Maurie and Eve Spring/Summer 13/14

Maurie and Eve Spring / Summer 13 / 14

Maurie and Eve's Spring / Summer collection brimmed with eighties silhouettes and sporting references. Plenty of flesh was on display with athletic arabesques dominating the collection.

The Maurie and Eve clientele is a young woman who is fashion forward, trend savvy and keen to experiment with various looks. She isn't afraid of bold prints or eye popping shades of colour resulting in a confident, body baring spirit who is clearly comfortable in her own skin.

Key Spring pieces available in store now include a silk animal pinafore dress, embossed skater skirts, halter neck dresses in floral geo, burnt tangerine and leopard.Monochromatic black and white panelled shifts, apron crops and pencil skirts offering clean, minimalistic lines. Scuba inspired pieces were constructed from neoprene adding a sleek, functional feel to the garment.

Summer pieces included a white muscle tank with amethyst azalea panelling paired with a high waisted stretch pencil skirt complete with undulating hemline. The azalea print also featured on a racer front, midi dress worn spliced at the torso. A crisp, modern addition bursting with the elixir of youth.

An Isabel Marant inspired Ikat motif, overblown sleeve blouse was of relaxed proportions. A high-low ebony skirt with scalloped hem concluded the look.

A khaki, cheongsam neckline, mosaic lattice bomber jacket was complete with fluidity. A turquoise, silk, crossover bust, halter jumpsuit in 7/8 length was a chic, stylish, statement making garment. Centre split shin detail put a creative spin on the look resulting in a glamorous piece reminiscent of something Jerry Hall would've donned in the seventies. A tailored, bohemian, flavour springs to mind.

Reptilian fabrics played a starring role in the collection and were found on a body con dress with cut-out torso detail, chocolate goddess bustier and micro, hipster, paper bag shorts.

Frayed, tortured denim shorts channelling Candice Swanepoel's editorial in Spanish Vogue 2013 edition were worn revealing plenty of gluteus maximus. Distressed, ripped, sand blasted denim boyfriend jeans were worn with a stomach baring crop, think nineties Calvin Klein advertisement. Bauble sized pearls were strewn around the neck creating a juxtaposition of styles.

An architectural, oversized polo tee was twinned with white denim cut-offs, a cheeky addition. A sensual lace tee was worn with a dose of androgynous appeal. Lace also made an appearance on a knee length skirt with libidinous centre split worn with white opaque mini underneath. A seventies long sleeve, body skimming lace jumpsuit was worn with a plunging white bodysuit for modesty.

Rich mocha and ink cowhide prints were evident on jogging shorts, funnel neck crop tank and second skin dresses.

Closing the collection were a series of black sequined cocktail wear pieces comprising of a structured bustier, culottes and a 3/4 length jumpsuit only for the flamboyant and dauntless.

Purchase Maurie and Eve online from their E-boutique at www.maurieandve.com 

Pictured top left clockwise: Glow Jumpsuit, Forever Midi Dress,Hazy Shade Crop Top, Oh Boy! Jean, Goddess Bustier and Oh Boy! Short.

By Courtney Jones.

Balmain Resort 2014

Balmain Resort 2014

Dexterous designer Olivier Rousteing of Balmain produced a dynamic, fearless collection perfect for the indomitable Balmain woman. 

Model Manon Leloup was transmogrified into a bona fide, 80s powerhouse, siren. Stalwart silhouettes continued to reign supreme teamed with punchy contours.

A collarless, quilted, leather jacket opened the collection, this was twinned with pleated peg leg trousers worn cuffed with the hemline elongated over the heel of the gold toe cap, black quilted, stiletto ankle boot. Footwear strongly channelled Chanel's acclaimed aesthetic. Excessive yellow gold adornment featured on a gold bib, Vichy check necklace and a gold chain and lace boxing belt drawing attention to the waist.

A decadent, mesmeric, ivory ostrich feather, hipster mini skirt oozed of youthful connotations. A pink flesh, quilted college bomber jacket came complete with ribbed collar. This was paired with crisp shirting buttoned up precisely to the neck with gold double grouped buttons plummeting down the shirts placket.

A surefire hit with the street chic fashion pack will no doubt be the indigo medium wash, bib style, overalls worn slouchy and generously cut. This explored new territory for Rousteing who's favoured arabesque is purely for the body dauntless. Dungaree details comprised of gold button side entry and a centre pocket on the bib. The most bourgeois take on farm chic to date. A loose, white, masculine shirt was teamed with the overalls, a look brimming with androgyny. Burnished gold, quilted cuffs were worn nonchalantly on Leloup's forearms.

Denim continued to be very much in attendance and also featured on looks including a triple denim ensemble which comprised of a denim shirt which appeared to have had an encounter with a Bedazzler, stud and grommets festooning the garment. A cropped, panelled denim, structured jacket with quilted trimmings and sharp shoulder was a play on proportions when teamed with relaxed, eighties, free form jean. The explosion of denim extended onto a denim, fluted skirt and was married with a denim houndstooth, baseball bomber jacket eluding chambray aspects complete with gold chain sutures. Innocence prevailed on a muted salmon, checked, rah rah mini skirt replete with plenty of kick and layers upon layers of tweed protruding with copious amounts of feminine charm.

A conceptual, geometric, Parisian Breton stripe pant suit was brimming with sailor references and displayed a faint Vichy check running throughout the fabric in navy and white resulting in optical illusion like qualities.

An Edwardian, pirate inspired, ivory blouson was the epitome of Keira Knightely in the movie 'Pirates of the Carribean'. The ethereal dentelle inserts oozed with romantic attributes. The look was sexed up when paired with a high waisted, body worshipping, bandage mini skirt.

Other heralding looks drew inspiration from modern contemporary dance, think ruched chiffon drop waist dress in the shade of ice blue. On the other end of the spectrum emboldening looks were evident of Spanish matador, menswear inspired tailoring.

please feel free to view my blogs.

www.modeloffduty.blogspot.com and www.modestyling.blogspot.com

Book me for personal fashion styling consultations- courtney@modestyling.com.au

By Courtney Jones.

Versace Resort 2014

Versace Resort 2014

Impeccably glamorous, stalwart Donatella Versace produced an enticing display this Resort season replete with practically minded pieces all bursting with the elixir of youth. Donatella continued to demonstrate Versace's calculated formula yet ingenuity was prevalent.

Model Stephanie Hall opened the collection in an off white, ruched, bandage effect, chiffon, long sleeved mini dress which featured sculpted torso and halter neck bib detail. A patent, crocodile envelope clutch with chain handle concluded the look.

Turquoise, Vichy check, relaxed style trousers sat slung low on the hips paired with a single breasted, shrunken, floral blazer with lightly padded peak shoulder silhouette, worn plunging with copious amounts of flesh exposed.

Fluid silhouettes conjured up a contrasting aesthetic, teamed with sailor references, think maxi skirts and man style trousers.

An array of St Tropez, Brigitte Bardot inspired pieces included an aquamarine, candy stripe cropped knit with Medusa head epaulet detail and an aqua Vichy check thigh split maxi skirt. Delectable, mouthwatering shades of sorbet and gelato were tempting enough to devour. 

A sleeveless liberty print shirt dress was worn buttoned up neatly with double breasted Medusa head buttons playing a starring role yet again. 

Saucy swimwear comprised of a suggestive, spliced, peek a boo, asymmetrical one piece teamed with Vichy checks. A turquoise leather lattice tote was a sassy addition, perfect to be sported in the crook of the elbow whilst strolling around Cannes.

A citrus, chartreuse mod squad, 2 piece skirt suit featured high waisted a-line mini skirt with titillating side split detail and a cropped, shrunken jacket. An ice vo-vo mini satchel was a saccharine accession.

A tantalisingly, risque LBD sculpted and hugged every curve. Slashed and knee grazing, a simplistic garment yet full of pulling power, think Azzedine Alaia glamazon, glory days.

A dominatrix inspired spin on the classic wardrobe staple, black blazer consisted of sheer, ruched chiffon sleeves paired with a thigh grazing opaque mini with ruched, chiffon, overlay. Australian design duo Bec and Bridge's S/S 2013 MBAFW collection featured a transparent chiffon ruched long sleeve top worn cropped at the navel. This was the embodiment of Versace's blazer and candy striped knits combined. Opt for Bec and Bridge's top for a comparable aesthetic which will be an absolute steal in price point correlated to Versace.

Burnt tangerine continued to dominate the runway and was found on a succession of garments including a provocative pencil skirt, clean minimalistic blazer, stretch figure hugging shift and cropped suiting complete with sailor inspired button detail.

Feel free to view my blogs.

www.modeloffduty.blogspot.com and www.modestyling.blogspot.com

Book me for personal fashion styling consultations- courtney@modestyling.com.au

By Courtney Jones. 

Hervé Léger by Max Azria Summer 2012

Hervé Léger by Max Azria Summer 2012
The house of Hervé Léger is known for its ultra sexy, feminine, body con dresses which are designed to hug the body in all the right places and Max Azria continued to live up to that reputation this summer season.
Models were the epitome of empowered warriors and goddesses. There were plenty of body con, bandage dresses on display but this season the designs featured plenty of intricate detail, which included peekaboo cutouts exposing lots of flesh.
Standout pieces included a champagne, jacquard, bandage panel dress with a bandeau, ruched bust and flounce hemline. There was a black, strapless dress with macrame neck detail, a chocolate body con number with nude splices and for the cooler nights a fitted, collarless, leather jacket with brass plate panels.
Aztec influences were present and ikat prints featured on dresses in shades of soft blush, nude and camel. Braided harnesses were a welcome addition that toughened up the look. The finale piece was a show stopping white,Grecian style, plunge neck dress with thigh high splits and a fringing detail. The waist was cinched via metallic plates.
The colour palette consisted of rose gold, pearl gold, champagne, apricot, ice blue, dove grey and metallic silver.
Footwear was bold. Suede, bandage, warrior sandals swathed models shins and came in shades of tan/ ivory, camel/ terracotta and black.