June 2009

Rachel and all her TV goodness (including Taylor and Brad) will be returning for a 2nd season on Bravo starrting August 25th!!

I’ll be tuning in for every episode to get my fill of her amazing clothes, awe-inspriing jewelry collection and countless Rachel-isms!!

I’ll also be keeping a very close eye on her new “collection” for QVC…my ex-employer is handling all of the production for her handbags so she should be in really good hands.

But I have to say that I’m scared to death about what the powers that be at QVC might do to her vision and ideas.  They have a tendency to butcher anything that has real fashion relevance in exchange for higher profit margins so here’s a warning to all of you brilliant QVC execs…

LET RACHEL BE RACHEL! She’s one-of-a-kind so don’t try to mold her into one of your vendor clones or you’ll miss out on one of the only opportunities you’ll ever have to make shopping on QVC acceptable to a consumer who actually knows and appreciates true fashion.

It’s good to have you back Rachel!!

UPDATE:  Use code SPIN30 to save 30% on these + FREE shipping!!!

I clearly have hot pink and shoes on the brain so I’m sorry for the back to back posts, but I tried these on last week and like Kylie sings…”I just can’t get you out of my head”!!

These Makel shoes by Steve Madden are exactly what I need to add new life to everything in my closet, but they cost $109.90 which is outrageous for a pair of SM shoes!  I used my 20% off coupon code (CJDAD20) but that barely brought the price down to under $100 w/shipping…

so for now I’ll just have to wait and hope that they go on sale before the end of the Summer!!

FYI: The color on the Steve Madden website is totally off…this pic is from Zappos and it’s a much truer representation of what they look like in person.

I  love amazing looking shoes and when I happen to find these metallic pearl flats, I fell in love with them immediately.

The only thing holding me back from purchasing these one of a kind Lulu flats is that they retail for $96…which is completely out of my budget these days. So instead I decided that this was a project I could definitely take on! Here’s how…

After searching high and low I came across these ruffled flats from Go Jane that retailed for only $17.50 and figured that the only other things I needed to DIY these babies was a hot glue gun and a pack of pearl beads that I found at Joann’s Fabric on sale for $1.39!

After glueing on the pearls and letting them dry I managed to save over $70 by doing these myself and they look GREAT!  I couldn’t believe that I got this look for so much less! And what better way to end my project by going out and showing them off! Don’t you agree?

I think Blake Lively looked just lovely at the CFDA awards this week!  She can oftentimes be a red carpet don’t, but she looks absolutely stunning in this ultra-hot pink number by Michael Kors!

I saw this color all over the Fall runways back in February and I’m so excited to see the color transition to the red carpet…and based on some of the fun finds I found below, it’s also made it’s way to your local retailers!

While you might find this color a little intense, you can still make it work for you by keeping everything else really neutral and minimal…including the accessories.  I would also follow Blake’s example and stick with a silhouette that’s sleek and modern to make this shade a little easier to wear.

And if you’re looking for a similar look to Blake’s dress, check out the asymmetrical number below for less than $20…it’s a must-buy!!

In this new weekly feature, I’ve teamed up with  mystyle’s resident “star” reporter, Danielle Datu, who’s giving us the style scoop from her red carpet adventures with today’s hottest leading ladies!!

Playing fashion plate Naomi Clark on the new 90210 has done such wonders for AnnaLynne McCord’s closet that it practically needs its own zip code!

“My wardrobe has tripled since being on the show because I basically get to borrow everything Naomi has—and Naomi’s a rich kid!” raved the curly-haired cutie, whose high school days definitely weren’t as glamorous as her Chanel-loving character’s. “I was home schooled so I was always in my pajamas. I was kind of the dorky math nerd.”

Today, the star gets top marks for her style. “Sometimes I wear a little leather and I’m a little badass and then other days I feel like channeling Marilyn Monroe and being all demure.”

For all of the recessionistas out there, AnnaLynne recommends going to Topshop and Bebe for affordable rocker pieces. (Her blonde bombshell moments are courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana.)

Her must-have accessory? Belts! “You can cinch a shirt and make it a dress. You can wrap it around low-cut jeans. You can do anything with them,” she shared. “Just don’t buy a brand new belt–ever! Go to a consignment store. That’s where I get all my belts.  I’ve never spent more than 30 bucks on a belt!”

Thanks for the tip!

For more great StarStyle, be sure to visit mystyle.com!

I was recently alerted to this amazing new store called Tulle and now I’m totally obsessed!  They have adorable pieces that have an Anthropologie-esque vibe but at much more budget-friendly prices!  Shirts start at $19.80 and dresses can go up to $100, but right now it seems like everything’s on sale with the most expensive item costing about $60! If you find something you love, use code luckybreaks3 to save an additional 30% off your entire purchase!  (Thanks Lindsey)

And if you hate putting outfits together, then this is definitely the store for  you because the hard work is done by their very talented stylists.   Just click on their “Looks” tab for ready-to-wear outfits that are inspired and right on trend for this season!

I just placed my order last Friday so once I recive my highly anticipated items I’ll let you know more about the fit and quality.  Happy Shopping!

Regardless if you attend 1 or 100 events a year, every girl needs a Little Black Dress.  It’s a wardrobe essential and if you pick the right one, it can last you season after season!

When you’re shopping for one, keep in mind that not every event will dictate the same level of dress code so don’t be tempted by all the strapless numbers out there.  Instead look for a sheath style, like this one above for only $24.80, or for a style that has straps so that you can wear it on multiple occasions.

You also don’t have to go “plain Jane” when it comes to the details or the material.  Lace and Satin can make a very inexpensive dress look like a designer buy, while embellishments can also add to the luxe factor.

Summer is also a great time to buy an LBD on sale since most shoppers are looking for brighter, more season appropriate styles.  I found all of these below from $9.99 to $25…

When it comes to shoes, I have to admit that sometimes I totally splurge.  But if you’re willing to make a few concessions (ie: plastic vs. leather) you can find lower priced alternatives of today’s hottest styles!

It was love at first sight with these L.A.M.B Ladona shoes! I wouldn’t typically be attracted to a red high heel, but the contrast from the nude and bronze straps makes these red heels very wearable and very sexy! I love the combination of hardware and that gorgeous graduated heel is just what you’d expect from a style icon like Gwen Stefani! Unfortunately, these shoes retail for $355!!

So if you can’t swing her price tag, Bakers offers a similar style with just a few differences for the bargain basement price of only $29.99 ! They might pinch your feet a little and color might be a shade off, but if you’re looking for high-style at a budget price-point, this is a great alternative!

Emmy Rossum is not a name I know that well, but this girl sure knows how to dress and I’m starting to take notice.   She looks incredible in her latest spread for Celeb Life and I’m totally in love with her pink dress above!  I don’t even know where I would wear something like this, but all I need to know is that I would die at the chance to simply put it on!

She has a very Old Hollywood glamour thing going on and considering she’s only 22, I really appreciate her sophisticated choice of fashions.  Other Hollywood starlets should follow her lead…does anyone know if she works with a stylist???

I did a little research and 9 times out of 10, she totally nails her look on the red carpet…what do you think?  Is Emmy a style maker??  Hear are some of my favorite looks…