005: Fashion Recipes
Lace and Leather + Packing For Dita + Lu’s List (The August Edition)
Happy August!
I hope you’re soaking up the warm summer days and filling them with whatever your heart desires. These are some of my favorite days of the year—the height of summer (hot beach days, vacay mode, pool parties, endless sunshine)—yet the crisp air and fresh style of fall are just around the corner. It always feels like a fresh start is on the horizon, and all things seem possible.
This month, I’m diving into successful fashion recipes (specifically lace and leather), the importance of starting any endeavor with your perfect vision, and Lu’s List—everything I’m coveting and contemplating right now.
Below are a few highlights from my shoot with Marlie a few weeks ago. I’m passionate about creating stories with clothes, models, and locations—it’s my ultimate form of expression, like playing dress-up but in real time. Marlie was a superstar to work with (you can find her at LA Models), and I’m so excited to share the looks we created together.
The intro shot? That’s a Zimmermann blouse. I love how it combines so many delicate details and varieties of lace—and the cloth-covered buttons make me happy.
Hope you enjoy,
amyluxox
Marlie
Marlie/LA Models @marliebarr0n.Photography and Styling by @amyluxox.
Fashion Recipes
The fashion industry, like most creative fields, is a strange mix of contradictions. It encourages individuality while simultaneously chipping away at self-esteem for not conforming. It celebrates authenticity—so long as your authentic self fits neatly into a narrow lane of acceptability.
Trends are created by people paid to suggest them and then made “essential” by likes and comments from people who are largely inconsequential to your life. The industry pushes endless must-haves, style needs, and the “newest drops” promising you’ll look and feel better if you hurry up and buy. The message is clear: to keep up, you need to shop.
TIP: Turn off and tune out any outlet that says you need to buy to belong or conform to be celebrated—you don’t.
The problem? It’s an impossible game to win. Trends fade quickly. That must-have item is already “over” by the time you buy it. And the happiness, sexiness, or mystique promised by glossy campaigns? It doesn’t exist. (Trust me, once you’ve seen the post-production notes on a magazine cover, you know they don’t look like that either.)
No garment or accessory—no matter how expensive or celebrity-approved—can truly make you feel better about yourself.
However, when you set realistic style goals and use fashion as a tool to express yourself—rather than to meet others’ expectations—it can be incredibly powerful. This is where many people get mixed up, often copying influencers without first considering their own style goals. (That “must-have” dress might not be a must-have for you.)
Many also spend unconsciously, without a plan, hoping for a feeling they’ll never find in a purchase. It leads to blown budgets and, ironically, feeling worse.
Celebrity style is often held up as perfection, but those Instagram moments and magazine shots are the product of years of great outfits, smart buys, and plenty of trial and error. Like most things done well, it takes time, effort, mistakes, wins, and experience. I only wish the industry was more transparent about what’s actually attainable, necessary, and important. (Spoiler: you don’t need every “fashion essential” to be stylish.)
Fashion is like a recipe. You have to shop and prep, measure and mix, and follow your “recipe” to get the results you want. It’s not as complicated—or as exclusive—as the industry wants you to believe. And it doesn’t need to cost nearly as much as you might think. What it does require is time, effort, and a plan: decide on your desired outcome, gather your “ingredients,” and bring it to life one piece at a time.
TIP: When you’re shopping, bring a list of “ingredients” you want to style yourself with. Try on what inspires you and leave anything that doesn’t serve your recipe.
This month, I’m exploring one of my favorite fashion recipes: the combination of lace and leather. Equal parts feminine and fierce, it’s a simple style to master and easy to adapt to your own look. I hope you find it inspiring—or at the very least, helpful.
Love and style,
amyluxo
Leather & Lace: Opposites Attract
Lace and leather just work together. It’s a foolproof combo that flatters everyone, every time. The magic lies in the contrast—hard and soft, high and low, feminine and masculine.
I like having a few surefire pairings on hand for myself and for clients. It saves so much time (and stress) when faced with the dreaded “nothing to wear” syndrome. Leather and lace is one of those go-to’s. It works for everything:
Work: lace-detailed tank + blazer
Work events: lace blouse + denim
Dinners: lace dress + chunky leather shoes
Drinks out: lingerie-inspired top + leather shorts
You get the picture. This pairing has been a staple of mine for years because it always delivers.
Below you’ll find some great head-to-toe combos for you to buy and try. I’ve also put together some of my favorite leather-and-lace outfits and pieces I wear constantly. Finally I take a look at a few of the icons that created and then cemented this combination into the fashion classic that it is.
Happy shopping!
Some Inspiration For You- Looks I Love (Left to Right):
Chloé’s Sleeveless Mini Dress in silk charmeuse and lace ($2490.00), available at chloe.com.
Zara’s Faux Leather Bomber Jacket in black ($79.90), available at zara.com.
Chloe Eve Leather Over-The-Knee Boots ($2295.00), available at chloe.com.
Dolce&Gabbana Short Slip Dress ($1275.00), available at dolcegabbana.com.
The Frankie Shop Viper Leather Jacket (817.00), available at thefrankieshop.com.
Aquazzura Zenn Stretch Boot 65 ($1795.00), available at aquazzura.com.
A.L.C. Lucia Satin And Lace Midi Dress ($695.00), available at alcltd.com.
Luca Jacket in Black Recycled Leather ($600.00), available at aninebing.com.
Christian Louboutin KM Lace Knee-High Boots ($2495.00), available at neimanmarcus.com.
Zadig&Voltaire Ramelil Silk Dress ($448.00), available at zadig-et-voltaire.com.
Nakedvice Torey Black Jacket ($215.00), available at nakedvice.com.au.
Khaite Apollo Over-The-Knee Flat Boot ($1920.00), available at khaite.com
Lu Lala Favorites
Style Notes Left to Right:
Ulla Johnson Suisse Dot Blouse + Maje Fringe Biker Jacket – I also bought the blouse in black and wear both constantly.
Reformation Black Lace T-Shirt – Probably the most-worn item in my wardrobe.
Anine Bing White Lace Tiered Dress – Still waiting for that luxe garden party invite! It would be cute with black boots too.
Self-Portrait Black Lace Dress – Nobody does corded lace like Self-Portrait.
Alice + Olivia Black Leather Shorts – I wear these so often I’m considering a backup pair.
Arakii Lace Skirt – Inspired by a girl in Marin wearing it with a vintage tee and Chucks. I styled mine with strappy heels, a turtleneck, and a biker jacket for an event.
BCBG White Lace Top – So easy with denim.
D&G Leopard Bustier + Alice + Olivia Leather Shorts – Proof I live in those shorts.
Self-Portrait Neck-Tie Lace Blouse – A favorite in New York; the city makes it easy to dress up without overthinking.
Star Power: Always Lovely in Leather & Lace
Lace is perfectly feminine, and leather brings sexy, strong vibes—a match made in heaven for runways, red carpets, and studio shoots. This pairing has been a go-to for celebrities and street-style queens forever. It’s a look that works every time, on everybody, and truly stands the test of time.
Hailey Bieber © Getty Images
Bette Page © CMG Worldwide
Marilyn Monroe © Mary Evans
Kate Moss © Spread Pictures
Cher © Odile Montserrat
Lila Moss © Getty Images
Some of My Fav’s From Left To Right:
Hailey stepped out in head-to-toe lace with a leather trench while pregnant—and looked incredible. Bette and Marilyn perfected the look by pairing lingerie with bold black heels (Marilyn’s are reminiscent of the high-vamp heel trend everywhere right now). Kate is this century’s poster child for the style—nobody does it better—and Lila has a dream closet to pull from, so there’s that… And, of course, Cher rocked it harder than anyone in the ’80s.
My Lush List: If I Was Packing For Dita ♥️
When I storyboard for an editorial or client, I always begin with my genie-in-a-bottle vision. The final product rarely turns out exactly as I first imagined, but it’s often very close—and having a storyboard as a guide keeps the overall level high, even when challenges arise.
Budgets are almost always a factor (very few clients have the “spend whatever you need” mentality). Timing can also derail plans—designer samples might be on another shoot, tied up with another stylist, or withheld by a PR firm who doesn’t want a client seen in the pieces too soon. And, of course, fit is an ongoing challenge; samples are tiny and rarely work on most bodies.
Still, I love starting with my lush list—the pieces I’d love to have, wear, or style on a client. It’s like imagining I’m packing for a weekend getaway to Paris for Dita Von Teese—this is exactly where I’d begin.
My Lush List From Left to Right:
Dolce & Gabbana Lace Bodysuit ($1545.00), available at dolcegabbana.com.
Alaïa Stiletto Pump ($1450.00), available at FRWD.com.
McQueen Strapless Lace Crop Bustier ($1890.00), available atsaksfifthavenue.com.
Magda Butrym Flared Leather Shorts ($1010.00), available at farfetch.com.
Dolce & Gabbana Cordonetto Lace Dress ($2595.00), available at dolcegabbana.com.
Kiki de Montparnasse Lace Tie-Neck Blouse ($875.00), available atsaksfifthavenue.com.
Norma Kamali Floral Lace Suit ($275.00), available at normakamali.com.
Norma Kamali Faux Leather Trench Coat ($595.00), available at normakamali.com.
Wardrobe.NYC Lace Tights ($300.00), available at FWRD.com.
Lu’s List: The August Edition
Fall is my favorite time of year for shopping. Despite the constant fast-fashion drops, fall still delivers fashion’s best. It’s back-to-school, September-issue, get-focused time—and fashion always shows up.
It’s the perfect moment for a style reset: layering again, pulling out jackets and coats, and planning holiday-party looks.
Brands know exactly what they’re doing with release timing. The best pieces almost always arrive first. If it were all basics, we’d scroll right past.
I’m a firm believer that a new season should start with both statement pieces and great basics. That mix keeps getting dressed exciting.
Now, I only buy items I can style multiple ways and wear to multiple events. If it doesn’t pass that test, I skip it. Oh and by the way, I don’t link items but always credit them. My goal is to inspire—not dictate. If you love something, buy it, but you can just as easily find a version at your favorite shop or site.
Happy Scrolling.
Lu’s List Looks (Left To Right):
Look #1:
Although I work primarily from home, I do have the occasional meeting where I need to look professional and stylish. I love Club Monaco for suiting—it’s great quality for the price—and I’ve never met a jumpsuit I didn’t like. I’d pair this look with chunky gold jewelry because I’m still on that bandwagon (and don’t see myself jumping off anytime soon).
I’ve also had Fendi on the brain thanks to SJP and SATC re-runs; this mini purse feels timeless and like something I’d use for years. Lastly, I’ve been craving a pair of high-heeled sandals for months. I held off, thinking it might be fleeting, but I can’t seem to shake it, so I landed on these Zara ones—they look great and don’t cost a fortune.
Credits:
Club Monaco Sleeveless Jumpsuit ($248.00), available at clubmonaco.com.
Mejuri Organic Dôme Mixed Pebble Earrings ($248.00), available at mejuri.com.
Fendi Fendigraphy Mini-Bag ($2350.00), available at fendi.com.
Zara High Heeled Leather Sandals ($109.00), available at zara.com.
Look #2:
I fall in love with almost anything peony pink—I’ve been that way since I was a kid. It’s such a happy color, reminding me of flowers, bubblegum, and feeling pretty.
This dress has the sweetest high neck and cap-sleeve lace detail. My only hesitation: the fabric looks like it could show everything underneath. It’s one I’ll need to try on.
The Simkhai shell clutch is both fun and timeless, and the gold Jeffrey Campbell heels are perfect for a “walk in and perch” event (definitely not all-day shoes).
Credits:
Cult Gaia Riti Dress ($728.00), available at cultgaia.com.
Simkhai Monet Shell Clutch Bag ($595.00), available at simkhai.com.
Jeffrey Campbell Women’s Ce-Soire Sandals ($165.00), available at jeffreycampbell.com.
Look #3:
Maroon is one of my favorite things about fall—the color and its entire complementary palette. It flatters everyone (seriously, try it).
This ba&sh blazer is a go-to for me; I own it in several colors and wear each one constantly. It’s the perfect topper over pants, slip dresses, or skirts.
I finally gave in to the midi denim skirt trend. I was hesitant to revisit it (I wore it years ago), but this one is worth it. It looks so good with cropped tees and tucked-in tanks.
I paired the berry blazer with cherry-toned accessories. Layering similar shades of the same hue always feels clever and chic.
The suede hobo bag is ideal for daily use and travel—it holds everything. The square-heeled Prada slingbacks are a standout this season. I finished the look with chunky gold, because it just works.
Credits:
Isabel Marant Links Chain Choker ($550.00), available at us.isabelmarant.com
Simkhai Monet Nixi Suede Hobo Bag ($595.00), available at simkhai.com.
Prada Patent leather slingback pumps ($1220.00), available at prada.com.
ba&sh Meredith Structured Jacket ($435.00), available at ba-sh.com
Moussy Vintage Putnam Denim Midi Skirt ($325.00), available at mousey-global.com