Eclectic Corset: 2010

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Complete Closet

Let’s pretend morning madness does not affect our ability to pick out a fabulous outfit that will force even Anna Wintour’s eyes to wrinkle at the sides, because simply, she loves the outfit. To ease the tension that every fashionista goes through early in the morning, even if early is 2 p.m. for you, I have compiled a list of must have classics, so that even the gnarly bookkeeper can take note, to survive in this cut-throat jungle that we call the 21^st century. Please don't pretend, because we all go through that initial stage of worrying about our outift, that often causes a few spots to pop up here and there. Shh…I won’t tell, because I know your Benefit concealer is doing its magic.

The white shirt

The most valuable item in your closet is the white shirt. It can be dressed up or dressed down, yet it always manages to maintain a certain degree of elegance. Yes, a white shirt is still elegant even if it is worn with tattered jeans, and Dr. Martens. The key things to keep in mind when buying a white shirt are: construction, fit, and material.

In India, I believe that the fabulous master Rajesh Pratap Singh makes the best white shirts. Leoconant Hemant comes in a close second. Internationally however, I believe that Ralph Lauren makes the best white shirts.

Ralph Lauren: Elbow Sleeve Grace Oxford

Chloe: Logo cotton shirt

The Sailor Stripe tee

How can anybody’s closet be complete without this gorgeous timeless piece? The sailor stripe tee has been worn for decades. It was originally popularized by Mademoiselle Coco Chanel, and has been in fashion ever since. Nowadays, it can be seen on sevreal celebrities ranging from Rachel Bilson, to baby Suri Cruise.

Skinny Blue Jeans

Workers in mines first popularized jeans during the 40’s; however, nowadays jeans are worn by a whole plethora of people. My favorite type of jeans is the blue skinny jean as this is one piece that I can wear every day for 365 days of the year. Very often, I fall asleep in my blue skinny jeans, as they are truly comfortable. Although they are comfortable, they are still very fashionable, a trait that is quite rare. They make everybody’s gluteus maximus look perfectly wonderful. Even Gisele admits to have more than hundred pairs of skinny blue jeans in her closet.

Citizens Of Humanity: Avedon Slick legging-fit jeans

Acne: Skin zip-back skinny jeans

Citizens Of Humanity and Acne make the best blue skinny jeans. Diesel, Guess, and FCUK also make really well fitted ones. Nonetheless, if you are short on cash, Forever 21 makes glorious jeans, and most of them have zips at the bottom, which is always a bonus.

The black Chanel 2.55

If my income only allowed me to buy one bag throughout my whole life, I would confidently buy the black Chanel 2.55. No further explanation is needed.

The Little Black Dress

Mademoiselle Coco Chanel changed the face of black with the little black dress. It was the most fashionable piece in the 20’s and still is in 2010. It’s cut, simplicity, and style, appeals to women all over the world, as it can be worn in multiple ways.

Herve Leger: High-neck bandage dress

Alexander Wang:Slinky Piquet Goddess mini dress

Something Lace

If there is one material in the world that portrays all things sexy yet feminine, it is lace. Lace is so clever because it is kind of the ‘now you see it, now you don’t,’ material. When I want to experience a feeling of profound luxury, surrounded by an air of mystery, I wear lace and immediately I am transformed into this new being.

Markus Lupfer: Lace mini dress

Black Stilettos

Victoria Beckham claims to wear heels every minute of the day, except when she is sleeping, of course. I believe that every woman should own a pair of stilettos because it has magical effects on one’s body. It immediately makes your legs look toned, and defines your gluteus maximum while pushing it up, up, up. It also forces you to arch your back; therefore, every woman in heels attains the perfect body, one that she has always dreamed of. Due to obvious reasons, Christian Louboutin’s winning combination of red and black make the perfect black stilettos.

Christian Louboutin: Pigalle 120 patent pumps

The Burberry Trench

I live in Chennai, a place that it hot all year round, and I still I want a Burberry trench. So I have decided that as soon as I go to college (hopefully somewhere cold) I will wear a trench each day, every day.

A trench is functional yet stylish; it protects you from the cold, and the fashion police. After all, who doesn’t remember how handsome Humphrey Bogart looked in a trench in Casablanca?

Sorry, I know you want to look pretty not handsome. Well then just visualize Serena Van Der Woodsen from Gossip Girl, and your queries should be put to rest.

Lastly, please leave the konjus attitude behind and dish out on these investment pieces, as they will last forever. Your grand daughter will love you for giving her something vintage, when the time comes, of course.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Oh No Karl!

I sit patiently in front of the Television, wearing the perfect red dress, something every woman must own, to amp up the sex appeal. As I sit patiently watching the minutes tick by, waiting for that crucial moment for fashion 2010 to start, it is not possible for me to be more focused. I wait to watch the Chanel runway show coverage on Ftv. Yes, yes, I know, I was not invited to the shows, and I must say that I was very offended. You will tell Karl that, wont you?

Anyways, as I was patiently waiting for the show to start, my legs started shivering, because I was so excited, yet nervous to see what wonder and beauty Karl would bring us this time around. It is Chanel, of course.

It started. Then suddenly, my eyes opened wide, my jaw dropped, and nausea crept over me. As I scanned the model trying to spot a trend, I spotted these horrendous shoes, that magazines and fashionistas report to be the new “it” shoe. This ‘it’ shoe has trickled down to the high street, with loyal followers such as fashionista Alexa Chung. I could not even bring myself to say the name of this new ‘it’ shoe; the sight was so horrendous, that I felt like I was being temporarily blinded.

I spotted clogs; clogs on the Chanel runway, clogs that would make Mademoiselle Coco Chanel roll in her grave. A whole plethora of questions appeared in my mind. The most important being, “where are the reinvented versions of the elegant two-toned pumps?”

I was getting very nervous, but then I spotted a Chanel 2.55 bag, and I calmed down. Instead of bringing magnificence to the runway, Karl bought clogs. I believe that he has taken farm chic too literally. So I have to say “My dear Karl, please learn from the past, as I know that there was a brief spell in the mid-Nineties when clogs suddenly became fashionable, but please take note of the key word ‘brief.’”

Finally, I understand that stilettos do make a clacking sound, but the sound almost becomes sexy, however the clog makes a clonking sound, and you do not want to call attention to yourself in a ridiculous manner, do you?

Although, if you are Paris Hilton, you would.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

You are Invited to a Tea Party

This season, the fashion world is going ‘mad’ preparing its closets to conform to Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland movie, which releases in March. Everyone from Vogue magazine to a random man on the street are dressing up up up in a whimsical manner, of course. Since Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is one of my favorite books, I cannot wait for Tim Burton’s theatrical spin on this age-old classic.

To be in sync with the world around us, I suggest, we pump our wardrobes up a notch this season; we should aim to go from drab to fab.

And when the caterpillar calmly asks, “Who are you?" you do have the right to say “I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see.” Be daring, be somebody you always wanted to be.

But before you do so, understand which character you want to channel, because there are so many characters, and their styles are polar opposites.

For the day, be true to your inner Alice by wearing your best Little Blue dress, or you can channel your inner Queen of Hearts by being dominating-ly dressed in hearts, and by screaming “Off with his head,” over and over again. Just don’t blame me when you are sent to rehab for being mentally unstable.

You could also wear your perfect Chanel sailor stripes to be the new Tweedle 'something,' with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

However, for the night, I suggest you vamp it up, by taking inspiration from the warrior lookalike's. Instead, you can also wear a virgin white dress and contrast it with starkly red lipstick to resemble the White Queen.

All in all, dress Tim Burton 'appropriately' so that you can be the belle of the ball or rather of the Mad Hatters tea party.

On the other hand, if you want to be a mere spectator in the Mad Hatters tea party, then wear acidic colors that scream ‘mad’. Don’t worry you will get your own place card, and the clocks will stop at tea-time.