Just When I Thought There Was No Hope

I mean, no hope for All-American Day Wear...but today

I discovered this lovely little outfit from the

new J.Crew Catalogue at my daughter's home.

I love the jewelry & the jacket

of course, most of us will wear Bermuda's, but the rest of this

is wonderful, isn't it?  I also adore her hair and have wondered

all my life why I never had hair like this?

However, I think the bag below is much better...

& it's from Banana Republic at only $98.

I think the off-white one is not chic enough, plus

this brown one will go everywhere with you

... it will hold highheels for cocktails, lunch

or even a nice little gift

• 
  
  
  

& BIG BIG FLOPPY FLOWERS

& sparkly crystals everywhere...

we are NEVER too old or too young

for them !!!!

Georgio Armani - The One & Only

Over the moon...this collection stays true to Armani from start to finish.

Finally, a collection we can buy into which relates to his previous ones,

even if the current one has a lunar theme,

it's so well done it comes naturally it seems. 

SILVER

from Chanel & from Armani, so we won't be wrong to buy silver handbags &

shoes, and get out all of your silver jewelry, ladies...it's time again !!

from style.com

By Sarah Mower

"It's about the moon," explained Giorgio Armani before his show. "I always need a hook to get into a collection, and that was it—thinking about something romantic and dreamy, far away from our everyday life. Something less harsh." The lunar references, he pointed out, were poured into luminescent fabrics, curviform cutting, embroideries made to look like the craters of the moon, and a crescent-shaped updo for the hair, which, he smiled, "is also a bit of a joke."






It made for a lightened-up Armani Privé show as he cut skirts from overlapping semicircles and worked curves into the peplums of jackets that were fastened with half-moon mother-of-pearl pins. At times there was a slight touch of 2001: A Space Odyssey uniform about it (see the leg-molded flares), and it was surely an intentional moment of humor when Vlada Roslyakova advanced along the runway impersonating the full moon in a giant disc of milky sheer-white organza.






For evening, there were many renderings of sparkling silver beading, pale metallic pinks and greens, synthetic moiré treatments of organza, and paillettes shot with flashes of electric blue—an Armani merging of haute dressmaking and high tech. The serious chic—the looks certain to be most ruthlessly competed for pre-Academy Awards—all came from the dark side of the moon. There were three of them, slivers of black constructed with various asymmetric deployments of white or cream in the back or along the flanks. The result: lengthening, figure-narrowing illusions that will have the A-listers jostling to eclipse the competition at that event, soon as possible.
 
 

Michelle Pfiffer wears only Armani

Mother-of-the-Bride or Groom for black tie wedding,

everyone in black except the bride, whatta ya think?

I could see Meryl Streep in this (maybe her dresser will agree)

I would adore Sandra Bullock wearing this, she's got enough

confidence to wear this & look killer

for Julia Roberts, maybe?

could Nicole Kidman wear this one?

Cate Blanchett?

OMG, I would put this on a sophisticated bride or Kate Hudson

Paris Jean Paul Gaultier

As the most masterful tailor in coutour Gaultier presented show-stoppers, all

in a Mexican theme - which was beautiful if unwearable for most of us.

Now, I could wear this dress in Puerto Vallarta - without any of the extras.

I can only imagine the exquisite embroidery of the fabric.

& this one with the fabulous jewelry effect...are those braids around her

neck or beads at the top?  See if you wore this with flip-flops or pretty little sandals

& normal hair it would be lovely, beautiful and still a show stopper.

Gaultier's fabulous fabulous fabulous shoe, nothing wierd, just wearable

His makeup trend, definitely high impact Mexican or Spanish

following is from Style.com

Here's a man who could make mincemeat of any competition in Paris when it comes to tailoring, and this is a time when women are crying out for daywear, sportswear, any kind of wear that is clean, stripped back, and new. It's a shame he's not seizing that agenda.

exactly what I said in the Chanel posting a few days ago...

why why why no daywear?

everything is costumy to the max

& for Americans not buyable, is it?

XXOOXX's Marsha 

Coutour Sustainability of Apparal

Sustainable Design Shouldn’t Be an Option, It Should Be a Given

As I read the following article from Fashionista.com I came away with a different
intrepretation. My thinking kinda goes along with the reporting on Chanel's
newest collection I posted a couple days  ago. 
Why do designers believe women want "something different" from every collection?

I know I don't.  My preference is a designer who knows their signature
 looks and adds designs

to their past collections, to update or for a new look, but not so
diverse a coutour customer

(translate this into:  ready-to-wear follows coutour)

must purchase something from the "latest" collection or be passe'.

This is one of the reasons I love Donna Karan so much.

I'm not "totally into" the fashion world like I used to be, however,
I still want to be current

in the major trends, jewelry designs, handbags, etc. 
And, the world is no longer the major

consumers we used to be (like 2008 & before if you can remember)...
I'm out of the grand retailingworld of Sak's 5th Avenue and now work
in my own little studio designing jewelry, and

taking these designs to market.  I can wear all black or all white and
just make a fashion statement with my

jewelry if I choose. 
 However, the article below is interesting & it is good to
know what's-happening-now

in NYC & inside the design houses.

Diane Von Furstenberg Spring 2010

Donna Karan Spring 2010

by Lauren Sherman of Fashionista 



Last night I attended a panel at Pratt Institute featuring Barneys’ fashion director Julie Gilhart, Slow & Steady Wins the Race designer Mary Ping and Uluru designer Caroline Priebe. They talked about sustainable design, but it wasn’t your typical marketing spiel. Indeed, these three women are passionate about design with a conscious. But their cause is less about being 100% organic or 100% ethical and more about making an effort to simply “do better.”

The panel agreed that while the fashion industry is far from creating a community of wholly sustainable products, it should be a future goal. And instead of assuming that’s what the consumer wants, fashion designers and retailers should be dictating to shoppers that’s it’s a necessary development.


Some interesting tidbits from the talk:


•Priebe doesn’t advertise that she focuses on sustainable design. Why? Because, well, she doesn’t believe it should be the selling point. “I want it to be a given. I want people to eventually expect that all clothes are made in a conscious way,” she said


•Stella McCartney’s organic line sold better when it wasn’t labeled “organic” because many consumers associate organic with more basic—despite the fact that it often costs more money to produce eco pieces—said Gilhart.


•Ping is creating a top-secret leather collection made from scraps from Slow & Steady’s black and white leather t-shirts.


•Gilhart believes that some day there will be a group regulating what can and can’t be deemed “sustainable fashion.” She also wishes that there was a label on fur indicating that the animal from which the fur was culled was treated humanely.


•The hardest thing about designing sustainably is finding materials to use. Luckily, the sustainable design community is tight knit and willing to help newcomers with sourcing.


•There are so many ways to be more conscious, whether that’s buying an item manufactured in your hometown or a piece of organic cotton. Do what you can. Be more thoughtful about your purchases.


•Gilhart also made a good point about how people are shopping in the recession. It’s not that they want basic and simple stuff, they want value. If that’s a simple tee, they don’t want to spend a lot. If that’s an extravagantly beaded dress, then they’re willing to fork over the cash.

Divine Christian Lacroix, The House is Now Closed

The designs of Christian Lacroix have always

been some of my favorites. Why?  Because they

are singularly feminine, beautiful, but not overdone.

Ungaro was also one of my favorites, his arrangements of

colors & patterns made for the most luxurious outfits

in the world.

Diane Kruger at the Golden Globes in a hot pink

Lacroix...isn't this simply divine?

Christian Lacroix couture

Christian Lacroix, 20 Years of Haute Couture on the Catwalk.In 1987 he opened his own couture house. He began putting out ready-to-wear in 1988 drawing inspiration from diverse cultures. Critics commented that he did not seem to understand the type of clothing the working woman needed. In 1989, Lacroix launched jewelry, handbags, shoes, glasses, scarves and ties (along with ready-to-wear). In this same year, he opened boutiques within Paris, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Toulouse, London, Geneva and Japan.

With his background in historical costume and clothing, Lacroix soon made headlines with his opulent, fantasy creations, including the short puffball skirt ("le pouf"), rose prints, and low décolleté necklines. He quoted widely from other styles—from fashion history (the corset and the crinoline), from folklore, and from many parts of the world—and he mixed his quotations in a topsy-turvy manner. He favored the hot colors of the Mediterranean region, a hodgepodge of patterns, and experimental fabrics, sometimes handwoven in local workshops.

In 2009 the fashion house, owned by duty-free retailer Falic Fashion Group, put the business into administration and laid off all but 12 workers. Lacroix's A/W 2009 Haute Couture was privately financed by Lacroix and each model was paid €50. "I didn't want to cry," said Lacroix "I want to continue, maybe in a different way, with a small atelier. What I really care about is the women who do this work" Lacroix said about his last Haute Couture collection. Throughout its history it never turned a profit and reported a €10 million loss in 2008.

Karl Lagerfeld's New Vision in Silver

CHANEL

since the departure of Tom Ford from Gucci & Yves St Laurent there is

no one more important in the world of fashion than the gay German man,

Karl Lagerfeld, and he has been for years.  

we loved Tom Ford for his sexy, sassy,  in-your-face

Texas-brand of coutour because no one had ever seen this type of work before...

the highly structured tailoring & fit of Gucci to the

extreme luxury of YSL.

i don't know about you, but i can hardly get dressed each day

without wondering what Karl would think of my outfit !!!

LOL

but, this time he's trying to be a jewelry and a garment designer

and I just hate it...i mean a girl has got to earn a living now, doesn't she?

from Style.com

By Sarah Mower


It didn't exactly come to Karl Lagerfeld in a vision—more of "an electronic flash in my head at five o'clock one morning. Silver and pastel," he said. "It's the first time in my whole career I've done a collection without black or navy. There's not one gold button."

I love love love the "scarf" at the neck, just beautiful

From the heart-shaped cartoonish hair to the rococo-heeled silver booties, the show was a mix of romanticism, space age, and incredible eye-tricking handwork—as hard to fix in one place as the mercury that seemed to be running through the seams. The clothes ranged from shorts suits to shifts, from frothy, cocooning bubbles to liquid togas. In some places, the embroideries looked like smashed glass or molten metal; in others, jewelry itself became part of the structure: A halter dress was suspended from a crystal choker, and a shoulder strap became almost indistinguishable from a diamond necklace.

not one piece in this collection would be considered "day" wear

all extremely dressed-up, even the suitings...so nothing for us Americans

this time

How to define it, though? Someone backstage suggested futurism. "I hate that," Lagerfeld shot back. "I don't believe in avant-garde clothes for a future that will never happen. Fashion is always now."

OK, just go ahead and KNOW we're all going to need silver accessories

of any kind

collection reminds me so much of the 60's, the Twiggy & Jean Shrimpton glory days

To fully describe a single technique—say, the horizontal bands of mille-feuille chiffon frills, minutely frayed at the edges, each layer hand-tinted in a dégradé way so that they almost look like fur from a few paces—requires an essay, not one of the sound bites Lagerfeld's so adept at tossing out. Chanel now produces six shows a year, and since last October, Lagerfeld has run from beige-y rustic ready-to-wear to khaki and red chinoiserie in Shanghai to this latest declaration that gold is out, silver in—and on with the iced fondants.


 If it's hard to keep up, it's a method that certainly works in favor of couture customers, who would rather not buy anything that could be confused with clothes found hanging in a boutique. In its multifarious ways, this fleeting fantasia of prettiness—which in practice takes thousands of craftsperson hours to realize—fulfills that brief. While Karl Lagerfeld hurtles onward into the constant now.

and in the front row

Claudia Schiffer

Vogue's Anna Wintour & Hamish Bowles

Drew Barrymore at the Golden Globes

Glamour Glamour Glamour

Drew Barrymore @ 67th Golden Globe Awards 2010

as a jewelry designer it's difficult to say someone looks beautiful WITHOUT JEWELRY

...however in this case, with the embellishments on her

Atelier Versace gown

she needed nothing more than her

lovely diamond studs & her small Roger Vivier clutch & Jimmy Choo sandals.

Date: January 17, 2010 - Posted in: Backstage Beauty





I get sad seeing all these pretty dresses dampened by the rain. Drew Barrymore looks classic as usual.






Beauty Inspiration


“The overall look was simple and classic. Her dress was so amazing that I didn’t want the makeup to compete so I selected warm-tones for a natural, soft look.” — Debra Ferullo


Beauty Breakdown


Debra Ferullo, makeup artist, put together Drew Barrymore’s look…




First, I prepped the skin with moisturizer and then applied Dior Skinflash Primer to set the skin. Drew’s skin is so gorgeous that she doesn’t need a full face of foundation so I applied DiorSkin Nude Foundation on the cheeks to give her a dewy look and on select spots for natural illumination. Lastly, I applied COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Blush in Plush Peach with my fingers to add a healthy glow and defined cheekbones.




The look for her eyes was a pearly, iridescent, shimmer with just a touch of color. I used COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Bronze Fire. First, I applied the lighter shade to the inner corner of the eye, then the darker shade to the lid for a colorful smoky eye look. Use your finger to blend the cream formula for the most control. Drew wanted her lashes to stand out, so I curled them, then applied three coats of COVERGIRL LashBlast Length Mascara to the top lashes and one coat to the bottom lashes for definition.




For Drew’s classic red lip look, I applied Dior Addict Lipstick in Hollywood Rose #753.

Dolce & Gabbana Print Ad Campaign with Madonna

Madonna turns on the waterworks in Dolce & Gabbana’s spring ad campaign.

For spring, Madonna tries on a new role: the face of Dolce & Gabbana.






By Alessandra Ilari of W Magazine


February 2010 Leaning across a burgundy velvet divan in the leopard-print drawing room of his company’s Milan headquarters, Stefano Gabbana thumbs through a pile of xeroxed images. “This is crazy!” he enthuses, waving one page in the air. “Madonna washing dishes? This will go down in history!”


The designer may be overstating things, but a housewife performing mundane daily chores certainly represents a new identity for the world’s most famous chameleon. And the photograph Gabbana is so excited about is just one of nine black and white Steven Klein shots depicting Madonna in her latest incarnation. The singer-cum-actress can also be seen wielding a broom, peeling vegetables and eating spaghetti with her fingers. Together the images make up Dolce & Gabbana’s spring campaign, which launches worldwide in February.






The overall aesthetic of the ads is old-world Italian—with white lace tablecloths, frilly curtains and plenty of pasta—which was a deliberate choice on the part of the designers. “Twenty-five years ago, when we debuted, we made our mark with a very Italian collection, and for spring we felt the time was right to go back to our roots,” says Domenico Dolce.




Since the fashion duo first met Madonna—who, notwithstanding her Britishisms and flirtations with Latin, Indian and Jewish cultures over the years, is, of course, Italian-American—in 1991, a friendship has developed. Despite that bond, Dolce and Gabbana had long resisted approaching the star about representing their brand. “Strangely enough, there was a sort of fear on our behalf of asking Madonna to do anything businessy,” admits Gabbana. “We thought it could impact our relationship, and Madonna is one of the few people we’re really in awe of.”


This past year, however, the three grew closer—Madonna filmed part of the video for her single “Celebration” at their Milanese runway venue, Metropol; the designers hosted the after-party for her concert in the city; and Dolce and Madonna, whose birthdays are three days apart, had a combined celebration in Portofino in August. Teaming up for an ad campaign felt like a natural next step.



Still, despite all the quality time spent together, the designers retained their aforementioned sense of awe, which came through in the numerous tweets that Gabbana, a prolific social networker of late (he tweets about this interview just nanoseconds after it ends), sent into cyberspace to keep fans in the loop about the campaign’s progress: “I spoke with Steven…next week in NY,” he wrote. And later, “We are at the last shot.” Then, “M, she’s simply beautiful….”



The photographs were taken in a former lay convent in uptown Manhattan. “There are many Italian symbols in the images, ones the whole world recognizes and identifies with,” says Gabbana, pointing to the cross Madonna wears around her neck as well as the brass bed, a typical sight in Sicilian homes. Food imagery also looms large. “It’s healthy and sensual,” says Gabbana. “They say there’s a connection

 For inspiration, Madonna, Klein and the designers watched old Italian movies and found themselves particularly drawn to Bellissima, Luchino Visconti’s neorealist 1951 film starring Anna Magnani as a woman desperate to make her young daughter a star. On set, Madonna channeled Magnani’s raw sensuality in a wardrobe of leopard prints, crocheted tops, plunging necklines and a sweet floral skirt, some pieces straight off the spring runway and others customized to suit her taste. “It really didn’t matter that she wanted a black bodysuit instead of a floral one,” says Gabbana. “It’s a question of mood more than the clothes.”


Madonna, who was visited by her children Lourdes and Rocco during the shoot, went into character every time she stepped in front of the lens, according to Gabbana. One photo depicts her staring melancholically into the distance, tears streaming down her cheeks, after reading a letter from a loved one. “She was really crying!” says Gabbana. “It wasn’t fake!”



While in New York, the designers also checked on the progress of Dolce’s new penthouse in Chelsea and embarked on a five-hour shopping marathon to stock up on red and green iPhones, Kiki de Montparnasse sheets and Dean & DeLuca muffins. And on the plane home, as he started to unwind, Gabbana typed one last Twitter blast about the undertaking: “To have Madonna in our campaign is a dream

Fashion Industry & Fashion Week in NYC

Debunking Myths About Fashion Week



by Steff Yotka of Fashionista, with additional comments by Marsha of Splenderosa Jewelry Designs

PHOTO COURTESY JAK&JIL

Fashion Week is getting closer, so we’re starting to prep our wardrobes. To help you get the best understanding of life in the tents, I’m revealing the truth about five fashion week misconceptions.






1. Cocktail wear is necessary wear.


Street style blogs will lead you to believe that everyone shows up in their Givenchy booties and minis, accessorized to the nines, when realistically most non-editors don their chicest casual wear. Think less right-off-the-runway Chanel and more Wang mixed with TopShop and vintage. The point is to look cool, effortless, and most importantly practical. Bryant Park is one of the busiest places I’ve ever been—there are people hustling and shoving, all the while putting on their best “photograph-me” faces. As someone who has been squished between strangers in line for check-in while wearing five inch heels and a mini-dress, believe me, it’s not the best situation.   Remember, on an older blog I showed photos of everyone in the business wearing BLACK.  It's the only thing to wear, really. 






2. You have to wear the designer whose show it is.


Going to Marc in Marc or Zac in Zac may seem like a great idea to pay homage to the designer and make sure your outfit is stylish, but who has the time for all those costume changes? When dressing for fashion week you should look like the best version of you, not an ad. Designers know what their clothes look like. It’s better to have on something cute and original that will set you apart than to look like you just walked off the runway.
READ:  BLACK with killer accessories !!






3. Fashion people are scary.


I promise you this is absolutely not true. For my first official fashion week I was literally shaking in my booties, convinced everyone was going to give me the evil eye. So false. Every person I interacted with was a delight, from the photogs in the pit to the designers I snuck backstage to talk to. If you are polite and happy, then everyone will be happy to meet you. Self-importance is the worst trait. Don’t walk into the tents like you’re the second coming of Diana Vreeland.






4. Fashion week is all fun and parties, never stressful.


With all the party photos from fashion week you’d think no one ever does any work. Sure fashion week is fun, but it’s also our job. Designers, editors, journalists, PR people, models, and photogs are there for work. Here at Fashionista we go to every show, which means by day three we can’t feel our feet and we’re OD-ing on Emergen-C and caffeine. Running from the tents to Milk during the day and hitting parties at night for a week is like running a marathon. Just another reason to remember to bring comfy shoes and to try rocking the boyfriend jean. I guarantee you’ll be happier.






5. You need a town car, driver, and Starbucks cup to be let in.


Fashion Week obviously attracts the most important people in the fashion industry, but there are more “normal” people there than you’d think. I take the subway to every show, as do a ton of other industry people. Some of my favorite acquaintances from Fashion Week weren’t high-powered fashion royalty, but super-cool guys and gals there to see the sights and have a good time.


Mainly, & most importantly, fashion people are working!!!   So, it's like a cram cram cram course of what's most important, what will last, what to buy, WHAT NOT TO BUY, etc.

Just Too Pretty, Had to Share

What wonders white paint can do

Perfect Bedroom

I have always loved big comfy beds...perfectly made, visually beautiful.

This photo comes to me from a lovely friend who knows

I have mirrored chests on each

side of my bed.  This room is not exactly like mine,

this one is much younger-looking

with the dark hardwoods & fur rugs.

However, the stainless steel bed frame is exactly like the one Ned

had when I married him 10 1/2 years ago.  With the "other" decor

in the room it scared me, literally, to death.

I insisted he allow me to change it.  He said "NO."  

Why?  It was the same bed he had when he was married before. 
That made it so much worse.  Then he told me, "No, she

took the other bed, but he went out and bought one just like it."

It took me 7 years to change that bed, meanwhile,

I created my own bedroom upstairs,

where he would visit. 

Wouldn't you know, this damn bed continues to haunt my life...and now here it

is again.

Life does have some quirks, doesn't it?

Simply Splendid White Pearls

The images below come courtesy of
Gwen

at the Ragland Hill Social blog

http://gwendriscoll.blogspot.com/.

go check out her blog, it's splendid, and she has

a lovely give-away this week.

well, maybe not quite this much...but the idea

is fabulous...big bracelets, tons of mixed up necklaces

love it !!!

OK, so now we know the total look, don't we?

Beautiful Cover of Paris Vogue

Swarovski Crystals & not much else...