A blurb about Paris.

I know I said I wasn't going to do a blog about Paris, but I promise, this won't be a long one.

To tell you the truth, there weren't any full collections that I liked, just bits and pieces from each one. I will say that my two favorites overall were Valentino and Christian Lacroix.

Oh, speaking of Christian Lacroix, there was a rather unexpected visitor at his show...

PETA cracks me up. I had a feeling that this was going to happen. It never fails, really. It's only a matter of when and where.

However, I will say that her flats are very stylish. =]

Also, I'm really liking the oriental theme that's prevailing on the Paris runways so far. Other than that, I'll try to get through the rest of the week with an open mind.

What are your thoughts on the collections so far, or even on PETA? Does anyone our age even support them anymore?

Milan Fashion Week Review

I'm not the first to say this about this year's Milan Fashion Week, but I was...disappointed. Normally Milan is my favorite, because designers seem to unleash more of their creative flair during these shows. However, this season, New York actually took the prize for that one in my book.

Anyways, on to the trends!

Well, to start off with: Milan, like the rest of the shows this season, kept it simple with a primarily neutral palette.

My favorite monochromatic looks came from Antonio Marras.

Very Elegant, no?

There's that menswear again!

Another trend that I noticed was all over the Milan runways, but was only touched upon elsewhere. That would be of course the numerous shoulder- and back-bearing dresses, which are only wonderful for fall if you're indoors, but I can see them easily translating to spring and summer as well.

My favorite back-bearing dresses are these two from Salvatore Ferragamo.

Incorporating two more trends - metallics and feminine details, such as the bow

This is possibly my favorite. It's very young looking while still being elegant.

One unique element that I would like to point out are the tights at Emporio Armani. They compliment the clothes very well, and emphasize the emerging colorblock trend. Not sure how street-worthy they are, but they were a great addition to the show.

Aren't those great?

But dear Emporio didn't stop there with the colorblock. This cute minidress was one of my favorite pieces from his collection. [Once again, it's obviously not cold-weather-ready, but that's fashion for ya]

Very tea party-esque, no?

As far as I can see right now, I don't think I'm going to be covering Paris, simply because nothing thusfar has caught my eye, but I will definitely keep you posted! There are a lot of great things happening for this blog come closer to spring, so stay tuned!

D&G Advertising Controversy

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted in a while. My birthday was on Friday, and I've been wrapped up in all of my plans. And even though it's a bit late, I'm going to do a blog post over the Milan fashion shows within the next couple days, just because I assume that people want to hear what I have to say about the collections.

Now, to the point of today's post. Now, I'm sure you read the headline and cringed while thinking to yourself, oh no, not again. Though this particular "controversy" is really nothing special compared to every other one we hear about, it's one that I have a particularly strong stance about.

The information below is from EiTB24. I got the heads-up about the article on The Fashion Spot.

Dolce & Gabbana angry at advertising campaign controversy in Spain

Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has branded Spain as being 'behind the times' for demanding it withdraw a controversial advertising campaign, a newspaper reported on Friday.

Dolce & Gabbana plans to pull the advertisement, which shows a man holding a woman to the ground by her wrists while a group of men look on, following complaints from consumers' groups. "We will only withdraw this photo from the Spanish market. They're a bit behind the times," La Vanguardia newspaper quoted the Milan-based fashion house as saying.

Dolce & Gabbana, known for their risque clothes and adverts, declined to comment on the matter.

Spain's Labour and Social Affairs Ministry branded the campaign as illegal and humiliating to women, saying the woman's body position had no relation to the products Dolce & Gabbana were trying to sell.

"One could infer from the advertisement that it is acceptable to use force as a way of imposing oneself on a woman, reinforced by the passive and complicit manner of the men looking on," the ministry said in a statement.

Dolce & Gabbana defended the campaign as art in comments reported by La Vanguardia. "What has an artistic photo got to do with a real act?" the paper quoted the firm as saying. "You would have to burn museums like the Louvre or the paintings of Caravaggio."

The fracas follows criticism from Britain's advertising watchdog last month about another Dolce & Gabbana campaign showing models brandishing knives.

The British Advertising Standards Authority upheld more than 150 complaints from people concerned that the pictures glorified and condoned violent crime. In that case, the company said the ads were heavily stylised and mimicked early 19th century art.

Now, I don't have a picture of the ad, but you can go to either of the links above the article and see it if you haven't yet.

My opinion on the issue? First of all, I think it's pretty ridiculous that some people, no matter what the intended purpose of the artwork, have to twist the facts and infer things that are apparently only obvious to the select few. When I look at that ad, I think, okay, it's D&G, theres a gorgeous girl and a bunch of guys, and they're all presumably wearing the new designs (except most of the males are shirtless I believe). Yes, you would notice that the girl is being pinned down, but to a normal person, that doesn't automatically make you think that it's advocating rape, or in the least, rough sex. Besides, if you see this in a magazine, most likely a fashion magazine, you would realize that the purpose of the picture is to advertise a clothing line, nothing more, nothing less.

I'm sorry if that was a little harsh, but I get worked up over issues of artistic censorship, which is exactly what Spain is doing with this advertisement. And they say the U.S. is bad...

Anyways, once again, I would like outside opinions. Even if they're different from mine, maybe you can help me understand the rationale behind this.

Menswear - Yes or No?

According to sources such as the JC Report, menswear is back in full swing for Fall 2007.

However, I will admit that I've never been a big fan of boy-meets-girl style. So, I'd like to get a few more opinions on the issue by offering a few examples that showcase the different aspects of this look.

In London, designers such as Paul Smith somehow found out to make menswear cute, as you can see in the following pieces.

He also brought a bit of retro flair to his collection, envoking a 1920s and '30s feel by taking a simple suit jacket, adding feminine details such as the bell sleeves, and pairing it with a velvet dropwaist dress.

However, this baggy style was questionable. It doesn't seem like it would flatter many figures other than stick-straight model types.

Balenciaga's Prefall 07 collection gave us a sneak peek of a different type of menswear- a more straight-laced, military-inspired version.

In New York, Marc Jacobs also harnessed a bit of a vintage feel with this simple suit ensemble. [I might also add that, as usual, he uses color very well here]

Overall, this style is pretty straightforward. For the most part, it involves clean lines, expensive fabrics, and a can-do attitude.

So what do YOU, the readers, think? Is this type of style street-worthy? What looks do you love? What looks do you hate? Let me know!

My Spring Beauty Picks

One of the hottest spring beauty looks involves fairly natural colors, playing down the eyes and instead making the look pop with flushed pink lips. Below are some products that I've recently discovered [or rediscovered] that will help you complete this look flawlessly.

First, you have to start with a clean palette. One great line that has always worked for me is Biore. My new favorite product is this pore unclogging scrub that not only cleanses and reduces the look of pimples, but makes your skin feel silky smooth. Plus, it smells wonderful!

Biore Pore Perfect Pore Unclogging Scrub, $6.99, Walgreens

Now, to start off your natural beauty look, whether or not you normally use foundation, this product works wonders. It's a powder compact like I've never seen before. It looks a bit like an eyeshadow arrangement, with a mosaic of different colors, but when blended together they all work together to even out skin tone and give you a natural looking finish. [It also comes as a bronzer, if you're into that sort of thing]

Physician's Formula Powder Palette in Translucent, $12.95, PhysiciansFormula.com

Translucent, as far as I can tell, works on all skin tones, and really works to make you look as natural as possible, while still masking any imperfections you may have. The compact comes with a built-in mirror and its own little powder puff, but I prefer to use a natural bristle powder brush, which come in all different shapes and sizes, and allow you much more control over the type of coverage you're getting.

On eyes, gold eyeshadow seems to be the pick of the litter, however, I find that it doesnt look right on fairer skintones. So, I would suggest layering up a good mascara, such as MaxFactor's new Lash Perfection. It has that funky looking rubber bristle brush, which works very well at separating your lashes and adding volume. My eyelashes are fairly dark, so I normally use the blackest one I can find, but if I'm trying to play them down, I pick a dark brown.

MaxFactor Lash Perfection Mascara, price unknown, MaxFactor.com

You may also wish to line your eyes on the bottom only with either a brown or gray eyeliner.

Finally, the lips. When I first began researching this look, I didn't think it could be done keeping all face types and skintones in mind. But this product acts more like a lip stain than an actual lipstick. The best way I can describe it is tinted lipgloss in stick form, that adds natural-looking color to your lips with just a hint of sparkle. The best shade for all skintones is a light pink called Shimmering Blush. [take it from me, because I hardly ever look good in pinks]

And did I mention it has SPF 20? What better solution for looking great while still being able to enjoy the sunshine!

Neutrogena MoistureShine Soothing Lipsheers, price unknown, Neutrogena.com

Looking for that last little punch to your beauty look? Try Sally Hansen's Fire Opal Nail Glaze in Goldspun Opal. It's a shimmery, sheer, pinkish-gold tone that works great with this neutral makeup look. www.sallyhansen.com.

Oh, to be rich...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!! Today, I'm going to try something new for my blog, as a little special treat to you. Something I've never done before. Ready? Here goes.

Over the years, I've gradually fallen more and more in love with Diane Von Furstenburg. However, her most recent collection on shopbop has completely taken my breath away.
That is, until I remembered the price tags.

Diane Von Furstenburg Renny Wrap Dress, $325, Shopbop

The price of beauty happens to be far too high for the average college student [such as myself]. But if I actually had $300-$400 to spend on a dress, I would definitely snatch up one of Diane's.

So, I decided to make it my mission to find equally [or almost-equally] stunning pieces that create the same effect without breaking my already severely stretched wallet.

Impossible? Let's hope not.

After searching far and wide on the good ol' internet, I came to this acceptable conclusion:

Obviously, Diane Von Furstenburg's innovative designs are impossible to duplicate, BUT there are inexpensive alternatives to achieve the same styling effect.

So, I've taken two of DVF's magnificent creations and their [for lack of a better word - cheaper] counterparts, comparing them side-by-side and offering you tips along the way to make your clothes look high-end, when in reality, they're far from it.

First up: The Classic DVF Wrap Dress, modernized for this spring season with a bit shorter skirt.

As you can see, these pieces are quite similar. Both have the half sleeves; similar structure, length, and V-neck; and an eye-catching print. However, the Diane Von Furstenburg dress is an outfit in itself. The latter will need just a bit of updating. Since the print is a bit more drab than the DVF number, I would suggest dressing it up a bit with a large medallion necklace. Add a nice pair of pumps and you're good to go!

Diane Von Furstenburg Jeanne Wrap Dress, $325, Shopbop; and GoJane Lainey Dress, $38.99, GoJane.com

Next is something fairly new from Diane, a sweaterdress, presumably a product of her fall collection, compared to a piece from Urban Outfitters, the epitome of chic for teens and twenty-somethings.

This is one of my favorite looks because of its simplicity and functionality. Both dresses can easily be paired with leggings or tights and boots for a cozy winter look.

Now for the comparison. Both pieces have a similar structure, as well as a large knit pattern and unique collar. The DVF dress is more visually interesting overall, due to the button details and hood. However, the less expensive competitor has long sleeves, which proves to be more functional.

Diane von Furstenburg Kody Cable Knit Sweater Dress, $415, Shopbop; and Free People Funnel Neck Sweater Tunic, sale price $49.99, Urban Outfitters

Hopefully this leads some of you more monetary-conscious fashionistas in the right direction to find unique, stylish pieces for spring and fall that won't damage your budget.

Designer Spotlight: Katharine Sise

As seen in the December 2006 Issue of Elle Magazine; funky, vintage-style jewelry designer Katharine Sise has a great line of necklaces that mix cute and edgy surprisingly well.

Katharine Sise Gold Bat over Jade Necklace, $195, Azalea Online

This piece is a prime example of Katharine's offbeat creativity- Mixing feminine objects like precious stones with unexpected items like handcuffs, skulls, and bats.

Below are a few of my favorite pieces. To locate stores, visit Katharinesise.com, or you can buy selected pieces (such as these) online at Azalea Online.

Katharine Sise Hematite Black Tusk w/ Gold Leaf and Quartz, $295, Azalea Online

Katharine Sise Carne Sand Dir, $228, Azalea Online

Katharine Sise Skull Tusk Heart Necklace, $147, Azalea Online

Trend Alert: Quilted/Woven Handbags

A clearly understated element of style for fall 2007 has been the numerous woven or quilted details found on bags by designers such as Fendi, Bottega Veneta, and Marc Jacobs.

Now, this type of detailing isn't anything new to the fashion world, simply a recycling of an old idea. However, designers are changing it up a bit for the fall '07 season by adding interesting details, such as cut-outs, metallic leather, and bright, funky colors.

Bottega Veneta Marquise Mini Tote, $1820

Fendi Crossword Grande Mirrored Bag, $2,230, eLuxury

Marc Jacobs Collection Quilted Stam Bag, $1,275, eLuxury

This modern take on a classic accessory is sure to have some staying power, and probably a long waiting list, so grab up these one-of-a-kind statement pieces right away!

ANDY WARHOL DENIM COLLECTION!!!

Okay, I literally had a fashion coronary when I saw denimology's article about these. Levi's is coming out with a new line called Warhol Factory X.

Now, this may not seem like a big deal to anyone but me, but man am I excited for these. Andy Warhol may very well be my all-time favorite modern artist. I even have an incredibly unique tote bag from Spencer's featuring one of his famous "pop art" designs.

I'm such a nerd, but I love this bag.

more looks from the website:

as a sidenote-does anyone know who the model is in these photographs? just curious.

She definitely represents the clothes very well. I'm not sure I've seen her before, so hopefully we'll be seeing more of her.

Headgear - yes or no?

One recurring theme on the runways this season was the use of headgear. The looks ranged from normal, everyday hats to scarves, and even more ridiculous forms of headwear.

Now, I completely understand the functional attributes of having the models wear different types of hats on the runway. However, can this concept be applied to everyday fashion?

Let's look at a couple of the more extreme examples.

Jill Stuart, Fall 2007

I'm not really sure what you can even call this furry- for lack of a better term- animal. I think the purpose of this one was to give a more wintery feel to the looks, but on the street, this would look absolutely ridiculous.

Felipe Olivera Baptista, for reasons completely unknown to me, decided to have some of his models wear horse heads - yes you heard me correctly - horse heads. The black and white variations mimicked the color pallete of most of his pieces, and also added to the horse hair motif found on the extremely high platform shoes the models wore. But, Felipe, why horses? That happens to be the last thing I think of when I think of fashion.

Erin Fetherston, Fall 2007

This look, however, is one that I can see easily translating to everyday life. It reminds me of a sequined swim cap, or winter beanie. This happens to be a more glamorous take on normal winter headwear, and maybe it could catch on.

And of course, the wearing of scarves has been around in the United States since the days of sharecroppers, and it may be the most functional type of headwear known to man.

So, what's the verdict? How do you see headgear translating from the runways to the streets, and what's your take on some of the more extreme looks on the runway this year?

Coincidence?

I'm no stranger to the fact that the fashion world has an open sharing of ideas, but is it possible that two pieces by two completely different designers could be almost identical?

I was looking at an email I recieved from shopbop and I saw these stunning flats by Tory Burch.

Nappa Leather Reva Ballet Flats, $195, Shopbop

And I remembered seeing a similar style elsewhere, on Steve Madden's website. So I went back to check, and I actually found three different variations. These two were the ones that most closely resembled the Tory Burch design:

Dagny and Matrixx, $79.95 each, Steve Madden

Now, you can obviously see the similarities here. Both are a black ballet flat with a bit of a heel, and a large medallion like design on the front. Obviously each medallion design is different, but I thought it was odd that upon first glance, the Dagny style in particular, the styles looked so similar as to be indifferentiable.

However, the Steve Madden styles are obviously made of different, and much cheaper, materials, and they also come in a variety of colors and fabrics, such as metallic and patent leather.

I'd like to hear everyone else's opinions on this one. Do you have any opinions on this coincidence, and have you seen others like it?

Designer Spotlight: Karen Zambos Vintage Couture

Let's face it, what fashionista doesn't absolutely adore vintage? Well, I do, but when I stumbled upon Karen Zambos Vintage Couture my mouth dropped. She has managed to craft stunning pieces combining both vintage style and the hottest new trends. The result? Comfortable, versatile pieces that are worth the price tag and then some. The following pieces are this year's new additions to her line, as she has recently started expanding her repertoire to include dresses.

One element that ties all of her pieces together is the recurrence of light, loose, drapey fabric.

This definitely adds to the comfort level, and it also means that the pieces are low-maintainance and will probably last as long as you're willing to wear them.

Her must-see designs are definitely the minidresses. Eye-catching, versatile, colorful, what more could you want?

My two favorites:

Nicole Dress, $319, shopbop

Tie Tank Mini Dress, $385, shopbop

The price tag may seem a little much for the penny-pinchers out there, but I assure you that these pieces are well worth it.

Applied Style: Fall 2007 Runway

First post! And what better way to start out a new style blog than with NY Fashion Week highlights!

Now, one trend that swept the runway this year was this idea:

Use a heavily neutral pallette with only a small a splash of vibrant color.

DKNY exhibited beautiful layered knits in different shades of gray...

...as well as a splash of bright pinks and purples.

BCBG's collection included more extremes, with monochromatic styles.

They also included more creams and browns in their collection, offering more diversity.

But once again, with the occasional splash of red or pale blue.

Miss Sixty approached the monochromatic look with eye-catching metallics...

...and neutral prints.

They also took the "splash of color" concept a bit further with red accessories...

...like these patent leather boots.

I believe that this trend is the most "wearable" for the upcoming fall season. It will be incredibly easy for anyone to replicate this particular design concept, even someone on a tight budget (I'm a poor college student, believe me, I know). Even if you don't buy the pieces featured here, or ones similar to them, the overall concept is universal - and in the fashion world, it's really nothing new.