Black and White Monochrome.

Black and white are the two basic shades that build any look. Whether its a classic black pump or a crisp white shirt, anyone could wear this trend without even realizing it. Although spring fashion is often associated with pastel colours and bright hues to stray away from the winter darkness. This year the tables have been turned and spring fashion has been given a strong dose of monochrome. A classy look of black and white is barely a trend. The entire look is effortless, chic and timeless. There is a certain ambience that surrounds a monochrome outfit, and it can be perceived in two different ways: boring and dull, or minimalistic and chic. One can interpret it in whichever way, but one cannot change the fact that the simplicity of black and white is everlasting. Whether it be a black and white outfit or an eye catching red suit, monochrome has taken this industry by a storm. Seen all over the runways and streets, this year has been well endowed with solid coloured looks. A beautiful single hued outfit can never go wrong. The colours go hand in hand to create a perfect balance between light and dark.

The black and white monochrome trend originated in the swinging 60s, when twiggy was the talk of town, and mods, mini skirts and monochrome were popular amongst the stylish women. A-line minidresses, emblazoned with geometric prints were also favored. If you walked into any shop now, you would see a rack of edgy monochrome prints.

Moschino |  Marc Jacobs |

From Moschino, Marc Jacobs to Louis Vuitton, this trend is dominating the runways and street style. There is a certain flare to this eye-catching trend, the blatant yet stylish boldness to it.

White + Burgundy

 Chain - Zara

T-shirt - Monki

Jeans - Topshop

Shoes - Converse

You can never beat a t-shirt and jeans combo, even if the temperatures are near freezing and there is snow on the ground. Instead of going the usual black and white route, I went for a burgundy jean to inject some colour into the look. My latest purchase, the Zara chain, works perfectly to bring some interest (and mini skulls) to the table.

street style roundup

As fashion week drew to an unfortunate end, we decided to compile our favourite street style pictures (which basically means we went on style.com to look at the erratic photos taken by the fabulous Tommy Ton) seen over the past weeks. Street style is one of our favourite things that excite us about fashion weeks, the way people translate runway trends and high fashion pieces into wearable looks is completely mind blowing. Prints were the all the rage in street style. From checkered sweaters to cheetah print booties everyone took time to indulge in this playful and sophisticated trend. Fashion week also introduced a play on textures and silhouettes. The blown out sleeve was something widely seen not just on the street, but on the runway as well. The street style this year at fashion weeks around the globe was at its finest, and brought some beautiful shows to a magnificent end. 

Blogger Q&A with Stephanie

Living in any Fashionista's dream city, Stephanie Lin from Fashion and Tea captivates her readers with her one-of-a-kind blog posts- from traveling all around the world to the most unique cities, blogging pictures of yummy food (who doesn't love looking at food blogs?!), and a trendy sense of style, everyone should go check out her blog.

1. Describe your style in 3 words.

I would have to go with practical, minimal, and comfortable. I like clothes that are meant to be worn! 

2. What is it like living in New York City, a dream city of any fashion blogger?

I feel like New York City is one of those places people either hate or love. Luckily I fall into the latter category. The city's energy is indescribable and I'm ever so thankful for the opportunities that come with living here. I can also guarantee that a good time will be had. Whether it's bars, galleries, museums, or food, there's always something to do here. 

3.  What are some of your favourite visited cities, as you have visited so many and blogged about it?

-Mykonos, Greece. The water is perfect and the architecture just darling. It's a great getaway to just relax. 

-Paris, France. My most recent trip was with friends so that was a lot of fun. There was a ton of culture there, and I loved getting lost in the city (within reason, of course. I definitely didn't want to star in "Taken 3"). 

-Australia. I liked the whole "wildlife" aspect of it, and it was pretty neat seeing so many animals up close and personal. Feeding kangaroos was pretty darn fun! 

4. 3 things you cannot live without?

-Thick men's socks. Weird, right? I walk a lot in the city and wear boots practically everyday  Without these lifesavers, my feet would be in a sorry condition. I love Uniqlo's men's socks as they come in a variety of colors and textures. And they're so affordable! 

-Lint roller. As a fashion design major I'm always sitting, kneeling, and leaning against who knows what. It's a guarantee that I'll be covered in lint, thread, and fabric pieces at the end of the day. Without this baby, I'd be leaving a trail from school to work and all the way back home. 

-Rice cooker. What can I say? A girl has to eat! My rice cooker cooks rice and steams veggies at the same time. Perfect for somebody with no time who happens to be a lazy cook. 

5. Favourite desserts?

Oh gosh, anything with whipped cream on it. I'd practically eat that stuff by itself! Specifically though? Probably cake. I like anything with a spongey and moist texture. 

6. What do you hope to achieve in your blog this year?

I'm definitely working on making my restaurant reviews more thorough. I'd like to think that my reviews are helpful to anybody in the city looking for a good place to eat. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to expand my readership as well!

7.Apart from blogging, what other things do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to try new things, and with that comes a voracious appetite for new restaurants and cities. I guess from these interests my blog was born. I'm also an avid reader and quite enjoy short stories. I highly recommend "Paul's Case" for those who are interested. On a less serious note, I'm obsessed with playing games on my ipad. I'm pretty infamous in my social circle for devoting a lot of time to faux-islands, farms, gardens, etc. Some might say it's a waste of time, but my "villagers" beg to differ.

8. What made you come up with the name: fashion and tea?

My blog revolves around both food and fashion, so I thought that it would be an appropriate title. More so than just that, my blogging style is pretty casual and conversational. When I write, I imagine myself talking to friends over tea. Therefore, "fashionandtea" was born! 

Thank you so much Stephanie!

If you would like to be featured on The Green Raybans, email us at mickeyminnie8901@gmail.com

Balenciaga Fall 2013 RTW

 "I'm going back to the roots, identifying the codes of the house, and translating them into a functioning, full wardrobe" - Alexander Wang

The sudden news of Nicolas Ghesquière's departure from Balenciaga had left the fashion world stunned. With only three months to work on the collection, New York designer Alexander Wang, was appointed to take his place! Wang had some seriously big shoes to fill, and I must say he did a great job. A hard, marble runway and a subdued atmosphere was the scene at Alexander Wang's debut collection for Balenciaga. The venue of this long awaited show was a quiet setting on the Avenue George V. The collection in itself was beautiful. The strategically done cut outs, the breathtaking shapes and the gorgeous prints all made up for the lack of colour in the monochrome assortment of clothing. The monochrome trend was definitely brought to light in this collection. To keep the looks from seeming boring there were interesting textures and a blown out silhouette similar to the ones seen at Burberry Prorsum's Spring 2013 show. Although the collection was a great way to launch Wang's new reign in Balenciaga, I felt he played it slightly safe. He could have incorporated more of an Alexander Wang feel to his first collection, however the clothes were stunning yet functional. 

The all black theme was widely seen at the Balenciaga Fall '13 show. However the dark hue was absolutely not boring. To the contrary the interesting cut outs and midi and maxi length dresses were brought to life. If Alexander Wang decided to make these dresses bright blue, it would take away from the beautiful minimalism and simplicity. 

Although black was the colour more widely used, prints were a significant part of the collection. The print had a marble effect, much like the runway, added an appeal to these slightly safe looks. From high neck lines to exposed décolletage the prints were not the only thing that fascinated. The exaggerated shapes and silhouettes seen throughout the whole collection were the work of a genius. 

Balenciaga's take on the simplistic everyday wear was conservative, but edgy. Even though a basic black and white combo has been around for years Wang gave it a sophisticated and classy touch. 

The picture above displays my favourite pieces in this collection. The textures, silhouettes and prints of the garments paired with the simplest of shoes work coherently to make the perfect fall look.