Trend: Water Colours

I love when fashion resembles art: architectural fabrics, gesso-like textures, whirlwind colours and optical illusions. So of course, I'm loving the water colour trend right now. These items look as if they've had the gentle touch of a paint brush glide over them as if the fabric were a canvas.

Ali Ro

 

Silk spandex draped dress w/ woven belt 

(Neiman Marcus describes the dress as silk/spandex and Bloomingdale's describes it as georgette and its content as polyester)

I'm absolutely in love with this Ali Ro dress. I just love colour and draping.

Helmut Lang

 

Jersey racerback tank 

Wilfred

 

Washed silk dress

 

Washed silk pocket tank

Issa London

 

Crepe de chine silk strapless gown

Erdem

 

Pre-Fall 2011

 

Fall 2011

And the trend continues on into Fall! I just love Erdem's prints. Erdem is truly the most artsy-fartsy of all designer brands out there. Some of the prints look like they belong on a canvas at The Met.

Matthew Williamson

 

The Matthew Williamson number is from awhile back but it just looks so gorgeous on Thandie Newton that I thought I'd include it with this post. Also check out Giles' water colour-inspired looks from Resort 2010. I suppose the lesson is that you just can never go wrong with painterly brights.

J

Ebay ♥ Brights

It's spring and I want to look like I could belong in one of Carmen Miranda's hats!

I like blacks and neutrals even though if you were to look in my closet, you would see a cornucopia of electric hues and crazy-ass prints. I stick to a simple colour palette but I just love colour and collecting pretty clothes and Ebay is a mecca for colour. Seriously, I love how I can type so many permutations of one colour and get so many results.

Take pink, for instance. You know how when you go into a store and you're looking for something specific but whatever you find just isn't quite the exact colour you want? When I do a pink search on Ebay, I usually do pink, coral pink, salmon, blush, fuchsia pink, neon pink, bright pink, rose pink and dusty rose. That way, no matter how specific my colour is, I'm sure to pass something that suits my meticulous pink needs.

Anyway, here are a bunch of cool bright-coloured items I've stumbled upon over the past few weeks, some of which are still up for auction.

thriftwares

 

Seafoam green suede leather minidress

SOLD for $183.49

 

 

Orange linen cotton top w/ cut-out back

SOLD for $51.00  

Noirohio Vintage

SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE STILL AVAILABLE!!

 

Purple structured wool blazer

Bidding until Apr 03 @ 21:00 PDT

 

Salmon coral rayon blend high waist trousers

Bidding until Apr 03 @21:00 PDT

 

Plaid paper thin cotton button-shirt

Bidding until Apr 03 @ 21:00 PDT

 

Yellow drapey poly-rayon blazer

SOLD for $31.00

Funkin Junkie

 

Hot pink leather high waisted shorts

SOLD for $33.04

 

Cobalt blue silk high waisted shorts

SOLD for $41.00

I wish I could buy EVERYTHING but I'm going on vacation in May and I'm trying to be good and save my moolah. Money will come in handy when I want a massage on the beach or take a day-trip to the Mayan ruins.

J

Aritzia Haul

Update of the things I've purchased at Aritzia over the past month:

 

Wilfred jersey Ace tank

 

  T. Babaton washed silk Ronnie polka-dot dress

 

Wilfred drapey lyocell Casbah pant

 

The Wilfred Casbah pant in action

 

Citizen of Humanity Avedon Slick Skinny jeggings

I love Wilfred's harem pants. I remember when the trend came out awhile ago except it was so over-the-top and so ugly (you know - the diaper pants?) that I thought that anyone that bought them was a trend-whore. But I like how the style has become more subtle now. They look like regular pants but with a bit more room to breathe. It's why they're so comfortable! I also bought another pair that are less drapey and have a button-front but I can't find a photo of them anywhere. Those ones are great because they're versatile: could be both casual and business-appropriate.

The Citizens jeggings are the most comfortable jeans I've ever worn. They look like jeans but they're stretchy like leggings. I couldn't find my exact shade on the internet. Mine are almost-black with a hint of dark navy blue with ashy grey undertones. That doesn't even make sense but I don't know how else to describe them? They look like the ones in the photo except there's more blue and less fading.

J

Ebay ♥ thriftwares

Light neutral colours like beige, cream, grey, baby blue and blush are everywhere this season and I'm just loving the airy romance of it all. I especially like pairing delicate, angelic pieces like my blush silk Wilfred kimono or my cream silk georgette T. Babaton blouse with something edgier like my leather Club Monaco shorts or my black drapey Wilfred harem pants.

Donna Karen ad for Spring 2011

I also like how Ebay vintage stores always reflect the trends of the season (still lots of leather shorts out there) even though their items are from the previous century. That way, you're not just buying old pieces for the sake of owning old pieces and you're incorporating vintage items into your contemporary wardrobe. For awhile I was really into 50s housewife dresses and I bought a couple but I still have yet to wear them. They're gorgeous but they're just not practical because they're too costumey.

Thriftwares, one of my favourite Ebay stores has a lot of neutrals listed as auctions right now. Here's a few pieces from their most recent selection:

 White eyelet and crochet shift dress

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:43 PST

$5.99 Shipping

 Apricot cut-out pleated dress

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:44 PST

FREE Shipping 

Butter ruffle tuxedo dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:42 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Pink embroided tulle prom dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:43 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Pink origami tulle tutu skirt 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:42 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

 Cream scalloped lace minidress w/ bell sleeves

Bidding until Feb 24, @19:42 PST

FREE Shipping 

 Champagne lace dress

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @19:43 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Cream and nude lace tier dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:43 PST

FREE Shipping 

Cream scalloped lace tier dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @19:42 PST

$5.99 Shipping

Dusty rose lace dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:42 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Nude sequin cocktail dress 

Bidding until Feb 24 @19:42 PST

$5.99 Shipping

  

 Cream draped batwing cape/jacket

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:43 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Mocha and cream scalloped lace-trim minidress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @19:42 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Blush pink pleated dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:43 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Pink pleated dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @19:42 PST

 $5.99 Shipping

Light silver-blue pleated dress 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:43 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Grey crochet dress w/ flutter sleeves 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 19:43 PST

$5.99 Shipping 

Navy draped dress w/ pink bow print 

 

Bidding until Feb 24 @ 19:42 PST

FREE Shipping

I really like some of the pink dresses and the last dress except the navy blue dress with the pink bows is too small and wouldn't fit me. Oh, to be a skinny bitch.

 

J

Zac Posen Spring 2011

I am in love with Zac Posen's Spring collection. It's so cheeky of him to do a gothic, French burlesque-inspired collection for Spring, filled with dark netting and over-sized pink ostrich feathers. The pieces either look like lingerie from Kiki de Montparnasse's boudoir or dancer's costumes at the Moulin Rouge.

I really love every piece and couldn't pick a favourite but I do have to ask: who can rock that sheer feather-print body suit with the blood red jacket?

All photos courtesy of Style.

J