Need Now: Vivienne Westwood World's End Hypnos Jersey Top

The Piece: Originally out of Westwood's Spring/Summer 1984 Hypnos collection (see below), this jersey top is inspired by synthetic sportswear and merges her trademark bondage accents, courtesy of ribbed paneling, with a sleek, athletic feel. Available now for $900. 

The Background: When she opened her boutique at 430 King's Road in London, Vivienne Westwood was one of the first designers who didn't just seamlessly bring fashion and music together, she regarded clothes as something more than what you wore. The store's first incarnation was Let It Rock ('50s-inspired Teddy Boy garb), and from there it evolved into Seditionaries ("specialists in rubberwear, glamourwear, and stagewear") and eventually SEX (the Sex Pistols would not exist if it weren't for the SEX shop), among others.  

Bondage shirts, Mountain hats (thanks, Pharrell!), Pirate boots: From Malcolm McLaren, Westwood's one-time boyfriend and business partner, and Johnny Rotten to Chrissie Hynde (who worked the register at one time) to Siouxsie Sioux and beyond, you wore Westwood's pieces only if you identified with her rebellious, street-seasoned, music-fueled way of life. Needless to say, posers need not apply. "I always wanted to cut a dash," she has said. She's sliced and slashed more than that, to say the least. 

 

From Punk to Grunge... By the early '90s, punk was assumed dead, but in reality, "grunge" is just another word for "punk." And Kurt Cobain's nubby, holey sweaters and droopy flannels were just yet another reincarnation of Westwood's rebellious creations. It's all about bucking the system, whether by way of a song, shirt, or all-out movement.

Tuesday Muses: Hazy, Languid Summer Days

The Inspiration, most circa 2010: Monika Jagaciak and Lily Donaldson by Steven Klein for Vogue Paris; Hailey Clauson by Jason Lee Perry; Lara Stone; Carmen Kass; Sally Mann photographs; Olivia Wilde by Guy Aroch; miscellaneous

Summer Desires: sleep in the sun, sheer gauze, pick up a book, weathered leather pieces, obtain grass stains, beaten flannel shirts, discover tan lines, little-kid socks, be slightly savage, everything fringe, lie on the pavement

Need Now: MM6's Clean Cutouts

The Piece: MM6 navy slit-shoulder long-sleeve dress, featuring an elasticized waist and an element of sharp cutouts; available now for $200

The Street and Runway Inspiration: No season lends itself to liberated dressing quite like summer. While floral maxi-dresses and thigh-baring cut-offs are obvious classics, they can feel trite. Keeping it dark with a minimalist cut-out piece is appealingly directional. Think clean slashes that speak of strength.

From left: A look from Atelier Versace's Fall 2014 Couture show, Tommy Ton shoots the scene outside the Men's Spring 2015 shows, and backstage at Anthony Vacarello's Spring 2014 show

Flashback Friday: Ralph Lauren's Easy Americana & Nautical-Inspired Style

In honor of the federal holiday that honors America's independence from the Brits (even though it's really more of an homage to grilled ground meats and binge-drinking, but that's cool, too!), we're paying homage to the most all-American of the American designers. Ralph Lauren isn't so much a fashion designer as a brilliant appropriator of classic sportswear, from rugged denim to prairie dresses to cowboy hats to turquoise and sterling-silver jewels...to sailor shirts.

The Piece: Ralph by Ralph Lauren linen French navy uniform-inspired blouse, circa early-1980s; available now for $100

The Inspiration: (from left) Ralph Lauren campaigns, 1982-1985; Brigitte Bardot; Jackie O.; Marilyn Monroe; Audrey Hepburn; and Elle Italia and Lui July 2014 editorials

The Way to Wear It Now: Let the linen crinkle as much and as naturally as Ralph originally intended, and take this to the beach for a knowing nod to the retro Cape Cod prepster. Tattered vintage Levi's cutoffs and a bare face with glowy cheeks and a Popsicle-stained mouth complete the look. Try By Terry Cheek to Cheek Watercolor Blush in Cherry Cruise ($48), along with Lipstick Queen's aptly named Hello Sailor berry-tinted lipstick ($25).

Throwback Thursday: The Lady is a (Chanel) Vamp

Let's take a stroll back twenty years to 1994, shall we? When "My So-Called Life" premiered, Naomi Campbell (who stormed Isaac Mizrahi's runway, naturally) and Robert DeNiro were an item, and Berlin-native Nadja Auermann was the model of the moment. Perhaps more importantly, it's also the year Chanel premiered a deep blend of red and black that came to be known as Vamp, in nail lacquer and lipstick form.

The story behind it: Alternatively called "Rouge Noir" (trust it would not have been the hit it was in the U.S. without the word "Vamp" attached), then-Chanel Creative Director Dominique Moncourtois was motivated to create the color by Karl Lagerfield. He had requested a deep, dark hue that would show up in the black-and-white photos he was producing to advertise their Spring/Summer 1995 collection. Vamp was born out of red polish covered in black marker.

But it went on to become so much more. Uma Thurman, aka Mia Wallace, donned the polish in Pulp Fiction, cigarette (after cigarette) in hand...

Madonna made it her costar, second to bullfighter Emilio Muñoz, in the "Take a Bow" music video, the perfect counterpart to smeared red lipstick, black lace, generous cleavage, and mistress tears...

Goth-chic, bad girl-cool, vintage throwback, eternally edgy: Whatever you want to call it, you have to admit it has a timeless, if not recurringly relevant, quality. You can still buy the revised version of Vamp, a lighter, shimmery version introduced in 2003 that's just not quite the same, here, as well as the lipstick version. These days, colors like this are a dime a dozen, but the first black-red cut is the deepest. Viva la Vamp! On that note, here are a few Vamp-inspired moments for good measure:

Need Now: Maison Martin Margiela Ligne 1 Le Smoking

Menswear-inspired dressing is nothing new, but you need only look to the Pre-Fall 2014 collections to see that deconstructed (and amply slouched) suiting is on the rise for the next season. The blazer is a timeless essential; now with stern tailoring, an intriguing mix of juxtaposing textures, and a decidedly non-nonsense vibe, it feels right-on right about now.

The Piece: (above) Maison Martin Margiela's Ligne 1 single-button blazer, featuring softly curved lapels, with the top portion constructed of lightweight wool and bottom half with a satin-sheen finish. Available now for $375.

The Contemporaries: (from left) 3.1 Phillip Lim, Michael Kors, and Preen Pre-Fall 2014 collection looks

The Inspiration: Stephanie Seymour on the cover of W Magazine, circa 2000, looking strong, sexy, and sensually dominant

The Beauty Pairing: Whether you opt for a flash of bra underneath, a la early-'90s Madonna in Gaultier, or get androgynous with a pair of wide-left trousers, slicked back hair is the way to go. Don't be afraid to break out the hair gel. Try Kiehl's Strong Hold Styling Gel ($15).