Less is More

I've always been somewhat of a fashion minimalist.  I'm not into lots of embellishment or accessories because I think that you should always be what people see first not what you are wearing.  A classic overdone look in my books is Halle Berry in this fitted, black dress:

Halle Berry in Herve Leger

When I first saw this picture all I could focus on was huge earrings, spiky hair and an embellished neckine.  Then, after all that, I saw Halle Berry.  Sure the dress fits like a glove and Halle is gorgeous as always, but if you want to get noticed before your outfit does, you're better off choosing something like this:

Abbie Cornish in Rouland Mouret

Still figure flattering, still stylish but you see the girl before you see the dress.  Less is more my friends!

$23,000 Can Get You...

A new car, a decent start on a down payment for a home (I live in Vancouver people), a college education, a pretty awesome trip around the world...I could go on...

Or it could get you this purse, owned by Christina Hendricks, designed by Farbod Barsum.  Is it worth it?  You be the judge:

The Isabella from Farbod Barsum, made from American Alligator and will set you back about $23,000.

Truth and Beauty

The fashion world is up in arms about designer Tom Ford's blunt comments on supermodel Gisele Bundchen becoming "too old" for the industry.  Though I don't agree that she's getting old (c'mon the girl is 32!),  I can see why he would feel that she has a tough time ahead of her as she becomes less relevant in the fashion world:

"This sounds negative, but when you're considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, it's very, very hard when that starts to slip away. It's hard to feel good about yourself when people react to you differently. And, Gisele, I hope you're not reading this, because it's going to sound so negative but I know through some of my best friends who are really famous actresses — I'm not going to mention their names — who were at one point considered to be among the most beautiful women in the world at different periods of time, and how hard it is for them emotionally. So, I hope Gisele is prepared for that, because it's so difficult."

He speaks the truth!  If everyone constantly is telling you are "x" for a signifcant portion of your life, then if you slowly lose that quality, how could you not feel less like yourself?  It is a natural part of dealing with aging to consider how you might be less attractive and want to preserve that, so imagine trying to handle that when it's your job to be beautiful and desirable all the time.  I do feel a bit sorry for Gisele...but then I remember how rich, smug and self-agrandizing she can sound and then I don't anymore!

The September Issue: Glamour Magazine

In the quest to spend less of my money frivolously, I stopped buying magazines on a regular monthly basis a while ago.  I honestly didn't miss my monthly edition of Glamour, InStyle, Self, etc, etc because I was starting to feel like there wasn't anything unique or useful in them that I couldn't find somewhere else (i.e.:  blogs, websites, Pinterest).  This month, I did make an exception and picked up Glamour magazine's September 2012 edition, guest edited by Posh Spice herself, Victoria Beckham.  Truthfully I was only interested in reading about her, because I'm a big fan but I was pleasantly surprised by the entire issue.  There are great touches of insight about fashion from Victoria (as well as some "real life" stuff like her favourite quinoa pasta recipe), as well as tons of interesting features by talented bloggers like the Man Repeller, Emily Weiss from Into The Gloss and a funny commentary on changing your man's style by the delicious Jason Sudekis from SNL.   

I've already read the issue from cover to cover twice and am now obsessed with it as my fashion bible for fall.  Pick this one up now ladies (and men)...it's definitely worth your $5.99!

Spice Up Your Life

In case you missed it, the Spice Girls performed at the London 2012 Olympic closing ceremonies tonight.  As a major, major fan of the group I think they looked amazing and rocked their performance.  As predicted by me, they got a huge ovation from the live audience...sorry One Direction, you need to bow down to the legends that these ladies are!

Don't they look fabulous?  Age has served the Spice Girls well.
I love the raspberry mini dress that Baby Spice aka Emma Bunton wore.

Not only did she get to re-live being a pop star but Victoria Beckham (aka Posh Spice) also got to show the world she's also a fashion designer during the "supermodel" segment of the closing ceremonies when Georgia May Jagger wore one of her dresses.  

Georgia May Jagger in a golden Victoria Beckham design.

Great Kate

I've been a huge admirer of Kate Walsh since she showed up on Grey's Anatomy as the scorned Mrs. Dr. McDreamy in that epic first scene of her's on the show:

There was something about the way she says "So you're the woman who's been screwing my husband." (take note - it was not a question, but a statement!) that made me think, this is not a person I want to mess with, and also this is an actress that is pretty fearless to take on the role of the "villian" in such a popular, ground breaking show.  

I've kind of followed Kate's career, from Grey's Anatomy to Private Practice, but more so followed her on the style front.  She is drop dead gorgeous with flaming red hair, a great smile and mile long legs, but also looks like the type of woman that you could actually have a real conversation with and perhaps be friends.  She's lived a pretty full life and doesn't have regrets, which makes her all the more interesting and relatable.  I admire her sense of style - she chooses figure flattering outfits, but makes sure that people see her great energy through anything she puts on.  Oh, and her ads for her "Boyfriend" and "Billionaire Boyfriend" are pretty damn hot too!

Kate Walsh in a chic casual look.
Love the navy, cream and red together. 

In a gorgeous Christian Cota mini, promoting her new Billionare Boyfriend fragrance.

Sexy and sleek in a fitted Herve Leger mini.

I adore the lace top with this red skirt.  She looks both put together and girly.

Kate Walsh's first fragrance "Boyfriend".

Super sexy for her second fragrance "Billionaire Boyfriend"

When In Doubt, Don't Wear: Something Sheer

The sheer dress trend has been all over the runways and red carpets this season but it's taken it's first real victim:  the lovely and gorgeous Jessica Chastain.  Anytime I see her, she looks absolutely flawless, but in this dress, she just reminds me of someone wearing too-tight beige pantyhose...except that this is a dress...with flowers of some sort on where her nipples are...and a waist that is cinched in so she has a muffin top.

Jessica Chastain in an unfortunate sheer Marios Schwab dress.
At least her hair and makeup are still cute.

Moral of this story?  Trends are great, but make sure they work for you!

On My "List" - Adam Levine

Adam Levine is one of those men in the music industry where pretty much any woman would look at and say  "On my list.  Yup!" without even thinking twice about it.  And when I say "list" I mean that secret list we all have of the celebrities we would, um...you-know-what with.  You know what I mean!  Ok, ok, let me make it more clear:  Adam Levine = yeah, I'd hit that!

Lucky for me (and you if he's on your "list" too), he's a known ladies man, or "man whore" as I like to call it.   But you guys, he has a good reason for it!  Adam, you see, is promiscious because he adores women just that much that he can't not help but love their bodies (for one night then kick 'em to the curb).  

In his recent interview with Details, he plays the groupies right into his hands for at least the next 2 to 5 years with this quote:

"There's two kinds of men," Levine posits. "There are men who are fucking misogynist pigs, and then there are men who just really love women, who think they're the most amazing people in the world. And that's me. Maybe the reason I was promiscuous, and wanted to sleep with a lot of them, is that I love them so much."

Seriously?  COME ON!  Any woman worth it would not believe that for a second.  But you know he's just the type of guy that could get away with and benefit from making that type of statement.  I mean, look at him...!  Man whore or not, he's staying on the list!

Adam Levine of Maroon 5.
Not that anyone is thinking about his music when they look at this picture!

Baby Weight Drama (for your Mama)

Aishwarya Rai is Miss World 1994, the "most beautiful woman in the world" according to Julia Roberts, and a top Bollywood actress who married into Indian film royalty.  She also just had a baby about 6 months ago and apparently it's a crime of some sort to not drop the weight she gained while being pregnant in the usual unattainable timeline that most celebrity moms do.  She's been villified by many in her home country of India, which is thoroughly embarrasing for anyone of Indian descent, including me.

I personally think she looks freakin' amazing for someone who just had a kid and is adjusting to being a mom.  All those people that are harping on her for not being a size to their liking should be ashamed.  She's still stunning, size 0 or not.

Aishwarya Rai a few days ago at the Cannes Film Festival

Style Star: Diane Kruger

It's easy to look amazing when you have a beautiful complexion, long flaxen hair and a great figure.  This we already know.  But it's not easy to look like an individual and express your own style.  I've been really digging Diane Kruger's style lately for this reason.  She doesn't try to look like anyone else but herself, which is a great style lesson.

Some of her most recent looks that have really impressed me (all pictures from InStyle) are below.   I love her use of colour and that she's not afraid to take some fashion risks.

In Prada at the Met Gala - casual at the top, drama at the bottom.
The colour purple always looks amazing with blonde hair; no exception here.

Another Prada gown, with flawless minimal makeup

 

In a lacy Erdem mini with sheer overlay.  

Edgy and sexy in Balmain.  Love the booties.

In a coral  plungin Calvin Klein dress.
Not sure I like the contrast of the white shoes, but an interesting look nonetheless.

In a floaty pale mint Giambattista Valli.  Stunning!

In a sexy Versus by Versace mini.  

Golden girl in Vivenne Westwood.  
Love the draping of the gown, especially at the bust.

2012 Met Gala: Favourite Looks

The Met Gala is the equivalent to the fashion world of what the Oscars is to the movies.  I honestly think most people don't go to the Met Gala to celebrate the fashion world, but rather to work it on the red carpet.  And work it they did....

(all pictures from Fashionista)

Beyonce in Givenchy.  If she's not already in the spotlight, she will find a way to grab it!

  

Dianna Agron in Carolina Herrera.  I don't think there is a colour she looks bad in.

Ginnifer Goodwin would have looked great in this tangerine Monique Lhuillier if it weren't for her strangely slicked back-hair. 

January Jones can pull off Versace like no other.  And here she does it again.

Jessica Pare (aka the new Mrs. Don Draper) in L'Wren Scott.

Rihanna looking sleek and sexy in Tom Ford.

Karolina Kurkova with Rachel Zoe, in a rose gold Rachel Zoe.
Full head turban in rose gold?  Bold move!

Coco Rocha in vintage.
Apparently previously owned by Liz Taylor (wine stain included!)

Emma Stone looking adorable in Lanvin.
I think the hair is cute, even if it is a bit cheerleader-ish.

Solange Knowles didn't go sheer like her sister Beyonce,
but she does look fabulous in this lemon yellow Rachel Roy

Fashion 101: Stripes

My friends and I have been joking over the last few months that all we buy are stripes.  Striped tees, striped tanks, striped sweaters, striped cardigans.  Stripes are everywhere these days it seems, so it really isn't hard to find something to add to the collection.

Stripes can be hard to wear.  Remember the "horizontal stripes make you look fat" rule?  Well it is true in some cases, but depending on how you wear them, horizontal stripes can be slimming and they look much less "Beetlejuice" or "jailbird" than vertical stripes can be:

Beetlejuice striped leggings from Asos.  Not so cute.

There is a key to wearing horiztonal stripes successfully:  the width of the stripe.  If you go too skinny, you might emphasize any extra pounds you wish weren't there.  If you go too wide, you risk looking wider than you actually are.

Debra Messing is not a wide woman, but these stripes sure make her look "hip-ier" than normal.

Amber Riley from Glee.  She's what most would consider plus size, but she looks geat in this striped dress.  If the stripes were any thinner, she would not look as svelte.

Stripes can be whimsical, sexy, classic or casual.  As long as the stripes are proportional to your body size, anyone can pull off horizontal stripes.

Spell It Out

As if it weren't obvious already, Christian Louboutin has created a pair of his famous red-soled, sky high heels that spell out exactly what he means for us to think of when we see his shoes:

Kind of tacky, no???

Yes, Christian Louboutin heels are all about S-E-X.  Eff-me shoes if you will. File that under obvious.  Also, file that under Kardashian, cause you know one of those girls are gonna rock a pair of these as soon as they can.  I put my money on the wild-child Khloe.

You're Not Fooling Anyone

Most Real Housewives are pretty up front about the work they've had done and the maintenance they endure to stay young.  I'm not sure if the RH of Vancouver have been revealing about plastic surgery and injectables they use, but it's pretty safe to say that most if not all of them have partaken in some form of one or both:





I'm actually shocked that Slice would release this video.  It's very good quality and the close-ups reveal quite a few overly smooth foreheads and mysteriously plump lips.

To each their own, but I'm not sure I'm  comfortable with any of that stuff, lest I end up looking like this:

Rose McGowan was very pretty already (see left).
Now with all the plastic surgery she's had (right),  she's almost unrecognizable.

Ab Fab

Y'all know I am the first to appreciate a fine lookin' man.  I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to the subject of hot boys, so it would be wrong of me to not share this photo of a cute hockey player with some pretty hot abs that made the rounds in Vancouver over the weekend.  This is Chris Higgins' second go at accidentally showing off a washboard stomach, after an oops moment in the fall.

Are my hot abs still there....?

Yup!
He sure knows how to spice up a simple equipment check, doesn't he??

Also for those who are interested, here's his face:

Pretty cute and add in those abs...he probably does pretty well with the ladies!

Let the Hunger (Style) Games Begin

The Hunger Games comes out in t-minus 10 days.  And if you didn't know, I'm very excited about this.  The book was amazing, and so far from what I've seen in the previews, the movie looks pretty killer (no pun intended!).

What's always fun about a new movie coming out is seeing all the gorgeously styled outfits that the stars of that movie wear to press events, interviews and premieries.  The stars of this movie are no exception. Jennifer Lawrence (who plays Katniss Everdeen in the movie) has been practically flawless so far:

 

The pièce de résistance was her outfit at tonight's L.A. premiere of the movie:  a gold Prabal Gurung cutout gown.

All I have to say is wow.  She is absolutely stunning. I think Kristin Stewart defintely has some competition in the "It" girl department!