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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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
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
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!
With the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge still fresh in our heads, the only thing on every news station is “wedding wedding wedding.” But what about those of us who have weddings to grit our teeth through without Catherine and William? Weddings can be just as stressful for everyone else as they are for royals. There are many things to consider; should you bring a date? Should you go alone? Should you bring a small stash of liquor in your purse to get you through the night? And most of all; what to wear? This can be hard, especially if you’re single or related to the bride or groom. Have no doubt when you walk into the ceremony and down the walk way thinking, “Is everyone looking at me?” HECK Yes, they are looking at you! Here are some vendors, tips, and designers that should not be passed when looking for the outfit of holy matrimony.
*Take a look at the invitation. That will be your first clue when deciding if you should go black tie or casual. Does the invitation look like Martha Stewart designed it for her couture collection? Then it’s time to go formal. Did you just get an e-invite over facebook.com? Then it’s probably informal
*Do not wear a couture gown or a tuxedo to a wedding that starts before 6pm..and don’t wear jeans no matter how informal
*Don’t wear a white dress! The bride will cut you..I’m serious..
*Be aware of religious customs. Some cultures have colors for wedding luck and some don’t like to see young women in strapless dresses.. no matter how perky the pointer sisters may be
*Everybody loves Saks 5th Ave for a reason
I heard about this great company a couple of years back called Two Birds. I know that name is kind of elusive until you visit the site; then you’ll think that the company is total genius. Two Birds was founded by University of Michigan alum Ariane Goldman Finkel (Go Blue!) and the company specializes in multi-functional dresses. The dresses are basically just one very long strap of fabric with a skirt that you can twist dozens of ways around your body to create a different dress. Take a look at the photo; all of these women are wearing the exact same dress! Two Birds is perfect for bridesmaids that have different body types or a girl on a budget during wedding season with way too many invitations and not enough dresses. Most of the styles that you can make with the dresses on the Two Birds website are Grecian drape, but with an imagination I’m sure there’s no limit to the amount of designs you can come up with; according to the website you can make 15 designs with one dress. The company has offices in Los Angeles and New York if you would like to set a personal appointment, and orders can be done online as well for those of you living afar. Several bridal shops like Bella Bridesmaid have begun to stock Two Birds designs, so please check the location list on the Two Birds website to see if a store near you sells Two Birds. The dresses take 8-10 weeks to make if you want a set for your bridesmaids, so please be sure to order ahead of time. Two Birds will even send you samples of your dream dresses in the mail to try out before you decide.
Visit www.twobirdsbridesmaid.com for more information
Don’t skimp on Target. I know what you’re thinking; WTH?! You don’t want a dress that looks cheap. Trust me it won’t look cheap. I’m not talking about the regular run-of-the-mill Target dresses. Every once in a while stores like Target, Topshop and H&M have something called guest-designer collaborations. These are not designers you only hear about in Target like Jacyln Smith. This is when people like Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Isaac Mizrahi or Vera Wang recognize us poor folk and design something for the $50 and under crowd. They never last long and the collection is almost always sold out within the first two weeks. Be sure to sign up for the newsletters from these three stores so you know when the fight for the designers dresses will begin and when to set up shop before the store opens so you will be first in line. Trust me, I waited in a line for the Lanvin dresses at H&M; it was worth it.
I don’t know about you, but watching the royal wedding of the century yesterday I couldn’t help but notice that 90% of the women had hats or fascinators. I know this is a brit thing, but if you’re going to a wedding, especially formal wedding that is early in the day, it’s a good way to express yourself without out shining the bride. I loved the beige bow style Princess of York Eugenie had, which was designed by the guy who designed almost every hat that day, Philip Treacy. Everyone from Victoria Beckham to Camilla had one; looking at Philip Treacy’s website I can see why. His style is badass. If you don’t have $2,000 just lying around for a Philip Treacy hat on sale, you could try a fascinator. What’s a fascinator? Have you ever seen something that looks like a headband or a clip in a woman’s hair? With a little bit of tulle, feather, or diamonds that somehow just works? Yeah, that’s a fascinator. I love the idea of a fascinator for a younger person at a wedding or a woman attending a wedding in the afternoon or later. On the Etsy website there many great fascinators that start around $35. Dillard’s has fascinators around $24. Or if you’re artsy you could just go to your nearest JoAnn Fabrics; buy a few pearls, rhinestone, and a little tulle and feathers and try it yourself.
So that’s that. Of course this blog could go on for days. We could talk about Nordstrom’s and the wedding guest etiquette rules on theknot.com or the fact that most places that sell bridal gowns sell great dresses for bridesmaids and guests too. But what would I write for next year? Don’t fall asleep during the wedding!
Spring is here (finally! Well for everyone that’s not near New York state. Sorry guys!) and this year of buds and flowers are bringing back a few styles that we have not seen in recent years. The straight legged pants are going out, and the seventies are back in. Some styles from the seventies need to stay where they were, dead and buried for forty years, but others are making a happy comeback. I did some of my spring closet shopping this week and every store I went into had one or more style of this. Some were cheap and others were expensive. Either way, if you don’t get one you are seriously missing out. Go get yourself a nautical tote!
I’m a pretty eco-friendly chick and I was happy to run across this nautical themed tote for those of us who don’t want to do anymore damage to the earth. Nautical Luxuries has a cute eco-friendly nautical themed tote for all of your shopping needs. The totes are made with certifies organic cotton. The one I truly adore had a picture of a turtle on it. I would definitely take it shopping with me. A girl could always use more bags. This bag cost $22 at nauticalluxuries.com
If you want to go the more expensive route of organic cotton Diane von Furstenberg has a very nautical themed tote in her line at Bloomingdale’s. If I wanted to spend $85 on an organic cotton tote, I would have to go with hers. The cheapest nautical themed totes I found that were worth their weight in cash were located at H&M for $15 and Hollister. Hollister had a range from $15-$20. Of course you can’t skimp on the king of nautical themed, Tommy Hilfiger. A couple of vintage nautical totes are on Ebay ranging from $20 all the way up to $100. Happy hunting!
For those of us above the Mason-Dixie Line it’s still a continuous line of snow. If I didn’t know any better I would swear that I’m in the movie Groundhog Day (By the way, if I ever see Puxatoney Phil I’m kicking his ass). But in some places there are rumors that the snow is melting away. Gasp! Can this be true? Well, this trend is for you indeed. It’s for the person who wants to look cute, but is smart enough to know that if they went outside with a cute little jacket and a mini skirt they would freeze their ass off. So I give you a little something to keep your hands warm but fashionable; fingerless gloves and tube gloves.
Fingerless gloves are a little tricky. They look so cool and rugged on bikers but you don’t want to be like Paris Hilton and just put on a random pair that doesn’t even go with your outfit and wear it to the club. Unless you’re actually outside in nippy weather, or happen to be in a room with no heat while playing the piano or typing on your computer I say leave them off. Most of the fingerless gloves I’ve seen have been knitted or crocheted. Hot Topic has a selection of fingerless gloves starting around $4.95 (I know right? Something under $25 at Hot Topic?). Nordstrom’s has a timeless selection of fingerless gloves from UGG Australia and most of those gloves range around $35.
I found this awesome site called punk.com with gloves that look like Elmo, owls, raccoons, and so much more. Perfect for the indie or the person who doesn’t want to have what everyone else does. I saw a pair of red plaid fingerless gloves around $11 and most of the expensive gloves were around $29.
What are tube gloves or arm warmers as they are sometimes called? It’s a sleeve, with a hand….or a hand with a sleeve? Or a long glove? Who knows? Either way they go up to your elbow in most brands so they not only keep your claws warm but your arms too. They aren’t just for the Flashdance wanna-be singing “What a Feeling” anymore. Hot Topic has a nice grey knit pair of arm warmers for $9.95. There’s this site called threddies.com that has a pair of 14-in. arm warmers for $15.50 that look so good online they make me want to go through the screen and grab them. Happy hand profiling!
I’ve seen this girl for months and I can’t get her out of my mind. I’ve searched forums, online catalogs, blogs, EVERYTHING! I see her in advertisements, I see her at Macy’s and I can’t stop wishing that I knew her name. AARRGH! What is it about this girl? I know I’m going to sound like an 80s classic song with Molly Ringwald somewhere in the background, but it’s something about her eyes. This girl is a beast in the making (that’s a good thing), I know it. I just wish I knew who she was! Finally I found her today on the Rugby by Ralph Lauren blog. Whew! I give you the model I have wanted to make a Model of the Week since I saw her on an ad two years ago. I give you Selina Khan.
Khan was born on…uhhmm…well…no one is quite sure. Finding her age and date of birth was almost as hard as finding her name. Several things are for sure; she is from the island of Martinique in the French West Indies and she was a contestant in the 2007 Elite Model Look contest of France. So that would make Khan around 18 or 19 years old since most contestants in Models of the World or Model Look contests are between 13-15 years of age. Even though Khan did not win the 2007 Elite Model Look contest of France she was one of the 12 finalists that were flown to Paris. Just because she didn’t walk away with the grand prize didn’t mean that she would walk away empty-handed. Elite Model Management Paris scooped her up faster than you can say ice cream. Elite Model Management Milan and One Management New York soon followed suit.
Many supermodels in the industry have a person or a designer to thank for their moment of stardom. Marky Mark owes it all to Calvin Klein underwear. And where would Tyra Banks be without a little lace, a few wings, and a nipple pasty? I think Khan can thank one major designer and one major magazine; Teen Vogue and Ralph Lauren. Very soon after her Elite contest let down she got a call that many girls would’ve traded for the Elite contest altogether; an editorial spread in Teen Vogue shot by Bruce Weber. Weber has made Calvin Klein advertisements what they are today; a black and white melting pot of sex, homosexual nature, and awe. Maybe its a coincidence that two years before Weber shot a campaign for Ralph Lauren (who knows), but soon after that October 2008 editorial in Teen Vogue Ralph Lauren called Khan to walk for the S/S’ 2009 Ready-to-Wear campaign.
That definitely got her foot in the door. After her Ralph Lauren runway show many started to ask, “Who is this girl?” She didn’t look like any major supermodel at that time or of years’ past. Khan can thank her unique background for that. Khan’s mom is Indian, mixed with Arabic and Creole, and her dad is Vietnamese. ADAM, Lacoste, Nanette Lepore, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti decided to use Khan in their runway shows too that S/S’ 2009 season. In between her runway shows she did another editorial for Teen Vogue and was featured in an editorial piece for 10 Magazine about the blast of ethnic models now entering the fashion industry.
F/W’ 2009 was Khan’s time to shine. Teen Vogue chose Khan to be one of three models for their Next Top Models editorial piece. Khan was picked as a model for two now famous holiday campaigns; Ralph Lauren Rugby and Gap. Plus she modeled for Lacoste. That season alone she walked the Ready-to-wear runways of Charlotte Ronson, DKNY, Lela Rose, Nanette Lepore, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, TSE, Tuleh, United Bamboo, and Veronique Leroy.
Trust that yours truly likes a lot of research to go behind any and every post on this blog. So it was hard for me to find research for Selina Khan in 2010. Where did she go? Not that many editorials or magazine shoots. It seemed as if she just disappeared off of the face of the earth. It took me awhile to find that Khan was in 2010 where models should be; on the runway. In the S/S’ 2009 Ready-to-Wear runway season Khan walked for Charlotte Ronson, Malandrino, Milly, Tuleh, Vivienne Tam. Her catalog and editorial shoots may not have been as long as your arm, but the Nordstrom June (Twilight themed), Prom, and Holiday Catalog; a shoot for Vera Wang, and modeling for the Ralph Lauren Rugby F/W’ 2010 Lookbook isn’t too shabby.
We’re only three months into 2011 and already Khan has had more work than most run-of-the-mill models will see this year. Let’s see; she was in London’s F/W’ 2012 Fashion Week walking for KTZ and Jean-Pierre Braganza. She modeled in the Urban Outfitters early S/S’ 2011 catalog. She has a very glamour/sexy-esque editorial picture in the March 2011 issue of Allure Magazine. In the S/S’ 2011 runway season she walked for Band of Outsiders, Daniel Vosovic, Rachel Comey, and Rebecca Taylor.
I think the reason so many people are enraptured with this young woman is because she’s a real chick. You look at her interviews and she’s talking about iPods, laying on the beach, and her family. Because of her mixed blood she looks like the girl next door and can have many girls from many cultures relate to her. Not only that, but there are tons of pictures of her online posing with friendly fans and faces who saw her in the street. Most models wouldn’t be caught dead without some M.A.C.; but here she is, walking the streets of New York with no makeup and a smile on her face. She’s the girl you invite over to watch a movie and she’s an international supermodel. Who knew it could be possible? Oh yeah, and she loves Harry Potter. Five stars in my book.
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