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fantasy friday: seeing spots.

October 15, 2010 — 2 Comments

For me, the best type of trend is the trend that’s also a classic. Leopard fits this bill perfectly, and it’s one of those classics that are constantly being reinvented season after season. This season, however, the spots seem to be having a *larger-than-life* moment; they’re being seen everywhere, on everyone, and in every style – but my personal favorite is what’s happening in accessories.

I see leopard as more of a neutral in itself – you can pair it with any color, even prints, to give any outfit an instant boost. I love accessories for this very reason: No matter what you have on, you can add a leopard shoe, bag, or scarf and instantly up your chicness factor.

Below are my top picks from some of my favorite designers (Lanvin and YSL appear more than once, I just couldn’t help myself) for accessories that will carry you through this season and beyond. All of the key pieces of an accessory wardrobe are here, from the carry-all tote to the scarf to the everyday ballet flat.

PLATFORM “SHOOTIE”

{giuseppe zanotti}

SCARF

{ysl}

EVERYDAY BALLET FLAT

{lanvin}

CHAIN-STRAP MINI POCKETBOOK

{lanvin}

BOLERO

{anna sui}

BOOTIE

{brian atwood}

CARRY-ALL TOTE

{lanvin}

If I had my way, I’d take them all. I love the idea of the scarf right now; it’s something you could easily throw on with a tee shirt and be out the door. I love the ballet flats for the same reason, and there’s no office ensemble that wouldn’t be {drastically} improved by those YSL pumps. The Lanvin bags are each perfect in their own way; we all need a smaller bag for evenings out, and this chain makes it much more user-friendly than a clutch – and the tote is perfect for carrying around, you know, your entire life.

And then, there are those luscious creations from Giuseppe Zanotti. Those are just perfect. For anything. I’d sleep in them, if I could.

Are YOU a forever-leopard girl, or can you live without the animal-print? What’s YOUR favorite fall accessory?

In Fantasy Friday, Fashion, Obsessed animal print, brian atwood, handbags, lanvin, platforms, ysl

fantasy friday: the LV speedy, jazzed up.

October 1, 2010 — Leave a comment

I have a trusty old Louis Vuitton Speedy bag hiding somewhere in my bag collection.

{image}

I haven’t worn it in ages. And now I want to wear it even less, because it isn’t covered in sequins.

This is the kind of thing that happens when Marc Jacobs is creative director of the company, and I’m not complaining. Sometimes messing with iconic pieces ends in disaster – beautiful things are cheapened, or made too trendy; it’s sort of like the theory that a sequel to a great movie never comes close to the success of the first. This rendition, however, I am totally and utterly into. Why? Because sequins will never go out of style – in fact, they may be as timeless as the Speedy itself.

Which is more than I can say for graffiti, cherries, and hot pink roses.

In Fantasy Friday, Fashion handbags, louis vuitton, sequins

DVF dressing: fall 2010.

September 29, 2010 — 4 Comments

It’s no secret that every year, you can count on Diane to produce a line of perfectly chic and always wearable dresses. But this year – this year, she really killed it. I honestly had a hard time deciding which were my favorites, and there were so many other pieces {hello, leopard scarves and delicious leather gloves – but who am I kidding, I live in Florida} competing for my attention that I almost decided to open this post up beyond dresses.

I couldn’t quite do it, thought, because the dresses stood in a category of their own. I mean, we are talking about the woman who *invented* the wrap dress. Would you expect anything less?

She gives us the latest trends by way of leopard, velvet, and leather – and her color palette is divine. The cremes, the blacks, and the jades all complement each other so beautifully, and I love the vintage and slightly Moroccan feel the prints exude. It’s all very modern. And sexy. And easy. And I’ll take one of each, please.

{grano velvet wrap dress}

{davina dress}

{arita leather dress}

{julian mini wrap dress}

{beulah wrap gown}

{tabalah dress}

{noelle mini dress}

In Fashion animal print, dresses, dvf, fall 2010 trends, leather

fantasy friday: my kind of hiking boots.

September 24, 2010 — Leave a comment

{tractor-sole “hiking” boot by azzedine alaïa}

In all seriousness, I actually do enjoy hiking.

But these?

These go beyond enjoyment. These go beyond, well, anything.

I mean, all you need here is a pair of skinny jeans and a white tee and you’re off to the races. Why try to even compete with these boots? I wouldn’t dare get in the way of these – these things will totally kick your ass.

I think they would also be great with a shorts look like this, and this silky military green romper would be totally on-point. These boots have that perfect tough-meets-sexy factor that would complement so many of the trends we’re seeing for fall right now.

What do YOU say, dolls – shall we hit the mountains?

In Fantasy Friday, Fashion boots, fall 2010 trends, military, platforms make everything better

fantasy friday: MAJORly fall.

September 10, 2010 — 2 Comments

I’ve *fallen* for fall.

And I’m not talking about the weather. God knows that doesn’t exist here in South Florida.

No, for me – fall equals fashion . And this year, the designers went ba-nanas. There was a huge 90′s influence, but without the grunge factor that’s been haunting us lately – nope, none of that here. Here we saw everything from minimalism circa classic Calvin Klein, to the return of velvet, and – perhaps now taking us closer into the 80s – lace. And then, there were the animal prints. Leopard is totally killing it right now, and I can’t get enough of it. But that’s not all – there were also retro influences, seen in the way of ladylike suiting and full skirts. It was all about juxtaposition. Old school, and new school. Lace, and military. Minimalism, and over-the-top embellishment. Leather – but not just jackets. It’s the element of surprise – leather shorts, dresses, full ensembles. And I’m obsessing over the maxi skirts. It’s not about the dress anymore – it’s all in the skirt, whether form-fitting or flowing.

So – without further ado, here they are. All of my favorite trends of the season, straight off the runway.

ANIMAL PRINTS.

{roberto cavalli}

LEATHER EVERYTHING.

{stella mccartney}

LACE.

{lanvin}

NEVERENDING NEUTRALS.

{chloé}

MORE ANIMAL PRINTS.

{malandrino}

THE RETURN OF RED.

{versace}

FUR.

{gucci}

MILITARY.

{burberry}

MAXI SKIRTS.

{dries van noten}

In Fantasy Friday, Fashion animal print, fall 2010 trends, fall collections, lace, leather, maxi skirts, military, minimalism, neutrals, red-hot

gray for days.

August 30, 2010 — 4 Comments

Simple can be stunning.

{I think I’ve mentioned this before, no?}

This all-gray ensemble worn by Dree Hemingway sums it up pretty perfectly. I love the idea of pairing a simple cotton tee with a drapey skirt in the same color – not to be outdone by a fabulous pair of neutral shoes. We all know by now that I usually find neutrals to be the chicest choice, and going all-out monochromatic only takes it one step further.

I’m sure many of us are familiar with this particular gray tee from American Apparel. I love the super soft fabric, and I have several of them in both the tee as shown and the v-neck style. This outfit really demonstrates how versatile a tee can be. She actually designed the skirt she’s wearing – I’m impressed – but I did find this version which looks incredibly similar. She also rocked the Loubies, of course, which I love – but you can always find great neutral pumps from sources like Aldo (my personal favorite) or Steve Madden for a much lower price tag.

As far as the bag goes, a black Balenciaga satchel works for any occasion, and she proves that point – but I wouldn’t mind seeing a pop of color here. I think an animal-print would be especially beautiful, and keeping the bag somewhat within the neutral category does solidify the theme she’s working right now.

I also love how she kept her jewelry totally minimal, as well as her hair and makeup. She looks like she could roll right out of bed looking like this – and I think that’s about as sexy as it gets.

What do you think, dolls? Does this type of look do it for you, or do you need a little more to get you going?

{image}

In Fabulously Simple, Fashion beyond chic, effortlessly glam, gray, monochromatic, neutrals, platforms

the most glam housewarming party. ever.

August 20, 2010 — 9 Comments

We all know I love my theme parties by now.

But this – this takes it to another level. What’s the theme you ask? It’s hard to put a name on this one. It’s glamour, meets casual. Black-tie attire, and ping-pong.

We’ll just call it fabulous. That works, doesn’t it?

It’s a housewarming party for a gentleman by the name of Kevin Sharkey, featured in Martha Stewart Living. I found it here, and I fell into a trance. I mean, a shower full of perfect orange Hermès boxes? That’s my kind of decorating. The tub filled with champagne bottles wasn’t too bad of an idea, either. I love how they brought a room to life – the bathroom, no less – that wouldn’t normally be included in the party.

How about a cake made entirely out of Oreo cookies, stacked on top of one another? With sparkler candles shooting out the top, no less. I think it may have been the old-fashioned milk bottles scattered about the table that really sold me here. And we can’t forget about the caviar.

I really don’t think it gets any better than men dressed in tuxedos playing a solid game of table tennis. I’m also a big fan of ladies in fabulous dresses making themselves just a little more comfortable. Shouldn’t we all drink our cocktails and eat our caviar sans shoes, sitting on the kitchen counter? This is living.

Please note how they’re keeping score: lipstick tallies on mirrored walls. But not just any lipstick. A tray of Chanel lipsticks, boys and girls. Does it get any more chic than this?

The woman pictured above and throughout many of the other images is actually the daughter of Martha Stewart. I’m jealous. Can you imagine being the daughter of Martha herself? On one hand, it seems like the most fabulous thing in the world – on the other…well, you know. Those are some big shoes to fill.

Throwing parties like this tells us she’s doing a pretty good job.

So, from my dreams to yours – here it is, dolls. My idea of perhaps the greatest housewarming party ever to exist. Super glamorous, yet still low-key. For me, this is what makes it so grand, so over-the-top special. Anyone can throw a stuffy party with a few {thousand} dollars – but this struck the perfect balance between opulence and good old-fashioned fun.

Understated elegance at its finest, my loves. Happy Friday!

In Fantasy Friday caviar, champagne, entertaining, hostess with the mostess, housewarming, martha stewart, Theme Lover, ultra-glam

fantasy friday: jenny packham.

August 6, 2010 — 4 Comments

Fashion should be bold. Adventurous. Daring. Unexpected.

Jenny Packham seems to agree, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’ve been seeing her designs making their way through the Hollywood circuit as of late – and I’m impressed, to say the least. The first one I noticed that caught my eye in a big way was this burst of sequin-filled sunshine on Heidi Klum.

Not to be outdone by this dress Blake wore while filming Gossip Girl.

{I was sold}

Just to confirm my suspicions, I had to check out Miss Packham’s fall line. The one word I would use to describe her designs? Outrageous. But – in a good way. A great way. An outrageously bold and chic way. There were lots of giant ribbons (a la the second black gown below) cinching the waist, and loads of sequins and all that glitters. I absolutely D.I.E for her use of color, and her separates took whimsy and playfulness to the extreme – some of them may even strike you as circus-like. I personally think her strongest looks are those suited for the red carpet.

Just take a look at these stunners.

I can’t really decide which are my favorites. I think the black low-cut number or the yellow {though I must say – I’m not really feeling the rest of this model’s look} would have to be the most wearable for me. That flowing red dress is perfection – so dramatic, so exquisitely crafted – and sure to make one stand out in a crowd. I think it’s a safe bet that we’ll be seeing a lot more of her on the red carpet.

What do you think dolls? Are her dresses too much for your taste, or do you dig these larger-than-life designs?

In Fantasy Friday, Fashion blake lively, evening gowns, heidi klum, jenny packham, red carpet only

fantasy friday: american chic meets italian glam.

July 30, 2010 — 1 Comment

Right now, Neiman Marcus is hosting a super cool contest.

You are given a number of {fabulous} items to choose from, and you must put together a look that represents your passion for fashion.

Sounds like my kind of party.

Unfortunately for me, a very old and dear friend of mine has already entered, and I wouldn’t feel right about stealing her thunder – as without her, I wouldn’t have even known about it. That, and I honestly don’t know if I could have picked a better sampling of pieces.

I am particularly smittten/in love/full-blown obsessed with the animal-print chiffon gown by Blumarine.

Feather skirt? Duh.

I’m not even into skulls, but for some reason I feel like I need this outrageous McQueen clutch.

Okay – so I’m pretty much obsessed with everything. It’s a perfect mix of ultra-chic basics and totally on-trend investments. Even moreso, I love her approach. She’s inspired by the effortlessly glam women of Italy, and gold + animal-prints – as long as it’s done right. Amen to that. She’s going for American meets European chic, glam meets a bit of edge, and most importantly – pieces that blend seamlessly with what’s already in your wardrobe.

Please click here to see Chrystal’s collection and vote!

In Fantasy Friday, Fashion animal print, beyond chic, effortlessly glam, feathers, neiman marcus

fantasy friday: the birkin bag.

July 23, 2010 — 6 Comments

The Birkin bag.

I used to think the idea of spending $10,000+ on a handbag was, in a word, ridiculous.

I mean, think of all the other things you could use that money for. Donations to a charity you love, for instance. Can’t we buy beautiful, designer bags at a lower price point and have some money leftover to do some kind of greater good?

It all sounds good in theory. And I’ll be the first to admit, I can’t imagine spending this kind of money on anything accessory-related at this point in my life, or maybe ever. Still, I can’t deny that the bag is all-sorts-of-amazing. It’s the epitome of luxury, but the inherent style isn’t flashy – the lines are simple and classic, and it will never go out of style.

I guess the way I’ve started to look at it, is that the bag isn’t just an accessory. It’s art. I’m not so much into art, that you hang on your wall, per se. It’s pretty and beautiful and nice to look at, sure, but I don’t know artists by name or anything like that.

The names are I know are Hermès. Louis Vuitton. Bottega Veneta. Chanel. Those are my artists.

The Birkin is not an accessory, it’s art. It’s like a diamond; something you can admire for years, take great care of and eventually pass along to your children and grandchildren.

Just ask my beloved Vicky B. She has over 100 of them.

Now that’s what I call an art collection.

Yes, for most of us it’s still a Fantasy. And a ridiculous one, at that. But what’s one to do when you have more money than you know what to do with? It’s my guess that our favorite power couple has given many more millions to charity than the cool $2 mil that Vic spent on her Birkins. So when this is the case, I say yes to the Birkin – it is, after all, an investment.

Only much more chic, than say, a portfolio of stock.