Romantic Looks with just a Touch of Cruelty.

I'm not going to lie-- I love Chanel. No, I don't care for the uber-fashionistas and the people who wear it as only a status symbol (don't get me started!). I really just love the couture sewing and the tradition that goes into it- I'm such a sucker for technique!

Here are a few of my favorites from the Chanel Pre-Fall 2013 (all images from Style.com)

I maybe wouldn't wear the particular cut of the jacket-- but I really like the trim and color combination. Maybe if the suit were more "square" on the bottom hem it'd be a bit more Me... Still, though, it really fits the collection's Scottish influence. Even though there's no tartan on the coat, the trim really fools the eye into thinking that.

The paned slops portion is pushing it a little bit-- but in all honesty I am in absolute love with the rich textures in the entire look! Even the tights look as if they could be textured. The jacket might be over the top by just a little bit-- but I think the design could be "toned down" for a street-wear look. I like the peplum and "caplet" feel of the shoulders, too.

I really wonder where the blouse influence came from... Regardless of that, just looking at it makes me feel warm and comfortable. I think the broach and belt were a great touch. There's also something really interesting happening in the skirt/slops portion-- I can't tell if there are extra panels in there or not!

What a fabulous jacket! The boucle pattern is great for fall and for the winter without looking too Christmas. I think if the black portions had been gold, it'd be a different story... Regardless, it also reminds me of something Vivienne Westwood would have designed, with texture. The little fur wrist cuffs are kind of cute, too.  

How amazing is this coat!? The boucle looks absolutely luscious and I'm sure the picture doesn't do justice to how it feels against the skin. I really can't wait to see close up pictures of it (hurry and update, Chanel iPhone app!)-- because it looks stunning. Taking out the (cute and fun) shoulder pads, I think it could be worked into a day-to-day jacket. I think placement of the horizontal trim stripes would also be important to the height of the wearer.

The video below is an interview with Karl Lagerfeld about the collection-- a few of the looks I posted about are modeled in there, too. 

Big Sewing Post: Summer Plans.

Alright, so when it comes to sewing, here are my plans for a little while. Now, I'm well aware that these are all brand images sans the randomly placed sewing patterns. But that's just because I'd like to make similar items to what I post because I like them. I'm a stitcher and a pattern maker-- but a designer? I ain't kidding myself...!!

My picks from Fall 2012

I'm going to openly say that I'm tired of scrolling between tons and tons of images of the past fashion

weeks! It's not to say I didn't like them: to the contrary, I was really attracted to a lot of what I came across. It's just there was so much I liked, I knew it would be hard to narrow down what I wanted to post as inspiration.

As I wrote in my pre-fall post, I'm very predictable in terms of things I like... but oh well. Here are some things I saw in Fall 2012 that I would love to own, or at least, love to accessorize from!

Oscar de La Renta Fall 2012

Dolce and Gabbana Fall 2012

Nina Ricci Fall 2012