Bow & Drape: A Colorful Assortment

When it comes to summer dressing, one thing is for certain: Versatility and color will get you through the difficult temperatures.

That's why we were particularly attracted to the Boston-based Bow & Drape. While its Spring 2013 collection will manage to brighten up a rainy day, it's the fact that you can customize pieces that will bring some happiness to your day. Choose everything from silhouette to color to trim details, and you have just built yourself a one-of-a-kind item. Of course, if that's not your style, then rely on the brand's impeccable take on basics.


We were fortunate to chat with Aubrie Pagano, the founder and CEO of Bow & Drape:

Filed: Chic: What was the inspiration for the spring collection?

Aubrie Pagano: I was very inspired by the resurgence of color and femininity in the 1950s, a la Dior’s New Look. The silhouettes are flattering to curves and totally voluminous. I can envision our clothes worn on a walk through the Tuileries.

FC: Colors played a prominent part of the collections, especially with the LBD (the little bold dress). Are there any colors you stayed away from?

AP: This sounds obvious but we kept to spring colors and the basics. (The blacks and whites of the world.)

FC: What kind of woman are you trying to attract with your clothes, and particularly with your spring collection?

AP: Our clothes are for women who want to look beautiful, feminine and effortless. The clothes are easy to wear and transition well from the office to the friendly nightcap. I envision our women to be on the go, and this collection allows them to look great and feel comfortable no matter where they are going next.

FC: How long has Bow & Drape been around? 

AP: We have been live five months.

FC: Was the idea to always have a customizable option? How did that come about?

AP: The catalyst event was in June 2011. I was looking for a dress to wear to a family wedding, and nothing fit the bill. I was so frustrated with the lack of choice off the rack and the lack of quality online that I did something totally irrational and actually designed and sewed my own dress.  It took about a month and after the event was over, I convinced myself that I was not the only woman who wished she had more say over her fashion. So I set out to create a custom experience at off-the-rack prices.

FC: Do you find you are more popular through this customizable option or through your actual collections? 

AP: Absolutely the customizable features. Almost no two orders are 100% alike. Women have individual style and they want to express it with our clothes.

*All images are courtesy of Bow & Drape.

Get The Look: Lightweight Sweaters

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There's no need for bulky sweaters nowadays, but it can still get a little nippy. For us, this typically means sheer sweaters, but there are definitely plenty of options to choose from:

1. A.L.C., $346

2. Diane von Furstenberg, $388

3. Le Moine Tricote, $632

4. Iro, $126

5. Cedric Charlier, $438

6. Enza Costa, $316.80

7. Blumarine, $1,040

8. Opening Ceremony, $350

9. Madeleine Thompson, $395

10. Tibi, $375

11. Boy. by Band of Outsiders, $365

12. Diane von Furstenberg, $298

Film Style: "Breathless"

While "Breathless" is still a film we have to check out, we are constantly reminded about the clothes Jean Seberg wears.

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The 1960 film features her in a short, pixie haircut, which is something that's very tied to that era. But with more celebrities, such as Carey Mulligan, choosing this cut, it once again feels fresh. The clothing also feels as modern in that decade as they do now. Classic silhouettes, Breton stripes and easy pieces that are perfectly suited to the travails of everyday life contribute to this feel.

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Flowery Hairstyles That Aren't Too Sweet

Spring has pretty much sprung, and we're so happy to see greenery and flowers again.

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In celebration of this happy season, we love the idea of wearing flowers in our hair. Just like Elizabeth Taylor's mega flowery hairstyle for her wedding to Richard Burton, we've got some great ideas for you:

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The takeaways:

-Try to find more green, and smaller flowers.
-Go bigger if you are just using flowers, so it doesn't look dainty.
-Juxtapose a less "feminine" hairstyle with a flower.
-Pair it with messy hair, so it doesn't look too precious.
-The runway is a great place to get more avant garde inspiration.

Classic Sunnies: The Illustrated Guide

Perhaps it's all the Coachella watching we did this weekend or the fact that the sun stuck around this weekend, but we are definitely in a sunny mood lately.

That means we need sunglasses.


Instead of looking for a few colorful or trendy pair to wear, we want to go for classics. When we think of sunglasses, there are a few shades that always stand out.

Here are out top five:

1. Ray-Ban Wayfarers
These glasses have been manufactured since 1956, and though they were less popular in the '70s, the glasses continue to be worn today. These pair are one of the best selling in history.


2. Chanel Half-Tints
From the Spring 2007 collection,  these sunglasses have been seen on Mary-Kate Olsen and Nicole Richie. While, they may not be what everything considers classic, these pair have a spot on this list sheerly because of the number of duplicates we have seen. Plus, we still see half-tinted sunglasses nowadays.

3. Tinted, circular glasses



Or, as we tend to think of them, the John Lennon sunglasses. But a lot of other people, such as Mary-Kate Olsen and Ozzie Osbourne, have worn them as well.

4. Ray-Ban Aviators

These very thin-framed glasses were developed by Bausch & Lomb in 1936 to protect the eyes of pilots when they were flying The glasses cover two or three times the area of the eyeball, and prevent light from entering the eye from any angle.

5. Lolitas

The 1962 Stanley Kubrick film based on the "Lolita" novel by Vladimir Nabokov will forever be associated with heart-shaped sunglasses.

Coachella Impressions

Though Coachella is definitely one of those events I would like to see live one day, I am infinitely grateful for YouTube. I may not be able to check out all the acts I'd like to see, but it's free and I'm much more comfortable than the attendees.

I was also very happy that there was a replay the next day because I ended up falling asleep earlier than I would have liked. Still, I missed some acts, which I'll definitely have to check out later, but here are my impressions on some of the performances I saw over the three days:

1. Of Monsters and Men

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Having already enjoyed all the material I had been exposed to from the band, this was one of the shows I knew I couldn't miss. They were adorable. Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir sounds as good as she does on the records, and this performance made me realize how much I liked her voice. Also, Ragnar "Raggi" Þórhallsson had a little dragon creature strapped onto his guitar, which I only saw after the fact, that definitely deserve bonus points. 

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs

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This is a band I've been meaning to get more into because I love "Maps" so much, and Karen O was an incredibly fun performer. She kept saying "Friday night" over and over, and also doing kooky things (i.e., the above picture.) Mostly, I was expecting something fun in terms of her outfit, and she did not disappoint.

3. Moby DJ Set

Not Moby, who I couldn't find a great picture of, but Dean Pelton.
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This isn't my kind of music, but I had to include Moby because I will never see him and not think of Dean Pelton, of "Community," or "Tony," of "How I Met Your Mother." Also, the crowd just seemed really into it, and the set proved to be the better alternative to the one other band that was playing at first. (Once The xx came on, I moved on.)

4. The Postal Service

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Super mellow music is not usually for me, which is why I am more partial to The Postal Service than to Death Cab for Cutie. Ben Gibbard danced around a bit, which was unexpected to me. Also, Jenny Lewis was also on stage, and I really enjoy her music and voice. I had seen some of her performances on YouTube before and was a bit sad that she seemed so mad while she sang, but this was so pleasant.

5. Passion Pit

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This is one that I almost went to see live last year, but I didn't love them on SNL, so I decided against it.  At Coachella, they definitely became someone I'd shell out money to watch.

Spring Style: The Shoe of the Season

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You've hidden behind boots and other closed-toe shoes for a few months, so it's time to let your toes breathe. Whether you prefer heels or flats, bright or neutral, we've got the perfect spring sandals to take you through this season and into the next.

1. Sol Sana, $95

2. BCBG Max Azria, $275

3. 3.1 Phillip Lim, $425

4. Stuart Weitzman, $398

5. Tommy Hilfiger, $65

6. Calvin Klein, $105

7. Tibi, $465

8. Mossimo Supply Co., $17

9. Cheap Monday, $115

10. Diane von Furstenberg, $295

11. Rebecca Minkoff, $132

12. L.A.M.B., $325

13. Sam Edelman, $100

14. Boutique 9, $97.95

15. Kors Michael Kors, $235

Spring Playlist

It's sunny out, Coachella is right around the corner and your ears deserve some fun music:

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1. Dexys Midnight Runners- "Come On Eileen"
2. The Beatles- "Here Comes the Sun"
3. Imagine Dragons- "It's Time"
4. Franćoise Hardy- "Le Temps D'Lamour"
5. Mumford & Sons- "Holland Road"
6. Matt & Kim- "It's Alright"
7. Of Monsters and Men- "From Finner"
8. Vampire Weekend- "Diane Young"
9. Kendrick Lamar- "Poetic Justice"
10. Brigitte Bardot- "Contact"
11. Big Boi feat. Janelle Monáe- "Be Still"
12. Bruno Mars- "Locked Out of Heaven"
13. Micachu and the Shapes- "Nowhere"
14. Oh Land- "We Turn it Up"
15. Joséphine Baker- "La Conga Blicoti"
16. Two Door Cinema Club- "What You Know"
17. Phoenix- "Girlfriend"
18. Band of Horses- "Factory"
19. Violent Femmes- "Blister in the Sun"
20. Blackstreet feat. Dre- "No Diggity"

Animate Your Life

Animated series and movies have a special place in our lives.

While we anxiously await the release of "Monsters University," we couldn't help but think of other cartoons we can't get enough of.

"The Legend of Korra"

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This sequel to "Avatar: The Last Airbender" presents a lot of the same things we fell in love with in the original, but it switches it up by portraying an older character. Korra, unlike Aang, is the teenaged avatar that leaves home for the first time in 16 years, only to learn that the world isn't what she thought it would be. She's definitely tougher than Aang, and this show lets the viewer see bits and pieces of Aang and his friends as grown ups.

"Phineas and Ferb"

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This is a super silly show that definitely leans much younger, but it's so fun. There are two genius children who constantly invent fun things during the summer, their older sister, who is a tattletale, a pet platypus/secret agent and an evil scientist. There are also a lot of songs that are catchier than they should be, and they may get permastuck in your head.

"Frankenweenie"

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A young boy loses his dog, and later, brings him back to life. It's just as dark as Tim Burton's other movies, and it's nice to draw comparisons between the film and Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." It's also entirely in black and white, which really adds to the mood.

"Spirited Away"

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Studio Ghibli is a favorite around here, and this 2001 film is a must watch. It's a little on the strange side, but it's also very interesting. A young girl has to fend for herself after entering an alternate reality.

Spring Fever

Though we're all about bright colors at any time of the year, spring tends to bring some of the best prints.

Our cover girl helped us kick off this month with a Milly dress, which was a great mix of print and bold color. And though that was one of our favorite things, she was also attired in a short dress and strappy heels. It's finally time to shed some layers! We've had enough of pants and tights and bulky jackets. It's time for some springtime dresses.

No matter your color preference, style or occasion, here are nine outfits to inspire you for spring:

SHADES OF BLUE

Whether it's a dark shade or something pastel, blue is a great color for spring. Look for super bright tones for something happy or something bordering on purple to ease you into the season.

From left to right: Missoni dress, Loeffler Randall bag and Acne bootie; Victoria Beckham dress, Burak Uyan heels, Linda Farrow for the Row sunglasses; MaxMara Studios dress, Barneys New York heels

FLOWER POWER



What is spring without flowers? Year after year, florals are in for spring. Mix up your wardrobe by looking to prints of different sizes.

From left to right: Cacharel dress, Aldo shoes, Marc by Marc Jacobs purse; Valentino dress, Chrisitan Louboutin heels; Jil Sander Navy dress, Alexander Wang heels, 3.1 Phillip Lim purse

STILL IN BLACK

If you love black, there's no reason for you to stop wearing it once spring arrives. Instead, look for fun patterns, high hems and something with a bit of pizazz.

From left to right: Stella McCartney dress, Badgley Mischka heels, Givenchy clutch; Mary Katrantzou dress, Pierre Hardy flats, Rebecca Minkoff purse; Commes de Garçons dress, Alexander Wang heels