Styled With French Connection

While the heat and humidity outside may drive us nuts, the fashion of the season makes us go heady with happiness. Vibrant colours, eye-catching prints and flirty silhouettes, are some the reasons why this season is such a hit with fashion lovers.

As I walked into the French Connection store to review their Spring-Summer 2013 collection, myriads of bold prints, bright colours and classic summer favourites greeted me.

The colour palette offers everything from delicious neons to delicate pastels. From stripes to florals and from exotic to tribal, there is an array of prints to choose from. The silhouettes and fabrics are comfy and lightweight, ideal for the scorching summer heat.

With a variety of trends and looks to play with, here are few of my styling suggestions.

Look I

If there is one trend that everyone loves at the moment, it is the stripe trend. While many like to pair stripes with other prints, I decided to mix stripes and create a full-fledged stripe-on-stripe look. 

Opting for shades of blue from the cool colour palette, I paired a stylized sailor stripe tee with a broad stripe flared skirt. Add a white clutch and nude sandals and you are ready for a blind date or a weekend brunch with the family.

While mixing stripes can be challenging, it is not impossible to pull-off an all stripe look. Select a stripe pattern that complements your body type and make sure there is one common element that holds the look together.

Look II

Summer is the perfect season to flaunt a white ensemble. 

I instantly fell in love with this classy little white dress. With its delicate texture and simple silhouette this dress can literally be worn at any time of the day for any occasion. 

The LWD paired with a gold clutch, statement watch and white sandals is idea for a business dinner or cocktail party. 

If you are in a mood for a glam look, add a neon statement necklace and printed shoes and watch as heads turn your way!

To make this a work friendly look, trade the gold clutch with a metallic tote; slip on a pair of ballerina flats add a bright colour blazer and effortlessly transform your P.M. look into chic A.M. attire.

Look III

The first thing that caught my eye was a pair of these tribal print trousers. I loved the abstract colourful zig zag pattern. As stunning as these trousers are, styling them can be a tad bit tricky. Especially, if you are looking for a day, work-wear friendly look. 

I decided to pair these statement-making trousers with an elegant high-low hem pastel pink shirt and reddish orange cross body bag. The shirt and the bag balance out the colourful print trousers without overshadowing them. The overall look is eye-catching at the same time sophisticated. One can easily wear this ensemble for weekend meeting or lunch with the besties.

Look IV

We in the fashion world love to mix and match and spice things up!

For my final look, I went all out and paired a bodycon knit dress in neon stripes with a fuchsia bag. 

The fuchsia bag contrast as well as complements the neon stripes dress. Keeping the rest of the look toned down and simple, the end result is glamorous without being over the top. 

Mixing bright and bold colours is not for everyone. However, it is a must try for anyone who likes to experiment with fashion, colours and create striking looks.

What I really loved about French Connection Spring-Summer 2013 collection is its diversity. Most of the pieces from the collection can easily be styled in multiple ways for different occasions.

These looks have been styled by me-Amena Azeez- and modelled by my friend and namesake, Aamna Quraaishi.

Photograph Credit: Jai "Zaiu" Ranjit 

This post was written by me as a guest blog post for French Connection blog, 911 Fashion.

You can shop all these looks at the official French Connection online store, FrenchConnection.in

What do you think of my second styling post? Share your views about that and French Connection Spring-Summer 2013 collection with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,

 Amena!!

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Style It Thrice: Neon Stone Necklace

It is quite obvious that I have what is otherwise know as a neon hangover! I just can't seem to get enough of these vibrant shades. Being born in the 80's I guess this unhealthy obsession is part of my DNA! Anyhoo, this love for florescent shades is not going to go away anytime soon. Plus, with the monsoons soon approaching, neon colours are a perfect way to brighten up those wet morbid days.

Personally, I do neon the safe way- preferring to wear them as accessories or shoes or bag. So ever since I saw this piece, I have fallen head first in love with it. With sale season just round the corner, this necklace is the first one on my 'must buy it' list.

For this week's 'Style It Thrice' segment I have chosen a neon stone necklace by Zara {$20, INR 1190}. It is a statement making neck piece without being-over-the-top. Plus, due to its elegant design, one can wear it for multiple occasions as well as pair it with with a variety of colours and prints.

For those who are looking to experiment with neon shades for the first time, this necklace is a good place to start. Here are a few of my styling suggestions to help you along.

Family Lunch Look: Summer 2012 has been a summer of two things-colored jeans and neon shades! For a trendy casual look pair the necklace with your fave coloured jeans, tribal print top-currently the IT trend- and neon bag and bangles for a lunch with the family. To make this look a monsoon friendly one, choose a top that is not in white or light colour based and slip resistant footwear.
[MANGO Colored Jeans; DIANE VON FURSTENBERG Blouse; MARC BY MARC JACOBS Bag; MANGO Sandal, ASSAD MOUNSER Bracelet; BOTTEGA VENETA Earrings; CHANEL Lipstick]

Fashion Week Look: Fashion Week is that time of the year when the best of fashion is seen on as well as off the runway. To make a significant statement- create a colour block ensemble. Match your neon necklace with a contrasting {colour} coral pink dress and floral print clutch. To up the chic quoitent polish the look off with neon sandals and watch as heads turn your way.
[ALICE + OLIVIA Dress; JIL SANDER Floral Clutch; ZARA Sandal; KANUPRIYA Earrings;  REED KRAKOFF Ring; TOM FORD Eye Shadow; CHANEL Lipgloss; GIVENCHY Eyeliner Pencil]

Date Night Look: Bored of wearing the necklace again and again? The best way to funk up the look is by layering a bunch of chains and necklaces together and create a multi-tiered necklace. To make your necklaces stand out wear this look with an all black {or any solid} colour outfit. Complete the look with metallic heels and a cute shoulder bag.
[JIGSAW Tank; VIVIENNE TAM Skirt; REED KRAKOFF Sandals; NINE WEST Bag; JUICY COUTURE Link Necklace; ORLY GENGER BY JACLYN MAYER; BALENCIAGA Necklace; YVES SAINT LAURENT Cuff; KENNETH JAY LANE Earrings; SEPHORA Eyeliner; YVES SAINT LAURENT Lipstick]

Once in a while it is good to let the accessories take over and do all the talking. Don't you agree? And with a necklace as versatile and trendy as this, one can rarely go wrong with it.

What do you think of neon necklace and how would style it? Share your views and opinion with me in the comment section.

Till then, tra-la,
 Amena!!

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Style It Thrice: Tangerine Clutch

Every since I got into blogging, I have stopped using fashion magazine as my go-to style guide. Don't get me wrong- I do read them, but they are no more my only source of inspiration. In fact, major of my fashion and style inspiration comes from street style and personal style blogs.
So, when I saw these stunning looks, I decided adding a tangerine clutch would be the perfect way for me to include some trendy colour pop into my outfits as well as a great way to experiment with a new trend.

[Images Via:1, 2, 3, 4]

The beauty of a tangerine clutch is it can be used for any-time-of-the-day occasion. As well as it matches well with most colours and prints. Incorporating current trends and classic styles here are my styling suggestions.

 {Ideally, 'Style It Thrice' would have the same piece styled in three different ways. Since I wanted to create looks catering to different budget groupes, I have taken three cost appropriate different clutches. The clutches may not be same, but they are very similar in shape, colour and over all effect.}

Look 1: Pretty. Have a date on a working day? Then trade your office bag for this lovely clutch, add some lipgloss and a statement necklace and no one would know you walked straight out of a boardroom.[Steal-All products under $50.0 {Approximately INR 2,765}: Top, Necklace, Skirt, Clutch, Pumps, Lip Gloss.]

Look 2: Boho. Add dangling earrings and chunky bangles and bracelet to your tribal print maxi dress for a boho chic look. Polish the look off with neon sandals and a tangerine clutch.
[Spend-All products under $100.0 {Approximately INR 5,540}: Maxi Dress, Clutch, Sandals, Friendship Bracelet, Wrap Bracelet, Colorful Bangles, Earrings.]

Look 3: Sexy. Up your sexy quotient by adding a tangerine clutch to your dressy shorts and printed halter top ensemble. Complete the look with platform heels and cuff bracelet.
[Splurge-All products over $100.0{Approximately INR 5,540}: Halter Top, Shorts, Clutch, Heel Sandals, Sunglasses, Cuff, Eye Shadow, Eye Liner]

This post of mine is a submission for INFB Remix-Tangerine. Do check out how everyone else has interpreted and styled tangerine.

I have previously done a detailed post on 2012's it colour-Tangerine Tango which was featured on Independent Fashion Bloggers' Links À La Mode selection{Click here to read that post}.

Till then, tra-la,
 Amena!!

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email me- a.fashionopolis@gmail.com