The Illusion of a Lady

I have this phrase I always use with friends- "You have to keep the illusion of a lady!"-meaning that one should always be on their best behavior and put their best self forward when in public. (Yes, this includes sitting straight, shoulders back, and legs crossed). It seems that on the spring runways, designers took my advice by showing lady like ensembles in pastels and 50's inspired frocks.

Take a little mix of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and top it off with a bit of Blair Waldorf and you've got the right look. Designers like Marc Jacobs (for Louis Vuitton), Giambattista Valli, and Miuccia Prada all seemed to take inspiration from decades past with delicate details like lace, modest skirts that fall to the knee and ladylike pencil skirts, and demure blouses. The light and airy easter egg hues also lent themselves to the trend-- pastel pink, sorbet yellow and green seem to be the colors of the season.

Ladylike inspirations (clockwise from top):

Edith Head's Dress for Success, Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish in Pepto Pink, Prada SS 12 collection, Tocca grapefruit and cucumber hand cream, MZ Wallace Little Alice bag, Ginette_NY mini boy and girl 14 k gold w/ diamond necklaces, Prada SS 12, Dolce Vita suede pump, Louis Vuitton SS 12 collection.

I, for one, am pleased to see the nod to purposeful dressing. I cannot express enough my views on dressing for your career and stage in life, and then there's something to be said for just dressing to express all the right things and keeping some of it a mystery.

What are your thoughts? Too prim and proper or refreshingly sophisticated?

**All photos courtesy of Google images.

Trocadero pick: modern monograms

I love monograms. Whether it be a monogrammed cardigan (I got my first one in eighth grade), monogrammed luggage or, in this case, monogrammed jewelry, I covet it all. Trocadero has a lovely selection of high-end monogrammed jewelry, but the sort of modern, wearable looks that will last a lifetime instead of just a season.

Trocadero stocks Ginette_NY's now classic monogram styles in both the subtle engraved disc version and the more dramatic lace monogram, which is my personal favorite. Alice loves Helen Ficalora pieces - as do many of the other girls in the store - and the monogrammed initial discs look modern next to the other pieces Alice chose to carry, including horseshoes, paw prints, zodiac charms and puffy hearts. These charms, which come with or without diamonds - are simply made for stacking and wearing every single day.