Last Week's Shoot!

Here are some great images from my shoot last week with Samira Georgi....

Samira is an amazing photographer, model, dancer, and all-round Renaissance woman... Our shoot on thursday produced some gorgeous images with the help of our make-up artist Lindsey :)

Currently Obsessed With....

Long skirts!

I'm not even sure if I can pull this look off being 5'3" and pretty curvy but that won't stop me from trying a few on...



I'm really into Ashley Olsen right now so expect more AO inspired posts in the near future...

Just My Opinion...

I'm a little late to be getting mad about this, but I was flipping through the November issue of Harper's Bazaar and found myself getting super annoyed...

The issue featured Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks, and unless you've been living under a rock, you're probably aware that Hendricks is both stunningly beautiful and a bit curvier than your average Hollywood starlet.

The thing that really got under my skin was the fact that Hendricks manages to dress herself well everyday of her life but the fine folks at Harper's weren't up to the the task. As you can see in the picture below, there are plenty of clothes that both fit and flatter a girl who lacks the physique of a Samolian refugee.....

But I can't figure out why a stylist would dress a woman like Hendricks in the clothes they used in the images below. I get how the fashion industry works and I understand that sample sizes rarely run bigger than a 4 and that magazines have this problem constantly when shooting actresses but I happen to think that they should be capable of figuring out a way to get flattering clothes.

Come one Harper's Bazaar... Get your head out of your ass!

I Sometimes Wish I Was A French Woman Because...

..... French women have mastered the art of looking effortlessly chic....

.....They always have the best leather jackets...

......Crepes au Chocolat.....

.....They've mastered the smokey eye, messy hair thing....

..... They're still allowed to smoke...

.... and even though they all seem to have small boobies, they're world renowned for their sex appeal....

Is it too late to defect?

Currently Obsessed With....

Emma Watson's Marie Claire cover!





I love the haircut but I'm curious how long she'll stick with it... It always seems like when a young starlet gets a short, edgy haircut she's rocking extensions within six months. Of course when an actress does a dramatic cut, its usually for a role (Natalie Portman for V for Vendetta or Sienna Miller for Factory Girl) but Emma was just playing with her new, grown-up look.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see but I hope she stays with it because I, for one, am sick of all hot young starlets adhering to the uniform of super long Kardashian-locks...

Christmas List Vol. 1....

I've decided that this year I'll make it easy for friends/family/santa to shop for me by posting my X-mas list right here. There may be a second updated list but these are a few things that I've been putting off getting for myself...... and yes I'm aware this is materialistic and not in keeping with the true meaning of the holiday season.... I just don't care ;)

P.S. I encourage all friends and family to make similar lists and/or drop hints, I'd rather give you something you truely want than take a guess...

Paula Deen 2 qt. Steel Tea Kettle in Charcoal (Target.com)

Kate Moss: Style, by Angela Buttolph (Amazon.com)

Kobo Candle #24 (Red Tree in Hampden)

Richard Avedon Photography Books, 'Photographs 1946-2004' and 'Fashion' (Amazon.com)

Currently Obsessed With....

Hermes Birkin Bags....

I don't know why, but lately I've been loving the structured look of this classic bag. I always found the Birkin to be too 'uptown' or sophisticated for my taste, like lines that clean were reserved for the 40 and over set. Lately, however, I've been drown to the look of a big structured bag on the arm of a young, casually thrown together girl. Blame it on the Olsen twins but I just can't seem to shake the attraction....

Since the Birkin's price tag hovers somewhere around the $2000 mark, I can safely say that I won't be getting the real thing any time soon. So here are a few more realistic options with the same structured sleekness that I've been craving....

Michael Kors $298

While this is a fraction of the price of an Hermes bag, this Michael Kors tote is still an investment for the average gal.

Urban Expressions $72

This is a great option for this price range, but I must say it screams "knock-off" a little too loudly for my taste. I always prefer a piece that share the aesthetic and feeling of the original rather than one that tries too hard to replicate the details but that's a matter of personal taste.

Best.Day.Ever.

After two long months spent on pre-order, my Nina leopard shoes have finally arrived!!!

Last month's shoot w/ Beverli A.!!

Here are some pics from my shoot last month with an amazing D.C. photographer named Beverli A. and one of my favorite stylists, Mia...

Back from NY...

Just got back from my class at the Redken Exchange with Noah Hatton, who is completely brilliant....

Here are a few super blurry pics of me and my model Sara (who is a total trooper) on-set in NYC...

Look 1: light and "beachy"

Look 2: Minimal (Sara is doing her best impression of a Calvin Klein model)

Hair Trends- Spring '11

While Fashion Week is really about the clothes, the latest beauty trends start here as well. Being a hair junkie myself, I figured it was only fitting that I make my predictions for the looks you'll be seeing for spring 2011....

At Mulberry, every model took to the runway in a flame-red wig complete with strong bangs that immediately brought to mind the look of Brit pop singer Florence Welch. The Florence and the Machine front woman has become a bit of a style setter and I think we'll be seeing this edgy yet wearable style everywhere for the next few months..

Mulberry

As Mad Men fever continues to permeate the popular culture, sixties silhouettes are popping up all over. Vera Wang's models were sporting retro volume with a messy spin which could be easily toned down for a fashionable young lady heading off to a spring wedding or special night out.

Vera Wang

The texture play continues! Models at Marc Jacobs (both his main line and his Marc by Marc collection) and Badgley Mischka sported full looks that feel both retro and contemporary as they build on the return to curl that we've been seeing the last few seasons.

Badgley Mischka Marc Jacobs


Some of the trends weren't entirely new but showed what recent looks will carry over into spring. Marchesa showed top knots with a more formal twist while Micheal Kors and Proenza Schouler kept the hair messy and very 'beach chic'.

So much for keeping up...

Keeping in mind that I don't love spring style in general, I'm usually looking for things that don't feel too "springy".... Rachel Roy's collection is my personal favorite so far..

Light and airy, without being too bohemian for me...

Sharp cut with a graphic print, a great transition from cool, early spring into warmer weather..

.

Start your engines... Its Fashion Week!!

That magical time is upon us once more and I'm pretty damn excited! While the spring collections are never my fav (I simply like fall clothes more), Its still going to be fun and I'll be posting my personal highlights from the collections. Since I'm not Style.com, I won't have time to post everything but I'm going to do my best to keep up.


Here's a little something fun to kick the week off!

Spring '11 hair trend? God I hope not...

Urbanite!

As many of you know, I did a little hair styling for a feature for Urbanite... While most of the images I was involved with didn't make the final cut, I did come across this cute shot of Tawni T. from the band Odd Girl Out, shot at The Ottobar with Wardrobe Styling by Devon Morris and Hair by me :)

Fall Wardrobe Additions....

My favorite time of year is upon us... The magazines are thicker, the clothes are newer and the weather is (a little) cooler.
In celebration of the new season I spent a few hours at the mall with my good friend Jessie Sue. While she was on the hunt for work attire for a new job, I was looking for a wardrobe update.
Thanks to her sensible influence and the insane labor day weekend sales, I arrived home with stylish basics that will work for seasons to come. I scored versitale Gap pants in both skinny and boot cuts, super soft J.Crew henley tees ($9.99!!), and cute, comfortable fall boots from DSW. With all of these basics, I have to start dreaming about the more fashion-forward touchs I want wear with them.....

hmmmmm....

A Black Maxi Skirt to go with a soft tee and a leather jacket for an Olsen inspired look....

asos.com

A Sequin Tank is great with black pants and even better with mixed with military inspired peices for something more unexpected...

J.Crew

A Drape-Front Leather jacket is great with a blouse and skinny trousers (or even that Black Maxi Skirt)...

MM Couture

Way too hot for Fall Fashion...

But not too hot for me to share my 5 favorite Fall trends! I've already been spending hours cracking into the September issues, and here are a few things to get you inspired for the approaching season...

1) Military- Army green jackets and vests, work boot-inspired heels, and skinny cargo pants...

*Do Not.... Bring back camouflage! No one needs to look like the surly kid from jr. high.

marc by marc jacobs

2) Leopard- I don't really think of leopard as a "trend" because it never truly goes out of style...This season is all about the amazing bags and shoes...

*Do Not- Match leopard prints! use it as an accent for christ's sake...

3.1 Phillip Lim

3) Jeggings- I was under the impression that these had been around for a season or two already but they seem to be moving into the forefront for fall. They don't look great on me but I love the layering possibilities...

Do Not- wear them with a short and/or fitted top.. If you don't know that already, then I'm a tad surprised that you're reading a fashion blog..

New York and Co. $26.95!!

4) Fur- vests, accessories, and embellishments (think collars and trims).. Leopard vests are everywhere (hey, you can kill two trends with stone)

Do Not- Over do it! I adore a fur vest as much as the next girl, but this season its more mainstream rather than a go-to for the bolder fashionista (or Zoe admirer)...

Rachel Zoe for QVC

5) Grey and Grey-ish Purple nails- does this actually require an explanation?

Steel by RGB (a cool industrial grey)

Paradoxal by Chanel (not a personal fav but HUGELY popular for fall)

I Must Have Been A Good Person In A Past Life..

As my loyal readers may recall (or not, whatever), I did a post on March 24th about this pair of Alexander Wang leopard wedges that I'm obsessed with beyond words....













These little beauties are both hard to get your hands on and exist somewhere around the $700 price point.... with that in mind, I had given up hope long ago...
That was until I opened a magazine while settling in for a short flight to Chicago and saw these...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nina, a shoe brand you may recognize from countless hours at the mall, has produced an adorable pair of shoes that are clearly "inspired" by Wang's fall '10 sensation. They ring in at around $100, making them much more realistic for the average gal.
So while I may dream of the real thing, I rushed to my computer and put in a pre-order for the October shipping date of these attainable little miracles...

Vintage Fendi!!

I'm thrilled to report that I've just returned from another successful trip to Vogue Revisited, Roland Park's amazing consignment outpost...

Today's find was a late-80's vintage Fendi shoulder bag! Its distinctively vintage looking, but sleek and modern enough to go with most of my clothes :)

Its sorta like this...

YAY!!!!!