Rihanna Inspired November Outfit

Where I live its not too cold and not too hot. So this always leaves me with the same question when I step inside my closet to get dressed; what the hell do I wear? Whether its going out to dinner or going out for a couple drinks I want to be appropriately dressed for the weather.  I put this outfit together based on one of my favorite fashion idols, the one and only Rihanna. I love her sexy, edgy look and I think it's a perfect for a fall look. Bustier tops have been in for a while but adding a good pair of leather trousers makes the outfit all the more trendy. A covered heel with a peep toe add to the edgy style and give into the weather. When it comes to accessories add some fun colors; you can never go wrong with a playful lip and nail color. 

1. Roccoco Lace Bralet from Topshop - $50
2. High Rise Leather Pants By Malene Birger (can be found on net-a-porter.com) - $895
3. Studded Suede Clutch from Topshop - $76
4. Cleopatra in New York by Deborah Lippmann (limited editon) - $18
5. Yves Saint Laurent 31 Rose Fusian - $32
6. GRAPHITE Peep Toe Heel from Topshop - $130

Nicolas Ghesquiere Departing Balenciaga

In 1997 Nicolas Ghesquiere was hired as Balenciaga's creative director after predecessor Josephus Thimister was fired after a highly unsuccessful show. Ghesquiere took the company by storm and made Balenciaga once again a top fashion house. The first collection for spring/summer 1998 Ghesquiere took it back to Cristobal Balenciaga's legacy with gorgeous silhouettes and elegance. However, it wasn't till February 2001 where people really took notice of his collection for autumn/winter 2001. The Paris flagship store was unable to meet the demands of the customers that gathered daily for his collection. In 2001 he won the Womenswear Designer of the Year by the CFDA only after 4 years of being the creative director.

With his well-known pencil thin trouser cut and his signature blouson jacket Balenciaga's legacy was brought to a whole new level. I still can't wait for the day when I can own one of his motorcycle-inspired purses! To celebrate his departure come November 30th, here is a look through the runways of Nicolas Ghesquiere's growth through Balenciaga's name.

Ghesquiere's first collection: Spring/Summer 1998

Autumn/Winter collection 2001

Spring/Summer 2003

Fall/Winter 04-05

LOVE! Spring/Summer 2006

This collection was one of my favorites; Fall/Winter 07-08

Spring/Summer 2008 Collection

Spring/Summer 2009 Collection

Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

Fall/Winter 2011-2012 Collection

Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

Fall/Winter 2012-2012 Collection

A great last collection! S/S 2013

Valentino Spring RTW 2013

If you visit my blog often, you've probably realized Valentino is one of my favorite designers to follow. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli sprung their inspiration from none other than Rome. Valentino has become known for their elegant A-line silhouettes and they did it again for Spring. With a color palette of reds, blacks, whites, and pops of snake skin and crystal embroideries this collection was nothing short of perfection. I love the jackets and short trenches they threw into the collection to add an updated look. Not to mention the last two looks are absolutely breathtaking and I can't wait to see who will wear these on the red carpets. It's sad to see Paris Fashion Week come to a close tomorrow but it's fair to say that they had their share of stunning clothes this week.

Paris Fashion Week Spring 2013 RTW

Three reviews of my favorite shows so far at Paris Fashion Week:

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2013 RTW

The inspiration for this collection was brilliant and easy to grasp. He simply used his favorite singers from his era and translated them into different styles of clothing. From Annie Lennox's man-tailored pants to Karlie Kloss playing the role of Boy George. All in all, this is one of the best RTW collections I have seen from Jean Paul in a while. The well structured jackets and the amazing cuts made the collection one to be remembered for a while.

Haider Ackermann Spring 2013 RTW

Although the Ackermann didn't stray from his usual silhouettes, the show still showed off his talent in all the right ways. You saw a lot of great tailored jackets, AMAZING skinny cropped pants, and all with a flair of Asian inspiration. The slip dresses of satin and chiffon added just enough sex appeal for Haider Ackermann. Even though Vogue's review seemed more negative than positive, I agree with Women's Wear Daily in that the clothes were impressive and a delight to see.

Christian Dior Spring 2013

As one of the most awaited shows of the month, all eyes were on Raf Simons on the Friday of Paris Fashion Week. Throughout the shows surprises kept coming; from unexpected color blocking to short layered chiffon dresses Simons presented a collection that will be unforgettable. Simons brought in many new aspects to Dior but also made many references to past Dior collections. The bell-shaped, peplum jackets were in reference to the 1947 debut collection. After many long months of Dior struggling to find a creative director, it is now officially safe to say the brand is in good hands.

Mulberry RTW Spring 2013

Ever since I left London this summer I couldn't wait to see London Fashion Week. I can honestly say I see London as the top fashion city in the world right now. With the Olympics, Kate Middleton, and all the pop culture coming out of England it is hard to ignore what they are bringing to the surface. 

Mulberry is one of my many favorite London shows to always watch. The brand has always had such a fun, youthful side and this season was nothing but that. Inspired by "ice lollies" the Emma Hill's color palette consisted of light mints, tangerines, and marigolds; along with classic black and white pieces placed towards the end. The style was 60's inspired with flower prints and findings. 

Here are my favorite moments on and off the catwalk:

 Alexa Chung with her "Alexa" bag and wearing a Mulberry shirt from S/S 13

 Lana Del Rey carrying the Mulberry bag named after her

Olivia Palermo carrying the Mulberry Alexa bag

Lana Del Rey, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, and Rebecca Hall sitting together in the front row at Mulberry.

Diane von Furstenburg RTW Spring 2013

With so many great shows coming out of New York Fashion Week it's hard to share all that I love. I really loved Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, and Altuzarra. I loved Wang's and Gurung's contribution of modernity with the use of geometric cuts and minimalism in color and layers.  One of the latest shows that I really loved was Diane von Furstenburg. You can always count on her to bring lots of embellishments and fun colors. 

The overall theme for the collection focused on her princess years in Marrakesh. She said too WWD reporter, "She's a rebel princess, who dresses up, but at the same time she can't wait to sneak out and go clubbing." There were many dress layered over pants, as well as flowy blouses and palazzo pants. The color palette had a lot of bold black and whites along with other fun colors such as tangerine, mint, nude, coral, peach, and more. 

At the end of the show she brought on the runway Google cofounder Sergey Brin to show off the accessory worn my many of the models, "Glass by Google".

Here are some of my favorite looks from the catwalk: