Style Envy: Jenna Lyons

I have never been a huge fan of J. Crew.  My friend Michael used to be a walking J. Crew ad, and he had incredible style, so I can say I am a fan of the men's line.  For the women's side, I always just lumped Banana Republic and J. Crew in the same category.  It's all nice clothes, professional, inoffensive, maybe a place where I can pop in to grab a dress shirt or suit for work; really nothing special.

Jenna Lyons is the creative director at J. Crew.  She just finished up a guest spot on Girls, as Hannah's stylish and intimidating boss.  I instantly looked up her outfits from the show, and stumbled upon her entire catalog.  Holy. Crap.  This woman is so unbelievably chic!  After analyzing the looks she chooses for herself, I looked at the back catalogs for J. Crew, and these images really clicked with me.  She really incorporates herself into her work.  Everything she personally wears could easily show up, piece by piece, on paper in the lookbook.

The way she styles herself encompasses everything I love about fashion, and so much of what I have been writing about on this blog.

Here are two separate looks incorporating a lovely fur coat.  It works so well in a formal setting, and also in a more dressed-down setting.

The layering with this fur vest is so interesting.  The cross body bag in both looks is a perfect touch.

The contrast of this plain button up shirt with patterns that I would never think to pair it with.  Somehow, it works!  

R.I.P. Vogue

It is not realistic to expect someone I really like on every cover of Vogue.  I don't think Rhianna or Jennifer Lopez are ever good choices for high fashion.  Kate Upton is pretty low-rent as well.  But Kim Kardashian?  I think Buffy said it best:

Vogue is an institution.  Anna Wintour is the IRL Devil who wears Prada.  When I think of Vogue, I think of old school Sex and the City, I think of the era of the classic supermodel, I think of Chanel suits, I think of McQueen ball gowns, I think of the ideal of cutting edge splendor and luxury.  Here are things that will be forever associated with Kim Kardashian: a sex tape, BeBe, and Sears.

Anna Wintour has stated on record that she regrets putting the Spice Girls on the cover in the late 90s.  I understand that a lot of people hated that cover, and argued that the Spices were not representative of the Vogue ideal.  I loved that cover, but then again I was 12 when that cover came out and my bedroom was plastered in Spice memorabilia.  I am trying to be understanding here, but let's be honest, Victoria Beckham would rather gnaw off a foot than collaborate with Sears.

I'll be surprised if the Kardashian taint ever leaves.  Here are some classic covers to mourn what used to be the authority on high-end fashion and luxury. #RIP

[I know it's a Paris cover, but I've seen this image before and I adore it.]

[I remember seeing this issue on the newstand and thinking Madonna as Evita was so glam.]

[Of course I have to include this one.]

Style Envy: Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger was Frau Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds.  I have no idea what else she has been in, but every time I see pics of her at events, her look is impeccable.

Even for her casual looks, she injects a certain European element.  The best I can describe this, is the ability to mix severely contrasting pieces and making the outfit as a whole look wearable.  This is something I have been trying to master with my own look over the past few years.  I love what she did with the prom skirt here, you barely even notice that the skirt is such a formal piece:

[Cropped T-shirt/ Prom skirt combo.  Stripes/ Patterned bag/ Python sandals combo.  Perfection.]

[Vintage-y dress/ sneakers combo is so offbeat and chic.  How is it possible to be so cute???]

This evening look.  OMG, I die.

[Every element of this look is flawless.  The red lip and nails are the perfect finishing touches.]