Shopped: Black Chanel blazer

Lately I have been looking for a black blazer, but not a boring one, as I already have 2 black blazers that are just too basic for me somehow. So I was looking for something a bit more spectacular to be honest. And on Ebay of all places I found the perfect blazer: A Chanel one, lightly used but in perfect condition, from the Fall 2014 collection.

That will actually be the first Chanel jacket I own. I used to think of them as rather old fashioned for a long time, so I was just not drawn to them, but I think this one is basic, but not too basic due to the little speckles and the open front. Not to mention the pretty Chanel buttons!

So I think this one will work quite well with the rest of my wardrobe...

(pics from the Ebay auction in question)

Today I'm loving...

... the fact that Chanel's Fall 2014 show took place in a fake, all Chanel supermarket.

I just think this is so unexpected, unique and cool. So what's not to love?

I wish I could have gotten hold of some of those fake Chanel items "for sale" in the supermarket as well, that would have been amazing. But since I did not even attend the show, that didn't happen of course, which makes me wonder what happened to all those items?

(pics from Fashionista)

A trend I am so not sure of...

... is the high fashion sneakers, seen in both Chanel's Spring 2014 Couture show:

and the Dior Spring 2014 Couture show:

(the Chanel sneakers are by far nicer than the Dior ones if you ask me!)

You see, I have always believed that it is hard to be really fashionable in these types of shoes, and that they should be worn for sports - or possibly long walks at most! - only. I also believed most Parisians thought the same... So it's really kind of surprising to me that both Chanel and Dior seem to think that sneakers are fine for any type of occasion, and should be matched with high end clothing.

That said, of course any fashion that allows us to be more comfortable in our daily lives is a positive thing. So I do think a lot of people will like this trend, but I have to say I really don't like the look of these shoes, and would not be wearing them like they were worn in the shows. I think Converse are a much more chic option for a casual look instead, and for a fraction of the price of these shoes too!

(all images are from Style.com)

Chanel in Paris

One of the brands you are bound to bump into when you go to Paris is of course Chanel. There is really a lot of Chanel stuff everywhere, like at the Galeries Lafayette, where they have their own Chanel department.

I also went to the Rue de Cambon store, of course, here are some pictures of that:

I did not, however, buy any Chanel items while in Paris, as I simply did not have time to go shopping that much, except for some beauty items. And the Rue de Cambon store was actually closed when I was in the area. But it is still really nice to just window shop too, and as I definitely plan to go back to Paris soon, I do hope I will have time to do some shopping at Chanel then. My current Chanel collection is definitely way too small!

What Spring/Summer 2013 trends I am loving right now

For spring/summer 2013, I will not be embracing all the upcoming trends, since I don't think every trend suits every person. Instead, I believe in choosing the trends that actually suit you well, and that you are naturally drawn to, so you can stay true to what's truly flattering for you, and stick to your signature style, season after season.

But some trends do appeal to me this season, and I do think I will be making some purchases in the next weeks to reflect that. Some of these trends are:

- The pearls, that we saw in the Chanel SS 2013 show, for instance.

I do think pearls will come and go out of fashion on a regular basis, and while I do have some beautiful pearl jewelry that was given to me by family members over the years, I do think some more could be fun, or why not something quirkier, like a pearl hair piece, or a clutch with some pearl details?

- Mint green, which has been a favorite color of mine for years. I think I've mentioned that several times here on this blog as well. So I am thrilled that I will probably be able to find more mint green pieces this season, it being such a trendy color this season after all.

I've already decided I will probably get these flats, for instance, that are both mint green and have some pearl details:

Isn't that convenient? I'll be able to get an item that combines two of my favorite trends this season at the same time.

I must say I am a fan of some of the other pastel colors we will be seeing this spring as well, but mint green is by far my favorite out of them.

- The black and white combo. This is such a classic combo, but I am afraid I have not been embracing it enough as of late. So this spring will be a perfect time to perfect the art of dressing in only black and white, maybe with a small splash of color added somewhere...

(images from Pinterest, here and here, as well as from Style Blueprint)

Today I'm loving...

... this Chanel denim dress from the Spring/Summer 2013 collection:

I guess I have gotten into denim without really noticing it lately. I did write about Atsuro Tayama's denim pieces the other day as well. It's not really like me, I've never been huge on denim except for regular jeans, but I guess it's a good thing, since denim is a really big trend for spring.

The reason I like this particular denim dress from Chanel is that it's so typically Chanel due to the pearls and the black and white, yet so un-Chanel because of the denim, it creates a really interesting and cool contrast!

(pic from MTV)

Today I'm loving...

... the gorgeous jacket Marion Cotillard (who is, by the way, one of my favorite style icons of all time, as well as probably the most beautiful actress around these days) wore the other day.

I'm not really sure where the jacket is from, but it being worn by Marion indicates it's probably a Chanel or some other, equally chic, French brand.
But no matter who made it, I love it! Black and white is so versatile, and so is the pattern. But the way the two patterns are combined makes this jacket much more interesting than just a one pattern jacket, so I quite like the twist too!

(pic from People)

Today I'm loving...

... these pretty images of Cara Delevigne and Saskia de Brauw for the Chanel Cruise 2013 campaign.

I think it's because of the bird cages, I've always loved vintage bird cages. But I would never actually put a bird in one of these, I think that would be way too cruel!

(images from For Gals)

Today I'm loving...

... several looks in the Chanel Fall 2012 Couture show. Which is kind of interesting, because I've never really been a big Chanel girl. But in the last few years, I have really started warming up to the newer Chanel pieces! (Plus, I love their beauty products and makeup packaging. They feel insanely luxurious!)

I love the top. And long skirts for winter is a great idea too!

Not only is the dress gorgeous, I love the pattern too!

I love how Chanel still finds ways to re-invent their classic Chanel suit. This is not necessarily something I would wear myself, but it definitely looks like a Chanel suit, while still looking like something I haven't seen before, so I love that!

(pics from Style.com)

Today I'm loving...

... this very cute print on this tank top:

Generally, I think the whole "Keep calm and carry on" messages have been kind of overdone in the last years, but this is a version I haven't seen before. So I think it's really cute!

(pic from Luuux)

Today I'm loving...

this very Marie Antoinette'ish photo of Kate Moss with loads and loads of Chanel boxes. What a dream!

(pic from Fashion Flash)

Today I'm loving...

... these cool photos of Joan Smalls and Saskia de Brauw in the Chanel Spring 2012 campaign.

I think it is because I actually work out on the beach myself. (Yes, the models are supposed to be working out in their Chanel gear)
You see, where I live, the city has placed a lot of excercise equipment on the beaches, so everyone can work out for free. I love that idea, and while the places where all this equipment is placed can get pretty crowded during the day, it's really nice to start your day by going to some of them in the morning.

As for the photos from the Chanel campaign, I love how they somehow create a vibe of calm, even though the models are supposedly working out. A very cool contrast!

(pics from Fashionista)

Today I'm loving...

Blake Lively's promotional pics for Chanel. I love it that she is the face of the handbags now, I think Blake and Chanel go really well together!

(pics from Catwalkqueen)