Formatting IT SS'13 wardrobe

As long as I have started writing about my life in the IT world I realized that my interest in styling broadened from strictly womenswear to both male and female clothes. Criticizing is a nice thing only when you offer some ways of solving the problem. So here I am surfing through the latest collections of menswear presented this summer for the next season -  SS 2013. It's not an easy task trying to find something appropriate for the office and lifestyle of the IT crowd and yet attractive for them. My boys are capricious ones. Like all men are, probably.
I have chosen three tendences for them to follow (or not =):

• modern dandy

The thing is that finally (oh, I've been praying for that! =)) they  have to meet the clients and have to possess a kind of the "safe -to-do-business-with" look. They would hardly succeed in this mission with their everyday traditional outfit. And as if the designers anticipated this moment, they have presented a few ensembles just perfect for my boys to impress the clients.

Alexander McQueen

Armani

Marc Jacobs

• striped knitwear

These looks remind me of France and romance. They can be appropriate in and out of office as long as there are no important meetings

Armani

 I love the way the colors are played with in Dior collection. Even the shoelaces contribute to the general styling of the outfit:

 Dior Homme

• sport

I suppose this section will be the favourite one for my IT crowd as they like going in for sports. Besides, these things are very practical, which crowns the top list of values important for the clothes according to my boys.=) Sporty elements can be found almost in every collection

Armani

Burberry

Dior Homme

Lanvin

There is one more section that was striking me through all my overviewing the collections. I call it the Big No group and I'm definitely not showing or recommending it to my IT guys.=)

Burberry

Diesel

Marc Jacobs

Burberry

Missoni

Moschino

With all love and respect towards the brands and designers I really don't recommend this outfit because it's too bright, short, weird and (please not again) sandals-over-socks for the life of the IT guy. =)

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L'UVE Party with Harper's Bazaar Ukraine

This Friday was extremely busy for me. We had a monthly meeting and then our traditional pizza party at our IT office. Then  I went home to change for the evening.
This time I attended the welcome-party at L'UVE store organized by Harper's Bazaar Ukraine. I arrived early, so had a chance to view the collection and take a few shots of the most attractive pieces.

I am a big fan of all that does Valery Kovalska, the designer of this brand. What is more, the color palette and the styling of the SS collection is very close to my personal style.

By the way, there were special discounts for the collection due to the event.

All the guests of the event had opportunity to try professional  make-up. I could not resist the temptation and spent lovely 30 minutes chatting to the make-up artist while she was trimming my face. =)

Here is the result:

I know that L'UVE created the new collection for men too. I hope that the next presentation of this brand will include some pieces of menswear, so I can find something for my IT guys. =)
Meanwhile I am packing my bag for  IT trip to Denmark. Stay tuned ;).

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Shor(I)Ts

Whenever we talk about current fashion trends with my colleagues, they claim them to be too feminine. Usually I try to argue that statement, but recently we have spotted that almost all the trousers in the menswear shops are skinny. This model became extremely popular during the last two years, but a few people actually know that this trend is 7 years old. It was presented for the first time by Hedi Slimane for Dior Homme in 2005.

Ever since it became very influential affecting the street fashion and mass market. Nevertheless, I must admit, this slim silhouette is appropriate not for all types of constitution. The same story with the shorts. After browsing the shopping malls with IT guys the resume is very sad: most of the models are too tight and short for  my boys. They are made more likely for teenages and students than for mature working males. Still I have picked up a few examples that could work for developers who sit all day long at their PC and still want to look trendy and masculine at the same time:

• sporty

Slowear

Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren

55DSL

• casual&denim

Junya Watanabe 

Money 

Diesel

• Chinos

Ralph Lauren

Dockers

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Moodboarding

Once I saw a note on the Harper's Bazaar Ukraine facebook page that they were holding a contest of inspiration moodboards. The idea was to give a chance for everyone to step into shoes of a young designer preparing for a new collection.

Even though I have never felt like becoming a couturier, I was amused by the contest so I desided to take part in it. It's a funny thing how you begin to pay attention to everything that influences your mood and catches your eye. I have never looked at the process of inspiration from that angle. All of a sudden things just popped up in front of my face and I could not decide what the key concept of my moodboard would be. The answer came from the less expected place ever. As it usually happens :). 

It all started with a little push from outside. I was looking through the new arrivals at net-a-porter site when I saw the recent magazine that is published online by this luxurious  store. The edition was about Chloe, one of my favourite brands , and included the video about the creation of the latest collection. Clare Waight Keller was showing the audience the moodboard with lots of different pictures and images that inspired her and her crew while creating the collection. That was the first brick in my moodboard wall.

The second one appeared after I saw the movie "La clé des champs":

The vivid pictures of untouched nature and children finding harmony in every blow of the wind on the abandoned pond stuck in my mind.  One of them was so bright and colorful that I pinned it on my moodboard:

From this very moment my collection was all about red poppies. Magic flowers. I found a dress by Luella 

and a few postcards and sketches with poppies.

The movie was still on my mind when I remembered a wonderful drawing by Nadya Rusheva that has been one of my favourite since my childhood:

I added it to the other images and it matched them perfectly. At the end I finished pinning with Prada ad photo  

and one of the dresses by Mary Katrantzou for TopShop:

That was the last pic on the list. I've played a little with the images on the board and here is the result:

I don't know whether I win or lose. I am completely unaware of the prize for the contest, by the way :). The truth is that it wasn't for the victory sake. I was attracted by the idea and I liked to experience some new shades of creativity. I'm realy glad I took part in this experiment as it taught me how to listen to and feel the tiny moments of my life.

P.S In case you are using Pinterest, you can find me there under margodaisy. :)

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From Tiffany with love

You could always tell what kind of a person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you. I must say, the mind reels. 

Holly Golightly , Breakfast at Tiffany's

I have always been amazed by the jewerly pieces made by Tiffany&Co. My first acquaintance with it was through the famous film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" which became one of my favourite. Ever since I collect every tiny piece that reminds me of the magic atmosphere of the movie:

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IT-guys Spring Essentials

My twitter is about to explode with the tweets hashtagged #LFW=)Meanwhile I am pondering over the thing that twitter could be the favourite social network for my IT guys if they weren't so lazy. It's perfect because it's laconic. Only 140 characters - that's it. I remember the first time they opened my blog. A  half of them barely reached the second paragraph of the post and gave up: Too many letters.That was the verdict. Whatever. =)
I think the same thing happens with them when  it comes to fashion. Have you ever seen a programmer wearing layers of clothing or mixing accessories to get a perfect look? Me either. I am talking about the average IT worker, not an exception. =)
Having surfed through the menswear collections for the upcoming spring-summer season, I have picked up a few looks that would probably satisfy the picky workers of the IT world. Most of the garments have clean simple lines and are of basic or pastel colors:

•  Calvin Klein

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Meow to 2011

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2011 was the year of Cat. This was my year by various reasons, but one of them is that I was born in the cat's year too. =) That's why, probably, I'm so obsessed with these little fluffy meowing creatures. I bet every girl has something in her closet with the kitten print.
For instance, Kylie Minogue recently has posted a pic of kitten shoes on her twitter account:

Victoria Bekham dedicated a few dresses in her Spring 2012 Victoria for Victoria Bekham line to the cats:

See by Chloe offers less expensive outfit with the kittens print on the T-shirt dresses:

I do have a few items in my wardrobe that express my love for cats. Even my favourite perfume Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci was advertized by Jessica Stam styled as a cat =) :

 Moreover, I have lovely earings shaped as sly kittens:

Even though the year is almost over, I know that my addiction to cats won't pass away. There is something magical about these animals that enchants and influences not only ordinary people, but even the world of fashion.=)

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IT hate list

My boys are like small kids. Knowing that I am a sort of criticising them for their careless way of dressing up they started teasing me. After playing the socks they come to me to give a hug in their wet from sweat T-shirts. Now they skype me when they are wearing the same clothing for the second/third/fourth day (which is quite often) or show holes in the socks they wear under the slippers in the office. But this is a small part of  a big teasing thing. They adore criticising back. Our office is in the city center, so lots of stylish people can be seen in the streets. IT guys love discussing the men's looks they see in the streets. They have even created their IT hate list :)Here is what they dislike most of all:

• skinny jeans

This garment calls out the wave of uncontrolled negative emotions from IT crowd =) They say that the Real Man will never-ever put that model on. It's designed for girls only=)

• oversized patent-leather bag

The same story as with the skinny jeans. This is particulary annoying for them as in most cases the bags are colorful and sparkling :) 

• men wearing UGG boots

This is the last straw for them. Whenever they see a guy wearing all those three things at the same time they get really aggressive. However, my boys are very timid and will never hurt anyone in the street for their choice of clothes. But they will come to the office and start teasing me and complaining of that strange world of fashion, where the clear and so important, from their point of view, line between men and women is starting to disappeare.

And what can I say? Fortunately for me, they are completely anaware of Andrej Pejic and his career in fashion. :)

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