Do celebrities like sales?

This is a very random post, I warn you. A few minutes ago, while I payed my daily visit to JustJared, I came across this picture of Sarah Jessica Parker attending the screening of a new TV show at Donna Karan's place in the Hamptons. I instantly fell in love with the silk crepe blazer she was wearing and so, assuming it was Karan, I scanned a few sites to finally find it on TheOutnet. Regardless of the 70% discount the jacket had before it sold out (Mr. Porter Outnet, anyone?) it made me wonder whether celebrities sale hunt like the rest of us mortals and weather SJP got the jacket from Donna Karan to wear to the event or if she was one of the women to help it selling out (long shot, I know). What do you think? Would you ever stop sale hunting if you had enough money?

I'm off.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, theOutnet.com]

get inspired

It's 1st of May and the sun is shining. If you haven't yet started taking Spring attire seriously, now is the time! Stock up on plenty of nudes, khakis and beiges and play around with colour blocking. Think primary colours and bold combinations. Now, shop!

I'm off.

[Pictures: none of the above are property of soVIPzone. E-mail us at sovipzone@hotmail.com if you'd like to request credits]

winter checklist

At the beginning of every new season, when all the new collections are hitting the stores, I always find a moment to sit down and make note of my must-haves. Many times, of course, I end up not checking all the boxes or finding a seemingly appropriate substitute from the high street. But the list is always there.

Clockwise: Lanvin shoes, Maison Martin Margiela jacket, Timex watch, Burberry snood, Dries Van Noten blazer, Commonwealth Utilities bowtie.

This winter, no man should go without a double-brested cropped blazer. It works as part of a suit and with jeans and t-shirt. Whatever anyone's feelings might be about the Burberry check, I am utterly enamoured of their snood —worn appropriately, it is the perfect touch of sophistication. And let's not forget the bowtie. The one above is the perfect size and the print, the perfect sartorial piece. (But I already have the perfect one —in the soVIP colour of the season by Lanvin).

Clockwise: Toy Watch watch, Burberry Prorsum blazer, Alexander McQueen cardigan, Acne jeans, Dries Van Noten shoes, Paul Smith scarf.

Whatever the reason, I have developed an Acne addiction. Their classic washes and various cuts are always a perfect match. My particular favourite is the Max Le Blue. I am yet to acquire a tweed blazer —perfect for a cottage look or as a coat. Another of my fixations every season is adding to my wardrobe another pair of classic shoes. They just always work.
It was during one of my last visits at Pull Teeth when I realised cone studs were just the right stroke of toughness to any given piece of clothing. I love his customisation of a denim jacket (not to mention the perfect bowtie). As I love Prada's take on the spiky trend.

[Picture credits: BrownsFashion.com, Liberty.co.uk, MatchesFashion.com, Pull Teeth]

I'm off.

the importance of being BLAZERED

Every year this time around I have to go through the same dilemma —how to look good avoiding the cold. Owning coats in several shapes and hues would be the obvious answer to this but not the practical one. Even if you live in a place where winter fancies staying for a while, spending good money on coats is not such a smart choice provided that Spring sends them to exile for six months. Why not, then, investing in a clever collection of blazers? They are warm enough worn over knitted wool cardigans, work fabulously for dressy night events and are chic as hell over a t-shirt in the warmer seasons. Trusting what I believe to be my good eye when it comes to blazers I have selected a range of colours, fabrics and styles from street-style webs, style.com and celebrity sites. Have a look.

the modern

Let me begin with the trendiest —Tartan. If the royal family has trusted in this characteristic checked pattern for decades why not use is as a twist to a classic ensemble? You can find a big variety of background and check colours.

I have spoken of statement coats before but, what about statement blazers? If you wish to select something rather unique yet timeless this is it. The key is to find a classic cut in a bold colour or unexpected print or material.

Very much in fashion this season is velvet. Like the blazers above velvet ones add a touch of distinction to your outfit and will never become demodé. Also, the particular features of velvet make your jacket look different depending on the light and colour combinations.

Just like it happens with any other garment silhouettes the blazer's is constantly updated. Its latest version is cropped, it makes it younger and slightly more casual. They are one of the best choices when looking for a versatile piece.

One of the most popular manners to wear blazers is to mix them up with jeans —kind of a casual chic. Find contemporary shapes and fabrics that work nicely with your denim and that do not call out for much attention but that are still noticeable.

the classics

If the fit is what worries you the most the best solution is to get a bespoke blazer. You are meant to dazzle the beholders in anything that has been made specifically for you according not only your exact measures but to your instructions.

Double-chested jackets come and go trend-wise but are always there amongst the classics. They make you look fantastically fit if you are skinny and enhance your shape if you are fit already. Plus, all those buttons are so easy to play around with to make the jacket more interesting.

Sartorial seemed to be something reserved to the experienced, older gentleman until Mr. Chuck Bass came around. Now it is synonym for classic edginess for any age, and I am a huge fan. Make anything Sartorial by introducing vintage pieces to your twisted classic tailoring.

[Picture credits: The Sartorialist, Face Hunter, Style.com, Men.Style.com, JustJared]

I'm off.

well-styled PARTIES

It is always such an amusement going through Style.com's People & Parties section. I quite often forget about it, which means there's enough pictures to fill a boring afternoon when I remember to visit again. Yesterday's afternoon was one of the sort.

Despite the various photos I found it difficult to find outfits that made me stop and stare for a while, and the occasional WHOA! was even rarer. However, I did find some interesting outfitting including some particularly brilliant men ensembles and even a couple of whoa!'s.

I am really happy that more and more people are becoming fonder of Agyness; I have even visited some blogs in which she is called the next Kate Moss, and those are some words no fashionista ought to speak in vain. It is Ms. Deyn who heads this party list, appearing twice and delighting us with a WOAH! I thought the manner in which she mixed some of the trends of the season is impressing to say the least. Bright blue, florals, blazer and a manly look on her equal chic crazy Brit.

My other WHOA! is courtesy of Miss Sarah Jessica Parker, whom I have never been a fan of yet she is on the way of changing my mind as of late. That Jil Sander cropped blazer is the top of tops and is that Balenciaga I see underneath? Hats off to SJP. Right next to her is Ellen Page, who gets it right and wrong evenly like the beginner she is. That Bottega Veneta fits her quite well in my opinion, although I would have probably told her to lose the jacket. But what else can I say? She's as cute as a button.

The best for me was, nonetheless, coming across some very stylish guys giving a lesson of how looking genuine and elegant can be achieved via simplicity. First to the right is Chris Benz, who I admire for his work but also for this kind of occasions. An ol' classic grey suit is brought up to date by means of genious accessorizing: filthy white converse, a striped scarf and an amazing orange leather belt, which is definitely the piece. Next is Alexander Terekhov, teaching us what an appropriate choice black is when it comes to chic night events. Last is Sam Shipley, who again proves how important accessorizing is for guys too. I don't usually like brown leather with black suits but taken he included a beautiful checked scarf and an unconventional yet fascinating coat, I'll forgive him.

Who is your favourite? Who do you hate?

[Pictures credit: Style.com]

I'm off.

BLAZER it up!

It is no secret —I adore blazers. And since most of the good ol' designers of the world seemed to agree on the matter, it felt just right to devote one of my specials to this über-versatile garment that can save us from various fashion crisis.

the Runway

I have gone —yet again— through most of the S/S'08 collections trying to find the best looks including blazers, and you can be sure of something, there is great variety. The classics never die; that is why even though renewing may sometimes be thought as the main goal of designers, we can still find clean, traditional cuts such as Hermès, in which it's the colours and fabrics that bring in freshness or Helmut Lang's, where conservativeness reigns with manly, clean lines. Alexander McQueen is a very good example of how old and new meet in perfect unison, classicism and innovation merge in such a way that finding the line that divides them is impossible.

Traditionally classic as they may be, there are always designers who won't resign to including their essence in everything. That's how we can find Wunderkind's classic shape redone with colour looking into Spring with the brand's very characteristic kaleidoscope. Lanvin, on the other hand, renews the garment focusing on the manly side of it, lapels widen and textures such as velvet play to make unforgettable events out of chilly summer nights. Oversize has been among us for a while now, but I never thought it would affect blazers, however, Dolce & Gabbana thought of long blazers where shiny materials make it hard to imagine the piece of clothing as something from the past. There are of course, those who will adapt the jacket to their view and not the other way around. Matthew Williamson's green and white striped blazer is a colourful, summery way of showing how a blazer is the it garment of the season.

As you flip through magazines, it might look as if the blazer was introduced to womenswear this season, but that is quite untrue. They have been present for ages, shorter as of late. Short cuts still kicking around prove it. Rag & Bone brings safari and classic Oxford together with pockets and light blue mixed up in a delicious two-pieces. Paul Smith, the English master, keeps using his simple lines now with very light beige hues playing with double-coloured edges. Luella's refreshment of the garment is presented by the radically narrowed down lapels and the little white part on the collar, things that appear to be big trends within the blazer craze. McQueen, again, shows off his skills and vision with another very different type of jacket, striped as a classic, with two lines of buttons and with the freshness of a fitted, short cut.

my Favourites

As much as I haven't been able to stop going about my love to blazers lately, I haven't been able to stop worshipping Yves Saint Laurent's bright blue blazer either. It should be expected, then, that I include it as my top favourite for the season. Ralph Lauren's short and striped anglomaniac version and Calvin Klein's cleanliness with the wide round neck join YSL's at the top.

my Picks

I have surfed a little around the net, trying to find different executions of the blazer that can be used in different occasions. All five of them respond to my late obsession with simplicity and elegance holding hands.

The first two are what we call musts, two examples of perfect-cut black blazers that go perfectly with everything. Chic-up a casual look with jeans or use it for layer playing.

[From right: Helmut Lang and Stella McCartney]

The other three are new versions of the tuxedo jacket, a personal favourite. All three offer distinct shapes and cuts but agree upon turning you into the chic babe of the moment. They're the perfect weapon to show how effortlessly you can pull off the perfect look adding them to skinny light jeans and a plain tee.

[From right: McQ, Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood]

the Celebrities

For years blazers have been spotted both at events and included in day looks of our beloved celebrity fashionistas. Kate Moss uses it as a simple jacket over a dress, a easy way of looking good. A more classic usage is Stella McCartney's who sets an example for those out there dying to get one of her tux jackets. Victoria Beckham appeared at a Roberto Cavalli event in a black sexy tuxedo. Posh (or rather her stiff friends) let the lapels go to the sides as does with the black shirt under it.

Irina Lazareanu states herself as an aglomania lover throwing on her back a striped oversize blazer à la Ralph Lauren. Tilda Swinton likes to make statements out of red carpet choices, and we love her for that. The suit of the season, with cropped trousers, and a tux-inspirated blazer —round look. My last spotting of my beloved garment has been on Rachel McAdams, who wears a short blazer dress by Alexander Wang with almost unexisting lapels and a trendy very narrow patent leather belt.

the Boss

Anyone who haves a look at celebrity blogs every now and then (and even more of you do it on a daily basis) will agree with me on this: Ashley Olsen always does it better. And she has been a follower of the blazer for a while. For day looks she goes for standard length in dark colours only adding something different on the edges. She leaves the short blazer for very casual situations, with shorts and a manly undone look. The perfect cool and chic is Balenciaga's fault. Fur on the neck and china buttons paired up with a dark ensemble.

Ash also goes for blazers when it comes to red carpet events. The best evidence, her full-length black blazer dress which required no more and no less. Another example is the classic black jacket over experimental outfitting; rolled-up sleeves as the season marks. Sleeves also go up when she plays with layers including two blazers! A longer one over the shorter and all black.

If after this you don't have the urge of getting at least two or three blazers, you're helpless. Go to a specialist.

[Picture credits: Style.com, Net-a-porter.com, JustJared and Olsen-fan.net]

I'm off.

PS. Forgive me for all the times I've used classic, clean or simple.