Idiosyncratic Style

Coco Chanel’s influence over 20th century fashion is undeniable. Her personal style is legendary and is a timeless source of inspiration. Although her look is distinctly feminine, her rebellious fashion designs played an important role in feminism with women’s liberation and the style of the flappers. Chanel was an independant woman who was well ahead of her time.

The easiest and quickest way to channel Chanel is to just add pearls, lot’s of pearls, keep everything else simple and remember to exude confidence.

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Coco Chanel

Rock ‘n’ roll chic strutted confidently on the Cynthia Steffe RTW runway show at NY Fashion Week Fall ‘09. The unexpected pairing of tough with sweet exuded the kind of urban glamour fit for a first lady of rock. The sophisticated ladylike silhouettes have an attitude that seem to say “this lady will not hesitate to kick your *ss if necessary”. The variety in texture and proportion is a look meant only for the bold ones that embrace their idiosyncratic style and demand attention.

I love the duality of the collection and encourage you to confidently find your individual expressions of sweet and tough for fall. There are still a few months left, but starting to look early will help you find deals in thrift and vintage stores on unique pieces that give off a Steffe girl vibe. There is also an abundance of inspiration for altering your existing pieces and you can definitely look forward to a Cynthia Steffe inspired Recycled Style Project in the near future.

The Shopping List

Soft Metallic Knits
Ruched & Ruffled Leather
Girlie Leather Pieces
Gold & Bronze Hardware
Sheer Black Fabrics
Varying Proportions
Zippered Gloves
Faux Minks
Peacock Feather Prints
Oversized Metallic Sweaters
Industrial Exposed Zippers
Hammered Charmeuse
Distressed Satin

For an overview of the entire collection go to wwd.com

The oversized neck bow is a statement in sophistication. There are many different kinds of blouses with built in neck ties, but if you don’t have one you can easily recreate the look by wearing any elegant blouse, wrapping a long thin scarf around your neck and tying it in a pretty bow. You can match the two pieces or pair a solid blouse with a printed scarf in the same color family.

Wear the neck bow in all its ladylike glory by pairing it with a pencil skirt or add your own modern twist by wearing it with your worn-in boyfriend jeans. The possibilities are endless, try it your own personal way, I dare you.

Cheat Sheet: If you are using a scarf and there seems to be too much fabric around your collar or if you are having trouble tying it while it’s on, try styling the scarf into a large pretty bow and then pin it to the blouse with a safety pin from the inside.