“An American Princess doesn’t have to deal with centuries of tradition and etiquette. She does what she wants, how she wants, where she wants and when she wants.” -Reem Acra
Reem Acra’s Spring Collection was a delicate display of both luxury and effortless modern elegance. A whimsical color palette combined with cool textures did not disappoint this modern princess. Acra proves you don’t have to follow tradition. You CAN mix day with night and vintage flea market finds with couture dresses. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from the collection.
Also spotted at the presentation, two blonde bombshell models rocking the lingerie, sheer trend. Loving the textured nude lace top paired with a blazer for Fall. Try the trend with one of these sheer blouses from ASOS and TOPSHOP.
The Grand Promenade at Lincoln Center was the beautiful backdrop for Catherine Malandrino’s Spring 2011 collection. The rain held off just in time to view what was one of the most talked about presentations of the week. Each model had an individual pedestal around the pitch black reflection pool. The juxtaposition of the easy, breezy bohemian girls against the city backdrop was absolutely stunning.
Here are my top ten favorite looks from the collection. Hat’s off to Catherine, or should I say hat’s on…
What to look for this Spring (if we can wait that long!):
With NY Fashion Week (which we will be covering for you our readers) just around the corner, what better time to invest in some pieces that will add a little pop to your current winter wardrobe and transition nicely into spring. The theme here: layering! 1.) Striped Dresses Great to wear with tights, boots and bold accessories to really make it your own. Both of these dresses will look great in winter layered with a cardigan and jacket and alone once warmer weather hits. Stripes also look GREAT with metallic. Buy them here.
2.) Oval Frame Sunglasses These are an easy way to update any look right now. Each pair from Cutler & Gross is handmade and we love them all. The lines on them give off the perfect preppy yet edgy vibe. It's so great when a piece feels retro and chic at the same time.
3.) Neutral Booties Rag & Bone score again! These are the perfect booties to take you from Winter to Spring. Pair them with dresses and tights now and dare to go with bare legs in the Spring. These are both walkable and wearable for every day – a wise investment.
4.) Woven Necklaces Layer ACB's woven black leather necklace over a loose fitting tank and jeans to update your look. Or, for more of a statement layer it with other silver or gunmetal necklaces.
5.) Loose Fitting Leather Vests This asymmetrical fold-over vest looks great over a long sleeve or a tank. It would be perfection paired with the striped dress above.
Hi All: What are your top 5 items for 2010? I am dying to know what others are loading up on for this spring and year – there are so many choices, I think, that work for lots of us!
Here are mine:
1. Anything Alice in Wonderland – whether it's the Stella McCartney inspired by collection or the Tom Binns (among others) bracelets, I am all for a character tie in that is chic instead of shabby. We can all thank Tim Burton for this new take on an old classic, which will take us down the rabbit hole of fashion!
2. Military – khaki green is the chicest color, I think (maybe navy blue gets a run for the money) and paired with a metallic, it's over the moon. I am on the hunt for an army green pencil skirt that I want to pair with my Hermes buckled belt (note that I did in fact take the buckle off the belt and put it on a much more casual one – it's in my closet for you to see) and white shirt with LOTS of gold jewelry.
3. Silk shirts with cardigan sweaters over them. I know, it's a two-fer. But this look is going to save me in winter and then come spring, I will jazz up the winter colors with spring pops of color. I like the silk tops at J. Crew for price and colors, and then the cardigans at The Gap (finally getting back their mojo…!) for the same reasons.
4. Spots! Leopard, Cheetah, Giraffe (not a spot, more a blob, but gorgeous). All things animal work as a great pattern in almost any color – and are a perfect way to go from day to night. Do it as a belt or shoe if you are afraid of it overwhelming, or go for a full on look if you dare!
5. Lightweight leather. It can be pricey, so best to save for a jacket or the like that can go from winter to spring – so a cut and color that looks good open, closed or layered, to get the most bang for your buck. I like a carmel color, which works well with chocolate browns and grays for winter and whites and creams and picks for spring.
When it comes to gift giving in Los Angeles eclecticism is key. It's all about being creative in order to find that perfect gift, and the perfect gift does not necessarily mean dropping bills. The left coast has such a unique style so it's important to give items that enhance the recipient's personal style. Here are my picks for my L.A. friends that I am secretly wishing someone would get for me (ahem ahem). Oh, and just for kicks they are all under $50!
1.) Everyday Astrology by Gary Goldschneider ($24.95). This book gets down to the nitty gritty, such as how to stay in touch with a Leo or nail a sales pitch to an Aries.
2.) This scarf from a.ok ($48) has the prettiest different shades of purple. It measures to 25” wide and 70” long so it's big enough to make a statement and keep you warm at the same time!
3.) These Celestial Coasters ($32) come in all different colors will look great in any California space.
5.) Gift the gift of style inspiration with The Sartorialist's new book ($14.62). Scott Schuman's blog always fascinates and sparks fashion ideas and his book is excellent for those working with items they already own.
6.) Too Faced Smoky Eye Palette ($34) comes with everything you need to create the perfect smoky eye. The kit comes with three step-by-step instruction cards that teach you how to get your smoke on.
7.) This Casablanca Embroidered Pouch ($14) is the perfect size for a cell phone, cash and keys. It screams west coast chic and is a total steal at $14!
D6, A fanastic new eco-friendly line out of Los Angles has just launced with a realistic approach to being green. Focusing on two issues they believe to be most critical, carbon emissions and water conservation, Degree 6 believes that fashion can co-exist peacefully with the environment, and they plan to practice this belief every day.
The creative force behind Degree 6 is designer Cassie Stevenson who now resides Los Angeles after growing up in Portland, Oregon. Having studied and worked in fashion, Cassie noticed a large gap in the marketplace for modern and versatile green lines and developed the entire line to fit that need. Here's what Cassie has to say about being sustainable and sexy.
When did you realize you wanted to become a designer? I have always loved art and design, from painting, to photography to jewelry making, but fashion has always been my true passion. I thought of it as a hobby for most of my life, not necessarily a career. After getting my degree in PR/Advertising, I realized that I did not want to do anything but design clothing. That is when I decided to focus 100% on fashion.
Where did D6 come from? My vision was to create a comfortable quality line of sexy styles that everyone can put on and feel good while promoting awareness to our environment and practicing the greenest process possible.
What was the first article of clothing you ever designed? My first designs were dresses. I love to design dresses!
The first thing I noticed were how incredibly soft your pieces are, while many other eco-friendly lines are a bit more rough, how did you create these fabrics? Fabrics are extremely exclusive and chosen not only for their green qualities, but for their versatility, softness and comfort. The main fabric we use is Bamboo Sorona, which is made from Bamboo and recycled bottle caps. We also work with Hemp, Organic Cotton, and recycled polyester for select styles with trims such as organic cotton drawstring and coconut buttons.
Where is the line made? All manufacturing and production of Degree 6 materials and garments happen downtown in Los Angeles. Our ultimate goal is to create a sustainable production factory in Los Angeles.
What's your favorite part about conceptualizing a design? I love working with shapes and colors…I love doing story boards for each collection, then seeing the design go from paper to the actual sample is always my favorite moment with every piece.
Who are you designing for? Everyone!! Anyone who loves to take a comfortable sexy basic and add their distinctive style to make it their own.
It seems like these days everyone is designing something “green” do you think it is more than a marketing hype? Maybe for some designers it is purely about marketing. However, Degree 6 is 100% committed in developing a “green” process to produce and manufacture fabric and garments from start to finish. One of the most notable aspects of Degree 6 is the fabric composition, which all depends on the fact that it is organic and sustainable. The development of each fabric is the basis of every design.
What sets D6 apart? We are not just trying to use “green” as a trendy marketing tool. We are actually trying to educate people on what it means to be green and how much impact they can have just by making a conscious decision when they shop. D6 is sustainable and SEXY!
What is next? Continuing to strive to make Degree 6 a completely sustainable company while creating styles that are comfortable, sexy, and fashion forward.
We couldn't be more excited about the release of Coco Before Chanel and in celebration of the movie's release we have created the ultimate Chanel Closet!
Simply copy pieces from the Chanel Closet into your closet.
Or you can start following the Coco closet to gain full access to the entire Chanel closet in your dressing room.
“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” - Coco Chanel
Fetty is a cutting-edge jewelry company based in Brooklyn, New York. The company was created when up and coming rock and roller, Justin Tranter, began designing necklaces to sell at shows for his garage glam band Semi Precious Weapons. Thanks to a loyal fan base and Tranter's entrepreneurial spirit, Fetty's jewels have caught not only our attention but also the likes of Urban Outfitters, who began selling their jewelry nationwide. Tranter has also created a 14K gold, sterling silver and diamond line created for Barneys COOP (shown here) and has won the hearts of celebrity clientele including Kate Moss. Tranter's aesthetic keeps Fetty on the forefront of trendsetting styles by staying true to his rock and roll spirit.
Lucky you! The rest of the world will not be told about this site until tomorrow! It's InStyle's 15th Bday and one of the ways they are celebrating is by offering finds and special deals from 27 fabulous fall collections where Instyle editors hand picked 15 of their favorite items.They are also giving away 15 $1,000 shopping sprees! Check out the 15 For Fall iPhone app so you can track all this awesome shopping information. Don't miss out on the special offers and discounts Instyle has lined up for fall! To see all InStyle special offers
We couldn't be more excited about the release of Coco Before Chanel and in celebration of the movie's release we have created the ultimate Chanel Closet!
