Farwell my Fashionable Friend

So today is a bitter sweet day.

Bitter because today is my last official day of work with my fellow stylist and blogger Taryn. I've had the privledge and pleasure of working with this blogging beauty for close to two years now, and have enjoyed every moment of it. I can't tell you how sad I'll be not to see her mug every Monday-Friday.

Sweet because  in honor of her leaving, she actually wrote the sweetest post ever on her blog today. While I spend every week talking about the different designers in my wardrobe, you may not know that I actually design a little myself. Head on over to Life of a Paperdoll to check out my latest designs.

Bon Voyage Taryn! You will be missed!

xoxo Coleen

A Full House.. I Mean Wardrobe of Elizabeth & James

After calling out a few of the styling high points of Taryn's "Covetable Closet" I wanted to touch on designer staple in her closet. Taryn has a pretty awesome assortment of Elizabeth & James in her wardrobe. Here's just a small sampling of a few of her favorite pieces.

It's fitting that Taryn would have quite the assortment to chose from, from the Elizabeth & James collection.  Aside from the fact that she has had a not so secret crush on Mary-Kate Olsen  probably dating back to Full-House itself, the duo's aesthetic and brand goals are definitely right up Taryn's alley. 

Starting in 2007, the former identical twin child stars launched the Elizabeth & James fashion label. One of ultimately FOUR lines that would constitute the Dualstar empire (along with owning distribution of their films and licensing their name until they turned 18).  Dualstar Entertainment Group is the company helmed by Mary-Kate  and Ashley Olslen, and managed by a team that has been with the girls since they were both known as Michelle Tanner. It consists of their lines The Row (their Couture line named after the line's Saville Row influences) Elizabeth & James (named after their sister and brother) Olsenboye (their line for JC Penny.) and mary-kateandashley... which provided cosmetics and such for a much younger crowd. The four lines are listed in order of  price points and also have decidedly different target demographics... listed in order of age group. 

The Elizabeth & James division is the contemporary label of the group. It's a line that is trend driven with signature dichotomies.  They mix high-fashion with casual wear and most noticeably the feminine with the masculine. They have sexy, delicate pieces that are balanced out by sharp lines and heavy elements that toughen them up... their signature blazers and suiting are a great example of that. The pieces found in Taryn's wardrobe are also a great example of that, from head to toe (and it's no surprise that a line with men's wear allure would wind up heavily mixed in to Taryn's rotation). That being said, I can actually chime in on each piece in that order... from  head to toe.

The top is made of transparent chiffon that flows over the body yet is decorated with a bold geometric tribal pattern. The shades of rust, navy and hunter also provide a very masculine palette.

The leather band at the top of the Maxi skirt toughens up the long flowy length.

The height of the shoe, and the softly ruched suede of the Honey Wedge offer a feminine touch that is balanced out by the chunkiness of the wedge and the heavy fabric. Those shoes hold a very special place in Taryn's heart. We joke that they are the only pair she ever wears... but when they go with everything, and are surprisingly comfortable it hard not to wear them all the time. She even dedicated an entire post on The Life of a Paperdoll to the Honey Ruched Leather Wedge.

From top to bottom, Taryn's Elizabeth & James pieces happen to be right on trend with the current season, but will effortlessly withstand the test of time (and the critism that has fallen upon so many other "celebrity" fashion lines).

Covetable Closets: Taryn Antoniou

I've established a fairly decent wardrobe for myself over the years. It has become sort of a timeline in fabric. I can see how my tastes have changed and matured and which trends I bought into whole-heartedly... and those I probably should have avoided. Because of this I look at my wardrobe as somewhat of an accomplishment. Like a coin collector may glance at his collection and smile, that same sense of delight dashes across my face when I open my closet door (or look over at an entire wall as the case is now). Contrary to what my Mother may say, it is no where near complete, but I'm pretty happy with what I've built so far.

This however, does not stop me from being envious of a few other wardrobes.  So, I think it only proper that we begin to introduce them into the Well-Versed Wardrobe conversation. The way these wardrobes are stocked, I'd have content for days, so for now we'll take baby steps.

I'd like to start my first segment of Covetable Closets by featuring someone who has been mentioned on the Well Versed Wardrobe many times before- (and as you'll see for good reason) Taryn Antoniou. Taryn is a fellow stylist, blogger (The Life of a Paperdoll), and visual artist. I'm privileged enough for her unique sense of style to cross my path 5 days a week, and after over a year and a half of becoming acquainted with her wardrobe in that fashion, I can whole heartedly say its enviable.  I don't think there has ever been a week that has gone by that I haven't secretly wished (not so secretly now) that I could steal something she had on.

The one thing I love most about Taryn's sense of style, is how well she does the whole "High-Low" dressing thing.  She's one of the few people I know who knows just what to pair that Forever 21 shirt with to make it look super chic (even expensive), or how to make those Chanel sunglasses look effortlessly everyday. She's not afraid to make bold color choices, or mix patterns which is another great call out, and with Taryn, every accessory has a home. You may not notice it at first, but she has a ton of them! Whether it be a gorgeous Chanel cocktail ring, or amazingly layered tribal necklaces she knows how to pull together those perfect finishing touches. Though many, they are never overwhelming... not an easy feat!

The other enviable thing about Taryn, she happens to be a great men's stylist. (Something I'm ashamed to admit, scares me to no end). If you haven't checked out the FAMQ (frequently asked man questions) section of her blog yet, you need to! It will help set that man in your life, be it boyfriend, friend, brother or even father, on the right fashion track.

Photo from The Life of a Paperdoll:

Styling by Taryn Antoniou

Scrolling through The Life of a Paperdoll it's easy to see why she's so inspiring.  She not only has a Covetable Closet but, whether it's her own, men's, or even environments she's created, a completely covetable sense of overall style.