Funktional Fall 2011 Lookbook

Since first catching LA based designer Jennifer Park’s Funktional line in 2009, Lani and I quickly became fans of the modern luxurious feeling line with the very accessible price points.

For Fall 2011 the collection had a 70s glam meets 90s cleaned up grunge look. The flowing long skirts, draped silk blouses alongside the color palette's of burnt oranges and turquoise are definitely 70s.   While the cozy heather knits, layered looks and strong shoulder makes me think early 90s.

I’m personally a fan of pretty much every look on page 3, even the power-shoulder working woman look!I had the opportunity to see many of these pieces in person and feel the high quality fabrics and check out the construction firsthand.  Here are some detail shots of some of my favorite pieces.

As I’m sure you’ve realized by now I’m such a  fan of silky tops and pants and the Funktional collection had a great variety of them.  From roll sleeve casual blouses to silk tees and geometric cutout/lace blouses into wrap blouses.  I personally was a huge fan of the wrap blouses in both the plaid and the silk versions.  It has such a unique shape and casual easy feel to it.

In the bottoms, I was drawn to the geometric knit maxi skirt and the beetle printed pants.  They were so visually stimulating without being overwhelming.  Also, had to admire another great pair of silky pants.

The dresses had so many great unique details like inset lace or back cutout panel that I would never have noticed from just looking at the lookbook.

I really loved the cozier pieces for Fall, especially the draped jackets and fur coat. The fur was amazingly soft and had a really unique coloration.  I also was drawn to items like the little cardigan with elbow patches and the jacket on the bottom right that felt like wrapping your favorite blanket around yourself.

In NYC, Funktional is available at OAK, Pixie Market, Court, Mini Mini Market, Babel Fair and more. For a full list of stores nationwide, check out FunktionalCollection.com to find a store near you.

Even though Summer in NYC has only begun, my mind is already looking forward to wearing Fall pieces thanks to this collection.  Do you have a favorite look or piece?

Now Wearing...

Last weekend, a couple of my friends put on a 90s party at a bar in Williamsburg just off Bedford Avenue. The funny thing about that is a 90s party in Williamsburg is really no different from a regular party in Williamsburg.
Both my shirt and jacket are legitimately 90s. I got both of them secondhand from friends cleaning out their closets - haha.
Jacket - 90s Liz Claiborne
Top - 90s XOXO
Bag - Madewell
Jeans - Uniqlo
Shoes - Michael Kors sample

Giveaway: Company 81 Plaid Button Down

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Enter by ends midnight, July 1st and the winner will be announced Friday, July 3rd.

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Are the 90's Back?

This past summer, I found myself thinking, "Are the 90's coming back?" If fashion repeats itself and the 80's are dying out, then I guess it would only make sense for the 90's to make their return.

Pictured: Alexander Wang, Luella, Zucca, Burberry, 

Teen Vogue, Urban Outfitters, Shop Bop

I think the 90's are back, specially grunge. I've been seeing a lot of trends from the days of MTV's My So Called Life and Daria, when Nirvana and Pearl Jam were breaking through. Like a number of flashback trends, 90's grunge was awesomely bad - the awesome part being the effortlessness.

Here are the elements of the 90's resurgence:

- Beanies were all over Fall 2008 runways, including Alexander Wang and Luella, and the gray Burberry beanie has become an editor favorite.
- Plaid flannel has been a hipster favorite for seasons (or in some cases, years), and it seems to making it's return with the masses.
- Chunky shoes like Doc Martens are making a comeback, but more prominent will be thick heels and wedges and shoes that are ugly-cute (girl lingo alert).
- Distressed denim can be so wrong, but with the right styling, acid wash and shredded jeans can be so right.
- Leather jackets, mini skirts, and even pants have been spotted on celebrities for the past two seasons and are officially in this season.

So a big question isn't whether or not the 90's are back, but rather how to wear these elements without looking dated.

- Proportions and silhouettes are key. If you're going to wear a loose shirt, balance with a pair of skinny pants. If you're going to wear a cropped top, layer it over a snug, long tank or under a loose, long cardigan.
- Styling 90's grunge to look current means balancing grunge elements with polished or feminine pieces like necklaces, lace, and shiny heels. This will help with not only looking up-to-date, but make your look grunge-inspired rather than just grungy.

Rock that flannel! And I'll leave you with my favorite 90's cartoon.