Fall is really one of my favorite seasons, I love it so. Right now the weather is still so close to the 80′s and I want it to be crisp, so I can wear wooley tights, delicious layers and wonderful coats. Oh, well. That will come soon enough.

Another thing I love about fall is the feeling of change and that is what is happening with stylealchemy. There are many of you that already know this but for those who do not, this blog stylealchemy.com/ruminations is just one part of a bigger project: stylealchemy.com. I have been working hard at it and while it is not completed yet, it is getting closer and I am bursting at the seams with anticipation.

I want to apologize for the lack of posts recently, it has been so busy!! I promise that there will be more goodies to come! Thanks for your support and have a happy, happy Friday.

photo from flickr: lifeandtimesofchantel

♥ the alchemist

I really love the variety of prints that Basso & Brooke use for their lovely dresses. They are beautiful and the Fall 07 collection remind me of subtle watercolors. For instance, the dusty ochre colors swirling about the bottom of this dress (note the silhouette of a classic face lightly imprinted)

can be found in this painting of Norham Castle by Joseph M. W. Turner:

I would be thrilled to be draped in dresses like these. Here are some more delicious prints from the collection.

Love. this. so. much. There is an Art Deco quality about it that is appealing.

Look at the back of this same dress to the far right. What a beauty and the sleeves!!

This reminds me (the hat) so much of Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) in ‘My Fair Lady’, where they are at the horse races and she screams out, “Move your blooming arse!”

Now, some images from the Spring 2008 collection. More prints!

♥ the alchemist

Whistle & Flute were one of the “Fresh Faces in Fashion” designers that showed at GenArt during NYFW Spring 2008. Apparently, whistle & flute is East London cockney rhyming slang where the latter part rhymes with the word of the original meaning, i.e. suit. Designers, Yoon Chang and Je-Won Hwang cite the sharp line of the 1960′s London gangster and Anita Pallenberg as inspiration for the collection. Anita was the common-law wife of the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards with a very distinct style all her own.

These images from Fall 2007 are part of their debut collection.

♥ the alchemist

This beautiful film is one that I had heard about but hadn’t seen until recently and oh..wow! Talk about visual inspiration. This 1964 french musical Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Umbrellas of Cherbourg) stars Catherine Deneuve (Geneviève) and Nino Castelnouvo (Guy) in a complicated love story. Filled with so much lovely color (pinks, blues, yellows!), I absorbed every part of the movie and filed it away. Here are some images.

Here is a fan trailer composed of key parts from the movie.

♥ the alchemist

I have always loved the bow-tie look for both sexes (when done right) and the play between masculine and feminine but Alexis Mabille takes the art of neckwear to another level with Treizeor (a couture-like collection of bow-ties). 

Anyone who cites John Galliano as inspiration is okay in my book. In fact, he created the ready-to-wear and haute couture jewelry for Christian Dior under Galliano. Impasse 13 is Mabille’s label of unisex pants and tops with the Treizeor label taking something that has been regulated to formal events and putting a whole new spin on it.

Plus, I love the whole presentation of the collection surrounded by butterflies.

This is an image from the collection in Colette’s store window during Jan ’07 couture fashion week.

♥ the alchemist

A little over two weeks ago, as I sat at an outside table enjoying dinner, I looked up and saw a group of women passing by. One of them I recognized immediately as this woman from The Sartorialist. Everything about her was the same from the hat to the proportions, the only thing missing was her bike.

This immediately got me thinking about a signature style. With this particular hat, she definitely stands out and even if I hadn’t seen her on The Sartorialist, I would have noticed her anyway.

A couple of months ago, I felt the need to purge a lot of things from my closet that didn’t accurately represent me anymore. After noting what was kept, I still can’t pin down what my definitive style is! Except that it has always been eclectic and I find that I like what I like. (Which I believe is part of my signature style, right?) Of course there are those requisite periods of time where I am obsessed, say with a particular scarf, skirt, etc.

While I am sorting it out, I do have respect for those who are completely committed to their look. For example, fashion writer Lynn Yaeger, the very shy (not) Kanye West, dandy about town (eyebrow defined) Patrick McDonald, singer Kelis and of course Anna Wintour’s bob.

Lynn has maintained this same look (hair, makeup, etc) for years.

Whether it is casual or not, Kanye rocks the hell out of his outfits.

That eyebrow! 

Kelis has great style, look at these high-waisted jeans. 

This bob is iconic at this point.

Do you guys have a signature style or a favorite article of clothing that you are loving right now or have loved?

♥ the alchemist

I like a few shapes from the Fall 07 collection from Society for Rational Dress.

The idea of the cropped jacket paired with wide jeans is a great look.

I love these images from their S/S 07 collection.

♥ the alchemist

The Fall and Spring menswear designs from Miharayashuiro are really stellar.

This coat is amazing.

I only like bits and pieces from the Fall women’s collection. Here are some pics which either seem to be bursting with loads of texture or metallic accents.

My favorites are these metal hairpieces that are so awesome!

♥ the alchemist

I still have many pics stored from the NY shows that I will be using for inspiration. Here are a few final images from two of my favorites this year, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Marc by Marc Jacobs. I can always count on these two for interesting designs and color.

Think yellow!  At least that’s what I will be doing come next spring.

More lovely backstage shots from 3.1 Phillip Lim and Marc by Marc Jacobs with even more bursts of wonderful color.

There’s something about this whole look, the styling and the hair from Phillip Lim that I am loving.

Also, these glasses I adore. Chloe Sevigny wore them to a Lanvin lunch and they were seen at the Band of Outsiders show.

That’s it for now, will definitely be looking forward to what other Fashion Weeks are offering.

♥ the alchemist

I always thought of the modern-day toga as the long-lost art of gracefully wrapping one’s bedsheet around themselves.

How naive of me!

All of that has changed with one look at self-taught Japanese designer Yasuko Furuta’s Toga collection. OH my!! The excitement I felt flipping through and seeing the beautiful layering and different silhouettes of Fall items was too much to handle at once.

Every few pictures I had to stop, breathe and admire. I couldn’t even pick just a couple, most of the collection is here. Each image is filled with so much inspiration that I can’t wait to put to good use.  Love it. so. much.

This jacket is amazing!

Love the little gloves. I have the perfect vintage pair.

♥ the alchemist

Six years is a long time. People have definitely moved on and found solace. In fact, I haven’t thought about this in some time. The mood of the city, the nation is completely different than it was then.

That Tuesday Sept 11 is not this Tuesday Sept 11.

Yet, nothing will ever erase the terror, uncertainty and hopelessness that was immediately felt. Nothing will ever let me forget that acrid smell that lingered in the air as I watched masses of people covered in ash flood off the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges getting as far away as they could. Knowing that there were people that we knew that were in that vicinity made it hard, all we could do was watch the unfolding news and feel helpless. Finally, thankful to realize that no one we knew was hurt. Saddened that so many others were. A few days later walking through Washington Square Park and reading Missing Posters plastered on every available space. Feeling a solace and unity with a city that would not be defeated. Even if you did not lose someone in the tragic event everyone was affected.

Thankfully, this Tuesday Sept 11 is not that Tuesday Sept 11.

♥ the alchemist

Last week Band of Outsiders showed their Spring collection at Fashion Week (at the Chelsea Piers) and it was very Americana preppy. Very.

(c) all above photos courtesy of Randy Brooke

They just recently launched a female line named Boy and here are a few images from their Fall collection. Both Boy and Band of Outsiders websites resemble the blog layout with each piece from the collection published like an entry.

♥ the alchemist