La Mode Next Door

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

In a Perfect Life: Dreams of Fashion

"...We are beginning our descent to Paris , please go back to your seats and fasten your seatbelts."

I twitch with excitement as I put my seat back up.

I know a car is waiting for me at the airport, ready to take me to my hotel, where I will spend most of my first night preparing notes - and an outfit - for the shows tomorrow. Paris Fashion Week is kicking off, and I was sent by the U.S. Vogue in the City of Lights to report the best shows and trends this week.

Louis Vuitton , Christian Dior Couture, Chanel... great designers will once again make us dream through fabulous staging, and pretty much dictate what we will wear next Fall.

This is my first series of fashion weeks. New York, London and Milan have passed, leaving stars in my eyes. Shimmering and colorful furs defied traditions, bringing texture and boldness to otherwise simple designs. Horizontal stripes, historically banished from the wardrobes of anyone who wanted to look skinnier, have been very successful on all fabrics. Organza was king at Fendi , floating and vibrant, combining shades of Coral which reminded me of the sunset on a Senegalese beach. I felt the same excitement all along, but Paris is by far the city that exceeds the most my expectations. The most famous and successful fashion giants compete for the attention of those who make and unmake fashion.

Give me a Chanel show and a box Ladurée macaroons, and my week is perfect.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived in Paris Charles de Gaulle..."

I wake up right when we land, and look around and realize reality is knocking at my door. I am in Paris. But I'm not going to Fashion Week. I'm taking a cab home, to work on paperwork for school. It's only me, my backpack, and my VOGUE. I only read it, I don't write what's in it. But hey, a girl can dream right?

Monday, February 17, 2014

Valentine's Day Fever

First of all, I would like to apologize to my readers for going MIA for so long. After the exams and the holidays, I was just not up for anything besides laying around, eating and walking around Paris with my boyfriend (it was his first time there, so it was my duty to guide him - I don't know if I should disclose the fact that after 3 years living there, I had never actually gone on top of the Eiffel Tower, or inside the Catacombes...but anyway, I was just as much of a tourist as he was).

I also have to say that the famous syndrome of the Blank Page kind of got me. I cannot count the number of times that I sat down and starred at my computer for a good 10 minutes before accepting that I couldn't write anything. I guess registering for classes and applying for internships stressed me out a bit more that it should have. But is it only stress?

I feel like a lot of my friends are going through the same thing, so some of you must be as well...this Less-than-one-quarter-of-a-life-crisis? Or in other words, this uncertainty about what is next, what we will be doing and where, in five years? Friend, you're not alone.

Now that New Years is behind us, a new chapter has started and needless to say, I am back, more excited than ever to share Fashion ideas, OOTDs and other bits with you all.

Valentine's Day Fever

It was actually my first real celebration of the "V" Day ever. I have to admit I used to think it was pretty obsolete. I still do, but it is honestly a good excuse to get more hugs and kisses! And to be honest, I've had the time of my life.

My boyfriend and I decided to go on a "Romantic Getaway" outside of San Francisco, the uni, our houses. We chose the amazing city of Monterrey to spend our Friday night, and I must say I fell in L-O-V-E. The Cannery Row area was so beautiful and intimate - despite the trillions of tourists, it still felt like it. I wish I had snapped photos, but to be totally honest with you, my phone died at the worst time. I tried and find photos of the places we went on the Internet.

The Cannery Row area: