A Fall Ensemble

This look, available on shopbop.com, is perfect for fall! I love the ensemble; the Trina Turk Bon Bon Blouse has a lovely geometric print in bold hues: magenta, turquoise, cerulean, eggplant, and black. Though 2008’s fall runways color palette consisted of colors that reflected the fall foliage or purples and blacks, this blouse is perfect for that splash of color against the more neutral shirts. The geometric print is balanced with the silk fabric, as well as the soft lines of the silouette. Offset the vibrant colors of the blouse by tucking it into a pair of skinny, black tailored pants or denim. High waisted pants should be avoided with this look; we want to see that print! Choose a moderate waistline; not to low, not too high.

To finish this look, I personally would recommend a skinny patent belt to add dimension to the matte-ness of the fabrics and a pair of patent gladiators in black. Shopbop recommended the black, Kooba Josephine clutch with gold trim; I however, think otherwise. Instead of opting for black, choose a bold colored, patent tote, perhaps in a raspberry color that matches the blouse. The outfit has a lot of blues and black; bring out the red! I suggest this Mulberry Maggie Tote in Spazzaloto (its a leather; yes, I laughed too when I read it). It is a great structured tote in a color that coordinates with the Bon Bon Blouse (raspberry). The strong architectural lines definitely offset the looseness of the blouse, yet enhancing the geomety present in the hexagon pattern. The buckle details and turn-lock closure tie the belt into the look, and the patent, like the skinny belt, adds dimension to the overall look. Top it all off with thin silver bangles; you could skip a necklace with this neckline and the busy-ness of the top. Silver gives the impression of light and weightlessness, while gold gives off vibes of richness and heaviness. The bold colors are very saturated; gold would only add heaviness.

As for hair, I would suggest loose, wavey locks or loosely curled hair; once again, the looseness will balance the geometric print and structured bag. Go minimalistic with a neutral color palette for make-up to equalize the bold colors and black – au naturel has been the make up option for the past few seasons!

I know I mentioned a lot about balance and offsetting…constructing the perfect ensemble requires balance and feng shui! I guess I should make that a tip du mode then.

Tip du Mode #2: Outfits are all about balance, balance, balance! Compliment structure with looseness, bold colors with black or neutral, earthiness with metal (jewelry), etc.!

xoxo