White Hot Summer Dresses

New Yorkers could get by on two colors for the entire year.  White for Summer and black for every other season.  Since it's nearly Summer, here are a few of my favorite white dresses.  Not necessarily work appropriate but here's to hoping for some spontaneous rooftop nights after grueling work days.  

Catherine Malandrino Pointelle-Knit Dress (345.00).  A good friend of mine owns this dress in multiple colors.

Sam&Lavi Scarlett Lace Shift Dress (155.00).  I've got lace on the mind after spending a month searching for the perfect lace for Ampere.

Alexander Wang White Stretchy Viscose Sleeveless V-neck Dress (495.00)

Jazz It Up for Summer

Despite the buzz about Baz Luhrmann's upcoming remake of the Great Gatsby, in my heart and mind, Robert Redford will forever be Jay Gatsby, and Mia Farrow, Daisy. What I am excited about is the abundance of Gatsby inspired fashion that is sure to follow the release of the film.

The movie won't be released until Winter, but Summer is the ideal time to get inspired by the Roaring 20's.  Particularly if you're attending the 7th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor's Island this weekend. Or - if you prefer the slightly more formal style of the late 19-teens and Downton Abbey, here is your chance to channel Lady Mary and all of her glamour.  

Eagle Dress (550.00) - All Saints may seem like an unlikely place to pick up a Jazz Age dress, but there are a surprising number of gorgeous deco pieces here

 Kyle Beaded Tie Back Dress (550.00)

French Connection Flapper Dress (185.58)

Vintage 1970's Flapper Dress (150.00)

As for accessories, I'll be sporting a feathery headpiece from the Village Scandal.  I purchased it originally for the Belmont last weekend but it fits right in with the era of this weekend.  If you're in the mood for something with a bit more sparkle, I love the exuberance of this Peacock hair clip.

Finally, the perfect finishing touch is an Edie Parker clutch as featured on Professionelle a while back.  

The (Last) Case of the Mondays

Tomorrow is my very last Monday as a corporate lawyer!  I can't believe the last week is finally here.  To bring in the week (and ring out my legal career), I present the most beautiful work dress I've seen in a very long time.  It's definitely a splurge, but oh - so - pretty.

Giambattista Valli Printed Dress (2995.00)

STREETFSN

Last week I pushed a few fashion boundaries at work - wore things that I would never recommend fellow Professionelles wear.  Every once in a while, it feels good to throw away the rules and just wear what you want.  This week, it's back to my usual rotation, although there's still a part of me that wishes I could get away with more - like the people in the following shots:

If I owned this dress, I'd break it out sometime in September when the weather begins to turn, but before my wardrobe turns mostly black and gray.

I love the top on the girl slightly in the back.  With a black skirt you could probably pull this off at work.

These shoes are killer. 

There's something intriguing about the black bag/ripped jean combo, although I'm not a fan of the 70's print shirt underneath.

This is my favorite look.  I love the colors and texture on an otherwise classic shape.

The shots above are from STREETFSN which is by far my favorite street fashion blog by Korean photographer Nam.  I've been meaning to post about STREETFSN for a while, and the timing this week seemed perfect.       

Helmut Lang - Holiday 2011

First of all, thank you so much for your readership and support these last few years.  Since the launch of the new Professionelle this Spring, we've had over 10,000 visitors!  I know that's not a lot for some blogs, but it means a lot to me, and I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to peruse this little corner of the internet.  Coming up next, I'll be posting about menswear inspired prints, upon the recommendation of a reader, so please write and let me know if there's ever anything you'd like to see on Professionelle.  But today, it's all about one of my favorite designers...

My mom and I love to shop together, so naturally, I took her to my favorite hidden shopping spot - the Theory Company Store which also carries a full line of Helmut Lang.  Much to my surprise, my mother loved Helmut Lang, and so do I, particularly their new Holiday 2011 collection.  Below are my favorite pieces.  Keep in mind if you're going to order online that Helmut Lang tends to run small. 

Mantle Felt Coat (1290.00)

Smoking Wool Blazer (575.00)

Supple T Dress (220.00)

Black-Tie 10 Years Post Prom

I've had two black tie weddings already this summer and one coming up in August, then on top of that I'm the only gentile bridesmaid in a traditional orthodox Jewish wedding.  It's been a fun challenge finding outfits for all of these weddings. 

Before this summer, prom was the last time I looked for a black-tie dress (technically I had to find one for Barrister's Ball in law school, but that might as well have been prom).  The problem with shopping for black-tie dresses after the age of 16 is that everything is either a million dollars or too prom-y for a Professionelle.  Add to that the fact that half of the colors in the rainbow are off limits for some weddings (white for all of them, which means no cream or champagne either, red for three of them because the bride is Chinese, and for the traditional orthodox wedding, it has to be black, conservative and with sleeves). 

After searching far and wide, I've discovered quite a few options for an elegant and sophisticated black-tie dress that meets all of these restrictions. 

As you know, I love vintage.  My favorite online vintage stop is Timeless Vixen Vintage.  Lauren, the owner, posts new dresses daily on her Etsy store or you can email her for items in her showroom if you don't see what you need on the website.  I wore one of Lauren's dresses to Phyllis's elegant formal wedding and it was perfect.  Although it's one of a kind, this dress gives you a good idea of what you can find at Timeless Vixen.

1950's vintage gown (330.00)

Other than vintage which can be very expensive, not to mention difficult to fit, I love Notte by Marchesa dresses, which are inexpensive yet elegant.  I wore one to Kejia's beautiful wedding a few weeks ago and will be wearing another to Peter and Lisa's wedding in France.

Unfortunately, the dress I wore is currently sold out, but this one is very similar (475.20)

Rosette Embelished Barathea Silk Gown (462.00)

As for Shuli's traditional orthodox wedding, I've got a couple of options that I like, but what I love, is this knockoff Pippa Middleton bridesmaid dress.  I'm not a huge fan of knockoff dresses (and thanks to Charles Colman, we now know the difference between knockoff and counterfeit) but this one is just so classic and pretty.  While plenty of girls pined after Pippa's dress because it showed off her amazing figure, my orthodox friends tell me that the brides in their commuinity loved it because it's appropriate for all but the most conservative ceremonies. 

A.B.S. Pippa's Dress (399.00)

This is definitely not to say that you can't wear a short dress to a black-tie wedding.  At the black-tie events I've been to, half of the women wore short dresses.  The key is to accessorize with gorgeous jewlery, shoes or bags.  I'm totally six months behind on this trend (and now it's out of stock), but I love the unexpected look of this clear clutch which comes with interchangeable liners:

Charlotte Olympia Pandora Plexiglass Clutch (615.00).  Yes, $615 is way too much to spend on plexiglass, so I suggest you try the DIY version found here.

Profession-hommes' Picks

Even though I always think that you should dress for yourself first, and then dress for other women, sometimes it's fun to get a guy's perspective on what looks good.  I asked five of my male friends to peruse commonly visited websites and pick out three items of women's clothing they liked and one item they hated.  They were asked to make these choices without the help of their significant others or female friends.  So Professionelles, how did these Profession-hommes do?

David (Theory)

David wasn't a huge fan of Theory in general, but he was still able to find a few pieces he liked.  Even though David wasn't allowed to ask his wife for her input, I think she would have approved of everything he picked. 

Kabilla B Dress, which my officemate just bought so I know it looks great in person (147.50)

Gabe B Blazer (197.50)


Joanie Skirt (100.00)

This was David's least favorite piece from Theory.  I happen to love this blouse which just goes to show how differently men and women think about clothing.

Primo Top (122.50)

Brian (Bloomingdales)

We may be seeing a theme here because Brian's wife also agreed with all of his choices.  Perhaps men pay more attention to what their significant others wear after all?  Either way, Brian found some great pieces at Bloomingdales.

Lafayette 148 New York Clarissa Stretch Cotton Bow Neck Top, aka the Juelle top (198.00)

Lauren by Ralph Lauren Aaron Classic Non-Iron Shirt (59.50)

I'm sensing another theme, Brian also choose the Theory Gabe Jacket (375.00)

Brian's least favorite was a DKNY long sleeve cozy, but the good people at Bloomingdales have since taken down that truly ugly item.  This was Brian's second choice for least favorite.  With the exception of the belt, I don't think it's terrible, but the thin cable knit probably makes it inappropriate for work.

Milly Cable Knit Belted Dress (295.00)

Lucas (J. Crew)

Lucas works in a less formal environment so his picks are slightly more casual, although he wouldn't recommend any of these items if you've got client meetings or court appearances.

Souvenier Dress (148.00)

Stretch Perfect Shirt in Class Stripe (68.00)

Perfect Shirt in Amory Floral, shirt only, skirt is obviously too short for work(59.50)

Although I love floral patterns, I have to agree with Lucas that this skirt is not my favorite:

Mirabel Pencil Skirt (128.00)

Chris (Banana Republic)

Chris wasn't a huge fan of any of the options at Banana Republic, and I think in general he's right.  It seems like every season, one chain store has nothing of interest, and this season Banana Republic might just be it.  Despite that, Chris managed to find some great pieces.  I particularly like the BR Monogram Silk Belted Blouse.

Bianca Sheath Dress (129.99)

Sleek Suit Skirt (39.99)

BR Monogram Silk Belted Blouse (79.50)

Unlike the ruffles Brian liked, it's no suprise that this Jacket was Chris's least favorite.

BR Monogram Ruffled Leather Jacket (149.99)

Aaron (Shopbop)

I originally gave Aaron Forever 21, but I really should have known better.  I can barely navigate that website myself so I wasn't surprised when Aaron couldn't find anything work appropriate.  So, I gave him Shopbop, a similarly trendy yet upscale store and he managed to pick some very work-appropriate items.  Of all of the items the Profession-hommes picked, Aaron picked my favorite, the Rebecca Taylor Perfect Shift Dress.

Theory Tenois Dress (365.00)

Rebecca Taylor Perfect Shift Dress (350.00)

Equipment Brett Washed Silk Blouse (218.00)

I don't actually think this is a terrible dress (if you can get over the sticker shock), but Aaron's least favorite from Shopbop is certainly hard to pull off if you aren't a tall skinny super model. 



Calvin Klein Arah Dress (895.00)

So what do you think Professionelles?  How do these guy's styles compare to yours?  I think in general, this little experiment shows that men like simple clothing that fits well and dislike anything too complicated or baggy.  Many thanks to all of the Profession-hommes that helped with this post.  

Chic Looks from Zara (and a note to brick and mortar stores)

I absolutely love these looks from Zara, but if they weren't posted on their website, chances are, I would never have seen them, much less blogged about them.  Don't get me wrong, I love going into brick and mortar stores on a Saturday afternoon as much as the next professionelle, but because I do so much of my shopping online, I am often disapointed when stores aren't well organized or don't have items in my size.  Zara is sort of the worst of all worlds in this sense since their stores are often messy and they don't offer online shopping capabilities.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe that women who grew up in the internet era have higher standards for efficiency when it comes to shopping.  Who wants to dig through racks of clothes when we can sort and search for exactly what we want online?  But . . . I digress . . . below are some lovely looks from Zara.  Hopefully you'll be able to find them in a Zara store near you.

Dress with Frills at the Back (59.90)

Pique Blazer (99.90)

Double Breasted Raincoat (79.90)

Double Breasted Blazer (99.90)

Stripped Blouse (69.90)

Tulip Skirt Dress (99.90)

Same dress with stripes (99.90)

 Butterfly Top (59.90)