Friday, February 27, 2015

Understated Opulence





Photos by Henry Bourne for The New York Times Magazine

It's the details that set the home of interior designer Rose Uniacke apart. The 19th century house in London features beautiful ceiling mouldings, ornate light fixtures and romantic archways. Paired with such a minimal colour scheme and relaxed furnishings, these elements add a sense of comfort and liveability to the otherwise grandiose home. 

Thursday, February 12, 2015

The New Workwear

Celine S/S 2015, Lanvin S/S 2015 via style.com

Lanvin blazer, Dion Lee top, Christopher Kane pants, Zimmermann sandals

3.1 Phillip Lim S/S 2015, Maiyet S/S 2015 via style.com

Balenciaga shirt, Tome pants, Amber Sceats ear cuff set, Saint Laurent bag, Nicholas Kirkwood sandals

The notion of power dressing was a revolution in the eighties. Big hair, big shoulder pads–it was very corporate but at the same time it made a big statement for a woman to be in a two-piece suit. These days, I think it's more a revolution for women to wear comfortable and unconventional things to the office.

Looser silhouettes can allow for so much freedom and confidence in the workplace. When you're comfortable, it's easier to focus on the task(s) at hand. But it's not just about billowy pants and roomy blazers–incorporating more pieces usually reserved for evening into a corporate wardrobe can be liberating (and provide many more options when getting dressed in the morning). I'm not referring to cocktail dresses, mini skirts or sexy sky-high heels. I'm talking about relaxed garments in satin or silk, special jewellery you never wear because you're waiting for the right occasion, or even those pieces that reveal just a little bit of skin, but only in the subtlest of ways. It might be a slit in a long skirt or pair of loose pants (à la Maiyet), or an unexpected cut-out in an otherwise generic shirt.

After all, boundaries are there to be pushed.