05

Apr

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…

Okay, the ’80s weren’t so bad after all.  As seen on People.com, chokers, bared midriffs, cropped denim vests and waist-tied blouses are back.  The ’90s were a bad decade for me: Bongo denim outfits, Guess jumpers and column dresses, berry lipstick and (*shudder*) bangs.  I’m not enthused about seeing the era remixed.

Absolutely not.

I don’t care if Salma’s choker does have a “YSL” embellishment; please stop trying to make them happen. 

Really?!

Waist-tied shirts and “grunge chic” have also been spotted.   But somehow it looks just as sloppy as it did in the last century.  Leave it there.

Side note (and proof that the ’90s weren’t a total fashion disaster):  Guess? turns 30 this year!  And to celebrate, they featured Claudia Schiffer in a remix of their iconic ads.  Be sure to check out the photos!  Our favorite?

 

Images via People.com and Huffington Post

14 years ago Short URL Comments

Haute or Not?/Learn From My Mistakes!/The Look

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20

Mar

Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad to Star in Steel Magnolias Remake

Eurweb and ABC previously reported that Steel Magnolias would be remade with an all-black cast; now we have the deets on who will star.  Deadline.com reveals that Queen Latifah will play M’Lynn, the long-suffering Southern matron; Alfre Woodard will play Quiser, the wealthy and irreverent contrarian; Phylicia Rashad will play Clairee, the elegant, tart-tongued widow; Jill Scott will play Truvy, the southern-fried salon beauty parlor owner;  Adepero Oduye  (known for her lead turn in Pariah) will portray naive newcomer Annelle, and doomed sweetheart Shelby will be played by Condola Rashad (daughter of Phylicia and Ahmad, who made her Broadway debut in Stick Fly).    

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The original film featured Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah and Julia Roberts. One of my favorite scenes:

I really like to withhold judgment until a film airs but this casting leaves a little to be desired, and I think at least a couple of roles have been seriously miscast.  I’m not eager to hear another round of “fake” southern accents, if indeed the movie will be set in the south (Louisiana).  But I am eager to see if Kenny Leon can make his Lifetime television version as poignant and funny as the original.  The film is treasured for its pacing and I especially loved that the interaction and emotion between the women didn’t feel forced.  Yes, it was a little hokey and yes, the accents were syrupy, but it’s a classic! And pink is my signature color!   

What say you?

Image via Eurweb.com, People, , Rotten Tomatoes,  Broadway World

14 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

Haute off the Press/Haute or Not?

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07

Mar

Kanye West may be a bit much sometimes, but these pearl encrusted shoes he designed for Giuseppe Zanotti are a little bit of everything!  Although model Jourdan Dunn has said the super high stilettos are not to be walked in, at over $5000 a pair I’m not sure I’d be on a dirty sidewalk in them anyway. For those of you who don’t need to crawl before you ball, they’re available via French retailer Colette.

As seen on Kim K (I give her a hard time, but I am LOVING chick’s ensemble):

I’m going on record and calling these HAUTE.  What say you?

Image via US Weekly

14 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

Haute or Not?/The Look

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24

Feb

House of Dereon Releases Spring Line

Yes, but will YOU wear it?

For more from the Spring Lookbook, click here.  I think the coral structured dress is the least offensive piece.  Other than that, I’ll pass…

Image via House of Dereon

14 years ago Short URL Comments

Haute or Not?

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01

Feb

Deja Vu: Zoe Saldana vs. Jennifer Lopez

Zoe Saldana rocked a pearl-white, sequined ensemble from Givenchy at the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards this past Sunday, but it reminded me of a similar look by Zuhair Murad that Jennifer Lopez at the Golden Globes last year.  Dare I mention that undershirts are not for the red carpet? I think J. Lo makes Zoe look like she’s playing dress-up!

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Who wore it best? Leave a comment!

14 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

Haute or Not?/Random Acts of Fashion/The Look

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31

Jan

Best Dressed: 2012 SAG Awards

Sunday night’s SAG Awards were a major relief from the Golden Globes – guests actually gave us FASHION!  Here are my best dressed for the evening, as well as my take on those who missed the mark.

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Viola Davis absolutely glowed in a white and gold Grecian Marchesa gown.  Juliana Margulies was bare and chic in an embellished lavender Calvin Klein column gown.  Emily Blunt gave us effortless glamour and a pop of color on the red carpet in a jade green Oscar de la Renta.  Jayma Mays WORKED in a heavily bedazzled but still subltle black gown by Reem Acra with lace detail in the back.  Octavia Spencer was chic in a silvery draped and beaded gown by Tadashi Shoji; her styling was lovely as well, and I LOVED her bejeweled Judith Leiber miniaudiere.  My best dressed of the night?  Rose Byrne in a bedazzled jumpsuit by Elie Saab, because she took a risk and she looked gorgeous!  Very Sharon Tate, circa Valley of the Dolls.

Worst dressed? Anjelina Jolie’s black Jenny Packham halter looked like a garbage bag.  Lea Michele’s washed-out Atelier Versace was just ho hum, but her shoes didn’t fit!  And her pose is…far too much.  Dianna Agron came in a raspberry bridesmaid’s dress by Carolina Herrera, and Diane Lane went for mother of the bride in a slate blue, satin one shoulder by David Meister.  I also did not care for Stacy Keibler’s black lace Girorgio Armani gown; she’s young, and the dress looked a little matronly.  They must have all come from Kaley Cuoco and Katrina Bowden’s double wedding, because they both came dressed as brides!  Glenn Close’s navy tulle and taffeta trumpet gown by Zac Posen was overworked.  And I’m putting Kristen Wiig in the worst dressed category for singlehandedly trying to bring back the choker.  Zoe Saldana, we saved you a seat on this list too.  Her pearl-white Givenchy fell short: the three pieces did not complement each other or her body type.  Men’s undershirts on the red carpet? No ma’am.

I am holding my breath for the Oscars!

Images via InStyle

14 years ago Short URL Comments

Haute or Not?/Love That!/Random Acts of Fashion/The Look/Who Wore What Where

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23

Jan

Please Don’t Wear Your Jammies to Work

No ma'am, Rachel Roy.

Nightwear as daywear is a trend that’s shown up on runways (and recently on the front page of shopbop.com), and I’m warning you: this does not mean your Forever Lazy footie pajamas, slinky negligees, or saggy Hello Kitty  flannel bottoms from freshman year are now in style and meant to be inflicted upon the public.  Those fashion choices will make you a perfect candidate for People of Walmart, not anyone’s best dressed list.  If you’d like to incorporate the look into your wardrobe smartly, here are some tips on how to wear pajama-inspired looks with flair and good taste.

1.  Try a lacy camisole under a cardi or jacket for the office, or a vintage bustier with a pencil skirt or cigarette pants for evening.  The key here is balance.   If you pair these items with a super short skirt or shorts, or anything skintight, the effect will be more “streetwalker” than chic.

2.  Pair silky or print pajama bottoms with a structured piece on top,  like a cable-knit cardigan.  Or, try a menswear-inspired pajama top with skinny jeans and a pair of fun loafers.  The blend of textures will keep you from looking like you rolled straight out of the boudoir.

3.  Please leave anything with a cheeky phrase on it in the store,  or spare the rest of us and save it for wearing at home.  Your seat isn’t for advertising to the general public. 

4.  Several words to the wise about leggings: I’m all for them when worn properly.  And by “properly” I mean that the leggings should be opaque, not sheer, fishnet, etc.  One’s legs should not look like they are squeezed into sausage casings.  And a blazer, long cardigan or tunic-style top that skims or covers the rear is most flattering.  

5.  PajamaJeans are to be avoided at all costs.  The printed zipper and pockets are…strange.  There are too many other options for affordable, comfortable and flattering denim for women of all shapes and budgets to resort to something that pulls on and has a hidden drawstring.

6.  The last word: be sure to wear appropriate undergarments so that your silhouette is sleek and your “unmentionables” remain unmentioned by passers-by.  Smooth ripples and provide an extra layer under unlined items by wearing a pair of  fleshtone hosiery that has been snipped at the calf or knee.

Image via Gawker.com

14 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

Haute or Not?/The Look

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20

Jan

Is This What 30 Looks Like?

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I wasn’t invited to Dwyane Wade’s 30th birthday bash and thank God, because what is he wearing?  A morning coat,  trinkets on his lapel, SKINNY tuxedo pants, AND what looks like Stacy Adams brogues?  Tell me not. 

The outfit sported by Wade, Rick Ross’s “grooming” and the get-ups donned by Lebron James and Chris Bosh lead me to these important points when it comes to menswear:

1.  Your wife, girlfriend, sister or mother – whatever female presence you have in your life – doesn’t love you if she lets you leave the house looking like you’re impersonating a ringmaster in a circus.  Unless of course you actually ARE a ringmaster in a circus.

2.  Lotion is a good thing.  Especially in winter.  Please moisturize your situation!

3.  Beards aren’t for everyone.            

4.  Those tiny little fedoras just look ridiculous.  They don’t make anyone look cool; they just emphasize the size of your head and remind everyone of Blossom.  Please stop trying to make them “happen.”

5. The same goes for those who insist on the “I’m so cool I have to wear a winter scarf indoors” look.

Gentlemen…how many times do I have to emphasize this point? Keep it simple!  The effortlessly debonair Cary Grant was known for wearing a gray suit, crisp white dress shirt, with the appropriate tie and shoes, and embodying the Every Man while still looking singularly suave.  Try too hard to do something “different” and you might end up doing way, way too much.

Images via YB&F

14 years ago Short URL 3 Comments

Haute or Not?/Learn From My Mistakes!/Something in the Milk Ain't Clean

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20

Jan

If the Shoe Fits…

A sharp-eyed reader pointed out that I recently cooed over the studded slip-ons worn by Idris Elba at the Golden Globes last Sunday, despite having come down hard against people who wear sneakers with formal wear in a previous post.  That’s the thing about fashion.  Just when you roll your eyes at someone in a Canadian tuxedo, O Magazine  decides it’s what’s hot and happening for Spring.

Sigh.

But isn’t that what’s wonderful about style?  We have the opportunity to have fun with it, to take one special piece, wear it in an unexpected manner and change the conversation about what’s fashionable.  If – as in Cinderella’s case – one shoe can change your entire life, imagine what a wardrobe of well-considered clothes and accessories can do?

I’ll go on record as saying I prefer evening shoes with evening wear, and that anyone who deviates should have an awesome pair of sneakers (studded, bedazzled or otherwise “dressed up”) to make me reconsider.  Beat-up Nikes just won’t cut it on the red carpet.

I’m not sure socks with sandals will ever be in style either, no matter what Donatella Versace would have us believe in this ad featuring Cindy Crawford’s doppelganger daughter Kaia Gerber, the new face of Young Versace.

But I’m open to being proved wrong.

Image via Versace

14 years ago Short URL Comments

Haute or Not?/He Said She Said/Learn From My Mistakes!/Random Acts of Fashion

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13

Jan

Raven Symone, Get Your Life

We get it. You’ve lost weight (congrats!). You’re no longer cute little Olivia from The Cosby Show.  We salute you for being a mogul.  But these pum pum shorts and Pretty Woman boots?  No ma’am.  You’re too fabulous for this haute mess!  [Sidenote: the ‘fro on your companion is everything!]

Images via YBF

14 years ago Short URL Comments

Haute or Not?/Learn From My Mistakes!/Something in the Milk Ain't Clean

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