Rebel

“Icon: A sign (as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaning,” Merriam-Webster.

Few people in history have been bestowed with the title “Style Icon.”  James Dean is one of those people.  As an icon, Dean  is the visual representation of the word rebel.  Photographs of the legendary actor exude his renegade, devil-may-care attitude, and the overwhelming consistency of this image explains his enduring impact today.  Dean has always been in style, but no one would dare call him trendy. Why? Because style like Dean’s transcends trends and does not ask: “Is this in?”  Clothing chosen as an answer to that question will always be a shallow response to a fleeting fashion moment.  A person with enduring style asks themselves: “What do I want to say?”  This proactive question will lead to a consistency in your appearance that becomes your style.

That said, Dean is an icon always worthy of emulation when you want to say: “I’m a rebel.”

Dean in his heydey:

Spanish retailer ZARA looks into fall with a Dean influence.

April’s edition of GQ France even featured an overt reference to the actor with Jon Kortajarena modeling the tough, classic look in an editorial shoot meant to emulate Dean’s style.

Bonjour Biqui

Bonjour Biqui is a unique fashion line created by on of our good friends in San Antonio, TX, Blanquita Sullivan. Blanquita, the former merchandising executive of Betsy Johnson, wanted to create a collection that featured simple yet classic silhouettes, which flatter almost every body type. All of the garments are staple pieces that would be a valuable addition to every wardrobe.

The distinguishing factor that set these dresses far beyond you average dress is that every single piece is completely reversible! When you buy one Bonjour Biqui creation, you are really buying two pieces in one. Another thing that we love about this collection is that all of the garments are made with pockets! Here at Florence & Millie, we are obsessed with dresses with pockets and we absolutely love how versatile these dresses are. The last thing that we love about this collection is that every piece is handmade in the U.S.A. We hope that you love these dresses just as much as we do. You can shop her collection here.

Sessun

Sessun is a French brand founded by fashion designer, Emma Francois. The heavily vintage inspired silhouettes and prints delightfully compliment the small details and mixture of textures, giving the clothing a classical, yet urbanized vibe. Aside from the great cuts and quality this brand has to offer, their look books are to die for. The photography is absolutely phenomenal, an inspiration and totally completes the vision of the brand. The combination of the simplistic styling, brightly colored backgrounds and musty overlay truly bring out and showcase the garments of Sessun. Enjoy a visit to their website here and view their 2012 look book below!

ROOD by rENs

If the Queen of Hearts were here, she’d be wondering who is painting her skirts, dresses, blouses and roses red. Her answer would be the design firm rENs. The clothing starts off white and ends in a multitude of rich red shades, all dyed and personalized by hand. Here is a fun video breaking down their process. Hopefully after seeing this, all you’ll want to see and wear is red!

Blazin’ Fresh

Men, just because it’s summer doesn’t mean that you can’t wear a jacket.  Pairing a lightweight blazer with shorts is a tried and true way to say, “I know it’s summer, but I still have style.”

There are a few more benefits to this dynamic wardrobe duo other than looking put together.  First of all, you probably already have all the pieces to the outfit; every man should have a few pairs of shorts and at least one lightweight blazer. Secondly, a jacket is a great way to look fresh in the heat.  If you are going to wear a single layer in the summer, you are going to sweat through it.  A layer on top actually hides embarrassing sweat marks and keeps you looking chipper – even in sweltering heat.

There are a few ways to pull off the blazer/shorts combo:

Nick Wooster keeps it formal with a tie and pocket square.

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A v-neck sweater over a patterned shirt lends a preppy, American feel that will make you look like you just stepped out of a Tommy Hilfiger ad into Nantucket.
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Alas! Are those cargo shorts? Camo cargo shorts?  Indeed they are.  Don’t be so stuffy!  Try this rough approach to boldly state, “I’m a man AND I care how I dress.”

Anna Szczekutowicz

Though Anna Szczekutowicz may be from the Jersey shore, her photography is anything but sleezy and bright orange. Her dreamy portraiture has a definite fashion feel to it, which is what initially drew me in. Her ability to express both the beauty of women as well as the beauty of the natural world, is absolutely breathtaking. We love her work, and hope that you do to!

Colors of Fall 2012

We can’t believe that it’s already the third day of August. The time is flying. But as we all finally start to accept that summer is winding down and coming to an end, why not have a pick-me-up of updating your closet for the next best season, fall. Fall fashion is always fun to shop and dress for. The beginning is still warm enough to pull off your favorite summer getups and then cools down to layer up, and throw on your trusty hand-knit infinity scarf. Color is the essential “flavor” for fall, wether it be the changing leaves, pumpkin flavored snacks, or most importantly, personal attire. Here we have the upcoming pantone colors for fall 2012 to make sure you’re purchasing on-trend treasures. The colors of  fall will feel familiar as they are warm and saturated, with a similar taste of summer. Perhaps this will make fall an easier transition for us, our closets and our budgets. We picked out some of our favorite pieces within the fall 2012′s color scheme for some style inspiration and we are looking forward to sharing them with you all.

Pink necklace by Anthropologie |Pink wide leg pant by American Apparel|Pink sweater by Theory |Pink shift dress by Tibi Yellow and tan flats by Anthropologie |Yellow flatforms by Gee’WaWa |Yellow blouse by 3.1 Phillip Lim |Orange dress by Phillip Lim |Orange saddle bag by Michael Kors |Lime sweater by Antipodium |Green trousers by alice + olivia |Blue leather hobo by Marc Jacobs |Lavender skort by Tibi |Lavender and lime necklace by Anthropologie |Brown high tops by ALLSAINTS |Brown moto jacket by byCORPUS |Grey shawl by American Apparel |Grey flatforms by Gee’WaWa

This Modern Romance

Absolutely loving these beautiful photos from This Modern Romance. So elegant and dreamy. I basically spent all day looking through their photos and being inspired…Day well spent.

Gustav Reyes

Wooden jewelry has been an ongoing accessory trend for years, and doesn’t appear to be dying down anytime soon. So why not purchase a piece that is modern, sleek, and beautifully crafted by hand? Gustav Reyes, trained in fine craft woodworking provides all that and more. He creates jewelry that serve as engaging works of art rather than just another trendy accessory. Reyes takes a philosophical approach to his act of creation, and using cycles of life as inspiration. His work is made from salvaged repurposed wood in order to preserve nature’s beauty, resulting in a variety of rich woods. Head on over to his website here to pick out a updated, sculptural piece, and leave the basic wooden bangle at home.

Bruno Dayan

Take a peak at Bruno Dayan‘s astounding high-fashion photography. He has multiple collections filled with colorful, sensual, sulky, and fashionable photos that are a real treat to look at. He tells a dramatic and passionate story while selling and showcasing exceptional clothing.

Visit his website here to see more of his fashion photography. Enjoy!

Happy Fashion Friday!

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