Fashion Blog » 2007 » September

Girlawhirl figures out which tops work best with wide leg, high waisted jeans

At SheFinds test your knowledge of Celebrity Clothing Lines

The Beauty Brains brag about the 6 Basic Types of Lip Balms.

Top Button fills you in on fall’s hottest footwear trends, including these cutie booties by Marc Jacobs.

Starstylescoop shows us Beautiful Fall Boots.

And this week on the Smarter Fashion Blog, we covered:

• Vogues debut in India and the Gemma Ward controversy
• Great deals on a red Maggy London dress and a gold Avignon clutch
  
• Lisa Kline, the boutique to the starts that transformed LA’s Robertson Blvd. into a big ‘ol fashion scene.

Here’s Rihanna walking at the Dsquared show in Milan yesterday.  Who knew she was so tall? Or maybe Dan and Dean Caten are just really short?  I have to say it was nice to see a substantial leg strutting the catwalk for once–some of those other models look like their stems could break by the power of a strong wind.

Of course, the Umbrella singer has plans to start her own line now.  She says it will be “something edgy.” Everyone says that, but I do love me some Rihanna, so I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. For now.

I’ll say this for her: the woman is a trooper.  She flew to Milan for the show and the grand opening of the Dsquared store then flew right back to Toronto to perform a concert.

Source.  

I recently bought a gold clutch because I needed a nighttime bag that would liven up an all black ensemble. Usually, I’ll go for a colorful bag to punch up neutrals, but none meeting that description appealed to me, so I went metallic. I was a little hesitant that it would be too much, but actually the look was fresh, subtle and sophisticated. Not to mention, I got a ton of compliments on it. I also like the way it looks with color–just last weekend I mixed it with a turquoise dress, black tights and a trench coat. The contrast was very chic, if I do say so myself.

So, long story long, I’m a convert to the charms of a gold clutch. And if I didn’t just buy one, I might consider this Avignon Woven Clutch, which I find absolutely scrumptious. It’s going for $107 (old price= $215) at Bloomingdales, which may seem steep for a clutch, but it’s a pretty classic look that will work for years and years. It also comes in pewter.

Viva the gold clutch!

Avignon Woven Metallic Clutch, $107 (was $215)

Even if you don’t live in LA, you probably still recognize the Lisa Kline store front, one of the usual backdrops to paparazzi snaps of A-list celebs out for a good retail binge. Ever the fashion mainstay, 10 year after opening its very famous doors, the ultra hip Robertson Blvd. boutique is still the prime destination for clothes hounds (famous and anonymous), who crave style that is quintessentially L.A. “Sexy, casual, hip and fun…is the premise upon which Lisa Kline is based,” says the shop’s namesake owner.

Pieces meeting that description by Sonia Rykiel, Puella, Karta, Ella Moss, Rachel Pally, Nola Singer, Kooba, and Andrew Marc among others, fill the original store as well as Lisa Kline Beverly Hills, which celebrated a star-studded grand opening earlier this year. Two Lisa Kline Men stores and Lisa Kline Kids are also part of the empire that grew out of Kline’s girlhood dream to open a clothing store. Always determined, she realized this goal after putting in time working retail, studying fashion design, and figuring out that she “would rather buy and sell clothes” than make them. Kline was only 25 when she started her business.

Kline’s enviable success is credited with shaping Robertson Blvd. into the internationally known shopping mecca that it is today. In a savvy move, Kline opened her boutique in 1995, when Robertson was still just a “quaint pretty decorator’s street” that hadn’t a fashion scene to speak of. What it did have was the famous Ivy restaurant, so it didn’t take long before Lisa Kline’s brand of top-notch customer service and well-dressed windows were attracting such famous faces as Liv Tyler, Halle Berry, Julianna Marguelis, Eva Longoria, Jessica Biel, Reese Witherspoon and so on and so on. Now, Lisa Kline dresses the best of them and holds court among neighbors like Tory Burch, Chan Luu, Kitson, Anya Hindmarch, Nanette Lepore and a score of others that now call the boulevard home.

Lisa hand picks fashions for her regular customers and was kind enough to tell us what she’s loving this season. In a word: Dittos. And I couldn’t agree more since they come in fun colors and are easy to wear–I’ve yet to see someone whose figure wasn’t flattered by their high-waisted, wide-legged fit. Here are some of the especially cute styles you can find on LisaKline.com:

You can also score the season’s latest “it” coats, dresses, jeans, handbags, accessories and more.

Click here for Lisa Kline locations.

You can’t go wrong with a red dress, especially a red jersey dress. This one by Maggy London is certainly sweet. I’ve seen it in person, and it’s really versatile–it can be dressed up or down, depending on how you spin it. I love that high, defined waist, which is pretty universally flattering. Wouldn’t a silver or gold flat finish the look perfectly? Um, yeah!

It also comes in black if the red is too much for you.

Maggy London Crepe Jersey Shirtdress, $75.90 (was $128)

Vogue India has landed and is the fashion bible’s 17th edition world wide, joining ranks with Chinese, Russian, Swiss, Mexican and Korean versions of the magazine. Gracing the cover are Bollywood stars Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra and Preity Zinta along with models MoniKangana Dutta and Laxmi Menon. The one who, um, sticks out, is the Austalian model Gemma Ward.

The inclusion of Ward front and center has caused controversy with some believing the inclusion of the blond is a “slap in the face” to Indian beauty and others complaining that the cover looks too much like the inaugural issue of Vogue China:

Well, it’s not exactly the same, they are facing the other way! Vogue India says they wanted to include the “most adored faces in India and internationally.” Certainly, this new Vogue does promise to be more colorful than the other editions, and Alex Kurivilla, the managing editor of Conde Naste, says “I suspect our Vogue will be nosier and more colourful and more vibrant than the western models.”

The first ever Vogue India cover featured looks by Roberto Cavalli, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Christian Dior and Gucci.

What do you think about the Vogue India cover?

Source and Source.

I’ve always been a fan of the oxford. And even when the rest of world couldn’t see the point of my square-toe Enzo Angiolini stack heeled oxfords, I still wore them with pride. Even after being told they were “very Elaine Benes.” Well, this month I will be putting those little dudes back into rotation with great pride, but this time around they’ll actually be “in fashion” because the lace up oxford is back, baby! Yes!

Here are the one’s currently working their magic on me:

United Colors of Benetton, Calf Leather Lace Ups $129 Could these be any more perfect? I love the vintage look of the leather and can’t help picturing myself wearing them with tights now and then barelegged when the winter to spring transition becomes necessary. These will be mine, oh yes, they will be.

MAXSTUDIO ‘Yess’ Patent Leather Lace Up, $158.95 These are cute, and I like the way they keep the rest of the design subtle to balance out the shine of the patent leather. The toe is what sells me on these babies–it’s got a slight squareness at the tip. These would look brilliant with wide-legged cuffed pants and a frilly blouse to balance things out. They also come in brown suede.

Beautifeel ‘Jennifer’, $230.95 I’m into the extended toe box on this shoe and the little heel. Both make the style delicate and vintage-esque without leaving you feeling like a character in a Victorian novel. The price is pretty steep, but the inside is lined with leather and they’re pretty unique, so they might be worth it.

Frye Adrienne Oxford, $161.95 These are really 70s, which I love. They’re what Thelma on Good Times would wear with an a-line skirt and a turtle neck, and that’s a good thing if you ask em. They’d also really jazz up a monochromatic outfit. Delicioso!

Pictured above: Bally ‘Glania’ Pump, $575 (yeah, i know! But they’re worth looking at for kicks.

Girlawhirl can’t wait to get her hands on designer Alice Temperley’s new Go International Flights of Fashion collection at Target

The Beauty Brains uncover 5 Home Beauty Gadgets That Really Work.

SheFinds readers rant and rave about the Simply Vera for Kohls line. Add your review.

StarStyleScoop Mary Kate Debuts on Weeds

Top Button shows you how to beautify yourself and the environment by switching to these organic, eco-friendly beauty products from Tarte, Origins, and more.

Believe you me, I usually run screaming from the offerings of Irregular Choice, but today I’m sold on their “Snappy Sandal.” Why it’s called a sandal is beyond me since it looks like a mary jane, but whatever its name, I like it. I’m partial to the low strap and the stack wood heel, which looks thick, sturdy and comfy. The croc embossing isn’t my favorite, but I think it adds a little punch to this shoe. I’d wear these with tights (of course) and an a-line skirt or with a cute mini dress sans leg coverings, but they’re pretty versatile and would work with almost any outfit–they definitely fall into that “go-to-shoe” category. They’re kind of Marcia Brady, and that can’t be a bad thing.

Irregular Choice ‘Snappy’ Sandal, $64.90 (old price= $129.95, wow that’s 50% off)

Today I saw a story about spending sprees on one of those morning shows, where they asked, “Are spending sprees good or dangerous?” The women they focused on admitted to buying things they didn’t really need and would probably never wear. They even gave a statistic from Reuters showing that the average American woman owns 19 pairs of shoes but only wears 4 (15% own 30). That does not surprise me, but it also doesn’t convince me that shopping sprees are bad–it’s the impulse buying and irresponsible spending that are problematic. A shopping spree is good, clean fun if you can afford and use what you’re buying.

I think Kathryn Finney (pictured below), author of the great new book How to Be a Budget Fashionista and creator of TheBudgetFashionista.com, would agree with me. After all, she is the woman who once escorted a friend on a shopping spree and helped her score an entire wardrobe for only $600. And I mean a whole wardrobe:

• 2 bras and 6 pairs of underwear
• 4 layering tops
• 1 pair of earrings
• 2 dress shirts
• 1 sweater
• 3 pairs of high-quality slacks
• 1 pair of pumps
• 1 pair of boots
• 1 suede jacket

No, Finney isn’t a magician, but she’s is one of the savviest shoppers I’ve ever heard of. And she’s not buying crap either–this fine lady tells inspiring stories of 99 cent Jean Paul Gaultier shirts and Via Spiga mary janes for $29.99. Of course, none of these treasures came without investments of both time and a little work, but isn’t a stunning wardrobe without crushing debt worth it? I think so.

How to Be a Budget Fashionista is a great tool for women who love shopping and even women who hate it since it includes tips on how to enhance your shape, find your personal style and signature piece, create a realistic shopping budget and shop without regret. Finney’s voice is completely charming, witty and sympathetic to the material desires of the average woman: “I’m not rich. I’m not a size 2. I’m not even from New York. I’m just a brilliantly normal person who was lured into the evils of credit card debt by an obsession with handbags and designer shoes.”

I definitely learned a lot from this book. I now have a better perspective on when to “invest” a tidy sum–Finney encourages spending more on quality, classic pieces that will go the long haul– and when to slum it at the discount shops. For instance, taking Finney’s words to heart I recently spent a work bonus on a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag. I made this purchase guilt free, though, thanks to The Budget Fashionista because she taught me that quality pieces last long enough to earn their keep and have a knack for taking Forever 21 and H&M pieces to a whole new level.

Click here to buy the book.

Visit The Budget Fashionista website.