FashionHap: January Continueth

I’m kind of in love with Carmella’s totally fierce look involving this black mini dress from Hstlr. The piece features lace-up detailing at the sides that serves to create a dramatic shape. The style also includes a hoodie, but I like Carmella’s choice to style the look without using it. The hoodie would have made the vibe much more casual and I’m head-over-heels for this exactly as is! It has that perfect blend of attitude, sportiness and fashionable edge that’s just everything. Carmella finished the look with mid-calf booties, which work just as well as OTKs for creating that powerful shot of stylish dynamism that makes a look brilliant and memorable.
Cathy’s style sensibilities cover a wide range of genres. She began January with this beautiful and feminine blue floral lace mini dress. I love the fabric of this piece so much -it’s just divine! This large, pieced lace has been super on-trend over the last few seasons, but this kind of classic material will remain a perfectly wearable statement for years. The colors – a spectrum of blues – are lovely as well and look wonderful on Cathy. If I could wish for anything, it would be that she had pulled her hair back and given the dress an uninterrupted moment. From there, she swings into casual mode, donning a pair of medium wash denim overalls. She layered a high-neck top underneath and completed the look with black pointy ankle booties. This look is another gem – casual, but with a slouchy, unstudied feel to it that slays me. She has the overalls rolled to the precisely the right height to create enviably breezy chic. I’d have been tempted to go with a messy bun here, instead of the center-parted low pony, but the latter works excellently. She then moved on to some rock n’ roll vibes with these barn red leather pants. They bring a unique and intriguing attitude to the off-shoulder black top she styled them with. Black pointy ankle booties are her go-to finisher again and they look just as fab here. It’s back to casual with this next look, a distinctly off-duty ensemble that paired a cropped black top with medium-wash blue denim for a simple canvas.  She then gives the outfit a dose of on-trend elevation via a beige car coat. She echoes its light tones with her block-heeled ankle booties, while reprising her top color via her bag. The color balance she created here appeals to me - I would tend to do the same.

 I should be head over heels for her next outfit due to the yellow, but I’m not sold on the suspender straps. I could have done without those. I’m def in for the rest of this look, though! I do indeed love the yellow, as well as the way she injected a fun twist – both of color and vibe – with her chocolate captain’s cap. Her black tights work perfectly as well. I’m thinking black ankle booties here to complete the quirky, hipster vibe of the ensemble.
Charlotte gave us a vibrant take on the classic suit when she wore this one in mid-January. I love the unexpected intense hue! She kept the look fresh and light by layering a white blouse underneath. My favorite part is the way she added a pearl collar atop that of the blouse – it’s a unique way to include jewels! The ensemble is professional, but also lighthearted and not even remotely boring. That’s a big score in my book! Her next look is just as big a hit, due to the wonderful top she paired with her trademark combination of jeans and a leather jacket. This wedgewood blue is gorgeous  with all the dark tones – it adds brightness without being too sweet. The sweetheart neckline is oh so pretty and the central knot and tails add movement and a feminine detail that balances the tough vibe of her jacket beautifully.
Lana gave us a pair of super cool looks in January. The first showcases an asymmetrical black leather skirt that received a chill twist from being paired with a knotted denim work-shirt. I love the way it brings ease to the skirt’s fierceness.  Lana added a collar necklace and mid-calf booties to round out the look with laidback chic. She took more risks with her next outfit, pairing a cropped cap-sleeve white tee with an elastic-cuffed, high-waisted trouser. This look combines decades with aplomb: the silhouette has a very 80’s vibe, while the olive green and neutrals combo leans to the 90’s – and it works majorly! The look comes off fresh and seriously hot, but also totally pulled together. The bold statement of her wide waist belt brings a flawless shot of panache, while a black choker and bag carry the color. Of-the-moment ankle strap sandals finish this fierce ensemble with a summery vibe.

We got some killer examples of maternity style from Maria and Maryse while they were pregnant. Maria kicked hers off with this simple, straightforward combination of a flowing white tee and black leggings. Two elements take this outfit into fabulousness: first, the proportion created by the leather jacket Maria tossed breezily over her top and second, her black knee boots. It would have been so easy to finish this look with sneakers or comfort-focused flat sandals, but the boots bring the dose of edge that gives it consequence. Maria’s high-drama side is back in evidence for her next outfit. I could have done without the fishnets, as styled (they could have been totally workable under a flowy trapeze dress), but I love her leather jacket – especially the vibrant red shade! – her layered chains and choker and her wide-brimmed hat. I’ve ranted previously about my dislike of visible brassieres, but I’m granting Maria a free pass here because this is a pregnancy snap  and all about showing off that little life within :). I love how she injects that rockstar vibe into a snap like this! She makes a complete about face with the next shot, looking like a Grecian goddess in this pale pink gown. The piece itself is gorgeous, but Maria takes the look into overdrive with her floral crown. Not only is the piece stunning and flamboyant in its own right, but the intense pink, red and yellow shades bring a delightful spark to the soft pastel tone of her gown. The entire snaps has an editorial quality that just slays me! We get a much more classic, but equally chic, ensemble from Maryse. She topped a scoopneck knit dress with a black blazer, left open in much the same way as Maria’s black leather jacket and with a similar stellar effect. Ankle strap pumps completed her all-black look.

She reprises the styling with her next outfit, choosing a black maxi dress instead of a midi, but waking up the look with a super-fun patch-strewn jacket (the Patch Bomb jacket from Meghan Fabulous. Id by fashionofthedivas.tumblr.com). Again, the topper serves the function of creating proportion and makes this look work. Her smile-inducing accessory choices are just gravy :) – I love how her Gucci Dionysus bag echoes the look of her jacket without matching it.  I’m also wild over how she and Maria have both carried their love of fashion and stylishness through their pregnancies. With all the preparations required for a  new baby, it would be so easy to just let it go and stop engaging in fashion temporarily, but they both made the extra effort and I have such mad respect for that. We see Maryse’s excellent style sense once more in this shot from Total Divas. This striped wrap dress is super easy and looks amazing! The wrap creates an empire waist that gives shape to her body while highlighting all the right curves, while the fabric looks enviably unstudied. This is total resort chic!
This sequined piece Mckenzie style for Impact is from Starstruck Vintage, but it looks perfectly at home today! I can never resist a bit of sparkle and Mckenzie’s choice to add modern tasseled statement earrings gives this piece just the touch of matte drama it requires to set it off perfectly. Minimalist ankle strap sandals would be a flawless way to complete the ensemble. She channeled the 70’s for her next outfit, topping a white blouse and blue flared denim with an awesome chocolate suede fringed car coat. That is a statement piece if there ever was one! Mckenzie showcased it by setting it against neutrals, but it would be equally stunning above a simple midi sheath in  any number of bright shades (cantaloupe, coral, mustard and cobalt all come to mind!). Platform sandals would have been my first thought to finish this look, but it looks like (the pic angle and lighting make it a bit tough to be sure) Mckenzie gave it a modern twist with white sneakers. I love her addition of the fedora- its solid, masculine vibe forms an intriguing counterpoint to the bouncy movement of the fringe. She then gave us one last ode to vintage, noting that this pieced floral blazer belonged to her great-grandmother, who I suspect might not have paired it with blue denim, as Mckenzie has :). The jeans are a fab way to update the piece though and it looks spot on-trend, which is amazing for something of its age! It’s so special to possess and be able to wear fashion that has been passed from generation to generation in a family! In addition to the incredible uniqueness of the pieces, their longevity is a testament to how well they were made. Perhaps the most precious aspect of these items, though, is the way they allow us to carry those people with us in spirit and to share that love of fashion across the years.