Pinspiration Fridays: Let's Just Put Glitter On Everything.

I LOVE the holidays. I know most people consider the holiday season to start at Thanksgiving, but since my birthday is about a week before that, I say November 15 is the logical start. The food, the excitement, the general merriment... it's all good. But one thing that always gets me really excited is the fact that from now until 2013, I have a legitimate excuse to cover myself and everything around me with as much sparkle as I deem appropriate.

Here are a few things I found on Pinterest that I could stare at for hours...

Buy me - I go with everything!

Christmas party? Date? Girl's night out? Why WOULDN'T you want to empty your purse and stuff the essentials into this adorbs clutch from J. Crew. I'm kind of obsessed and hoping it somehow ends up under the tree this year.

Kate is ready to look better than everyone else,  no matter where she's going.

Kate Middleton in a sparkly dress is always going to be a winning combination. Plus, HOW EXCITED IS EVERYONE ABOUT HER BABY?? I can't wait to see how she magically makes maternity clothes cute, picks an awesome baby name that a bunch of people are going to copy, and somehow maintains perfect hair through it all.

Dress by Elie Saab

This pin immediately caught my attention because of the incredible detail of the beading. It screams to be worn on New Year's Eve.

I would seriously wear this to the grocery store if it was in my possession.

Speaking of New Year's Eve... this dress would be perfect for a black-tie kind of affair.

Love.

Gorgeous, unexpected color combinations make me so happy. This is a great one.

What sparkly, lovely things will YOU be wearing this holiday season?

Renting the Runway

I have loved the idea of Rent the Runway for a long time. I would peruse the incredible selection of gorgeous designer dresses and try to come up with an excuse to wear a Reem Acra evening gown, but sadly, my life was not that glamorous. 

Sadly, none of these are appropriate for sitting in my cube at work, eating lunch at Chipotle, or riding the metro.

I love shopping for dresses more than any other article of clothing. There are certain pieces of a wardrobe that are just no-brainers. Every girl needs a little black dress (or seven) and something sparkly enough to wear on New Year's Eve. But now that we post pictures for the world to see on Facebook and Instagram of every wedding, party, and family event we go to, it's harder to get excited about wearing the same dress for three weekends in a row.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I had the perfect reason to rent. For my birthday, Hunter and I were headed to New York for a weekend that included a mysterious Saturday night date which required super fancy attire. I picked a gorgeous navy Badgley Mischka dress, brought plenty of accessory options with me, and prayed that one of the two size options (they'll always send you a second size for free) would fit.

So sparkly!!!

 

The dresses arrived on time and the size I had originally picked out fit perfectly. The amount of detail on the heavily beaded dress was pretty amazing, and for a piece that has potentially been worn several times already, it was in mint condition.

Since the beginning of my birthday surprise was dinner at The Four Seasons, I found myself in a sea of well-dressed people, but I still felt like my dress really stood out. I was also really thankful that I shelled out an extra five dollars for dress insurance, because I ate a million pounds of food without worrying about being on the hook for the full retail price of the dress if I spilled anything on it. The REAL surprise was the fact that after dinner, Hunter proposed! Moral of the story: rent a pretty dress and your boyfriend will probably ask you to marry him.

Also, I must point out that Tom Haverford has come up with basically the same idea. So it must be genius.

                           

Obsessed: Kate Spade

Why devote an entire blog post to my current obsession with Kate Spade? Because I'm physically incapable of walking by a Kate Spade store without spending half an hour oohing and ahhing at the piles of neon sparkly gorgeousness. And then there's the fact that another Kate Spade boutique opened up a few miles from my apartment, which means that there are now two within a ten minute drive.

There are a lot of brands that I love, but no one can top Kate. I think part of that is that her products are so clever, with cute sayings everywhere from the purse tags to the inside of the bangles. The extra buttons for her clothes come in a bag that says, "button up, sugar cup." I still remember the tag that came on the first Kate Spade bag I ever bought, which read, "Occasionally she dreams of Italy. She dreams of cheese shops, persnickety Fiats, and very fine leather goods." Because of the font, I actually thought "fiats" was "flats" (and I DO dream of persnickety flats!), but still. I was hooked. 

The new hashtag collection is full of that signature sassiness. I love it all. 

Ugh. Now I want an iPad.

Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen? Seriously. 

In case you're working on your Christmas list, there's a necklace, earrings, and a ring.

This is legitimately on my Christmas list since I haven't had a wallet for about two years now and my purse is always an explosion of assorted lipgloss, a pinkberry frequent buyer card that I always think is my Amex, back-up earrings, and seven thousand bobby pins. Every morning and every afternoon at rush hour, I have a minor panic attack because my metro card is "lost", when actually it's in the bottom of my purse or my coat pocket (where I put it because my purse is so messy). It's pretty ridiculous, but I think a pretty wallet would contribute to my organizational skills!

I swear, if I get this I'll never stop at starbucks again!

It's Time For a Makeover!

Do you prefer "fashion victim" or "ensembly-challenged"?

It's a well-known fact that all of the best chick-flicks include a serious makeover montage. It's probably not the most useful life lesson - a new haircut and a flattering dress won't actually solve life's biggest problems (believe me I've tried), but it's such a great moment when a sympathetic character emerges from a salon refreshed and ready to take on the world in totally impractical shoes.

Thus, I've decided that the blog I've neglected for the past year and a half deserves it's own makeover. It's losing the metaphorical flannel shirt and frizzy hair and embracing face-framing layers and some shiny new heels. I've changed the name (which I'm still unsure about - it may change again some time in the near future) and the color scheme. Now I just need to change my blog-neglecting ways!

Since we're on the subject of movie makeovers, here are a few of my faves (in no particular order):

Elton couldn't stick around for more pictures because he really needed to get his Cranberries CD from the Quad.

1. Clueless - A favorite since I was a preteen, this movie is the reason I replaced my childhood wardrobe with an embarrassing collection of platform shoes, plaid skirts, and ridiculous hats. As a fashion-obsessed adult, every time I read about Alaia I can't help thinking that he's the perfect designer to wear to a Val party. Also, I love that "Supermodel" song they play when they're making Tai over.

I can't say anything sarcastic about this. It's just too adorable.

2. Roman Holiday - This was Audrey Hepburn's first starring role, and I think it's my favorite movie of hers (a bold statement, given my obsession with Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady). When this sheltered princess chops off her hair, gorges on gelato, and rides bikes around Rome with Gregory Peck, we see her completely transformed. The last scene in this movie is one of my favorites of all time. If you haven't seen this classic, put it in your Netflix queue IMMEDIATELY.

Hipster Elle was colorblocking before it was cool.

3. Legally Blonde - Elle Woods was my hero when I was a peroxide-addicted teenager (I understand now that blonde is not my color), and I stand by my claim that she is a great role model. I love how the heroine in this movie doesn't have to play down her femininity to be smart and successful. There's a great montage after she leaves the "costume" party and gets serious about law school, but I guess this is really more of a make-under. Still, even in a black suit and tights, Elle looks fab. There's also that great moment near the end when she decides to be herself and marches into the courtroom in the loudest pink dress ever. Chutney never had a chance.

"That blonde wig I wore at the beginning of the movie? Big mistake. HUGE."

4. Pretty Woman - This year I had the opportunity to visit Rodeo Drive for the first time. I could write a book on that experience alone, but I digress. I really spent the whole afternoon hoping that a salesperson would be rude to me so I could go to another store, buy five bags of super-expensive clothes, and reprimand them. Maybe next time.

"You're like, really pretty. So... you agree? You do think you're pretty?"

5. Mean Girls - On Wednesdays they wear pink, only Regina George can wear hoop earrings, and you better not wear sweatpants more than once a week. Every time I watch this movie it makes me a little sad because Lindsay Lohan had such a promising career ahead of her. That's so NOT fetch.

I could go on forever, because while I can't find my way from neighborhood to my office without GPS, I can give you a comprehensive list of every movie makeover in a romantic comedy without even consulting IMDB.

Until next time, may the soundtrack to Clueless be stuck in your heads.

Another Blog Post About The Royal Wedding

You know you can’t get enough.

Grab your commemorative plates, gross traditional English wedding fruitcake, and feather-adorned hats, because it’s time to talk about WILL AND KATE!!

The day I’ve looked forward to for months was finally here on Friday. Prince William and Kate Middleton got married! They may officially be the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, but I’m still going to call her Princess Kate. With the exception of Grace Kelly and Princess Diana, has anyone been this perfect for the job?

In preparation for the big event, my best friend Maggie and I both took Friday off as a vacation day (she drove up all the way from NC). Thanks to a sweet Living Social deal, we pried ourselves out of bed at 4:30 and drove to Dupont Circle to celebrate in proper style at The Mansion on O Street (it’s pretty fab). As soon as I got there I regretted not planning a better outfit. I had put on the first pair of jeans and acceptable top I could find, while I was surrounded by girls in awesome hats and cute dresses. The ONLY time I will put comfort over fashion is 4:30 am.



Finally, at nearly 6:00, the world saw which dress Kate said yes to. I had my fingers crossed that it would be a tiny British designer that no one had ever heard of (whose career would then be launched in a Jason Wu/Michelle Obama way times a million). My second choice was Alexander McQueen, but I figured that was a long shot since McQueen tends to be pretty avant-garde and Kate’s style is more classic. Alas, Sarah Burton (for McQueen) came up with this AMAZING dress that will now cause me to go off on a tangent:

Women of America, THIS is how you should aspire to look on your wedding day. Not like a wedding-themed Bratz doll. If I see one more episode of Say Yes To The Dress about a Jersey girl with her heart set on a $15,000 Pnina Tornai with a bedazzled sheer corset and visible boning, I may scream. Your wedding dress shouldn’t look like the top half was purchased at Victoria’s Secret and the bottom was just fifty yards of tulle haphazardly attached. I hope we’ve all learned a valuable lesson from the Duchess. When the whole world is watching and the Queen of England is a few yards away, “classy” trumps “inappropriately racy” every time.

Here are a few examples, and further research on the subject:

Gross. But I digress.

I also breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her hair. Using the same stylist her family has gone to for nearly a decade, Kate opted for a simple half-up, half-down style. I know a lot of brides choose an updo, which is totally elegant, but Kate’s hair is so pretty! It would have been a shame not to show it off. Plus, her cheekbones could cut glass, so she would look great with any hairstyle.  

Of course, I realize that the wedding wasn’t all about fashion. William and Kate are adorable together. Unlike some royal couples of the past, they were friends first, dated for years, and both know what they’re getting themselves into. They are a relatively normal couple. Can you picture Diana and Charles shopping at Ikea together? Awkward. And while I picture Will and Kate as more of a Crate and Barrel kind of couple, it seems like they have fun together. If he would just cut his hair a bit shorter so his receeding hairline wasn’t SO obvious, they’d be perfect. (I know I wasn’t the only one thinking that during the ceremony. He’s still really good looking, but that hair is quite distracting.)

Kate and Will weren’t the only ones looking good on Friday. Prince Harry is officially England’s cutest ginger, and Pippa Middleton looked beyond classy wearing the same designer as her sister. That being said, what bride in her right mind would let Pippa wear a gorgeous white dress to her wedding? How was there no trace of sibling rivalry? Meanwhile, their brother James serves as proof that the Middletons have really good genes. In case you were wondering.

A few other highlights:

"We're just here to make everyone else look horrible in comparison."

The Queen wore yellow! She looked quite happy, which probably had a lot to do with her grandson getting married, but I have a theory that wearing bright yellow increases endorphins and makes you happy.

The cameras kept going back to Elton John throughout the service.  I couldn’t help but wonder how AWESOME it would be to sit right beside Elton during a wedding service. Listening to him singing along to the hymns would be great, but you’d also get to hear the snarky comments he makes about Chelsea Davies’ outfit.

Posh and Becks were there, too. Posh covered her preggo belly with a trapeze dress from her own line. As Joan Rivers pointed out, “She’s eating for one now.” She’s also wearing seven-inch Louboutins, so the next time I want to complain about walking around in four inch wedges, I’ll think of pregnant Victoria Beckham and hold my tongue.

Tim Gunn Would Be So Proud

"I'm perplexed... at how fab this is."

I have never been the craftiest person. While I love all things fashion, my few attempts at assembling my own “creations” have been disastrous. When I was told that pajama pants were the easiest thing to make, I bought a couple of yards of a cute print and went to work. After hours of stitching, I realized I had sewn two perfect right legs. Of course, the fabric was sold out, and I was left with two useless pieces of fabric to remind me of my failure.

With the increasing popularity of Project Runway a few years ago (before it moved from Bravo to Lifetime and became completely irrelevant), I was inspired by the likes of Daniel Vosovic and Christian Siriano to get creative again. I bought a cute skirt pattern and more fabric and dedicated the better part of one evening to trying to figure out how to “make it work.” Years later, that fabric is somewhere my black hole of a closet at my parent’s house.

Those disasters aside, I recently have wanted to embrace my creative side again. Thus begins the tale of how I made two scarves into a cute dress.

Earlier this week, I had dinner with an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. After gorging on Mexican food and discussing all things fashion, I was looking forward to checking out her blog, which led me to this do-it-yourself project. All you need are two scarves, some ribbon, straight pins, and a needle and thread.

Unfortunately, I only had one scarf that was the appropriate size for the project. I made a quick trip to Chinatown and scanned the racks at H&M, Zara, Forever 21, and Loft with no luck. Finally, I stopped in American Apparel, because that’s where one goes to find random pieces of clothing that no other store would carry. Also, I’m thrilled for any opportunity to support their consistently offensive ads and the world’s worst CEO. There, among the metallic scrunchies and glitter-adorned leg warmers was a decent collection of scarves. A few minutes later, after waiting forever at the register for a rude saleswoman to take my money (all part of the American Apparel experience), I was ready to go.

While the instructions recommend using a sewing machine, I didn’t think my lack of proper equipment would slow me down too much. It was supposed to be a twenty minute project, so I estimated about an hour since I’d be doing everything by hand. Thus began an all-day project that lasted through an awesome movie marathon (The Breakfast Club, 500 Days of Summer, and Pride and Prejudice=a perfect afternoon).

I was certain that at some point I would make some kind of irreversible mistake, once again proving that I should stay far, far away from all fabric stores. When I finished sewing, I tried on the tunic and adjusted the ribbon, and nothing fell apart. In fact, it’s pretty cute. So now I have a reversible dress that I can brag about having made!

In the coming weeks, I’m sure the blogosphere will be bombarded with talks of my incredible talent. I mean, I did sew two scarves together while incorporating a ribbon. So you’re hearing it here first… Yes, Kate Middleton, I will make your wedding gown (I just need you to provide me with two white scarves).

Obviously, I’m getting a great sense of accomplishment from my awesome new scarf-dress. If you see me wearing it, it’s probably best to not to say anything. There’s a good chance that I’ll go into great detail about the subtle nuances of each scarf and how I pain-stakingly hand-sewed the whole thing. Here’s the finished project, my first successful DIY. It’s not Project Runway, but it’s definitely Project Sidewalk material.

Side 1

Side 2

Big thanks to Jessica for coming up with this awesome idea, here’s the link to her fantastic blog:

 http://piranhabella.blogspot.com/

Spring Wish List

Like most of my fellow Washingtonians, I am beyond ready for spring. Right now it’s 40 degrees and rainy. I miss walking around without a massive coat on, outdoor dining, and spending time on the awesome roof of my building. Until the weather warms up, I will keep my spring state of mind by focusing on (what else?) the fashion….

Some things I’m obsessing over for spring:

Since she already has a closet of amazing clothes, can you send this to me, Lucky Mag??

This amazing Marc by Marc Jacobs dress (which I will never own, because it is $728)

The April issue of Lucky mag showcases the adorable Zooey Deschanel totally rocking this dress from the spring 2011 collection, which embodies pretty much everything I love about spring fashion: polka dots, a poufy skirt, and an aura of unapologetic girliness.

Fab.

Wedges. Lots and lots of wedges.

While it may be tough to pack away my favorite boots for several months, summer shoes make it all worthwhile. From laid-back Rainbows to strappy sandals, I never get tired of summer footwear options. Wedges have a special place in my heart, though, for their ability to make me four inches taller without wanting to saw my legs off at the ankle two hours later. I am forever indebted to the genius who came up with the wedge, the magical shoe that allows me rock fab footwear while walking miles around the city. Also, they go with EVERYTHING.

Shoes by Miu Miu

COLOR!!!

So far my spring purchases have included a bright red spring trench, two Kelly green dresses (yes, two, but they look totally different), and a printed skirt in multiple shades of blue. Right now I’m obsessed with anything bright yellow, purple, or green. Most of the black and gray in my overstuffed closet are ready to be packed away until next fall. Bring on the brights!

Kate Spade sunglasses

Cat Eye Sunglasses

I once worked at a Sunglass Hut for six months just to take advantage of the discount (true story). A dramatic pair of sunnies may be my favorite accessory. This spring, cat-eye shapes are HUGE, and the perfect homage to vintage style.



I could go on, but I'll stop here. I'll make it through the next few cold days (hopefully not weeks) with a lot of online window shopping. So the next time I'm on facebook and notice my friends in the South posting about how they're "heading to the pool," I'll try to contain my jealousy. Maybe with a new pair of shoes.

Dresses!!!!!!! My humble opinion of who was Best-dressed at the Oscars

Gwyneth Paltrow

Oh, Gwyneth. You are a mystery wrapped in an enigma. You are also a liar, because no one who owns a deep fryer and a brick pizza oven (which you claim to use regularly) looks like this in shiny gold material. Perhaps this week’s GOOP will be about how to drop 2.5 pounds in a week by mixing cayenne pepper with three teaspoons of beet juice in lukewarm water. Nonetheless, this Calvin Klein Collection dress is perfection. 



Mandy Moore

 

First of all, Mandy could have mowed down the red carpet in the yellow Bug she fake-drove in the Candy video and I would have applauded her courage (it's difficult to see, but the license plate says HotChick1). I love Mandy Moore. I love how she transitioned from cheesy pop star to supercool actress/singer without going through the obligatory “get arrested, get prematurely married, get divorced, attempt to run over paparazzi in a drunken stupor” phase. Plus, if we ever hung out, I’m pretty sure we’d be best friends. My opinion on her general awesomeness aside, this Monique Lhuillier dress is SO pretty.

Hailey Stienfeld

As I watched her get it right again in this gorgeous Marchesa (which she helped design… can we say budding fashionista???), I couldn’t help asking myself: Is it just a matter of time before this adorbs teen goes Miley on us? Let’s hope not. Upon further reflection, I reassured myself that any 15 year old who can stand out in a Coen brother’s movie alongside Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, and Matt Damon is no Hannah Montana. Well played, Hailey. Keep showing 15-year-olds across America that one needn’t wear jeggings to be stylish.

Mila Kunis

Believe it or not, I was on the fence about this the first time I saw it. The Elie Saab dress itself is gorgeous, and it’s perfectly styled, but it’s just so…. lavender. Not that it isn’t a lovely color, but doesn’t pastel purple universally conjure up memories of prom? However, I was quickly won over by the amazing detail of the dress (which is actually more visible because of the light color). I’ve embraced the lavender. Mila has successfully navigated her first big awards season without a misstep. Yay for Mila!

Halle Berry



  

Halle gets the coveted “most improved” award. Ok, this was not the most adventurous choice for the Oscars. But after the sad trainwreck she wore at the Golden Globes, this explosion of tulle and sparkles is perfect. This dress practically screams Marchesa, and if I had the opportunity to steal it from her, I would wear it every day.

Reese Witherspoon

 

Cutest. Hair. Ever. I’m completely obsessed with this look, even though she does kind of look like a Barbie. The dress itself isn't that exciting, but Reese is more adorable now than she was ten years ago. Just ask Ken.

Hillary Swank

Feathers. Sparkles. More sparkles in the form of the fab brooch in her hair. When the employees of Dunder Mifflin where trying to decide if she was hot or not, they should have used this picture to judge. I’m pretty sure that Hillary Swank has made some kind of deal with the devil in which the blander she looks in a movie, the better she looks in real life.  She’s long been known for her amazing awards show looks, but this is probably my favorite dress she’s ever worn.  

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway always looks great, but for me the Lanvin tux was the evening’s standout. We all know Anne can pull off a red Valentino dress, and she looks awesome in sparkly goldish things. Menswear, however, is a tricky trend to pull off and usually looks forced and, well, stupid. Take note, Leighton Meester. This is how you do menswear.

Sidenote: I’m already bananas for the inevitable upcoming Rachel Zoe Project episode where Rachel and Brad run around town looking for dresses for “Annie”, complete with a zany montage of Rachel talking on her phone in the car while Rodger sits lifeless in the back seat. Meanwhile, back at the studio, Brad tries on her Lady Tux and almost breaks the heels off of her fab shoes.