The STYLEtti offers you fashion, style, and beauty inspiration from the three of us to you.

Style

Ensemble with a dash of “princess”: sparkly sandals!

5th Sep

Here near the coast in central California, Indian summer is finally upon us! The fog has subsided, and we can finally enjoy a pleasant spell of beautiful sunny days. I want to share an ensemble I spotted last week, which I feel would be perfect for an art opening or outdoor cocktail party - even post Labor Day. I love the way Sandy tops this refreshing summer combination, of light grey and white, with a cool wintergreen blazer. Then we have the most striking feature of her ensemble: sparkly silver-studded stiletto sandals (say that three times fast!), which nearly resemble crushed ice. For quite some time, I have coveted a pair of sparkly high heeled sandals like these but was at a loss to envision more outfits than the standard little black dress to accompany them so that their purchase would not merely be an extravagance. This luminous, icy palette easily supports the glamour of the sparkly heels, which by the way, were Sandy's wedding sandals. A silver necklace echoing the crystal-like details of her sandals and tone of her blazer are also a nice touch. Thank you, Sandy for another great way to wear these killer shoes. Sparkly sandals, here I come!

K BELO

POPSICLE ONE PIECE

Navy stripes

Made in New York with recycled Lycra from Italy!

Style

Commuter Cycling and the Meaning of Style

7th Jul

What is style? I venture to say it isn't exclusively about clothes and shoes (or even handbags). When I go for a walking break in the morning, I am often passed by Zach on his bike, heading back from court to the office in his suit and helmet. It reminds me of common sightings in Paris of elegantly dressed people cycling past the outdoor cafés where I have perched to people-watch. While fashion has the potential of converting us into slaves, style is the opposite in many respects. It is liberating to come up with our own manner of dressing, eating, speaking and getting around. When I read fashion magazines, it is a bit like feasting on a donut. Yes, it is yummy (or entertaining) for the time being. But the pleasure is short-lived and might even convert into a less gratifying experience if I allow myself, for example, to feel I need something pushed by adroit advertisers. On the other hand, when I see people manifesting style, I am encouraged to continue allowing my own to evolve. So, what is style? On a general level, it is the way we express our uniqueness in the way we dress, in our activities and other choices in life. But then some people go beyond this and possess a style which has... well, style. They evince a certain flair, that je ne sais quoi which breathes life into something which would otherwise be ordinary or mundane. It evokes a feeling of perfection, of balance or of esthetic brilliance. We could say that Zach's pants are very nicely tailored for a neat medium break, he sports a light neutral colored shoe which is great for summer and his shoelaces and tie both add a refreshing pop of color. Those are elements of his dress on this day, but his elan is much more than that. When I see Zach riding his cruiser in a suit, it truly brightens my day. What are some of your thoughts about style?