February 2009

Style Links (L to R): Grey Satin Bow Dress $43.50, Navy Striped Dress $37.50, Purple Bow Dress $49.50

Style Links (L to R): Star Print Dress $29.99, Color Block Dress $42, Nude Tunic $24.50

We knew the one-shoulder look would be a huge trend for Spring, but who knew it would stick around for Fall as well?  I saw many designers like Alexander Wang, Marchesa and Marc Jacobs send this style down the runway in updated fabrics and colors for Fall, but one thing remained the same…it’s still all about the shoulder!

I happen to love this look for the Spring and Summer and I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these dresses…but don’t think you have to wait until the temperature warms up to wear them!  Pair these with tights (try a ligher hue instead of black) and strap on those sandals for the perfect transitonal outfit!

I can’t live without my MAC which is why I love my Macbook…it’s lightweight, does everything my desktop can, and even though it’s not the shiny new silver one, I still love it and honestly…I’m partial to the old school white ones!!

With such a sleek and stylish laptop, I can’t be expected to put it into one of those dorky, computer cases that they sell at Office Depot, so I’ve been searching for just the right case to carry my laptop in.  I saw this Goyard case in the January issue of Vogue and instantly fell in loooooooove, but the $830 price tag killed my crush.

Maybe one day if I ever become the CEO of some important TBD company I’ll reward myself with something this extravagant, but until then, I think something equally as stylish and much more budget-friendly, like this fab faux-croco one will have to do!

NOTE:  This is in store ONLY, so click here, print it out and SAVE!

We all want to feel like a leading lady in our daily lives and even more so for special occasions, but since most of our budgets don’t allow for hair, make-up and wardrobe stylists here are some award-worthy looks inspired by some of the night’s most beautiful women…

Style Links: Dress, Earrings, Clutch

Style Links: Dress, Earrings, Clutch

Style Links: Dress, Clutch, Rhinestone Cuff

And here are some expert style tips from Naz Kupelian and Dominic Cruz to help you recreate the hair and make-up looks seen on the night’s biggest stars courtesy of Beauty Xpose:

Hair
Want Oscar-worth hair for your big night out?  International Hair Artist Naz Kupelian, a member of the elite Rusk© creative design team responsible for developing the latest hair trends, gives these tips for a soft, loose look with ethereal waves (as seen on Nicole Kidman):

1. Part your hair on the side, pulling it back loosely to the side with pins.
2. Get waves that begin from the eyes or the chin by wetting the hair and applying gel.
3. Then, comb your hair from front to back until it forms a “S” shape. Notice that the top of the hair is flat yet polished – the focus of the look is on the ends of the hair.
4. Dry your hair and then brush it again – this will give you the wave look to the front pieces.

Makeup
For makeup, it doesn’t matter if you’re going for smoldering or sweet – it’s all about the glow. Dominic Cruz, professional make-up artist and educational director for Kryolan Professional Makeup, says you can get your skin glistening in five easy steps:

1. First properly clean the skin to remove any oil or dirt from the skin.
2. Next add a daily moisturizer, wait two minutes,  and apply a light coating of a silicone-based primer to even out the skin, creating a smooth and flawless surface
3. For a natural look, use a tinted moisturizer, but DO NOT POWDER – it must remain dewy, which creates a healthy glow.
4. For a little more coverage, try a cream foundation.  Apply with a foundation brush, blot with a tissue to remove any excess, and apply a loose powder, working in small circular motion from the chin on up to the temples and down the nose.  Repeat on the other side.
5. For added glow, top it off with a little shimmer powder.

I’m a heels girl, for sure…but I also can’t pretend that I don’t carry a pair of flats in my bag to change into on the walk to/from work!  There’s no way I can get through an entire day in a pair of 4″ stilettos and unfortunately, my budget doesn’t have room in it for a chauffeured town car to shuttle me around the city at my beckon call!

So the next best thing IMO is a cute pair of flats!  They pack up nicely, they’re lightweight, and thank to some great designers over at Old Navy, now they’re ador-a-ball!  These floral flats are a must-buy for the upcoming spring season and they’ll look super cute paired with just about anything from jeans to dresses…only $19.50 at Old Navy!

All of these gorgeous women hit it out of the ballpark tonight!  It’s the Oscars and this is the occassion to go big or go home…they brought drama, shine, volume, exquisite detailing and each one of these dresses must have been from an Haute Couture collection because the were all unbelievable!!  I die!

I’m really sad to have to include Frida Pinto on this list because she’s adorable (I totally heart Slumdog) and she’s had a great run during this awards season.  This blue Galliano did her no favors and it looks like some horrible, half-finished prom dress from the 80’s!  Beyonce is always a hit or miss and I’m so over this silhouette on her…we all know you’re “bootylicious” honey, so show us something else!  And as far as Miley goes…she’s only 15 and this dress is way too much fabric, embellishment, and volume for her.  It swallows her alive and it’s too much dress for such a young girl, who wasn’t even nominated…what was she doing at the Oscars anyway??

So who was your on your Worst Dressed list?  Do you agree with my picks???

UPDATE:  B’s gown is by House of Dereon…what a surpirse???

One of the biggest trends we saw last night was all of the the pale colors in shades of white, ivory, and nude.  While I’m not usually a fan on these colors on the red-carpet something about it made it feel fresh and modern this year.  I’m so tired of always seeing black and clearly so were Hollywood’s leading ladies.  The pleating, ruching, embroidery and lace details on each one of these gowns made them truly spectacular and unique in their own way.  Two of my favorite looks of the night were also part of this trend!!

And I can’t go without mentioning that Penelope is wearing a 60 year old vintage Balmain gown that is beyond amazing and btw, where do you even buy 60 year old Balmain???

So just in case you don’t recognize her, this is Carrie Bradshaw…I mean Sarah Jessica Parker sporting some interesting color…and I’m not talking about the darker locks.

Check out the seriously chartreuse heels she’s got on!  I happen to love them, but I asked around and that was not the general consensus.  I keep seeing this color pop up in stores, on the runway at Fashion Week, and now on one of my style icons as seen here.

I searched high and low and could not find an acceptable pair of shoes in this color…everything I found was totally unfortunate or just too green and I’m starting to think this might be one of those  illusive colors that you have to fork over the big bucks for!

So what do you think about this color trend?  Would you wear green shoes?