The weather in NYC finally turned warm on Sunday just as I returned from a chilly weekend in Vermont.  That was my second trip to Vermont this winter, as the first was to work with an extremely creative and talented couple to rebuild their wardrobes as they moved into new chapters in their life and work.  Boston proved to be a last minute, but great trip.  I caught up a client who moved from San Francisco and we had such success at the Nordstrom Rack that they said it was their largest item purchase to date, even garnering a tweet from management.  So, though cold in New England, it’s filled with good cheer and warm hearts.

Back in San Francisco in February, I was delighted to see a number of familiar faces where I shopped for seasonal wardrobe updates and created looks ranging from wine-country casual, SF “office”, weddings, gallery openings, bridal showers, vacation trips, 50th birthday parties, and red carpet looks.  I created 186 looks on my last visit and I enjoyed every second of it.  I love when you send me your photos with the looks in live-action.  Keep them coming!

Back in New York, I ran into a few designers I know from SF at the CAPSULE tradeshow that day.  It is wonderful to see the San Francisco talent growing.

This Season’s Spice
head-to-toe white
navy instead of black
yellow
gingham
culottes and cropped pants
kimono inspired details
the shirtdress
the 70s: wide legs! suede! fringe!

Look for these Spring trends to see which resonate with your personal style.  Continue the work we have begun and make sure it is you, as your best wardrobe is the current representation of your personality, preferences, and lifestyle.  After sending my winter coats to be cleaned today, all I know is that I can’t wait to wear a new navy linen one-piece with wide, cropped legs. Trendy, maybe.  But me, definitely.

The post Spring Arrives with Sanity and Trends in Tow appeared first on Q the Stylist.

Left: Bolero of garnet velvet and black jet embroidery, winter 1947. Collection of The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Photograph by Craig McDean. Center: Detail of evening bolero jacket of burgundy silk velvet and jet and passementerie embroidery by Bataille, winter 1946. Collection of Hamish Bowles. Photo by Kenny Komer. Right: Scarlet silk ottoman evening coat with capelet collar, autumn/winter 1954–1955. Collection of The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photograph by Craig McDean

How can  you leave the streets of San Francisco and quickly enter into a piece of Heaven?

My answer, a visit to Balenciaga and Spain at the De Young.  In all honesty, there are no words to explain how visually exquisite this exhibition was.

My eyes couldn’t take in all the beauty.  The integrated textiles, details, and fusion of intense design in which all these garments were created shows what an incredible genius Cristóbal Balenciaga was and still lives on in our everyday design esthetics.

Cristóbal was quite the jet-setter for those days and those long trips abroad offered him access to textiles and trades from India, Germany, and China by way of the Philippines.  The inspiration lead to experimentation that brought together rich color, conscientious hand, and visual details to his creations.

There were many moments that I stood in complete awe of Balenciaga’s world and mind.

It’s incredible to imagine what more he could have done now that we have unlimited access to trades and textiles from around the world?

The post Cristóbal Balenciaga stole my heart in San Francisco appeared first on Q the Stylist.