The Best of Polyvore

abbey lee k.style! by m.letizia♥ featuring a peep toe heel

If you're looking to add some cutting-edge style to your wardrobe then look no further than the front page of Polyvore.com. These sets represent the most stylish, most creative, and most inspired fashion sets of the week. So that means that if you need some fashion food for thought, then you're in the right place to find it. All of the latest trends, the hottest designers, and the best looks you'll find our lineup of fashion sets. So what are you waiting for? Click read more to see more stylish sets!

Justin Bieber: Maverick or Make-Believe?

The men's fashion and culture magazine Details compiled a list of 2010's Mavericks, men who have in some way profoundly impacted style and culture. In their inclusion of 16-year-old pop star Justin Bieber, I was skeptical to agree with Details inclusion of him as a "maverick". He was discovered by R&B superstar Usher who got him audition for Island Def Jam in front of L.A. Reid. They agreed to sign him and since then the "Bieber Fever" has been spreading. Now I'm not against the furthering of a 16-year-old boy's dreams of using his prepubescent voice to skyrocket himself into fame. I'm against a magazine that overall does an excellent job of recognizing admirable style and cutting-edge culture actually calling this kid a maverick. Does this mean that guys like Zac Efron, Corbin Bleu, and Soulja Boy are also mavericks?

Does Kristen Stewart Hate Beauty?

I am certainly beginning to think so. Style.com spotted the actress at the screening of her new movie Welcome  To The Rileys by the Cinema Society in New York City. According to the article in Style.com's People & Parties section, "In her latest film, Welcome to the Rileys, Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame plays a down-and-out underage prostitute." Stewart no doubt has a knack for playing characters immersed in dark situations and it appears that her moody temperament, social awkwardness, and immense shyness also play out in her off-screen life. She hardly ever looks comfortable when being photographed at events, even when she's looking as elegantly as she did at the premiere. The post also reported " Stewart had swapped the Spring 2011 Valentino dress she wore on the red carpet for gray jeans, a beanie, and a T-shirt. She was Bella all over again."

Model Madness - Tyson Beckford

LookBook.nu Girl 10.18.10

Click read more to view each look.

LookBook.nu Guys 10.18.10

Click read more to view each look.

Hail To The Queen

Blair Waldorf is unquestionably my most favorite character on Gossip Girl. There's something absolutely brilliant about her ability to effortless deliver caustic injections of intelligent wit and her social awareness is to be commended. Perhaps the most dynamic of the characters on the show, Blair Waldorf, played by Leighton Meester, is also the most stylish. Her affinity for all things prim, proper, and preppy, her sophisticated edge is nothing short of the quintessential Park Avenue princess wardrobe. So today we've pulled sets from Polyvore.com inspired by the classical style of Blair Waldorf. So take a look to thumb through the sets and if an item jumps out at you then just click the set to find out where that item came from, where you can get it, and how much it costs. Just because you may not like like an Upper East Side queen doesn't mean you can't dress like one. Enjoy!

blair by *Heather Thomas featuring a lace hosiery

Blair Waldorf in rain by Totally_Gabe featuring stiletto heel boots

Dries Van Noten's New Paris Men's Boutique

The iconic menswear designer Dries Van Noten is finally opening his first boutique in Paris in the 6th arrondissment across from the Seine River giving admirers and patrons of the collection a chance to shop some of the finest in men's fashions in the world. The shop occupies a space previously used as an art gallery and after viewing photos of the boutique it's no surprise the new store's aesthetics almost mimic a museum of manliness. The store isn't too frilly that a man would be uncomfortable there, but it also isn't boring and uninspired either. I would definitely say that Dries Van Noten's store is certainly a living blueprint of what I want my dream walk-in closet to be. Items are cozily grouped with each other but they also effectively blend into the surrounding living-room style scene which moves the visual merchandising away from the overdone minimalist look of naked racks of clothes and clothes hanging alone in awkward corners. It's the quintessential man-cave, if you will, yet this cave doesn't house the traditional fare of beer-guzzling, misogynistic men who have no qualms about going to market in that shirt they just slept in and whose bodies haven't had the luxury of feeling a cashmere blazer. Check out more photos of the store after the jump.

Sarah Jessica Parker Dazzles at the NYC Ballet Fall Gala

The New York City Ballet's annual Fall Gala provided an opportunity for New York's glitterati to don their most stylish outfits for a night of beauty and ballerinas. Style.com's People and Parties section took note of the stars who were in attendance such as Matthew Settle from the CW series Gossip Girl who expounded on his fond memories of falling in love with a ballerina after sneaking in a show in Tennessee, Natalie Portman, an actress in the upcoming film Black Swan, Candace Bushnell of the Sex and the City dynasty was also present at Lincoln Center and the embodiment of her character Carrie Bradshaw in Sarah Jessica Parker also appeared in usual glamorous garb in a stunning ethereal peach Halston Heritage gown with a string of large white pearls overlapping silver jeweled necklace. The event went spectacularly and the air of enchantment was there that only an event in New York City can bring. More photos after the jump.

Trey Songz Promotes RocaWear Next At Macy’s Herald Square

R&B singer Trey Songz along with fellow singer Melanie Fiona have become the new face of RocaWear’s Next collection, a new campaign focusing on trendsetting individuals and “individuals, destinations, fields of endeavor and any and everything, uniquely positioned to elevate the culture”. Today Trey Songz will be appearing at 5 p.m. at Macy’s in New York’s Herald Square and 34th Street. Shoppers with a purchase of $50 or more will earn an opportunity to receive an autographed copy of Trey Songz’s newest CD, Passion, Pain, and Pleasure. In addition to the appearances, RocaWear Next is also sponsoring a contest looking to discover talent in creative careers such as fashion designers, stylists, models, photographers, and artists. The campaign overall appears to be very cohesive and looks promising. No doubt an effort to ameliorate the RocaWear brand, it looks as if the name is seeking to set its sights and standards higher as well as recognize those in the culture simultaneously doing so. Check out more on the RocaWear Next campaign here.

Repost: Red Luxury’s 8 Most Influential Chinese Designers

China is booming and so is its high street. Chinese designers are vying for a place in China’s evolving fashion landscape. Some are winning international awards in the process. Here are eight of the most influential designers in China. Read more to see profiles of each.

Steph Jones Covers Bleu October

The independent R&B artist and model Steph Jones is covering Bleu Magazine’s fall cover. The voice behind the mixtape Gravity is striking a pose in his band geek-inspired photo spread. October is also Bleu’s Music and Entertainment month, and they’ve included, artists and actors such as Christian Keyes known for his roles in Tyler Perry’s stage plays, singers Cory Bold and Kelly Price’s foray into the gospel world, and the shocking return of Faith Evans to the R&B world. Bleu is also taking a look at Black cinema and what makes the favorite Black films so iconic. Bleu Magazine is known for its attention to culture and the lifestyle of the stylish urban Black gentleman and focuses on numerous Black actresses and actors, fashion personalities, music artists, and is even effective in promoting unsigned male models.

Kadeem Johnson - LookBook.nu Spotlight

Found another diamond in the rough this week for our LookBook.nu spotlight. This week we're bringing you Kadeem Johnson, a freelance photographer and student from the Bronx. What interests me most about Kadeem's style is his use of distinctive and vintage-style clothing and accessories. A fascination for artistic and unique items, Johnson's looks make use of rosary chains, peace sign pendants, stacked bangles, and exotic bracelets. His looks are never without a hat, and Kadeem's hats of choice include driving caps and fedoras. His clothing is unfettered and allows him to be stylish without having to be conservative. His Wordpress blog, K.john_LaSoul, is a collection of his fashion photographs, usually consisting of images of what he is wearing, and like his style isn't cluttered or overly dramatic. It is simple, yet creative, and functional, yet inspiring. Also a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Kadeem Johnson appears to be quickly gaining speed in his career and creative reach. Check out more of Kadeem's looks on his profile here.

Vive Le Bleu

Continuing with my ongoing obsession with uber-stylishness of Morehouse College's students, Marquis Phifer presents an homage to an infectious trend of blue on campus. The traditional preppy sartorial fare still reigns yet this time he showcases knit cream sweater vests with black and royal blue stripes outlining the edges over dusty blue and goldenrod checkered shirts with navy blazers, light-wash jeans with gaping holes with an ice blue necktie, and an androgynous look for the ladies with a glacier-blue denim jacket with a sapphire-blue necktie over another white dress shirt underneath. The trend isn't a bad one and the addition of neutral handbags keeps the eye from being too overwhelmed by the monchromatic quality of the ensembles. Check out more looks after the jump.

Aspire to Inspire Before You Expire

The stylish and ambitious Marquis Phifer of LateBoots.com is always speaking about the importance of passion, drive, and following your dreams. A bona fide hustler at heart, his blog is his voice that reinforces the idea of self-determination, realizing that the power to shape your own reality lies in your ability to take initiative. This time, he's promoting a gathering sponsored by EventBrite for young creative professionals such as bloggers, models, designers, and artists to network and express their passion for their crafts."The Dress Code" as the soiree is named, will be tomorrow, October 8 at 10 p.m. inside the Licquid Lounge in Atlanta, Georgia. Read more for details.

LookBook.nu Girls Roundup 10.06.10

LookBook.nu Guys Roundup 10.06.10

Repost: An Abercrombie Model Gets Fired For Eating A Croissant - Refinery 29

Reposted from Refinery 29
Written by Kristen Laliberte

Apparently, bedbugs aren't the only thing that suck about working at Abercrombie & Fitch. At a photo shoot for the financially troubled brand at Montauk's Panoramic Hotel last week with famed shutterbug Bruce Weber, the 30 male and female models were not having as much fun as the half-nude catalog snaps suggest. The pretty faces were working 13-hour days, and the ad agency nannied their eating, drinking, and even workouts. For the weeklong shoot, the girls scored $2,500 and the dudes $1,500 (a really, really bad wage in the modeling industry), plus $13-a-day meal stipends, which doesn't buy you alot of grub in the Hamptons. So strict was the job, Belgian model Florian Van Bael got booted for...eating a croissant. Guess those slicked abs don't look that good for nothing. (New York Post)

http://www.refinery29.com/an-abercrombie-model-gets-fired-for-eating-a-croissant.php

Get Prepped With Prep

preppy spring by f21obsessed featuring a silk blouse

You don't have to be jet-setting Park Avenue princess or a Southampton socialite to inject a little prep into your wardrobe. Elements of preppy style such as headbands, plaid skirts, cardigans, neckties, and blazers have made their way into the fashion scene along with brands such as Ralph Lauren Polo and Tommy Hilfiger and now you too can add a little preppy flair to your wardrobe with these fashion sets from Polyvore.com. Take a look at all the sets and use the inspiration to create your own stylish preppy look. And if you spot an item that you want for your own, just click the sets to find out what site it came from and how much it costs. So grab your schoolbooks because Preppy 101 is now in session. Read on to view more sets.

Model Madness - Omar Kennedy Shot By Tarrice Love

"Many feel it is too artistic to be considered fashion photography. I want to know if my work is considered to artistic to be fashion, then what exactly is fashion photography and it is fashion today considered art?" These are the words Tarrice Love a highly skilled fashion photographer, up-and-coming designer, and Brooklynite speaking on opinions of his work. Known for his excellent improvisation skill in his photos, Love's talent for interacting extraordinary beauty with ordinary objects earns him credibility and his self-taught knowledge of fashion and photography amplify the raw creativity he possesses. Here is his photo shoot with 24-year-old model Omar Kennedy of Biscayne Park, Florida.  Once again managing to inject the artistic into the mundane, Tarrice Love pulls off another testament of the inspiring touch of fashion. View the rest of the photos after the break.

Allen W. - LookBook.nu Spotlight

Medium-blue denim jacket with rolled up sleeves and bleach stains too gratuitous to be machine-made, a white Vampire Weekend t-shirt with a centered photograph, a self-made Pac-Man logo pin a la Dee and Ricky, classic sneaker-style buckle shoes from Aldo, studded bracelets on the arm, and the delinquent face coupled with a high-top fade that conjures images of the incorrigble youth from Boyz 'N Tha Hood. These elements make up the look "Contra" by Allen W. and his urban style definitely interested me enough to present him to you readers. Only 16 and a fashion model and photographer from Washington D.C., Allen's appreciation and ingenuity in fashion makes it hard not to see how LookBook.nu, an online font of fashion inspiration from real people, has an eye for catching ordinary people with extraordinary style. Check out this look and others on his LookBook.nu profile here.

Bag His Swag

Marquis Phifer is raising his swag as the leaves come falling down this fall. In his latest post on his blog LateBoots, his fascination lies with the J. Crew sack. And Marquis isn't the only one who spies this bag with his aesthetic eye. His fellow and equally progressively stylish students at Morehouse College also prize the bag that walks a fine line between messenger bag and sac. Its variety of colors, especially that of the neutral canvas color on Marquis' bag, makes it an especially easy accessory to throw with an ensemble and also a bag that allows for casual comfort and usefulness against its more ostentatious siblings. Take a look at J. Crew's selection of bags and clothing at their main site here. Photos from LateBoots.com.

Street Etiquette for the Rude Boys

In a period where Black men as well as men in general are becoming increasingly image-conscious, the exceptionally articulate, intelligent, and stylish duo creators of the men's fashion blog Street Etiquette are definitely the heralds of a new generation. Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs have produced a brainchild that is a clever melange of the sartorial as well the intellectual. With an apparent appreciation for the uplifting of the Black intelligentsia, the pair finds expression of sentiments, themes, and dreams of Black individuals, history, culture, and how the powerful medium of fashion has been uniquely impacted by Black creativity. The blog itself possesses and understated design, an effect that allows followers and viewers to take the content more seriously. A recent post titled "The Black Ivy" pays tribute to the Black intellectual culture that owes its existence to historically Black colleges and universities such as Morehouse College, Howard University, Meharry Medical School, and Fisk University.