One of the most incredible things about style is how transcendental every single piece in an outfit can be. The sumptuous dresses in Boldini’s paintings, or one of the many outfits in the movie Charade are still very much considered beautiful and stylish nowadays. Our Fashionista today is an incredibly stylish Art History student, who fits just as well in 2016 as she would in 20th-century European aristocracy, thanks to this kind of transcendence, of which some people aren’t even aware at times.
This Fashionista’s outfit revolves around classic pieces and contrasting colours. Even her jewellery is simple, complementing the various pale shades from her shirt and her coat. What stands out? The luscious faux fur coat and bold red lips that add a pop of freshness.
The tie-bow shirt carries an interesting history, which I’m going to shamelessly tell you now (because I’m a huge history nerd and there’s nothing embarrassing about that… is there?). In 17th-century France, one of King Louis XIV’s mistresses, Louise de La Vallière, wore a silk scarf around her bosom as a female counterpart to the tie. A very fashionable duchess herself, the scarf was quickly named Lavalliere after her and spread uproariously amongst women in Europe. It has since been integrated into blouses and capes to give a more sophisticated look to the collar, appearing once in a while on runways and magazine covers. Our immensely upscale Fashionista styles it perfectly; it’s not showy, but it’s just delicate enough to accentuate her fur coat and make our eyes linger ephemerally on her neck.
While everyone around her wore tight pants or jeans, she chose to stroll around in a pair of black trousers. Dress pants are always a stellar choice because they are undoubtedly the embodiment of both elegance and a very eloquent kind of independence, while still offering plenty of wiggle room. These pants also give her an ideal amount of comfort and warmth, while not taking any prestige away from the faux fur coat’s glorious shine. Did I bump into this Fashionista on campus, or is she actually a Russian countess visiting Paris near the end of the Jazz Age?
What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “You should always have fun with what you wear, as long as you stay warm. In my opinion, the only thing that matters is that your shoes match each other. After that, there are no rules!”
