Surviving Fashion Week Part I

Even though we are not in the mere chaos of the fashion weeks, you have to admit is a bloody hell to keep up with every single show. No matter how hard you try or how often you check your Reader (I have a love-hate relationship with it) you end up missing more collections than you wish. The thing is, I discovered I'm kind of an information hoarder... hard to admit, but I get a little bit freaked out if I see more than 400 posts unread. Gotta look at every single look, every single detail, and believe me, I enjoy doing that, though at the end of the day it's an overload of information. The key to avoid an overdose of runway pictures and street style photographs these days is the media you use.

Weeks ago I was blessed with an IPad, and I mean really blessed because now I wouldn't know how to clasify all my information without it. The apps are God's creation, I tell you, and several can turn to be the perfect medicine to survive fashion weeks' overload nightmare. If you happen to be as fashion hungry as I am and have an IPad / IPhone, here are the apps you can't miss.

The Cut
For the rigorous daily dose of fashion every morning, The Cut is THE app. The design is not only friendly but really organized, perfect for the control freaks like moi. As soon as you tap the app you are received with the latest fashion shows. The grid of photographs is a delight and it rarely shuts down. The News button lets you surf smoothly through the published posts including Look of the day, Things to Watch, Quotables and other great sections with the latest gossip from the fashion world. But if there's one element that really drives me crazy like a teenager in a Bieber's concert (poor reference...) is the Looks button. There you can search by clothing, color, material, season/type, you name it. It really makes the search for a trend very easy and quick.

The Collection
The official app of the New York Times' Fashion and Style section will make you head over heels. The interface is very tumblr-ish, but just by tapping in the pictures you'll enjoy every image in the best resolution. The pictures sections such as Photos of the Moment are a delight in the IPad. As well as The Cut's app, The Collection includes a Runway section and a Street Style section, the latter right from Bill Cunningham's lense.

Instagram
You may ask, why would you choose Instagram as a must in the fashion weeks? Truth be told, there's no app as inmediate as Instagram (except for Twitter but that's just too messy). By following the right people, you'll have access to the collections in real time. The key for this app to be useful is the people you follow, so I decided to make you a fast and ready to go list:

Must follow: Teen Vogue, Nylon Magazine, NYTimes Fashion

The ones who were a hit in NYFW: Refinery29, MilkStudios, ManRepeller, GaranceDore, HolierThanNow, CFDA

The ones who rocked LFW: Stylenoir, LibertyLondonGirl, JackRisley, Asos, BoF (Business of Fashion)

The ones who are nailing MFW: LuisaViaRoma, VogueSpain (seriously), MarcoMarengo, PaolaDirettoreGlamour

Street style: Elowaz, Facehunter, StreetStylish, _frommetoyou (Cinemagraphs' creator Jamie Beck)

The brands that love Instagram: OscarPRGirl, Gucci, Burberry, DolceGabbanaOfficial

More apps to come in the second installment, meanwhile Happy Milan Fashion Week!

Happy 2nd Birthday Dear Blog!

Girl talking on Menswear: Fall 2012

I have to accept I'm not all screams and excitement when it comes to menswear runways. Don't know why, I've never appreciated men's clothing until now. Why this sudden change? Well, when your hubby asks you for style advice, as the fashion mogul you are, and you have no clue about menswear THEN you know you need to know. That, and the immaculate Givenchy suit he was wearing the other day with a Calvin Klein black cravat made me snap (I would show you a picture but he might kill me...).

So, I decided I was going to immerse myself in these season's menswear shows as much as I could. So far we've seen Pitti Uomo and the first two days from Milan Fashion Week with two more to go. If I had to tell you, instinctively, about the overall mood of the Fall 2012, I would name it "Menswear Evolution Throughout Time" or "History in Menswear Revisited". Somehow, it seems that every brand has inspired each of their garments in past decades, taking inspiration in communism, English dandys, Futurism and a glimpse of reinterpretation in modern luxury.

The Gentleman, or Mary Poppin's impersonators, as ShowStudio calls them, were the main motif in Christopher's Baileys take on fall's menswear. The 101 on layering and the very core of Brit style result in a collection among perfection. ¿My favorite piece? The double breasted wool coat in grey, though the velvet suits also made it to my top ten.

At first, I thought Dolce & Gabbana's collection was the perfect symbol of menswear luxury attires. Then, it suddenly shifted to wool caps and low crotch pants with baroque ornate in pants, jackets and coats. Then, the appearance of the bow tie, the pajama suits and the velvet suits (that last one is a sure trend) made it just more confusing. Not sure what was the intended mood in this one, but I can tell you I would love a man in one of the first suits, with lapels in black velvet.

When I read in GQ that “Raf Simons must have swallowed the red pill based on the procession of Agent Smith clones at Jil Sander this season" I was laughing out loud. Truth is, it is one of my favorite menswear collections so far. The long leather coats along with the suits of the same nature were a fresh and futurist construal of menswear. And it was about time; women have been ravishing about leather for the last years with leather sweatshirts and tight dresses. Even if we might not get to see anyone pull off the head to toe leather ensemble, any of this pieces are going to be worth watching in the street style round ups of next season.

Last but not least, Prada. I'm starting to believe there is an enchantment in Miuccia's creations, or that the head of Publicity and Public Relations department is a mere god. As if the collection by itself, a reality where Victorian clothing meets Napoleon meets Cold War, wasn't enough, the models had not to be models. At least not all of them. With the Awards season taking place at the same time, it was only a matter of time a designer would choose actors to model. Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth, Emile Hirsch, Jamie Bell and Jared Hedlund sported long coats with fur and leather lapels, military silhouettes, and round Lennon like sunglasses through the red carpet, ironically. With that cast in those clothes, it was hard not to think about a movie where power and political motives may be the main theme.

Images: GQ & Selectism

Happy 2012!

After waiting 4 hours for a delayed flight I finally arrived to the beach for a well deserved New Year's break. Along with my family and my hubby I had the best New Year's Eve I can think of. The beach, the sun & a very relaxing nap, were the perfect treatment to get ready for the night. It was a wonderful evening and I can't think of anything else I had rather worn than this incredibly beautiful dress made by my dearest friend, Alexino Couture. The organza pleated train made me feel the most elegant girl in the world and I'm sure looking and feeling that good can only mean great things are coming. Thanks to Alex, you're the best and I can't wait to dress another of your designs!

Wish you all the best year of your lives!

The end of 2011

Wow, 2012? Really? I can't think of a year that has gone as quickly as this one. For me it's been one of the best years in my life. I can't believe that a year ago I was packing for Madrid... tempus fugit! Living in another country was an incredible experience and I'll always remember it as a dream. For me, it will always be one of the fondest memories I have. 

I have to say, there is a weird sense of ending this year. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I haven't really realize it's December yet, or maybe it's all that chit chat about the end of the world. Weeks ago I saw Melancholia, from Lars Von Trier, and I can tell you it's one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. The way he and Kirsten Dunst portray the end of humanity is poetically beautiful, in such a sad and melancholic way you wouldn't imagine those things could coexist. And somehow it's exactly how I feel about the year reaching to its end. There's certain melancholia about the things I lived this year, but they were insanely beautiful, and even if they have reached the end, as everything does in this world, I'm very happy to have lived them. 

In the other hand, I couldn't think of a better way to close 2011 than appearing in the online post of "Bloggers' Style in New Year's Eve" along with Andy from StyleScrapbook, Denni from Chicmuse and Kari from Your Mother Should Know, who is now in charge of the invited blogger spot (be sure to read her!). 

What do you think of my Christmas tree? You can check the full spread here to see one of my favorite outfits for New Year's Eve and what my fellow bloggers wore.

I have to say goodbye now, but we will meet again in 2012. Wish you the best and most beautiful year of your life, full of joy, desires, passion, shoes and a lot of love. Thank you, to all of you.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is finally here! This is definitely one of my favorite holidays and every year I enjoy all the little rituals and traditions, cooking, setting the tree, decorating the house, etc. And even though this year has been quite strange, it's the perfect time to celebrate our families and friends and to be grateful for all the love we have in our lives.

I can't thank enough to all the people who are in my life for being such amazing persons in every aspect, to my family and friends and to every person who has taught me something.

To every person who reads me, I wish you the best best best Christmas of all time! I leave you with the 24th video of Love Magazine, Lily Donaldson dancing to my favorite Christmas song, Rockin' Aroung the Christmas Tree, enjoy!

Black and White Night by Privalia

Last week Privalia organized the last bloggers' night of the year in Celeste House. Needless to say, it was a huge success where friends, work and fun met in the same place. Martinis, macarons and tons of pictures made of this night a true delight. Thanks so much to Privalia and to Bel for the invitation and the lovely gifts, you really know how to throw a party!