Month: April 2013

Stay Chic During Pregnancy

Post author By Helen Hou
Post date April 11, 2013

Photos: (from left) Stephanie LaCava & Kate Middleton; Courtesy of tumblr.com, instyle.co.uk.

Photos: (from left) Violaine Bernard & Stephanie LaCava; Courtesy of garancedore.fr, vogue.com.

After 20 weeks, my belly literally grows every single day. I once sworn that I would never buy maternity clothes, but after hours of desperately searching and reworking in my closet, I finally gave up and realized that I need at least two maternity pieces: a pair of comfy maternity jeans and a basic black maxi dress (and I laughed when I read Garance Doré’s post)

Besides new clothing, I also need more maternity style inspirations. In case some of you moms-to-be have the same needs, I picked four of my favorite outfits (above) that cover dressy and casual occasions. For more ideas for formal occasions? Check out my previous “Pregnancy Style” entry here!

First two outfits from Stephanie LaCava and Kate Middleton are bright cheerful options. They are also great examples of how to rework the old pieces in our closet: The fit-and-flare lemon Roksanda Ilincic dress covered Stephanie LaCava’s baby bump; The dress-like red Marni coat (similar here & here) that Kate Middleton worn almost 7 years ago still fits her growing belly.

Dress: Vero Moda (50% off now; add a belt for post-pregnancy wear)
Bag: See by Chloe (more casual version here)
Shoes: Steven Triummp (on sale!)
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban
Jewelry: Gorjana & Griffin Kingston wrap & leather triple wrap

Coat: P.A.R.O.S.H (similar here)
Jeans: J Brand
Shoes: Munro (on sale here!)
Jewelry: vintage brooch

The following two are more casual, everyday outfit ideas that we can easily recreate. I love the way they use accessories to brighten up the monochrome look and make boring maternity pieces more interesting, like the cute beanie, blue Oxford on Violaine Bernard and printed floral wrap on Stephanie LaCava.

Top: J.Crew (great designer version here & here)
Jeans: J Brand
Shoes: ModCloth (such a great price! also adore this pair!)
Beanie: Asos

Clockwise from top left:
Target maternity dress (maxi version here)
Cara ‘retro flower wonder’ wrap
Topshop stretch maternity dress
Ralph Lauren silk scarf

Tags ankle strap pump, beanie, bracelet, brooch, Colorblock Tote, floral scarf, Kate Middleton, maternity dress, maternity jeans, Oxford, pregnancy style, red coat, Stephanie Lacava, suede boots, Violaine Bernard, yellow dress

CLOTHING

Embrace Spring: Same Palette, Different Looks

Post author By Helen Hou
Post date April 9, 2013

The art of accessorizing-helenhou.com-red jacket, denim staples and statement shoe inspired by Stephanie Lacava and Olivia Palermo

Photos: (from left) Stephanie Lacava & Olivia Palermo; Courtesy of fashion.telegraph.co.uk, zimbio.com.

A bright cheerful jacket is always a great way to embrace spring. We shared sunny yellow here, today let’s talk about coral-red. These two stylish outfits featured above, which can be easily adapted into our everyday wardrobe, happened to have the same color scheme: coral-red, black and denim blue.

It’s not a coincidence: coral is such an eye-catching color, to tune down the loudness, basic black is perfect. But red and black combo can be too serious and mature, that’s why we need the never-fail denim.

Besides the balance of colors, we also need some equilibrium in terms of proportions: pair shorts with long sleeve top, toughen up soft bottom with structured blazer, team an A-line coat with skinny bottom, show off beautiful footwear with ankle length pants.

Jacket: Tibi (50% off now!)
Shirt: Madewell
Shorts: Mango (great style here)
Shoes: Rosegold (great buy here)

Coat: Akris (50% off now! similar here)
Jeans: J Brand
Bag: Givenchy (see other stars carrying it here, similar here)
Shoes: Reiss (yes, it’s the one on Olivia Palermo, 50% off now!)
Sunglasses: Kate Spade

Tags ankle strap pump, black shorts, Cat eye sunglasses, chambray shirt, Fashion Week, Givenchy bag, Olivia Palermo, red jacket, skinny jeans, Stephanie Lacava, street style

CLOTHING

Non-statement Statement — Tiny Delicate Jewelry

Post author By Helen Hou
Post date April 8, 2013

I love statement jewelry, but when it comes to every day wear, tiny delicate pieces are definitely the way to go. They can add a subtle dose of glamour and a hint of luxury to my daily outfits, they go with literally everything, but most of all, each of them can trigger a sweet memory: from the vintage rose gold bangle that my grandma gave me to the letter initial ring I got for my birthday.

These delicate pieces are great to wear alone, but when you stack them together, the added impact is so chic. Like what Angelina Jolie did below: the layered necklaces and simple gold bangle made the most basic black top stand out. For classic and chic look like this, you can buy a necklace set (love this one), or can layer several of your favorites together. Mixing varying lengths is the key.

Photo: Angelina Jolie. Courtesy of popsugar.com.

Gorjana three disc necklace
Gorjana & Griffin aurora necklace
Marc by Marc Jacobs sweetie rings necklace

These adorable tea rings are something I just started to try and instantly fell in love with. You may thought they will fall off, but I’m surprised that they stay in place all day long. It’s such an understated statement that you can wear everywhere, anytime. Even if you are applying make up, the feeling will be different with these wispy delicate goodies.

Model photo: courtesy of vogue.com.

Urban Outfitters tiny Aphrodite ring set
SunaharA Malibu mid knuckle ring set
Jacquie Aiche alphabet letter initial waif ring
Ginette_ny circle ring

Great thing about these simple delicate jewelry is the versatility. You can wear them with everything from basic T-shirt and jeans combo to red-carpet dresses. Like Olivia Palermo’s look below: the simple gold bangle echoes the edginess of her leather dress, draws attention to her lust-worthy clutch without competing.