Fashion Archives - Zest Blog

Here in the middle of the Mountain West we are lucky enough to be the only U.S. city hosting Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective, a fabulous exhibit of Yves Saint Laurent’s work at the Denver Art Museum. We went to see the exhibit today and I have to say, it was pretty awesome. With 200 garments on display and a number of additional sketches, photographs and additional historical works, the exhibit shows a very comprehensive selection of Monsieur Saint Laurent’s work. He pioneered a number of fashion breakthroughs including the pantsuit, the safari look and the jumpsuit. Getting his start at Dior, Saint Laurent learned from one of the premier ateliers of all time. After revolutionizing menswear for women, he managed to bring back the glamour of the 40s as well. His work celebrates women. If you are not familiar with his work or the brand as it is today, check it out. They make beautiful things. If, like me, you can’t necessarily shop in that price point, go and check out the cosmetics line. It is awesome with amazing colors (seriously, even the mascara smells good!). Yves Saint Laurent said, “A woman looks most beautiful when you can see her passion,” I think this was a beautiful tribute to HIS passion; the art of fashion.

Kelly

Yves Saint Laurent, Black velvet sheath

dress, “Paris rose” satin bow, “Paris” haute

couture collection, Fall-Winter 1983. ©

Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent,

Paris. Photo by Gilles Tapie.

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Food

Suit or no Suit?

I am in the process of job hunting and every time I end up with an interview, I ask myself this very question. Is a suit still the way to go in today’s more casual society? I think a suit is always necessary for certain jobs and professions (think doctors, politicos or stockbrokers). In my more creative field, I don’t know that it is always the answer. While I don’t think you can go wrong wearing a suit, is it worth the investment? PR, marketing and events have an interesting place in the world. They really attempt to strike a balance between business and creative. Let me tell you, it is not always easy. As a young professional in the field, you want to feel pulled together and age appropriate at the same time. Fashion forward yet professional. How do you best strike the balance? In addition, I think the answer varies a bit by region. I always feel compelled to wear a black suit and panty hose (yes, they still exist) for East Coast jobs, whereas I would probably never consider it for a job in LA. Here in Boulder, I generally wear a nice skirt and a jacket, but not necessarily a suit. Like this:

Elizabeth and James Available Here

I don’t want to feel like I am relegated to wearing the boxy “power suits” of yesteryear…

…so I have been on the hunt for something that is the perfect blend. Here are some that I like (affording these is, of course, a separate issue)!

Nanette Lepore Available Here

Theory Available Here

Elie Tahari Available Here

Rebecca Taylor Available Here

What do you think? Do you have a rule on interview suits? Would you wear any of these? What are your favorite places to find clothes for work? I would LOVE input!

Kelly

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Freshness

Toasting the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge!

I will be the first to admit that I was more than a little excited about the Royal Wedding. I did not drag myself out of bed to watch it live, but I did make scones to celebrate! (Stay tuned for details).

I watched the (DVRed) coverage start to finish relishing every detail of the transformation of Miss Catherine Middleton to The Dutchess of Cambridge. Though she is not a Princess strictly speaking, it really is a fairytale. The Brits do pomp & circumstance better than anyone. I admire how proper even the crowds seem to be exhibiting their best British behavior this morning. Everyone simply excited to be a part of the pageantry!

The highlights for me were seeing the siblings interacting. Kate and Pippa (who looked fantastic herself) were just sweet and supportive. Harry was both emotional and jocular (not to mention just perfectly disheveled). Seeing the love and understanding that seemed to be present between William and Kate. Seeing the crowds all along the way. It seemed to be a wonderful day for the monarchy. It was interesting to see how conservative this wedding was compared to Charles and Diana. From the dress to the flowers, everything was understated. I loved the gown, though it was quite simple for the venue. The whole look was just what you would expect from her. I would have loved to see a more elaborate bouquet as well as a cathedral-length veil, worthy of Westminster Abby. Otherwise, I thought everything was stunning and tasteful. The trees in the Abby were a fabulous touch! Kate had such poise and I don’t think she could have done anything better. The kiss was sweet as well and I loved that they gave in for a second kiss!

The Happy Couple