Love in the Afternoon.

It's Sunday! I hope everyone has a chance today to just lay by the pool, relax with a good book or spend time doing absolutely nothing...until Monday! File as Sunday funday.

[Image via: Pinterest]

Cover Girls.

August  may not be here, but its magazine covers are! And what a bunch they are. Whether its celebrating the fabulous city life, showing the ultimate beach getaway or just showcasing some amazingly beautiful fall fashion, these cover girls all know how to raise their arms for the end of summer and the beginning of something fabulous. File under can't wait to see what's inside these glossy lovelies.


[Images via: FGR]

It Girl: Main Man Repeller.

This week is It Girl: Blogger Edition. May I introduce to you Leandra Medine, chief blogger (I’m loving that term, can I put that on my resume?) over at The Man Repeller. She may the craziest of the bloggers out there, and by crazy I mean genius. Like any mad scientist, she can concoct the most amazingly original, completely cool and ridiculously funky outfits that you never would have dreamed of wearing (or imagined that you could even get away with.) Through all her terms of endearment, maniacal like typing and over the top outfits though, her message rings clear (even if she doesn’t spell it out exactly): you put your clothes on in the morning, and it should be done for no one else but yourself. Mostly though, in a sea of copycats, she makes the fashion blogsphere just a little bit more interesting, and that is exactly why she is the It Girl for the week. Check out even more of Leandra on her blog The Man Repeller and file as too fabulous.

[All images via: The Man Repeller] 

Brick House.

Not only was the editorial I posted a few days ago of Shiny, Black and Dirty one of my favorites in a very long time, but it also got me thinking as to why I was so drawn to it in the first place. I mean, I've always loved dressing in all black (especially with black leather considering I wear the same black leather pencil skirt to almost every night out now), and the balance between cutesy dressing and tough vibes has always been a style I'm drawn to, but it was the background, those bricks, that really got me scratching my head. I've always been a self-proclaimed hater of exposed brick in the home, but after looking at these beautiful homes...I might be coming over to the brick side. My absolute favorite? The whitewashed brick complete with feminine accents all in black and white. File under perfection.

[Images via: Fashion Gone Rogue, Lonny, SFGirl By Bay, Coco+Kelley, Elle Decor, Drop Anchors]

Loosey Goosey.

Upon checking the weather in Las Vegas for last weekend, I was not entirely excited to find out that the average temperature each day is above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (not the best weather if you want to wear anything more than a bathing suit.) So what is a girl to do? I decided on the breeziest, loosest fitting dresses in my closet (and maybe a few new ones from Nordstrom) and it seems that I wasn't alone in my choice last weekend, seeing that weather all around the country was at an all time high. These breezy dresses are just the antidote to a rather sticky situation. File as breathe easy. 

[Images via: The Sartorialist, Garance Dore, StreetFSN, The Man Repeller, StreetFSN]

Edited: Shiny, Black and Dirty.

Raquel Zimmermann perfectly looks the part with equal doses of S&M black leather and ladylike polish against the dirty street in Vogue China's latest shoot by Willy Vanderperre. Even though these silhouettes are definitely mod, she makes them look completely modern for this decade. File as naughty and nice. 

[Images via: FGR]

Return from Paradise.

I'm back and I'm unpacked! (which for me would be considered record timing because I usually don't like to unpack for days...too depressing.) Nevertheless, I am back to reality now, especially with a trade midterm looming (my LAST one), a job hunt that is barely picking up steam and so many blog post inspirations to actually compile. Just wait until you see what I have lined up for this week! I'm hoping that everyone had a fabulous weekend; I can't wait to share with you my Los Angeles and Vegas getaways, tons of fashion posts, new brand spotlights for some of the most prolific names in fashion, a party to end all parties, my hunt for the perfect daytime bag and much, much more! See you back here this week for all the fabulousness! File as overwhelming. 

[Image via: Fashion Gone Rogue]

Girlfriend Getaway.

Ok, so I know that this week has been a short one on The.Margaret.Files. (my sincerest apologies for my absence, thank you international trade class and job hunting) but I wanted to wish everyone a very happy weekend during which I will be jetting off to good ol' Las Vegas with one of my best girlfriends over at Alison Reid Style. I'll be back in action Monday with some amazing new posts, many of which I've been mulling over for a while now so stay tuned! Hope you have a lovely weekend!

[Image via: Unknown source]

Valentino Couture Fall 2011.

From the moment that Pier Paolo Piccioli said "We want to get people in our dream. For 10 minutes, you are in our dream" it was obvious that this Valentino couture collection was a fairytale fit for any princess, specifically those inspired by the Russian aristocracy who arrived in Paris in the 1920s and eventually became the muses of artists there. Although this is quite the tale to spin for a collection, it provided a perfect backdrop for a new kind of luxury (which Valentino is all about now) complete with lace, velvet and a detail to embroidery that hasn't been shown since the days of Mr. Valentino himself. I can't imagine a better direction for the ultimate in luxury brands- acknowledging the past while creating a new future for itself. File under dreaming on.


[Images via: Style.com]

It Girl: Tati.

Tati Cotliar, the Argentinian stunner who has walked down the runways of countless designers for the last few years may be the perfect hanger for clothes, but one thing is for sure is that off the runway, this girl has a style all her own. The model has been spotted in adverts ranging from H&M and Topshop to Prada and Valentino, but it is her street style that I find most intriguing. File as always transforming.

[Images via: Google, The Startorialist, Tommy Ton, Jason Wu News]

Headboard Alternatives.

Although I'd like to consider myself to be slightly above amateur when it comes to interior design, I was put back in my place when I realized that (children cover your ears) a headboard is completely unnecessary. I guess that I had always felt like they provided a frame and a centerpiece to a bedroom, but after seeing all the many alternatives to headboards, I stand corrected. Who knew? These backdrops, from a bookcase (never going to happen in earthquake country damnit), a personalized art piece, fragmented mirror and hanging tapestry (my personal girly favorite) each showcase the character of a room and show that being different can often times be much more fun. File under thinking outside the bed-box.

[Images via: Apartment Therapy]

Hot Mess Monday.

I am feeling a hot mess today, probably because I have a thousand things running through my head right now for the upcoming week. But still, I am trying to focus my energy into more productive pursuits especially those that don't involve me staring into my closet for hours on end. With my road trip to Los Angeles last weekend and my pending Las Vegas flight this weekend, I realized this morning that I've barely unpacked my suitcase and I'm already starting to repack. Nonetheless I am going to attempt to bring to you some fabulous posts this week. Stay tuned for a fabulous destination post after the weekend, a wrap up on the couture collections, a home decor idea that I'm drooling over and maybe a little party piece thrown in for good measure in a few days. Hope everyone has a more productive Monday than myself! File under coffee break time.

[Image via: Fashion Gone Rogue]

Givenchy Couture Fall 2011.

Givenchy has always been one of my favorites among the ready to wear collections (case in point their resort collection filed away a mere month ago) but this time around for the couture collections, Ricardo Tisci really made me want to become a Givenchy girl, and not just any Givenchy girl, but a Givenchy bride. The all-white collection was composed strictly of dresses, with painstaking beadwork that only an army of seamstresses could create. Done to pristine perfection, I could only imagine walking down the runway in any of these stunners. For Tisci, "Couture is like the most amazing present that a designer can ever create because you can go as far as much as you want." Mission accomplished. Check out the video below for an even closer look and file this one under gorgeous.

[Images via: Style.com, video via YouTube]

Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Fall 2011.

For this couture season Jean Paul Gaultier delightfully chose to look backwards, to his years past in effect creating a collection that reflected all his greatest hits. They were all there- from his trench dress, conical bra and even a couple men walking down the runway in honor of his first couture collection which was in menswear. It's no surprise that he chose to reflect rather than provide a new direction, due to the fact he currently has a retrospective The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From Sidewalk to Catwalk at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (which is making a stop in Dallas before ending its run at the De Young in San Francisco next year) chronicling his designs from the past 35 years. However, my favorite part of the runway wasn't the fashion but rather the feathered toppers placed so gingerly atop the models heads. These birds never looked prettier. File as too fabulous.

[Images via: Style.com]

Top Shots Couture Fashion Week 2011.

Just a little cheeky. 

Loving polka dots right now.

Who's the cutest? I can't decide!

Bright besties! My favorite!

 Olivia Palermo in Valentino with her best accessory. 

That necklace and romper are just adorable together.

Too cool for school.

Couture fashion week may have come and gone like a New York minute, but these ladies just go to show that their street style can leave a mark long after the runways are torn down. File as amazing.

[Images via: FashionFSN, Tommy Ton]

Chanel Couture Fall 2011.

It's incomprehensible how Karl Lagerfeld is able to create collections after collections that not only reference the narrative of the woman who started it all, the woman being Mademoiselle Coco Chanel and it being the brand, but also show them in a way that seems completely fresh. This time around, the setting was the Place Vendôme, in neon nonetheless, where the girls (mostly in somber black, a color Coco found endlessly intriguing) sauntered around in the starry glittering night. One thing I couldn't help but realize from this show is that black (and Chanel) will always both be considered ultimate classics. File under perfection.

[Images via: Style.com]

Giambattista Valli Couture Fall 2011.

 It may be Giambattista Valli's first couture collection for his namesake label, but one thing for sure is that he is having no problem exercising his right to be considered among the great haute couture fashion houses. For most designers interested in doing a second line, they'll look to the lower end of the market with a diffusion line, but then again Valli is never one to follow trends. With this couture collection he showed a take on the new couture, one in which budding socials and their mothers could both hang in their closets. For me, it was the coats in the collection that screamed out. Who even needs any other clothes when you have a fabulously decadent coat? And of course, the red dress, which never go out of style. According to Valli, "I like when everything is effortless, when you have this kind of fabulous cut. BOOM. That's it. You don't need more." File under first times a charm.

[Images via: Style.com]

Completely Rejuvenated.

So I may be back in the Bay Area after my amazingly fabulous weekend vacation to Los Angeles, but my mind is still lost somewhere in Central California. What felt like a seven day trip, was in fact only three full days long, but in a completely awesome way. Taking yesterday and this morning to rejuvenate from the whirlwind vacation, made me realize just how much of it I want to share with you, so stay tuned over the next few days for some lovely posts revolving around my explorations there as well as a wrap-up for the couture shows that ended last week! File under excited to be back.

[Image via: Harper's Bazaar scan]

Adios Amigos.

OK everyone, I am off for an extended weekend to sunny Southern California to spend some time with family I haven't seen in ages and one birthday girl in particular (who I can't wait to give her gift to.) For this mini vacation I won't be attached at the hip to my computer but I'll be back in action by Monday with full coverage from the couture shows and all sorts of exciting new posts! Have a great weekend! Adios hasta lunes!

Armani Couture Fall 2011.

Not surprisingly, Giorgio Armani chose the East as in main source of inspiration for his couture collection and although he referenced Imperial China most recently in his resort collection, this time around he focused on Japan, in an homage to her beauty and mystery. My absolute favorite parts of the show had to be the fantastically rigid Philip Traecy "hats" (if you could even call them that) especially those delicate light pink ones that were reminiscent of the cherry blossom motifs strewn throughout the collection and the gorgeous shock of tangerine for the closing pieces. Overall, a stunning reflection on both the old and new Japan.

[Images via: style.com]

Dior Couture 2011.

Couture season is well underway, what with Dior kicking off the festivities late last week, and even though it was the first, it definitely will not be considered the best of the shows yet to come. Without John Galliano at the helm and no hopes of his return, the couture collections clearly suffered without his artistic vision. Regardless of his personal antics, he clearly had one of the most defined visions for Dior which showed us dresses that were fit for a grand stage. Now, with Dior's new disjointed effort by Bill Gaytten to fill the void, the show was nothing more than a circus without its main ringleader. File under maybe next time.

[Images via: Style.com]

Art Eye: May the Force be with You.

Darth Monet.

Vintage Tatooine.

Star Wars in New York!

Movie mash-up 

Ok, so maybe I am a bit of a nerd for kinda loving these Star Wars inspired works of artworks, but one thing for sure is that I'm not sure how these couldn't bring a smile to your face when you see them. I grew up watching Star Wars thanks to my older brother, playing with all sorts of Star Wars merchandise, reading the Star Wars books...ok you get the point. It's not surprising that this franchise, one of the most successful ever I might add, is showing up in some pretty hilarious art that would be just the thing for any Star Wars nerd, including myself. File this one under too much fun.

[Images via: Aeromental, ImageKind, Gothanist x2, Etsy]