L'envers

The Roitfelds have such a perfect approach to life: clean, simple, balanced, one could almost say wholesome considering their, urmmm, advantages. They attribute their good looks to juice and Pilates. They forgo heavy makeup, false (or even heavily manicured) nails, plastic surgery. They don't carry baggage in their homes, their work environments, their very persons—Carine famously avoids large bags. They wear the same pieces repeatedly, often on consecutive days. Carine's mantra: the less you have, the more you enjoy.

I read the best quote by Fashion Intel:

High fashion is only pretentious if you allow it to be and everyone everyday decides to contribute to fashion merely by putting on an outfit. You are not exempt from this.

We all take part in "fashion" when we dress each day. For better or for worse, you make clothing choices constantly. Why make them ordinary, trendy, or inappropriate for your age or body type? Let's go a step further and strive to create outfits that are as perfectly balanced, or as yin and yang, as the typical Roitfeld ensemble. I always love when details are woven into an outfit in different ways, for example Carine in Alaïa in Venice. But here Julia the artist styles herself in totally opposite Alexander Wang dresses. Genius! The classic black and white only painted in black and nude. Which do you think best accentuates Julia's positives?

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld in Alexander Wang photograph sources: lefashionimage.blogspot.com and rdujour.com

Update on mercredi 29 juillet 2009 by kellina

Also note that Julia is carrying the 18k Pillow Clutch by her friend Genevieve Jones. This clutch comes in two other color variations as well.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

How cute is this—when Julia Restoin-Roitfeld visits Paris, she raids her mom's closet. I love how she takes this distinctive piece and adapts it to her style. Carine chooses to wear it with a black skirt, nude legs, and black shoes—flat at that—upping the chic factor. Julia gives the garment an edgy vibe by pairing it with leather shorts, opaque black tights, and boots. Also note that she is fresh faced from a visit to her favorite Parisian destination for facials, Carita.

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld photograph courtesy of StyleandtheCity.com
Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of StreetPeeper.com

Carine Roitfeld Influences Industry...To Go Flat?

Note this on your calendars: on May 22, Carine Roitfeld was spotted wearing flats at the Amend Charity Luncheon at the Hôtel du Cap. I guess she didn't have an hour to lace up her Alaïas that morning. This in turn has caused Andre Leon Talley to speculate via his Vogue Daily blog that the entire bondage shoe fetish is dead. Hmmm, I believe I will gather more evidence before drawing that conclusion. Because you see, I thought the message was, "Go Hat".

Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of fashionologie.com

Check Out June/July Vogue Paris

Darlings, I just learned that via Journaux.fr you can flip through this month's issue of Vogue Paris online cover to cover! I don't think you can zoom in, but at least you get a quick idea of the editorials. And I mean quick—it feels and sounds like flipping through pages instantaneously. Très haute technologie, n'est-ce pas ?

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

The Roitfelds Rock the Nudes

Even though one of the pair pictured is in Venice and the other is in New York, their fashion vibe still holds strong. Julia Restoin-Roitfeld looks stunning at the Women of Fashion event hosted by Style.com last night in Manhattan. If anyone can identify the necklace that would delight any hummingbird, please let me know via the comments.

Carine, it is such a relief to see you in shoes other than the Alaïa laceups! Though they are among my favorites as well, I was a bit worried—with Cannes and Venice Biennale being two huge events, all she is wearing is the one pair of shoes?! And remember what I said previously about her extending a visual theme throughout her outfit? Look how the blouse has a crossover effect that is mirrored perfectly in the straps of the shoes.

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld in Alexander Wang photograph courtesy of daylife.com
Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of Spletnik