Best dressed at the SAG awards

I did not like much the dresses at the Golden Globes and I am surprised how many great dresses and looks were there at the SAG awards. The photos show our favorite dresses; our number one favorite was Nicole Kidman’s bohemian look. (read more on Nicole Kidman SAG 2010).

These are the actresses in the photos and some of the designers

1- Christina Applegate - Roberto Cavalli

2- Marion Cotillard in Elie Saab Fall 2009 Couture
Diane Kruger in Jason Wu

3- Sofia Vergara wearing Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2010
Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen

4- Kyra Sedgwick dress by Vera Wang
Anna Kendrick in Alberta Ferretti



Photos: celebutopia

Nicole Kidman at the SAG awards

Nicole Kidman was one of our favorite stars at the recent SAG Awards (Screen Actors Guild Awards) in Hollywood.

Nicole wore a bohemian look with rich colors that enhance her beautiful skin. Her hair was in a natural style and makeup that complemented the attire. She has had some issues with makeup recently, but this time it was flawless

The dress was an Oscar De La Renta and she wore Fred Leighton jewels. Stylist to the stars David Babaii created her hair style. According to David, "Nicole Kidman always inspires me, but for the 2010 SAG Awards, her lovely skin tone and its breathtaking beauty took the lead."

David used a wig that had various tones of ginger to create the style. In order to achieve the perfect color match, David sought out the talents of celebrity hair colorist Lorri Goddard-Clark. Lorri created Nicole's rich new color, while David created the perfect texture needed to enhance this natural but classic "Bohemian" look.

David created Nicole's style this way: he gently towel dried the hair and sprayed David Babaii Bohemian Beach Spray throughout. Next, gently rough dried the hair moving the hands in various directions to create texture. Once dry, he fashioned a center part and divided tresses into 4 sections (sides, back crown & nape). Starting at the nape area, he alternated between
1" and 1 ½" ceramic curling irons, taking "V" shaped partings. He then wrapped hair around the inside of the barrel, holding for 10 seconds then gently releasing the curl. With each alternating curl, David slid his fingers up the curl to gently create a soft back combing effect and enhanced texture. After finishing the entire head, David used his fingers and added
extra Bohemian Beach Spray to loosen the curls and highlight the richness of the hair color.



Picture justjared.com

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Vol de Jour a Chanel video

Vol de Jour is a short film by Karl Lagerfeld. Yes, the Chanel Designer is now directing a film. The stars are: Lara Stone and Baptiste Giabiconi.

In the film Karl shows some of the Chanel Spring 2010 collection. The film lasts 3.30 minutes, it is in black and white and it has only music, no dialog. The plot is not very interesting, but it is a nice short film and you can see some of the Chanel boutiques in Paris.

Show of hands

There are so many options to color our nails. I found these gorgeous photographs from Anna Inghardt with interesting colors.

Anna calls the design in black and white “Chanel” I thought it was clever. I like the little hearts and the simplicity of well groomed natural nails embellished with ornaments and jewelry.

Strong nails with designs and sculpture (in some cases), are very popular outside the US. In the latest fashion shows there have been more interesting designs and perhaps they are going to be more popular soon.

Owls in fashion

Owls are in everything these days. The interesting bird has left the obscurity of the night to come to light in jewelry designs, accessories, ornaments and even wrapping paper.

I remember Kelly Bensimon the former model-turned-editor-turned reality star in The Real Housewife of New York presenting her owl inspired jewelry line. Later on I saw “very similar” designs in Forever 21.

Owls are now in a lot of beautiful objects. I love the wrapping paper, that I saw in Decor8, it is different and cute. The hair band in the picture is by Marc Jacobs. I wonder for how long the owls are going to enjoy the light before going back to darkness.

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Heidi Klum will be a designer

The gorgeous supermodel, TV star, and entrepreneur Heidi Klum will be a designer. She has teamed up with a company to create a lifestyle collection for the coming seasons.

Accordingly to WWD, “The yet-to-be-named line is set to launch for fall 2010 with a selection of footwear.” Later on the line will extend to include active wear, dresses and swimwear. Heidi also wants to include maternity clothing.

I wish Heidi success in her fashion line. She says, “In fashion one day you are in and the next you are out.” I hope she will be in, but I wonder: Is every celebrity going to have a fashion line?


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Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in JC Penney

The Olsen sisters’ empire keeps growing. The sisters will have a new line for juniors in J.C. Penney Co. Inc. called Olsenboye. JC Penney has an aggressive and interesting marketing campaign to launch the brand.

The marketing kicks off today with an Olsenboye truck cruising around New York selling merchandise and giving out cupcakes, balloons and pins, and empty racks in 50 high-profile stores will be covered in Olsenboye shrouds. The collection will be available in 600 Penney’s stores in February and it is starting to be promoted online right now.

Olsenboye is a casual sportswear and accessories collection that includes denim, bottoms, tops, dresses, skirts, shorts, jackets, handbags and shoes. The line will retail from $20 to $50 and is being designed to be mixed to create different looks.

Beginning Nov. 6, Olsenboye will be available on jcp.com and in 50 stores, including the Manhattan flagship, for a limited time.



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Dior Insider Auctions

I finally signed up for the Dior insider auctions. I think this is a very cool idea, basically you are registered at Dior and then you can participate in auctions for special packages such as:

Cherie Diva.
2 round trip business class tickets to Paris
2 night of at a very expensive hotel
Lunch at Laduree (my favorite patisserie in Paris)
An afternoon tour of Paris and a visit to the Dior offices
Dinner at an expensive restaurant
A surprise gift

The current bid for this package is more than $4000; it is approaching the cost of the activities, but the funds will go to a charity and the whole experience as described on the website is priceless. There are many other auctions, this is one of the most expensive ones. I think it is a cool idea because the packages are special, granted they are expensive, but perhaps a good gift for a special occasion.

I am not planning to participate in any auction right now, but I will keep an eye for the right package.


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Czarinna makeup collection

The new collection of the Swedish makeup brand Make Up Store is called Czarinna (Czarina) as the title of the former Russian queens.

It is a more traditional collection than some of the collections in this line of makeup that is characterized by its cutting edge designs a little provocative at times.

The new collection has very wearable colors with deep smoky eyes perfect for autumn and winter. We love the photos, a little nostalgic and exotic.

In the US, Make Up Store does not have many shops, but it is present in many countries. They publish a magazine for makeup artists that is sold in Barnes and Noble and you can also see it it in their site


Photos: Make Up Store

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Marchesa’s Georgina Chapman

Since Jennifer Lopez started to wear Marchesa I fell in love with the line. Marchesa, as you may know was co-founded by Georgina Chapman and her friend Keren Craig back in 2004. In such a short time the line has become a symbol of elegance and grandeur.

While I love Marchesa’s designs it is difficult for me to imagine where a normal person can wear them. The dresses are ideal for the red carpet or for a Hollywood diva. Georgina studied costume design, and her training is reflected in her dresses.

I am also fascinated with Georgina herself. She is like a modern-day princess, she was born in a rich family in London, and during her college years she modeled and acted in movies. Eventually she co-founded the line and in no time became a respectable and rich designer. Georgina is beautiful, she has striking high cheeks and very fine bones making her look very slim.

Every princess needs a prince. Her prince is not precisely handsome, but he is very talented, successful and very rich. He is Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Their wedding was a fairytale event in the beautiful town of Westport, Ct. The guest list included the likes of Rupert Murdocch and Jennifer Lopez.

Georgina and Harvey have three residences, a divine town-home in the West Village in NYC, a waterfront mansion in Westport, Ct and another one in Hollywood. What a charming life, gorgeous, talented, smart and lucky in love.

The pictures are from Bazaar Magazine. They show Georgina’s dressing room in Manhattan. In the article she shares some of her style “secrets;” these are some of them:

She likes 60s vintage
She likes unique pieces
She loves high heels
She loves anything that sparkles
She told Bazaar “I'm obsessed with John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen is a gee-nee-us," "I like to wear a vintage dress with a Topshop biker jacket and high-heel boots. Or a pair of jeans with a Pucci blouse, or a Chanel jacket and a T-shirt. I like Acne or 7 for All Mankind jeans the best. For T-shirts, I love James Perse." In other words the girl knows how to mix expensive (extravagantly expensive) and not so expensive to create her looks.


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Fashion week NY

The photos show some of the looks from the collections ( the last few days) for the next season, Spring 2010.

Jason Wu
One of Michelle Obama’s favorite designers. Jason had a lot of black in the collection, but it was fresh, light and elegant.

Vivienne Tam
Vivienne and Diane von Furstenberg got the 70s bohemian vibe. Vivienne's collection had a lot of floral and butterfly prints. It had some pretty looks. I saw in Nitrolicious that Vivienne has a new design for a laptop for HP.

Derek Lam
This was his first presentation in the NYFW. It had a lot of blues, tans, red, black and white.

Diane von Furstenberg
DVF is a grand dame in the fashion industry and this bohemian inspired collection was also grand. It had a lot of prints in very wearable pieces. It is a romantic, soft collection. I look forward to seeing how it will come out in the shops.

Victoria Beckham
Oh la Beckham. Her collection reflected her own style so well. Every piece looks as if it is from Victoria’s closet. You can easily remember Victoria wearing these dresses. I wonder if the original designers will get mad with her for getting so closely inspired by their designs. It is a very elegant collection. (last 2 pictures)


Photos: WWD
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Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. Spring 2010

Gwen Stefani presented her new collection in New York Fashion Week yesterday. “It started with an African Eighties feel,” “In the past, the clothes were a little more theatrical,” “but this collection is all about being real.” said Stefani according to WWD.

The collection definitely shows the 80s vibe. It has a lot of casual clothes for a younger audience. I am not sure I like it, but I love Gwen and I like the shoes and bags.

Photos: WWD

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Monique Lhuillier Spring 2010

Monique Lhuillier has fierce eyes and light lips for the new collection for Spring 2010. The makeup is interesting and highlights the colors and shapes for spring 2010. The pictures show two of my favorite looks from that fashion show.

Photos WWD

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BCBG Spring 2010

BCBG presented today in New York Fashion Week. This collection has a lot of geometry. It has chiffon with colorful designs and solid bright colors.

I find the geometric designs interesting and fresh in BCBG. You can see more pictures in WWD

Photos WWD

Sex in the City 2

The girls are back. I have to confess I was not a great fan of Sex in the City, but I like the clothes. I look forward to see the second movie to admire the shoes and the bags.

As you know the TV series created a lot of fashions such as expensive martinis and super expensive shoes. Take a look at the fashion in the new movie.


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White after Labor Day is OK

According some current fashion experts the old rule of no white after labor day does not apply any more. It is OK to wear off-white or white in heavier materials after Labor Day.

The origin of the etiquette rule is unknown, but there are many theories. If white is paired the right way, there is no reason not to wear it any time of the year, besides who cares for fashion rules.

A head to toe white outfit maybe difficult to pullout without looking like a nurse (or a bride), but white pieces combined with other colors are flattering on most people. According to the old "Color Me Beautiful" theories the color white is not for everybody. Pure white may make some people look tired; in these cases there are other tones of white.

White is a versatile color, but it requires a lot of maintenance. I love the Banana Republic shirts for women; my favorite continues to be the classic man's shirt.

Pictures Banana Republic

David and Victoria Beckham

The Beckham’s new Emporio Armani underwear advertising is out and ready to start appearing in magazines and billboards. The pictures are hot, maybe too hot. They are a great looking couple with hot bodies and the photography is beautiful.


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Emma Watson for Teen Vogue

Emma Watson is in the cover of the new Teen Vogue Magazine USA. She is not the little girl anymore. She has grown into a pretty teen.

I love the pictures and the selection of dresses for Emma, who said in the interview that her style is very English. I like the mix of sort of vintage inspired and modern almost Goth or modern rock like pieces.

I also like to see that there is fashion for teens that do not look to revealing. Perhaps the preppy Gossip Girl has inspired some of this.

Photos: Teen Vogue


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White style

As we know white is a great color for summer. It is crisp, fresh and it can be elegant or casual.

Everyone can use white if it is in the right style. White can make us look somewhat bigger; this and the ease with which white clothes get dirty are the biggest drawbacks to using this color. If you need to camouflage some areas of your body, just select the right style, but there is no reason to avoid wearing white.

The quintessential white piece in most closets should be the classic white shirt. While I used to love this piece it was impractical for me before the arrival of the non-iron white shirt (or less iron white shirt). This shirt can be used with jeans, skirts, shorts, on casual occasions, elegant occasions, on the beach and at a party, as well as in the office.

A piece suggested by many fashion editors is a white dress. Nina Garcia (Marie Claire), as well as Suze Yalof Schwartz (Glamour), recommend having a white dress. The white dress can be used for office, parties or casual occasions. It is the lighter version of the little black dress that offers versatility, but contrary to the black dress, it can make you unique in a sea of black dresses.

These are some consideration for using white:

According to Suze Yalof Schwartz, do not wear white shoes with a white dress. Avoid white accessories.

Suze also recommends pairing it with gold accessories. I also like to use white and silver and white and red, blue or black are also very classy.

Be careful not to show your undergarments when using white. This is very important; you should not be showing your bra or your whole body for that matter. Usually, the undergarments in nude tones (rather than white) work better.

White jeans are still in fashion. If you have a big butt or big thighs, be careful and use the right style, because white pants can make them look bigger. White jeans are fabulous; you can use them with shoes of exciting colors or nude, use them with colored accessories and a white shirt or a colored top. It is the perfect canvas for many looks.

Be careful when wearing white, because it can become dirty in no time. Carry a Tile pen with you for emergencies.


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Ana Sui for Target

Following the steps of Alexander McQueen and other designers Ana Sui will create a special low priced collection for the mass retailer Target. The collection will be inspired by the characters of Gossip Girl and it will come out this fall.

Target is my favorite mass retailer. As much as I like to shop in Target, I am disappointed by Target’s designers’ collections. They are great publicity, but in person the clothes look nothing like the pictures. Probably the latest collection from Alexander McQueen has been the best of the GO International line and it was sold only in a few shops.

In any case I look forward to Ana Sui for Target, because I like her designs specially her accessories.

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Laura Mercier Bohemia Collection

For the summer 2009 Laura Mercier introduces the Bohemia Collection. The collection has earthy tones and blue hues for the eyes. It reminds me of the 70s because of the blue for eyes and the bohemian part, I love the look for summer.

It has a bronzer called Moroccan Bronze Illuminating Powder to add a warm touch to cheeks. For the eyes it has the Eye Mosaics and Kohl Eye Pencils to “provide lids with either desert or marine inspired shades.”

It also includes a tinted moisturizer and lipsticks in natural tones.

Michelle Obama in the little black dress

I love the attention that Michelle O. has received in Europe and her coverage here at home. There are so many pictures of her and comments about her dresses. I know the G 20 Summit is a serious affair, and let's be honest, fashion is not as important.

However, I like to see Michelle wearing so many pretty outfits. I particularly like the dress in this picture; she looks so feminine and elegant.

I do not want to get into politics here, but I do not recall if Laura Bush got that much attention. I like to see a powerful lawyer graduated from two Ivy League universities looking beautiful, proving that beauty and brains are not enemies. By the way, are there any other wives accompanying their husbands in the G 20 or only Michelle O. and Carla Bruni? One would think that only two first ladies came.

Last night Oscars

The pictures shows my favorite dresses from yesterday’s ceremony. There were a lot of nice dresses. I like the fish (mermaid) dresses that were so popular yesterday and also the origami folds.

I like Angelina Jolie, but I thought that I have seen her dress that way too many times before, get creative girl. Among the people walking the red carpet my least favorite was my dear Beyonce (I am sorry I said this about you). Beyonce is beautiful and she looks great with most things, but I have two problems with this dress: the prints and the style on her, because since Dream Girls she has been wearing the same style to most events.

I wonder how many of us do the same? Get the same type of dresses all the time. It is easy to get on a rut. I am guilty of this to.

Barbie fashion

With the participation of some of the most famous designers the Barbie fashion show in NYC Fashion Week was very successful. The decoration was really nice, I was not there, but I have seem pictures.

I used to love Barbie, not so much now. The fashion was interesting, some of the dresses are nice as it is expected from the very talented people that designed them. Among the designers were:

Anna Sui,Badgley Mischka, Bob Mackie,Calvin Klein, Carmen Marc Valvo, Catherine Malandrino, Diane von Furstenberg,Donna Karan, Erin Fetherston,Kenneth Cole, Marchesa, Michael Kors,Monique Lhuillier, Nanette Lepore,Nicole Miller,Norma Kamali,Peter Som, Reem Acra, Rosa Cha, Tommy Hilfiger, Vera Wang, Vivienne Tam.

You can see more pictures in the NYT The Cut

Dresses for Michelle Obama

Apparently many designers are excited about the arrival of Michelle Obama to the White House. I am thinking they see her as an ambassador of glamour and good taste, they want another Jackie Kennedy.

Many designers answered the call of WWD to present their sketches with dresses for Michelle for the presidential inauguration ball. According to WWD most designers participated. The pictures above are some of my favorites. My least favorites were Betsy Johnson and Christian Lacroix. Lacroix’s dress looks like more for a sorceress in a Harry Potter movie than for the presidential ball.

I think Laura Bush is probably one of the prettiest first ladies ever, but she did not look glamorous. Politics apart I think Michelle is more promising in the fashion arena. What do you think?

Photo 1: Carolina Herrera (green dress) and Badgley Mischka
Photo 2:Reem Acra (white dress) and Monique Lhuillier
Photo 3: Isaac Mizrahi (fuchsia) and Karl Lagerfeld (for Chanel)

Photos WWD

Barbie as a fashion brand

Barbie is working to become a fashion designer and a cosmetic marketer. WWD reported that next year Barbie will present in New York fashion week and it will have a makeup line (or two).

Barbie is beloved toy for many women and it may be successful selling makeup I am not sure if I want to wear Barbie clothes.

Sarah Palin’s extreme make over

If you thought that politics and fashion had nothing in common think again. Former beauty pageant contestant Sarah Palin did not only get the vice presidential nomination from her party, but also a makeover worth $150K.

While you may or not agree with Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on policy issues, one thing that most people agree on is that she is attractive. Of course people can argue on that too, but that is not the point of this article.

To take Sarah to new fashion highs has taken some work. According to some information leaking out from the campaign, she has shopped at luxury stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Bloomingdales, and Atelier.

The total expenditure adds up to approximately $150,000. This includes as much as $400 per day on makeup alone paid to celebrity make-up artist Amy Strozzi, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work as head of makeup on "So You Think You Can Dance."

The outfits have not only been provided to her but also to her husband and children. Take a look at the picture of her child with a Louis Vuitton bag.

Like a Hollywood celebrity (and unlike most politicians and business executives), Gov. Palin has been noticed to be almost always impeccably dressed, sometimes changing jackets, high heels and hairstyles twice or three times a day. Her excellent style has sparked a craze among her fans and many of them have been buying her preferred Kazuo Kawasaki 704 Duo eyeglasses and Naughty Monkey heels (also a favorite of Paris Hilton).

Fashion experts have also noted that to keep looking fresh at all times despite her busy schedule, Governor Palin has been wearing particularly heavy blush. To further enhance her appeal she has worked Priscilla Shanks, a voice coach.

If Sarah will win or not I do not know, but fashion and beauty already won.

Tokyo girls Collection fall winter 2008

The Tokyo Girls Collection is a very unique fashion even in Tokyo. It includes fashion shows, retail, music and fun. This fashion show does not required special invitation, only to buy a ticket. This year the show attracted about 22,700 fashionistas.

The attendees can buy the whole outfit as the one presented in the runway. The magazines put together some outfits and model them during the show. The clothes come from stores or manufactures that take part in the show. The attendees can buy the clothes in show’s retail pavilion, online or in the participating shops.

The show is organized by Girls Walker and most magazines participate. The models of the magazines (magazines in Japan always use the same models) are the runway models.
It is great for the attendees to see in person the same models they see month after month in their favorite magazines.

The theme this year was eco living and the organizers promoted the use of reusable bags over plastic bags. Many of the models discussed what are they doing to save the planet. We hope this has an impact in the young Japanese girls that attended the even.

Stella McCartney fall winter

Last week was fashion week for next year, but I am more concern about the fashions for this season. This is Stella McCartney's collection, as always elegant but edgy. I hope you find some inspiration

Carolina Herrera 2009

The Venezuelan designer Carolina Herrera always brings color and sophistication to the red carpet. Her designs are the perfect balance between femininity and elegance. The picture shows some of the red dresses of the spring 2009 collection

Photos: Style.com

My weekly trip to the mall

During my visit to the mall last week my favorite items were:

Anthropologie: 2 great pairs of jeans, really dark blue, straight leg, but not too wide. One was from Paper Denim and Cloth ($158) and another from Joe's Jeans ($160). Both of them flatter most figures making the silhouette look leaner.

Martin + Osa: great skirts ($78), kind of A line but with some pleats without creating bulk, gracefully fitting the torso, and creating curves and a smaller waist. Also great cashmere sweaters in exciting colors; they are on sale now at $98. I do a lot of window shopping before buying. I do not like to have a lot of items; besides, I have limited money. These two items are on my "wish list" because of their versatility and classic style; they will not go out of fashion so fast.

Zara: white shirts. Zara has taken the simple, classical white "man" shirt and added unique sleeves and woman's fit to create a super feminine white shirt.

This week my trip to the mall was exciting, many times I see the same stuff.

Mango Fall/winter 2008

I love the Mango shops. The clothes are similar to those of Zara, they have good cut, interesting material and look great at affordable prices. The Fall-winter collection for next year has a lot of white and light neutrals. Check out the video.

Galeries Lafayette Fashion Show

During my visit to Paris I went to see the Galeries Lafayette fashion Show. This free show takes place every Friday at 3:00 pm and lasts 30 minutes.

It was a really nice activity. I was not sure what to expect but it had a little bit of everything from evening wear from Catherine Malandrino and Nina Ricci to sportswear from Ralph Lauren and casual looks from Kenzo, Mexx Just Cavalli, Irie, Jodhpur and other designers.

The event was very professional and the clothes and models were beautiful. If you like fashion I highly recommend attending this show if you go to Paris. After the show you can have a snack in the cafeteria on the top floor with great views of Paris, including that of the Iron lady (Eiffel
Tower).

These are some of my pictures from the show.

How to find a great prom dress?

Finding that perfect prom dress can be an exercise in balancing budget, fit, color, and style. No wonder that it causes both the graduating student and her parents so much stress. Like a wedding dress, if you follow some basic fashion tips, you can find a prom dress that does justice to your body, is within the budget, and still makes you stand out. Here is a series of videos with great tips on shopping for a prom dress, as well as picking the right dress by your body type.

Christina Milian in strapless dress

Well there are many reasons to love Christina Milian but one very important one is that you don't have to be super-tall to look and feel great. In the end how great you look depends on how you dress and how confident you feel inside you. That is why it is great to see her in well-put-together ensembles and one of these she wore for the BMI Pop Awards in Beverley Hills. This strapless dress matched very well with a great pair of shoes.

Lisa Lavie

As I wrote earlier when I highlighted some great shoes worn by Susie Castillo, Nadia Bjorlin, and Andrea Harrison, shoes and handbags are two items that can make or break an outfit. That is why what Lisa Lavie wore caught my eyes. I think it might seem as if she is overdone for her appearance at the BMI Pop Awards in Beverley Hills, if you look at her dress and shoes and how they complement each other, you realize that she actually looks awesome.

Pretty in pink

While pink may be a great color for women, it isn't easy to pull it off flawlessly all the time. I think it is OK to wear pink as long as you don't come across as cheesy or appear as if you are trying too hard to be cute. A great example is provided by Kat Kramer who wore a pink/black dress with a pink scarf and then matched it with a matching Gucci bag. I think she looks just great in this ensemble.

Susie Castillo

At the premiere of Vice in Hollywood, Andrea Harrison and Nadia Bjorlin were not the only two ladies dressed very stylish. Susie Castillo had this beautiful, strapless dress that showed her long legs, and of course, she matched the outfit with a real cool pair of shoes. Enjoy the photos in this slideshow.

Nadia Bjorlin

It turns out that Andrea Harrison was not the only one wearing great shoes at the premiere of Vice in Hollywood. Nadia Bjorlin wore equally outrageous shoes.

Heidiwood by Heidi Montag

I am always skeptical of Hollywood celebrities, often with zero experience in fashion (other than what they gather during their days in Hollywood where looking good is the #1 goal), come up with their own labels. I have previously discussed Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker and DEAR by Amanda Bynes. Heidi Montag from The Hills is also capitalizing on her success and now has a clothing line that also includes accessories and handbags. The clothes are somewhat affordable (they are more expensive than Bitten and Dear) and modern. Here is a video of the runway.

Nabi by Victorya Hong

While the current season of Project Runway, I must confess that I never developed a liking for Victorya Hong. To me, she came across as overconfident, cocky, and difficult to work with. Having said that, I was almost always impressed by her work. Several of her designs were outstanding until she completely goofed up on the denim design. In some ways I was happy to see her go -- I simply couldn't stand her -- but I knew she would be just fine in the world of fashion even if she is not the greatest person to work with. And she did. Watch this video to see her collection shown at the New York Fashion Week.

How to buy clothes that you can wear throughout the year?

While retail therapy is, well, therapeutic, the reality is that vast majority of us do not have the resources to keep up with fashion each season. The secret to always looking fresh, modern, and current without filing for bankruptcy is to buy one or two "IT"items and then mixing them with what you have. That is why designers are increasingly offering clothing pieces that can be worn year round. Watch this video of designers like Oscar de la Renta and buyers from luxurious department stores like Neiman Marcus to learn how to pick clothes that you can wear any day of the year and still look current.

Pink is always in

It seems that almost all women like pink color but since pink has so many connotations these days we are sometimes afraid to wear it for the fear of appearing immature, girlish, or lacking in taste. In my opinion, pink (and various shades of pink) can be used by almost any woman (yes, even lawyers, bankers, and professors can wear it) provided they pick the right shade for their skin tone and dress for the occasion. In this video, Matthew Hunt of Ford Models 360 picks some of the best pink outfits worn by celebs including Rihanna, Liz Goldwyn, Mariah Carey, and Thandie Newton and designed by Rodarte and Christopher Kane.

Oh Valentino.

Valentino has retired from the fashion industry. After 45 years of glorious collections and unlimited elegance the titan of fashion has presented his last collection in a festive environment. The dresses are breathtaking, they are the pinnacle of craftsmanship, great design and femininity.

Valentino’s fashion shows are about fashion, they are not the entertaining shows of some of his peers. It is easy for most women to imagine themselves wearing his clothes. Last year I saw some of his designs in a museum, as with all high fashion, they were not only beautiful, but so detail oriented that it is difficult to believe that those dresses can still be made today.

Look at the details of these pictures from his collection. You can see the whole collection on Style.com. We will certainly miss him and wish him a very happy life.

Photo credits: style.com

Valentino fashion show at Rodin Museum

For anyone like me who follows fashion, Valentino is the master. He has been around for so long and it is amazing that as times have changed, his fashion has evolved to keep some things unchanged while changing the others. He is retiring now and put on a spectacular show at the Rodin Museum in Paris. Of course in this video you will see many of his elegant dresses but also towards the end take a look at his lipstick red dresses, that clearly has his signature.

Colcci clothing collection

Colcci is a Brazilian fashion label and it has been endorsed by Gisele Bundchen, the Victoria's Secret model. This line of clothing represents the essence of Brazil and the clothes are youthful, edgy, but still very feminine. Obviously, to model their fall/winter collection in Rio de Janeiro, Gisele was there. Here are photos from the collection in a slideshow format.

Louis Vuitton Richard Prince handbag collection

After reading the book "DeLuxe How luxury lost its lust," I may be somewhat ambivalent about designer handbags, but there is no denying that when it comes to art and aesthetics the luxury goods brands do a terrific job. Obviously, Louis Vuitton is among the leaders. From time to time this fashion house teams up with other great artists. For example, a collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami led to a totally new line that everyone fell in love with.

Now this designer label is partnering with great American artist Richard Prince to launch another beautiful line of handbags. Below is a slideshow from the launch party.

Flat mouse shoes

Flat shoes are great, they make us look good and be comfortable at the same time. I am so happy they are back in fashion. Looking at new shops online (new to me) I found the shoes on the picture. Granted they are a bit silly, they are not elegant and sophisticated, but I found that they cute.

The shop I found them on is called yesstyle and it sells Asian clothes in the USA, Canada and the UK. The prices are reasonable.

My new favorite jeans

During the holidays I got 3 pairs of jeans. Two of them were branded, expensive pairs (even though I bought them at a heavy discount sale -- the Jean Paul D'amage jeans cost me around $40, even though it was originally priced at $180, and the Paige Jeans cost me $80 and it was originally priced $180) and one was a $13 jean (a very skinny jean in a dark hue) that I got at Forever 21 store in Union Square, New York City.

I have to confess that in the messy dressing rooms of Forever21, I thought the jean looked pretty good and I also thought for $13 I can afford to buy it, even if it was not the greatest pair for me. I argued that if with better light at home or after more than one opinion, it did not look good I could simply give it away to someone.

It turned out that the Forever 21 jean is my #1 favorite. It fits great, actually close to perfect. It has Lycra which makes it very comfortable and it also lifts my tiny butt and makes it look somewhat bigger. It has become one of my favorites jeans and I am thinking on buying one more pair just in case it goes bad or Forever 21 does not bring them back. Check it out

The Lolita fashion in Japan

Tokyo is a city filled with fashion. Young women in this city spend a fortune on clothes and accessories. Just a quick look at most Japanese magazines makes this obvious, but that is not all; their fashion is centered on brands. Japanese people love expensive brands. They consume 50% of all luxury products worldwide.

One of my first surprises when I when to Tokyo back in the mid-nineties was to see that every other woman had a Louis Vuitton bag. Taking into consideration that Louis Vuitton at the time sold for about $1,000 in Japan, that makes this fact even more surprising.

There are clear divisions on the fashion scene in Tokyo from teenagers to middle agers and office ladies (corporate female employees), fruits (a fashion trend among some young people) and the Lolita fashion. Each group has a defined fashion style and there are magazines for all groups.

Lolita fashion is one of the most unique styles (see the pictures); it is a Japanese created style, originally created by young girls, not famous designers. It has become expensive, but originally it was not like that. There are a few types of Lolita: black Lolita, white Lolita, Lolita (plain Lolita), sweet Lolita, and Goth Lolita. The names are self-explanatory.

Usually in Japan, girls (teenagers) dress like this for a few years and then grow up and adapt to a new fashion trend.

The Lolita fashion has inspired designers around the world (Gwen Stefani is a classic example with her Harajuku line) as well as followers in other countries, especially Asian countries. It offers an alternative to the young Japanese to be fashionable and unique, to follow their creative instincts and not to buy into the expensive brands culture. The concept of uniqueness is a problem in Japan, a society that emphasizes a group mentality. The Lolita fashion, as well as all other alternative fashions in Japan, is a rebellion against the standards.

Book review: Deluxe; How luxury lost its lust

This book has been written by Dana Thomas, a Newsweek correspondent with many years of experience in the fashion and luxury industry. I heard about the book from my husband who listened to the author's interview on NPR and since it is my line of work, I rushed to read the book.

I found the book fascinating from beginning to end. The book includes a short story of luxury and how the industry has evolved from craftsmanship and personalization to mass marketing of manufactured products (now) made in China.

Dana takes the veil away from the luxury industry and reveals how marketing and corporate greed manipulate us to buy overpriced goods that in reality are mass-market products made in China. The book is an investigative report that included visits to many countries and many interviews with people in the industry. Dana talks how fragrances and handbags are the products that are heavily promoted by corporations because they do not need many sizes and there are fewer returns. The handbag has become the most important product to sell for designers; the markups in these products are huge (from 10 to 13 times in the case of Louis Vuitton).

Dana talks about something that we all have noticed. Not long ago the designer houses had classic bags that one bought with the hope that they would be in fashion for years to come. That is not the case anymore. There are very few classic bags; the collections change every season. It is very difficult for most people to keep up with the "It" bag of the moment. The prices, despite mass production and distribution, have gone up in total contrast to all other product categories where products typically go down as companies send productions in cheap countries. So we are paying more money for lower quality and less exclusivity.

Dana also touches on the exploitation of the red carpet as a promotional campaign for designers and how in the beginning the stylists just got money to put the clothes on their clients but now the clients (the celebrities) get money to wear the dresses, jewelry, shoes, etc. and all they have to do is to repeat the name of the designer whenever a television host asks.

The chapter on fake designer bags is very interesting. The bags are mainly made in sweatshops in China, many of them with forced child labor. She also argues that terrorist groups, realizing the potential for huge profits from selling fake goods all over the world, are behind many such counterfeit businesses and use the profits for terrorist activities and it is believed that the money from counterfeit products has been used to support the September 11 attacks in New York.

As I said I really enjoyed this book and it makes me think more about paying all that money for designer goods. I am not saying I will not buy them again, most probably I will, but I will now know what went on before I got hold of a handbag.

Fashion trends 2008

The new year always means new style trends. 2008 is definitely an year of change because the change from 2007 is remarkable. According to Suze Yalof Schwartz (Glamour magazine), here are the top five trends that you can follow in the coming months:

1. A T-shirt dress matched with a men's blazer (borrow from your man or simply buy one)
2. Ruffled sleeves, tops, skirts, preferably in bright colors like hot pink. I would not recommend this for everyone because it may add volume and make you look fat. So if doesn't work for you, forget about it.
3. A floral top matched with cropped pants and gladiator shoes or sandals.
4. Show your shoulder and neck with an asymmetrical top
5. Hand printed splattered splash tops and dresses
   

Almost all of these items can be bought at mid-priced stores like Banana Republic or even Target.

Michael Kors designer

Most designers rarely say much in public. If you have seen a fashion show, the designer will merely appear towards the end and rarely say anything more than thanks. Occasionally, you will hear bits and pieces of what they say in a fashion magazine like Vogue. There is an exception, however. Michael Kors, who is one of the judges on Project Runway with Heidi Klum and Nina Garcia, has been on the program for so long that I have come to know him rather well. And my conclusion is that he is indeed a great designer and that is reflected not just in his work (particularly his handbags that I have seen at his boutique in the Natick Collection) but also in how he looks at things. Here is a great video that will tell you a little more about Kors' collection and what items of his you can buy.

Nude Eva Mendes

The gorgeous Eva Mendes posed nude (technically) for PETA's campaign against fur in
fashion. We at Lindisima.com totally support this effort. There is no need to kill exotic animals to look beautiful much less to keep warm. Shame on Jennifer Lopez and all the other celebrities that continue to use fur and shame on all the designers too for this complete lack of humanity.

As anyone knows, there are much better and cheaper ways to stay warm during winter. And in case you like the look and feel of fur, there are excellent choices these days with faux fur.

Sex & The City movie trailer

Sex and the City is not just a movie that we all want to watch. Those of us who were addicted to the show actually enjoyed it for the insights we got into romantic relationships, friendships, the things that go through a man's head when he is avoiding commitment, and of course, the style ideas that we got from Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall in particular -- Sex & The City fashion is one of its kinds. That is why watching the movie is not just for entertainment but also for educating ourselves about fashion and relationships.

Manolo Blahnik men shoes

Women have always lusted for Manolo Blahnik shoes and have often starved themselves so that they could afford to buy a pair. Ladies, if you want to spread the joy of owning and wearing Manolo Blahnik shoes to your man, this is your chance. Yes, this is a relatively limited collection from the designer but it is bound to raise eyebrows not among just women but men too.

According to the designer (quoted in Vogue magazine), "There are some simple sandals in beautiful materials, and a few classics - with a twist. I thought it was time to bring back some color into the male wardrobe." If you are not used to hearing terms like "metrosexual" or "sexy" to describe the love of your life, prepare yourself to hear that more often from jealous girlfriends.

Roberto Cavalli at H and M collection

Roberto Cavalli is one of those designers who is not afraid of pushing the envelope, of trying what has never been done before, and of course, he designs beautiful clothes. No wonder then that Hollywood celebrities like Madonna, Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Gong Li, Victoria Beckham, Lenny Kravitz and Adrien Boyd are devoted fans.

While his designer clothes are obviously expensive, he is now collaborating with our favorite store H&M to bring the 'Roberto Cavalli at H&M' collection. Halle Berry and Sharon Stone are two celebrities that will be promoting the collection.

"Roberto Cavalli is one of my personal favorites. His clothes are sexy, and he is always on the edge and changes before other designers. I think the collaboration with H&M is great because now all women can wear his designs," says Halle Berry.

"I think the collaboration with H&M is a great idea. The clothes look great and the ads are beautiful. Roberto Cavalli is a wonderful designer who knows how to make both chic and sexy," says Sharon Stone.

At the launch party in Rome's Salone delle Fontane, models Erin Wasson and Jessica Stam showed his famous animal print dresses made of silk chiffon, a fabulous red carpet dress made of pleated gold lame, a mini sheath with sequins and pearls and shapely tuxedo style jackets and trousers. Watch some of these dresses in the video below:

Sex and the City fashion

For those of us who are fans of New York City, its energetic lifestyle, fashion, and entertainment options, watching Sex & The City was a window to discovering even more. Yes, the plot was interesting and the bold and so was fashions. That is why I cannot wait for the movie to come.

The shooting for the film has already begun and as you will see from the photos below, the fashion is going to better than ever. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristen Davis, Kim Catrall, and Cynthia Nixon are all going to give us some very new ideas on fashion.

Petra Nemcova evening bag

Petra Nemcova is a chic girl, not quiet a style icon yet, but she has potential. I really liked the stone-studded dress that she wore to the "Heart of Gold Ball" at the Wall Street location of Cipriani. The matching evening bag also looks good with that gorgeous dress.

Coats for the fall and the cold

During the cold months the coats are only indispensable to keep warm, but they also are the first piece of clothes people see. For that reason it is important to have a good coat. While some people go for utilitarian coats, other make a fashion statement with them. I like to have a nice warm coat that flatters my figure. This season I have done my window-shopping and these are some of my findings:

I loved the coats that Spaniard store Zara has for this season. They are mainly inspired in the 50s and in many colors. I want to get one of each, but I know that’s is not a good idea, I think I will get a red or off-white coat to look fashionable during the season. Zara’s prices are moderate from $69 to close to $200, but most of them are low one hundred.

I also saw a great coat in Neiman Marcus it was a lot pricier than the coats in Zara at $650.00 or so. It was a classical coat that exudes quality and style. This type of coats can be used for many years and they always look fashionable.

I also saw some coats in Marshals. Even though they were from well-known designers they did not look good. The cut was not right and I am not sure about the material. In TJ Max I saw some great coats from Via Spiga and other brands, these were good and stylish coats that will flatter most figures.

The Natick Collection

Natick, Massachusetts had a good-sized mall, but a couple of weeks ago it doubled. The size does matter when it comes to malls, but even better, the completely renovated and expanded mall is now called the Natick Collection (AKA Natick mall). It has some very exclusive stores such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Beside these giants, they also got a Zara, Louis Vuitton, Anthropologie, Lush, Burberry, and many others.

Nordstrom and Neiman carry all the fashionable brands such as Jimmy Choo, Prada, Manolo Blahnik, etc. In clothes and bags the names are equally impressive. I was there for the grand opening and the Nordstrom cosmetic tailgate party. I got my makeup done with Smash Box. There was so much excitement I could not believe how many women got up early to go to the mall.

Even more surprising for me was the fact that most people were dressed up! I never have seen the mall with so many beautiful people – I started to wonder where were these people hiding. The following day was the same way and people were buying luxury goods as if they have been deprived of shopping for long time. A lot of people were carrying bags from exclusive shops. It is not that Natick did not have shops – after all it is minutes away from Boston where all shops have been opened for years (except Nordstrom).

A couple of weeks later the excitement is still there, but people are back to normal mall clothes, the heels and chic are gone. If you live in the area I recommend to visit this mall it is exciting.

Style lessons with Tim Gunn

I have been reading "A Guide to Quality and taste" by Tim Gunn. As you know Tim is the elegant Director of Fashion at the prestigious Parsons School of Design and he also appears in Project Runway and in his own show "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style."

He has all the credentials to have a book with that title. I found that the book has very good information and it is written in an elegant, but easy style. It has humor and good information. If you have seen Tim on TV, as you read the pages of this book, you will hear his voice.

The book does not have long lists and pictures telling you what type of pants to wear (that is what he does on his show too - he lets people pick their own clothes but gives them broad guidelines on how to shop and also provides them with a list of items that they need to buy after examining their wardrobe). It has detailed explanations on how to make your own selections. Quality, taste and style is his mantra or his other mantraafter "make it work."

The book has chapters on "who are you," "posture," selecting accessories, and others. The accessories' chapter recommends "say no to the it bag." It is a different book about style, fashion and dressing. The advice is deep, but very practical.

Beautiful gadgets: Mimoco

We all know about the USB flash memory cards. They are certainly very useful and much nicer than the old fashioned CD-ROMs, but they are not pretty; you cannot call them an "accessory."

That has changed, thanks to Mimoco. Mimoco has a variety of attractive Mimobots, which are USB flash cards with a personality. There are many designs including a Star Wars collection with Dark Vader and all the other guys. Most of the designs are inspired in Japanese characters. Why to go around with your pictures in a simple flash memory stick when you can make a statement with your own mimobot. Mimoco.com

Teri Hatcher recommends Badgley Mischka

Teri Hatcher is working in ads for Badgley Mischka. Teri looks gorgeous in the ads. Badgley Mischka design some of the most beautiful gowns seen on the red carpet. They are some of top designers in America at this time.

They make some of the finest clothes that I know and every clothing item from them is bound to draw attention to you. They said that they selected Teri, because she is a real person with a daughter, a career, and of course, lots of glamor. See a short interview with Teri and the designers during the photo shoot.

How to wear a strapless dress?

I have always been somewhat skeptical of strapless dresses; my baseless fear of their not staying in place, particularly because I often see celebrities on the red carpet tugging them (it just looks awful). The good news is that I just bought a short, strapless dress for a wedding. The key to making it stay in place no matter what? It should fit you well. My dress fits me so well that the when I tried it on at BCBG Max Azria, my husband had to literally zip it for me in the back (now I can manage to zip it myself).

But what if you don't have the greatest legs in the world (I am talking about cellulite, varicose veins, fat, etc.)? An option is to wear a long strapless dress. How do you wear it? Watch the video by Matthew Hunt of Ford Models to learn how the stars wear it.

Helen Wang boutique in New York City

One of my favorite boutiques in SOHO (New York) is called Helen Wang. Helen Wang's clothes have been featured in national magazines, Vanessa Minnillo loves them, they were used on "Sex and the City." When I first went to the boutique, I did not know anything about the clothing line, but I loved the clothes that I saw in the window that were on sale. This line has beautiful clothes, mainly dresses, for both day and evening wear.

The clothes are moderately priced and very high quality (big contrast from Dear by Amanda Bynes and Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker and typical street fashion in New York). They are also made from the finest materials (the dresses that I looked at were all made from 100% silk) and were very nicely cut and sewn. Some of the dresses reminded me of BCBG, but at similar prices, Helen Wang’s dresses look more expensive and exclusive.

The boutique also is very nice and the salespeople are attentive, polite, and courteous, but not intrusive or pushy. They also sell children's clothes, that are really cute. The prices for a dress are about $300 (though they were much cheaper when on sale); children's clothes are cheaper, of course. There is a very small collection of men's shirts but I doubt if you should shop for them there.

Unfortunately, their website is not regularly updated and it does not have the current collections, so you cannot really buy the latest designs online. But if you go to NYC, take a look at their boutique located on 69 Mercer Street (in SOHO). The website indicates that her clothes are also sold in some other stores such as Barney’s New York, Neiman Marcus, and others.

Summer street fashion in New York City

There are few cities as fashionable as New York in the USA. Right now New Yorkers are enjoying summer and fashion reflects the ease of the season. But that does not mean shorts and T-shirts; there are a lot of retro 60s inspired clothing, large geometrical designs, baby doll dresses, capris, tights, and loose tops.

It is not intimidating or complicated fashion; it is easy to wear and comfortable. Manhattan is not a place to wear a lot of makeup and in summer it is even less. The look of the season is feminine, colorful and playful. Let's see how the fall fashions play out on the streets. I will keep you posted.

Not Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker

I finally got a chance to see with my own eyes the new apparel line "Bitten" designed by Sarah Jessica Parker. SJP, as we know, became a fashion icon with her role in "Sex and the City," where she wore incredible and daring fashions.

On all red carpet events Sarah Jessica almost always looks good. She is a self-confessed fashionista who made sure in her contract for the popular television series that the clothes worn by her character would be hers after the shooting.

So what about Bitten?

Bitten was created for the Steve and Barry’s shops. This store specializes in low priced trendy clothes. Actually, clothes sold at this store make Old Navy stores look luxurious. In other words, these are not the best quality clothes. Sarah’s labels fulfills this; all items are low priced, jeans are about $14.00, tops for about $7.00, and so on. Here is a picture of her at an event for the launch of her line. My analysis continues after the photo.

What do you get with this ultra low prices?

You get trendy clothes with good cuts, attention to detail and well sewn; that is a lot for items costing less than $20. On the other hand, they do not have much life, the materials look cheap. They are good pieces for teenagers (like the Dear line by Amanda Bynes) or college students who will change their looks regularly and can mix them with other better quality pieces to make them look higher quality.

I did not buy anything from the Bitten line -- I was simply not bitten. There were a couple of pieces I liked (not loved), but I did not buy them, because the lines were too long to wait for a $7 long-sleeve t-shirt.

By the way, when the line was announced, Sarah Jessica Parker showed up wearing the line’s clothes (as you see in the photo above), but as noted by Gretta Cole, a Boston Stylist (and spa owner) Sarah Jessica also wore a thousand dollar pair of shoes. That is the key to wear low priced clothes. Mix it up with expensive ones and the look will be expensive.

DEAR clothing line by Amanda Bynes

Amanda Bynes, following in the steps of Sex & The City star Sarah Jessica Parker, has launched her clothing collection at Steve and Barry's stores. Her clothes, sold under the name "Dear," like Amanda, is youthful and fresh, and directed to girls of her age.

The event to launch the line attracted Hollywood stars, including of course, Amanda Bynes. In the photo at the event, you can see Amanda in a short black dress.

And another celebrity attending the event was Maria Menounos.