A Sagittarius Doesn’t Walk..We Strut

Being a “Christmas Baby” myself, I have always been proud of fellow celebrities who share my astrological sign. A Sagittarius is not commonly known as a wallflower, we love to travel, and most of the time we enter into careers of the arts. So I decided to pay tribute to a few who have made waves in the fashion world and give a little birthday love.

Tyson Beckford – December 19, 1970
I can’t post too many pictures of Beckford or I will drool and daydream about abs and smiles…wait…what am I writing about again? Oh yes! Beckford was born December 19, 1970 in the boogie-down Bronx of New York City. At the age of 21 Beckford was scouted by an editor of the then up-and-coming hip hop magazine The Source. Two years later he signed his famous 2-year deal with Ralph Lauren that made him a household name. Beckford is known as the first black male supermodel. He has been retired mostly since 2007; the reason I say mostly is because a great project will draw him out of the retired cave. Beckford definitely has the Sagittarius strong-minded spirit. Beckford has been reported in the past to turn down job offers such as walking in Milan Fashion Week a few years back because he was the only man of color invited. As he told the Weekly Journal, “I just want to be looked at as a brother who’s doing something positive.”

Nicki Minaj – December 8, 1982
Onika Tanya Maraj was born in St. James, Trinidad and Tobago. Until the age of five she lived there with her grandmother. One day her mother picked her up and moved the two of them to Queens, New York City. Maraj says she witnessed lots of abuse as a child; her father was addicted to drugs and once tried to kill Maraj’s mother by trapping her in a burning house. Maraj came up with alternate personalities to escape; Harajuku Barbie, Roman, and her most famous Nicki Minaj. Who knew these alternate personalities would lead to a notorious 2007 underground mix tape and less than three years later a platinum Pink Friday album on the Billboard Hot 100 with seven hit singles?! Minaj is a Sagittarius that is always changing in new creative ways. This in no way stops with her tongue-tying verses; the Minaj red carpet appearances have showcased her never-ending line of color wigs, outrageous jewelry, (like chicken wings and a gold necklace in the style of a ribcage) loud prints, and some things that can’t be described. She’s already made a fan out of Mattel, who announced shortly before the publish of this article that a Barbie doll of Minaj would be released

“>Hailee Steinfeld – December 11, 1996
Don’t let the age fool you; just because she isn’t old enough to legally drive or vote doesn’t mean she can’t have fashion V.I.P. status. Steinfeld was born in the Tarzana section of Los Angeles, California to an interior designer and a fitness trainer in 1996. Steinfeld began acting at eight; appearing in several independent films such as She’s a Fox . In 2010 at the age of thirteen Steinfeld co-starred in the Academy Award nominated film True Grit with Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges. Steinfeld stunned critics with her performance and was nominated for dozens of awards including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. It wasn’t until Steinfeld walked the red carpet that people realized she had more to offer than acting. Steinfeld’s tall model-ish frame and fashion sense couldn’t be hidden. Most young stars struggle to not be too sexy and not too demure; Steinfeld seemed to just flourish. Paparazzi fought to get a shot of her welcoming Sagittarius personality and style. In May 2011 it was announced that Steinfeld would be the new face of major fashion brand Miu Miu. Personally, I think they could learn a thing or two from her.

Gianni Versace – December 2, 1946
Sometimes when you’re a Sagittarius you have to stand alone; there are few people who have made an impact in the world of fashion like Gianni Versace. Versace was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, on December 2, 1946. He had one older brother Santo, an older sister Tina (who died at age twelve of a tetanus infection), and a younger sister named Donatella. Versace began to study at a young age while helping his mother, who was a dressmaker, collect precious stones from beaches and working her signature gold fabric braids into dresses. At the age of 26 Versace moved to Milan to pursue a career in fashion. By the 1970s Versace’s knit patterns were starting to gain attention. Complice hired Versace to design their leather and suede collections; and inspired by the success of his clothing he started his own brand.Versace presented his first signature collection for women at the Palazzo della Permanente Art Museum of Milan. His first menswear collection followed in September of the same year.The first boutique was opened in Milan’s Via della Spiga in 1978. To categorize Versace’s clothing you have to look at Armani, Versace’s biggest competitor. Armani is a man of clean lines with solid colors. Versace has beautiful patterns, bright colors and his clothing was often inspired by ancient Rome. Versace was shot dead on July 15, 1997, aged 50, on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. He was murdered by Andrew Cunanan, who often worked as a homosexual prostitute for high-class men and who used the same gun to commit suicide on a boat several days later. In his will Versace left 50% of his fortune to Donatella Versace’s daughter Allegra. In 2004 Allegra inherited her fortune which is estimated to be around $500 million. Today Gianni Versace S.p.A. is an international fashion house, which produces accessories, fragrances, makeup and home furnishings as well as clothes.

Tyra Banks – December 4, 1973
When a Sagittarius has a goal they aim for it with all cylinders running; I think that’s a bit of an understatement for Tyra Banks. She was born in Inglewood, California on December 4th, 1973. She attended Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. In 1990 as an eleventh grader Banks began to model; before her twelfth grade year Banks was off to Paris to work the runway. Banks graduated from high school but turned down acceptance letters to the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles to focus on her career. Banks was the first African-American woman on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 1997 she became the first-ever African-American chosen for the cover of the Victoria’s Secret catalog, her most memorable job to date. She has done extensive print and/or runway work for fashion/advertising giants, such as Anna Sui, CoverGirl, Bill Blass, Chanel, Victoria’s Secret, and Yves Saint Laurent. She has appeared on the covers of high-fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Elle. Tyra Banks started her own production company, Bankable Productions (at first called “Ty Ty Baby Productions”; she did not rename it till the second cycle of America’s Next Top Model), which produced The Tyra Banks Show, America’s Next Top Model. Banks is the hostess, judge and executive producer of The CW Television Network show America’s Next Top Model. In addition, she hosted The Tyra Banks Show, a daytime talk show, which premiered on September 12, 2005, and ran until (the dismay of myself) May 28, 2010. In 2008, Banks won the Daytime Emmy Award for her work and production on The Tyra Banks Show. In 2011, Banks enrolled in the Owner/President Management Program (OPM) at the Harvard Business School. Banks is planning to graduate Harvard in February 2012. Can we say, “DAMN!”

Totties and Toes: Shoes to be Thankful For

For many its a challenge to combine “stylish” and “warm” in the cold months. I know we should sacrifice many things for fashion; things like comfortably and time are trivial to a fashionably late entrance. But a photo of you looking stylish and fierce at a holiday party doesn’t seem that great on facebook.com when you’re looking at it from bed with a cold. Here are some great shoes that I’ve seen to keep your feet warm and your heart merry.

Saw these shoes and loved them! I hate changing my shoes in the winter; you have to wear big snow boots outside and when you get inside you have to find some corner to hide in and change into your pumps. Not anymore; these one of a kind Manolo Blahnik pumps are named Luggina. You can buy these pumps in black, tan, brown, and red.You can find them at Barney’s, Nordstrom’s and several other stores. The best bargain I found was online; in stores they are around $1300 and online the price was around $800

There are very few situations where you can say “These shoes are so damn fly!”, in public without being ridiculed horrendously for your Fresh Prince-ish statement. There’s no other way with these kicks. These shoes are so damn fly! Nike is definitely pushing the boundaries with the new Dunk VT sneaker. I know most sneakers can be worn almost year round, but I wouldn’t suggest you try to sport these bad boys near a pool. Just for the winter time; these shoes come in wool, leather, and wool with a leather toe tip. High tops and low tops are available. I personally think they look great in the midnight fog color. Prices range; the price on Nike.com is $145.

Just because you live in the frigid north doesn’t mean you want to look like an Eskimo. Finally major shoe brands are realizing that winter boots can be cool. I found some really nice Sorel boots that take a step back to the 1960s. These Sorel 1964 Pac Graphic boots are water-proof and lined with fleece; so they should get you through the blizzards. The Oxford Tan/Green Blue color are my favorite but the shoes also come in black/limestone and pewter/royal purple. Found these shoes for a steal at zappos.com for $120 with free shipping.

Trend I Noticed This Week

Hello Everybody!

Back from a long summer break and ready to see what new things have happened since I last wrote. Well, I’m sure that if you haven’t noticed this trend, you really haven’t left your house as of late. I usually don’t fall into trends, but I have to admit, this one made me want to join in on the fad. This one has definitely gone to the birds..and it’s all about the feather extensions.

I went to the salon to ask how much it would cost to put bird feathers in my hair. Most places say they charge at least $5 just for the extension…not for the actual placement in the hair. Most extensions come on a track (a line of wax or cloth that has feathers sewn to the line. This track can be sewn to a stretch of your hair that is braided or glued to your hair.) or separately feather by feather. I saw a girl on the street the other day and asked her where she received her feather extensions. She told me that she did them herself and that she purchased them from a fly fishing shop; 20 for about $5. So ladies, don’t just fall for the first feather you see, there are other cheaper ways to join in on this fad.

Its kind of up for debate who started this trend, but my hats have to go off to Ke$ha. I noticed feathers in her hair about 18 months ago, long before Aria’s character on Pretty Little Liars tried to join in. Seems that the garbage diva has more up her sleeves than dance banging tracks.

How Much Tit Do You Have to Show to Get a CFDA Award? Lady Gaga Knows

Lady Gaga always seems like the first to do something, or at least the first to bring back a trend that was thought to have been left dead in the Studio 54s and the juke joints of yesterday. What keeps the public’s attention on her ever-growing wardrobe are two very significant factors. One; you never know what the hell will pop out of her closet on any given day. Two; she will wear anything from a piece of meat to a stuffed animal as clothing. The woman is a genius, as any person with a Lady Gaga inspired Youtube video will tell you. But this time has she gone too far? Is that even possible with Lady Gaga?

A few years ago after Superbowl XXXVIII, Janet Jackson was almost put on the fire pits to roast her career away after her pierced nipple was shown live around the world. After that the FCC changed a lot of things. Since then nothing is really “live” anymore, just 30 seconds behind the actual event so broadcasters have enough time to catch every dick and cranny that might show up to the viewers. Now just a few years later we learn that it’s not alright to show your tit live to millions of people, but it’s perfectly fine to have your picture taken and have your tits texted,tweeted, copied, and facebooked around the world….or at least it’s alright when you do it in the name of fashion.

So where did this crime against pads and under wires take place? At the CFDA Awards. The CFDA or Council of Fashion Designers of America, hold an annual event to hand out awards to stars, designers, and models who are making an iconic impact in the world of fashion. The 2011 awards ceremony was held last night, June 6th, at the Alice Tully Hall in New York City. Lady Gaga walked down the purple (not red) carpet in a black Thierry Mugler asymmetrical dress with low-cut sweetheart neckline. She had no shame as she pushed her pointer sisters forward to plop out of her dress and be exposed to the delighted paparazzi that quickly snapped as many shots as they could.

You would think that would be the end of the night. With such a prestigious organization as the CFDA, you would think Lady Gaga would have been banned or atleast escorted out with a little bit of dignity. Nope! “She pushes boundaries, she loves fashion,” said CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg, “and she loves dressing up.” Did I miss something here? I’m pretty sure my local police wouldn’t let that excuse fly if I tried it walking down the street with my Bahama mammas out. And trust me, my mama gave me really nice Bahamas!

Lady Gaga’s body is banging. I was paying attention to more than the sequins in her music videos. But there’s a time and a place for everything. I’m a woman and I definitely know when you’re sexy enough to walk out wearing a bustier or less you want some attention. But come on Lady Gaga, you know that tons of eight year olds begging for a superstar to follow and horny 40-year old pedophile virgins are going to see your tits if you bust them out. Lady Gaga doesn’t want them getting the wrong idea and think that its alright to do the same, do she? Who knows; maybe she’ll say it was for the welfare of animals like when she splattered blood all over herself at the MTV Music Awards in memory of Princess Diana’s tragic death.

Fashion Pick of the Week

Watching the 2011 MTV Movie Awards was a learning experience. I learned that only toddlers who scream “Let’s get chocolate wasted!” remember to thank God in their acceptance speeches. The only people who vote for the MTV Movie Awards are Twilight fans, because they won every category they could. I learned that Reese Witherspoon has a dirty mouth; she likes to say things like MF-er on national live television. It’s really making her look quite sexy. But most of all I finally admitted it to myself that I am completely in love with Emma Watson’s fashion sense.

It’s never too much but always enough to make a statement; just enough to get people to turn in her direction when she walks by. That’s a woman who knows what she’s doing. The dress Watson wore was a dead white Marchesa mini-sheath with fringed shoulders and beads. Watson’s short height was hidden with those sky-high Brian Atwood pumps that completed her ensemble. Considering this was her first time at the MTV Movie Awards and the reason she came was to promote the 8th and final installment in the Harry Potter movie franchise, I think she did a good job. She made the old saying true, nice girls finish last…in this situation that’s a good thing.

Trend I Noticed This Week

Spending a little bit of time with my mother today in church, I felt like I was in one of those horror movies; like Attack of the Clones. You know the kind of movie; when the antagonist is sitting on a bench in a park somewhere reading a newspaper and takes a look up. The antagonist was smiling and having a cherry old-time sitting in the park, but then the antagonist’s face turns to terror. They are in Technicolor, but everything and everyone around them in the park is black and white. Everyone else has on the same clothes and the same hairstyle. That was me today, I was the antagonist. Did I miss the memo? Maybe it was in the Breaking News report about Osama Bin Laden (Sorry, some of us were sleeping when you were partying at 1am in Washington D.C. and Times Square). If you haven’t gotten the memo I’m sending it to you, hats and fascinators are taking over the globe.

Of course this trend was brought on by that little small wedding in Britain..you know…the one no one watched? I expected everyone to get an Alexander McQueen knockoff of Kate or Pippa’s dress. I didn’t expect every woman and mother to go out and buy a fascinator. Don’t worry; just as there are 100 versions of Duchess Catherine’s wedding dress, there are that many versions of the best and worst hats from the wedding.

Believe it or not, this first hat is not a knockoff. It’s an actual hat that was worn to the royal wedding. A hat that you will recognize. Let me give you a hint, it was worn by a princess. You’re all excited now…maybe not so much when you find out which hat it is. It was the bow-ish creation made by Philip Treacy for Princess Beatrice. I know…is God for real? He is. Personally, I didn’t think the hat was as bad as everyone made it seem. But big fashion risks sometimes have big falls. The famous hat is on sale at ebay.com right now. The bids are going higher and higher; right now the highest bid is for £18,400 (That’s a little under $30,000!). All of the proceeds will go to benefit UNICEF and the charity Children In Crisis. Here’s the link if you don’t believe me:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Princess-Beatrice-Royal-Wedding-Hat-Philip-Treacy-/230620500557

It’s hard for us Americans to follow some British trends. Not that many brides here in America wear fascinators. Tiaras and veils are pretty much our thing. Since Waity Katy became Duchess Catherine things have changed. One online store based in Texas called Serendipity Tiaras. Serendipity Tiaras….doesn’t that just sound like they will prepare you for a Disney ball? There is a large range of fascinators for brides that range in price from $9 -$99. All of the fascinators are ravishing..you can’t go wrong with any of them. Store owners report that since the royal wedding the requests for fascinators has tripled, so you might want to get an early shopping start if you’re the bride.

Last but not least..you know I have to write something for the poor fashionistas such as myself..we have David’s Bridal. Seriously; I’m starting to become impressed when I was growing up David’s Bridal was the store for the tacky and misfit prom girls and bridal women. Now it’s really become a store for the Grace Kelly with a Whitney Houston budget. The collection for fascinators is a lot smaller than Serendipity Tiaras, but it’s great for the wedding guest who is just getting into this trend. Or the bride who just isn’t a tiara or long veil kind of girl. If you love tulle and flowers you should definitely check it out. Prices range from $14-$129

May the Force of Fashion be With You

With it being Star Wars Day (May 4th..May the force be with you..get it?) and me being a closet nerd and all, I can’t get light sabers and jedis out of my head. Once I really started to think about it, I realized that Star Wars had some really iconic fashion. Although I wasn’t around when Princess Leia first had little boys transfixed with her gold bikini, I do remember hearing about it as a child even twenty years later. You can’t have a megablockbuster like that without a few fashion studs. We’ll talk about fashion from the Star Wars of the seventies and the new cast who starred in films like Episode II:Attack of the Clones..See? I found a connection with my blog and Star Wars…I know..I’m badass

Padmé Amidala was played by actress Natalie Portman. The incredibly intricate royal wardrobe was designed by concept artist Iain McCaig and costume designer Trisha Biggar for .Episode I. The two would be joined by artist Dermot Power in developing Amidala’s clothes for Episode II In 2005, Padmé’s costumes became the centerpiece of an exhibition showcasing Biggar’s amazing work called Dressing a Galaxy, which was accompanied by an amazing book spotlighting her designs. The costumes designed for Padmé in The Phantom Menace were widely admired, and were featured in a Vogue magazine spread. The character Padmé Naberrie Amidala, Queen and later senator of Naboo, maintained a large wardrobe of extravagant, ornate and in some cases very elaborate disguises, dresses, and robes of office throughout her life. Little nerdy Star Wars facts; the most important in Amidala’s entourage were her five handmaidens. Saché, Yané, Rabé, Sabé and Eirtaé not only helped the Queen with her intricate gowns, hairstyles and make-up, but they were also trained in self-defense. When in danger, Queen Amidala disguised herself as one of her handmaidens, and adopted her less formal name of Padmé. So why did Natalie Portman or Padmé have all that white makeup on her face? No she wasn’t going through a geisha phase! Her white-painted face had stylized beauty marks on her cheeks to display symmetry, and the paint that divided her lower lip was called the “scar of remembrance”, which marked Naboo’s time of suffering before the Great Time of Peace. I love this character because as the Star Wars story goes on she, as most girls in western civilization, started to appreciate her own natural beauty and begins to focus on that with her fashion choices instead of the clothes

The Slave Leia Costume
I remember watching a rerun of Friends and seeing this episode. At first I thought it was so idiotic and weird. What guy would picture that? I thought it was so weird that I had to talk about it at school the next day. Was I mistaken or what? Every guy who had seen Star Wars said the same thing..some of them didn’t even let me finish my sentence
“Oh yeah, when Princess Leia was in that bikini? Yeah, that was hot”
Ask half of them what was said in that scene or the next five minutes of the movie, they probably still don’t know. The Slave Leia Costume or the Princess Leia Organa was worn when she was captured by Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi. The costume was worn by actress Carrie Fisher and stuntman Tracy Eddon and was created by costumer designers Aggie Guerard Rodgers and Nilo Rodis-Jamero, inspired by the works of fantasy artist Frank Frazetta’s Egyptian Queen. Star Wars creator George Lucas requested the costume in part based on Fisher’s complaints about the lack of interesting costumes in A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. It was the first time in the Star Wars saga that Princess Leia was scene as a woman. It had geeky boys everywhere wishing to go to a land of Naboo people and very little fabric. Talk about a way to break the puberty look.

Sith Apparel
We can’t talk about Star Wars without talking about Darth Vader and the Sith. As George Lucas envisioned the Sith as the dark counterpart of the Jedi, their robes were mainly designed as black versions of the Jedi apparel. They seem to be widely inspired by ancient Babylonian or Egyptian fashion; for example, Naga Sadow’s and Darth Andeddu’s headdress are quite similar to Pharaonic deshret and khepresh crowns. Also, rather than be limited to dark colors, the robes of these ancient Sith were quite vibrantly colored, extremely opulent. However, unlike the Jedi who did not believe in material possession, the position of Sith Lord was highly individualized and the personal attire of each Dark Lord reflected this. Although similar to the armor worn by the Jedi Knights of the Galactic Republic, Sith apparel was in fact much more personalized to the wearer than its Jedi counterparts; for many Sith, their armor was an integral part of their identity. For example, take a look at Darth Vader. He was given his unique armor after suffering disfiguring burns from a volcano. But Darth Vader still has power. There may be people out there who haven’t seen Star Wars, but I don’t know a person alive who hasn’t heard someone say in a low voice, “I am your father.”

Source: www.starwars.com
www.starwars.wikia.com

Cheese! Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute Gala 2011

I’m starting to plan my year around this event. It’s the only time in 365 where all the fashionable elite are in one place. Invitations only…no reality tv wannabes allowed. I’ll talk about the best and the worst later, but for right now we’ll just show the arrival pics:

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Fashion Recap: The Royal Wedding of William and Kate

Yes, Yes, Yes Prince William is experiencing an extreme amount of early age balding. But this article is not just about the newly married royal couple or the mega fab dress the bride wore. This is about the fashion that happened at their wedding and reception. The people who worked it like it was a runway and not an aisle. Or maybe the people who might’ve forgotten they were not dressing in play clothes for their friends and family but being photographed and shown to millions. Here are some of the people who stood out at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. By the way I loved the bow-inspired hat that Princess Beatrice wore that was designed by Philip Treacy…I’m just saying..

Best of the Wedding
1.Philippa Middleton
This was a no brainer. When people start to wonder whether you out shined the bride or not it’s kind of clear that you are the best dressed at the wedding. Maid of Honor for the wedding Pippa Middleton wore the hell out of that Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress. The cowl neck was a nice touch. Yes, it was white and yes it did take some of the attention away from her blushing bride sister as Pippa carried the train down the aisle. But when you see her body in the dress, you think; who the hell cares? Unlike Kate’s dress Pippa’s dress was not one-of-a-kind. It was worn at the 2011 Golden Globes by Cameron Diaz in a red color. But I believed the fabric was a little bit thinner for Pippa because it was clear the girl had no panties on. But who is complaining? Pippa is still single by the way and papers in Britain are already calling the 26yr old the most eligible bachelorette in the land. They are also saying that if Harry doesn’t ask her out he is dumber than his father. I think they are right.

***Close Runner-up*** Duchess Catherine
Feels so weird to say Duchess Catherine after years of reading about “Waity Katie”. But she’s not waiting anymore because the ring is on her finger and the ink is dry. Catherine wore a stunning Grace Kelly inspired wedding gown, but for the reception she dressed a little bit more like herself. Before heading into the reception hosted by Prince Charles this photo was snapped of Duchess Catherine wearing a strapless, white gown with Diamante embellishment at the waist and a cropped Angora sweater, all by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Burton is the woman who designed Catherine’s wedding dress as well. I noticed in several pictures that Catherine traded in the Welsh gold wedding band that Prince William had to nearly jam on her finger in the wedding ceremony for her iconic blue sapphire and diamond encrusted engagement ring. This is the same ring that was given to Prince William’s mother Princess Diana when she became engaged to Prince Charles in 1981. I think the blue sapphire ring fits Duchess Catherine’s personality much better.

2.David and Victoria Beckham
One of the reasons I woke up at 4am ET to watch the wedding was to see Victoria Beckham. In the past she hasn’t made that many public engagements pregnant. I couldn’t imagine her usually petite and size zero frame with child. Would her face become fat? Her ankles swollen? The Beckhams were one of the first couples to arrive so I got a clear view. Even pregnant they were perfect; after all she is 1/2 of the most beautiful couple in the world. Victoria Beckham wore a hat designed by Philip Treacy that was taken from his S/S’ 2011 collection. The dress Victoria wore was not a maternity dress as everyone assumed but a dark navy blue dress taken from her own self titled F/W’ 2011 fashion line. Some said that she looked like she was heading to a funeral with her subtle color choice, but this isn’t her wedding and she’s pregnant. Victoria will have plenty more opportunities to take the spotlight. I hope everyone is paying attention to the 6in. sky-high Christian Louboutin heels Victoria had on though. Keep in mind this woman is in her second trimester of pregnancy. I’ve never been pregnant and I can’t pull off heels like that. David wore Ralph Lauren from his top hat to his shoes. Loved his tail coat and the sleek hairstyle. David proudly wore his Officer of the Order of the British Empire medal that he received from the queen in 2003. Vogue couldn’t even pull off anything that good-looking.

3.Zara Phillips
I really wish that Princess Anne would take a fashion page out of her daughter’s book. As soon as Zara walked into the entrance people were whispering, “Who is that?” Even the American commentators scrambled to find out. She’s one of those women who know how to work what they wear. The reviews are a little mixed, but I’m putting her at #3 because of the confidence she had. Confidence can pull off the worst of outfits every time. Phillips attended the event with her fiance Mike Tindall, who will marry Phillips on July 30th. Phillips wore a sparkling silver Philip Treacy hat and her silver jacket was designed by Paul Costelloe. I think she looks very appropriate and flattering.

Lord Earl Spencer's daughters (L to R) Lady Amelia, Lady Eliza and Lady Kitty

4.Lady Kitty Spencer
Now this is a woman with curves who knows how to dress. Some people say that her outfit was too tight. I personally think it looks great on her. She is single, after all. Kitty deserves a wedding too. Niece to the late Princess Diana and cousin to Princes William and Harry, 20yr old Lady Kitty Spencer wore a body-hugging Roland Mouret-style dress..or a Victoria Beckham dress? We aren’t sure,but it looks great on her and that’s all that matters. The dress goes perfectly with her flowing blond hair and soft skin tone. Speaking of her hair notice the Philip Treacy fascinator sitting in her locks. Take note ladies, this is how you wear a fascinator! Spencer refused to be presented to high society a few years ago and instead chose the life of a nursery schoolteacher. Not many would be willing to give up a title and genes such as hers; with the beauty of the Spencer women and a mom that’s a model what more could you expect? Those curves are too beautiful to be covered in clay-doh and crayons all day.

5.Joss Stone
I did not recognize her in this picture until I started to read the captions. Joss Stone..Joss Stone. This couldn’t be Joss Stone? She’s not wearing a hippy inspired frock and she has on shoes. But it is! Bravo! Wait..how in the world did she get an invitation. She looks really good..not too matchy and she still stayed herself by keeping in her nose ring. Fabulous! Her ensemble is from Hobbs.

Honorable Mentions
HM Queen Elizabeth II
Carole Middleton
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (Home wreckers can dress)

Best of the Worst
1.Tara Parker-Tomkinson
She may be known as an It-girl in Great Britain, but the only thing I could think as I watched her walk into Westminster Abbey was, “I wonder how hung over she had to be in order to put that on?” Then I thought, “I wonder how drunk she was when she got that bad nose job?” Then I found out that from years of bad drug abuse she needed the nose job; alright, that makes sense. But is she serious with this outfit? I’m glad we all know that royal blue shoes, match a royal blue dress, match a royal blue hat, match a royal blue clutch; but did anyone else think this was too damn royal blue much? This is a Deborah Milner off-the-shoulder dress was an exact match to the Nicholas Kirkwood shoes with a rosette-topped fascinator by (who else?) Philip Treacy

2.Chelsy Davy
If this is the best Prince Harry can do, he really needs to give me a call over here in America. She was one of the first to arrive to the Abbey, and she looked as if she stayed up all night. Her hair was disheveled, her face was all blotchy, she had major hung over dark circles under her eyes, and she didn’t even have the decency to steam or iron her clothes that did not fit and made her look 20yrs older. If she had given just a little life to her comb, put on some makeup to cover up that all-night party face, and just ironed her Alberta Ferretti outfit Davy would’ve been one of the best dressed there. I don’t know…maybe..I was trying to give her hope. I think the Victoria Grant hat is a nice touch, but you don’t really notice it in the uncombed hair.

3.Princess Eugenie
I’m not exactly thin so I know how hard it is to make the curves look sexy. Cousin to the groom Princess Eugenie did not pull that off. By the end of the wedding there were already fan pages up talking about Princess Beatrice’s ugly hat…ouch. I didn’t think her Lady Gaga-ish Philip Treacy hat was that bad. I thought she pulled it off well. Princess Beatrice is only 22; she’s still young enough to take great fashion risks. But whomever told her that she looked good in that Vivienne Westwood ensemble mixed with green and blue needs to be shot. That’s just wrong to let her walk out of the house like that. The cut on the ensemble makes her look 20lbs heavier. This outfit was clearly made for a thin girl because it’s trying to hide her curves instead of accentuating them.

Dishonorable Mention
Miriam Gonzalez
HRH Princess Anne

Fashion Pick of the Week

The first thing I did seeing the dress I tweeted, “Kate Middleton looks just like Grace Kelly in her wedding dress.” And she did. Some people consider that to be in bad taste; doing a very close complimentary dress to the one worn by the late Princess of Monaco. But I don’t. How can you go wrong with Grace Kelly? She’s a style icon. And Kate…excuse me…Her Highness the Duchess of Cambridge Catherine Windsor is on her way to becoming one too. You knew this Fashion Pick of the Week without even thinking about it. The wedding dress of the new Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Windsor.

For months we thought about it. As soon as the engagement was announced there were betting sites set up by bookies near and far. Who would Kate pick to design her dress? With so much pressure on her back she couldn’t just pick anyone. It’s been thirty years and we are still talking about Princess Di’s dress like it’s the coolest thing since sliced bread. Everyone was asked and all denied it. As we knew they would. Besides the sex of the unborn child, these are one of the few secrets in life that women think about keeping. Revealing the designer or style of a wedding dress before the big day would ruin the moment when the bride walks down the aisle to her husband.

But Sarah Burton from the house of Alexander McQueen took the cake. It was suspected by many that she was the designer but Burton denied it until the very second of reveal. Burton is the creative director for the fashion house of Alexander McQueen. Burton took the coveted position after McQueen committed suicide last year. Fashion critics and buyers alike have said that since McQueen’s death the collections have taken a different approach that is a little less theatrical and a little more femme chic. The dress was an ivory silk and lace, long-sleeved, V-necked gown bearing a two-metre train, and was accessorized with a veil made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle trimmed with hand-embroidered flowers. Burton said, “It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. It was such an incredible honour to be asked, and I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created. I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship. Alexander McQueen’s designs are all about bringing contrasts together to create startling and beautiful clothes and I hope that by marrying traditional fabrics and lace work, with a modern structure and design we have created a beautiful dress for Catherine on her wedding day”.

Although it was Catherine’s day…did anyone notice how great the maid of honor and sister of the bride Pippa Middleton looked? Can anyone say DAMN?! That’s why I chose the picture above because it highlights both of the sisters. I did not see a panty line Pippa…ahem..but that’s a conversation for another time. Both the wedding dress and the unconventional maid of honor dress were designed by Burton. If I were Kate, I would have never let my sister wear that dress because in the body category it’s a tough call to say who comes in first.

Besides the dress and the beauty of the bride, the most stunning thing was the tiara. The tiara was definitely her something old, made in the 1930′s by Cartier. The tiara, called the Halo tiara, was given to the bride on loan by her Majesty the Queen, so I guess it was Kate’s something borrowed too. Her hair was done in a demi-chignon style swept back from her face. The bride insisted on doing her own makeup, saying that she wanted to make sure that William recognized her when she went down the aisle.

People will say a lot of things about this wedding, but no one can say that Kate didn’t look radiant. Even Harry said to his brother, “Wait until you see what’s coming,” when seeing Kate walk down the aisle. There were actual gasps from people inside Westminster Abbey. So what if the look was done fifty years before? If the look ain’t broke, why fix it? Loved the see-thru ivory veil with lace on the trim that allowed us to see her face. Loved the fact that she wore pads on her hips to make her waist look smaller (I wish I would’ve thought of it first). Loved the fact that she looked like herself. Congrats Princess Catherine!