This woman superbly demonstrates that even the classiest ladies can rock leopard print. It’s easiest to incorporate this high-energy print into a look on accessory pieces like scarves. We all know how tricky leopard-print dresses, cardigans, and pants can be to wear. Next to the face leopard prints only work in non-natural colors like blues and pinks because yellows are not flattering next to the face. That’s why natural brown and yellow leopard prints are most popular on belts and shoes.
Pinks will draw out the natural colors in the face without highlighting zits (as reds sometimes can). You can see here how the pale shades of pink in this woman’s scarf highlight her rosy cheeks and pink lips without overpowering her. She’s already drop dead gorgeous but her scarf is achieving the goal of all accessory pieces; to add to a look, not subtract.
Prova is the undisputed master of the investment leopard print scarf. In Chicago you can find them only at Ikram. In New York they are sold only at Bergdorf Goodman and Kirna Zabete.
Here are some fantastic pink leopard print scarves I found at a range of price points. This is also the perfect holiday gift for your moms, co-workers, sisters, friends, and girlfriends.
Whenever my family comes to visit me I use it as an excuse to visit all the tourist attractions and cultural institutions that make Chicago one of the world’s greatest cities. This Thanksgiving I took my mom and my brother Matt to the Museum of Science Industry, the biggest science museum in the Western hemisphere. All of us are obsessed with severe weather; living on the border between Arkansas and Oklahoma – in the heart of Tornado Alley – tends to breed a fascination with nature’s fury.
After visiting the storm exhibit, which includes a live lightning demonstration and a mini-tornado, we wandered into Fast Forward: Inventing the Future. One of the centerpieces of the exhibit was the Galaxy Dress above. I took two photos, one with a flash and one without, and then created a gif to better illustrate the design. Although a lot of futuristic fashion can be gimmicky, I thought this was a really cool exploration by CuteCircuit designers Ryan Genz and Francesca Rosella on how light might be integrated into garments in the future. This is also the world’s largest wearable display (which is kind of a gimmick, but this looks so cool I’m willing to ignore it). The dress was sewn by hand using organza and chiffon. In addition to the thousands of LED lights carefully woven into the fabrics, around 4,400 Swarovski crystals were beaded onto the garment as well. The secret science nerd in me is totally geeking out on this dress.
And for those of you rolling your eyes, one of high fashion’s darlings has experimented at integrating light into his dresses too:
I spent two days shopping along Michigan Avenue with my family, who came up to spend Thanksgiving with me in Chicago. My littlest brother Matt is 17 and very, um, particular when it comes to selecting new shoes. According to him, my eye for fashion is outweighed by the fact that I’m his older sister, and therefore inevitably biased towards clothing that makes him look lame. Clearly he didn’t want any advice from me on what to wear, or buy. He only wanted to know what his older (my younger) brother Will thought. Fair enough!
So I ditched him, my mom, and my other younger brother Will in the Nordstrom shoe department to wander around the third floor. It was there that I happened upon the most fantastic pair of leather shorts. Aaaahhhhhhhh! I wanted them so badly! The moment I saw them, I knew it. My feelings had changed. I always hated leather shorts, I thought they were too provocative for me to wear. I’m firmly planted on the man-repeller side of fashion. But these ones were perfect, and not too sexy! When I leaned in to inspect them closer, I saw why I loved them so much. The brilliant Alexander Wang, who creates cool clothes I can actually afford, was the man behind them.
Which brings me to this photo! I vaguely remembered photographing a girl in leather shorts outside of his Spring 2012 show last September. Of course, when I got home later that night I went through the archives to find it. Discovering these leather shorts at Nordie’s finally gave me the chance to post this image. It’s inspiration too! Add a pair of tights or thigh-high socks to these bad boys and I’d be good to go for winter.
