l'art pour l'art

l'art pour l'art by sarahmadeline featuring a crop top

Here's some outfit inspiration for a day trip in the city. I'm a big fan of the art trend popping up on the runways, especially the simple scrawls from Stella McCartney's PF 2014. Also featured in this collage are my current fetishes with good photography, writer's notebooks, nude rose lips, and perfume.  

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Posh

Posh by sarahmadeline featuring a dolce gabbana lipstick

Rick Owens ribbed sweater / Boutique satin shorts / Stella McCartney Crystal-embellished velvet slippers / Mango handbag / Kate Spade bib statement necklace / Dolce Gabbana dolce gabbana lipstick

Excuse me as I indulge in a quick blitz of some pure, unadulterated fashion today. If I were to take a shot at the vintage-modern style paradox, I'd picture something of this sort. Chic, old-fashioned shoes, luxurious satin shorts, a trendy turtleneck and a classic handbag blend together for a perfect tension of eras. Accessorize that with a slightly art deco statement necklace and lush, noir-rouge lips and you'll be posh as a Ritz.

And here's a swanky little tune to serve as soundtrack:



P.S. As far as music on the blog goes, I've been dying to throw in some of my favorite globally sourced songs. I'm thinking of doing a World Café weekly special featuring all kinds of fun, eclectic things, so stay posted folks.

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Musings + A Polyvore Set

Dogue by sarahmadeline featuring blue handbags

Marni green top / Sass Bide short mini skirt / Joe's Jeans high heel shoes / VBH blue handbag / Topshop midi ring / STELLA McCARTNEY tortoise glasses / La Mer The Oil Absorbing Tonic

I got a bit carried away with the writing today…

When I go about trying to find my own personal style, sometimes I feel like I'm suffering from the identity confusion of a postcolonial literary character. Let me explain. For about fifteen, arguably seventeen, years, my fashion sense has been oppressed by the dominion of suburban-preppy garb. First, there were sweatshirts, jeans, and Uggs (à la middle school). Then subsequently, kilts, crew necks, and Lily Pulitzer (à la high school). I've also played competitive soccer since I had size four cleats, and thus I have a bit of an athlete's closet (sweatpants, drawers of cotton tees, baggy shorts--the ones that aren't the chic, runway type). Basically, if I wanted to assimilate, I didn't have much elbow room for sartorial expression.

But as senior year carries on and my time in suburbia runs out (my style ambitions sighing in glorious anticipation), I find myself in a struggle to develop a sort of "national style identity after colonial rule." How does one overcome the wardrobe culture of a cable-knit-sweater-clad colonizer and embrace an identity involving metallic mini-skirts, cat-eyed tortoise shell glasses, and fashionable chihuahuas?? That's a question I long to answer. To my dismay, you can't quite parade around The Academy dressed in sculptured stilettos and toting oversized, blue clutches without incurring puzzled snickers and accusations of "trying too hard." Like an haute-couture Jhumpa Lahiri character, I don't know if I should channel my inner Audrey and embrace la vie à la mode in all its high fashion glory, or ring in with the Girls that only know Pearls but also sport leggings and CustomInk T-shirts for those more casual days. Then again, maybe I should just approach this from another angle. Prep, if done the Jenna Lyons way, is still fashion after all. And who am I kidding, I love J. Crew. And Gossip Girl.

In the meantime, as I figure out the style I most identify with (preppy, bohemian, luxe, minimal, tomboy??) I'll just continue secretly listening to trendy Euro Hotel Lounge music (via Songza) while pretending I'm somewhere in Paris.

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Agate Bookends

Kimberly McDonald Agate Bookends

Agate, the crystalline quartz that forms within volcanic rock, comes in many swirls of sparkling colors and hues. They range from beautiful icy blues, frosty whites, burnt oranges, and deep lavenders. And now, a hearty chunk of it makes quite the handsome library accessory, lending a luxurious dose of surreal exoticness to any bookshelf. In short, these bookends rock! (Pun intended. It's so sad, sometimes I swear my humor is limited to really bad puns.) 

The following beauts can be found at The Evolution Store:

  

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Minimal Splash

minimal splash by sarahmadeline featuring black pants

The Row black pants / Maison Michel felt hat / Givenchy Antigona Calf Hair Envelope Clutch / Noa Black

What an exciting week it's been for me, and not necessarily in the good way. Allow me a metaphor. Can you relate to a time when everything surrounding your life was precariously perched, threatening to topple over and disrupt what might be a relatively placid lake? It's those days when you pray that whatever happens, it happens with minimal splash.

Anyway, excuse my enigmatic philosophies. For this set, I pulled together some simple pieces (gray tee and black pants) and jazzed them up with a few statement accessories. Hello spotted-cow clutch, ciao leather dress shoes, top of the morning black chapeau. It's those delightful details that can make or break an outfit, don't you think?

Finally, I want to share a track I just discovered via my Flume Pandora station :) It's borderline bizarre, but I can see it as the soundtrack for some super cool, ultra hip fashion commercial showing flashes and glimpses of glamorous people doing glamorous things in glamorous places. You know what I'm talking about. It would basically scream, "I'm too cool for you, and I know it, and it's great." And as an afterthought, "Sorry I'm not sorry." And isn't that always the case with la vie à la mode? The aspirational wonders of it all, so great, addictive, and quite unconcerned with regular life. Whether that's good or bad I can't yet decide.

Yours truly,

Sarah

P.S. As you can tell, I was in such a random writing mood today..

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Don't Let the Bag Bugs Bite

Don't Let the Bag Bugs Bite by sarahmadeline featuring leather handbags

Acne Studios long sleeve sweater / Zara mini skirt / Zara black boots / Fendi leather handbag, $1,980 / Yves Saint Laurent bracelet / Byredo fragrance

Continuing on with my affinity for quirky pops in fashion,  how could I not post about Fendi's new Bag Bugs? Original and eye-catching, these totable critters, along with their oh-so-loveable companions, the Buggies, are single-handedly captivating the fashion world's imagination. For this set, I wanted to let the delightfully pecuilar handbag shine. So to keep busy distractions at bay, I chose muted, neutral colors for the rest of the outfit, letting the bag's primary pops of blue and yellow to stand out. If you haven't yet watched the Fendi Buggies video, please enjoy below! It's adorable and whimsical beyond compare, somewhat reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli film gone haute couture.

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Trend Report: They're Watching You

they're watching you by sarahmadeline featuring enamel jewelry

MARC BY MARC JACOBS enamel jewelry / Eye-spy Top

Eye don't know about you, but eye can't get enough of fashion's newest trend. Recently, eye've had my eye out for quirky, offbeat motifs (particularly animal-related) that have been appearing on recent pieces, such as on this Fendi bag, these Royal Terrier Slipper Loafers, this cat ring, and any of Charlotte Olympia's kitty slippers. So when eye noticed all these odd, baby blue peepers discreetly popping up on various blogs and fashion sites, eye was delighted! It's a perfectly strange and mystifying kind of fad. 

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Embellished and Furry

Embellished and Furry by sarahmadeline featuring Jo Malone

3 1 Phillip Lim sweatshirt, $1,025 / Current/Elliott jeans / Givenchy strappy sandals / Yves Saint Laurent lipstick / Jo Malone body moisturizer / 3 1 Phillip Lim travel bag

I'm developing a penchant for furry, fuzzy, or fluffy textured clutches. I don't know why, it's quite irrational, but I have an inkling that it stems from my lifelong fondness of stuffed animals. I think I've come to believe that a fluffy clutch is the grown-up's edition of a teddy bear, something soft and moderately huggable that can be carried everywhere. On another note, I also have a craving for embellished pieces featuring lovely, sparkling jewels, which can make any plain t-shirt more glittery and fun. It appears I have the fancies of a five-year-old at the moment, but so be it.

Anyway, here's a great tune to listen to today:

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art basel

art basel by sarahmadeline featuring clear high heel shoes

Edie Parker green handbag / Saloni jump suit / Lanvin earrings / Moschino Gennarino bear glow-in-the-dark Samsung Galaxy S4 cover / Antonio Berardi clear high heel shoes / Zero Maria Cornejo blue cape / Black handbag / Mara hoffman romper / Maison Martin Margiela crystal jewelry / Abrams Set of two Fashion Insiders' Guides: New York and Paris / Charlotte Olympia platform stiletto / ASOS bright colored handbag / SUNO x The Webster / STELLA McCARTNEY print pants / Nicholas Kirkwood high heel shoes 

I was in a heated fervor when scouting for pieces to create this set. In fact, this was all passionately spontaneous. I was scrolling through some Art Basel photos online, and it transported me to this awesome, bizarre place in my mind where I saw everything to the soundtrack of Funky-town. It's amazing what an "anything-goes" attitude can do. Suddenly, as I scrolled through online shops, my eyes were opened to all these colorful, fantastic garments, shoes, and accessories that I would normally never have the originality to appreciate. And voila, this set was made.

Among my favorite labels featured here are Charlotte Olympia (of course. they're everybody's, meaning my, favorite all the time these days) and the SUNO x The Webster capsule.

I wish I was in Miami so badly right now, I say as I watch snow fall and ice freeze outside my window...

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Trend Report: Blushing Sheep?

blushing sheep? by sarahmadeline featuring leather pumps
Trine's Wardrobe / Angelica Blick / Mary-Kate Olsen

In my small and sartorially-cautious hometown, I'm normally not one to wear bold statement pieces like this coat, with wool like a fuzzy, blushing sheep. It's a subtly whimsical thing no matter how you dress it up or down and I wish I had the guts to proudly wear it. But alas, I've instead been sticking to relatively safe, while still chic, winter shades of black, gray, white, deep green, deep red, beiges of all kinds, etc., etc. I like my moody color palette, but I was happy to see this emerging trend of lovely, soft-hued overcoats! They brighten up any dreary December outfit, and must be so warm to bundle up in. Perfect for holiday shopping in the city while shielding yourself from blustering winds. 

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cream + sable

cream + sable by sarahmadeline featuring a black jumper

The boxy sweater is definitely the staple piece for this winter season. Just pair it with your favorite skinnies, a chic heel, and a dash of jewelry to get away with a modern luxe look while staying blissfully comfortable. I chose an irresistibly adorable MARC by Marc Jacobs 'Critter' Cat Dial Watch for this look, along with a sheer NARS foundation to give you a fresh glow. For shoes, indulge a bit in some cream-colored ankle boots with a quirky, golden heel.  Pair it all off with a supple, leather clutch and you're good to go. Simply substitute different colors, textures, prints, and jewelry to give this basic outfit endless variety.

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a frosty-hued ensemble

a frosty-hued ensemble by sarahmadeline featuring a gray skirt

I've decided to reawaken my Polyvore account from its slumber. It's with the intent of styling my own looks while avoiding failed attempts at fashion blogger modelling. For this set, I put together "a frosty-hued ensemble," as the self-explanatory title so describes. The powder blue, chiseled gray, and inky navy epitomize for me the color scheme of a light flurry in early December.  And I'm such a fan of the oversized over coat trend, in all its man-repelling glory. As for the rest of the outfit, these days you can't go wrong with a flared skirt and black boots.  

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Fall Shopping List

Fall Shopping List by sarahmadeline featuring a two tone sweater

I'm a bit of an indecisive and lost shopper if I don't have a clear product or end look envisioned. So I've decided to start writing down, or rather, visually listing, all the things I might purchase next. Here's my inspiration for fall. 

Zara two tone sweater
zara.com

3 1 Phillip Lim jacket
lagarconne.com

Givenchy pants
net-a-porter.com

Chan Luu clothing
net-a-porter.com

Zara skinny jeans
zara.com

Print flat
bloomingdales.com

Charlotte Olympia shoes
net-a-porter.com

DV by Dolce Vita leather boots
bloomingdales.com

Ray-Ban Aviators
jcrew.com



 CREAMY LIPS L101 "Ellis Red"

 ellisfaas.com

                   

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Charcoal Dusted

Burned some time today making a Polyvore set featuring some fashion items I'm longing for: a bralet, sandal heels, and quality skinny jeans. 

1. bralet, Free People

2. sandals, Manolo Blahnik

3. skinny jeans, Frame Denim

4. chiffon blouse, Saint Laurent

5. shoulder bag, Chloé

6. sunglasses, Marni 

I can't believe this is my last week of summer... By next Tuesday, I'll be off to my first day of senior year! The beginning of the end, as they say. Watch out for some anxious posts recounting the banes of my college application process. Or, if I'm being honest with myself, watch out for an increased amount of random posts as I stubbornly procrastinate said process...

                 

     

   

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Ballet, Jewels, and Studs

Meet my new babies! I got them a few days ago at DSW, aka shoe heaven. I'm currently obsessed with the nude ballet flat, which I swear is really a ballet slipper in disguise. Just look at it. My second favorite out of the three is the blue-crystal-accented sandal. I have a  thing for thong sandals this summer, and the light turquoise + gold combo just makes it ten times better. Lastly, those black flats are a classic with an edgier twist, taking it from a noob-looking ballet flat (as I find most black ballet flats look), to one with a chic spice.

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New Tops for June

I'm still so equivocal in my opinion toward blogging about clothes. It's not like I'm the best at it, and it's not the most substantial topic out there, but it's a heck of a fun one, at least for me. Call it my guilty pleasure, but has it ever hurt anyone to relish the joy of lovely outfits and the allure of a stylish life? I may come across as materialistic at times, but really, what I'm obsessed with is not necessarily the clothes themselves, but everything they can represent. With that, let me show off some shiny new things I bought recently :) I tried to mix things up by buying brighter colors and different textures, because reviewing my closet, too many of my shirts (the essential tee times 10) looked exactly the same but in various pastels.

Favorite buy of them all? This lipstick from J. Crew in French Martini. It's not as coral bright as the box, but instead goes on a bit lighter, softer, pinker, and somewhat more translucent. You could layer on more for that bright coral, which would make a great accent for any summer outfit, or swipe on a sheer layer for everyday wear.

Thoughts?

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Prep For Summer

A care-free getup I plan to live in during the summer months. I used to not like these Sperries, but now, they complete me. And so many of my outfits.

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Holiday Spirit

Merry Christmas everyone! In the tradition of gifts and new things, here are some of the clothes I bought from my trip to NYC, including a minimalistic holiday shirt that hangs perfectly, various essentials sealed up in Japanese technology, and a winter-print scarf with matching socks.

But in the true spirit of Christmas, last Sunday I went to mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral right in the midst of the hustle and bustle of glittering stores in the city. It was a wakeup call for me, reminding me that Christmas is less about Santa Clause and more about, oh that's right, the Son of God.

-Sarah

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