Blissful Style

Remembering Vince Camuto

January 25, 2015March 15, 2019 by Blissful Style, posted in fashion, fashion designer, Fashion News, in memoriam, shoes

Vince Camuto passed away last Wednesday, January 21, 2015. He died before his time, succumbing to prostate cancer at the age of seventy-eight. During his lifetime Camuto was a legendary force in the footwear industry, founding the brands Nine West (1978), Gianni Bini (2002), Antonio Melani (2002), Michelle D. (2002), Nurture (2002), Jessica Simpson Collection (2003), Vince Camuto (2005), and Two by Vince Camuto, VC Signature, and Louise et Cie thereafter. He is known for injecting style and variety into middle market women’s shoes, and for making high platform heels walkable with his innovative use of foam rubber. Today the Vince Camuto brand encompasses women’s shoes, handbags, accessories, ready-to-wear, and even jewelry. He was in the midst of planning a menswear line before his untimely death.

Yet before his illustrious career in design, he learned about women’s footwear and fashion merchandising as a salesperson at I. Miller in Manhattan. He was quickly ranked #1 in sales, not only for his acumen but also for his personality. He made many, many friends in the fashion industry, all of whom are sad to see him go. This is what they had to say:

“He was a unique man. I’ve never worked with anyone like him, and I’ve worked with a lot of people.” — Calvin Klein

“I can’t say we had a collection until Vince came on board.” — Tory Burch

“Vince Camuto was my mentor, my friend, and my constant inspiration. I will be forever grateful to him for changing my life for the better.” — Jessica Simpson

“What was so inspiring about Vince was that he was constantly evolving and reinventing himself.” — Reed Krakoff

“He was a shoe god. There is no other way to say it.” — Steve Madden

“He was dedicated to his business, but most of all, to friendship. ” — Max Azria

“His passion for the footwear business and his vision for style meeting function were unmatched.” — Alex Dillard

“When it came to product, he was absolutely the best merchant in the business, period.” — Pete Nordstrom

“Vince has been a true partner and a fashion leader.” — Tony Spring, Chairman and CEO at Bloomingdale’s

“Vince was one of the most magical people I have ever had the pleasure to work with.” — Muriel Gonzalez, EVP of Shoes at Macy’s

“Vince had a warmth with all those he touched and the greatest of humility in all he did.” — Neil Cole, Former Chairman, CEO and President at Iconix Brand Group

Kase, Kiotio, Graydin, Fairlee, Cresida, Melisha, and Celindan from Vince Camuto; Carolyn, Haines, Sukey, Lamont, and Yvonne from VC Signature

Street Style — Hong Kong Fashion Week

January 23, 2015July 16, 2016 by Blissful Style, posted in fall 2015, fashion, high fashion, hong kong, street style, style, world travel

Hong Kong Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2015 took place from Monday, January 19 through Thursday, January 22 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, this event featured over 1,500 presentations in the categories of ladies’ wear, sportswear, evening wear, lingerie, swimwear, shoes, costume jewellery, handbags, men’s wear, children’s wear, fabrics, buttons, labels, inspection services, and fashion magazines. Of course the runway shows themselves were beautiful, but the guests in attendance were anything but wallflowers. Here are the most inspiring off-runway looks from the event:

Neighborhood Store — 3.1 Phillip Lim

January 23, 2015July 16, 2016 by Blissful Style, posted in accessories, clothing, handbags, high fashion, Neighborhood Store, shoes, stores

I have always had a cute, girly sense of style, but now that I am almost done with college I want to look more streamlined and professional. At 3.1 Phillip Lim I don’t have to choose; and on a more casual day, I can even declare my love for the world’s favorite city! 3.1 Phillip Lim is located at 48 Great Jones in Manhattan, two blocks away from my building. The brand’s boutiques can also be found in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, and Singapore, and new stores are scheduled to open in Macau and Bangkok.

Patchwork lace dress in navy, $895 ~~~ Tuxedo jumpsuit in powder pink, $895

I Heart NY t-shirt in soft black, $145 ~~~ Long sleeve pullover with mixed yarn in black-white, $650

Fur bomber in black-white, $4,500 ~~~ Eyelet A-line skirt in caribbean, $450

Cropped flared pant in black, $495 ~~~ Martini mid heel sandal in raspberry, $450

Cash wallet in raspberry, $225 ~~~ Pashli satchel in black-cream, $1,050

Standouts from Bridal Fall 2015

January 22, 2015July 16, 2016 by Blissful Style, posted in fall 2015, fashion, Fashion News, high fashion, runway

Yes I am unmarried, and single at that, but I can still appreciate a beautiful wedding gown! In my opinion, the bridal runway collections and magazines are more fun to look at than their ready-to-wear counterparts. So much of fashion is “effortless” and nonchalant, so it is beautiful to see gowns, veils, jewelry, and accessories used with great effort and care to facilitate such a joyous and life-changing celebration. Yet like any other runway setting, the bridal shows are a place for designers to play with convention. The following short (yes, short) wedding dresses do just that!

Angel Sanchez ~~~ Delphine Manivet

Honor for Stone Fox Bride~~~ Houghton

Houghton ~~~ Oleg Cassini

Oleg Cassini ~~~ Pronovias

Style Icon — Marina and the Diamonds

January 22, 2015May 8, 2017 by Blissful Style, posted in celebrity fashion, fashion, Fashion Plate, street style, style, style icons

Everyone who knows me knows that I live for the music of Lana Del Rey and Marina and the Diamonds, and if I find out that someone does not like either of these artists, I regard him or her with a healthy amount of suspicion. As if it isn’t enough that I have fifty-two of Marina’s songs on my iPod, I also adore her sense of style. She has described her fashion sense as “vintage, cheerleader, and cartoon,” and her style icons are Gwen Stefani, Leigh Lezark of the Misshapes, and Shirley Manson of Garbage. Here are my favorite Marina looks:

Marina and the Diamonds (aka Marina Diamandis) was born in Brynmawr, Wales and began her musical career in London. She has released two albums, The Family Jewels and Electra Heart, and will be releasing Froot in its entirety this coming April. She has also collaborated with Charli XCX and BetaTraxx, and has covered songs by Gwen Stefani, Justin Bieber, 3OH!3, Late of the Pier, and Paolo Nutini. She has had two headlining tours, The Family Jewels Tour and The Lonely Hearts Club Tour, and has toured with both Katy Perry and Coldplay as a supporting act. She has won the following awards: Best UK & Irish Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards (2010), Best Newcomer at the Virgin Media Music Awards (2010), and Best Music Award at the Attitude Magazine Awards (2012). She even has a fashion line, 11 Diamonds.

Trend of the Day — Black Puffer Jackets

January 22, 2015June 20, 2017 by Blissful Style, posted in affordable fashion, clothing, fashion, high fashion, Trend of the Day, trends, winter chic

I was overjoyed to find out that puffer jackets, specifically black ones, are trendy this winter. I have spent the past month in the San Francisco Bay Area with its temperate climate, and predominantly indoors besides. But next week I will be back in Manhattan in all its chilly glory, and I have a feeling that my hip-length bouclé jackets aren’t going to cut it anymore! Whether I am walking to class or taking the subway to a sushi restaurant in the Upper East Side, I usually put on an ankle-length black hooded puffer coat (and whatever I want underneath). Here are some puffer jackets of various lengths to help you get through a cold day!

1. TBR high-neck puffer jacket, $15

2. T Tahari, $100

3. Phase Eight, $150

4. French Connection, $290

5. Burberry London, $796

6. Red Valentino, $985

7. Donna Karan, $1,223

8. Moncler, $2,065

Investment Shoes

January 22, 2015May 8, 2017 by Blissful Style, posted in fashion, high fashion, shoes

As the saying goes, these boots were made for walking. However, in my opinion the best shoes were made primarily to stop people in their tracks. Here are some standout, high-quality investment pairs guaranteed to attract attention:

Tod’s, $5,610, harrods.com ~~~ Jimmy Choo, $4,225, mytheresa.com

Emilio Pucci, $4,160, luisaviaroma.com ~~~ Alexander McQueen, $3,895, luisaviaroma.com

Dolce & Gabbana, $3,995, luisaviaroma.com

Julia Haart, $3,784, farfetch.com ~~~ DSquared2, $3,640, luisaviaroma.com

Givenchy, $3,625, luisaviaroma.com ~~~ Chanel, $3,451, shop-hers.com

A Kiss on the Lips

January 21, 2015June 21, 2017 by Blissful Style, posted in accessories, affordable fashion, clothing, fashion, handbags, high fashion, jewelry, prints, shoes, Themes and Motifs, trends

The lips are one of the most beautiful and expressive parts of the body…so it only makes sense that they would be picked up as a common motif in women’s clothing. Whether you crave the delicacy of a pale pink lipstick, the pop of an Andy Warhol piece, or the edginess of an Ed Hardy tattoo, in today’s trend landscape it is easy to find an item you will want to kiss as soon as you bring it home (just take your own lipstick off first).

1. Alice McCall dress, $440

2. Liz Black dress, $2,480

3. Romwe blouse, $14

4. Giles shirt, $420

5. Hallhuber t-shirt, $14

6. Philipp Plein t-shirt, $545

7. Choies sweatshirt, $27

8. American Retro sweatshirt, $291

9. MSGM jacket, $478

10. MSGM coat, $3,162

11. Choies skirt, $24

12. MSGM skirt, $310

13. Soho Girl jeans, $30

14. MSGM trousers, $192

15. Au Jour Le Jour shorts, $154

16. Adriana Degreas swimsuit, $329

17. New Look thong, $6

18. Mimi Holliday thong, $61

19. Mancienne sandals, $31

20. Rupert Sanderson sandals, $835

21. QQ Trend flats, $21

22. Philipp Plein sneakers, $814

23. Stephen Webster necklace, $4,100

24. Delfina Delettrez mono earring, $6,311

25. Solange Azagury-Partridge ring, $2,300

26. Lydia Courteille ring, $17,719

27. Alison Lou bracelet, $1,495

28. Overstock sunglasses, $10

29. American Retro scarf, $160

30. Anna Coroneo scarf, $325

31. Studio DKS by Deborah Shavlik carryall, $46

32. Diane von Furstenberg pouch, $158

33. Melie Bianco clutch, $35

34. Sarah’s Bag clutch, $1,645

35. Miss Sweety handbag, $21

36. Philipp Plein handbag, $2,985

37. M.R. backpack, $29

38. Manish Arora backpack, $747

39. Unique Vintage umbrella, $13

40. Diane von Furstenberg iPhone case, $48

Love This Brand — Balmain

January 21, 2015June 21, 2017 by Blissful Style, posted in Love This Brand

I have always had a bit of a problem with jeans. In middle school, what bothered me was the fact that everyone else wore them. I was like the quintessential hipster who detests anything “mainstream”, if the quintessential hipster wore cloche hats, chunky pumps, and cords. Later on, jeans were simply too plain, too casual, too tomboyish for me.

How wrong I was. Now that I have outgrown the traumatic ignorance of high school, I can see that jeans do not have to be a badge of conformity. These days, jeans in bold colors and wild prints are trendy, but not so trendy as to be feared by a dogmatic individualist. Balmain in particular is a brand that makes jeans loud, wild, sexy, and downright luxurious. Here are the craziest/best pairs I’ve seen: