My Summer Vibe Is '90s Margiela and Helmut Lang—Here's My Shopping List RN
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Being a stringent planner is not my strong suit. Unless it's a vacation—in that case, I'm usually the first to book the tickets and the hotel—I can be a reluctant procrastinator. What I do meticulously plan though is my summer wardrobe. There's something about the start of the warm weather that gets my sartorial juices flowing and really motivates me to take charge and put in some effort. How I plan my summer looks go a little something like this: I browse for images that make me feel inspired and then use that to mood board a whole vibe I have in mind for the summer. This season, I'm hopelessly stuck on Helmut Lang and vintage Martin Margiela. Recently I found myself looking over archival runway images and fashion campaigns from the 90s, and couldn't believe how much of both designers' fashions are still relevant right now. The two brands were instrumental in shaping the edgy, 90s cool-girl aesthetic that so many brands today source as their inspiration. Needless to say, it's proven timeless.
If just calling out those names don't ring a bell, here's a visualization: relaxed trousers, and slightly-trendy skin-revealing tops in neutral, muted shades. It's a whole lot of black, white, and creamy beige tones, and a whole lot of cool. The key to nailing down this look are subversive pieces that are uncomplicated yet interesting; they appear simple on the surface, but there's always a detail or two to catch the eye. Below, I'm breaking down my extensive shopping list category, by category to show you how I'm capturing the Margiela-Helmut vibe this summer.
Solid basics are always critical to any wardrobe, but in this case, they are essential. Take a look at any Helmut Lang show from the 90's and you'll discover the overall simplicity behind each outfit. But in true fashion, there's always a subversive twist—whether it be the silhouette, styling, or construction. In terms of palettes, neutrals reigned supreme for both Margiela and Helmut Lang during this era, so when recreating you'll want to stick with black and white separates. Not everything was a stark palette of black and white though: both designers were known to throw in a soft shade of blue or green for good measure.
A Helmut or Margiela girl simply does not wear any, old jacket—they wear structured blazers. Margiela blazers have run the design gamut from complex and deconstructed, to understated menswear-inspired tailoring. One thing remains the same though—they should be oversized and boxy.
Before tie-tops and barely-there bralettes took over our feeds this year, they were major hallmarks of both designers' collections. Unexpected cut-outs and one-shoulder tops especially feel true to the downtown vibe, and of course, anything layered to the max. For extra dimension, I plan on playing around with sheer and tulle tops to layer over basic t-shirts.Baggy trousers are a defining part of what made Helmut Lang cool—it went against the ultra-tight, figure-hugging silhouettes that were popular at the time, and felt attractively rebellious. It so happens that loose pants are also trending heavily right now, so thankfully they're easy to find at several price points. I've also noticed Margiela liked to experiment with a few saturated colors on the runway, so I'm into the idea of bright leather pants to wear on cooler days. Style them with a racerback tee, or any of the above layered tops for a no-brainer fit. In contrast, clingy midi skirts were also a big part of the Margiela–Helmut universe, so I'm going for fitted, sleek versions in an array of neutrals.We simply cannot talk about Maison Margiela without mentioning the designer's iconic shoes, the Tabi. Decades later the split-toe silhouette is still a fashion crowd staple and has been updated by the brand in a number of new styles and shapes like its latest sneaker collaboration with Reebok. I recently bought a pair of Tabi ballet flats and have not regretted it one bit. Another essential style to shop in order to capture the cool-girl vibe is the naked sandal. Think strappy minimal shoes at a moderate heel height, that is versatile enough to throw together with any outfit without much sartorial guesswork.While both brands prominently featured pants within their collections, they also knew how to create a damn good dress. Slip dresses are a quintessential style of the 90s so of course, I have a few already in my cart. I love oscillating between options that are more revealing and more covered-up, so I've been shopping dresses that feature big cutouts as well as ones that incorporate high necklines at midi lengths.
Charlize Theron is back in business with an elegant boss-chic look. For her appearance on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” show yesterday in LA, the actress wore a pair of black leather culottes featuring a high-waisted silhouette, a black shirt and a pair of ankle-strap sandals and nearly 4-inch heels. The Oscar-winning actress complemented her look with silver rings, black sunglasses and a black clutch for a sophisticated yet edgy feel. Throughout the year, Theron has worn similar shoe styles while her outfit choices range from bold pastel suits to mini dresses and monochromatic pieces. The star can be spotted in stilettos, knee-high boots, pumps and ankle booties, all adding versatility to her wardrobe. Charlize Theron is seen at “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in Los Angeles, California. CREDIT: RB/Bauergriffin.com / MEGA The legendary actress usually wears high-end brands such as Dior, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford and more with a preference for black and white tones. During her off-
Sarah Jessica Parker was seen twirling on Friday in one of the most iconic “Sex and the City” pieces, the tulle skirt for the series reboot “And Just Like That.” The HBO Max program will nod some styles the columnist Carrie Bradshaw wore during her New York City adventures, including a tulle outfit seen in the SATC opening credits that Patricia Field created in an improvised manner. Though the former costume designer of this awe-inspiring series is no longer styling the actors, Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago are leading a new era of modern aesthetic. Sarah Jessica Parker is bringing back the tulle skirt for SATC reboot. CREDIT: Jose Perez / SplashNews.com During one of the scenes filmed for “And Just Like That,” Parker was spotted wearing a white maxi tulle skirt and the vintage Chanel shoes once worn during an episode of SATC. Back then, Carrie paired the Chanel two-tone booties with a multi-tiered skirt, red top and black cropped jacket. Today, the Chanel booties are brough
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission. Mindy Kaling was the picture of summer elegance in New York City this afternoon. The producer, actress and director visited the city while doing press for the second season of her Netflix comedy, “Never Have I Ever.” For the occasion, she wore a chic multicolored floral-print dress by Oscar de la Renta, which featured short sleeves, a midi length and a belted silhouette, styled by Jessica Mulroney. The print was also recently seen in a dress that Abigail Breslin wore to the Cannes Film Festival. Kaling completed her look with sparkling open earrings and a citrine ring by fine jeweler Hanut Singh. Her dress retails for $1,690 on ModaOperandi.com . View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) Oscar de la Renta’s floral-print midi dress. CREDIT: Courtesy of Moda Operandi Kaling’
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Kylie Jenner has been diligent about connecting with her followers on social media. Yesterday, she opened up about her self-quarantine boredom and posted a mirror selfie with the caption “Movie Suggestions?” on her Instagram feed. While posing for the photo, the 22-year-old beauty mogul wore a monochrome ensemble, featuring a lightweight black, fitted turtleneck and coordinating leggings. She styled her hair in a bun while still sporting a full face of makeup. View this post on Instagram movie suggestions? A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Mar 20, 2020 at 6:44pm PDT This outfit post served as a lighter note to the multi-hyphenate’s earlier messages on her Instagram Stories, urging her audience to stay inside and sharing her tips on staying occupied while self-quarantining. For all occasions, Jenner long has been an avid wearer of monochrome ensembles. Recently, she shared two different ima
