The Fashionista Questionnaire

I don't think I qualify as a fashionista, since I have a preference for classics over trends, but this little survey (copied from Jack & Hill who took it from here) is fun.

What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
A pair of platform knee-high Emilio Pucci boots. Black leather with a fabric leg shaft in a cream, green and wine print. They make jeans and a white t-shirt look fabulous and are traffic stoppers in the best possible way.

What is your fall-back outfit?
A black and camel DVF dress in one of her vintage prints. It's effortless, comfy and always looks perfectly put together.

What is your one piece of beauty advice?
Moisturize.

Biggest fashion faux pas?
The 80s. I was a teenager, but even that is not a good enough excuse.

What aspect of fashion do you hate the most?
When people don't stop to think if a certain style or trend actually makes them look good.

How do you think people perceive you from the way you dress?
I've really struggled with this question. My look is two polar opposites: a little boho (the hair and the prints) with mostly classic items. In the end of the day, I'm both, so perhaps that's how I'm also perceived.

If you could steal anyone's wardrobe, whose would it be and why?
Sophia Loren. Especially her vintage clothes. She's fabulous now, in her 70s, and has always looked like she was having fun.

If you could change one part of your body, which would it be?
Three or four extra inches would have done me a world of good.

What are your five desert-island staples?
A good cleanser, a rich moisturizer, sunscreen, lipgloss and perfume.

Heidi Klum In Mondo Guerra

Here's a little moment of sweet justice. In the Project Runway finale, Michael Kors challenged Heidi Klum to wear Mondo's polka dot dress, and here she is, making it work beautifully. I was deeply upset when Gretchen won- and not liking her personality (at least the way it was reflected in the show) had nothing to do with it- I hated the way some of her peers crucified her in the reunion. I just thought Mondo was a much better designer. Heidi, at least, agrees.

Victoria Beckham On Lady Gaga

“If I’m being completely honest, is it fair to say she may have become a little bit of a parody of herself? Is that fair to say?"

Victoria Beckham on Lady Gaga

The funny thing is how two or three years ago the same could have been said about Victoria herself. But lately and especially since she launched her own sleek fashion line, I'm finding myself looking at Victoria Beckham's photos, staring at clothes like this tangerine dress (from her Spring/Summer '11 collection) and thinking: "Want!".

Photo: Faded Youth Blog

Miuccia Prada wants us dead

Slow, agonizing death by shoes.

I saw this pair on Shoewawa (the best name ever for a shoe blog, if you're asking me), and had to bring them here. I can dance all night in well-made stilettos, but this is too much. Just look at the slope and imagine the pain.

I see these shoes in Posh Beckham's future. She deserves them.

Angelina

She no longer wears vials of blood around her neck and her image has dramatically changed from the wild days of Billy Bob. Still, I remember raising an eyebrow in late 2005 when St. John revealed her as the new face of the brand.

Most of the ads (and even the clothes) weren't so bad or too much in contrast with everything we know of Angelina Jolie. I like the ones above, because they don't take away or try to change who she is. But this last one (below) is a bit too Laura Bush to swallow.

(photos courtesy of TombRaiderChronicles)

My Fendi Problem Continues

I thought I was over and done with wedges, but this pair is calling to me. Must be the color.

Jump the Shark

In the fashion section of Life & Style's new issue (out today and worth looking at. There's a few other interesting articles) there's a story about 80s and 70s inspired jumpsuits and the stars who wear them. While Jamie Lynn Spears is 16 and related to you-know-who, and J. Lo is, well, J-Lo, I expect more than this from the lovely Sarah Michelle Gellar. It's only marginally better than this bright fashion moment Scarlett Johansson had last September:

(photo courtesy of The Superficial)

I Think I may Have a Problem

I was actually looking for something blue or green when I spotted this bag. It has my name written all over it.

Just my opinion

It's summer here, in the Northern Hemisphere. Even in South California (or in Paris, as Eva Longoria should have noticed). Wearing boots this time of the year doesn't result in a stylish look. Only in smelly feet.

(Pictures from CelebrityBabylon and That Other Blog)

A reader's request

I got an email from a reader who is desperate to find this shirt that Jada Pinkett Smith is wearing. While I'm pretty sure I've seen it somewhere before, all the fumbling through recent magazine issues hasn't helped any. If anyone knows who made this top and/or where it can be bought, please leave a comment or send me an email, and I'll make sure to forward it SarahNicole.

Actually, it does make you look fat

I went shopping the other day.

One of the coolest things about being 36 is that you know things. You know when someone is up to no good. You know how to make a fabulous meal in less than an hour (without looking and sounding as demented as Rachael Ray), and you know how to make the most of your figure, even if you're not even 5'3" and are the owner of the shortest torso known to men.


You also know when certain clothes are going to be a disaster once you get yourself in them.

I didn't want to give up on Anthropologie just yet, so despite my better judgement and the endless pages of inexplicable clothes in their many catalogs, I found myself keeping an open mind and carrying a metric ton of possible outfits into their fitting room. I tried, I really did, but all the things that I've known for ages, like: You don't want any extra fabric around your thighs, or: It's not a good idea to dress like a waist-less midget, it all proved itself right, as I was staring at my dwarfed self in the mirror and wondering how at size zero I still manage to look like I was carrying twins.

I took off the horrors, crossed the street and went into Esprit, where I purchased a cute and flattering black knit mini dress.

Now, Mandy Moore is a lovely girl. Her lack of fashion sense can probably be attributed to her very young age. She will learn, eventually.

Get your Gunn?

Tim Gunn is all grace and vocabulary, two traits not too common in the world of fashion advice (consider the difference between his "Make it work!" and Stacy London's "Shut up!"). I adored him in Project Runway and was very excited when I got to meet him in a charity event a couple of months ago. He's just as charming in person, the "taste, quality and style" radiating from his perfect skin.

I couldn't take him home with me and make him my best friend and shopping buddy, and neither can any other woman. But someone in Abrams Image realized that they could bank on this female obsession and gave him a book deal. Thus, giving us all a chance to own a little style guide with Tim Gunn's photo on the cover and quotes by Kierkegaard and Jonathan Swift.

My first problem here is with the very question of the real author behind the book. The front cover gives credit to Kate Molony, who was Tim Gunn's Assistant Chair at Parsons, and whom he calls his "spiritual partner". The blurbs inside the dust jacket, as well as the dedication and preface led me to suspect that it's not exactly a Tim Gunn original. Also, the way the book reads, despite the high-brow literary and cultural references and the several Gunnisms that are woven into it, feel somewhat hollow at places. The crisp suit is there, but the real man is missing.

I might have been more forgiving for the bait & switch trick, if the first three chapters were less boring and predictable. The first one is all about being yourself and dressing for your lifestyle. The second chapter reveals that you should wear items that (gasp!) fit your shape. Here you will learn that clothes that are too big and shapeless will make you appear even bigger. If you hear echos of Clinton and Stacy, you aren't far from the truth. The only saving grace of this chapter is that it uncovers the secret of clothes size in America (and as far as I know also in the UK): it has changed over time, and unless you've only been buying couture (which stayed the same), you need to adjust the size of your clothes accordingly, even if your waistline hasn't changed.

Chapter three is the worst: Editing one's closet. Here you'll be subjected to advice such as "don't keep items that don't fit" and get rid of clothes you never wear". If you are having a mental image of Trinny and Susannah rummaging through someone's closet and tossing out lilac colored capris circa 1989, you'd be totally right. You've heard it all before, but maybe Tim can succeed where the English ladies have apparently failed to make you finally get rid of that flannel shirt from your grunge days.

It gets better afterwards, despite having some of the usual suspects in the fashion icon chapter. I appreciated the statement regarding fashion risk takers like Sarah Jessica Parker and Chloe Sevigny: "We can admire, but we cannot endorse". The extensive discussion of good posture was great, as well as the chapter about must-haves and the importance of quality in perennial items. I could live without the obsession for ballet flats. There's a lot of other sound advice regarding accessories, such as to forget about the "It" bag and to invest in good quality scarves.

A nice surprise was the sub-chapter dealing with perfume. I'm glad to report that it is far from mainstream and from advice to wear something light and citrusy to the office. There's a real discussion of scent families, it explains what a chypre is and even endorses less conventional notes. The book doesn't go as far as to explain and recommend niche fragrances, but it's a step in the right direction.

To sum it up, the book is cute and would help you pass a nice rainy afternoon at the bookstore. But it's not the ultimate must-have that you'll find yourself cracking open year after year. Too bad, really. I expected much more than that.

Friday Snark

1. If empire waist dresses, trapeze tops (and anything else that makes one look pregnant, especially if she's not quite 5'3" and has no use for clothes that make her waist appear bigger than her boobs) were to disappear tomorrow, it wouldn't be a moment too soon. I promise not to cry.

2. When a 24 year old prince who is currently enrolled in the military breaks up with his college sweetheart after five years of dating, it's not a royal sensation. It's not shocking, either. It's called growing up and moving on. Most of us have been there, and our grandmas were not the reason behind it.

3. James Blunt and Paris Hilton. Do I need to say more?

4. Why would I want to buy clothes designed by she-who-is-getting-married to Pete Doherty? The whole crack house theme that follows this couple isn't my idea of glamor and good taste.

(Photo from the Gap's White Shirt collection)

In what universe is this considered a flattering look?

I love J. Crew, but this is just awful:

Between this kind of offering and the entire collection from Anthropolgie that looks like a cross between maternity-wear and an art teacher on crack, my credit card is happy, but my closets are weeping in despair.

Hypnotic

I just might be willing to forgive Proenza Schouler and Lancome for that horrendous Proenza Pink lipstick. The reason? This dress. It's a collaboration between the designers and Lancome, to make a dress inspired by Hypnose fragrance. The stunning dress will be auctioned off on eBay starting April 1st. All proceeds will go to Save the Children. When you go to the website you'll find a link to a little video clip featuring both the dress and the gorgeous Daria Werbowy.

Oscars 2007

The big red carpet surprise is that there weren't any big surprises. It's the Oscars, it's Hollywood, almost everyone had on nice clothes and got cleaned up nicely. Like in the Golden Globes, I'd be happy to see less nude lips, but that might be just me.

I like Maggie Gyllenhaal's top part of the dress, her makeup is lovely (red lipstick=good). Not sure what's that thing in her hair or why she needs feathers in her hem.

Portia de Rossi. Love the dress, not sure about the root-exposing ponytail (it looks better here than on my TV, so might have just been a fluke).
Jodie Foster is also in blue. Didn't Meg Ryan have that hair a few years ago?
J-Lo The dress has no reason, unless she's pregnant. And I don't get the hair. It's not bad, it's just not her.Naomi Watts is pregnant, therefore the Empire waist makes perfect sense. She looks fabulous. I love the yellow dress.

I really don't like that thing Jennifer Hudson is wearing. Yes, I know metallics are all the rage, but that cropped whatever isn't flattering her figure. Trinny and Susannah would explain to her what well-endowed on top girls should and shouldn't wear.


And yet another blue dress. Emily Blunt. Looks a bit prommish. But she's super pretty.

Rachel weisz- love the makeup and dress. Not so much with the bling.

Cameron Diaz- Too much bronzer, but most of her makeup is pretty. However, the dress looks like an 80s bridal horror.

Helen Mirren is the picture of perfection.

Jada Pinkett-Smith: I love the color. Could use a brighter makeup.

Penelope Cruz is such a beauty, but the nude colored dress and the nude makeup are just a bit too nude to my taste.

Kelly Preston is taking tacky and trashy to new levels.

Jessica Biel usually looks much better than this. The hair isn't working for me, and neither is the makeup. This is why those pink lipsticks might not be such a good idea.
Kirsten Dunst- Ugliest dress so far. Just awful. And the hair looks like she did it herself.

Beyonce- I love the makeup and the color of her dress. Not so sure about the rest.

Gwyneth- A very beautiful and original dress. I love this color.

Cate Blanchett- As old Hollywood as they come. I love the dress and her entire look.

Not crazy about whatever that is that Nicole Kidman is wearing. The color is great, but that bow on the shoulder- not so much. According to my husband, she looks like a Lexus from those Christmas commercials.


Kate Winslet is the only one in the universe who can get away with these whispering colors. And she pulls off that dress perfectly.

Reese Witherspoon's dress is pretty and I love her hair. The purple is lovely, but I'm missing something (not Ryan, though).
And one request for Meryl Streep: Please, it's the Oscars. You're a beautiful woman and a huge star. Make an effort.
As for the men: Cary Grant is alive and well in George Clooney's body. I'm going to marry him. Even my husband says that I can.

Snarky Comment of the Day

I'm sorry, but I don't buy my clothes at Target, no matter what designer du jour is making money out of putting his name on their products. Those are still cheap (and more important: cheap looking) items, and the fact that they are so over-hyped isn't helping any.

The Proenza Schouler for Target is definitely not on my wish list, and neither would be Alber Elbaz for Wal Mart or Tom Ford for The Dress Barn.

Too Bad

It looks like Adrienne Vittadini is going out of business, which makes me very sad. I've been a loyal customer, especially this past season, when it was getting hard to find flattering and not ridiculous fashionable clothes. This leaves me with very little outside of Saks and Neiman's, and there's only so much Elie Tahari that one can wear.

Told You So

My complaints about recent fashion trends aren't a secret. I've blogged and talked about it with anyone who would listen. Basically, my point has always been: These things (80s fasion, bubble skirts, tops and dresses that make you look pregnant) aren't flattering, therefore should not be worn.

Anna Wintour, in her "letter from the editor" has been laughing at me for months, promoting the "new volume" and other weird ideas. However, it seems that I'm no longer the only one who thinks that while the empress isn't naked, her new clothes are giving her proprtions that belong in a circus. In the latest issue of Vogue, the featured question on "Ask Mrs. Exter" is this:

"... I am dating again and need a wardrobe that is sexy but not tawrdy, that shows curves rather than throws ironic curve balls that only fashionistas understand.
...Dresses are the big news in the current collections, I see, but I am dissuaded by many of the styles, such as the baby doll, the Empire waist, party poufs, and those frocks I can describe only as tulips extermis. Where can I find pretty, pleasing dresses that are not too short, too sheer, or too weird to please a man, and please myself, Mrs. Exter?"

Mrs. Exter offers some insight. From the idea behind the creation of Empire style (Napoleon pushed it at a time he was all about promoting French fertility and worried that the corset interfered with pregnancy), to the forgotten secret that "The waist is one of the more seductive zones a lady has to show for herself!".

She goes on to chat with the owner of a trendy fashion store from Dallas, Brian Bolke. He tells her: "Men understand anything with a waist. They don't understand Empire or baby doll. I can't tell you how many dresses we've had returned because although somebody amazingly chic has bought something amazingly chic, she nonetheless walked down the stairs of her house and her husband said, 'What in the hell are you wearing?' "

Can I get a big Hallelujah here? Seriously, what Mr. Bolke is saying is very simple: Men see women's clothes in simple terms. A dress is either pretty and flattering or it isn't.
My question is: If it's not making you look pretty, why wear it? Maybe someone is going to wake up from this design nightmare and start making beautiful clothes again.

Pictures are from Style.com (there's plenty more ridiculous stuff where it came from).

Be Very Afraid

Remember the time these two were the cutest thing on TV? Neither do I. There's a lot I could say about this picture of the twins from earlier this week (taken from The Hollyood Rag), but what kills me is Ashley's shoes. All this money and obsession, and she can't even find shoes that fit? Click on the picture to appreciate the horror.