Repositioning and Rebranding

After much consideration, I've decided to reposition and rebrand this blog. This comes with my recent return and bringing with me my updated views and ideas.

Some of the changes that you can expect

• Name: The blog name will be changed from 'Contemporary Classic' to 'The Trend Trade'
• This will affect the URL, banner and other design elements of the blog
• Content (Fashion): As reflected in the name, the content will be less vintage focused and more toward topics surrounding the career of fashion buying, this includes:
• Fashion trends
• The fashion industry
• General style talk
• Content (Business): I've been itching to post on business related topics such as marketing for a while now, and I'm ready to take the plunge. My content will now also include:
• Business trends
• Career development
• Marketing and other subjects that I study

You will see these changes before Monday, 8 April to see in the Australian Fashion Week for 2013.

I still have posts that I had written prior to my decision to redirect, and I will post those, but you will see a clear shift in my content posted. I hope that you've enjoyed reading my posts in 'Contemporary Classic' and you will continue to read my posts in 'The Trend Trade'.

Love Claire, xo.

Gwenyth says "How to Dress With Icy Elegance"

Style icons:

• Grace Kelly
• Tippi Hedren
• Bree Van de Kamp from Desperate Housewives
• Rosamund Pike
• Nicole Kidman

Her desired designers:

• Mulberry
• Burberry Porsum
• Valentino

What you'll find in her wardrobe:

• Pastel, tweed skirt suit fitted at the waist
• Silk cocktail dresses in neutral hues
• Pussy-bow blouses
• Fitted shift dresses
• Cashmere cardigans

Her favourite accessories:

• Slim fitting kid leather gloves
• Thin, delicate belts to be worn over fitted clothing
• Classic court pumps
• Understated jewellery - pearls for day, diamonds for evening

What's on her vanity:

• The perfect foundation for zero imperfections
• Soft pink lipstick
• 'Chanel No. 5' eau de parfum

Day Wear

Suit - Tahari Arthur S / Blouse - Stella McCartney / Purse - Saint Laurent / Pumps - Diane Von Frustenberg / Pearls - Carolle

In a mint, twin-set suit, this look takes power dressing to pastels and I don't know about you but I'm loving it. To ensure a contemporary look, the suit must be really well fitted, highlighting the natural waist. Accessorizing simply with a white purse and pearls, this look is perfect for the office.

Evening Wear

Dress - Zac Posen / Fur stole - Coast Clarissa / Pumps - L.K. Bennet / Purse - Unknown / Necklace - Van Cleef & Arpels / Earrings - Shamballa Jewels

This outfit takes vintage evening wear to a whole new level for me - I adore it. It's the evening, so as advised I've accessorized with diamonds (even the purse is rhinestone encrusted). The fur stole also adds an interesting element, a sort of primadonna vibe. 

Be sure to come back tomorrow for my post of surprises! 

Love Claire, xo.

Audrey says "How to Dress Gamine Style"

In my last post, I discussed my Split Style Personalities which included Audrey (the gamine), Gwenyth (the ice queen), Natalie (the minimalist) and Elizabeth (the sophisticate). In this post, we'll be looking at Audrey's gamine style.

Gamine style icons:

• Audrey Tatou
• Jackie Kennedy
• Edie Sedgwick
• Audrey Hepburn
• Mia Farrow

Her desired designers:

• Marni
• Marc Jacobs
• Chloé

What you'll find in her wardrobe:

• Little black dresses with high collars
• Tulip skirts
• Capri pants
• Pretty white blouses with round or peter pan collars
• A flared, woollen coat

Her favourite accessories:

• Big, round sunglasses
• Thin, patent leather belts with cute buckles
• Ballet flat pumps
• Delicate earrings
• Berets

What's on her vanity:

• Mascara - for doe deer eyes
• Girly, neutral hued nail polishes
• 'Daisy' by Marc Jacobs

Day Wear

Blouse - Bonne Chance / Pants - True Religion / Shoes - Debenhams / Sunglasses - Witchery / Earrings - Juliette & Company

Girly and mischievous, this outfit is ready for the outdoor elements while possessing the 'pretty in pink' aura. Pedal pushers look less 'blonde bombshell' and more 'gamine girlish' when paired with a modest, floaty blouse. 

Evening Wear

Dress - Jane Norman / Coat - Moschino / Purse - Mulberry / Pumps - Calvin Klein

This high collared, tulip skirt LBD fits my perception of an evening gamine outfit perfectly. Kitten heels are a great compromise for those used to wearing ballet flats. Isn't that purse just adorable? A cute, kitschy sweet purse is an important element for the gamine ensemble.  

I hope you enjoyed my post. I have a surprise for my readers that will be in my next post published. I can't wait to tell you all.
Love Claire, xo.

Split Style Personalities

I've come to the conclusion that I cannot have one, simply clarified style. I don't know how anyone could do it. I think of all the money I could save on clothes due to buying less, the quality of clothes that I could buy with that saved money! I'm a fiend. Anyway - when you wake up with a new taste every day, one style just won't work. So what I've done is created personalities with different names, characteristics and of course, styles. Would you like to meet them?

Audrey

I'm not going to beat around the bush as to where this name came from. She's adorably charming with a gamine style. Not sexy, not immature - just content and innocent. Dresses with little-girl details like peter pan collars go perfectly with pearls and ballet flats. She's the best type of dreamy with doe deer eyes to draw anyone in. She idolizes Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, and Audrey Tatou in Amélie. Spending her afternoons in the park or at a milk bar - she's never up to no good.

Gwyneth

This side used to be a lot more prominent when I had white blonde hair. She loves all shades of white from cream to ivory. An ice queen to an angel - she will aspire to look porcelain soft. A string of pearls never look out of place, especially when paired with a fitted shift dress or cream cashmere cardigan. She takes style inspiration from vintage stars like Tippi Hedren and Grace Kelly. 

Natalie

Her motto is "quality, not quantity". Deliberately simple, Natalie refuses to deal with clutter. She turns away bright hues and prints, so that she can focus on the more important things - like clean lines are designs. Natalie embraces the minimalist style, taking inspiration from Tilda Swinton, and Anjelica Huston. Her wardrobe contains a small amount of high quality clothing, carefully picked to keep, and the interior design of her room reflects this style.

Elizabeth

The sophisticated look is worn by Elizabeth. She has it all organised, and she knows a classic piece when she sees one. Similar to Natalie but with more aesthetic details, Elizabeth keeps life (including the wardrobe) decluttered. She looks toward Coco Chanel and Anna Wintour for inspiration - as authorities in the world of fashion. She's organised and driven - she knows what she wants and nothing can stand in her way.

Well now you've been introduced, I'll follow this post up with style profiles regarding each fashion personality. I quite enjoy pursuing different styles, how about you? Do you have multiple style personalities? I'd love to hear about them.

Vintage Fashion, Modern Approach.

Love Claire, xoxo.