K: Khaki (Adjective)

[khah-ki]

Synonyms: street safari wear, the material of choice for prepster slacks, army cool

Definition:

A simple dictionary will tell you that khaki is a light olive brown to moderate or light yellowish brown color. THIS dictionary, however, will tell you that it is the no-fail, never-say-die trend of spring collections. It is what makes Christiane Amanpour look so darn intense while still exuding effortless class in the midst of bombings and natural disasters. It brings to mind exotic safari adventures, crisp army uniforms, the delightful combination of mischief and duty found in your average boy scout. It’s durable, both in the physical and theoretical sense: simply put, khaki never goes out of style.

So chic.

The latest revival of my khaki obsession is coming from the stunning 1940’s look Cate Blanchett sports in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (this goes without saying, but SEE IT if you haven’t already. the script alone is worth it, the costumes and Brad Pitt’s accent are icing on the cake.) The nipped waist, the tone-on-tone, the tipped-to-one-side fedora – AH. It’s khaki at it’s finest.

What about you guys … will you be sporting khaki once the snow melts? You taking the classy route, or the rough-and-tumble vibe?

J: Jeggings (Noun)

[jeg-ing-z]

Synonyms: Gift from god, the skinnier, comfier skinny jean

Definition:

You know you’ve seen ‘em. Or maybe you’ve THOUGHT you were seeing ridiculously stretchy skinny jeans, and really, that smart girl rocking them was running around in the most genius fashion innovation in the past 10 years: the jegging, or jean legging, which allows any fashionista to rock the latest skin-tight bottoms in comfort AND style. I’m wearing my pair right now (which are  finally starting to show their legging-like quality after a MILLION washes) and I can say with confidence that I am a BELIEVER. They come in a range of price points and fabrics, but all I can say is that you should run out and get them, immediately. And then go for a run in them. Because YOU CAN.

Are they jeans? Are they leggings? Only YOU can tell.

I: Inspiration Board (Noun)

[in-spuh-rey-shuhn bohrd]

Synonyms: haphazard collection of influences, seedling of a killer collection, fashion-forward collage

Definition:

As any artist of any kind will tell you, inspiration comes from everywhere – a favorite vacation spot, the font of a menu, a grainy black and white film, grandma’s tablecloth. Which is why so many designers start not with the drawing board or the draping, but with an inspiration board – tacked-up snippets of whatever’s making them tick that season (or, rather, two seasons before the season at hand).

But inspiration’s just not for fashion’s creators: it’s for its taste makers too. I myself am have a chronic case of page folding – my mother always jokes that she knows when I’ve read a fashion magazine, because I leave half of its pages dog-eared and marked with post-its. So, in the interest of demonstrating what an inspiration board can look like (AKA to procrastinate – but whatever. Look what I have to show for it!) I ripped out some of my favorite fold-overed pages from the last few mags I tore through. There’s nothing to keep you warm through the last few months of winter like brainstorming your spring wardrobe.

Looks like I’m going to fill my closet with some lacy tees, a pair of badass tribal boots (if I can find some that fit the Balenciaga bill without the price tag), my favorite array of creamy pinks, whites and neutrals, and maybe splash of green leather or brocade come April.  And, as usual, I’m daydreaming about being blonde, a la Meryl Streep or gorgeous Chloe/Fendi models pictured here. It’s like reading your style subconscious.

So, what are your spring inspirations? If you need to pick up the scissors and glue and get back to me, no worries.

Further Reading:

Proenza Schouler design team talks inspiration

H: Haute Couture (Adjective, Noun)

[ot-ku-tur]

First off, and perhaps a bit belated, Happy Holidays, wonderful readers! Things have been a combination of crazy and lazy here at the(style)saurus since the letter G, so thank you for your patience. I hope your holidays have been filled with relaxation and great fashion finds all around.

The topic of the day, haute couture, comes first and foremost with a recommendation to click over to a fabulous blog I’ve just discovered, fashematics. While the(style)saurus can give you the who, what, and where of the world of haute couture world, this entertaining blog gives you the why and how in hilariously clever pictogram form.

Now, haute couture means a lot of different things to a lot of people. The litteral translation from french is “high dressmaking” or “high sewing”, which means high fashion:  clothing made to order, using only the highest quality fabrics and craftmenship. The business of Haute Couture is regulated by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris, and according to its standards, its members must follow the following three rules:

Have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen people full-time.

Design made-to-order pieces for private clients, with one or more fittings involved in the process.

Each season (i.e., twice a year), present a collection to the Paris press, comprising at least thirty-five runs/exits with outfits for both daytime wear and evening wear.

A few of my favorite looks from Valentino's 2009 Haute Couture collection, just to give you a sense of the look and feel of HC.

Pretty exacting standards, but then, thats high fashion for you. 2010’s CSHC members range from classics like Chanel and Oscar de la Renta to gues members Elie Saab and Valentino to accesories designer Loulou De La Falaise.

This year’s spring haute couture showing is a four-day long affair  starting January 25th – keep your eyes peeled for the best and most outlandish looks these couture houses have to offer.

Well, stylesauruses, that’s all for now. I’m off on a week-long road trip from Boston to Los Angeles, so get ready for some serious American stylespotting photos when I return. Check out my travel blog for updates. Until then, keep it classy!

G: Gucci (proper noun)

[Gu-chi]

Synonyms: Hip-hop favorite, horse-bit empire, the double G’s, the queen of designer bags to Louis Vuitton’s queen

Definition:

Disclaimer: this is actually a post about my recently acquired lust for a logo bag, under the guise of a history lesson about Gucci and the logo bag in general. Please forgive any salivating digressions — it’s just me daydreaming of this:

The Pelham gucci bag in classic logo print. Sigh.

Anyways.

Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921 by Guccio Gucci (hence the infamous double G’s), who had grown up in a family of saddle and hat makers. Guccio learnt about the upper classes the hard way: after his family’s business went bankrupt, he landed a job as a dishwasher at London’s Savoy hotel, where he spent years waiting on the rich and famous — all of whom, he noticed, carried their belongings in quality leather luggage.

F: Feathers (plural noun)

Fea-ther [feth-er]

Synonyms: A bird’s coat, Fashion’s favorite flourish, light airy accessories

Definition:

If we’re being technical, feathers are those fluffy little stems that keep birds warm. If we’re talking style, however, they’re the quintessential party attire, right after sequins and velvet. From native american head-dresses to chic little pill-box hats and fedoras, the feather has been a part of our fashion history forever, inspiring designers’ flights of fancy and adorning everything from headbands to high heels. In honor of thanksgiving, my pretty peacocks (I mean, readers), here are a few of the(style)saurus’ favorite feathered picks for the holiday season’s string of parties. Happy turkey day!

E: Essentials (noun)

[uh-sen-shuhl-s]

Synonyms: Indispensable, absolutely necessary clothing items, the backbone of your wardrobe, wear forevers, classics

Definition:

Like every great piece of architecture, every great wardrobe needs to start with a solid foundation. You know, those go-to pieces that go with all the other crazy, seasonal, personal, even the occasional, erm, mistake pieces in your closet. Every fashion lover is constantly working on their essentials: no one has them all down all the time, but they’re definitely things to watch out for when you’re shopping.

To help you on your quest for a well-grounded closet, we got the good word from Maureen Dahill, a stylist at Boston’s premier artist representative firm, Team, about which 10 items she recommends all ladies and gents own to build fantastic outfits from the ground up.

D: Derek Lam (proper noun)

Der-ek Lam [der-ik] [lam]

Synonyms: CFDA winner, all-american designer, the new Michael Kors

Definition:

Born in San Francisco, CA, surrounded by bridal gowns manufactured by his grandparents and raised by parents who ran a clothing import business. Trust us, this man KNOWS clothes. After graduating from Parson’s school of design in 1990, he almost instantly landed a job as a designer for Michael Kors, the quintessential American designer. After a stint in Hong Kong working at a clothing retailer, he came back stateside to launch his own line in 2003, which was nominated for the prestigious CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) award in womenswear, and well, the rest is history.

Derek Lam

And by history, we  obviously mean a complete re-invention of American sportswear to suit a woman who wants to look classic and pretty while still being just a tad avant-garde. His tailoring, his silks, his patterns — please! The spring/summer collection is already a show-stopper, earning rave reviews from critics and inspired by the forties and seventies looks of east coast vacationers. Featuring bright colors and star-spangled patterns, it makes you want ice cream with sprinkles and beach days all over again.

A line-up of looks from his spring 2010 collection

Additional Reading:

Lam’s website, with a full slideshow of the latest collection

New York Magazine’s fashion file on Lam

C: Corduroy (noun)

[kawr-duh-roi, kawr-duh-roi]

Synonyms: quintessential fall fabric, waled cotton, the fabric of choice for prepster pants

Definition:

A cotton fabric with lengthwise “cords” or ridges. Originating in England in the 18th century, this durable material is now a fall favorite as far as fabrics go (try saying that five times, fast). Most commonly used for pants or trousers, courduroy is considered a casual fabric, but can easily be dressed up and taken out on the town on a cool autumn night.

The name is widely said to be from the french phrase “cord du roi”,  literally, the king’s cords, though the fabric had no connection with France. However, it does have a big connection to the style set striving for a preppy look or an adorable pair of warmer skinny pants that aren’t jean. I just ordered these amazing warm maple pair of Ankle cords from J. Crew, the unofficial king of “the king’s cords”, offering them in a range of styles and prices. Aren’t they just crying out for a big chunky sweater and leather jacket?

So skinny. So corduroy.

When looking for a pair of your own, be sure to pay attention the wale, aka the width of the cord. Narrower wales look way chicer and offer more discreet way to rock the classic material.  Also, know that corduroy is a naturally durable fabric, like denim — it shouldn’t fray or rip easily, so its a definite investment (and worth bringing back if it wears and tears soon after you purchase it!)

Additional reading:

The courduroy appreciation club’s website

J.Crew’s couduroy selection

Wikipedia on Corduroy

Footnote: Polyvore

I know I’m probably way behind the times on this one, but if you’re a fashionista, you NEED to put polyvore on your bookmarks bar, stat.

The shopping website of the century, as far as I’m convinced, this clever little photoshop-for-your-closet lets you put together outfits in collage form, pulling from thousands of stores and price ranges. It’s got everything, from chunky stone rings to knit caps right down to patterned tights and high heeled booties.

Check out this awesome (if I do say so myself) fall outfit I just put together in 5 minutes flat.

now, drop everything productive you’re doing. I promise this is way more fun.

XOXO,

Thestylesaurus