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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you all are in the mood for a Valentine's day/Grammy Awards 2013 post!  I know I sure am.  Today I combined high and low Valentine's day looks with the Grammys. Why? Because to me there's a common thread between the two.  My favorite look of the Grammys this year by far was Rhianna and her Grammys look inspired my Valentine's day looks! 

Let's discuss the Grammys for just a sec here.  I don't need to analyze a top 3 because really, I was not impressed with most looks.  Maybe because they looked like typical award show looks and by the time you get to the Grammys you're looking for a bit of an edge.  And some people did edge really wrong (ahem! J.Lo!) and some looks fell a bit flat.  Even if the person looked great in a gown, they didn't seem to wow you so much since, by now, you've seen it all before in previous award shows.   A lot of people played it safe but some really rocked it, including Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland, Alicia Keys and my favorite dressed star, Rhianna.  Basically these ladies stepped up there game and looked glamorous with a bit of edge done right.  I absolutely love Rhianna's look though, because she never looked this good, this glam or this put together.  No matter how beautiful she is, she always has a funky hair do or style choice that's always edgy but overshadows her true beauty and this year she just shined in a gorgeous red Azzedine Alaïa dress with a sheer peekaboo mid-drift that was just enough skin not to be raunchy.  She was my one and only favorite look from this night.
Image courtesy of Lucky Magazine (luckymag.com)


Unfortunately Katy Perry's peek-a-boob keyhole was just a bit too big to keep the dress from being a 10! One word for that: WHOA! Were it a bit more keyhole-esque and less open-the-front-door, I think she'd be on top with Rhi Rhi. But I love the color, style and fit on her.  And her hair is lovely and simple!


Image courtesy of NY Daily News (nydailynews.com).


I really think if J.Lo. didn't do the really tight top knot, she'd probably looks a million times better.  That hair just killed me because it looked so uncomfortable like it was pulled so tight! A nice, low, curly side ponytail or half up-do might have saved it a bit, but the dress was just underwhelming itself.  We all know she can do better and has! 



What's the deal with the leg?  Way to high cut.  Image courtesy of Huffington Post (huffingtonpost.com)



So in honor of my favorite Grammy look by Rhi Rhi, I took the lovely bright red color and found two Valentine's day looks I think anyone would shine in.  The high end look is a bit more pricey but I love the high-low hemline and one shoulder detail and all it needs is a fierce shoe, chunky cuff and sleek clutch to go along with it.  The low look is great for any date, and paired with a mint blazer (throwing in a bit of Katy's Grammy color) this outfit rocks any type of outing from girls night to a casual date to even a nice night out with your significant other!

I'm not sure what my plans are for tonight but I'm sure they'll involve my special someone and spending time together.  Whatever you do this Valentine's, be it going all out or not much at all, I hope you have a wonderful day!

 



Ri-Ri Inspi(red) Valentine's Day Looks


Aqua dress
bloomingdales.com


Forever new
$52 - forevernew.com.au


H m
$39 - hm.com


Nine West high heel
zappos.com


Anne klein shoes
piperlime.gap.com


Studded handbag
$41 - theiconic.com.au


Diane von furstenberg
stefanibags.com


Stella Dot long necklace
stelladot.com


Thursday, February 7, 2013

SAG Awards 2013 Inspi(Red) Carpet: Cobalt Blue Gown

Continuing on my award show favorite looks, I picked out my favorite SAG awards dresses for this year.  Surprisingly, there were three fabulous long blue gowns I loved including Jennifer Lawrence (although that weird dress coming apart thing I wasn't into), Amanda Seyfried and Giuliana Rancic. I even based a style collage based G's look that evening!  Check it out at the end of the post.

On to my top three faves from the SAGs.  My favorite look of the night was Amanda Seyfried's look with her gorgeous Zac Posen gown. The detailing on the bottom, the long necklace and the side swept hair took this from ordinary award show gown to extraordinary!  I haven't seen someone play with a necklace of that length for an awards show, particularly with a strapless dress so she scores extra points for creativity.  The side-swept hair was again, totally on trend it seemed!


From the right hair to the color of the gown, this girl did it right!   Photo courtesy of US Weekly (usmagazine.com).

Next is my girl J. Law. who seems to get this red carpet thing right most of the time. I like the color -- this deep blue gown thing seemed to be the type of dress for this event -- and her hair is side swept and perfect for a formal, but not to uptight style.  The fit of the gown also made this dress really stand out on her.  She knows how to dress her figure and that's half the battle!  Go girl!  P.S. I can't wait to see Catching Fire!



Photo courtesy of US weekly (usmagazine.com).

Third favorite was a hard category for me.  I had to split it between two looks I really liked:  Nina Dobrev and Claire Danes.  Both were simple silhouettes with a pop.  Nina's pop was the color choice and Claire's pop was in that dolman/bat-wing one-shoulder long sleeve.



Photo courtesy of US weekly (usmagazine.com).


 
Photo courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter (hollywoodreporter.com)


They both did a fabulous job!  I know I have to mention that Claire Danes also had a baby recently and looks like she's in fabulous shape, even without the help of her spanx!

Also honorable mentions go to looks I thought were nice and intriguing including Marion Cotillard and Nicole Kidman.  Although, Nicole always dresses like a star, she can't win all the fashion awards!

Here's the style collage I pulled from Guiliana's dress from that night. Enjoy!





SAG Awards 2013 Inspi(red) Carpet: Cobalt Blue Gown


Jason Wu draped dress
net-a-porter.com



LK Designs gold stud earrings
$165 - pret-a-beaute.com




High heel pumps
wholesale-dress.net

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Golden Globes Inspiration

My apologies to all the readers (all three of you!) for my self imposed hiatus!  January was a very tough month to stay healthy in with all the cruddy illnesses running around.  And you just know there are people in the office bringing their germs with them (I admit, I had to as well because of the work I had to do but tried to self contain my being in my office as much as I could!).  So there goes the worst (I hope!) of the sickie season and I'm moving back into full swing blogging away!

 So I am a bit late but I've kept up with my favorite awards show fashions so far.  The Golden Globes were a great start to award season and I saw a lot of black, white and pastels this year, particularly blush.  I also think pastels will be big in spring this year so keep an eye out for that.  Among these were pops of bright hues I couldn't take my eyes off of however.  Like Jessica Alba for instance.  I love her style!  She always dresses so well and looks put together, but I cannot, for the life of me, remember the last TV show or movie I had seen her in!  I did see her in a cell phone commercial recently and I've seen her on People.com for her mommy style but that's really it.  What's she been doing for the past 5 years to keep her name in the headlines?  Just curious...

Anyhoo, the Golden Globes had a lot of strapless necklines and some really interesting dresses.  My top three favorite looks were by far the three ladies below:  Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba and Jennifer Lawrence.  I'm not sure why I love Jennifer Lawrence so much in general since she burst onto the scene.  It must be her effortless laid back beauty and her not taking herself so seriously.  Actually, I'm more than sure it had to do with her being in The Hunger Games movies, since I loved those books in a weird way.  The plot sounds so awful and then you just cannot put it down.  I even cried in the theater (like a total sap!) when she took her sister's place in the reaping! AH! So good!

Back to business though.  Here are my top three favorite looks from the Golden Globes:

Photo courtesy of US Weekly (usmgazine.com). 

I love the color of this and the way it fits her! I know people out there call her curvy, but she's really just a small girl with boobs and a butt.  Let's just call it what it is. Curvy indicates that someone has more body than they actually do.  And they probably do in Hollywood if the standard is the Olsen twins or, even a lollipop.  But aren't "curves" what separates a woman from a man? or from a little kid?  So my two cents are that J.Law is small, tall and has killer womanly appeal.  I love how the natural waist is emphasized and how the hips are hugged by the material before it flows out into that pleated A-line which almost imitates a ballgown (maybe it is considered a ballgown?).  It's just gorgeous.  I wish clothes fit me in that way.  Shoot, I'd wear that to the grocery store!

Second up is Kate Hudson.  Boy does she know how to dress her petite figure.  And see? She's skinny but has boobs and hips too!  That's a woman!


Photo courtesy of VH1 (vh1.com).


That neckline is amazing! It really adds to the outfit which has such little embellishment other than the belt in the waist and the plunge keyhole in the front.  This dress does it right. and to balance out the giant keyhole, the long sleeves do just the trick.  She is also one who knows how to dress that body!

Finally, I just love Jessica Alba's dress.  It's a bit typical mermaid, sweetheart neckline, but the color is amazing and she pairs it with great side-swept hair and a huge necklace, which I really love!  The color especially looks fantastic with her skin tone and lip color.  Well done Jess. Very well done.



Photo courtesy of Pop Sugar (popsugar.com).


As inspiration for anyone looking for a Globes-style formal look, I've put together a style collage combining Kate's silhouette with the pop of color from Jessica's dress.  Unfortunately, since the awards shows dresses usually are super new designer duds, you probably won't find an exact match or replica -- although some knock-offs are made within days of the events, you can pull what you like from several styles and find something appropriately inspired by star styles.  Check out the dress below and let me know what you think!





Golden Globes Inspiration



Stella McCartney slip on shoes
$445 - net-a-porter.com


Accessorize glitter handbag
accessorize.com

Monday, January 7, 2013

Winter Look Refresh: Soft hues palette

Happy 2013 to all my DC 30 fashion lovers out there!  I thought I'd start the year off right with putting together a fabulously chic winter ensemble that I could see on many a DC lady out there.  I'm really into the fuzzy earmuffs this season - especially since I got some for my birthday this past year (thanks sis!) and think they're a fun and cozy edition to your winter wardrobe.  Let's face it,  winter clothing, especially when someone (ahem! me...) gets stuck in wearing the same coat/accessories every day.  Hey! I get it.  I'm one of them!  It's so easy to get stuck in this rut because baby, it's cold outside and all I can think of is staying warm.  That is, until I hop onto the Metro and see, not only the cutest dressed girls in DC, but also the depressing winter dressers like myself.  Boy, is the Metro a seriously drab ride in the winter.  I usually rely on my fellow DC fashionistas (fashiontonians as I've heard on this site and loved the ring of it) for inspiration!  Although my signature style is comfort/cozy chic, I do love getting ideas from others.  They're like frosting on the dingy, dirty, sometimes creepy Metro cake!  Come on fellow fashiontonians, let's show the world, and ourselves, what we're made of and kick winter's fashion-challenged  butt!

In that spirit, I'll introduce you to the lovely collage below.  Who doesn't love a nude palette. And this one works for everyone!  Light purple and pinks in makeup, paired with beige and greige (beige + gray) clothing creates a soft and luxe look.  I just love the ease of that messy side braid too.  Looking polished but not-too-done-up is an art form and I really love the ladies who pull this off!  It gives me hope that I may do so one day as well!  I'm just much more of a hair down person who likes to give a sweep of the flat iron over my bangs and sometimes curl the ends before I run out the door.  Finally, who has two thumbs and loves a wool coat with a fur collar?  This gal!

What do you think of the look below?  Any inspiration for pulling something out of your closet to make it work like this?

I'm looking forward to the new year and elevating the blog from a fun read into a must read!  Some upcoming things for 2013 I hope will inspire you to visit more and tell your friends about include, closet crashes of real DC fashionistas, awards season winners and how that affects fashion in our town, what trends to look for in 2013 and which ones I think will stick in DC, and maternity fashion -- with Kate M., Kim K. and J. Simp. all announcing pregnancies around the holidays, who could resist?  I'm particularly excited to see the always fashionable and sensible Kate M.'s looks over the coming months!

Also keep a look out for my upcoming post on what DC fashions should be left behind in 2012. Some may be debatable (I know how ppl love certain brands/items) but I will try to tempt you away with some alternative treats!

Winter Look Refresh: Soft hues palette




Wool coat
$300 - mexx.eu


Stripe tight
anthropologie.com


Chloé high heels
$720 - harveynichols.com


Forever new
$62 - forevernew.com.au



Yellow gold jewelry
windsorstore.com


Giorgio Armani metal aviator sunglasses
$215 - flannelsfashion.com


Accessorize
accessorize.com



Edward bess
$48 - colette.fr

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Winter Beauty Idea: Mixing blues and greens


Hello to all, and to all a wonderful holiday season!  I apologize for the lack of personalized posts this month with my own pictures, however, once things slow down from the holiday season and get back on track in January, I'll be all yours again!

Till then, I couldn't help but share this wonderful idea I put together on Polyvore for a great makeup look, inspired by the model below!  Mixing bright green and blue together to define the eyes.   I think this is a great makeup trick to try for New Years this year if you plan on going out.  And no, I actually don't think being over 30 rules one out of this look because, although it is youthful, the choice of greens and blues and application can be very sophisticated.  Last night my husband and I went out to dinner and I had played around with some eye pencils in olive and a darker turquoise which I tried blending together.  The olive is more muted and the turquoise isn't a very bright shade so they were a bit more subtle, though very unique!  I used the green on the inside portion of my eye (both on top and bottom) and used the turquoise from the middle part of my upper eyelid all the way to the crease and came back around the bottom eyelid until it met up with the olive green closer to the inside part of the eyelid, near the bridge of the nose.  I then smudged them together with a brush and "voila!" a beautiful and colorful way to highlight my eyes was born!  Of course, you can use a bold green eyeshadow to line your eyes, if you have one, and add a blue eyeshadow into the eye crease and along the bottom edge for a more dramatic look, just like the model below.  Also topping this off with a light blush and pale pink/neutral lips is key so that the eyes really stand out!  Don't forget to curl the lashes and pile on enough mascara so you can actually see them too. Watch out for spider eyes!  You know the spider eyes people right?  The girl with so much mascara clumped on her eyes it looks as if she has only four or five really big, fat, triangular lashes.  Oh yeah! That person!  That much mascara actually looks really uncomfortable and is usually accompanied by constant blinking (probably because that much mascara is irritating).  But she apparently has no idea.  Not a clue!  And boy! As much as you want to say something, you know its not your place. Definitely keep an eye out for that!

Adding in sparkly green nail polish over blue nail polish with one "accent nail" as shown in the collage below, also helps accentuate the color from the eyes.  An accent nail is really hot these days, highlighting one nail on each hand a bit differently than the others.  In this case, the accent nail below demonstrates the blue part of the nail showing with only a touch of green sparkles at the top.  This look actually works perfectly if you're wearing a neutral dress in black, grey, silver or gold, etc. (we know how many people dress in sequins on New Years Eve!). The best part of this look is that you're able to add in color to a neutral ensemble in a creative way rather than searching for a pop of color in your wardrobe that might not otherwise work with your look. 

Finally, if you're going out and want to change up your hairstyle, check out the one in the collage below.  I love how it looks a bit undone but still put together and polished.  It's hard to do this type of style yourself but a low ponytail, twisted around itself (see the video below), with a braid added to the end can mimic this style easily.

Check out this tutorial on doing a simple ponytail twist yourself!



I hope you enjoy the holidays and have a wonderful and happy New Year!   Also if you tried any of these styles and tricks, let me know in the comments section below.  I'd love to see how others put their own spin on things!


Winter Beauty Idea: Mixing blues and greens


Nars cosmetic
$38 - asos.com


Yves saint laurent
barneys.com


Christian dior
$37 - harrods.com


Nars cosmetic
$34 - liberty.co.uk


Lancôme lip gloss
bloomingdales.com


Clinique
saksfifthavenue.com


ORLY glitter nail polish
$29 - nelly.com


ORLY turquoise nail polish
$11 - nelly.com

Monday, December 17, 2012

Dots of Style



Falling in love with this polka dot shift dress with lots of style (or dots of style, if you prefer!) is not very hard to do.  Polka dots are great prints year round and can go with tons of things.  I love the details on this dress, available at ModCloth, because they're very girly and unique. I love the ruffled/ruched cap sleeves, the deep V-neck and the cinched in waist.  All are very feminine details that work well with any body shape!  A nip in the waist and a ruffled sleeve in a simple but chic print can do wonders for any woman looking to dress up their day to day wear.  This would also be a super cute look to wear for going out on a dinner date or brunch and if you pair it with a cami, it can be appropriate enough for meeting the future in-laws and even family events!  Picture a red cami underneath this dress, paired with black tights and flats and you have a wonderful holiday outfit!

I'm also really digging the simple earrings, chain/leather bracelet and rocker necklace!  That necklace is such a statement, you definitely don't need bigger earrings than studs to go with it.  And since the dress is in a neutral shade, adding a colorful handbag or shoes would really stand out.  In a good -- no -- in a great way! 

I also love how you can pair a lower priced dress with fabulous and luxurious  accessories to amp this up.  How do you like it?  Is there an article of clothing you've just been dying for but still admire from afar as I do with this dress?  One day I might actually decide to buy it if its still available! 


Dots of StyleFal


Polka dot dress
modcloth.com


Jimmy Choo platform pumps
$700 - net-a-porter.com


VERSUS leather boots
$580 - net-a-porter.com




Swarovski crystallized
swarovski-elements.com


Leather bracelet
maurices.com