Month: September 2019

Tag Heuer is continuing trek through its storied, high-octane history with the release of the the Monaco 1999-2009 Limited Edition. 

The auto racing-inspired, squared-faced stunner is the fourth in a line of exclusive tributes to the luxury Swiss watchmaker’s first Monaco model, which was originally released in 1969 in honor of the Monaco Grand Prix. Each reflects the style of a specific decade. 

This 2000s-inspired timepiece gets a white opaline seconds sub-dial and a chronograph minutes counter along with striking red and orange accents on the hour and minute hands. All of these components stand out against a pitch-black or blue background.  

The stainless steel caseback is finished with circular brushed patterns and engraved with “Monaco Heuer,” “1999-2009 Special Edition” and “One of 169,” the latter being the reference to the extremely limited number that will be produced.

Inside the case is Tag Heuer’s Calibre 11 movement, a modern version of the automatic winding movement that debuted in OG Monaco. The strap is made of perforated black calfskin with black lining and white stitching. The watch is presented on a grey cushion surrounded by an orange interior in a dark blue box decorated with a horizontal check-pattern stripe. 

Unfortunately, the Monaco 1999-2009 Limited Edition is already out of stock, despite its $6,550 price tag. Click here to sign up for a notification so you won’t be left hanging when the fifth and final Monaco Through Time model is available. 

Not too long ago, Urban Outfitters came out with its collaboration with iconic ’80s brand Laura Ashley. I’ll be completely honest, it wasn’t until I showed the pieces to my mom and aunt that I realized just how iconic the brand was—especially to my mom and her stylish group of friends. Immediately my mom showed me the photo above of her and one of her best friends wearing Laura Ashley dresses to a wedding in 1984. How did I respond? By looking up Laura Ashley dresses on Etsy and ordering one for myself, of course. 

The F/W 18 runways proved the ’80s are back, and if the return of the decade is anything like the ’90s have been this past year, the resurgence of trends from this time are only just starting to gain steam. While the runways are definitely a place I get forward-thinking inspiration from, I decided when it came to the ’80s fashion trend, I was going to go back to the queen of fashion during her time—my mother. She and my aunt were called “the Vogue sisters” back in high school, so I guess I have to give them a little credit. 

I asked my mom to list off all the trends from the ’80s that she thought I might still be into today. Some of the styles that made her list quickly got cut from mine including sweatbands, colored plastic beads, and a few others I’d rather not mention. But as for the rest of her selects, I’d say they are pretty spot-on. Ahead, shop nine of the ’80s fashion trends my mom wore back in the day—the ones that are still somehow cool in 2019. 

“Shoulder pads and boxy shoulders, in general, were the staple of the ’80s, and I was totally okay with that. The structure they gave a shirt or blazer was the look you had to have. I think they are weirdly flattering, as they make your shoulders wider than your hips, which is never a bad thing. If you threw on a blazer with shoulder pads over a dress or any bottom, you knew you were good to go.”

“Jumpsuits were my favorites in the ’80s. They made getting dressed so easy, and I always felt so fashionable wearing them. I loved how tall they made me look too. The ones with big shoulder pads were even more flattering.”

“As I started working in the ’80s, wearing suits and pumps was a given. To make the stiff look more fashion-forward, one trend was to match from head to toe, including your shoe color. I must have had low-heel pumps in every color. Neutrals were not a thing. And of course, the pumps matched the hose, which matched the suit and so on.”

“Another trend I really loved. These dresses of the ’80s were what we wore when we dressed up for any special event. They were feminine, pretty, and flattering. They made your waist look small too.”

“The colored and patterned hose really made an outfit looked finished. If you took the time to perfectly match the color of your hose to your outfit or wear hose with tiny polka dots to match the print in your dress, you were happening.”

“So scrunchies were the other accessory of the ’80s that you could match to your outfit. I had them in every color, because you had to. We needed them to put our big permed hair into a thick ponytail. We  would wear them on our wrists too for the impromptu hairstyle change, and we could do that because they, of course, matched our outfit.”

“We all wore pleated, high-waisted, acid-washed jeans in the ’80s. This trend still baffles me. It was not flattering, but I guess it proves we were loyal to the trends. The big pockets were a perk though.”

“The key to a stylish denim jacket in the ’80s was the wash and the shape. If it wasn’t acid or light wash, with big dolman sleeve and covered your butt, it was not going to impress anyone.”

“Every item in the ’80s was designed to make a big statement. Therefore, I wore ginormous glasses as well. Everything, including accessories, had to be big or would be drowned by the size of our big permed hair.”

Next up, shop 19 things currently in our shopping carts thanks to our market editor’s killer taste. 

What’s that? Another article about French-girl style, you ask? Oui! We’ve returned with even more coverage on one of our more preferred fashion topics: la Parisienne. When you think of the blueprint that composes a French woman’s style, a few closet staples likely come to mind: Breton-stripe tees, tailored trousers, effortless scarves, and, of course, ballet flats. However, when it comes to the subject of the latter, we have some slightly enlightening news to share. We tapped a couple of your favorite French influencers to get their take on iconic ballet flats and their permanence in the Parisian style community. Scroll down to find out what they have to say, and what shoe styles they’re currently wearing.

“‘French girls [don’t really wear ballerina flats], even if we probably all own a pair of them—a Chanel one or Repetto one, for example—we don’t really wear them all the time. In my opinion, it’s so uncomfortable; it’s too flat!” — @adenorah

“Not all French girls wear ballet flats. Your feet smell really bad after a day of wearing those things, and it’s actually uncomfortable because it’s way too flat.” — @claire_most

If you’re in the same boat as these two Parisian style-setters, then keep scrolling to see what footwear other French women are wearing right now and shop our picks to get their look for fall.

The story was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated.

Opening Image: @claire_most