The Never-Disappointing O.P. and Her Spring Style

        In the Jewish Girl World, socialite Olivia Palermo is heralded as the fashion equivalent of Harry Houdini. She’s got more style tricks up her sleeve than the rest of us. Olivia is admired for her refined yet contemporary aesthetic, and for her feminine dresses laced with edgy urbanity. Above all, she makes modesty look like the crème de la crème of all styles; highly creative but unpretentious. Do you remember when we featured Ms. Palermo in October’s Style Icon column? (If not, then please click on the Olivia Palermo label below this post!) Although we already covered this socialite’s fashion sense, we would like to reintroduce it in light of the glorious spring season!

Take a look below and see how this style icon brings casual elegance to the warmer months.

The St-EYE-lista; Editor’s Edition 

Welcome back to our bi-monthly column: The “St-EYE-lista”! This column features an individual whose personal style captured our EYE and whose fashion sense can be reinterpreted for the modest dresser. From talk-show hosts to socialites and from Creative Directors to bloggers, Wear Your Invisible Crown prides itself on revealing the kaleidoscopic gamut of fashion ingénues and icons. From January until March we will specifically focus on style icons who are (or once were) Editors of prominent fashion publications. We look forward to presenting our audience with an array of style and information regarding our featured “Editors.”

Our second St-EYE-lista (The Editor’s Edition) is Giovanna Battaglia. Giovanna is the editor of L'Uomo Vogue (otherwise known as Vogue Italia) and contributing fashion editor to W magazine. Prior to her editorial role at highly prominent magazines, Giovanna was a model for Dolce and Gabbana. With drive, talent, and a sartorially keen eye she was capable of shifting her professional role and becoming the well-established fashion editor that she is today.

Giovanna’s personal style is influenced by two icons; Monica Vitti and Audrey Hepburn. The former was an Italian movie star and the latter was a British one. Indeed, Giovanna draws inspiration from fashion-conscious Italian culture as well as British classicism by mixing risk-taking accessories with tailored, timeless clothing. The juxtaposing fashion sense of Vitti and Hepburn motivate this magazine editor to create a style that is all her own. READ ON TO SEE MORE!

It’s Not Just Black-and-White, Part 1

Photo Credit: Stockholm-StreetStyle 

What do I like about Giovanna’s P.S.? She offsets the enduring appeal of black-and-white outfits with a touch of eccentricity or rebellion. Her ensembles are undeniably elegant, and by adding a pair of edgy booties, hot slingbacks, or a scarf, she earns a dozen  more “style points.” Easily.

I Don't Like Gossip Girl, but I Love Me Some Blair Waldorf Style

        My friend recently forwarded an article to me about Gossip Girl’s series finale, one of television’s most ritzy, provocative young adult dramas. Interestingly, the article didn’t focus on the actual show, rather on the flawless style of Blair Waldorf, one of Gossip Girl’s central characters.

       To be honest, my knowledge of Gossip Girls is quite narrow. I only watched half of the 1st season in 12^th grade (the first time I watched TV in 5 years—yes, I eventually succumbed to this unholy bait). However, I do possess a rather personal memory associated with Gossip Girl. Whenever this show is mentioned, I’m fondly reminded of the days my mother and I would battle over the remote.

       You see, Gossip Girl and my mother’s all-time favorite show (a Korean soap-opera with English subtitles) aired at the exact same time. When my mom won control over the remote, I’d often exclaim“This is so unfair! Why do you like this silly Korean show anyways? Huh?!”

       I’d yet to appreciate how cool my mom was back then – she became hooked on Korean culture long before the days of Gangnam Style. Take that! But, as ever, I digress.

       When I won the “remote war,” I cozily settled in for an evening of scandal and “high-society teenage politics” a la Gossip Girl. Sure the show was famously juicy and entertaining, but it was also rampant with degrading morals and distorted values. I couldn’t get over the sheer irony that I was tuning into this show at 8:00 p.m. only to open up a Sefer Devarim and Rashi a mere twelve hours later. Irony can be rad…but not this kind of irony. I slowly weaned myself off the show.

St-EYE-lista

Take 2

        Welcome back to our bi-monthly column "The St-EYE-lista!" This column features an individual whose personal style captured our EYE and whose fashion sense can be reinterpreted for the modest dresser. Wear Your Invisible Crown is eclectic. We enjoy representing styles that swing all over the fashion pendulum. Whether your P.S. (personal style) is tomboyish, retro, glamourous, edgy, or classic, we've got you covered.
       This month’s St-EYE-lista is a 21^st century Anna Karenina, Lucille Ball, Russian Babushka, and Grace Kelly all rolled into one. Did that pique your interest? Good…It totally should. Her name is Ulyana Sergeenko and she is the second wife to Russian insurance billionaire Danil Khachaturov. At first glance, Sergeenko appears to be yet another Eastern European beauty with the graceful mannerisms of a well-pampered, hoity-toity, high-society woman. Yet, upon closer inspection, one will realize that she is also a deeply creative, avant-garde artiste.  

  

       Over the past couple of years, Sergeenko has focused on developing a couture line founded in Moscow. Although she does not yet possess the fame and publicity of other European couture labels (Chanel and Dior), she is still highly illustrious in the fashion universe (especially the Russian fashion universe—Miroslava Duma and model Natalie Vodianova are dedicated followers).

 

       Sergeenko’s couture collection is a gift to all vintage-infatuated women. It's simultaneously reminiscent of Jane Austen novels, Grimm’s fairy-tales, Old Hollywood glamour, and Russian aristocracy. The silhouettes, patterns, and textures of Sergeenko’s collection emanate a certain eloquence and nostalgia, one that touches upon every woman's whispered yearning to be queen for a day. (This fantasy starts when a girl is about three and never seems to end...). In addition, although Sergeenko isn’t Jewish, her style is very modest. (Perhaps more modest than the author's? Oy vey).

Without further ado, let us revel in the womanly and aristocratic style of Ulyana Sergeenko!

Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina Collection in Banana Republic
 

www.vogue.com 

         I finally picked up a copy of Anna Karenina at a local book shop. Five dollars! Definitely one of the best ways I spent five dollars. Like many classics, the beginning can be a bit slow-paced, but once you dig into the meat of the story…ah, then what a pleasure. I am only up to Part 2 of this gargantuan tale, but Mrs. Karenina has already swept me away in her tale of twisted passion and suppressed yearning.

        Tolstoy’s masterpiece has been filmed and is currently playing in theatres now! I’ve only seen the trailer and was practically drooling over the breathtaking cinematography and costumes.

The St-EYE-lista:

Take 2

Welcome back to the "St-EYE-lista" column. The second individual we will feature this month is none other than the lovely Olivia Palermo. Olivia Palermo is an American socialite, model, and was an actress on the reality show calledThe City.
 

           If you have ever watched The City, then you probably think that Olivia is little more than a highly aloof, infantile witch who enjoys tearing her enemies apart (yes, that does sound harsh). Yet, truthfully, the only wicked thing about Olivia is her personal style. (Please be aware that the “reality”show was scripted and that Olivia was directed to act in a supercilious manner. TV likes to keep such minor details a secret).

St-eye-lista Part 1

The St-EYE-lista

Welcome to our bi-monthly column "The St-EYE-lista!" This column will feature an individual whose personal style captured our EYE and whose fashion sense can be reinterpreted for the modest dresser. This month our featured St-EYE-lista is the hip Alexa Chung.  Alexa Chung is a former British model, has her own talk show, and has hosted a fashion design TV show called the "24 Hour Catwalk." 

 

 

         It may be the understatement of the year to simply say that “I like Alexa Chung’s style.” “Obsessed or “fixated” might be more apropos. Seriously. I envy Alexa’s ability to look simultaneously disheveled and posh. She can appear at a fashion event with indifferently styled hair and a devil-may-care t-shirt but still parade around in towering patent heels and a sequined skirt.  Alexa's personal style also includes a “tomboy-meets-Lolita” dimension. She tends to cross masculine tailoring or tomboy nonchalance  (think blazers or combat boots) with a sweetly girly item (such as a Peter-Pan collar or flouncy skirt).

         Alexa has taken her personal style savvy into profitable business ventures as well. She designed a collection for Madewell, fronted campaigns for Superga and Maje, and even had a Mulberry schoolboy satchel named after her. Taking advantage of her “It” girl likability and fashion sense, Alexa has recently begun designing for her brand new clothing collection (We don’t have the details on it yet…but it’s already getting us "Alexacited.")

Check out Alexa’s personal style trademarks below!