Kat Lobregat: It’s the season for polar opposites

As early as September, luxury retailer Rustan’s has been busy stocking the store with gorgeous numbers, as well as introducing distinctive merchandise from luxury brands like Lily Pulitzer, Rachel by Rachel Roy, Hoss Intropia, Halston and Emilio Pucci.

They’ve also been decking the posh retail space with Christmas ornaments, to add to the festive cheer.

That’s why if we were to trust anyone with elegant ball-worthy numbers, it would most likely be Rustan’s. You only have to gaze at its festive window display to get an idea of what’s in store.

“What we have come up with is a holiday dressing theme, with the general theme of bringing polar opposites together,” says Kat Tantoco-Lobregat, fashion buyer for ladies and young adults, who has been injecting a dose of creativity and a modern vibe to Rustan’s for over a decade.

“We create beautiful interpretations of the digital and spiritual world; the past and the future; raw and man-made; formal wear and casual wear; tailored and fluid, trendy and classic; vintage and modern; organic and exaggerated; purity and obscurity,” she says of the collection for the holidays.

The result? An idiosyncratic juxtaposition, whether it’s a very feminine ruched top paired with hard-edged animal-print pants that scream rock, a vintage lace dress with  modern silhouette, or a play of fabrics, such as a gunmetal floaty top paired with  tailored black trousers.

Colors are also a major part of the collection, integrating the concept of polar opposites, but still harmonious. “We merge earth tones with acid tones, subdued colors with vibrant colors,” Tantoco-Lobregat says.

Decades past

There is heavy use of imagery from decades past. “Everything is coming back,” stresses Tantoco-Lobregat. “The wide leg pants of the ’70s, Victorian blouses, the fringe and flapper dresses of the ’20s, the acid hues and neon colors of the ’80s, the shoulder pads of ’90s.”

These moments with periodic references were filtered by Tantoco-Lobregat. She used knowledge of the customer and sensible styling, creating holiday looks that are refined and sophisticated, but also curiously artistic.

We especially love the ’50s-inspired ladylike dress by Lily Pulitzer, the perfect day-to-night ensemble. Hoss Intropia’s asymmetrical lace dress is ideal for cocktails and evening socials, while the Elie Tahari muted blue wrap dress, inspired by the ’70s is a stunner, and figure-flattering, too.

Kat’s style and shopping tips to get you holiday-ready

Make room and make time for shopping. For outfits, you really have to scour the racks and try things on. To make things interesting, follow the trend of mixing and matching (opposites), but I’m all about personal style. That makes your outfit unique. As for shopping for gifts, you need a list because of time and budget issues.

On mixing and matching: It becomes much more interesting and stimulating when, in creating an outfit, you are able to pull off contrasting concepts:  elegant and casual, tailored and flowing, edgy and traditional, vintage and modern, mainstream and niche, feminine and masculine, rock ’n’ roll and angelic, lace and leather, etc.

On styling for certain body types and skin tones: The general rule here is to have the will and patience to constantly try things on and study what you look like in front of a mirror.  There really is no shortcut, and since we all have varying body types and shapes, the general rules don’t necessarily apply to all pear-shaped women, for example.  Another simple trick is to accent your physical characteristics that are appealing, and try to camouflage those that are not as appealing.