a grand entrance

there are very few designers who make collections where i want every single piece. valentino happens to be one of them. take this dress for example. the ruffles are shaped in a way that from the waist up, it could almost be more of a mens tuxedo top. the ruffles aren't overly girly because it's not arranged in a floral-esque shape. rather, it's more-so a play on volume. it exudes classiness with it's baring shoulders and lack of obvious cleavage, but it also exudes sexiness with it's bare rear. any man would jump at the chance to dance with a woman in this dress just so he could grace the small of her back. i love the added elegance of such a subdued color, although i'm sure you would have to be either very pale (like the model) or richly tanned. valentino is a champion at floor-length gowns. and the way the ruffle is delicately pinned to one side and asymmetrically flows down is a testament to the way he knows how to drape a woman's body. i wish i could see how it hugs my curves- if only it didn't cost five times my rent.

Valentino
silk jabot gown
ruelala.com
$7990

ready, set, bolt

this shoe catches my eye mostly for the artistic appeal. it's definitely a little bit of a stretch from being girly. i guess it's better classified as rocker-chic. nonetheless, the uniqueness and awesomeness of it is still apparent. the patent finish furthers the shining symbolism of the lightning bolt heel. and the pointy toe insinuates where the bolt is coming next. any woman giving a presentation in a boardroom will make a silent but strong statement in these shoes. i would probably wear these on days where i want to send the message- "don't you dare mess with me today." every tile and inch of cement will feel the crush of the lightning bolt heel. i would also be half a foot taller wearing these bad boys (that would make me over 6' tall!); they're definitely not for the faint of heart or faint of foot. to offset the hardcore touch of the shoes, i would probably wear a frilly blouse and a plain bottom. and i would potentially add one tough piece of jewelry to bring together all my accessories. although i would only wear these shoes a couple times a year, i would be happy knowing those were some of my most empowering days.

DSquared2
platform pumps
yoox.com
$335 (yoox price)

wrapped

i am quite the scarf person. as my old manager used to say, "scarves are the "must have" accessory of the season." and he said that pretty much every season. but it's true! summer or winter and everything inbetween, there's a scarf that can easily jazz up your outfit. now take this one from anthropologie- what better way to be reminiscent of spring blossoms during the winter. there aren't too many flowers attached which keeps the scarf from being overbearing. yet they're placed strategically so that you can wrap it around you different ways and still maintain the interest. i especially like the mixture of colors. it's hard to find yellow scarves. and if this were a plain mustard-yellow scarf, i highly doubt anyone would want it. and if the flower buds were sewn onto a grass-green scarf, i think it would have been too predictable. but the light pastels against such a bold yellow works nicely. with it's cozy wool-cotton blend, i would eagerly wait for colder weather to be able to wear this every winter.

Anthropologie
pond lily scarf
anthropologie.com
$68