Ikat Believe It!

In my recent shopping forays, whether they be in store, online or through the pages of InStyle, I keep running into something called Ikat. Ikat dresses, ikat camisoles, etc. So finally I decide to find out what the heck Ikat is exactly. According to Wikipedia

Ikat, or Ikkat, is a style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. A Double Ikat is when both the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before weaving. Ikat means "to tie" or "to bind" in the Malay language...Through common usage, the word has come to describe both the process and the cloth itself. Ikats have been woven in cultures all over the world. Like any craft or art form, ikats vary widely from country to country and region to region. Designs may have symbolic of ritual meaning or have been developed for export trade. Ikats are often symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige. Perhaps because of the difficulty and time required to make ikats, some cultures believe the cloth is imbued with magical powers.

Ikat fabrics have become quite the trend as of late. Kristen Bell wore Jenni Kayne's beautiful Ikat maxi dress and Bulgari jewels to the premiere of her movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Other lables are fueling this trend, putting out pieces that incorporate ikat designs. It's easy to wear, just incorporate one patterned piece at a time into your outfit. Wear an ikat dress with simple sandals, or pair an ikat cami with jeans and heels for a night out.

Free People Alissa's Ikat Dress $138

ASOS Chiffon Ikat Cami $47.50

H&M Ikat Tunic $19.50 www.hm.com for stores

Topshop Ikat Stripe Longline Camisole $50

Kristen Bell's Jenni Kayne Ikat Tie Gown retails for $1695. Check http://www.jennikayne.com/ for stores.

To Jumpsuit Or Not To Jumpsuit

For some inexplicable reason the jumpsuit is back in style suddenly, thanks largely to the efforts of Stella McCartney who has been aided and abetted by Chanel and their ubiquitous star motif. I am not so sure that this foray into '80's fashion is a good idea.

We first saw this on the runway some time ago:



Then Kate Moss took the look off the runway and onto the street for her Birthday party. For me it doesn't translate, but that may be because of the shoes and green eyeshadow rather than the jumpsuit itself.

The jumpsuit is a very tough look to pull off. One must be tall and very thin to look attractive in a one piece outfit that is going to really accentuate your thighs. Especially if the jumpsuit in question is made of the clingy materials we are seeing them in right now. Kate, of course, has the bod and all the confidence in the world, but I am still not sold on this outfit:

Suddenly we were seeing Stella McCartney jumpsuits everywhere. Again, it takes someone with poise and a very toned body to pull off a floral chiffon jumpsuit. Angie Harmon looks beautiful here, but I think her jumpsuit is, to put it delicately, ugly.

Now, I do actually love this one. Helena Christenson really pulls off this navy blue Stella McCartney. The draping is beautiful and sexy, and the solid color looks much better than the floral. Of course, Helena has a killer body and could make a paper bag look elegant, but I think overall, if you're gonna design a jumpsuit, a darker color and heavier fabric works much better in real life than a printed chiffon.

I will probably never squeeze my parts into one, but maybe some of you out there are welcoming this trend with open arms. If you love the jumpsuit look and want to try one out for yourself Topshop has quite a selection. They call them "playsuits" rather than "jumpsuits" but it's England so I guess they're entitled to their own vernacular. This "playsuit" has a star print a la Chanel and cute straps. If you've got the bod and the confidence, I'd say you can't go wrong with this little number:

Depressed Rambling

My Mom just returned home from a trip to San Francisco, and she brought me back some peppermint bark from Ghirardelli and a magazine from H&M. I have been looking through the H&M book this morning and it has left me feeling very shopping deprived. It has been a very long time since I have been anywhere near something as cool as H&M, or even Nordstrom, for that matter. I also fantasize about having a TopShop somewhere whithin driving distance.
TopShop at least allows you to order online, unlike the uncooperative H&M. In fact, I am eyeballing this little number from TopShop for any holiday parties that may crop up. It is a Lurex Stripe Sequin Trimmed Sweater dress. Wouldn't it be cute with some tights and heels? It is 38 British pounds , so...oh wait, I just converted to US dollars and it is about 79 bucks. It would be a much better deal in Euros. Oh well...

We are heading to the Bay Area after the Christmas madness is over, and I will try to run in to SF for a few hours to shop. Hopefully I will feel renewed with shopping bliss after some time at Union Square or Fillmore Street.