Owl Sweater at Burberry Pre-Fall

Burberry really outdid themselves for pre-fall 2012 (whatever that means).

I know I'm not alone in coveting this sweater, so (obviously) I can't for the knock-off version. Sigh.

images

1-4.  Garance Doré

5. Kate Bosworth via Upscale Hype

Paint Splattered

I have a tendency to make grand sweeping statements based on very little data, like the time I once said that nothing much happened in the Middle Ages in comparison with the Renaissance for a first-year paper. And now I'm going to say that based on these two outfits at NYFW paint splattered pants are a thing. Printed pants (and skirts and dresses, etc) are certainly popping up everywhere, but artist studio-inspired prints of splattered paint or inkblot patterns have been catching my eye. Probably has something to do with an impressionist-style splattered print on a dress I bought off the sale rack at French Connection in the summer. It had just arrived in that morning from the SoHo store, and the sales guy was so pleased that I fell for it. 

1 & 2. Erin Kling
3. Claire Geist
4. Rhian Grimstead
5. 3.1 Philip Lim paint splatter drape skirt

Leopard Print Love

My new dress (an early birthday present). 

It's far from the neutral zone, being leopard print and all, but it doesn't actually deviate from my usual colour palette of gray and black. That's why I promptly went to MAC and bought a bright pink lipstick. Girl About Town. That's about right.

image:

lilian silk dress, club monaco

A Spring in Your Step

I currently have my eye on inspiring ways to incorporate colours other than gray and black into my wardrobe. First up: footwear.   

images:

1. unknown  

2. seychelles snapdragon heels in emerald

Brought to You by the Colour Grey

I realized on my way to work this morning that I was wearing almost entirely grey, literally from head to toe, in a fairly grey landscape. It seems that every week the city alternates from spring-ish browns and swampy greens to pristine white. Yesterday: brown. This morning: grey. Currently: white-ish with a strong chance of rain.

1 Joe jeans
2 French Connection coat
3 Wool hat via net-a-porter.com
4 H by Hudson Lille desert boots
5 Falke cable knit knee high socks

image via polyvore

Jason Wu x Target

On February 5th, get thee to a Target. Jason Wu's collection for Target is perfection and just what I'm looking for (ideal for spring and for winter layering) - minimalist, tailored looks with a nice balance of neutrals and colour pops.

When Target comes to Canada in 2013 (or is it 2014? I can't keep track), I wonder if all these capsule collections will be available north of the border as well...

Russian Chic

Four good reasons why the russian cossack sartorially dominates the trapper hat.

Inspiration: Julie Christie in Dr. Zhivago (1965)

On the street: the newly-pregnant Sienna Miller in Paris

Grey coat + brown leather on the street

Kate Middleton at Cheltenham Festival

Image sources:

Sienna Miller

Grey coat, NYC

Kate Middleton

Anna and the Red Skirt

Wanted: Red Pleated Skirt

Anna Wintour at Annie Leibowitz's 'Pilgrimage' opening reception at the Pace Gallery in Chelsea

Bold Flame Skirt from Modcloth 

Vintage Michael Kors on Etsy 

Midi skirt with pleats from Asos

Fall Coat Inspiration: Menswear and the Sixties

I have a thing for coats. It's probably got something to do with living on the east coast above the 49th parallel, but of all the things in my closet, if I had a disposable income all year long I would lavish it on coats (good, well-made, perfectly-tailored-in-beautiful-fabric coats) for every season and possible weather scenario. 

I'm in the market for one right now. Last year I made do with a (surprisingly spot-on) wool peacoat from the little boy's department at Old Navy. It actually reminds me a lot of the one from Built by Wendy that Andrea Linnett wrote about here, minus the insanely tempting gold lining. 

As usual I look to menswear and the 60s for inspiration. I love the tailored boxiness of these coats, the silhouette of the swing coats, and as usual am gravitating towards their neutral tones. I can't get enough of gray and navy, so I'm especially grateful these days for my red leather gloves, the only pop of colour I currently wear. They're beautiful fleece-lined gloves and are perfectly worn in from years of wear by my grandmother.  She gave them to me the last time I saw her almost ten years ago; it was in the middle of February and I tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted, and a month later she passed away (she wasn't ill, but I do think she knew). She was a very stylish lady and always favoured a classic silhouette; I think she would approve of these:

images: 

Kirsten Dunst in Carven coat 

Club Monaco

Calvin Klein Collection coat  

Club Monaco 

J.Crew

Rochas  

SJP 

A.P.C.

Kelly Green With Envy

all images via pinterest

Fashion Sweatpants

Karl Lagerfeld once said, "Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants."

It looks like Karl's alone on this one. Introducing, the suddenly-ubiquitous fashion sweatpant. The skinnification of sweatpants was bound to happen after leggings and jeggings became all the rage. Designers from Ralph Lauren and J.Crew to Alexander Wang and Isabel Marant have hopped on board this one - that's a lofty bunch of defeatists! Obviously le Karl has no idea you can have your cake and eat it too. (Being Karl, he would probably frown upon that very idea.)

heathered longjanes, madewell

Isabel French Terry Pant, Club Monaco

image: refinery29

Black + Sheer

A good example of how more can sometimes be less:

anja rubik (source)

anne hathaway (source)

monika jagaciak (source)