Nerds of Style: January 2015

Friday, January 23, 2015

What Monkey See Monkey Do...

Del Pozo Spring/Summer 2015

Hi loves,

Monkeys have been at the center of some of the SS'15 runways, including two of my favorite designers, Valentino and Del Pozo. Both of these masters of design are known for their whimsical and romantic designs, full of delicate flowers and exotic animals. This time monkeys are taking center stage. I could not be any happier, because Monkeys--and there around 250 species--are one my favorite animals. Monkeys are curious, mischievous, adventurous, intelligent and fun. And so are these beautiful displays of craftsmanship. The pieces shown below are fun, mischievous and adventurous, without losing that refined, richness, and luxuriousness often associated with genius designers! Bravo, Valentino and Del Pozo for this wild call...

Valentino Spring/Summer 2015

I seemed to have anticipated to these designers because last year I found at an Instagram Thrift Shop (@cleanupcloset) a gorgeous Lily Pulitzer Monkey dress, which I can't get enough of. The dress is perfect for summer cocktails, birthday parties, brunches, lunches, dinner, and strolling through the beach and park. It will surely be a conversation piece...

Friday, January 16, 2015

Let's Warm It Up!

Hi loves,

One of my favorite fashion accessories during wintertime are big, cozy, chunky, knit infinity scarves. They are the perfect accessory to keep you warm in this Arctic-like weather, and they are great for falling asleep in unusual places like the NYC subway. It makes the ride more pleasant and comfortable! Big infinity scarfs have plenty of fabric to play around with them, so you can tighten them up, loosen them up, or twist in multiple layers. I usually tuck my hair inside them, pulling some strands up for a more editorial look (Look below!). You can find the best ones at Urban Outfitters, such as the one I am wearing here.

Since these scarfs are so dramatic, I went with basic winter pieces: A black leather skirt and a plaid top. So, let yourself be wrapped around this shoots done by my beautiful friend Melissa Bernier in her Upper East Side residence building! I also put some additional pictures on other styles and where you can find them. Enjoy!

-Diana
Follow me on Instagram: @dianamargarita1

CREDITS:

Top: Forever 21

Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft

Booties: Forever 21

Tights: American Apparel

Scarf (Similar): Urban Outfitters

ADDITIONAL STYLES:

J Crew

Forever 21

Asos

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Part Deux: Moda Resort 2015

Hi Loves,

Here is the second part of my Resort Series. I hope you are as mesmerized as I am by the beautiful Mexican embroidered huipil dress I modeled here. This dress is a more contemporary take on the traditional huipil blouses and dresses characteristic of indigenous women in Mexico and Central America. Huipil embroidery is rich, intricate, and elaborate. I am a big lover of vintage pieces, or pieces that are rich in history and meaning, such as huipil. Huipil often narrates the ethnicity and community of the wearer.

I think these dresses are a perfect resort look, they are soft, loose, comfortable, airy and elegant, all of these elements splashed against a colorful background. If you want to make a huipil dress more fitted, tie a belt, as I did in the picture. Well, I will zip it now, and let these pictures transport you to faraway lands in Central America and Mexico...

The huipil dress and sandals shown here are from Mexican artists, and they were purchased at Feria de Artesanias y Piezas de Molde of the Mita Congretation in Puerto Rico. But you don't need to go to Mexico to find one, you can go to Etsy, Mercado Libre or Ebay and find similar blouses and dresses.

Enjoy!

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Moda Resort 2015

Hi loves,

I have been out of commission for a while due to Christmas festivities and a cold that just got hold of me. Since I am bedridden, I decided to entertain myself by writing a post on resort looks for this transition period between January and March. For those of you who are traveling to warmer zones during winter time, in this three-installment spread I will showcase some easy, light, airy, and vibrant pieces you can wear. For those you staying in cold zones, at least this post will keep you warm with all the colorful hues, and the sunny backgrounds!

Even though there are different types of resort collections, and not all are catered to tropical desires, nothing screams more resort in my mind, than the luxurious, yet relaxed feel of the tropical land of Puerto Rico. For this three-part series, I decided to highlight my Latina heritage, and all the richness of our Latin American cultures. From embroidered huipil dresses, to handmade clutches, to leaves print, to maritime stripes, to gold accents, all is an ode to the majestic and regal, yet humble and friendly feel of our Latin American cultures.

To complement the looks shown here, I will be including pictures of some historic sites in the Old San Juan. Today, San Juan is known as "La Ciudad Amurallada" (the walled city) and is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean and is the second oldest European-founded city in the Americas (after Santo Domingo, which was officially founded on August 5, 1498.). The Old San Juan is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, and it well captures all the richness of these resort looks. For more information on the Old San Juan, go to this link: Old San Juan Information

Stay tuned next week for a flower punch embroidered look!

For information on where to purchase these looks or similar items go to the bottom of this post.
Enjoy!

Diana
You can also follow me on Instagram @dianamargarita1