She’s carrying twins.
At the Cannes Film Festival.
May 15, 2008
Source: WireImage
Angelina Jolie Positively Glows
Here Comes the Bride
Well, you may not be the bride. In fact, you may not even be in the wedding party. That does not mean, however, that you should forgo looking as fabulous as you possibly can during wedding season because yes, wedding season is upon us. The obvious advice is to stay away from the color white; leave the wedding day drama at bay, please. There are other looks that are great for viewing the exchange of vows, and they vary as much as a wedding theme varies.
For an evening wedding, several designers offer a glam look for the fashionista guest:
1. Banana Republic, $175, bananarepublic.com
2. J. Crew, $250, jcrew.com
3. Les Prairies de Paris, $495, shoplanguage.com
A garden wedding is a great time to try some muted tones or an eye-popping hue:
1. Catherine Malandrino, $395, shopbop.com
2. Thread Social, $644, shopbop.com
3. Jill Stuart, $578, shopbop.com
If at the beach, fabrics that flow as the breeze blows are a great idea:
1. ABS by Allen Schwartz, $306, nordstrom.com
2. Banana Republic, $130, bananarepublic.com
3. Express, $79.50, expressfashion.com
I am Gladiator!
That’s what the fashion world has said when it comes to this summer’s footwear. The temperature outdoors is rising, and for that very reason the theme is “less is more.”
In the case of fashion for the feet, the gladiator style sandal–very Roman, very minimalist–mimics that theme of very little. However, don’t forget that while there isn’t much leather to go around when it comes to the gladiator sandal, the sandal does bare much of the foot.
Pedicures are more important now than ever!
1. Via Spiga, $165, shoes.com
2. L.A.M.B, $325, shopbop.com,
3. Gladiator sandals, $78, gap.com
4. Matt Bernson, $170, piperlime.com
5. Cocobelle, $98, shopbop.com
6. Steve Madden, $79.95, nordstrom.com
Shoshanna Lonstein Trunk Show
I will admit that I have associated the name Shoshanna Lonstein (Gruss) with Jerry Seinfeld. I recall her walking the red carpet as a seventeen-year-old high school senior accompanying her 40-something year old sitcom star boyfriend to the Emmy’s. Now, she has made a name for herself as a fashion designer. Her line embodies the image that I have of her: youthful, fun, and girly. In a little under two weeks, she will descend upon Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown boutique, Urban Chic, for a trunk show. The clothes that fashionable women in the metro area have to look forward to are from Shoshanna’s 2008 Spring line.
The good news about this trunk show is that buyers will get 15% off all merchandise in addition to receiving a free gift with their purchase of clothing from Shoshanna’s line.
April 24, 2008
3pm-8pm
Urban Chic Georgetown
1626 Wisconsin Avenue
The Most Wonderful Time
I’ve always been prone to procrastination. I’m not quite sure why. I do know that I was born one week early, so maybe after that day, I decided, “Maybe I should take things slow?” And, boy, do I! Four days before Christmas, and I have just begun my holiday shopping. Not to worry, though; I finished it all in a matter of hours. And I managed to lavish myself with some gifts in the process. In a previous post, I mentioned that I was looking for boots. I found them! Two pairs! And one of them was for a steal.
I decided to make my way to DSW in Bethesda. I like that store better because it has two levels, which means more inventory. While looking for shoes and/or boots for my sisters, I snooped around looking for things for myself (because what fun is Christmas shopping if you can’t buy yourself a gift?). What I discovered was a pair of kick-ass Elie Tahari knee high boots
tucked away on the clearance rack in the size seven section. I wear a size nine. However, knowing how chaotic the clearance section at DSW can be, I took the chance. The boots–design name, Kat– were not a size seven! They weren’t a size nine, either, but rather a ten. I sighed. Then I decided to see what the clearance price was. These boots were $220 and the sticker was yellow. I looked up at one of the many signs that are perched atop the clearance racks, the signs which decode what each color sticker means. There was an explanation about what a red sticker meant; about what a green sticker meant; about what a purple sticker meant; and about what a blue sticker meant. Nothing about a yellow sticker, though. I peeked at the price again, and saw that around the periphery of the sticker was the answer I had been looking for: 80% off. I walked away having paid $44 for designer boots.
In addition to those boots, I snagged a pair of Nine West ankle boots for half off. 
They fit like a glove, and I love the fact that they’re steel gray and suede. Plus, the heel height–three inches–is just right.
At Express, I also bought a pair of wide-leg jeans for 30% off.
Merry Christmas to me!
My Christmas Wishlist
The weather has become cooler in the northeast. Well, in actuality, the weather has become downright biting and cold. I’ve taken to wearing the black Isaac Mizrahi boots that I bought at the beginning of the year almost anytime that I go out. Of course, this leads me to the conclusion that I need a new pair (or perhaps two new pairs) of boots, preferably ankle in style.
While perusing the Zappos website, I came across several pairs of covet-worthy ankle boots.
The pleating on the side of these boots by Restricted add a little flair to something that could easily turn into a pair of boring black boots.
Restricted, $93.95, zappos.com
These boots by Dollhouse have the perfect aged leather appeal. And that side button detail is the perfect addition.
Dollhouse, $93.95, zappos.com
While these are not ankle boots, per se, they do have that feel. These are oxford booties by Nine West, and they have such a feminine feel to them despite the fact that they’re inspired by men’s footwear.
Nine West, $99.95, zappos.com
I’ve already taken to imagining which articles of clothing already in my closet that I could wear with any of these boots.
Stylized Femininity
One of the best things about fashion (at least for me) is learning about new designers. New, in this sense, can mean just starting out or new to me. In either case, I find that I get a small rush of excitement as I’m viewing what the designers of a particular new line have created. This happens often when I visit a site like Unsung (unsungdesigners.com). My mouth is agape after viewing the dramatic jewelry from Couture Saboteur.
In all its boldness there is still softness to the shapes of the numerous pendants. I like that in fashion. Go for bold, but stay chic and feminine.
It is why I’ve now fallen for Dolley Clothing. The pieces in Dolley Levan’s collection are simply beautiful and stylish. There’s no secret that I enjoy French fashion, and Dolley Clothing is great representation of what many consider elusive French chic.
After the Purge
On Saturday, I did what I had 
been putting off for months–I cleaned out my closet. What I thought would initially take an hour to do turned into a five hour ordeal not helped by the fact that I had my Salsa Mix blasting on the iTunes. Every so often, after emptying one dresser drawer, I’d get up and dance for a bit…or simply sit between the piles of clothes on either side of me, one that was the “Go away!” pile, the other the “Keeper!” pile. What brought on this Fall cleaning was that in the most recent weeks, I had been unable to put away any freshly laundered clothes. I had clothes popping out of the drawer, which prevented me from adding anything new to the mix. My closet was another story. For a number of years I have watched the shiny chrome bar sag beneath the weight of pants, skirts, sweaters, blouses, and coats, all dangling from all manners of hangers.
It was due to great necessity that I went through and tossed what I had forgotten that I owned. Some things I did keep. I re-discovered a pair of black ankle-length straight leg dress pants that have a very Audrey Hepburn vibe. They’re my own version of a cigarette pant. Half of my clothing did find new homes among the closets and drawers of my two younger sisters. One (wo)man’s trash and all that.
Today, I went out and purchased three new articles of clothing. Because my birthday is on Thursday, an aunt bought a gift card to New Y
ork & Co. for me. I’m not one who shops there on any kind of regular basis. In fact, I only see the inside of the store once a year. I’ll let you guess when that is. The gift card was for $50, and I assumed that I would be able to purchase one top. As it turns out, there’s some great promotion going on. I was able to walk away with a deep V-neck ballet-inspired wrap-like (without the wrap) top in cyan for $9.99; a pair of straight leg jeans for $24.95; and a pair of midnight blue cotton pedal pushers that hit my leg just below the knee for $7.49 (after a 70% reduction from the already reduced $24.99 tag). I’ve already got plans for those pedal pushers. My strappy gold Chinese Laundry heels (purchased a couple summers back) look nice with them.
Trend Report: Spring 2008
Now that the Spring shows have ended (and what a whirlwind these six weeks have been), I’ve decided to look back at what was presented in each city. The plan is to gage what trends–clothing, shoes, and accessories–we have to look forward to when the temperature starts warming up, and the days began to get longer while the nights become shorter.
Cinched Waists
Alexander McQueen
Martin Grant
BCBG Max Azria
Lela Rose
Lanvin
Bold Color
Catherine Malandrino
Céline
Requiem
Junya Watanabe
Giambattista Valli
Floral
Balenciaga
Stella McCartney
1920s & 1930s
Temperley (South of France)
Christian Dior (1930s)
Dark Lips
Christian Dior
Lanvin
Flowing, kaftan-like dresses
Giambattista Valli
ADAM
Stella McCartney
Grecian Silhouette
Lanvin
Alexander McQueen
“Although some would call his designs outrageous, London-born designer Alexander McQueen has garnered attention for many years due to his ability to create clothing that is original and innovative.”
–from a paper titled “Notes on Style” that I wrote three and a half years ago during my graduate study.
The opinion remains. There are many designers whose works I admire, however Alexander McQueen’s name is usually at the forefront if I’m asked who some of my favorite designers are. In my everyday life, when I think about clothing that I would wear, I’m more drawn to the Catherine Malandrino/Diane Von Furstenberg/Martin Grant aesthetic. From an artistic stand point, from a visionary standpoint, though, I adore and appreciate Alexander McQueen’s artful beauty.
His collections veer into the whimsical, which I enjoy. And what holds them together is the careful construction of each piece; a close attention to some detail, whether it’s the precise cut-outs in a stiletto or the swooping curves of a tall hat. Everything is crafted to tell a story, and what a great storyteller he is.
[Photo credits: style.com]
