Collection: Givenchy Pre-Fall 2012

My two favorite seasons in fashion are the 'in-betweens':  not F/W, not S/S, but rather, resort and pre-fall.  They are the seasons where the days are hot, but the nights are cold, or the days start to get warmer, but the mornings are still crisp.  You can wear bare legs, but want to throw a coat over it, you can wear boots but can get away with a lighter top. How excited am I for the pre-fall collections that are currently being show.  All I can say, is wow.  First up, is...can you guess it readers? Who is my favorite? Yes, Givenchy.  Un--Be--Lieve--Able.

Riccardo Tisci created pieces, that once again will be on the tip of every fashion loving girl or gay's tongue soon for a number of reasons. First off the block, this is 50s meets 70s equestrian---can't beat that.  Second, Tisci has taken some of the most popular moments at Givenchy and reworked them.  The classics are back, people! Embrace closets of old and new for this season by following Tisci's lead. Also worth mentioning are the nods to masculine tailoring and the incredible boots showcased.  The boots the boots....oh ma gawddddd child, the BOOTS.   I once heard a man refer to this style of boot as the "hoof boot." Well, if it makes me look like a horse, a goat, a cow, I'll happily moo, baaaa or nayy! These boots are a must for Pre-Fall and I have a feeling we'll be seeing them all over fashion week in Feb/March.

It's also worth mentioning that Givenchy has clearly been inspired by street style photographers. One look at this look book and you feel like you're logging into The Sartorialist for your morning update.  Not to mention, the stop sign makes me feel like I am in middle school and this is my first day of school outfit.  It's brilliant!  

Photos courtesy of Style.com

Campaign: Givenchy S/S 2012

I know the word 'campaign' is all over the news these days...Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, Obama,  but the only campaign I am currently excited about is the Givenchy S/S 2012 advertising campaign that was released last month.  Everyone who knows me knows that I am all about the neo-surfer look.  Whatever that means, I always like to dress like I am a former surf pro going to a high class event, but at the beach.  Figure that one out.  In any case, Ricardo Tischi does it again, taking my all time favorite idea of the surfer and giving it the Givenchy twist with the darkened sky, black surf board and dusky seashore to perpetuate the brand's Gothic and romantic designs.  

Things You WIll Never See in DC: Over-sized metallic shark necklaces

So I have said this many times and I will say it again.  Men in DC are clueless about women's fashion---ok, or my idea of how I think a woman should dress.  If I go out and literally wear what I WANT to wear, I know that I can expect that the only men who will talk to me that night, will make some comment about my accessory du noir.  And mind you, the stuff I wear is not kesha-esque.  There is no giant baby pacifier covered in glitter around my neck, and no I do not go all Gaga and craft a necklace made out of cow tendons or something crazy-now I would discuss that.  No, but if my Chanel necklace that I rarely wear because it is too girly for my taste has PEARLS on it and still gets men to reach their hands, touch my necklace and go --woah, that is QUITE the necklace, or make some reference to Mr. T, let's just discuss what reactions I would get if I wear this over-sized, metallic shark tooth from the Givenchy s/s 2012 collection out and about in DC.  Well, whatever, I think it is amazing.  

Pics from Style.com

Say what? Givenchy for less

As you all may know from simply reading this blog and noticing that I have an inappropriate number of references to the Givenchy F/W 2011 collection...I.  LOVE.  GIVENCHY.   Seriously, Iwould wear every single piece from their collection including the floral silk bomber jacket that is semi-80s rapper/ semi-Nigerian street vendor/ semi-old woman.  Love doesn't even describe it.  However, my love for all things gorgeous and delicious means that I would be headed for early bankruptcy (rather than early retirement like I have planned) if I didn't pick and choose my battles with splurges.  Where I can find a similar look for less, I do.  Speaking of which, do y'all remember that show?  I always thought I would make a better host than that chick from the View considering I often wear outfits that cost less than $10.  Anyway, look below and you will see what I mean.  During my junior year of high school I wore a pointy black pump with a metal stiletto heel shoe to prom that I call my mom weekly to ask her to find (she can't) and so while googling 'metal heel' tonight, I came across this amazing shoe.   I am really proud of this find.  The top picture is of course, a shoe from my love--Givenchy.  The bottom, however is from an adult lingerie store. Yes. I said it, sometimes you actually have to shop at hooker shoe stores in order to look fabulous.  Who cares, the Givenchys are over $500 and the very cute on their own-Alex Wang/Givenchy-cross-hooker shoes?  $41.75

Givenchy Wool Covered Pump, $590 found here

Pleaser USA shoe from Lingerie Diva $41.75.  Suck up your pride, click here and buy

Double Take: Givenchy Panther T-shirts

My obsession with Givenchy's F/W 2011 collection is JUST starting to come to light.  But let me say it again, Panther, Rottweilers, Black, Floral, Spiked Heels.  OBSESSED.  A few seasons ago, Martin Margiela featured horse print t-shirts that fashion editors were crazy over.  This one nearly copied exactly the "Summoning the Storm" print painted by Artist David Penfound.  So what did I do?  Did I fork over $1000 for the Margiela shirt? Of course not.  I bought a $16 "summoning the storm" t-shirt online at one of those mountain man stores you can find with a google search.  Givency's Panther t-shirts, which retail at over $500 can similarly be created by a quick ebay or google search.  I found one for $11.95 here  at a zoo shop!  And another over at Topshop UK that is out of stock, but I am sure more will surface soon.  The Givenchy men's Rottweiler t-shirt that was seen on Kanye West and Liv Tyler is more affordable but I will look for cheaper versions of that one too!  Look very shortly for more mainstream stores to knock them all off.  

Givenchy Silk Panther T-shirt, $570--picture here

T-shirt by TopShop, retails around $40

T-shirt found here for $11.95