Fashion Blog » 2009 » September

A mini vacation this weekend up northern California’s coast in Carmel. It was a lovely little girls weekend for my friends birthday…and boy was it chilly at night! If you ever happen to be interested in going to Carmel, I’ll warn you now the way I wished someone had warned us: prepare to PAY high prices for food and lodging, and pretty much everything else. We found out that Carmel is infamous for its high prices of course after we were there throwing down $20 per dinner plate. The weather was splendid though and I even got to dress warm. I took a cute scarf and actually kept it on my neck almost the entire trip. So well it may not quite be fall weather here in Los Angeles, we can at least get ready for it for when it finally decides to arrive. If it’s too warm to wear tights, and sweaters still, a light scarf will do the warmth trick and look stylish. I’m not really recommending a wool scarf yet, unless of course your current weather trends are already calling for one. Loop scarves will be big this season, I’ve already seen them in a few places, they kind of look like chic neck warmers basically.

Chan Luu Paisley Infinity Loop $125

This scarf also comes in a deep plum color which is probably the one I’d pick. I was drawn to the orange first though since October and pumpkins are only two days away!

DKNY Luxe Knit Infinity Loop $75

This infinity loop is longer, but you can find practically any size and thickness in these infinity loops. Some will look like a small loop only large enough to wrap the neck, others are a medium length, and then there are extra long ones like this. This can be doubled up too for extra warmth and volume, but I would save that for some extremely cold temperatures since this loop is a wool and cashmere blend. This DKNY one comes in a few other different colors including a bright kelly green color.
I now leave you with my favorite style in this new kind of neck candy…

Don’t worry, this loop won’t make you look like little red riding hood, you’ll just feel like her. I LOVE this Rag & Bone Twisted Merino Hood Loop! $175

I am not only a fan of the very plain color but there is also a beautiful little brown button detail in the back of this loop. This would look gorgeous on anyone and you can just pop that hood when the cold winds or rains start to pick up.

Shop though a variety of women’s scarves at Smarter.com.

It really seems like Victoria Bekham’s got it all. Her new designs for Spring 2010 are really fitting of her simple, yet chic and classy persona. Her dresses are all very clean cut, and symmetric. I notice that a lot of tabloids and magazines still refer to her as “Posh” –even decades after the notorious Spice Girls movie. It’s been decades–I think it’s time to move on. Even though the word “posh” would be a very fitting description of her designs, her new collection is far from the 90’s girl band fashion trend. Here are some of her designs for the Spring 2010 collection:

Sharing another seasonal trend with you all that I am sure will be huge this fall and winter: over the knee boots. I’ve already seen them in stores, seen them on women, and heard about my friends ordering them online. These are gonna be big, for all you boot lovers out there. Some of you might already have a pair waiting in the closet to be revealed. Do I like the trend? Sure. Sometimes I don’t like the idea of it. I guess because like any style of boot, they can be done wrong…but if you know what to wear them with and how to wear them, get on it.

Victoria’s Secret went and jumped on that bandwagon and has created several versions of the over the knee boot. They also have some Jessica Simpson styles too. Not a fan at all, but the boots are decent. Along with the over the knee style, there are also the covertible style boot which have a flap that can be folded over or pulled up so that they cover the knee slightly.

Victoria’s Secret Over the knee Hidden Platform Boot $169

I like these because they go almost to the thigh without looking trashy. They almost look like leggings with boots. The suede and leather combo is eyecatching as well. These of course would look great with a short skirt, but you must be careful if you choose this option. You don’t want to look schoolgirlish. These would also look fantastic with a dress that is medium length, a shift dress perhaps that is fitted, and top with a long sweater. These look too skinny to try to stuff denim jeans into, so I wouldn’t…unless they are extremely skinny.

I also like these convertible boots…

These come in a wide range of colors…the butterscotch are my favorite.

Colin Stuart Covertible Boot $99

And these are the Jessica Simpson versions of over the knee boots…

Jessica Simpson Over the Knee Riding Boot $209

I have to admit…these are really cute styles. These are perfect for wearing with jeans tucked in and a white cotton button down men’s shirt. Top with a pretty scarf and long sweater vest, and you’ve got an equestrian inspired riding outfit. Outfits like that remind me of something I’d see on the runways at a Ralph Lauren show…all Americana.

Shop for women’s knee high boots at Smarter.com.

A special post saluting the Emmy Awards and the extremely well-dressed women that stepped their expensive, well-heeled feet onto the red carpet this past Sunday in Hollywood. I must admit…the stars were looking great! No shockers, no scares, and not once did my mind wander to the infamous question…”What was she thinking?” Nope. None of that nonsense this year. I went through and picked out my favorite girls from the celeb litter, enjoy…

For someone to say that they don’t like Drew Barrymore, my mind can only severely compare it to say someone that doesn’t like baby kitties and puppies. I can’t help it, I love this girl! Drew Barrymore was like the ultimate “it” girl of the 90’s when I was growing up. Right there next to the still lovely Claire Danes and Courtney Love. She pinned up that black chunk of her pretty hair and slipped into this stunning Monique Lhuillier gown. My favorite part about this is the color! I call it peach champagne.

Not only is this woman strikingly beautiful, but she has a fantastic name! Olivia Wilde stars in “House” and looked great in her Marchesa gown. Marchesa was huge on the red carpet this year. Normally, I don’t like dresses like this. They remind me of something Miss Venezuela would wear at a Donald Trump pageant. BUT, Wilde wears it well. The hair all pulled back was a perfect finishing touch.

Mark my words readers: Blake Lively is on her way to becoming a huge star. This girl is hot! Out of all the Gossip Girls, her acting skills are best and her style is amazing. Seen here in her plunging red Versace number, this was one girl turning heads on the red carpet. She’s just so classy and statuesque, with just the appropriate amount of sex appeal for a girl her age. A+!

Another design dominator of the evening was Monique Lhuillier, seen here on Mila Kunis. This was the most fun look of the night in my opinion. The red full skirt is flirty without looking like a tutu. Kunis looks happy and glamourous with that slicked back ponytail and bronzed, dewey makeup.

Overall, a smashing success on this year’s Emmy night red carpet. Even the girls that came out in short cocktail dresses (Mary- Louise Parker, Kristin Chenoweth) looked appropriate. Hopefully the stars will keep this momentum going until Oscar season…

Image Source: style.com

Ok, so it was in the hundreds in some parts of California today…but fall is coming people! Start getting excited! I was thrilled to feel a drop in temperature the other day and even got out one of my favorite sweaters. I’m feeling that it will cool down sooner this year than it usually does. In that case, I want to be prepared. This season, I really want to pick up a few good sweaters. My old ones have seen better days and if I could find at least one or two new ones that will keep me warm (not hot) I would be pretty jazzed. Always on the hunt for reasonably priced staple items, I thought it would be fun this time to fantasize a little of a bigger budget for clothing. Shopping has been lowest on the priority-money spending list lately (with the exception of three cute thrift shop dresses I picked up yesterday :), so I’ll indulge in my dreams at least. Now…if I could go out and spend big bucks on a few fancy sweaters, what would I choose?

This Alexander Wang Boxy Cardigan would definitely do…

It’s only $350…hmmm. Alexander Wang in the closet, or paying off parking tickets? How does one decide? What do I like the most about this expensive sweater? I love the boxy style, hence the name of it. Drapey sleeves have been one of my favorite looks this year, and I’m sure they’re only going to keep coming as the winter months approach.

I’m picky with cardigans because they are such a common style, but this one definitely exceeds my expectations…

Comme des Garcons Play Wool Cardigan $358

A wool sweater in one of my favorite shades of burgundy, plus–it has the sweetest little embroidered heart detail on the chest. Yes please! I love burgundy. It’s very vintage looking and if you pair it with just the right items, you’ll get a good 1960’s/70’s look going–my favorite of course. This sweater looks great with jeans and a tee, but it would also compliment a pretty dress too. If I did wear this casually, I would make sure the jeans were wide leg, and the t-shirt oversized. The smallness of the cardigan would be a good balance. This would look so cute with a little shift dress and legwear…perhaps those crocheted socks I suggested last week?

Shop for more women’s cardigan sweaters at Smarter.com.

It’s some sort of plague that’s happening all across the celebrity world. Serena Williams, lawmaker Joe Wilson, Kanye West, and now Linsay Lohan.

Apparently, the seating arrangement was unacceptable for Lindsay Lohan. So, she threw the place cards of Juliette Lewis and Christian Siriano on the ground and demanded that she be seated at a more prominent place.

She’s a “fashion adviser” for a french line that’s showcased in Fashion Week.
But what I would like to comment on is the way Lindsay decided to look coming to a high profile fashion show.

Her hair is untamed and the blond color looks very washed out and does not compliment her fair skin. She’s wearing and an orangy blush and lip color that also looks mismatched withe her face color. I haven’t seen that many metal bracelets on a girl since Degrassi.

There’s just no style, no charisma. Her jewelry looks like it could be found at Spencers.

What exactly is she doing at a fashion show again?

Image source: allieiswired.com

Emma Watson wants to help alleviate poverty through fashion by the way of fair trade clothing. Fair trade is a market-based method focused on helping product manufacturers in third world countries. The idea is to pay more for goods and help developing countries become more self-sufficient.

Emma promotes such ethical principles. It incorporates a moral obligation to  assist struggling manufacturers overseas, rather than the big named brands that are manufactured in the US.

The Harry Potter actress told Chron Entertainment that she’s an advocate of this ethical style clothing, except it’s typically too ugly.

She explained in the article, “I wanted to help People Tree produce a younger range because I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty and knew it was something I could help make a difference with. I think young people like me are becoming increasingly aware of the humanitarian and environmental issues surrounding fast fashion and want to make good choices, but there aren’t many options out there.”

Well it’s true that she’s yet another actress turned designer, at least she’s got a noble cause in mind.

Image source: gossipteen.com

FocusOnStyle.com is thinking that footwear is like a B movie– Killer Shoes! When fashion gets overly literal. Stop by a look at our new web design too!

Here’s a special online discount from korres for Girlawhirl’s super pals everywhere.

StyleBakery.com’s coverage of the Top 10 Trends for Fall continues with punk rock, shine, legwear and boots.

The Beauty Brains answer one of the most intriguing beauty questions of all time: which mineral makeup is best?

Image Source: Lucca Couture Studded Tie Back Tunic, Urbanoutfitters.com

My latest obsession? My new cotton bandeau bra. I love this thing! Sometime last week, I adventured out to an Urban Outfitters located out in the Valley. I was shopping around for some home items and had heard they had a decent selection. This was true, but to my dismay, I just didn’t feel like spending more than $20 on anything. So I went home with no apartment decor, but instead a $10 bra and $4.99 stainless steel flask. I just love cheap purchases. Bandeaus are nothing new, but I have gotten really into them in the last few months. They usually come in pretty colors, are a really awesome alternative to traditional strapless bras, and shouldn’t ever be too expensive. I stopped wearing strapless bras a while ago. I just found them too uncomfortable and troublesome. I barely spend money on new regular bras let alone strapless ones, but I am finding that bandeaus are different. They give just the right amount of cleavage control and do the trick for strapless wears. I’ve heard the complaint from bustier women that bandeaus just don’t give enough support, but many styles have boning and under wire. I have both types and like wearing both, but of course prefer my bandeau sans under wire. It’s just more comfortable. So I picked up my $10 bandeau and have worn it with almost everything. It’s a nice neutral shade of nude and goes great underneath sheer tops and low cut styles. Bandeaus are perfect for you out there that want coverage, but don’t want to have to wear an entire tank underneath something.

Lacey bandeaus are pretty, but cotton ones are most practical yet still manage to look sexy.
These are my two favorite colors in the style I picked up…

BDG Bandeau $10, urbanoutfitters.com

No hooks, straps, or underwire. You can just pull this bad boy on and handwash it in the sink when it comes time. Super comfy with no tags inside and a little gathering in the front for minimal cleavage exposure. This is the perfect kind of bra for a button down shirt dress. Leave one button open for this bra to be slightly exposed and it almost works like another accessory. You might wonder…but won’t bandeaus flatten me out? No. I don’t think I’d ever wear mine with a t-shirt, because then I might feel this way, that I was “flattened out.” With anything, its really just about knowing how to wear these the right wear and with the right kind of clothes. And at ten bucks, it’s worth experimenting.

Shop for bandeau bras at Smarter.com.

I’ve been able to observe a few up and coming fall trends, some of them being the usual–leggings, sweaters, scarves–but with my eye being drawn to the more offbeat of them, I foresee a few different things in the trend spectrum. Seasonal trends revolve around the new color scheme, the new ways things are being styled, the fabrics, the layering. There are several factors–but I also like to think that a huge part of trending revolves around the accessories involved.

Accessories are fabulous! They can really complete an entire look or outfit season after season. Being in Hollywood on a daily basis, it is a constant feast of the eyes for what people are wearing, if they are going with the trends, and of course I like to draw my own conclusions for the outfit choices they’re making. One thing I’ve definitely taken notice of is that the accessories are a little more edgy these days–everything from little lace socks, to faux reading glasses, to long black gloves. These are fun little novelty items, a bit risky, and something to start a little conversation with when you decide to step out for a night on the town…or just want some midweek excitement.

Below are my three of my favorite accessory looks for fall…

I am into these long black gloves! I was in San Francisco a few weeks ago at one of the newer stores in Union Square called Shotwell. Browsing around on the second level, I eyed a pair of long black gloves that were made by Cheap Monday–super cute…and they were about $24. Not too bad I suppose. These are a more inexpensive version, and just as good.

BDG Jersey Ruched Long Gloves $18, UrbanOutfitters.com

How to wear? Very easy. Dig through that closet of yours and find a cute little cropped jacket, by cropped I mean one with shorter sleeves. With shorter sleeves, you can show off those cool looking gloves! It’s a throwback to the dressy evening looks from the 1950’s.

Another trend over all that I’ve noticed is faux reading glasses. This has been going on for quite some time, and I get it…but not really sometimes. I don’t mind it though, but if you’re going to sport an accessory that everyone else is wearing, at least make sure the frames are unique. These Wendy Readers are slightly different than the very common looking Ray Ban frames with clear lenses.

Wendy Readers $18, Urbanoutfitters.com

I’ve been on a sock kick lately, and these little crochet socks are oh so pretty…

Crochet Ankle Socks $4.99, Urbanoutfitters.com

These would look fantastic with some cropped ankle boots and a little black dress. They are a nice variation from typical opaque tights or legwarmers. These would also look great with some black pumps, or some of those trendy lace up oxfords, and they’re such a great price.

Shop for more fashion accessories at Smarter.com.