Life in Mono

Nope, this isn’t a post about the song by “Mono.”

But to make things clear, I like that song.

The “mono” on this post is about the innate chicness of monochrome outfits.

Observe:

This Khaki ensemble has a sense of utilitarian chic to it. Aside from the color, the cargo pants add to that vibe. The top is from Shopee while the pants are from Bench.

And for something more chic and Audrey Hepburn-esque, time to do a monochromatic outfit in black.

The top is the same design as the khaki one, and it's from the same shop on Shopee. For the pants, this one is from the Elizabeth & James x Kohl's collaboration. You can never go wrong with Mary Kate and Ashley!

Who would've thought that you can get so much fashion from just one colour.

  

Color Story: Blanc Space

As a fashion color, “white” has to contend with a lot of limitations.

White is bridal.

White is for gala day.

White is for first communion.

White is for Labor Day.

That’s just some on the things that “white” has to contend with.

Personally, though, I like how clean and classic white is. Whether it’s an oversized shirt, a shirt dress, a blouse or button down, it gives any look a clean and carefree vibe.

Same goes with White denim. It might not be the usual or traditional choice, but it’s very classy and classic. 

Like this pair from Elizabeth and James. Yup, it’s still part of the Kohl’s stash that Biboy sent. (Thanks, Bibs!)

To make the whole look very easy on the eye, Impaired it with this off white loose tee from Penshoppe.

Together, the look is so easy, breezy, fresh and clean.

Ah the wonders of White!

Elizabeth and James Rocks

So, it;s been more than a month but I still haven’t gone around to write about the Elizabeth and James haul that I got from the US.

Since this collaboration with Kohl’s was announced, i’ve been constantly lurking and hoping to get pieces from the collection. Was hoping to go to the US to get pieces on my own. But since travel has been restricted the past year, that was delayed.

Thankfully, Ate Lissa And Biboy we’re able to get me some pieces from the collection. Then, Biboy sent it to us last February, and now it’s here! Well, it’s been here for months now.

Here’s the first installment of that haul.

It’s an ensemble that rocks. Literally.

The top is a loose David Bowie shirt. (A Pop-rock icon!)

The bottom is a pair of faux-leather paper bag shorts. (faux-leather rocks, too.)

Now, if this doesn’t rock, I don’t know what does.

Home, (Elizabeth and) James, Home

While Kohl's is continents away, siblings have a way of bridging that gap.

Thanks to the efforts of Ate Lissa in UT and Biboy in GA, the brand that I've been eyeing for a while now has actually reached our shores, and our home!

Yup! My Elizabeth and James haul has finally arrived!

And I'm so excited about it!

Wu-Hoo! part 3

Aside from the Simply Vera dress from Kohl's, another piece of clothing that the folks back from the U.S. was another gem of a dress, also from Kohl's.

Presenting, a dress from Jason Wu's capsule collection for Kohl's!

There's so much going for this dress. First, it's made of neoprene which is very flattering to many body types. Second, the color is striking and cool to the eye. Third, the cut and style is classic and chic. And fourth, it has this cool rosette detail.

This would be an awesome piece to wear for a day wedding, or a cocktail event. And given how striking it is, it wouldn't be a surprise if someone asks "Wu are you wearing?"

I like it Vera much...

One of the shops I enjoy visiting in the U.S. is Kohl’s. There used to be one near Biboy’s house in Alpharetta, but that closed down, and that’s a bummer. When we were in the US last 2018, we were only able to go to 1 Kohl’s store in GA.

When Ate Lissa told me there was a Kohl;s near their house, I immediately checked out their website to see if there’s anything interesting that I can ask her to buy and for the parents to bring home to MNL.

Luckily, there was. And with the arrival of the parents, this beauty from the Simply Vera Vera Wang collection also landed in Manila.

It’s a checkered jumpsuit with a ribbon detail in front. Jumpsuits are very in these days, and so is plaid. So this piece of clothing combines these 2 trends in 1.

Another detail I like is the mustard stripe that goes from the top to the bottom. Details like this is what adds fashion to otherwise everyday wear.

I’m sure Ate will Ike this Vera very much.

Kohl the Olsens

Here's another high-low match-up that's made in fashion heaven:

Elizabeth and James is the diffusion line of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. It was named after their siblings, which is cute. Of course, Elizabeth Olsen is better known as the Hollywood actress who played Scarlet Witch in the "Avengers" franchise.

Seems to me that Kohl's is really upping their fashion cred. First, there's Vera Wang who still has a line with them, and now this.

I can hear Kohl's calling me.

Wu-Hoo! part 2

Jason Wu is back for another collaboration, this time with Kohl's!

I was able to get a few pieces from his Target collaboration a few years back. And I'll be watching out for pieces from this collaboration, too.

The value of Reed-ing

Not only is the Reed Krakoff x Kohl's collaboration on-line, some of the dresses are already on sale!

Times like these, I really wish I lived in the US. It'll make snagging these collabs so much easier!

Krakoff dawn

Kohl's has a track record of collaborating with non-mainstream designers for their Design Nation series. From Thakoon to Milly to Narciso Rodriguez, they usually partner with names that are known for a strong aesthetic, and a non-commercial approach to fashion.

Now, they've added another name to that list.

Reed Krakoff!

I just found out about it today, but it was announced way back in November. That's how low key it is.

They've recently released their look book, and I like what I'm seeing.

Can't wait until mid-April when this collection drops!

Thakoon's journey

Last Saturday, we were watching portions of "The September Issue" in my AVP class. At one point, they featured an interview with Thakoon, and I immediately wondered: "Where's Thakoon?"

He was one of the young designers to watch a few years ago, especially after he created looks for the FLOTUS. While he was on that streak, he designed a capsule collection for Target.

After that, I didn't hear as much about him as before. So, I decided to search on google and check what he's been up to. That's when I found out that he's the Kohl's designer for their Designation collaboration series.

Like his predecessors, he was asked to choose a city to be inspired by, and his choice was London. So, it's not a surprise to see a lot of plaids and florals in his new collection. And since it's a F/W collection, the colors are more muted and dark.

Historically, Kohl's collaborations don't get as much mileage or hype compared to Target or Macy's. So, let's see if this collaboration will be more successful than the ones that came before it.

Milly's a beach!

The Milly x Kohl's collection is finally on-line, and I was interested to see how it differed from the Milly x Banana Republic collection from a few years back. And as it turns out, there's a big difference.

Her Kohl's collection is inspired by the island of Capri, so the clothes she created are very laid back and beach-ready. This is unlike her Banana Republic collection which was Milly in terms of fabric but Banana Republic in silhouette.

Being a tropical country, it's easy to see her Kohl's collection worn by people here in the Philippines. Which makes me wish you could actually buy on-line and send it here in Manila. Unfortunately, though, they don't ship here.

Then again, if there's a will, there's a way.

Tile Style

There are a lot of nice prints in the Milly x Kohl's collection. But this one has to be my favorite.

It's this tile print in different shades of blue, and it does remind me of Capri.

Another item to look out for!

Milly's money piece

After anxiously waiting for several months, they've finally released the look book for the Milly x Kohl's collaboration!

Her collection was inspired by Capri, and it was easy to spot the influence in the silhouettes and the prints. And among the many, many offerings, this - for me - is the money piece.

This pair is easy to dress up or dress down, and will work for any season. It also has a black version, but I think this one looks fresher.

Now, on to the Kohl's website and try to snag this one!

First out the gate

This year was huge for designer collaborations.

From Target's team-up with Peter Pilotto and Joseph Altuzarra, to Alexander Wang's collection with H&M, to Kate Moss' return to Topshop, to Elie Tahari's turn at Kohl's - each one was much ballyhooed, and for good reason.

All these high end designer and mass brand team-ups are now leaving fashionistas wondering: "who's next?"

Well, Kohl's already gave us one answer.

It's Milly x Kohl's!

The first time I found out Milly was when I was still living in HKG. Automatically, I found her designs to be ultra-feminine and a lot of fun. And judging by her initial snaps of her collection, there's pretty much of that going around.

One brand down, I wonder who's next?

Tahari was targetted

Because of the massive hype created by the Altuzarra for Target collaboration, people overlooked the fact that Kohl's was collaborating with a top designer at the same time. 

That included me. I only found out yesterday that Elie Tahari was this fall's Design Nation collaborator. 

He chose NYC as this design destination, and he came up with a very urban collection featuring sporty outfits that have New York motifs translated in prints and silhouettes.

This sweater and jogger pants combination is very now.

And this dress with a skyline print is subtle and chic.

Poring through the internet, there were very few mentions or articles written about this collaboration. Which I feel bad about since Elie Tahari is an awesome designer. It was just a bit of bad timing as he was in the firing line of Target.

Som-thing to talk about

Kohl's is really good at keeping their designer collaborations under the radar. Whether that's good or bad, though, is a question that has yet to be answered.

Last year, I wrote about almost missing the Catherine Malandrino for Kohl's collection. And as I was browsing the net this weekend, I found out that they're launching another designer collection by the first week of April.

This time, it's Peter Som!

His collection was inspired by St. Barth's, so there's a lot of resort influence in his creations. The lookbook was visually stunning, and among the lot, two pieces really stood out.

First is this maxi-dress with a map-meets-postage stamp print. The color is very easy on the eye, and the sheer detail is an on-trend touch.

Since you can never go wrong with a shirt dress, this piece is also a must-add to any wardrobe.

The silhouette is classic, but the tie-dyed-meets-batik print makes it look fresh.

Historically, the lines at Kohl's isn't as insane as that of Target's and H&M's, So I hope my friend won't find it hard when I ask her to get these 2 items for me.

Fashion Accent 2

I've always been a fan of Catherine Malandrino's design work. And after viewing this video, I've become a much bigger fan because of another thing:



Her accent!

Listening to her speak is such a joy to the ears. She really sounds so cool!

Cath me if you can

Here's a collaboration that was under the radar. Until I found out about it today!

After Narciso Rodriguez and Derek Lam, it's Catherine Malandrino's turn to come up with a capsule collection for Kohl's.

If Narciso brought us to Istanbul and Derek transported us to Rio, Catherine's collection is inspired by the city of lights and love, Paris! And looking at the first pieces off the gate, it's easy to see where the inspiration went.

The Tour Eiffel, black and white, wrought iron influences - that's as Paris as you can get. They're indeed very classic and wearable, which is sure to be a hit among fast fashion collaboration fans.

I wonder if I'll be able to catch a few pieces of these.

So Narciso!

And the collaborations just keep on coming!

A few weeks before the Maison Martin Margiela collection drops, Kohl's is coming up with their own - and first - designer collaboration. And it's no other than the maestro of minimalism - Narciso Rodriguez!

Yes, he of the "Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy wedding gown" fame is bringing his signature tailoring and making them budget friendly. After looking at the look book, there are 3 items that I'm instantly liking:

First, a color blocked shift dress. It has the perfect length and the black panels are slimming.

Second, a printed shift dress.

Third, a color blocked skirt and blouse combo. The play of colors is just superb!

I know my sisters already have some pieces from Narciso Rodriguez's main line in their closets. But I'm sure they'll be so happy to have these diffusion pieces in their wardrobes as well.