CoonHound

This post today is inspired by someone who I didn't know of until she became the girl with the 'Coon eyes.

While I agree with the general public/fashion police that Taylor Momsens's attempt to pull of the look is classified as 'fail', I am highly in favor of the idea itself. This comes at an especially exciting time after shows have been a lot more focused on a fresh face with pared down makeup. I am a big fan of smokey eyes, and I think her fault was not in the goth look, but that ever important factor of location. She goes too far down on the bottom lash, yet doesn't use the full space she has to her eyebrow, which I think for her face is fair game. There's also the factor of gradient, which she could have taken advantage of instead of the solid black color, because it didn't give her depth or do her blue eyes any favors.

I'm also a firm believer that makeup is one of the most essential styling tricks and accessories that we have to work with, and I don't think that this makeup was appropriate for her getup. It became too costumey. One could also mention her obvious roots as a faux pas, but I like the look- it reminds me of Shakira and her Dirty Laundry days, but I digress...
  As Glamour magazine would say, Taylor Momsen's eye makeup is a DON'T, so let's take a look at a DO...especially now that it's the festive month of Halloween, in which it is necessary to take risks, go bold, and embrace your inner emo! Even if it's just for one night.

The DO is one that I've just happened upon, and that's at the Chanel Spring 2011 RTW. I love the clothes, but the beauty and accessories take the lead in this show for me. Check it out. What is not to love?? This girl (above) is beautiful and she utilizes both methods that Ms. Momsen did not: location and gradient. This model has a little bit more space than Taylor between her eye and eyebrow, but still works the shading all the way up to the brow effectively because she kept it most dramatic at the lash line. Like Taylor, she has light eyes, and the greater emphasis at the lash line is a lot more flattering. I also love, love, LOVE the earrings. I would wear these to work, seriously. This other model here (left) makes me want to chop off all my hair and bleach it blonde- something that doesn't happen often. I love her look, and the finishing touch of the black line on the part is great- and is almost a nod to those with black roots. The other ways that make the dark eyes work are that this bold angry eye is paired with feminine threads that have color. In each of the models, you can also see a hint of emerald, azure, and silver blended into the black smokey shadows.

I think this is a look that can be pulled of during the day (carefully) or a night out. Toning it down a little does help- like this

There's also the ability to take advantage of the 'new' neutrals of fall to use as a smokey eye, to mix with or use in place of black. Navy and cocoa are great alternatives. I've definitely done the navy on many nights out. A deep purple is also fun to do.  Now to figure out how to wear black lipstick...

Spring's favorite girl you've never heard of

Balmain Spring 2011 (style.com)

Freja Beha Erichsen  has a unique look that has definitely got me to take notice. I'm just surprised how she is not yet at 'Tao' (as in Okomoto) status. As I was going through the Spring 2011 RTW collections, I first thought, 'have I seen this girl before?', and then it evolved into 'there she is again!' until after the zilliionth time that I saw her, I finally made note of her name. Although I don't believe she's had the honor of opening any shows this season (maybe I'm wrong), she apparently opened for Miu Miu in the fall of 2005. This spring show you can find her walking the walk for Stella McCartney, Celine, Lanvin, Balenciaga, Balmain, Bottega Venetta, Versace, Prada, and Gucci among many others. See? It's no joke; this girl is everywhere. So what is it about this Dane that makes her so desirable in spite of her normal, wispy brown hair? (remember, high fashion and silly hair are nearly synonymous.) First of all, I think her look is defined by her jaw line. She has a very masculine
/androgynous lower jaw bone that creates a lovely little shadow while she's on the catwalk. Her look is very easily rough and calls to mind a late 80's/early 90's rocker chick- which isn't a huge leap considering her 16 tattoos and counting. She also looks like a model version of Sigourney Weaver, and anyone who's seen Alien knows she's badass.

At the same time, Freja can look very sleek and ladylike. Lastly, she's quite versatile: depending on the show, I'd guess she was Russian, Mongolian, Argentine or American. Either way, I think she is one of those 'acquired tastes' kinds that I was at first slightly annoyed by, like Georgina Stojilkovic, but one that I have grown to look forward to seeing in each show that comes out. One of these days I'll do a post of the models I think should be the it girls, which will definitely include Heloise Guerin and Tayane Leão.

Freja in Michael Kors and Diesel in Spring2011 (photos: style.com)

I <3 Fashion Week.... This is crazy- but I' don't hate any of your faves, CG! I  haven't gone through all the shows yet, but I've decided to make a posts instead of waiting til I'm out of this sensory overload to make one post that will probably end up long, confusing, and tangential.

So maybe I've mentioned this before, but when I see something fashionable that I adore, I will save it to a folder that I have titled 'I wish' and have made a slide show of those pictures  my screen saver. So that said, I usually go through and find the highest number of saves per show and voila- those are my favorite shows. So far, my top contenders are as follows:

Luca Luca (5 looks saved)
This wasn't anything that new, but it was very 'spring'. I  loved the dresses, patterns, and colors. To me, it was like Ralph Lauren meets Banana Republic.

  Monique Lhuilleir (5 looks saved)
 Beautiful tailoring and very ladylike.

Wayne (5 looks saved)
This is my top fave so far. The show was cohesive, interesting, wearable, and incredibly chic. American sportswear meets dominatrix without losing any femininity. In all that, it still also spoke Spring with the layers, textures and colors.

As for the rest of my saves, it's a hodgepodge of what I found were really great looks or ideas, but stemming from shows that were overall not that great for me. Here's some of my favorite stand-alones:

Nicolas K-  (left)
Reminded me of a spring version of Burberry's fall show, with the staple styling of the jacket and the combat boots. The white dress adds softness to it.
Steven Alan- 
This look is one of those effortlessly put-together ones that I strive for. It has all my current favorites: the Slouchy beach sweater, nude heels, and a hat.

Jen Kao- (left) If Rodarte had gone more in this direction, it probably would have gotten a few saves for me. The model is beautiful and it looks as though this dress was made specifically for her body. I liked a lot of the other pieces in the show, but this was one of the only stand-outs.
Dennis Brasso- 
Wow. There are no words for this dress. So pretty. Reminds me of the one CG posted that Sara Jessica Parker was wearing.

The others that I liked included (of course) Michael Kors (the green pants), ADAM (every sleeveless top/tailored high-waisted pant combo), and Malandrino (the wide-leg trousers).

cont'd

A ha loophole! Looking up photos by model (instead of by collection) allows me to snatch the pics. Here are some more faves from SS11:

















........Marc Jacobs........................Rodarte.................
















...........Derek Lam..........................DVF....................

omigod

Unfortunately, school and work have consumed my life to the point where I lack the time and creative energy to construct a fully developed, eloquently worded post. As such, this post will simply be titled "omigod" so as to express my feelings about some very specific looks from only a few of the amazing SS11 collections. Enjoy:
















.........Marchesa ..................... J. Mendel ...............
















......Basso & Brooke..............Victoria Beckham......
















..........Jason Wu......................Donna Karan ..........



And we haven't even gotten to Paris yet! Joy :-)

I had additional OMG moments in Marc Jacobs (obvi) and DVF, but sadly was thwarted in my efffort to get the photos. This season, Style.com, in a brilliant/incredibly frustrating move, has made available video footage of some of the shows. Pro: It's so super cool to get to see Karlie Kloss's trademark "death stare" walk in action. Con: I can't drag and drop the photos on my desktop anymore. Pout. As such, you'll have to visit Style.com yourself - and I highly recommend you do.

(all photos credited to Style.com)

Taking the boredom outta brown

I'm going to make a call here. While I'm still really into the smokey purple color for nails, I'm moving onto what I believe will be the next big hit for nails: brown. You may think it's a blah color, but a good brown is the perfect fall color and if your polish has the staying power to last you a few weeks, brown is ideal because it won't clash with what you've got going on, and most shades are office-safe. (As opposed, to, say, green).

Sketchy Character

 A dark brown is also great for those who love the idea of black polish, but don't want to take the plunge at the risk of feeling too gothic, and the earthy shades are also on-trend with the industry's current crush on the military.

Ok, so I'm not the first to say it; Elle for one called it out as a big color this past spring, but I feel it's even better as the weather gets cooler.
Just be sure to find the right shade for your skin tone so that it doesn't look like nail fungus or something you stole from grandma. I've already got mine: Finger Paints' 'Sketchy Character' from Sally Beauty Supply.

(The StyleList)

You can also find a good brown at Sephora of course, with the eponymous brand's 'Brownie 9', 'L07 Mocha', 'L08 Choco', 'L22 Coffee in NY'. Elle Mentions OPIs 'Chop-Sticking to My Story', which to me looks more orange than brown, but I do like the Chanel shade it mentioned, Particulière, which was featured in it's Spring runway show. Chanel will also be debuting Khaki Brun (my favorite of the trio...seriously, what adult wears green polish!?).

If you don't want to go all-in on brown town, I suggest more bronze and shimmery colors. Sephora by OPI has really nice shimmery browns for a more reasonable price than Chanel, and with high-end quality:

'Studs and Stilettos', 'Rumba Romance', and 'I'm With Brad'. 

Okay, so now you have a ton of options. Go find your shade and rock it and everyone will think you're super cool and want to copy you.

blog gem!

This girl will probably end up making rounds on the Today show...if she hasn't already. She's really cute and it's a great idea- Taking old fugly clothes and using her mad sewing skills to give them a 2nd life: New Dress a Day

i do!

I, like Sara, have not put a whole lot of thought into my (probably distant future) wedding. I do not know what color my bridesmaids' dresses will be nor do I have the faintest idea where the ceremony will take place. But that doesn't mean I don't have strong opinions about certain aspects of the modern wedding. Disclaimer: Training to be a divorce lawyer has put an interesting spin on my attitude towards all things bridal. So without further adieu here are a few of my raves and rants:

(1) First off, I would like to start off by saying that, despite what all the RomComs and magazines tell you, ladies it is NOT "your" day. In fact, really, your wedding day is the single day of your life that's least about you as an individual and most about you as part of an inseparable pair. It's the day you promise to become forever joined with another person. So ladies, please stop insisting on $10,000 dresses and $100,000 rings. Cool it, Bridezilla, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU.

(2) With that said, my limited wish list includes this J.Crew dress or similar. I think it's unbelievably classic and just the right level of sophisticated. I love how simple it is, yet the cut makes it spectacular. I relish the idea of my new husband running his hands along the smooth silk as we dance and hug and kiss and do all that mushy love stuff. It looks like it would sway nicely too as I walked down the aisle. Plus it costs less than I currently make in a week at my sad little clerkship.


This chiffon and organza number is super cute too. I love how the model's hair is done in a low, messy 'do as well. I really think that style suits a wedding much better than a tight prom-like updo with lots of ringlets and pearls and glitter. I actually think most of the dresses that J.Crew offers are divine, and I recommend every woman look here first before casting her net into Vera Wang.



I will admit this Duchess Satin (left) is my ultimate wish, but let's be real - why on earth should anyone spend $1,500 on a dress you can't ever wear again? And just for kicks I have to throw this one in (right). Who on earth is going to wear a sloppy white t-shirt to their wedding??! (and pay almost $3 grand for it???) And I vote "no veil" (again, sorry Chels). Are you with me? Kinda played-out I think. I do like things old-fashioned, but that's going too far for me. Although I think I could be ok with something sorta 50's-styled like this girl.




Shoes are a whole 'nother issue, and I gotta say I favor flats for such an occasion. I cannot tell you how many brides I have seen barefootin' it around the reception because their poor tootsies are exhausted. My cousin recently got married and his wife spent all night in a beautiful pair of white ballet slippers. She never looked tired and she danced most of the time. Definitely something to keep in mind! If you still want to keep it fancy you could opt for something like this:

I also think J.Crew is on to something with their bridesmaids' dresses. A friend of mine was recently a Maid of Honor and filled me in on how easy it is to pick a color from the J.Crew palette and let all the girls pick the style that fits them best. My understanding is that all the J.Crew bridesmaids' dresses are available in all the catalog colors. So viola! This way the bridesmaids still look uniform, but (ideally) nobody ends up in an ugly dress they'll never wear again. Instead, they get a beautiful J.Crew cocktail dress they can wear just about anywhere.

(3) I'm also with Sara on the idea of a vintage, family heirloom ring. I too wear mostly vintage and antique jewelry, in part because I prefer the look and in part because I love the idea that this necklace/ring/bracelet has been loved before. You know that each piece has a whole prior life in which it was gifted to a fianceé or purchased with with that very first paycheck. These things have been treasured and worn in over the years. I especially love the idea of being given a family heirloom ring. The ultimate fantasy would be some 1920's diamond with an elaborate but tastefully subtle setting like this one.

And hey Sara: One of my best friends has a ruby engagement ring! Maybe you two can bring back the trend :-)

(4) And I, too, am tired of the strapless gown craze. Yes, this disdain may be influenced by the fact that strapless gowns look horrid on me. But I also don't think they look that great on anyone. The bride inevitably ends up pulling at her decolletage all night and you know those dresses always give you weird side boob chubs. I love, love, LOVED Ivanka Trump's whole getup. Again, the vintage look is so my style. I just think she looks timelessly beautiful in all that lace, with her arms and chest covered but still visible. Simply divine.

Fashion History from Forbes

I love junk news... it's a guilty pleasure. I get sucked in every time I go to check my email. One article featured on the Yahoo home page struck me as appropriate to pass along here as it recounts 5 brands' histories as well as present and continued success. Find it here. Enjoy :)

The Wedding: it's a summer thing

 I think anybody who knows me knows that I’m not one of those –the girl who grew up dreaming of the perfect wedding and subjecting all those around her to mock-nuptials. It’s not like certain ideas have never crossed my mind; an exception would be when I was 13 and in the park across from the Sydney Opera House and saw a wedding of this beautiful young Asian couple underneath a shower of pink petals falling from the trees and I thought to myself, “I want that,”.

The only other distinct ‘wedding’ moment I remember was when I was doing my daily window-shopping along State Street on my way home from class, and I passed by a jewelry shop that had this really neat men’s wedding band made by hotdiamonds on display. I liked it so much as a piece of good men’s jewelry, that I asked to look at it and decided that someday I would probably coerce my guy to wear this or something very similar for my own visual enjoyment.  I’m not able to find it for a picture, but it was half brushed silver and half polished with a rectangular cutout in the front with a small diamond set to the left of the cut out. It was very cool and manly. This one below is also by hotdiamonds, and also exceptionally cool.

But apart from those few and far between moments, I, in fact, would rather forgo the whole wedding ceremony thing in the name of a down payment on a house, an extended honeymoon, or extra funding into IRA. So this post did require a little research. Heh.

But, as they say, when in Rome, so let’s talk about weddings as they are full of fashion and beauty!

And speaking of Rome, it is likely that the Romans are the cause for June being the most popular month for weddings, as this month is named for Juno, patroness of marriage, though I’m pretty sure weather has got to also play a part in it...

Rings

White and diamonds haven’t been instilled as tradition as long as most people think. White, has a little bit more history, thanks to the trendsetter Queen Victoria, but it’s DeBeers’ brilliant ‘a diamond is forever’ marketing scheme in the ‘40s that men have to thank for that coveted diamond engagement ring. And I have to admit- I loved the ‘shadow people’ commercials when I was a kid.

It seems like now more than ever it’s pertinent to follow the rules- If I were to present an oldschool engagement ring with a sapphire or emerald to friends and family, would I get sideways glances before squeals? My own argument for the diamond is just that it’s most pragmatic from a jewelry-wearer’s perspective.  It’s a neutral color, I love the way it reflects light, and as for pearls and opals which are also neutral,  I already have a lot of pearls that I’ve bought in traveling and I also have a lot of opals since they are my birthstone. My favorite jewelry- especially rings- tend to be vintage and I think it’s especially cool to have the man’s grandmother's or great-grandmother's ring- it definitely gives more weight to that whole ‘a diamond is forever’ thing, huh?

Dresses

Though ‘traditional’ wedding dresses still reflect Victorian era styles, they’ve had quite a bit of wiggle room for trends of the decade- we’ve got the shorter, fuller empire waisted gowns of the 60s, long, flowing simplistic gowns of the 70s , and my personal favorite for ridicule- the 80s’ full-sleeved dresses with mega volume in the shoulders- to match the giant permed hair of the times, of course.

 While we’ve got a lot of choices, it seems like now the overall trend is now the strapless, sweetheart cut bodice, embellished with pearls and crystals, and a full volume skirt. Honestly, I'm getting bored by it (No offense Chelsea Clinton- you looked great) and that kind of heavy, strapless gown would probably be miserable for the IBTCommittee girls like me.

On a related note, I want to give a shout-out to classy beauty Ivanka Trump (and Vera Wang) for her outstanding  dress.

Vera Wang has been the ‘it’ designer for wedding gowns as long as I can remember, so it’s really no surprise she popped this one out. I think Ivanka’s dress is gorgeous, classy, and has a refined sexiness to it that reassures me that there are still women like that I can look up to that know how to break out of the trend mold and look good without showing all the goodies.

In terms of dress style, I appreciate both the simplistic and the lavish. Elie Saab is probably my favorite overall designer for her utterly elegant dresses, but because I hate the idea of dropping so much money on a dress I’d only wear once, I also like the dresses that can cross over for other occasions (Alberta Feretti).
So there you have it. A very quick sweep of the wedding and my bow to its fashion glory.  I know There's a lot more to weddings, but the dresses and the jewelry are what get me excited.

So now I have some questions for you: are you also sick of the strapless, and what do you think will follow it? What do you think of the 'mangagement ring' a-la Michael Buble? And finally- what is it that motivates you ladies to have that all-out ceremony?

GAGA, OH NO NO

I think I've hit my Lady Gaga limit. Sarah, I know you're gonna love this one.

Anyone who knows me knows that I worship all that is fierce. I idolize strong, powerful women who are unique and independent and kick major ass. So naturally I've been a huge Gaga fan since she appeared on the scene two years ago. Her crazy ass fashion, her powerful pipes, impressive piano skills and weirdo catchy tunes were exactly what I thought the pop music world needed. I'm so damn tired of the Britney leftovers who can't really sing and don't write their own stuff (stop me if you've heard this rant before). I inadvertently cajoled a poor hapless gentleman into buying two tickets to La Gaga's most recent concert tour and I was in absolute euphoria throughout the entire show at the Rosemont Theatre just outside Chicago. Seeing the Bad Romance video for the first time was quite possibly the artistic height of my life.

But, oh Gaga, how you've let me down. First you release the single most boring song on your album (Alejandro) as the follow up to the mastery that is Bad Romance. Then you make the most abhorrent, offensive, grotesque, god-awful, Madonna wannabe video of all time (Sarah, this would be where you chime in with "I told you so"). Should I even bother listing all the obvious and yet overdone Madonna references? Can we start with the machine gun bra? (a) How horribly offensive and just so so wrong. (b) Could you more blatantly rip off the once envelope-pushing cone bra?

What about the last dance scenes done in black and white fuzzy photography where Gaga dances in a short blonde wig and a black suit. I mean, Vogue much?! Gaga even does the hands-wrap-around-the-head dance move a few too many times for it to be a coincidence. The blasphemous religious stuff has already been done too. Remember the Like a Prayer video?! And one more thing - I have no idea why the bondage sex scenes were necessary. I don't want to sound like a prude, but for god sake is there no decency left in America? Soft core pornography is showing up in our music videos now?! Gaga, darling, I really don't want to see that much of you...

True, Madonna couldn't really sing at all, but at least her artistic expression was original and meant something to her and her viewers. Her outrageousness never felt forced or like it was done for pure shock value - which is exactly how the last 2 years of Gaga seemed to me. But the Alejandro video has crossed the line into what to me appears to be pure famewhoring showmanship. Anything to get a gasp out of the public and get your name in the papers. That video as has abso-fucking-lutely NOTHING to do with the song. She just wanted to make a splash.

And even more to the point, when Madonna did all her crazy shiz, it was groundbreaking and original and shocking and empowering for women in the 80's who weren't allowed to express themselves sexually. Madonna changed the whole game and showed women how to use their sexuality and power over men. Gaga wouldn't be able to bare her ass on the cover of Rolling Stone if it weren't for the almighty Madge.

Whew, I'm out of breath.

BELATED 2010 CFDA AWARDS REVIEW

Though I may not care much about Resort fashion, I never get tired of red carpet watching. I know this is belated, but I have been itching to gush about the McQueen dress Sarah Jessica Parker wore to the annual awards event for the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Tommy Ton of Jak and Jill took the most amazing photograph of it here, but I can't seem to steal the picture so you'll have to check out the link yourself. His photo really does the dress better justice. It looks so much more amazing in motion that when SJP is just standing. But oh my god, it is beautiful. I still cannot believe the world will no longer be blessed with Lee Alexander's beautiful creations. Also, I wish I could go back in time and wear this to prom. Or my wedding...

Also, can I get a big "Hell Yeah!" for the astoundingly talented and ever so dashing Marc Jacobs finally winning Womenswear Designer of the Year?! It's about damn time. His clothes continually bring me joy and make me excited about being a woman, and I feel he really does a lot to evolve the idea of what it means to be a woman in today's society. Hands-down one of my favorite fashion moments of the last decade (since I started caring) was the Louis Vuitton show this year. I'm so thrilled that Marc is pioneering the comeback of curves and healthy, beautiful, sexy women we can all look up to (instead of bony skeletors who make us feel bad about ourselves and want to destroy every piece of chocolate cake on the planet). Actually, let me clarify that statement: I know some incredibly lovely women with thin, athletic bodies and miniature curves who I admire immensely. I guess my point is that I enjoy the transition to a varied runway in which all women can find role models who fit their natural body types. And above all, that all women find inspiration, beauty, and power in the clothes we wear.

Other favorite looks from the CFDA awards:

Vogue's Tonne Goodman Richard Chai & Hayden Christensen

For full coverage of the event, check out Style.com

RESORT, SHMESORT

I've never really understood Resort season. I just can't relate to it. I don't own a yacht, I don't vacation in St. Barth's. When and where am I going to wear this clothing? You've got Spring and Fall RTW, which to me make sense as they are actual seasons that correspond to weather conditions and color pallets, and it's like the fashion industry needed to squeeze even more money out of consumers so it created this additional season that doesn't quite fit. Can't you wear spring clothes on your yacht? Do you need an entirely new wardrobe for your 2-week vacation (or 3 months, I suppose, depending on your income level and job flexibility)? Are you so terribly wealthy that you simply can't think of anywhere else to spend your money? I'm sorry, but it all seems a little too bourgeois for me. For heaven's sake, donate that cash to charity! (Or to me, so I can buy my own spring wardrobe).

And artistically speaking, please tell me when a Resort has ever been groundbreaking or innovative. Tailored neutral-hued pants, check. Flowy, breezy dresses, check. Floppy straw hats, check. Blah, blah, blah. Even the Balenciaga show was boring, if not downright ugly. (See above).

I will, however, admit that Carlos Miele made some beautiful gowns (right). But I still do not understand how they fit in the "Resort" category. Why does this gown belong in resort season instead of Spring? Or Fall, for that matter? Do gowns have seasons? Am I missing something?

And Sarah, to answer your question, I believe lady hats are appropriate in three situations: (1) on a yacht, to shield your beautiful, delicate skin from the harsh rays, (2) at a polo match a la Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, and (3) to Sunday church service if you live in the deep south. Am I right?