Easter Egg Dressing

We've all seen an abundance of pastels and sweet, candy-colored clothing and accessories on S/S 2012 runways.  For many of us, it was love at first sight.  Pastels have been blogged about on countless sites, raved about by editors, and, now, recreated by more affordable clothing lines.  Today I have two [very affordable] ways in which you, too, can test the pastel-y waters. 

images: Zara

The first of which is this pastel turtleneck which combines two of my favorite trends in one piece - turtlenecks and, of course, pastels.  I've been dying to try turtlenecks layered with other pieces (great for transition weather) ever since I saw this image of Hanneli pulling it off.  And of course, Zara has made it even more tempting by coloring them pastel sea-green and peachy-pink.  How could we resist?  At $19.99, we could easily scoop these sweaters up in both gorgeous colors!  I suggest pairing either jumper with optic whites and more pastel colors to create a color-blocked look à la Philip Lim, or for an edgier look, these pieces can be worn contrasted with black leather, as seen on the Acne S/S 2012 runway.

For those of you who are more faint of heart and don't want to channel Easter eggs as fashion icons, I understand.  Which is why I have also prepared for you a double take on the trend sans wearing head-to -toe pastels.  Pastel nails!  We have nothing against cute little Easter egg nails, right?  Right?  Yes.

image: Honestly WTF

Honestly WTF has an amazing tutorial on how to do that exact manicure in the photo here.  And the best part is, that at the prices of nail polish, we can afford to get a couple bottles of high quality stuff for just about 8 bucks a pop.  I say its time for some pastel indulgence.

Zara extra-fine cotton sweaters available here and Essie nail polish available in sweet talker, lilacism, and my personal favorite, french affair.

Obsedia Obsession

image: Givenchy

Today, I introduce to you the gorgeous Obsedia line by Givenchy.  These accessories come pre-sorted in two forms - bag and bracelet - which makes my job a whole lot easier.  The design of this line is just a bag full of contradictions (pun intended).  From the edgy, leather-metal-plexiglass combo to the classic structure of both the bag and the cuff; there's just not enough contradictory diction to describe this phenomenon that Tisci has created.  Now to test its need it now status.  Drool-worthy?  Check.  Investment piece?  Check. What more can we ask to determine if we really need it now?  Oh...the dreaded, affordable? Maybe not, but we can make it work - especially for that potential addition to our fast-growing arm parties.  Bag or bracelet, its up to you.  Or as Taylor Swift likes to say sing, two is better than one.

P.S. For spring/summer 2012, Givenchy has re-rendered all sizes of the bag and cuff in new colors and textures including snakeskin, ostrich, and, of course, pastels.  Givenchy's definitely got us doing a double take with this line.

Bag available in textured leather, black snakeskin, and what we've all been waiting for for spring, peachy-pastel snakeskin.
Bracelet available here.

Mission

image: Fashion Copious

My name is Jessica and I am an 18 year old finance and mathematics student who has always had a deep love for style and high fashion.  I'm starting this blog, Do a Double Take, to show everything sartorial in two different lights.   My personal belief is that style does emanate from the clothes or accessories that one wears, but rather, from the manner in which they are worn.  This blog is a tribute to that belief.

So on to the good stuff, I'll be publishing daily doses of style and design - each featuring a second interpretation.  

Mondays - Outfits (no explanation needed, you know what these are)

Tuesdays - Lost and Found (tidbits of inspiration lost in the sea of style. Warning: will not always be wearable/practical, but then again, where would fashion be without impracticality*)

Wednesday - Need it Now (wants, wants, wants)

Thursday - Affordable Novelty (something satisfying that won't result in the consumption of crates of Ramen noodles for the next month or so - admit it, we've all been there and done that**)

Friday - DIY Friday (time for some make at home runway-inspired projects - I promise I won't post uber long diy projects, I don't think I have that kind of patience anyway)

Saturday - Girl Crush (street style samples of those ethereal fashion mavens whose style we all covet)

And there you have it - everything I want to do and how I'm going to do it all laid out, nice and proper.  

*Historical examples of impractical but highly coveted fashionable creations include Alexander McQueen's Armadillo shoes featured here and if you really want to go back in time, of course the Most Impractical, Yet Still Most Wanted Award would undoubtedly go to the infamous corset that's been painfully sucking women's waists in for centuries.

**For those of you who really need to know, here's the story about me starving (literally) for clothes.  So a few summers ago, I went to Montreal with my parents and a friend.  We were staying in a five star hotel with those fancy single-serve espresso machines near the hotel room bar and a basket of apples stationed near every elevator.  My friend and I fell in love with a store called Jacob Connection (in my mind, its like a Canadian version of Zara), but the sales tax in Montreal was ridiculously high - something like twelve or thirteen percent.  Armed with this knowledge, and the couple hundred dollars each of us had saved, we made the decision to consume just the free apples and espresso every day for a week so we could go on an insane shopping spree.  Ask me if its worth it now? Definitely.