Style Crush

It's All in the Details: Alexa Chung

This English beauty's effortless style has made her a fashion icon not just in the UK, but worldwide. But what makes her style so special?

Alexa doesn't wear a whole lot of high fashion. In fact most of what she wears is (more expensive versions of) stuff you might expect to find if you raided a NYC college student's closet; sensible basics, solid neutrals, a few big statement pieces, and loads of accessories. So it's not immediately evident what's so captivating about her style. But once you take a closer look, you'll see that Ms Chung is the master of effortless chic and attention to detail.

Although she is definitely not afraid of it, Alexa does not wear much color. She tends to choose solids over prints and neutrals over colors. However, this doesn't mean she's boring and un-experimental. The uniqueness of her garments tends to lie within their structure.

(stacked tiers)

(lace detail)

(heart-shaped cutout)

She also seems to know exactly what an outfit needs when it needs something:

(colorful shoes)

(necklaces, glasses, belt)

and when it needs nothing at all:

Through her careful combination of details and basics, Alexa Chung effectively manages to look like she rolled out of bed and put on the first thing she could find, and still put the girls who spent three hours getting ready to shame. Bells and whistles aren't the only things that can turn heads.

Style Crush

Rihanna

This week I'm crushing on the style of the notorious Rihanna. Considered a fashion genius by some, Rihanna's style is characterized by constant evolution and envelope-pushing. Just when you think you've got her figured out, she goes and shaves half her head. She never does anything small. For this Barbados-born diva, it's all about breaking the fashion rules in a big way.

Defying the traditional fashion rule of not mixing prints, Rihanna is rocking her oversized tribal cropped tee and black and white abstract patterned pants. It's important, however, to note that both pieces are black and white. She balances the boldness of the prints with an absence of color.

Here we have another excellent example of Rihanna's balanced rule-breaking. Even some of the most daring ladies out there would look at that pearl necklace and think it would just be too much pearl for any outfit. But not Princess Ri Ri. She knocks them dead, draping the necklace over her solid black jumpsuit's plunging neckline. This balanced rule-breaking that Rihanna routinely practices is what defines her style and keeps her from being boring, while at the same time preventing her from looking like a mess.

A lot of people think Rihanna's style is hard to copy, since she outfits herself almost entirely in designer. And it's true that if you want to wear the same things she does, you'd better have a deep, deep pocket. But the beauty of high fashion is that designers often draw influence from the past, which is where it comes in handy to be a vintage-lover. Usually, if you see something you love on the runway, you can find something similar to it in a vintage clothing store. Below are pictures of Rihanna in some vintage/vintage-inspired getups.

High-waisted ruffle shorts and top are both either vintage or vintage-inspired. Her cat-eye sunnies are also either vintage or vintage-inspired.

Again, both shorts and top are either vintage or vintage-inspired.

Here, Rihanna channels 80s fashion daredevil Madonna in her tulle skirt and corset.

Key Points:

-Balanced rule-breaking

-Fearless experimentation

-Look for vintage inspiration

in designer lines

Get inspired by more Rihanna pictures, then get shopping!