Art Class

I recently renewed my membership at The Phillips Collection art museum, and am positively dying to get over there to check out their more recent exhibitions.  Once upon a time, I worked as an intern in their development office and would frequently have the opportunity to stroll through the museum’s manageable proportions (they pride themselves on featuring art in an intimate setting — the museum used to be Mr. Duncan Phillips’ personal home).  The level of access that I once had seems like pure luxury nowadays.  At any rate, as I pored over their website (they post audio tours!), I found myself day-dreaming about abstract-print dresses and brush-stroke-patterned blouses.  As per usual, I cannot keep my thoughts fenced in: they inevitably roam back to the subject of fashion.  On what can only be labeled as a fashion high, I recalled the Elizabeth & James painted silk blouse that caught my eye a few weeks back ($295, Net-A-Porter):

I’d wear it either tucked into a high-waisted black skirt for work with some killer heels or atop a pair of skinny jeans with some flats ($130, Jildor) and an oversized tote (on sale for $311, Kate Spade):

On the wrist: two of these Kate Spade “Hand in Hand” bangles ($48 apiece, Kate Spade):

And then some classic gold twist enorma-studs ($25, Banana Republic):

I’m also obsessed with the idea of pairing a cute little blouse (either one of the washed silk ones I talked about yesterday — Equipment’s revival of its utility blouse has been epic thus far this season, for example — even Garance Dore mentioned it on her blog — $178, Revolve Clothing) with this “expressionist” print skirt ($37, Ruche):

All you’ll need are some epic heels (Casadei, on sale for $330, Farfetch) in a rich blue color and you’re set:

This splash-printed dress (also $37, also from Ruche) would be equally precious, especially when you’re looking to debut your new-for-fall flat boots ($159, Bloomingdale’s) and a rich-looking leather tote ($295, Brahmin):

While on the subject of dresses, this Juicy Couture printed number ($250, Net-A-Porter) caught my eye — it reminds me of one of Picasso’s fab canvases:

Cynthia Vincent’s Langley boot would be the perfect accompaniment ($395, Shop the Shoebox):

As would that Kate Spade “Camille” handbag I’ve been coveting this season ($495, Kate Spade):

For dressier affairs, I was head.over.heels for Lela Rose’s artful Fall 2010 collection (feminine yet futuristic — and a throwback to early 90s minimalism, which seems to be the next thing on the horizon after the recapture-the-excess-of-the-80s stylings we saw over the last few seasons) —

Lela Rose’s Fall 2010 Collection

I already want these Anna Wintour-esque sheath dresses from the collection (the first — $1,060, Net-A-Porter; the second — $1,895, Net-A-Porter):

Somebody was drawing inspiration from Jackson Pollock’s intense canvases…

Love.   I wish someone would make a dress out of the lower canvas — that fiery orange has my name written all over it, and against the staid camel/greige background?!  I mean.  On point for this season.

Other separates options?  How to die is this Parker blouse ($180, Nordstrom)?  I’m slowly converting to being a purple fan — I used to think it always looked tacky, but I like the richness nowadays:

I like the way it’s styled here, with skinny jeans — and I’d probably add on some black suede booties or maybe these sick House of Harlow OTK (over the knee) finds ($286, Boutique To You)?

We’ll continue with the Nicole Richie-ness by adding this House of Harlow necklace, which I snagged last season when it was improperly priced at Cusp (they marked it as $53, but everywhere else I’ve seen it, it’s been $75 or higher! — $75, ShopSheBoutique):

The geometric / slightly art-deco style of the necklace adds an interesting artful touch to the overall aesthetic.  I like.  The above boot-and-necklace couple would also look killer paired with some black tights and this Catherine Malandrino abstract print number ($450, Net-A-Porter):

I can also envision pairing them with some black tights and these killer suede booties by Boutique 9 (love the low cut of the front — $160, PiperLime):

(I took the plunge and ordered these Tory Burch variations on the suede bootie for this fall season — am eagerly waiting to debut them once the temp plummets.)

Just to be fair, I’ll include a warm weather option, as…it is still hitting 93 degrees here in the District, and despite my intense desire to invest in suede, capes, and dark wash skinny jeans, I’ve got to be realistic.  I am seriously loving this Rory Beca brushstroke print tank (on sale for $86, Rory Beca) — there I go again with the purple!

Adorable with white shorts or white jeans (Current/Elliott, $190, ChickDownTown — but check it out!  They’re offering 40% off anything!) and a fistful of bangles ($68 for set, PiperLime) paired with a chunky gold watch (FreeLook, $300, Shopbop):

Then all I want is a pair of simple, flat gold studs, like these go-with-everything Jennifer Meyers ($150, Shopbop):

For shoes, I’m pretty much dying over mocs at the moment, but for the warmer weather, these metallic Burberry t-straps are right on the money (on sale for $243, Zappos):

And, for the bag — you gotta go a little into left field to avoid looking too matchy-matchy.  I like this roomy Rebecca Minkoff tote in endlessly wearable gray — and this particular shade has hints of lilac in it that make it a natural mate for the purple in the Rory Beca tank ($495, Rebecca Minkoff):

A perfect art gallery-going get-up.  You could also swap in this much-less-expensive splatter-top blouse (only $19, Forever21) to get the look for less:

For a truly graphic look, pair with the white jeans above and those slouchy black suede booties I mentioned.  Now get out there and see some art — even if it’s fashion-centric!  I’m in love with design sketches like the one below, and my sister (the student at Parson’s in NY) is an incredibly talented sketch artist, so I’ll have to post some of her works in the next few weeks!