Fashion Blog

If you love finding designer clothing and accessories at discounted prices you need to sign up for HauteLook.com’s exclusive memebers only experience!  It takes literally a minute to sign up. Not only can you find designer clothing, but beauty products, jewelry, sunglasses and other hot items on sale for awesome prices. Once you sign up and log in, you will be linked to hot sales with items up to 75% off.

Check out this Laundry by Shelli Segel Strapless Mini Dress on sale for 66% off!

$295 For members: $99

Another example of what you might find:

Gold Hawk Silk Georgiette Tunic: $325 For members: $130

Go here to sign up and take advantage of special online sales and events!

I know Thanksgiving hasn’t even passed yet, but let’s start thinking about what outfits we can put together for all the fun holiday parties we will be attending!

From Kohls.com, here’s a little black dress you can dress up or down depending on which fabulous holiday party you are attending.

LC Lauren Conrad Strapless Dress: $50 On sale for $34.99

Pick a few more items (which won’t be too difficult) and make sure your total is over $75 and you will get free shipping! Offer expires November 18th, 2009 so hurry!

Check out other deals and find Khol’s coupons at CouponMountain.com.

The Great Fellini 8 1/2 movie masterpiece is being re-imagined by the director who brought us Moulin Rouge. The black and white grit and ominous imagery of the 8 1/2 original is going to be bumped up with glitzy colors, show tune romps, and a lot of star quality. With a rock out cast that’s too powerful for words, this meta re-imagination of the movie industry is either going to be the greatest money blunder or the best film of the year. We don’t need another Chicago, but we’re always hungry for another Fellini–it’s whether or not it can be pulled off by a contemporary that’s the trick.

To get ready for your own movie premiere, here are some clothes to wear to the theatre in honor of the glitz and glamour that will glitter this screen:

Robert Rodriguez Glitter Strapless Dress: $594.00

Pleaser USA Thigh High Boots: $69.00

Shop for affordable women’s boots and women’s dresses.

Paul&Joe SISTER, the Parisian up-and-coming fashion and accessory line, started in 2006 and has grown in popularity do to it’s celebrity patronage and unique shoe and handbag designs. Paul&Joe SISTER combines chic French simplicity and iconic, well-built footwear and handbags to craft a unique look. Paul&Joe, an original very retro-chic fashion label, has been reinvented by it’s “sister” label for a more urban look.

Paul&Joe clothing is available at such sites as revolveclothing.com and net-a-porter.com. What does it mean to be a Paul&Joe SISTER kind of girl? You’re tied to your roots and the classic look, but you’re tough and ready to fend for yourself in the city, out on the town, or in the workplace. Paul&Joe SISTER designs are crisp enough to be worn in a business casual setting, but also sexy and well made enough to be worn to a nice dinner or family gathering.

Some of the must-haves from the Paul&Joe SISTER collection include:

Paul&Joe Sister Wool-Blend Mini Dress from Net-a-porter.com:$180.00

With a draped neckline and raised hem, this is a little black dress with a bit of pizazz. What can you do to make it special? Pair it with some iconic Paul&Joe SISTER heels or a leather handbag, favorites of celebrities such as Rachel Bilson.

Paul&Joe SISTER Mazed Fringe Handbag from Net-a-Porter.com: $162.40

And the best for last of Paul&Joe SISTER’s collection is the update on the classic ankle boot from last season: zip front, fine details, thicker body with smaller heel make this pump truly a work of art.

Paul&Joe SISTER Perine Zip Front Pumps from ShopBop.com: $504.00

Shop for women’s shoes and mini dresses at Smarter.com.

We will all look back years from now on this generation of high school/early undergraduate sorority sisters and think about how influential the television show Gossip Girl has been to the clothing style. Pearl earrings, ribbon headbands, heels to school and knee-high stockings to boot. Target.com is capitalizing on this influence by starring an elite collection from Anna Sui inspired from the Gossip Girl characters. Maybe a little deterring in it’s overt capitalization on the brand, but still–worth a look (I couldn’t resist).

Let’s see how Anna Sui has refashioned the fabulous looks of Gossip Girl’s main characters:

The Anna Sui for Target Feather Dress - Metallic Grey from Target.com: $69.99

Probably my favorite of the Serena looks, it’s short, glitzy, and has a bit of an ethnic vibe to it with the feathers at the top (though I don’t think feathers are exactly how Serena would go, except when she’s in the school play).

Anna Sui for Target Floral Metallic Jacquard Dress - Blue Print from Target.com: $44.99

Blair is by far the most iconic of the Gossip Girl characters, her style stretching from the severe button up high-necked Victorian dress to the ribbon headband + Audrey Hepburn black combination. She has the most recognizable, cohesive style, I would say, of all of the characters, and I think Anna Sui did a fine job of capturing the Blair Waldorf character.

Anna Sui for Target Silk Patterned Dress - Multi from Target.com: $59.99

I’d say Anna Sui fell a little off the style train when she designed the Jenny line, with the last two pieces of the set being almost complete train wrecks. I enjoy this first silk patterned dress though, and believe it looks like something Jenny would have designed on her own. Personally I would have played off the green silk dress Jenny designed that appeared in the finale of Eleanor Waldorf’s fashion show. I’m such a nerd.

Anna Sui for Target Silk Wrap Dress - Geo Floral from Target.com: $59.99

Ms. Sui did surprisingly well at designing for Vanessa Abrams, the bold Brooklynite attending NYC this season. I really enjoy this vibrant wrap dress, which actually is very updated and fresh for the Vanessa style.

In the fashion industry, runway fashion has never been readily available for purchase to the public until six months after the revelation.

Norma Kamali has been noticing that today’s advanced technology and the Internet-based connectivity makes the latest fashion from the runway available for viewing all over the world in an instant. This poses a huge problem for the fashion industry because by the time the latest fashion is available for the public, everyone has already seen the spring line for the upcoming year and the “latest” fashion becomes old news before it’s even on the market.

Norma told the LA Times that fashion used to be an elite institution, but now, designs are accessible for viewing to almost anyone via the Internet.

As a result of all this–for the first time ever, Norma is making her designs available for the public right on the spot at the upcoming NY Fashion Week. 

I really like that Norma’s attempting to redirect the high fashion runway. She’s adapting to advancement because although high technology is beneficial to society in infinite ways, it’s taking the mystification and exclusiveness out of the fashion industry. Instead of sitting back, Norma’s doing something about it–she’s keeping up with our fast paced world and allowing us to have what we want instantly. That’s just the way our generation is–instant gratification.

Here are some of Norma Kamali’s previous designs. She really knows what she’s doing:

Her parachute dresses were one of the biggest things to hit the runway.

She’s particularly known for her wrapped swimwear. It’s very flattering because it conceals the mid-area.

This is her “sleeping bag coat” that was also a notable hit on the runway. For really cold places, this is really cute!

This is my favorite! Her “retro pin up” swimwear.

Can’t wait to see what she has in store for us this year....just a little over a week left until Fashion  Week!

Image sources: fashionista.com, LATimes.com, Twolia.com,  normakamallicollection.com

Anyone who is a fan of eco-friendly, reworked vintage clothing, the following may excite you:  Many months ago, probably years, I was reading the magazine I too often refer to, NYLON, when I came across a little blurb about an up-and-coming independent clothing line called Taxi CDC. It was prior to me moving back to Los Angeles, so I thought finding any pieces from the line would be a difficult task to feat. Almost one year ago, upon moving back into the City of Angels, I was perusing my new neighborhood–Echo Park–when I came to discover that the actual Taxi CDC boutique was right here in my new hood!

Located right off of Sunset near the firestation, Taxi CDC calls a teeny-tiny boutique home. I’ll be honest, I’ve never set foot inside the place, only because I’ve written it off as too expensive, probably. It’s wrong of me to assume, and to my surprise the prices are typical indie boutique prices. After driving by the place almost every single day, I was sad to see when it was getting cleared out. It looked as though the poor place was going under, but I found out on Sunday that it is merely undergoing a renovation. Phew. I can still redeem myself and go shop come next paycheck. A mini-market taking place in the parking lot of my work had several vendors this last weekend, one of them being Taxi CDC itself. Racks of reworked, well tailored vintage dresses for reworked prices ($45 each). Oh, how I wanted to grab two and go, but not this week unfortunately. Instead I thought I’d spotlight the cute label and their goodies…

Originally a Mexican mumu, this fabric was cut into a feminine strapless dress, $96

A western plaid men’s shirt fashioned into a comfy and forgiving tube top, with an elastic band near the bottom to add some volume. You can totally find a version of this at a lot of contemporary clothing stores right now, but this is a handmade piece that has better detail and quality, $60.

Many of their styles consist of these redesigned 80’s vintage dresses. Not a look for everyone, but definitely something fun for the more adventurous. I would wear this with a structured jacket, a sweater would be bad since the sleeves have a flutter to them, $92.

All dresses available at taxicdc.com.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop through a wide variety of women’s dresses.

You eat organically, you support local farmers, you made a pact this summer to water the plants sparingly and taking the train to work instead of the SUV. It’s been a good summer for you and the environment, and you feel like you’ve made great strides. The garden is more sustainable, you have a compost heap, you even use organic cleaning products so you don’t kill the environment with Clorox, stain removers, and the inevitable harsh chemicals that fill the aisles at the shopping plaza. Basically, you are an Environmental God or Goddess, and you wonder about the next terrain: clothing. What can you do to make your clothing more organic, more sustainable, more natural, and better for the environment? Do you like the hippie hemp look, or do you want something more, and are afraid of slipping from being the “environmentally conscious professional” to the “bat lady with her compost heap and henna tattoos”.

Never fear! Instead of thinking “organic” clothing, think about reusable and recyclable clothing instead. Donate to your local Salvation Army with all of your old (but still functional) pieces so you can start the chain of recycling for the less fortunate. Now that you’re such a good person that gives back to the community, you can reward yourself with a few new clothing purchases. You don’t have to go shopping at the local Salvation Army to find recyclable fashions: there are plenty of online sites that specialize in reusable clothing, vintage pieces, and handmade goods, like Etsy.com or even some independent stores on Ebay.com.

Here are some of my top picks from Etsy.com:

Austin Leeds Tailored Vintage Blazer: $30.00


Vintage 80s 90s BLACK Velvet with GOLD Trim and STUD Accents STRAPLESS Dress XXS XS: $32.00


Handmade clasp clutch purse with butterflies on taupe: $60.00

I’ve never been a huge fan or follower of Nanette Lepore, I do like some of her designs though. They are very feminine, girly, sexy, flirty and most of the time…flattering.  I haven’t really tried any of Lepore’s separates (capris, camis, blouses, etc), but I DO like her dresses.  A dress fiend myself, my eye is drawn to the patterns, and colors she picks and uses in her dress designs.  Nanette Lepore also has created a few versions of wonderful smelling perfume in pretty little light pink floral bottles.  Good fragrance, great look. What is is about Nanette that makes everything she creates and designs inexplicably eye catching? Her look is distinct, even down to the little french looking font she uses in her signature label. And after browsing her website, I took note of the fact that every piece of clothing she makes is a bright, bold color, or a fetching floral print. Making use of fabrics that include silk, linen, and cotton, the clothing is soft and flowy, draping well where it needs to.

Nanette Lepore In the Wild Dress on sale for $149.90, originally $375

The first thing I liked about this dress was its cut.  The v-neck top is always flattering, and I love the way it is fitted on top around the waist and then flares out slightly around the hips.  There is also a great little gathered piece in the front that hangs a bit longer.  The print is my most favorite part by far though, I am a sucker for red and this shade is perfect.

I found this red dress on the Saks Fifth Avenue website for a great price.  Finding any top desingner items for under $150 is a pretty good find.  However, I did find tons of cute sale stuff on nanettelepore.com, prices were more or less the same, but the selection was fabulous!  I found geometric rompers, sea foam floral tunics, and butterfly print silks, mostly for under $170.  It’s a hit or miss sometimes with the department store sites I feel. You will either find plenty of great designer stuff for inexpensive prices, and most of these sites will give you either free shipping, or an additional discount depending on what sort of sale is in effect.  Designers’ own sites work a little differently.  The discount may not be as generous on the clothing, but the selection may be more satisfying.

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more red dresses.
Discounts on Nanette Lepore clothing.

So, this summer I’ve been invited to a wedding as a “plus one”.  How exciting and adult, I first thought!  To be honest, I haven’t been to a wedding since I was 7, and I was the flower girl there so my dress was already picked out, down to the matching shoes and white stockings.  Luckily this time I get to choose my own outfits (yippee!) but of course it must come with a bit of restraint.

Clearly, when one is deciding what to wear to a wedding, there are plenty of considerations, rules, and traditions.  One, don’t wear white.  Nobody wears white except the bride and the cute as a button flower girl (aka me, a decade ago).  Two, you don’t want to upstage the wedding party.  This is a rule I hadn’t even considered (probably, more so due to my budget than anything else) before a friend warned me about it (apparently, much to my chagrin, I have a habit of dressing up, much farther up, than the others around me.  I take that, on a usual day, as a compliment).  Since I am not part of the wedding party or related to the bride or groom, and not even being on the guest list but merely a “plus one”, I’m as low on the totem pole of wedding hierarchy as one can get, and this leaves me with a mixed feeling of humility and freedom.  Being so low on the totem pole, nobody really cares what you wear–but then again, people will care if you’re dressed a bit too promiscuously/more well-dressed than half the wedding party.

With all these complexities in mind, here are some of my top choices for summer wedding attire.

The Lilly: Best default dress store, by far.  Why?  The hemlines and cuts will never make you seem promiscuous or on the prowl, and the colors are perfect for a summer wedding.  You will, undoubtedly, probably end up wearing the same dress as another “plus one” at the wedding, or encounter several snoopy grandmothers who know exactly how much your dress cost.  Just remember, that’s who your company is if you wear Lilly.  A double-edged fashion sword that’s a little too safe for my taste.

Lilly Pulitzer Sunny Shift Cotton Poplin: $198.00

The Standout:  If you want to be a little cutting edge and have some sass, I recommend Pixie Market for any of your fantasy fashion needs.  So hip, so cutting edge, the styles are endlessly architectural and impressive.  While you may appreciate the detailed hemming and hand printed fabric, the wedding party may pass judgment on your “barbaric” or “untraditional” tastes.  It’s your reputation to uphold, decide how to dress it.  Three cheers for the girl with the guts to strut this as a wedding (will it be me?)

Pink One Shoulder Dress:: $98.00

Simple Sally:  Probably the most straight forward and appropriate dress I’ve found, this simple sleeveless pink dream is a beauty.  With very straightforward and structured detailing, this dress will look absolutely stunning and flattering.  The simple design has one of those perfect silhouettes that draws all the attention to your body as a whole, not the dress itself.  Modcloth has done it again!

Modcloth Daiquiri Dress: $177.99

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more wedding attire.
Discounts on women’s dresses.