City Style: London Cool

City Style: London Cool

Walking through the painfully hip Shoreditch neighborhood of London on a Saturday night is like stepping into some alternate dimension in which the universal laws of fashion have absolutely no application. A kaleidoscope of clashing colors, patterns, and an explosion of vintage - the only rule here is to not follow the rules. The poster child for this free-spirited style is "it" model Agyness Deyn. Often bordering on the absurd, her looks range from a mischievous pixie-fairy to a character from Oliver Twist! But she always pulls it off by balancing out the elements: a poofy tulle cocktail dress gets paired with a weathered denim jacket, and suspendered menswear pants and a fedora get paired with a $5,000 YSL handbag. The key to this look is playfully arranging unexpected combinations and not being afraid to express yourself with fashion!

Pictured above: Pocket Bag by Charlott Vasburg, Collaged necklace by Comfort Station, Double Celebration dress by Antipodium

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City Style - Parisian Chic

City Style - Parisian Chic

On a recent trip to Paris this spring, I became obsessed with Lou Doillon (daughter of the famous style icon Jane Birken). She is everywhere in Paris - not physically of course, but rather the influence of her unique style: bohemian with a slightly tough, rock-n-roll edge, but also a touch of luxury. It is all so impossibly chic the way these women zip around Paris on their motorbikes, clad in leather jackets or leather pants and layers of scarves and jewelry. The key to this look is the right balance: keeping delicate or frilly things toned down with something a little edgy (a flowy, silky dress with a motorcycle jacket) and vice versa (a strand of pearls or rhinestones with a flannel shirt and trousers). Mlle Doillon is also the master at making menswear incredibly feminine and sexy. And last but not least.....don't dare brush your hair!

Pictured above: Adeline Cacheux's knotted ring, Velvetine's "Iggy" hobo, and Heimstone's Robe Jackson

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Opposites Attract: Masculine + Feminine

Opposites Attract: Masculine + Feminine

Katherine Hepburn shocked a generation when she unveiled one of the most devastatingly sexy tricks ever! The combination of masculine and feminine is probably the most time-honored and trusty tool in the art of genre-mixing. Best of all it exudes an air of confidence and easethat, at the end of the day, are the sexiest things you can put on! Take a masculine staple like this smart, tailored vest by Crispin & Basilio and pair with trouser-style
or wide-legged jeans or pants. A floaty, slightly sheer "secretary" blouse underneath is the perfect balance. The Thea Grant bracelet, which pairs a vintage men's watch band with a darling brass bow, and a set of delicate-meets-tough rings by Iosselliani are the finishing touches.

Opposites Attract:: Prepster + Hipster

Opposites Attract: Prepster + Hipster

Prepsters and hipsters have rivaled one another in many a John Hughes film, but just like in The Breakfast Club, these genres mesh together surprisingly well! The secret to pulling it all together is to create a little bit of irony and playfullness - hipsters have used this trick for decades - they delight in taking decidedly uncool and often reviled icons of WASP culture (Hush Puppies, Lacoste, Martha Stewert's Hunter wellies, and all things equestrian) and making them cool. You can't get any more goody-two-shoes than this quilted English garden floral vest by Smythe, but when juxtaposed with hipster staples like skinny jeans and Chuck Taylors you take it in a very urban direction. Accessories like a straw fedora and wooden heart earrings complete the look.

Opposites Attract: Luxe + Boho

Opposites Attract: Luxe + Boho

Luxury doesn't always have to be accompanied by ladylike matching pumps and a proper handbag! Itsdownright sad to think of all the fabulous cocktail dresses sitting lonely in their protective dry-cleaner bags in the back ofthe closet, waiting anxiously for the next tony affair. Parisians seem to have been born with the ability to pull this look together in their sleep - their secret seems to be the abandonment of all rules of "this goes with that". Try pairing a sexy cocktail dress like this one by Les Prairies de Paris with funky boho gladiator sandals. Tie it together with jewelry that has elements of both styles like this snake ring by Iosselliani and a
big stack of silver bangles.