FOR YOUR WARDROBE: BOTANICAL GARDENS

Some ideas for your spring wardrobe. Since I love casual luxury and pretty pastels, I chose to go with botanical greens, eggshell whites, and a few flowery pinks. Since oxfords are in for spring, I decided to add a pair of those. As for the rest, I just love studs, crop tops, bowler hats, and Marc Jacobs.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Hillier Hobo Bag, $400.

Topshop Botanical Crop Top, $50.

See by Chloé Scalloped Silk-Satin Shorts, $295.

Forever21 Antique Knitted Stud Vest, $28.

Burberry Tumbled Brogues, $375.

Miss Selfridges Cream Trilby Style Hat £18.

Velvet Angels Royal Bar Booties, $177.

LOLA BY MARC JACOBS

Flowering from it’s vase-like bottle, the Lola by Marc Jacobs perfume is what critics have been calling “the older sister” of Jacobs’ last perfume, Daisy. Though some found the bottle overdone, I found it to be a perfect reflection of the classic eclectic and quirky Marc Jacobs style that we all know and love (who else can get away with making mouse flats?) and delightfully outlandish next to the rest of the boxy perfume bottles. Not to mention, with Karlie Kloss as the face of the campaign I knew it had to be absolutely splendid, because if the model reflects the product, what wouldn’t be to love about Lola?

What do you all think?

Back to the Future: The Eighties Revived

The eighties are back. And not just in an acid-bright, drummer boy jacket kind of way. No, this is a fully-fledged zippered, jumpsuited, bandage-clad eighties revival with but a touch of lace.

Arguably one of the most influential decades of modern-century style, the eighties are giving us a taste of what has not yet been lost to the 1900's. An era that based their fashion moves on rebelliously against-the-trend fashion statements, while some envision horror at the return, fashion designers happily sigh at the idea of new fashion prospects. The eighties give us more to work with when it comes to texture, color, and shape. After all, the eighties was purely the age of experimentation, so could it really hurt to play the change card in the rapidly progressing modern world we live in? Hardly. Why throw away a shot at freedom of expression and the ability to take artistic license to a new level? After all, it's high time I invest in a pair of stringy platforms and a big-shouldered blazer plentifully bestrewn with thick, belt-like straps.

One fresh designer from the runway, Christophe Decarnin for Balmain, was the daring designer who made the return to the eighties so appealing to the fashion world. Decarnin drew his inspiration from the iconic style of Michael Jackson: acid-washed jeans, full-length jumpsuits, and drummer-boy jackets with oversized shoulders and crystal embellishing. At the collection's debut, Madonna tunes happily exploded throughout the room while bored-looking models waltzed down the catwalk. Other designers like Michael Kors, Phillip Lim, and Les Chiffoniers also drew some inspiration from Michael Jackson, while Erdem and Christian Lacroix have found Cyndi Lauper to lead them down their creative genius paths of design.

But alas, how long will the style stick? Far longer than the summer, I can tell you that much. Style experts and trend forecasters left, right, and center have been predicting the trend to surpass the sunshine season and hold strong into autumn. So stock your summer wardrobes while you still can! Key items to look for will be lace leggings, the aforementioned acid denim washes, bright accessories, and strappy shoes. Look for big shouldered items, like the blazers and jackets by Dolce and Gabbana, as well as Phillip Lim's statement cadet jacket worth attaching to your closet hanger. Naturally, electric blue, vibrant lime, acidic yellow, and explosive orange will be overwhelming the runways, so make sure to bring your favourite pair of aviator-lensed RayBans. And for those of you who cringe at the thought of shoulder pads and jumpsuits, stick to geometric prints, denim, sportswear, and bandage dresses as shown below. While designers are designing fun pieces to revive the spirit of the eighties, keep it alive in your world too. Perhaps Playstation said it correctly the first time around, "Live in your world, play in ours." Couldn't have said it better myself.