Fashion News Roundup: Week 26, 2015

The top lipstick shades across the world, an Audrey Hepburn exhibition in London, Alexander Wang bringing back his greatest hits, and other fashion news that caught our attention this week.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that Marie-Louise Carven, who passed away at age 105 earlier this month and was noted for her designs for petite women, also had a knack for coming up with clever promotional campaigns. In 1954, for example, in memory of the liberation of Paris, she had hundreds of sample bottles of her signature Ma Griffe perfume dropped over the city on little striped parachutes.

Ensemble: Handkerchief Hem Dress & Sandals

If you like to wear dresses for Summer, I highly recommend the handkerchief hem dress. The jagged effect of the asymmetrical hemline creates an interesting and flattering effect. Combining it with a pair of comfortable sandals is the easiest Summer ensemble of them all. 

I’ve shown five handkerchief hem dresses here, each with a different vibe. Some are casual and others are more dressy. Choose any colour in a pattern or solid.

Here are the components:

Dress: Choose a handkerchief dress in a length that tickles your fancy. I’ve chosen a sleeveless maxi dress, a very fitted flared dress, a baby doll style, a shirt dress, and a striped sack dress. Note that the dresses can define OR surrender the waistline. 

Footwear: The footwear sets the mood of the outfit. Of course, a pair of gladiators or classic wedge sandals will work with any of these dresses, but if you’re after a more trendy look, choose another style of shoe. Think slides, Birkenstocks, chunky soft bed sandals, chunky platform sandals, d’Orsay flats, ankle strap flats, ankle strap pumps, sandal booties, flat oxfords or slip-on sneakers. 

Accessories: Finish off the outfit with a bag that works with the look. Add jewellery, eyewear, watch and headgear as desired. 

A topper like a denim jacket, a vest or a short fitted blazer with rounded front hems is a slam dunk for this style of dress. But worn without a topper, the fabulous dress and your shoes do the talking. I vote this minimal combination best of all.

Ensemble: Handkerchief Hem Dress & Sandals

Link Love: Wedding Guest Outfits

If you are looking for ideas on what to wear to the weddings you’ve been invited to this Summer, then these links might come in handy.

Jess Carter-Morley at The Guardian suggests pairing an off-the-shoulder top — also known as the “Bardot” — with a patterned maxi skirt and comfortable sandals.

PopSugar has 30 dresses you can wear to anything from a casual backyard wedding to a fancy black-tie event.

Fashionista suggests trying one of these two-piece dresses for a Summer or Fall ceremony.

Fab Links from Our Members

Kirstjen liked this tip on The Huffington Post for how to keep your strapless bra from falling down.

Vicki enjoyed reading about Diana Vreeland’s legacy, and how her cult of personality lives on in a collection of fragrances.

UmmLila directs us to an article about “fashion tech” companies like Stitch Fix who are using algorithms and personal stylists to sell women the priceless commodity of confidence.

Deborah recently discovered The Third Person, an Australian blog with thoughtful and informative posts.

As if high heels weren’t risky enough. Laurinda lets us know that now there is a medical risk associated with skinny jeans: Compartment Syndrome. Forum member Alaskagirl started a thread about it on the forum.

Gardenchick found an interesting article on going grey, a topic that is often discussed on the forum.

Michelle came across an article stating that Zara is facing accusations of racial discrimination, and wonders if you have experienced anything of the sort.

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

Read More

Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

Read More

Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

Read More

Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

Read More

Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

Read More

Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

Read More

Trend: Handkerchief Hems

Handkerchief hems, or hanky hems as they are sometimes called, were popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s. They disappeared for decades after that, but resurfaced about five years ago in all sorts of modern incarnations. Initially a fringe trend, they later gained momentum and are now completely mainstream. 

Handkerchief hems appear on dresses, cardigans, tops and skirts. It’s when the hemline of the garment meets at one or multiple points — much like the corners of a handkerchief — creating a jagged effect. The asymmetrical integrity of the jagged hems creates visually interesting lines on the body, as well as a good amount of volume that tends to be quite flattering. 

Handkerchief hems are best in soft and delicate knitted or woven fabrications to achieve maximum drape and to temper some of the volume. The vibe is arty, architectural and avant-garde. The examples in this post are a good representation of the design detail.  

Dresses

Dresses with handkerchief hems can be long or short. The silhouettes can be fitted or sack-like. There is a handkerchief hem dress for all body shapes. Generally, you should choose a fit-and-flare style if you’re a curvy hourglass or pear. Choose a sack or shift style if you’re an inverted triangle or apple shaped. Rectangular body types can choose between the two. Of course, pear and hourglass body types can also choose waist surrendering styles if they are content with creating a voluminous look.

Cardigans

You’ll find handkerchief hems on cardigans in long and short lengths. The points of the hem are usually at the side seams, creating a high-low effect. The silhouette is extremely comfortable and one way to create outfit drama with cozy casual pieces. 

Tops

Handkerchief hem tops are the most popular item of all. They can be cropped, regular length or tunic length. The hems can meet at two points on either side seam, or at multiple points all the way around the hem. Sometimes there is only one point on the side seam, which creates a more distinctive asymmetrical look. 

Surprisingly, the right handkerchief hem top can be well suited to both pear and apple shaped body types. It seems counterintuitive, but can work if the silhouette of the handkerchief creates volume in the right places. For apple shapes, the silhouette is forgiving over the midsection, whereas for pear shapes it’s forgiving over the hips and thighs.

Skirts 

The handkerchief hem skirt is probably the least common item, but a gorgeous one nonetheless. Like handkerchief hem dresses, the points of the hems can be positioned on the sides, in the front and back, or all around the hemline. Skirts can be any length and vary in volume. The more voluminous versions are particularly well suited to curvy hourglasses and pear shapes because of their fit-and-flare integrity.

The best part about items with handkerchief hems is how they swoosh and move as you stride, which is especially true of the skirts and dresses. Fun, flirty and festive.

Outstanding Outfit Bloggers

Feminine Pattern Mixing Fun

Thirty-something Jeniese Hosey lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and created her blog, The Je Ne Sais Quoi, to share her love for fashion and beautiful things. Her style is feminine, relaxed, and on trend. Jeniese loves colour and bold pattern mixing. She enjoys experimenting with different silhouettes and has bucketloads of fun with footwear and funky eyewear. Her short ‘do and stunning smile are also an essential part of her style.

Jeniese - 1

A simple tee and jeans outfit feels more pulled together when you throw on a great jacket. Jeniese is sporting black denim leggings with a fun slogan print tee. She’s rolled the jeans to showcase pointy toe lace-up flats that elongate the leg line, and give the look an elegant ballerina-esque vibe. The knee-length leopard print jacket injects tons of oomph into this all neutrals look. The collarless style and open neckline work well on a larger bust. The small quilted clutch picks up the stone in the topper. Big sunnies finish off the look.

Jeniese - 2

This red and blue outfit makes me smile because every single detail is so spot on. The hectically distressed boyfriend jeans paired with the ladylike pumps with cute bow detail are a fab outfit juxtaposition! The buffalo plaid pattern mixed with the thin blue and white stripes is complementary. The soft drape of the turtleneck against the stiffer fabric of the wool moto jacket creates nice textural interest. The way the striped top forms a column of colour with the blue jeans creates a long lean line. Jeniese has an excellent eye for detail. Her asymmetric fringe and bold red lip make things extra cheeky.

Jeniese - 3

An on trend volume-on-volume culottes look in a fresh khaki and cream colour scheme. The roomy zip shoulder tunic has flattering diagonal short sleeves that showcase most of the arms, which creates structure. Jeniese’s eye-catching snakeskin sandals with wide ankle strap do the same. Her small tomato red bucket bag and toenails add zing to the khaki and cream colour palette. The statement bib necklace is trademark Jeniese.

Jeniese - 4

Modern Classic Meets Sporty Luxe. Jeniese adds polish to a pair of patterned dressy trackpants by pairing them with a silk button-down shirt. The fun geometric pattern and colour blocked hems add graphic interest. And I love it that Jeniese opted for lighter-coloured bottoms with a dark top. Makes for a fun change. Tucking the shirt into the cropped trousers creates structure. Delicious magenta suede pointy toe pumps and matching lippie make the entire outfit sparkle. The strict envelope clutch fits the dressy vibe perfectly.

Jeniese - 5

Another look with a fantastic graphic vibe, this one is Bombshell Chic. I’ve fallen head over heels in love with this sassy knee-length pencil skirt. The curve-hugging fit and front vent create subtle allure. The asymmetrical colour blocks suit Jeniese spunky personality to a T. Bustier women sometimes shy away from turtleneck tops, but choosing one in a fine gauge knit with a mock turtleneck can look splendid. Jeniese has tucked the formfitting top, which creates a sleek and streamlined effect. Edgy sandal booties bookend our blogger’s black hair. Oversized sunnies and Jeniese stunning smile are the stylish icing on the cake.

Jeniese - 6

I feel that pattern mixing is an essential part of our blogger’s fashion and fun loving personality. For this casual Summer outfit, Jeniese combines two dominant, equally bold, patterns. A Breton striped tank top in white and black, and trousers with a big, colourful floral print. Making sure the top and trousers have one colour in common — in this case the black stripe and black background on the pants — helps to create visual harmony. Tucking the top into the tapered trousers adds structure. The black wedges, black clutch and black band on the Panama hat further pull the look together. Also note how the cream hat echoes the lighter parts of the wedge sandals. Blue toenails are the fun finishing touch.

All six looks are fab, so I’m having a hard time picking a favourite. Let us know what you think of these six brilliant looks, and then hop on over to Jeniese’s blog to browse the rest of her outfits. Or check out her pinboards for more visual inspiration.