The Best Red Carpet Looks of 2012

Happy New Years Eve everyone! 2012 has been a year to remember. From surviving an "apocalypse" to Beyonce's becoming the world's coolest mom, well, It's been an interesting year. Let's take a look back through the many red carpet reports of 2012 and reminisce on the truly  noteworthy looks of 2012.

When I saw Rita Ora in this red Marchesa dress, it was an absolute no brainer that she would make red carpet history for 2012. Not only is this dress gorgeous, it's hard to pull off. Major props to Rita for having the fashion balls to don this dress, I'm just so glad someone wore it! 

Dior's front woman Charlize Theron has closets full of the brand, so I wasn't particularly shocked when she wore this blushing pink gown to the Golden Globes. What I love about this look is the whole princess fairy vibe it emits, from the elegant hair and nude makeup to the perfect strappy heel, this dress was made for little girls that love to play dress up.

It's not really a years best dressed list if Beyonce isn't on it, right? This new mommy and fierce hip hop mogul turned heads in this custom Givenchy Haute Couture gown at the MET Ball. Honestly, who else could wear this BUT Beyonce?

This was the dress that made me love Zuhair Murad. Blake lively channeled old hollywood at the premiere of her movie Savages, and had fashion critics over the moon. The main thing I love about this look is that its so unique. No one in 2012 has worn anything quite like this. Years from now, I think this will be looked back on an iconic look for Blake, and the designer.

Everyone knows I'm a sucker for pretty colors, and this dress is no exception. Diane Kruger is often known for her extraordinary fashion choices, so when she chose this pretty and ethereal Giambattista Valli gown for the Cannes Film Festival, I was pleasantly surprised. You don't often see a color like this grace the red carpet, so when you do, it's definitely a memorable occurrence.

Never underestimate the power of simplicity. Gwyneth Paltrow's simple yet elegant Tom Ford gown and statement cuff was a huge sartorial success. She's positively glowing, proof that a good dress can be magical ( and a professional crew of makeup artists, but whatever.)

One look at Karolina Kurkovas MET Ball dress and several designer names will pop through your head.Valentino? Dior? Carolina Herrera? Nope, much to everyone's surprise it was a custom Rachel Zoe creation. This glittering gold gown took my breathe away, it's absolutely stunning. While I don't understand the whole head wrap situation, it's almost goes by unnoticed due to the glamour of the dress.

Girls everywhere were gasping with jealousy when Kate Middleton hit the red carpet in this stunning  blue Jenny Packham dress. This dress is just undeniably beautiful, and the fact that its being worn by royalty just adds the icing on top of the cake.

Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev sparkled in her custom black and gold Donna Karan Atelier gown at the MET Ball. Another beautiful custom dress that makes little girls want to play dress up. (sigh)

Since I am a princess at heart, Eva Longoria's Marchesa dress at the Cannes Film Festival had me in awe. This has to be one of my favorites, she looks like pure royalty, I love how the train has a lavender tint, it complements the silver beaded bodice flawlessly.



So that's what the stars offereed us in 2012, hopefully 2013 is full of memorable fashion and even more surprises.

Fashion Friday

It's that time of week again ladies and gents, Fashion Friday! Let's see what the stars have presented us with this week.


Best:

Gwen Stefani hitting the streets of NYC in this color blocked blazer and skinnies with black boots.  A drastic improvement from her previous street style choices.

Taylor Swift looking adorably  chic and laid back in this brown and striped ensemble shopping in L.A. Where can we get that bag Tay?! 

Hailee Steinfeld ( I met her!) at her birthday celebration in this Louis Vuitton number and adorable nude mary janes. Tres chic Ms. Steinfeld.

Stacy Keibler sure knows how to work a leather suit! This Monique Lhuillier  2 piece looked beyond fab on George Clooney's boo as she arrived at the VH1 Divas event.

Also in attendance at the VH1 Divas event was singer Ciara, in this sexy black sequined Pamella Roland dress. 

Kate Bosworth never fails to impress, especially in this Proenza Schoulder dress at the Audi Holiday Party. Check out her Louboutin booties, love them!

 Worst:

Sigh. Britney Spears at the finale of the X factor wearing this black jumpsuit. Nothing really works here, the accessories and shoes don't help at all.  And what's going on with her arm..?

Something went wrong somewhere in the construction of Kat Graham's dress. The see through panels was a unique idea, but got lost around the top of the dress. We know what you were going for Kat, it just never quite worked out.

Rooney Mara sported this sculptural silk sheath from Calvin Klein in Dubai at the Oxfam charity gala. The top part of the dress seems rather odd to me, and the material for the bottom half didn't bode well the rest of the dress. Not a fan.

Oh Uma Thurman, what could have possibly happened that has made you delve into your husbands closet?! Menswear inspired looks are rather hard to pull off and unfortunately this is a prime example. 

Demi Lovato, another attendee of VH1 Divas donned a Topshop dress and YSL heels. This dress isn't particularly  flattering my opinion, while it's not horrible, it's definitely not one of my favorites.

The Best Gossip Girl Outfits of All Time

Admit it, you love Gossip Girl. Even if you don’t watch the show, it’s hard not to love it just because you know it’s gotta have all the fabulous fashion you could only dream of affording. For those of you who don’t know, this iconic drama about the Upper East side social scene came to a dramatic end Monday night, much to the anguish of it’s millions of fans. I’m an avid Gossip Girl lover, admittedly because of the fashion, but also because I just really love Blake Lively. In honor of one of my favorite shows, here’s a recap of the best Gossip Girl outfits to date, ranging from season 1 all the way to season 6. (In no particular order.)

On her way to cotillion, Serena wore this gorgeous gray lace Zuhair Murad gown with a draping waist sash. Honestly, who else could pull this off no perfectly? Ignore her UGG boots on underneath, this pic was shot on set before shooting.

No one can quite compare to Blair Waldorf. Her flair for fashion and scheming never fails to ignite some sort of drama in the show. This dress was specially designed for Blair by stylist and costume designer Eric Daman, who created this dress especially for the cotillion episode. Very Carolina Herrera huh?

One of my favorite episodes has to be when Blair and Serena go to Paris for the summer. Not only does Blair fall for a prince, they dine and shop at some of the most exquisite stores known to luxury. Blair is wearing a mixed print Moschino dress and a fab beret while Serena dons a Georges Chakra basket weave dress with a Rag & Bone blazer. Parisian fashion at it’s finest. For Americans at least.

Who could forget Lil’ J? Dan’s little sister Jenny made a huge splash into the NYC social scene with her aspirations to reach the top of the Manhattan elite. While she did ultimately have a infamous downfall from her temporary throne, who can forget her outfits?! By the way, this is just her school uniform. So unfair!!!

I’ve said before I really don’t like thigh high boots but on Serena, well, it’s an exception. In her Phillip Lim coat and sweater dress plus DKNY plaid tights, no one does winter street style quite like Ms.Vanderwoodsen.

Speaking of cold weather fashion, Blaire’s Gryphon cape and Fendi leather bag are to die for. A classic Blair Waldorf look.

Ah summers in the Hamptons. Even though I’ve never had the pleasure(or the  money) to spend my vacation there, I imagine my outfits would look a lot like this. The Peter Som blouse and Stella McCartney floral skirt is to die for. The color pop of the tote bag is perfect as well.

Royal blue harem pants have never looked so good. The gold blazer was incorporated into this outfit flawlessly, no one does street style quite Serena.

Who can forget Serena’s Ralph Lauren bridesmaid dress? This amazing yellow layered ruffle gown was stunning at Lily and Rufus’ wedding in season 1.

Oh my Oscar. Blaire wore this breathtaking Oscar de la Renta gown in Paris with fuchsia heels for her dinner date with Prince Henrí.

Last, but certainly not least, Blair’s Elie Saab baby blue wedding dress. This season finale outfit had us all oohing and awhing as Blair married Chuck in a dramatic last second wedding. It kills me to see this show end, but at least it ended with a fashionable bang.

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Vogue's 120th Birthday

Happy Birthday to the world's leading fashion magazine, Vogue. On this day in 1892, the very first issue was published to the world by Arthur Baldwin Turnure. It's amazing to see how far Vogue has come, from their first cover displayed below, to the most recent one shown next to it.

Vogue has created an empire of culturally sophisticated women, not only delving into the world of fashion, but the universe around it. Vogue covers economic issues, world debates and even common human problems, such as eating disorders, over spending etc; Reaching over 18 countries, Vogue is widely accepted leader in the fashion and magazine industry.


The largest issue ever published was back in 2007, the September issue. Starring Sienna Miller, this magazine contained over 840 pages jam packed with fabulous fashion. It was stated to weigh over 5 pounds! Talk about some serious fashion.

One of Vogue's most controversial issues arose in 2008, over  cover stars LeBron James and model Giselle Bundchen. A racial debate over wether LeBron's territorial and aggressive stance was stereotypical and similar to that of the King Kong's and  Fay Wray's pose sparked anger throughout the masses.

Racist or  ironically similar?


Every buisness has their ups and downs and I think it can be universally agreed that Vogue has had stunning success. I can't wait to see what the future holds for this magazine and if there are any surprises in store. Happy Birthday Vogue!

Fashion Friday

Well well, a surprising turn of events in the world of stars this week. I have no worst dressed celebrities to put on my list! Sure there were some looks that were less than completely perfect, but none so horrific to feature on the venerable worst dressed list! So I added a few more best dressed, enjoy!

Jessica Chastain in Elie Saab at the premiere of her new controversial film "Zero Dark Thirty." This bright blue lace insert dress was a welcome pop of color to the red carpet, and gives the starlet a fresh glow.

"Les Miserables" star Anne Hathaway at the Museum of Moving Images Salute to Hugh Jackman donning a sequin embellished Nina Ricci nude dress. Anne looked pretty and feminine in this ensemble.

No one does posh better than, well, posh. Spice girl Victoria Beckham hit the red carpet family in tow  at the premiere of the musical " Viva Forever."

Funny lady Leslie Mann attended the premiere of her new comedy "This is 40" in this  white and orange lace detail Vionnet dress. I thought this dress choice was appropriate and elegant, and her polished up do was a great touch.

Blake Lively stepped out in style for the 12-12-12 concert in this bright orange studded Isabel Marant dress. Everybody knows I have a HUGE crush on Blake, her style is beyond fabulous so I wasn't surprised that she had managed to yet again pull of another flawless red carpet look. Everything here is perfect, especially the shoe choice, these nude netted booties are perfection paired with this bold dress.

Amanda Seyfried at the US premiere of "Les Miserables" in this dashing Alexander McQueen dress. She completed this look with a very vampy makeup look and a classic braided up do. I think she looks hauntingly beautiful, this dress calls for a darker more victorian look and she pulled it off effortlessly.

Carmen Electra opted for a elegant cream and silver gown at the American Country Awards and surprised us all with her demure look. Usually focused on sex appeal, her outfits never fail to bring about the Va-Va-Voom factor. But she made a wonderful exception with this gorgeous dress, I wish I knew the designer!

One of my favorite style stars Jessica Alba at the Golden Globe Nominations event in this  bright pink peplum Calvin Klein top and skirt. This minimalist approach to  one of this seasons hottest trends( peplum), was effortlessly pulled off.

The Perfect Holiday Look

Happy Holiday Season! It's the most wonderful time of the year, so how do you dress during this special time? Especially for those holiday parties and get togethers, how do you incorporate Christmas into your outfit without looking like a giant ornament? It's easier than you think, and here's how:

Velvet!

Velvet is the ultimate Christmas/Winter fabric. Especially in red and green colors, a fabulous velvet dress never fails to impress. Be careful though, you can quickly go from Christmas chic to Christmas nightmare if you don't utilize this fabric properly. Here are a few pieces that you can't go wrong with, check out the links attached to see where you can buy them!

This bordeaux belted velvet dress is a perfect holiday piece. Throw on some pumps and some earrings and you are good to go! 

If you prefer the long sleeved look, try this Dorothy Perkins dark red velvet dress. Pair with a great necklace and black pumps and you will be the envy of any Holiday get-together.

Want to make everyone green with envy? Try this Christmas sleeveless green velvet skater dress .

If you feel like branching out of the velvet dress zone,  give this  velvet oxblood skater skirt a whirl. Add a crisp white collared shirt or blouse and some accessories, maybe even some tights and you are seasonally stylish!

Sequins

The great thing about sequins is that they work for both Christmas and New Years, and they add a glamourous, girly look to any outfit. The other wonderful aspect of sequins, is that they look good on everyone. Check out some can't miss sequined pieces. 

Black sequined Mango dress 

Mohair cream sequined sweater 

Blue sequin skater skirt

Gold and silver sleeveless top

If you have an other holiday dressing ideas or questions, let me know!