De La Moded

Apologies (again!)

delamoded — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:49:22 +0000

Dear Readers,

There hasn’t been an update this past week, largely due to the fact that I haven’t had a computer to work on, as mine was in the shop. However, now that I’ve got my computer back (and better than ever!), you can expect a new post presently.

Bailey

Tagged: a whole week, apologies, apple store, computers, excuses, macbook, not my fault, oops

Back to School: Preppy

delamoded — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:24:29 +0000

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are turning, the weather is changing, the month of August has only just started and it’s rapidly coming to a close. It’s time to stop shopping for summer and start thinking about fall, and, more specifically, school.

I’ve always believed that it is imperative to make a good first impression on the first day at school, but that doesn’t mean you have to dress/act like Tracy Flick (nor should you). Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll explore the many different outfits you can consider for that first day.

This week, we’ll be looking at a preppy style.

Price Info (clockwise from top-left): Honey Mustard Tights, $20, Modcloth.com; Take a Bow Necklace, $13, Modcloth.com; Women’s Roll-Up Camp Shirt, $13.99, Old Navy; Coup de Cour Watch Ring, $23.99, Modcloth.com; Collegiate Blazer, $29.99, Aeropostale; Hester Stripe Mini Bubble Skirt, $26, Miss Guided; Decree Sierra Suede Moc, $34.99, JC Penney.

Though some people may interpret “preppy” to mean “decked-out in Abercrombie,” I don’t think the look actually needs to be that boring and cookie-cutter. A preppy style, rather, should be inspired by Blair Waldorf from “Gossip Girl.” Think adorable skirts, simple blouses, and structured jackets, like in the ensemble above.

While a denim mini-skirt would work in this outfit, why not have fun with your clothes? Opt for bright colors, like in that beautiful Miss Guided skirt! And remember: tights are very important if you choose to wear a mini-skirt. School isn’t the time to flaunt how tan your legs are. And besides, with the weather getting colder, you’ll want to cover up regardless. And who wouldn’t, with adorable tights like the ones pictured?

For a jacket, go for a structured blazer. This will balance out how flouncy the skirt is AND provide warmth. Adorable and practical!

Footwear-wise, I tend to lean toward flats for school, purely because of all of the walking between classes. Footwear should be comfortable and easy to move in. That doesn’t mean it has to be hideous!

For makeup, always remember that, for school, simpler is better. You won’t have time to reapply thick layers of makeup. Instead, go for a lightweight foundation, a bit of blush, a lipgloss close to your natural color, and a couple coats of mascara. You’ll look like you made an effort without looking overdone.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to post below!

Tagged: abercrombie, blair waldorf, blazers, blouse, fall, flats, miss guided, preppy, school, skirt, style

Trend Alert: Studs

delamoded — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:31:11 +0000

The new studded Coach bag. Image courtesy of elle.com.

One of the big trends on the runway this season is metallics–but not the basic gold or bronze hues of the past! Designers are taking their love of all things metal one step further, and are incorporating actual metal in their collections. Studs are on everything: bags (like the new Coach handbag pictured above), shoes, skirts, sunglasses, and even hairclips (like in Botega Veneta’s newest collection).

This trend is coming hand-in-hand with another big one for fall: biker chic. Look for leather jackets and knee-high black boots to complete your outfit, if you really want to go the whole nine yards with it. Personally, I would stick to one or two items from this trend (bag OR jacket OR shoes) and then I would pair the selection with some neutral basics, a few layers of silver necklaces, some smoky eye makeup, and call it a day. The key to working any trend is to play it up and not let anything else in your ensemble upstage it.

What do you think of the new studs trend?

Tagged: bags, biker, biker chic, boots, Coach, jackets, leather, metallics, shoes, studs, trends

Now… & Later!

delamoded — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:19:01 +0000

One of my favorite parts about the change in seasons is the fact that I have an excuse to change my wardrobe. However, it’s downright silly (and expensive!) to throw away or store your summer clothes in favor of brand-new winter garments. Why not just incorporate your summer faves in fun, winter ways?

After the jump, we explore two different ways to wear a basic sundress…

Price Info (clockwise from top): AJ Morgan Stache Sunglasses, $14, Buckle.com; Fabric Flowers Corsage Collar, $41, Dorothy Perkins; Braided Knot Gladiator Flats, $12.99, Charlotte Russe; Big Frill Sundress, $25, Topshop; Camel double buckle belt, $25, Dorothy Perkins

The ensemble above is a great summer outfit. The sundress is adorable (and on sale right now!), and florals are always big for the warmer months, so why not incorporate that trend in a fun and unexpected way, like a statement necklace? With such an eye-catching piece of jewelry, it is important to keep other accessories muted, in light shades of brown.

But when will you wear that sundress later?

Price Info (clockwise from right): French Vanilla Tights, $24.99, Modcloth; Perching Parakeet Pendant, $23.99, Modcloth; Purple Bow Slingback Shoes, $82, Dorothy Perkins; Stretch Crochet Belt, $8.99, Style for Less; Stripe Shrug, $41, Dorothy Perkins

A few important changes were made, and voila! This dress is now winter-ready. The addition of both a knit shrug and knit tights will keep you warm and stylish, and the addition of jewel-toned shoes keep it on-trend for next season. A dark belt and a gold pendant top off the ensemble, providing a nice balance to the knits and rich colors.

Comments? Questions? Concerns? Feel free to voice your opinion in the comment space below!

Tagged: chameleon, fashion, florals, jewel tones, later, now, outfit, sandals, style tips, summer, sundress, winter

Apologies are in order…

delamoded — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:33:48 +0000

Wow, it has been a crazy five or so months, hasn’t it?

By which I mean, I am a dolt who got very very distracted during my last semester of school therefore had no time to update the site. Summer is upon us, and with the urging of some kind readers, De La Moded is back in business. Hellz to the yeah.

What should you expect in the future? More polyvore ensembles, more website recommendations, trend alerts, and more. Stay tuned!

Tagged: apologies, apology, distractions, fashion, oops, summer, trend

Great Beauty Buy

delamoded — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:29:10 +0000

Product Info: Boots No7 Stay Perfect Foundation in Nude, $11.99

This product is the best foundation ever. No joke. It is inexpensive, has SPF 15 (so it prevents wrinkles!), accessible (they sell it at Target), and it seriously is the best foundation I’ve ever tried (and believe me, I’ve tried my fair share). I use the Ivory color, because I’m unbelievably freaking pale, and it always blends in perfectly. All of the Boots No7 skincare products work excellently, really. I highly recommend any of them.

Tagged: bargain, beauty, beauty buy, boots, boots no7, foundation, inexpensive, ivory, makeup, nude, product, spf 15, target

Happy Hump Day: A Gift for You

delamoded — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:11:32 +0000

Looking for a way out of Wednesday’s doldrums? I fully recommend I Am Chuck Bass, a delightful blog about my very favorite show, “Gossip Girl.” Best of all, it’s run by two dudes. Hard to believe that a couple guys are sitting around taking notes on Blair’s wardrobe, but they comment enough on Serena’s cleavage that I am willing to believe it.

Tagged: blogs, chuck bass, Fun Links, gossip girl, the cw, wednesday

Featured Site: Madame Bijoux

delamoded — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:19:01 +0000

Emporia Ring, 129.00 SEK ($15.63 USD)

Madame Bijoux is a Swedish jewelry retailer, and one of my new favorite online stores. Even when I’m totally broke (which happens a little too frequently), I love to go just to browse the beautiful photos of equally beautiful (and reasonably-priced!) jewels and accessories. Though they specialize in jewelry, they also have a section for other accessories, and even a kids section. All in all, a great site.

Go to Madame Bijoux now!: MADAME BIJOUX

Tagged: bijoux, cheap, jewelry, jewelry stores, jewels, madame bijoux, online shopping, sweden

V-Day Look Two: Classic Romantic

delamoded — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:15:09 +0000

In the last post, I delineated V-Day Look One: the Sexy Sophisticate. Now it’s time to go into our second possible look: the Classic Romantic.

After the jump, the outfit and the explanation…

Product info (left to right): The Penny Lane Trench, Mod Cloth, $74.99; Pink/Cream Pinstriped Blouse, Miss Selfridge, 22.00 GBP;Ashlee Pump, Heels.com, $47.99; Teresa Eyelet Skirt, Delias, $39.50; Why Did She Have to Be the Captain’s Daughter? Necklace, Eclectic Eccentricity, 13.99 GBP

The key to the Classic Romantic is, basically, to achieve a stereotypical feminine look. Think soft pastels, ruffles, etc. The Miss Selfridge top above is perfect for that, and, as an added bonus, the subtle pinstriping will make you look longer and leaner. I’ve always considered cream to be the best color to pair with pastels if attempting to achieve a romantic look like this one. It will go with anything you pair it with, because it works like a neutral, but isn’t as harsh as black or white. With your outerwear (and you will need outerwear– it’s winter!), consider something more structured to offset the delicacy of your outfit. Though I like the trench above, peacoats work great for this as well. With the coat, either go with a soft color, like above, or a jewel tone for contrast, like emerald or plum.

Accent your look with delicate gold jewelry, like the necklace above. (A note about that particular necklace: for some reason, polyvore made the picture come out really weird, and I couldn’t figure out how to fix it. I highly recommend following the link to the site, because the necklace really is beautiful.) Nude heels work best with pastels because of their subtlety. They will always match. Also, nude heels make your legs look longer, which is always great!

For makeup, try a soft, shimmering gold or taupe eye shadow for just a little extra color. Definitely use blush with this look (I’ll always recommend Orgasm by NARS– it really is the best), and at least two coats of mascara. For the lips, what I do is I put on a pink-tinted lip balm, and coat that with a gold gloss (like Benefit’s 24K).

Tagged: advice, blush, classic, lip gloss, look, makeup, outfit, pastel, pinstripes, romantic, ruffles, soft, subtle, tips, V-Day, Valentine's Day

V-Day Look One: The Sexy Sophisticate

delamoded — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 10:06:26 +0000

V-Day is just around the corner, and it’s time to consider what to wear on the most romantic night of the year. There are many sartorial possibilities, depending on your own likes and dislikes, and I’ve put together two different potential outfits to consider, which will be discussed in two seperate posts. This is the first of the duo: The Sexy Sophisticate.

THE SEXY SOPHISTICATE

Product Info (left to right): Coat, Forever21, $49.80; Walk Like an Egyptian Bangles, ModCloth, $9.99; Black Belted Button Dress, Miss Selfridge, 45.00 GBP; Necklace, Forever21, $11.80; Prima Donna Heels, ModCloth, $149.99

The trick with the Sexy Sophisticate is to never bare too much skin. That’s not sexy; it’s skanky. You want something that will hug your curves and flatter your shape (a cinched LBD is always a sure bet for this), with a hemline that falls just above or just below the knee. (This is where your leg is at its thinnest.)

Also, if you are going with a neutral-colored dress (like the one above), go bold with your accessories! Have fun with them. Reds are always appropriate on V-Day, so wear a fun red coat and fab matching heels. Gold is probably the best way to go, with jewelry.

Makeup-wise, consider a retro look with this, like the Joan Holloway makeup. Liquid liner, mascara, a little shimmer on the cheekbones. With such a sexy look, too much makeup could make you less “smoldering seductress” and more “escort.” Which probably isn’t the effect you want.

Tagged: advice, fashion, holiday, LBD, outfit, romance, sexy, smoldering, sophisticate, sophisticated, V-Day, Valentine's Day