atlanta State of Mind, and my dear friend Lindsey Hoover, who I think has impeccable style! If you would like to be featured, either comment below or email me at josephandella@gmail.com!

Audrey's 85th

                             
As you may already know, I happen to quite like Ms. Audrey Hepburn. I have loved her style, her kindness, and her talent for as long as I can remember and I don't think it should go without mentioning. She has helped me through so much. You may ask 'how could she help a teenage girl if she's dead?' Well because she has helped me love myself and is currently helping me be kinder towards people. She has taught me to embrace my insecurities and to flaunt my long neck or my thick eyebrows. Her movies or biographies, or merely just looking at pictures of her (trust me I have a ton) can easily fix my crappy day. I don't know what it is but I feel such a strong connection to her and it makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be able to watch and learn from her ways. So at this moment, I am prouder than ever to be this beautiful woman's biggest fan. We'll end with the clichest of cliches: I love my fair lady.

The Mod Squad

If there's one thing that I always try to be, it's experimental. I try to try everything at least once, even if that means looking like a complete idiot. One trend that I have only tried a couple of times, with miscellaneous gridded shirts or boxy shirts is the mod trend. I have been obsessed with this since Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs both mastered with their boxy, gridded, graphic colored pieces (not to mention the subdued beehives), so thank you Marc! Valentino had a mod-ish look in their Fall 2014 show, which I loved the shapes and colors! I love the take on shapes, color, and the attention to the no-figure shape, which is one reason I love the twenties for its drop waist style. But, instead of being a slinky, drop waist, the dresses are boxy shifts which are so cute and remind me of Audrey in Breakfast, and her later on in the decade. I also love other sixties icons like Twiggy (that's a given), Jane Birkin, and Edie Sedgwick. Not to mention the awesome pixie cuts, which I wish I could pull off, but I guess I'll have to stay with boxy shifts for now.

1. via style.com // 2/3. via pinterest.com 

Mad Hatter

I have always been obsessed with hats. I think it's because of my infatuation with older decades. Why did they go out of style? Jackie-O with her pill box, flappers and their cloches, and the wide brim beauties of the 70s are all just a small sample of styles that I miss. That's one reason I am in love with the Brits, because they stay with tradition, and hats, like it or not, are close to a tradition to our dear friends across the pond. Thank god for Saint Laurent bringing back the wide brim hats, because they are absolutely to die for. And can we please take hints from Bridget down below? Top hats! Genius! Now that's taking menswear to the next level.

  

all pics via pinterest

Back in the Saddle

Sorry for the sporadic leave of absence. It has been crazy with basketball and trying to get one of issues of the paper sent to press, but I am glad to say that I am back and ready to blog. For my first post back, I am going to talk about 50s fashion, because it is what I wrote my most recent fashion review on. The 1950s is one of my absolute favorite eras because of the feminism and confidence of the women. Most of my favorite brands are now the new fashion houses of designers like Givenchy, Balenciaga, and Dior. You can see hints of the era in almost any article of clothing whether it be by the fabric, the shape, or the accessories. It's only fitting that my idol was having a break through at this time. Audrey, made up by Hubert de Givenchy, always looked so classic and chic. I am also a huge fan of film from this era, especially because of Edith Head. I was thrilled when I clicked on the Oscars and saw that there was a tribute to the classic film age. When I think of 50s film, I think of Audrey and Gracce Kelly in that stunning Edith Head gown in 1955. Like the fall trend, every woman seemed to be her own heroine, and that's why I am drawn to this time period. Women took control of their looks and started doing things the way they wanted to do them. It wasn't about feminism or being equal to men, but about wearing trousers if they wanted to. This acceptance of power is a quality I wish I possessed. Remember girls, press on and just think.. W.W.A.D?

1. Audrey Hepburn, via pinterest // 2. Grace Kelly, via elle.com

To read my article on 1950s fashion, go to GoldenFleeceOnline.com where you can read our virtual paper.

I'm feeling: Berets

Is it possible to be an anglophile and a francophile at the same time, or is that a contradiction that can't be overcome? Even if it can't, I'm trying really hard to get over it because each one is so perfect. Don't get me wrong, I love America and I tear up every time I hear the national anthem, but what are we known for? Being overweight? Both British and French cultures have the chicest hats, and the only hats we wear are cowboy hats. Anyways, I love Parisian culture, especially their style in general, not just their hats. Nothing is more chic than french fashion and style. One of my favorite french looks is the beret. They are so effortlessly chic I just love them. Especially on Faye Dunaway in "Bonnie and Clyde" and on Audrey of course.This small little accessory defines french style and I can't get enough. On the runway, Rodarte styled many looks with a sort of metallic tweed, which added an Italian flare to the look. This sort of cross-cultural fashion is one my favorite looks, and is definitely a part of my aesthetic. See, I told you I could be an anglophile and a francophile.

 1. Faye Dunaway in "Bonnie and Clyde, via imdb.com // 2. Faye Dunaway, via pinterest // 3. Audrey Hepburn, via pinterest.com // 4. Ulyana Sergeenko, via elle.com // 5. Rodarte Fall 2014, via style.com