Fl + ip = Linen Jackets for Spring and Photos by Fancy Riot

In this photo by Lindsay Heuer of Fancy Riot: Game of Thrones Arya Capelet Silk and Linen Jacket

In + Spi + Red = Naomi Preizler by Alexander Neumann for L’Officiel Paris

Naomi Preizler by Alexander Neumann for L'Officiel Paris

Weekend + Warrior = How to Wear Winter Whites

Whether you like the trend or not, winter whites are 'bout to be "in". 

White on white has been rising as a trend because of the sophisticated play on textures you can create. Elin Kling, blogger for styledbykling is one of the purveyors of this trend, she also holds enough swagger and ease to pull it off. 

This is an outfit combined of some supple white silk velvet high waisted booty shorts I made with a silk chiffon cowl-necked top and a silk velvet draped vest with a cobweb like lace back. 

Now, I like to imagine the top and vest with white denim for colder weather, and perhaps the booty shorts for warm-ish weather. 

But I highly recommend relishing in the textures of the trend. Like here, the lightweight airy silk chiffon, soft plush silk velvet, and the coarse but delicate cobweb lace are luxurious enough to die for when combined. 

Beaut + Ty = Erika Labanauskaite by Della Bass for Fashion Gone Rogue

Erika Labanauskaite by Della Bass for Fashion Gone Rogue

Weekend + Warrior = Narrow Sea Blue Silk Shirt Dress

If you didn't know, I'm not just into looking at fashion, from the visual side, but I design/make clothing myself.

I'm old school and I like it like that so I actually draw, pattern, cut out, and sew.

I have an Etsy page where you can find a bunch of my things for sale, request custom items, or message me about collaborating.

This top, the Narrow Sea Blue Silk Shirt Dress, is one of the items for sale on my Etsy page.

It can be worn and draped in as many ways as you can think of.

It is made from a supple deep blue silk with a subtle shimmer that glistens in the light.

I've paired the shirt dress here with a vintage purse strap that I found in Milan, Italy. The belt is looped through the wide armholes and around to the front to accentuate the waist and allow for more draping.

There are loads  of belts with a similar look on Etsy. 
This belt at the shop 12e61 is pretty awesome and would do the trick. 

Here is the shirt dress un-belted and loose. 
Front on the right and back on the left. 

In the Song of Ice and Fire novels, the Narrow Sea is a Mediterranean-sized body of water separating Westeros from Essos. The Narrow Sea runs from roughly just east of the Vale to just north-east of Dorne. In the north it opens out into the circumpolar ocean known as the Shivering Sea (which separates Essos from the northern icecap), whilst in the south it is divided from the larger Summer Sea by the island-chain known as the Stepstones. The Westerosi cities of Gulltown and King's Landing lie on its western shores, and the Free Cities of Braavos, Pentos, Tyrosh and Myr lie on its eastern shores. Braavos has the largest and most powerful navy on the Narrow Sea.

And here I put these darling Prince Joffrey Electric Blue Silk Velvet High Waisted Shorts with it. I love how the blues clash and the bright color popping out really makes the outfit as well as the play on textures. I hand dyed the silk velvet to get the brilliant blue of the shorts just right.

ETHEL VAUGHN = The Usual Refined in German Fashion Design

ETHEL VAUGHN is The Usual Refined.

I have thousands of new things to look at everyday on my google reader, which means that I end up looking at only a few of them, every now and then. However, one blog that I have been consistently following and actually reading is Hint Mag. The email's from Hint are always good and the posts have good content that aren't pretentiously artsy, nor are they devoid of thought. 

So check out this designer that I found through Hint....

Ethel Vaughn F/W'11: The Game of Things (Trailer) from Cristian Straub on Vimeo.

"Classic cuts and forms combined with exceptional details create pieces that are casual and yet flattering with strong extrovert accents."

"Inspiration is often found in extraordinary materials, such as a 50 year old blanket – an object that does not obviously relate to fashion but reveals a lot about continuity and timeless effort."

"Special attention is given to the femininity and masculinity of the collections. The pieces show strong and sensual women and brave and casual men, yet without being old-fashioned or conventional but curious and open-minded."

The Usual Refined. 

Game of Thrones = Haider Ackermann Spring 2012

I will admit an obsession, that border lines extreme dorkiness, with all things medieval, magical, or having to do with sword fighting, wizards, witches, dragons... you catch my drift... I'm admitting a head over heels love for fantasy. 

So, when I checked out the Haider Ackermann Spring 2012 show I couldn't help but think of the HBO series, Game of Thrones. I was enthralled with the idea that the models looked like Princess Khalessi's marching down the runway in their draped silks and layered leather pieces. 

Aside from my love of all things magical, this show was also spectacular from a purely fashion standpoint. The infusion of vibrant color this season was a welcomed development from the exquisite but quite bleak previous collections Ackermann has shown. Ackermann implemented timeless menswear elements as well, as he says on Style.com, "You love the idea that she would steal the clothes from her husband," he said, before correcting himself: "Her lover, not her husband."