Tuesday 30 August 2011

All About Nina, All About Sleeves

In a sometimes sweltering city state, I'm frequently on the receiving end of "the raised eyebrow" when I opt for a long sleeve as my top of choice. The potential for perspiration be damned, I refuse to allow my less-than-toned upper arms to be my sartorial downfall. 

Thankfully, I have Nina Garcia in my style corner this fortnight!  She couldn't have dressed more appropriately for her starring role in a recent episode of Project Runway (Season 9).  For anyone familiar with the series, we've had to endure the annual 'Design for Heidi' challenge (which has morphed over the years into 'Help Heidi Design for her Line') that inevitably meant bodycon & short. Designing a day/night outfit for Nina was a proper challenge: the Marie Claire's fashion director wanted nothing too voluminous, no loud patterns, no loud colours, no cowl necklines, not boring... basically she wanted what any working woman wants!  Topping the episode off was Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles armed with droned barbs worthy of The Devil Wears Prada. But I digress...
The star piece of the episode wasn't anything from the contestants runway.  Reverentially (grin), it was the Fall 2011 Preen blouse which Nina wore during her visit to the workroom (read: slaughterhouse). Technically this breaches Nina's loud colours requirement but it's a such clever way to wear bright orange to the office/cocktails, I'm willing to look past any potentially confusing signals she was sending to the contestants. 
A variation of Nina Garcia's Preen blouse is available now for £1,230.50 at Net-A-Porter. And for anyone who can't afford a fashion director's wardrobe, it's time to head to the Brother sewing room. 
{pc: gettyimages; tvguide; realitytea; netaporter}

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