coutorture --

Marc by Marc Jacobs Brushed Twill Cropped Pant

coutorture — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:06:13 -0700

Whoa there, three-hundred-and-twenty-eight dollar hammer pants. We love you. We love you because you sold out all summer from the various designers that decided to make you and now, in the wee hours of fall, you've delivered from a designer we trust and at a price we can afford. We promise we will try not to cheat on you.

These slouchy brushed twill trousers will probably sell out in a week or two, unless, because it's Shopbop, they miraculously sit there for a month. But seriously, we're guessing fashionistas worldwide have caught onto this trend by now. Judging by the fit on the model, these trousers run big. She is probably wearing a zero but, even though they are meant to billow, they still look kind of gigantic on her (the waist should be tighter, no?). So, ladies, that means if you wear a size 26 jean (and not a 24) you should probably still by the size zero, and so on. Oh, just when we thought we were going to die from fashion-starvation, we find these goodies. Looks like we'll survive August after all.

Our E-Luxury Picks For Island Life

coutorture — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:54:35 -0700

Three key pieces made our Island Life shoot from eLuxury. Namely, a hot pink Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, and a patchwork bag and pair of patent peep-toes by Dolce & Gabbana. Our concept for the shoot was swimwear and acessories: the only purchases outside of a sample sale that make sense this time of year, and so these pieces made our wishlist from the e-commerce site. A rundown of their draw, below.

Dolce & Gabbana Runway Miss Pocket Patchwork Bag: Clocking in at four grand, this bag is intricately detailed and luxe in the best sense of the word. Narrow horizontal panels of genuine snakeskin make up the exterior of the bag and a super-soft grey suede trim adorns the frame. Trust us when we say this bag, in person, is a show-stopper. Each panel of snakeskin has its own unique color, sheen, and perforations making it look, from afar, like a beacon of exotic skin dangling off the arm. On the practical side of things, there's a cell phone pocket inside and has (we love this in a bag) a long strap and short handles, so you've some styling options at the end of the day.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Little Tate Tote: This bag certainly falls in a different category that the patchwork number but it still made our wish list for eLuxury nonetheless. We thought the $158 dollar nylon tote, for its color and size, would be an apt accessory for the remaining summer months. One thing we hate about the generic canvas tote is how supple the material is and how dirty they can get in a matter of days. This bag is easily washable and would not pick up every grain of sand it touched. Furthermore, the Tate Tote is quilted, giving it more girth than your typical beach-tote (which makes it feel more like an actual handbag).

Dolce & Gabbana Patent Lace-Up Bootie: Reasonably priced and Fall-ready, these shoes made our list for their sheer end-of-summer appeal. Because they are open-toe, these booties are more than appropriate in warm weather and, come fall, could be worn with a sheer sock or pair of stockings just fine. They're sexy, masculine, and trend-appropriate shoes and they are, indeed, something to swoon over. For the shoot, our pairs were grey and snakeskin but the shoes also come in patent black. As we know, seven hundred dollars in today's world can buy you one sick pair of shoes.

Island Life Photo Shoot

coutorture — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:52:53 -0700

It's the home stretch of summer and swimsuits are all we can wrap our mind around. We're gearing up for fall editorials and spring shows (Spring 09 Fashion Weeks are looming) and, at this stage in the game, we know that the best purchases are swimsuits for the beach and accessories that will take you straight into the fall season. So, we blocked up and went up to our fabulous intern's rooftop pool, to shoot these pieces. From Dolce and Gabbana to Marc by Marc to Old Navy, our options for July shopping are still plentiful. We firmly believe in mixing the high and low price points, and below, you'll find the items in our Island Life shoot, up for grabs. Later today and tomorrow we'll bring you enough swimsuit content to make you want to head straight for the beach on Thursday afternoon, it's only Tuesday and we're just about there ourselves.

It's Going To Be A Beatnik A/W

coutorture — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:40:46 -0800

Looks like the Beatnik theme is hitting the runway hard. Betsey and Marc are especially responsible, but we've seen the cropped pants, the boyish cuts, and the simplicity elsewhere. Save those Wayfarers, stock up on black turtlenecks, and start reading books (no, not in your Google Reader). It's a simple enough formula, and thankfully not bohemian in the Nag Champa sense. Poll it, let us know if you can dig it.

It's Going To Be A Beatnik A/W

Beatnik lends itself to menswear and is pretty inexpensive to conjure. I'm feeling the trend.

If I slap on a beret, that makes me fashionable? I'm so over this.

If it keeps people basking in self-importance, like Kerouac, this trend can piss off.

Hey! Anything that encourages reading, smoking, drinking, and deep conversation! I feel tears coming on already!