Faux Fur in Luxury

If you ask me fur will always be in. It’s luxe, sexy, adds a level of texture that no other material can and covers a plethora of flaws. But there is one thing about fur that I’m not a fan of. That little detail about killing animals so that we can parade around in their pelts…not so sexy. So what’s a fashionista to do, not wear fur? How absurd. But you should try to go faux.

I’ve used fur in some outfits before [Alexander Wang puffer jacket, powder blue fur by The Row, Gucci fur booties] and faux fur has been featured on Crave as recently as yesterday. So why wear fur sometimes and others wear faux? There is no definite answer and it really depends on your personal beliefs. My belief is that sometimes a fur coat is just so amazing that you must have it on your body, but it’s important to try to substitute with faux as much as possible. That doesn’t mean it has to look cheap. There are many high quality faux furs out right now. Like this one by Meadham Kirchhoff:

MEADHAM KIRCHHOFF faux fur / NSF shirt / TOPSHOP jeans / GIVENCHY bag / ASOS booties / GIVENCHY earrings / RAY-BAN Sunglasses

The colors and pattern are so playful and work perfectly with the striped denim. (Another example of mixing prints.)  On the runway though, they styled the faux furs a little…eccentrically for my taste:

These are some patterns that I personally would never pair together, but the coats are still amazing and can stand all on their own:

Check back soon for how to wear faux fur on a budget.

Sequin Shorts

A great way to add some pizazz to your outfit is with sequins.  In the summer, why not make it sequin shorts?  I love this look because it’s easygoing yet elegant:

TOPSHOP shorts / VINCE sweater / CASADEI pumps / REBECCA MINKOFF bag / MOVADO watch / THE ROW sunglasses / WHITE HOUSE BLACK MARKET earrings

A black and white motif with a small pop of color can be very eye catching.  The muted outfit allows the shoes to really stand out (which is exactly what you want them to do when they’re this expensive.) But again, shoes are worth the investment if you will wear them a lot.

The main rule when it comes to shoes is to know thyself.  If you are uncoordinated/look like a newborn deer when you try to walk in shoes like this, DO NOT BUY THEM, even if they cost $20.  They will end up collecting dust in the back of your closet and/or breaking your ankle.  They can be easily replaced with wedges that can give your outfit a similar feel.

These would probably stay on my feet for all of ten minutes before I’d rip them off begging for mercy.  I’m one of the uncoordinated plenty who would, sadly, have to replace them with wedges.  Here are some that I would swap:

These Dolce Vita wedges give the same idea without breaking your ankles or bank account.  If you want to stick with a pump, try these:

These Steve Madden pumps will only cost you $90.  They’re also a much shorter heel, decreasing the likelihood of ankle breakage.  Here is a less expensive version of the sequin shorts outfit:

WAREHOUSE shorts $31 / VILA shirt $31 / VINCE CAMUTO clutch $148 / DOLCE VITA heels $129 / T TAHARI ring $40 / PIECES earrings $20 / MARC BY MARC JACOBS bracelet $88 / EBAY sunglasses $10

Denim Shirts

A good denim shirt can do wonders for your style. It can transform an outfit from uptight to urban within seconds (if worn correctly.) It can send the message that you just don’t give a f*ck and looks a lot cooler than a cardigan. But most importantly, it’s versatile.  A button down denim shirt can last you years if treated kindly.

Free People is selling a vintage Wrangler denim shirt that would be a great addition to any wardrobe:

Here’s an example of how a denim shirt can elevate a look:

WILDFOX tank / SEVEN jeans / BOY. BY BAND OF OUTSIDERS chambray shirt / REPOTTO shoes / PRADA bag / EDDIE BORGO ring / RAY-BAN sunglasses

Although the outfit can stand on its own, it’s nice to have a little something to throw on if you get cold.  A cardigan would not fit with the rest of the ensemble and a jacket would be too heavy.  The denim shirt is light enough for this outfit to transition into summer.

Here’s a different take on the denim shirt look:

SEE BY CHLOÈ top / J BRAND shorts / JEFFREY CAMPBELL booties / FRENCH CONNECTION clutch / REED KRAKOFF cuff / MULBERRY bracelet / THE ROW sunglasses / KATE SPADE earrings

Subtract some buttons, add some ruffles and you end up with a completely different look with just as much of an edge.  The ruffles add a girly touch while the black, brass and heavy booties maintain a grungy vibe.  The wooden bag is unexpected and adds some softness to an otherwise hard outfit.

This outfit has more of a girly feel:

RALPH LAUREN top / AUSTIQUE shorts / MOTO denim shirt / MODERN VINTAGE booties / MIU MIU clutch / VAN DER STRAETEN earrings / WILDFOX rings

The silk tie-dye shorts are on trend and add some feminine flair to the menswear inspired denim shirt and booties.  The simple white top keeps the outfit looking clean rather than overdone.

Here is a cheaper version of the denim look for fashionistas on a budget:

OBEY tank $75/ MONKI shorts $31/ JEFFREY CAMPBELL booties $350/ URBAN EXPRESSIONS clutch $30/ HOT TOPIC bracelet $13/ SIDNEY MICHAELS earrings $24/ PAYLESS ring $10/ 80S PURPLE sunlgasses $12

I know…it’s just a different version of the same Jeffrey Campbell bootie…but I am a firm believer that one should invest in their shoes.  Cheap shoes are easy to spot and hurt your feet, so my advice would be to save up for a quality pair of shoes rather than a $200 pair of jeans.  And these shoes really do complete the look.  Thank you Jeffrey Campbell…we all love the Lita.

Fur vs Faux

You’d have to be blind to not realize that fur is hot right now.  I used this beautiful Alexander Wang puffer jacket before, but I love the blue of this fur by The Row.

THE ROW Coat / ISABEL MARANT Jeans / 3.1 PHILLIP LIM Sweater / GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI Booties / VALENTINO Bag / MEADOWLARK Earrings / RAY-BAN Sunglasses / DENIS COLOMB Scarf

Pairing the soft, powder blue fur with black and tan gives us an interesting color palate.  The amazing Isabel Marant studded jeans and the black Valentino Rockstud bag add a rock and roll vibe to an otherwise tame ensemble.  The jeans bring unexpected texture to the outfit:

Studded jeans have the potential to look overdone or tacky, but not these Isabel Marants.  They are probably the closest you can get to looking elegant in studded denim.  The side and pockets are trimmed with leather which adds some sophistication.  The fringed sides bring amazing texture to any outfit, and the studs are just great.  I really like that they’re not put on perfectly.  It adds character.

Although it would be nice to be able to buy that gorgeous fur, it’s simply an impossibility for most (myself included.)  Topshop makes a lot of faux fur.  (They’re very good at making runway trends accessible to the masses.)  I love this paneled fur:

TOPSHOP Coat  $220 / TOPSHOP Jeans  $100 / OASIS Shirt $29 / PROMISE Booties  $50 / MANGO Bag  $88 /       VINCENZA Earrings  $7 / NASTY GAL Sunglasses  $18 / MODSTROM Scarf $41

The idea behind the outfit is similar, but everything (excluding the jacket, which costs $220,) costs $100 or less.  It’s a change in color scheme, but the studs are still there.  The jeans are from Topshop, and though they don’t quite match up to the Isabel Marant jeans, they’ll fit the bill:

The sunglasses are eerily similar to Ray-Bans, my go to sunglasses, but only cost $18.  This is a great outfit with very reusable pieces.

DVF Dress with Nikita Cat Eye Tom Fords

I have loved Kourtney Kardashian‘s cat eye sunglasses from the moment I saw them.  Here she is wearing the Nikita by Tom Ford along with her fab riding boots:

I decided to pair the amazing frames with this Aztec-ish, DVF, body hugging dress.  A fun way to mix things up is by pairing simple, streamline dresses like this one, with very structured accessories.  The jacket is called the “long blazer” implying structure in it’s name.  It works well with the dress because of the contrast.  I like that when you take the coat off your shape looks that much more amazing because nobody was expecting it.

This clutch is amazing and very architectural.  It pairs very well with the color blocked Louboutins.  The earrings add the perfect, face framing pop of color.  If you’re not a fan of color swap them out for something a little bit more understated (but how could you not like these?!)  This outfit is very New York.  Love it!

Dress DIANE VON FURSTENBERG

Jacket THE ROW

Earrings IRENE NEUWIRTH

Clutch MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

Sunglasses TOM FORD

Shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN