Category: Fashion

Not much to add to this roundup of must-have fashion pieces for Spring other than the fact that everyone I encounter lately says the same thing ” I’m ready for Spring weather” and so am I.  We’ve had snow for the past two days, along with temperatures below freezing, and just right now it’s snowing while our heating in the first floor is out. So much fun!  On the flip side, the days have been brightly sunny and beautiful.  These shining sunny days almost make me forget how cold it is until I step foot outside.  The simple act of looking at these fashion pieces to wear in Spring make me hopeful.  Among them we have a bright yellow dress- yellow is a favorite color of the season.  We also have the controversial kitten heels… people either hate them or love them.  And I’m kind of in the middle of both sides, because I recognize that they look feminine and even romantic but I’ve gotten a few kitten heels stuck between the sidewalk floor vent grilles in New York and the cobblestones in Europe and it’s not really enjoyable.

must-have fashion pieces for Spring, fashion pieces to wear in Spring via belle vivir blog
10 must-have fashion pieces for spring 2018, fashion pieces to wear in Spring via belle vivir blog

1  A polkadoted top because polkadot is the new black this Spring.  2  A maxi dress in the season’s color, yellow.  3  An asymmetrical top, this trend is borrowed from last year’s.   4  A simple white t-shirt to dress it up with a blazer or dress it down with a simple pair of jeans.  5  kitten heels pump.  6  Sneakers will never go out of style any time soon, this is especially significant to the mothers that juggle everything from work to children after-school activities, hence super women.  7 pastel blazer in a pastel color.  8  Structured bag is another trend of this season.  9 belted pants10  And last but not least is the straw bag.  Have a wonderful and sunny weekend!

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I’m attending a fund raising event over the weekend and even when I love my very artistic dress which I scored on sale a few months ago, I realized that the dress comes without any belt.  It mainly has an elastic on the waist, which I appreciate but it’s not enough to prevent me from looking like a skinny granny.  That got me to this belt roundup.  Belts can provide multiple benefits, they have the ability to transform any outfit from drag to elegant, like when is worn over a coat or blazer or they can enhance a woman’s waist and make her look feminine.  It’s obvious that the belts made by Gucci have conquered the taste of many and have  become the “it accessory” of the year.  The brand’s signature logo belt can be spotted everywhere you go and it seems to not slow down.  It is more of a cult in itself.  It’s easy to use either with jeans or with a more dressy attire.  I usually don’t wear logos, except for my funny top “Celine Dion” but the belt of the season is somewhat classic and chic at the same time.

belt roundup via belle vivir blog 3

“Always be careful when you choose a belt to have it shaped to give you a longer and plunging line at the back.  Whether you choose a wide or narrow belt depends upon the style of frock or coat you are going to wear it with, but if you are short-waisted you should avoid wide belts” Christian Dior.

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For some inexplicable reason I keep buying coats from very warm ones for Winter to trench coat Spring-appropriate.  And the plethora of different versions of both out there does not help change the situation any easier.  Last year Spring 2018 runways offered many different versions of the classical trench coat, from the transparent plastic versions presented by Chanel and Valentino to the floral one shown by Miu Miu and even one very particular with fringes presented by Loewe.  A Spring coat is a staple in every classic woman’s closet and the unconventional more modern interpretations of it, see below, are giving the modern women valid reasons to get on the wagon on their own terms.  After the jump, a round up of the most classic of Spring coats from short versions perfect to pack on a safari to the gabardine option with a 70’s vibe.

trench coat round up 1 via belle vivir interior design blog

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Dress Like An Olympic Champion

dress like an olympic champion, Chloe Kim via belle vivir blog

I’m sure many people around the world have fallen in love with the sweet and cute Olympic Champion Snowboarder Chloe Kim, her amazing performance, and the inspiring story behind her success.  Her parents came to this country from South Korea with $800 dollars in their pockets and an English to Korean dictionary, her father gave up his job when she was 10 years old to dedicate himself entirely to Chloe so she can pursue her dreams.  In Kim’s own words, he cooked, he put sunscreen on her face, he took her to practices.  Just by seeing her father cheering for her in the crowd, we could feel his pride and joy.  That is what dreams are made of.  According to Olympics Wire which listed fun facts about Chloe Kim, she peaks three languages, English, Korean and French, pretty impressive for a 17 year old.  The youngest American ever to win an Olympic snowboarding medal.  It’s all about attentive and hands on parenting… When I saw her scoring 93.75 I was criticizing the judges, like I knew anything about the sport, on what else would someone need to do to score over 98 … Until Chloe came and did her last amazing round and exceptionally scored exactly 98.25… It was beyond exiting and inspiring. So I’ve been enjoying The Winter Olympics, especially Female halfpipe.  It’s pretty extraordinary to watch such talented athletes perform in almost super human ways.

I hope you got to spend a lovely Valentine’s Day.  Today is our Anniversary, as i mentioned before and it’s the day where we do the usual stuff couples do, go out for diner, share more cards, tell each other that everyday is for love and all those things that we all say each other all the time, but that are essentially important.   Happy Friday y’all.  After the jump, the pieces that can make you look like an Olympic Champion, off duty though.

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I remember the time when maternity clothes were anything but fashionable.  Lot’s of big shapeless maternity dresses, stretchy pants, pleated top, and other unflattering options… Nowadays, things are different, pregnant women have found the way to look not only cute while pregnant but also stylish, chic and very well put together.  I remember while pregnant I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of wearing heels and a baby bump-hugging dress (although I find the name super adorable and they look very comfortable and fitting for the mother’s body.)  However, now if I were to try to embark on that journey again, I might even consider it.  To be honest, pregnancy after the third trimester is very hard on the body and it’s more so on the back, so I believe this is an approach that can be conceived prior to those months, after that all that you really want is to get it over with and get to meet the new addition to the family.  Meanwhile, until those final weeks come, pregnant women can still look good in one of these casual and chic maternity fashion outfits.  Below, a roundup of stylish maternity clothes.

chic maternity fashion, maternity clothes, Chrissy Teigen via belle vivir blog

Chrissy Teigen wearing a very fashionable pregnant outfit

chic maternity fashion, maternity clothes via belle vivir blog

A flowery baby bump-hugging dress perfect for Spring.  Double-breasted sleeveless long coat, which is super chic.  Over-bump maternity tights.  White mules.

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Over the weekend I attended an event where the dress code was black and white “Be creative dressing.”  Not sure what that last means, but raise your hand if you when a little girl dreamed of dressing up in nigh gowns. Yes, me too. And after I realized that night gowns could come with pockets, thanks to Carolina Herrera, I became infatuated with the idea of owning a pocket dress. Surprisingly last weekend while looking for a night dress I realized that although I have a decent amount of mid-length skirts with pockets, I had not one pocket evening dress in my closet. Alas! How about that for postponing and laziness… What’s that called, procrastination..?

pocket evening dress, pocket dress via belle vivir blog Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn in a Balenciaga dress photo by Irving Penn

Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn in a Balenciaga dress. Photo by Irving Penn

pocket evening dress roundup, pocket dress via belle vivir blog

From top left, clockwise,  I love the lines and structure top of this Victoria dress. I’ve always wanted a polka dot black and white dress especially if it’s strapless.  Now a lame dress like this one is sure not for everyone but it is exquisite, something like this you may only find it vintage.  1990s Chanel Black Cargo Gown, a classic one, also vintage.  A breath of fresh air, Elsa Collar Dress.  One of the most classic silhouettes ever, A-Line gown.  Lastly a perfect combination of restraint and playful is found in this strapless satin dress with polka dot skirt and black top.

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