THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF MY SPRING/SUMMER WARDROBE
We will explore what is inspiring me for the season!
Today we will dive into what I consider my “building blocks” of my spring/ summer wardrobe. I of course was not able to include all the things that are inspiring me right now, this is more of a quick snapshot. Since releasing my previous newsletter that served more as a preamble of sorts, several people have told me when it comes to the season they do not know what to wear or where to shop. Welp… I hope this post can serve as inspiration as you all embark on the journey that is shopping!
My Style Foundation
Jackie O.
Jackie is my northstar when it comes to style! Isaac Mizrahi has this great line in Unzipped(1995) where he is talking about why he loves Mary Tyler Moore, and he makes this remark that between her and Jackie they shaped this country. I must confess I have only watched a handful of episodes from the Mary Tyler Moore show, so I cannot fully speak to her as Isaac did. However, I whole-heartly agree with him about Jackie! My grandmother is the one that introduced me to Jackie when I was probably no more than 5. She had this magnet with a beaming Jackie in a candy pink evening dress and a tiara. Jackie’s style during the White House Years is gorgeous no doubt; however, my favorite era is the Onassis years. When it comes to dressing for the spring/summer I believe it should be one word-EASY! It is simply too hot to fuss around with your clothes! Jackie’s time in Greece, with her white pants and headscarves, is the epitome of ease that we all can strive for!
Get the look
1. Printed Hermes Scarf- I have a soft spot for Hermes scarves, there is something extra glamorous about wrapping her little head in beautiful silk.
2. Oliver Peoples Oversized Sunglasses- Her sunglasses are more circular; however, I am fully obsessed with a big aviator frame.
3.Gucci Jackie Bag- If you are going to cosplay as Jackie in Greece you kind of need her namesake bag.
Giorgio Armani and The Row
Unlike Jackie, Armani is more of a recent addition to my style foundation (I actually discovered my love of Armani through my love of The Row). It was not until the last few years that I realized how much I thoroughly enjoyed the world of Armani. Like I discussed in the previous newsletter, I have found that there is such maturity when wearing his clothes. In the introduction to Giorgio Armani: Images of Man it reads, “What Armani has captured of contemporary man is a singular character: power without excess, masculinity with softness, quality without exorbitance, elegance with humanity, style with identity.” Similar to The Row, these are clothes that you turn to time and time again when the world is clamoring with nonsense. Clothes like Armani and The Row teach us how to dress for ourselves, which is a rather novel thing if you think about it. We spend so much time thinking about how people will preceive us, that it affects us not only in the way we carry ourselves, but also in how we dress. How about you forget about the people and try a little Giorgio Armani or a pinch of the Row!
Get the look:
Giorgio Armani: Images of Man- First and foremost you need this book! It is simply a crime for you not to own it!
Armani Blazer- Great! Now it is time for you to acquire a dash of Armani…
The Row Tyler Boot-…and a pinch of the Row.
The Seasonal Inspiration
Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech
Like I said earlier, dressing for spring/summer should be easy, which is why I turn to this version of Yves during the season. There is such an ease to Yves as he lounges on a blanket in this bright white djellaba- which is a stark contrast to the image of a neurotic Yves constrained by his demons in Paris. No matter who you are, a loose fitting garment , like a caftan, is a necessity in your wardrobe because of how malleable it is (you can dress it up with heels, dress it down with flats and a headscarf, or simply walk around bare-foot). I promise you, when the temperature gets too hot to handle, a nice big caftan will be your saving grace!
Get the look:
Zimmermann Laurel Linen Caftan
The Current Mood Board:
I was not able to include every single image that is currently inspiring me; however, the images above I feel encapsulate a great representation of where my head is at for the season. The lookbook images from The Row and Lauren Manoogian truly portray this feeling that I cannot figure out what to call it. At first it reminded me what one would wear possibly on a safari or a desert expedition. Most recently I saw someone describe this as rawness- in reference to not only the fabrication but also the color-which I think is a great way to describe it. When I think of this mood my mind goes to that episode of Absolutely Fabulous when they go to Marrakech, or the “Let’s Dance” music video. Maybe I just want to be draped in neutral tones and sweaty, which is a perfect segue into the second row which just exudes summer heat. I absolutely love the image of Iman in that Saint Laurent hooded dress wrapped around her body like a snake-simply delicious! Finally, I implore you all to follow these two Instagram accounts (here and here). These two accounts have been integral to building my transitional wardrobe, and will come in handy for the fall/winter!
Get the look:
You can find the duster in the photo here. Here are some more suggestions to add to that rawness/ desert explorer/ safari-esque mood.
Hutton is wearing this fabulous purple top and her namesake bag (I want one of these bags desperately!); she is also wearing the best pair of fitted jeans I have ever seen, a tan belt, and tan flats. I would change the tan belt and shoes to gold for something a bit more disco. I do not know how she does it, but Emme Parsons has the best shade of gold I HAVE EVER SEEN!
The Saint Laurent hooded dress is quite a stunner with an even more stunning price tag ($4,900), so though not all of these dresses have the hood feature I think they still exude the Saint Laurent essence (here, here, and here). Also I feel if one really wanted the hood, I would take a long chiffon scarf in the same color of the dress and fix it in a way that it looks like the two are attached to each other.
It is no secret- I LOVE J.CREW NEW and OLD!!!! (These are quite amazing here, here, and here)
I hope this letter helped you a little as you are building your transition wardrobe, and the next letter will conclude this little series with my spring/summer essentials! Until next time!
-Jalil
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