Oct 23

Label Love – Calvin Klein RTW 2011

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imageThe master of minimalist chic, American designer, Calvin Klein continues to impress with his sleek and simple, but fashion-forward and flattering designs. For one that has built an empire on a look that is clean and completely uncluttered, it is truly amazing that this many years later, each of his collections still brings something new to the table, or runway, if you will.

His recent Ready-to-Wear 2011 show was no exception. While a minimalistic approach often takes on a Zen-like, Asian-inspired flair, Klein kept the correlation fresh and different. A streamlined palette of black and white featured billowing fabrics for wide, slouchy pant legs and loosely draped dresses. Looks included menswear inspired slacks, tunic tops and over-sized blazers balanced, out with plunging necklines and draped, floaty layering pieces. Dolman sleeves and shiny silks, as well as bias cuts and simple sheath dresses in varying pops of bright solids further enhanced the fluid and feminine feel.

An expert mix of lady-like menswear inspired looks and classically wearable, but still fashion forward pieces paraded down the runway at Calvin Klein’s RTW 2011 runway show. Click the slideshow to see some favorites!

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Oct 16

Label Love – Dries Van Noten S/S 2011

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imageDries Van Noten. Just the name sounds like high-quality, lust-inducing, gorgeously wearable pieces. This recent Fashion Week collection is no exception. With inspiration gathered from menswear inspired pieces, to floral Asian prints and maybe a chic disco ball, one stunning look after another paraded down the runway.

With a Spring ready palette of yellows and a mix of purples and blues anchored with refreshing light beige and whites solids and classic black, the main trend details were wide leg pants, sheer tunic tops and softly draped dresses. Oversized blazers and tops, loose silhouettes and dip-dyed colors were also seen and a shiny, shimmery material used on both tops and bottoms made the whole collection extra eye-catching.

Fluid and feminine, even the menswear inspired pieces, every design from the Dries Van Noten S/S 2011 collection exuded elegance and power and were genius-ly updated to give a more modern take on all our favorite classics.
We couldn’t choose favorites because each piece was so uniquely beautiful, so click on the slideshow to see some Dries Van Noten looks that cover all aspects of his inspirations!

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Oct 09

Label Love – Chanel 2011 Resort Collection

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imageChanel is, and has been, a big-name design house for a very long time. This means that when Fashion Week rolls around, Karl Lagerfeld and the Chanel designers are making multiple collections – Couture, RTW, Resort – and having to make sure each collection is striking, memorable, fashion-forward, lust-worthy and cohesive within itself.

So while the Chanel Couture show deserves much praise, the Resort Collection for 2011 is getting mixed reviews. Mostly because the collection itself is a huge mix bag of hits and misses. The extensive collection was featured outside with the hottest ‘it’ models, including Karolina Kurkova and Abbey Lee Kershaw, barefoot and relaxed. The runway theme suited the resort feel perfectly, but the over-all theme of the collection was lost. A literal take on styles that were part Karate Kid, part 70s flashback and with a healthy dose of pajama-esque pieces and Western-inspired garb, the resort collection sent down one confusing look after the other.

Of course, being Chanel, the ‘hits’ were amazing and covetable, with sassy swimwear, ethereal beach dresses and the labels signature tweed fabrication used in a range of luxurious, vacation-ready looks. Although there was no obvious color scheme, the palette was bright, sophisticated and perfect for spring. However, the misses far out-weighed the hits and one has to wonder, did creative genius, Karl Lagerfeld, have his wig on a little too tight?
Click the slideshow to see our fave picks of the 2011 Resort Collection for Chanel!

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Apr 14

The Return of Minimalism Inspired By Newcomer Designer Wayne

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imageDesigners have rediscovered that less is more all over again for Spring 2010. While it’s no surprise that some of the dominant forces of the trend came from 90’s designers like Donna Karan and Calvin Klein, they weren€™t the only ones pioneering the trend. Phoebe Philo’s triumphant return to fashion at the helm of the French brand Celine had a distinct minimalist look, as did Yves Saint Laurent and relative newcomer Wayne Lee. This isn’t the strict androgynous minimalism of the 90s; think of it more like minimalism “light”. Clean color palates and crisp lines are given a feminine edge with draped jersey dresses and billowing chiffon skirts at Donna Karan. At Wayne’s Fall 2010 line, tough cut out pants and strict blazers were given a sense of newness with the touch of chartreuse and soft cowl neck tops. With the few right pieces this trend ensures you some fuss free dressing, and since minimal hair and make-up looks work great with the trend, you might just be able to hit snooze one more time in the morning.

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Feb 24

Pack A Punch With Bright Lips Inspired By Vena Cava F/W 2010

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imageMaybe it’s the fashion industry’s fault, but I find that living in the moment is kind of overrated and I’m always impatiently awaiting the next season. In other words, I’ve already got spring on the brain and can’t wait for blue skies, beach days, and sunny warm-weather colors to officially be deemed appropriate. That’s why when I caught a glimpse of the makeup featured on the runway for the Vena Cava F/W 2010 collection at New York Fashion Week, I was hit with spring fever all over again. The bold tangerine-red lips give us just a glimpse of the oncoming beauty trend for the season ahead — bright, punchy pouts in high-wattage sherbet-inspired colors (think orange, magenta, and purple) with a big added dose of shine. For maximum intensity, go either matte with an intense creamy formula (as opposed a sheer wash of color), or ultra-glossy for high-impact shine that will really help the color pop. View the slideshow for some products that’ll help you master this trend! Photo Credit: Imaxtree/Elle.com

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Feb 24

Bow Jewelry Inspired By The Marc Jacobs Fall 2010 Collection

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imageI still can’t get enough of bows which is why I gasped when I saw this beautiful bow detail on a couple dresses at the Marc Jacobs Fall 2010 Collection during Fashion Week. Recently, I’ve been eying this Tiffany’s Gold Bow Necklace ($350 at Tiffany’s). But more importantly, ever since I saw this @katespadeny tweet, I’m obessed with this Kate Spade All Wrapped Up Bow Ring ($75 at left) as well as the Kate Spade Moo River Bow Ring ($65). If you love silver, there’s Alex Woo’s Little Princess Bow Necklace ($158 at Bloomingdale’s). For more fashion-forward goodies, check out Coquette!
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Feb 22

New York Fashion Week F/W 2010: Jeremy Scott

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imageUpon first glance at Jeremy Scott’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection at New York Fashion Week, I couldn’t help but immediately think of some strange hybrid of old-school Madonna and a futuristic band of fashion-forward superheroes. The bustier-style spandex dresses, tighter-than-tight long-sleeved minis, and strategically-placed cones had me humming “Like a Virgin” yet the leather capes and printed onesies paired with over-the-knee boots screamed comic book chic. Boasting some of the most unique prints we’ve seen all week, coats and dresses were emblazoned with bulls-eyes, stained glass patterns, and intentionally gaudy Jeremy Scott labels. Some of the less wearable (but more interesting) accessories included long billowing capes, giant bows, attached clothing hangers, and life-size people cut-outs that looked like they were supposed to be part of a background display. While the looks seemed a little hard to pull off for anyone who isn’t Lady GaGa, Scott’s collection was undoubtedly memorable! View the slideshow for a preview, then click over to Elle to see the entire collection!

Trends: long-sleeved minis, hoodie dresses, capes, rainbow rhinestones, fur, dolman sleeves, colorful prints
Celebs: Kelly Osbourne, Estelle, Peaches Geldof

Photo Credit: Imaxtree

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Feb 22

NYFW F/W 2010 Backstage Beauty: Tibi

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imageThe fall 2010 Tibi beauty look was all about being pretty, but in the innocent and unaware sort of way. The youthful and fun clothes were matched with the doll-like features hair and makeup achieved backstage. Makeup artist Wendy Rowe from Bobbi Brown created a fresh and glowing face with a 60s inspired cat eyes, pink cheeks, and a natural lip color. Light neutral taupe eyeshadows were applied along with a very thin application of eyeliner at the base of the lashes with a winged out cat eye. False eyelashes were applied at the outer corners of the lashes to make eyes look even wider. The secret weapon to the dewy glow is with the Opal Face Highlighter which won’t be out until the fall, but you can use their Tinted Eye Brightener for a similar effect. Hair stylists Kevin Ryan and Frank Rizzieri of Rsession Tools gave all the models tight ringlet curls and then separated them for a morning-after look. Set with a bit of hairspray, the hair moved and bounced down the runway. As for nails, Pattie Yankee of Dashing Diva mixed West Village (seen over at Halston) and Astor Place, a slate grey to create a unique shade of mushroom taupe.
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Feb 22

New York Fashion Week F/W 2010: Matthew Ames

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imageOne of the most underrated shows of New York Fashion Week was that of 2009 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award Winner, Matthew Ames. In the show notes, the collection aimed to define “proportion, line, shape, and form in its purest expression.” The collection focused on the basic essentials for women like jackets, pants, and shirts. A refreshing change from all the sequins and embellishments I’ve seen all week, the clothes were about impeccable tailoring and construction. Standouts were the varied selections of outerwear. A long camel cashmere quilted coat wrapped around the model like a cocoon and a hooded leather jacket looked and moved as if they were made from lighter material. The androgynous collection included male models and sometimes I almost couldn’t tell the difference between the men and women. Definitely for the intellectual fashion lover, Brooklyn based Matthew Ames is one to watch for seasons to come. Take a look at my slideshow to see more!

Trends: Leather, neutrals, pastels, quilted outerwear

Photo credit: Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

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Feb 21

NYFW F/W 2010 Backstage Beauty: Halston

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imageLegendary design house Halston just had its much applauded fall 2010 presentation and it looks like Marios Schwab is off to a wonderful start, preserving Halston’s classic heritage while incorporating contemporary updates. Of course, the hair, makeup, and nails have to match the story of the Halston woman. Makeup was done by Lisa Butler for M.A.C. where she went for a largely colorless look. She explained that using a darker color on the brow bone and also on the hollows of the cheeks creates a more chiseled, almost severe look. She added Strobe Liquid to the highest planes of the cheekbones to make them even more prominent. Lastly, a coating of green lip gloss was used to neutralize the redness of the lips. For hair, Eugene Souleiman for Wella went for a super sleek and glossy look. The hair was first blown out and finished with a hairspray to keep the hair down. Models with shorter hair got long extensions that went down to their hips. Lastly, Pattie Yankee of Dashing Diva applied a milky coffee colored nail polish called West Village to models’ nails and toes.
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