- Take a history lesson. When in doubt, look at our corseted foremothers and dandyfied foregays for a new silhouette or sartorial point of reference.

- Think iconic. WWAD? What would Audrey do? Channel your favorite style icon with a nod of an accessory or your own reinterpretation of their look.

- Trend-a-Friend. Try swapping clothes with a friend whose style or collection of turbans you especially admire. It’s free and after all, what are friends for but to use for your own personal gain?

- Cleanse your palette. When the thought of choosing a color combination or matching the right prints becomes too much to bear (#whitegirlproblems) throw it all out and go all black (#racist) — it’s a great way to refresh your imagination and your taste.

- Cut it off. A hair cut or a new color can do wonders in no time at all, changing not only your style but also your personality and if you’re Hayden Panettiere, hopefully your career.

- Go on a gender-bender. Whether you decide to do it like a dude or strap on a man-skirt, there’s a whole new realm open to you once you open your mind.

-  Pick a theme, any theme. One of my favorite pastimes is dressing according to theme: 70s Coke Whore (booty shorts, knee socks and a gold lamé halter); Hipster at Play (plaid shirt under an acid grey denim romper); Slutty Soccer Mom Chaperoning the Prom (high-waisted jean short, espadrilles, bandeau and a bolero) . The possibilities are endless!

- Revisit the classics. You ever think to yourself, “That outfit was Classic Me?” Dressing like your old self, short of strapping on an adult diaper, can make your feel new again.

- Try a formal arrangement. There was a time when men never left the house without a hat and ladies always wore gloves. Formality may have gone the way of privacy and sincerity — straight to hell — but Fancy is always in style.

- Make some movie magic. From Breakfast at Tiffany’s to The Devil Wears Prada, filmdom is full of inspiring looks and more importantly, inspiring makeover montages.

Look Four: AvaMaria in Wonderland

The Oil Slicker Saddle Heels: Repetto, $250

It started with the Repetto; this time, oil slicked. In the most beautiful way, it looks like a dirty puddle. It was love at first glance. Repetto is famous for ballet shoes, and construct gorgeous others for we non-professional-dancing folk.

The Mini Checker Shirtdress: Cacharel, $178

Ah the shirtdress, blue and gold checked, enhances the hidden hues of the Repettos. So dainty on its own, so innocent, yet vibrant as well. Cacharel took off in the 1960s with its iconic shirtdresses designed by Jean Bousquet. Following in the traditional footprints, they are still prevalent today.

The Kitty Silk Top: Paul & Joe Sister, $228

A shirtdress is a shirtdress, and I couldn’t wear just a shirtdress. I was jazzed to find this complementing silk top that slid underneath the open top so smoothly. The blues dance together and the checks on cats patterns don’t protest too much. Famed French menswear designer Sophie Albou started Paul & Joe in 1995 and branched into les femmes in 2006 with the little Sister.

The Waving Belt: Linea Pelle, $188

The gingham and the shirt came alive together, but the look was still lacking something. Linea Pelle belt corsetry filled that void. With the ends fastened at the back, the shaping quality of waving leather strips brought more shape to the silhouette.

The Flowering Rings: Marie-Lise Lachapelle, gold-plated leaf, $350, silver orchid $375

The silver and golden leafy rings flourished on one hand, enhancing the dual tonal quality of the entire look. Marie-Lise Lachapelle constructs these structures by making molds from actual orchids and leaves. That’s why the metal has so much wildlife in it.

AvaMaria | 107 Crosby Street, New York, NY 212.966.0909

Photography by Christopher Hall

“If you look at any movement… it’s people rejecting what’s just behind them and pulling something out of the past.” – Vivienne Westwood, 1986

At the beginning of her journey into the fashion world, Westwood opened a store with design and business partner, artist Malcom McLaren. Through many incarnations of names, a store called World’s End (with a 13 hour backwards moving clock over the doorway) became the breeding ground for their experiments of unisex clothing inspired by 18th-century men’s undergarments, swashbuckling Pirate-wear and other historically sound yet new-age garb. The photo below was taken in the store, Vivienne on the bottom left, Malcom on the right.

McLaren and Westwood took the anti-establishment of World’s End to the runway. The first look below is a unisex tunic and pants ensemble, which was part of the Pirates collection in 1981. The next is made of sweatshirt fleece supplemented with blouse and baby blanket material. The third look from the Buffalo collection of ’82 is an antique-looking brown satin bra top with a full cotton skirt; the show note went to the tune of Take your mother’s bra and put it over a sweater with a muddy face. The fourth look on the right is a pair of distressed pants suspended by springs “to show the movement”.

The Buffalo collection:

The influence of Vivienne Westwood and Malcom McLaren moved beyond the streets and runways of London and far past the doors of World’s End when musicians got involved. In fact, the Sex Pistols wore their designs back when their brand was still called “Let It Rock”. With the advent of MTV, celebrity fans of World’s End like Boy George and Adam and the Ants became fashion icons before the world on television, in Westwood.

Vivienne Westwood drew great influence from philosopher Bertrand Russell. It is his quote on her shirt, “Orthodoxy is the Grave of Intelligence.”

With that, in 1984 when she and McLaren parted ways due to artistic differences, she went against the grain of the eighties. Where most of the industry was creating silhouettes of power shoulders and boxy suits, she drew from the Victorian era and developed the “mini crini”; a knee length version of the crinoline understructure. She also dipped into the seventies and Japan and pulled out platforms, but gave them a pirouette; the rounded up toe allows for perfect balance on point. Even more radically, she resurrected the corset, bringing it back in a liberating manner for it was no longer required. The quote on this photo reads, “…taking tradition into the future.” – Vivienne Westwood.

Feminizing the Scottish kilt, futurizing the corset and harking menswear back to medieval times, Vivienne Westwood in the late eighties was well on her way to stamping her unique print on fashion. She ended the decade with a bang: November ’89 cover of British Vogue.

More on Vivienne Westwood and the FIT exhibit:

Photography by Tommy Mendes

I’ve never seen such a sensual houndstooth.The changes in size allow for play on curve emphasis.

Chain links made their first appearance in this look, hugging the dress like non stop suspenders, belted by itself. Same in the back as is is in the front.

Tar slick sheen gets woven into the works, raising the question for those without the run of show, what is that material? Velvet? Pony hair? The shine is glorious – I want to touch it and find out.

Did Rihanna have anything to do with this? The raving bass seemed to get heavier as the first cage corset hit the runway. Sticks and stones may break my bones but cages and strips excite me.

The caging continued back to the bandage and buckled it up, creating the same structure as above, but out of the standard Léger texture rather than leather. Golden.

These metal bits differ from what we’ve seen previously. They’re the sliders you find on adjustable straps, but used as embellishment everywhere. In this copperish orange, she glows.

The second to last look swept in black and strap sliders, fading to texture at the bottom. It looks as though it could serve as armor as it lines horizontally across the body.

Helena added, “It’s amazing what a corset will do. I’m not all that well-endowed. These are my Golden Globes. Who needs Golden Globes when you’ve got these?”

Helena was nominated for Best Supporting Actress but was snubbed by Annette Bening in the category. While the actress lost with the Hollywood Foreign Press, she won in the hearts of several old men watching at a nearby Western Sizzler.

True fans who just happen to be “boob guys” – aren’t they the ones who really matter?

Link Love + Pic: Huff Post

Love her lingerie and spaceship inspired corset!Image via Just Jared

Unless you are a die hard Trekkie, I have a really hard time believing that anyone would drop $200 for, let alone wear, one of these awful Star Trek corsets. I know some people get really into their Halloween costumes, but really, you could make a much more convincing Star Trek costume for a fraction of the cost. Just you guys wait and see what I pull off come October 31st…

Thanks Like Cool! 

This girl loves her girdles and corsets on the outside instead of in. I think it’s a cool way to create a nice shape, first by wearing a girdle as a belt, and then by layering a corset over a shirt.  I can’t say I’m going to run out and try this, but it’s a cool idea.

SOURCE: Kingdom Of Style