Fashion on a Budget: Bridal Addition

With so many people getting engaged over the holidays, it's about time to start looking for that perfect wedding dress. If you're a bride on a budget fear not, because David's Bridal has paired with Vera Wang for "White", an exclusive line of gowns and it hits stores today! Vera Wang is a huge name in bridal, but normally to get your hands on one of her unique designs you'd be emptying several thousands out of your wallet at the least. Her new line for David's bridal ranges from about $600 to a very reasonable $1500, and they look like they're worth every penny. I'm not one who is easily impressed with wedding gowns, but I have to admit that some of these are absolutely amazing, especially at such a low price point. With the popularity of budget stores pairing with fashion designers these days, hopefully we will see even more hopping on the bridal band wagon.

Some of the pieces actually look rather couture! I'm excited to see where this partnership goes with these two.

If you're in the market for a wedding dress hurry up and make an appointment today. You can check out all of the styles and prices here.

Muy Importante!

Ok ladies, (Texas ladies in particular) I have some very exciting information to share. I'll give you a clue: this store is an absolute staple in a lot of other states, especially on the East Coast, but they have really neglected us here in the south. Per a very reliable source (ahem Brennan) there is officially an H&M store in Dallas!! Well, it's actually a "preview store", which from what a gather is a smaller version with far less variety but it's a HUGE step! It looks like the plan is to get a permanent location set up around September of this year in one of the larger malls. For now the store is located at North Park mall, which may very well end up being the permanent home for H&M. I for one will be making a trek to Dallas in the very near future. Move over Forever 21, there's a new kid on the block!

Paris Haute Couture: Elie Saab

Ok, I'm a HUGE Elie Saab fan...I mean huge. I'm pretty confident you will feel the same when you see what I'm about to show you. His Paris show was full of romantic gowns of various lengths, adorned with sequins and lace. There were pastels, deep reds, and chic blacks, all with beautiful intricate details that are so typical of Elie. I wish I could post every single dress on here, but there are so so many, each one even more amazing than the last. I really have a hard time finding the words for this collection, as my jaw has permanently dropped at the sight of them. Feast your eyes on these gorgeous dresses below.

If you'll excuse me, I've got to get busy figuring out how to get each and every one of these dresses into my closet on the double!

2011 SAG Awards: Best and Worst Dressed

Oh how I love award show season! Sunday night was the SAG awards and the ladies really brought it...most of them. Check out my list of best and worst dressed below.



I always like to start with the bad news first....

Nicole Kidman in Nina Ricci. Ok the dress is gorgeous, I love the lace and the low back. Love the color. However...I take major issue with her necklace. I don't know what her stylist was smoking when she put that god awful necklace on her, but she should know better. You just do not put a necklace on a beautiful dress with a neckline that high. It should be a crime.

Fail Nicole.

Amy Adams in Herve Leroux. Again, I actually love the dress. It's gorgeous, and it fits her beautifully. Unfortunately, white is rather difficult to wear on the red carpet, so you really have to look great to pull it off. This color is just awful on her. She is too pale to be wearing it. If it were jewel tone like an emerald or jade color she would easily be one of my best dressed. But it's not. C'est la vie.

As a side note she should be wearing spanx. Everyone should know that when you're on the red carpet you wear them. She's not the only one guilty of this unfortunately, but she's the one I'm calling out. Spanx just pull everything in, and when you're wearing a dress this tight it's just a necessary evil.

Hailee Steinfeld in Prada. This dress was actually short when it went down the runway, so she had some length added to it. I do like it long more than I do short however, I can't look at this dress without thinking Chiquita Banana. I totally appreciate that she went with a young look and didn't overdo the hair and makeup. The stripes are just too much for me. She looked great at the Golden Globes though, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the Oscars.

And of course the best dressed ladies of the night:

Natalie Portman in Azzaro. THIS is how you pull of white! She looked amazing in this body-hugging dress. Her jewelry is perfection and she looks great showing off her baby bump. She really pulled it all togeher well, and I have nothing bad to say.

Mila Kunis in Alexander McQueen. She looks absolutely amazing. The color is stunning on her and I think it fits her perfectly. I love that she's such a short girl, but you would never know that when you see her on the red carpets because she makes such great dress choices. She was also wearing about $300,000 worth of Cartier jewelry so you know, that always helps. She was definitely my best dressed, followed closely by Natalie Portman. Of course I am partial to McQueen...and to Mila.

Jennifer Lawrence in Louis Vuitton. Let me preface this by saying, the black belt was a win but the bow...the bow I hate. I do dislike bows in general so I'm not an impartial party here. If she had simply turned the bow around to the back and left a clean black belt in the front it would be perfect.

January Jones in Carolina Herrera. I have to say, I don't usually approve of January Jones' dress choices so this was a total surprise. Especially after that Versace mess she wore to the Golden Globes, which was arguably one of the worst dresses there. The dress is chic, and the hair is perfect. Notice the lack of jewelry near with the high neckline...ahem Ms. Kidman.

Most of the ladies really hit it out of the park this year. I would like to mention that not all of my worst dressed ladies made are listed above *ahem* Jenna Fischer you know who you are. SO excited for the Oscars in a couple of week!

Chanel ≥ Heaven

There is absolutely no one that can do couture like Chanel, and this week was a perfect example. The standard structured jackets are still a staple this season, but the dresses on the other hand are light and airy, something we don't always see from Karl Lagerfeld. Sheer metallic fabrics were adorned with a total of ten million beads (yep, you read that correctly) to create looks that were etherial in nature. The line was actually inspired by Marie Laurencin, who in 1923 was commissioned to paint a portrait of Coco Chanel (seen below). Laurencin painted her wearing a black and blue draped dress. Though Chanel requested the portrait, the creator of the LBD (little black dress) wasn't satisfied, and refused to buy the painting claiming that it did not look like her. It now sits in the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. Annnd that's your history lesson for the day. Below you'll find my favorites from the Chanel runway and boy are the doozies. Karl Lagerfeld can do not wrong in my book.

Painting of Coco Chanel

By far my favorite piece from this collection. I mean honestly...amazing.

J'adore Dior

It's Haute Couture Week in Paris, which means tons of meticulously hand-crafted pieces are floating down the Parisien runways as we speak. Unless you have so much money that you can't possibly figure out what to do with it all, (in which case hi, let me introduce myself because I am more than qualified to take that cash off of your hands...as a favor of course) or you plan to attend the Oscars (as a nominee, not just a seat filler) you have zero chance of getting your hands on one of these amazing dresses. This is where I come in. The looks for Christian Dior this season had a very retro 1950's vibe, that was mixed in with romantic frilly frocks, the likes of which would make any fashionista swoon. The headpieces were a-maz-ing, and totally completed these looks. Check out some of my absolute favorites below.

I am a total sucker for structured shoulders right now!

Flowers, and feathers, and ruffles ...oh my! John Galliano, you've done it again!

It's Time!

Thanksgiving and Christmas are both awesome and all with their huge family meals and gift giving and receiving however, fashion week is by far my most favorite time of year. And the best part? It happens TWICE per year! Take that Christmas! So battery is officially working on the computer and internet is up again (thanks Time Warner for being so dependable always) and this means I can get back to it, and what better time that New York Fashion Week? I know there are so many clothes and designers to discuss, but I need to take a minute to talk about the heart attack I had when I reviewed the photos of Christian Siriano's Spring 2011 Payless collaboration. Unveiled during the show for his ready-to-wear line, the platform shoes were sky high, geometric masterpieces. Unsure of the price point for these babies, but they promise to be much more affordable for those of us who don't have thousands laying around. Keep an eye out, because they'll be going fast ya'll! Feast your eyes on these gorgeous creations:

I mean, these are beyond sick. I'll be setting up camp outside my nearest Payless store until these hit the shelves. Do you get time off for fashion?

Do you hate me yet?

No more empty promises. Post #1 of many to come.

I read an interview with Rachel Zoe on Fabsugar where she listed her must haves for this spring, one of which was the statement cuff. I'm a huge fan of a fabulous cuff, so I decided to go hunting for affordable statement bracelets for this spring and summer. Check out my finds below.

Max and Chloe-Torquoise Bubbles Cuff

This is the most expensive one I found, but it's still a great deal at $68. Totally worth a little extra cash.

Asos Hammered Metal Cuff

I'm in love with this one because a. I like purple, and b. I love me a gorgeous stone...on anything. This cuff looks more expensive than its $27 price tag.

Amrita Singh-Reina Filligree Cuff

You could pair this one with just about anything! And it's a total steal at $30!

Forever 21-Embossed Stone Cuff

As is the case with all Forever 21 goodies (and the reason I buy SO much jewelry here), this cuff is a super cheapie at $6.80. You can afford to buy one for yourself and for your friends (ahem).

Zac Attack!

No, I'm not talking Saved By The Bell here...I'm talking Posen. You know, that man who makes dresses to die for that can make any woman look amazing. ANY.  As you probably are aware (or maybe not), he's doing a line for Target this spring. Well ladies and gents, I have the official release date and it's soon! I sort of had a bit of only-child syndrome when I read this and thought maybe I shouldn't share this because then, obviously, more for me! Upon reflection, I decided not to be a stingy bitch. Who's excited?!

** I was so excited to be back in the blog game that I forgot to give you the release date (as pointed out by my ever-observant friend Jenny). The release date is April 25th! Yay! I'll try to remember next time to include in the blog entry the subject in which it was supposed to be about in the first place. 

the fashion world mourns an icon

Alexander McQueen, one of the greatest and most unique designers of our time has passed away today. McQueen was the head designer for Givenchy before founding his McQ and Alexander McQueen labels. His completely unconventional and artistic style is amazing to watch on the runway. If you are unfamiliar with his work, I highly suggest checking out some of his shows, a few of which can be found here, here, and here. While we all mourn the passing of such an amazing artist, check out some of my personal favorites of his. 

 

"I think the idea of mixing luxury and mass-market fashion is very modern — wearing head-to-toe designer has become a bit passé. It’s a new era in fashion — there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, and up-and-coming designers all together. " -Alexander McQueen 

all points bulletin!

Strut is having a huge 2-day sale. And when I say huge I mean it! EVERYTHING in the store is 80% off. Day one was today so you're too late for that but you've still got tomorrow to hit up your local Strut store for some cheap clothes, accessories, and shoes. I will warn you, pickens are slim...but I managed to find a few staples for myself of course.

 I spent a whopping $47.00 on all of these things. Although I really tend to shop at Strut only when they have sales since I feel like their clothes are a tad overpriced for what they are, these pieces were totally worth it.