As the recent covers of fashion publications get more & more glamorous, readers are also served plentiful substance concerning diversity & culture-conscious topics since the language of fashion encompasses all identities. This is why Vogue‘s August 2022 issue, featuring Golden Globe-winner, Emma Corrin (they/them), is such a milestone for LGBTQ+ visibility & an opportunity to explore the fluidity of fashion. Emma is the first openly non-binary cover star for the magazine, embracing both fashion & body hair their way—unapologetically!
Spector not only writes about Emma’s rise to fame as Princess Diana on Netflix’s The Crown, but also their upcoming projects, including My Policeman, alongside Harry Styles, & an adaptation of Lady Chatterly’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence, as well as Emma’s social media presence supporting & raising awareness for the trans community. Emma states, “In my mind, gender just isn’t something that feels fixed…and I don’t know if it ever will be; there might always be some fluidity there for me…If you have a platform and you’re able to use it, that’s obviously so important—and I met some incredible people through it.”
Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence can’t go a day without being photographed, and it makes sense, especially after catching this behind-the-scenes look during her recent photo shoot for In Style‘s December 2013 cover. Of course, we get to see the tall, leggy blonde with her longer, fuller hair, while still loving all the recent shots for her press tour of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
The Dior spokesmodel wows inside the magazine’s pages, decked out in luxe winter whites by designers like Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs, Céline, & naturally Dior Haute Couture. The ravishing images come courtesy of photographer Michelangelo Di Battista, who captures Hollywood’s it-girl alongside an article which features her chatting about being a high school cheerleader, being a sex symbol, her choice of not going to college, & her biggest spending splurge- so far!
Summer style seems to be in full throttle & the latest red carpet looks are nothing short of fabulous. Some of my favorite looks include Jennifer Lopez‘s sequin Tom Ford gown that she wore while attending the amfAR Inspiration Gala, Amy Adams in a lace Dolce & Gabbana dress with sorbet pointy toe shoes, & Uma Thurman‘s striking magenta Versace corseted gown with Chopard jewelry.
For those of you who didn’t know.. The CDFA Fashion Awards are like the Oscars in the world of fashion design. This week, the festivities took place, honoring the best in fashion with a stunning red carpet, which included lots of sheer panels, cut-outs, ankle-strap sandals, & bare backs. Winners of the night included Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler as Womenswear Designer of the Year, Thom Browne for Menswear Designer of the Year, & Phillip Lim for 3.1 Phillip Lim for Accessories Designer of the Year.
We all heard about the fabulous designer collection that came to Target, wrought with items for the household & whole family from Jason Wu, Marchesa, Diane von Furstenberg, Prabal Gurung, & more, courtesy of a collaboration with the ever so luxurious Neiman Marcus. However, aren’t we lucky that all of these glamorous items are up to 70% off on the Target website & in stores? I’ve been doing a lot of clicking around & have found that there are plenty of sizes available for the apparel, so it’s time to break out those gift cards & shop now!
To shop more from this collection, head over to this link! Which pieces are you coveting? Did you buy anything from the holiday collection when it first debuted? Do you prefer to buy these pieces online or in stores? Happy Styling!
As if Long Island hasn’t been riddled enough with weather, it’s snowing now & I bundled up in my favorite sweater to brave the day. This was my inspiration when I clicked through some of my top go-to websites to find must-have sweaters for the fall-winter season- no matter where you live. Because sweaters are bulkier, often requiring special care, & available in an array of materials, I don’t necessarily admonish anyone who is looking for an investment piece to add to their cold weather wardrobe. However, let’s take a look at some stylish celebrities who have been spotted in recent months donning some fashionable sweaters.
Actress Rose Byrne accents her textured black sweater with a ruffled skirt & leopard belt at the debut short film for Target, Falling For You. Country crooner Taylor Swift looks all sorts of ladylike with maroon sweater by French Connection, paired with polka dot jeans by AG Adriano Goldschmied, Charlotte Olympia flats, & a tasteful string of pearls. Jessica Alba plays with menswear in her Alice + Olivia sweater to contrast her printed pants & bold cap toe pumps. Former Heroes star Ali Larter mixes sophistication with urban chic in a shawl collar sweater with olive cargo pants, ankle booties, & a Coach bag.
You can count on American IdolCarrie Underwood to bring the glitz to an appearance at The Late Show with David Letterman, wearing a sequin sweater, skinny jeans, & strappy wedges. Model / actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley goes all-black in a fringed black sweater & liquid leather leggings when arriving at the Sao Paulo Fashion Week celebration. Lastly, designer Nicole Richie goes casual in a zebra print Proenza Schouler sweater with skinny black jeans & suede pumps.
For under $50, you can find heart details, metallic threading, animal-inspiration, feminine accents, & some sparkle when it comes to wearing a sweater. Of course, there’s the classic cable knit or argyle that you can wear to the office, but there are lots of ways to look ladylike & modern without having to sacrifice style when it comes to chunky knitwear.
I love the fun & flirty colors in the colored animal pattern sweater ($27.80) from Forever 21 is a cool way to accent a pencil skirt with a metallic collar necklace, or to wear during the day with skinny jeans & knee boots. If you’re headed on a double date or want to stay warm when going out at night, check out Express‘ metallic wedge sweater ($19.99), which would look hot with leather shorts & tights or colored jeans. I’ve surprised myself lately by finding an interest in stripes (I’m not typically a stripey), but I love the color contrast & splash of sparkle in the Varick Street sequin stripe v-neck sweater ($46.95) from New York & Company, which is available in a whole range of colors if you’re not into the yellow-gray combo.
As seen on many Style Darlings like Alexa Chung & Rihanna, wearing novelty pieces is a big trend, & this includes LC by Lauren Conrad‘s lurex heart sweater ($34.99) from Kohl’s, which is also sold in black & white, as well as tan & black. Pair this fun top with wide leg jeans & a scarf, or polish the look with textured a-line skirt & pointed toe heels. Lastly, @Venus you can find knit sweater with bow ($22.00) in light brown which can be easily played up with a fancy lace pencil skirt or some leather leggings.
I was so excited in August to share one of my newest categories, Fabulous in 4 Ways, especially since the debut post was dedicated to my good friend Laurie, as inspired by her fabulous lace-up knee boots from Victoria’s Secret! Now, I’m talking about faux leather & pencil skirts, but before we dive into the outfits, I turned to some of my favorite celebrities to get some inspiration in how I would style such a classy & modern take on the figure flattering piece.
Kate Bosworth rocks a Proenza Schouler leather-trimmed pencil skirt at the brand’s New York boutique opening with a relaxed white blouse & strappy sandals. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, wore a high-waist pencil skirt in navy with a cropped cardigan & purple top, while visiting a Wisconsin school. Mad Men bombshell Christina Hendricks mixes her old school glamour with a Dolce & Gabbana blouse, red clutch, & classic black pencil skirt.
Total Recall star Kate Beckinsale plays with colorblocking with a chic H&M tank, Diane von Furstenberg turquoise skirt, & spiked neutral pumps. Rashida Jones is polished & professional with a touch of menswear while making an appearance on Good Morning America, wearing a printed button down shirt & white pencil skirt. Aussie starlet Cate Blanchett showed her support for Givenchy in a head-to-toe look with Roger Vivier heels.
I’ve been on the prowl for great fall finds & one trend that keeps stopping me in my tracks is leather & it’s just not going away. Why should it? The luxe, lush material adds an edge to a feminine blouse, contradicts a flirty skirt, makes you look like a rock star, or just helps any Style Darling stand out a little bit more. Take it from some of our favorite celebrities, including Jessica Chastain, Kate Bosworth, Lucy Hale, Nicole Richie, Sophia Bush, Maria Sharapova, & Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
However, when it comes to affordable fashion, it’s not always easy to find leather when you’re shopping on a budget. Enter: faux leather. You can’t forget that faux leather isn’t harmful to animals & is always less expensive. It’s so easy to find faux leather separates, jackets, & dresses these days & I couldn’t decide on just a handful of items, so brace yourself… there’s a lot to look at!
I should disclaim that I do not condone wearing any of these items with other faux leather pieces. You can take that risk if you’d like, but to avoid looking like a biker chick or appearing as though in costume, I’d recommend allowing for one item to be the standout & then mix with other fabrics to create a multi-dimensional & textured look. First, the zipped faux leather denim skirt ($19.80) comes from Forever 21 & is available in plus sizes 12-20. Underneath, you’ll find the essential faux leather shorts ($15.80), which are perfect for fall with tights & ankle booties. Pair either of these bottoms with a fabulous blouse, studded tee, or menswear-inspired button-down. The a-line skirt ($39.00) from Joe Fresh is cute for bringing to life the looks worn by Selena Gomez & Nicole Richie at the top of this post. Also, add just a hint of leather with the zip back pencil skirt with (minus the) leather ($59.90) from Express.
We all know that leggings are all the rage right now, so to find the perfect pair for this edition of Basics for a Bargain, I turned to H&M for their leggings ($24.95) in black, which are also available in white, if you dare! Break these bad boys out with a chunky oversized knit & your fiercest pointed toe pumps, or help a graphic tee look less casual & top it off with a satin blazer.
Which leather pieces are your favorite? Which celeb looks the best in leather? Are you a fan of real leather or would you rather wear faux leather? How would you style your leather look? Happy Styling!
My dear friend Laurie, who I’ve dedicated a past blog to, has inspired this post with a question about the myth that turtlenecks = frompy. However, here is the evidence that they’re not! Of course I’m not a turtleneck-donning Style Darling myself, or anything with collars for that matter, but I can say that looking at the celebs below, there’s no way turtlenecks can be so wrong when they look so right- especially on my dear Laurie who always looks fashionable in a turtleneck.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen turtlenecks come back in style, in the most classic way, just like a good pair of trousers, dark denim jeans, a pencil skirt, & a button-down shirt. Jennifer Connelly layers her turtleneck with a blazer & pleated Balenciaga mini skirt & opaque tights. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer makes a spring-like tunic fall-ready with a turtleneck, leggings, & heavy cardigan. Kristin Chenoweth looks super cozy in a furry sweater jacket, skinny jeans, & knee boots with her classic gray turtleneck underneath. Reese Witherspoon multi-tasks in a black mock turtleneck, aviators, straight leg jeans, & embellished flats with a Rebecca Minkoff crossbody bag. Amanda Seyfried covers up in the cold with a black turtleneck under a bright red romper dress for a TV appearance & matching red lips. Keira Knightley looks like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn in a belted pencil dress & turtleneck ensemble with round toe Sergio Rossi pumps. Disney darling Selena Gomez downplays her printed pants with a short-sleeved turtleneck & layered chains from LOFT.
And now the basic we’ve all been waiting for…. here are some turtlenecks, in stores now! @Old Navy, the ‘tropical storm’ turtleneck ($17.94) is available in five other colors & can be mixed & matched up with a skirt suit or puffer vest with white skinny jeans. Each color is available in sizes XS – XXL for Style Darlings of all shapes! Try out some jewel tones & primary colors with the classic turtleneck sweater ($34.93) from The Limited, marked down from $49.90. Take a skinny belt, like shown on the model, & add some modern edge to the underestimated basic piece that would look contemporary with classic stud earrings & bangles. Style&co created this gray & black colorblock turtleneck ($21.98), available @Macy’s, also in black & red. It’s prefect for a pair of leather shorts & hoop earrings. Add some straight leg cigarette pants & platform boots to create an mod / equestrian look.
If you’re a mock turtleneck kind of gal, check out Target‘s short-sleeve mock in black which can help you recreate Keira’s look, or would be fabulous with a houndstooth pencil skirt for work! Also, this turtleneck reminds me of a Fashion Flashback post featuring Marilyn Monroe with white pants & bouncy blonde curls.
For those of you who still need some extra convincing, celebrities like Zoe Saldana, Emma Roberts, Lake Bell, Beyonce, & Cameron Diaz show that covering up in a turtleneck dress can be just as sexy & polished like a cocktail dress on the red carpet. Check out a previous Basics for a Bargain post, featuring sweater dresses to see stars like Heather Graham, Eva Mendes, & Nicole Richie sporting fall-ready turtleneck style sweater dresses without any worry about if it’s a do or don’t.
Turtlenecks have come a long way. Stay away from anything too festive, adorned with holiday-themes, & you won’t look like a fuddy-duddy. Look for a turtleneck in a strong solid color, or in a modern print. Remember: Since turtlenecks are a must-have basic, you’re setting up the foundation to a really fashionable ensemble that could be accented with with long necklaces, a vest, belted bootcut jeans, a leather corset, mini skirt, or figure-flattering pencil skirt.
Do you have any style myths that you just can’t figure out? I’d be happy to show off how some celebrity-inspiration can translate into an affordable look. Do you have any turtleneck stories? Laurie, I hope this blog does the trick! Happy Styling!
Tis the season for film festivals, which means that not only are we celebrating the latest slew of must-see major & independent films, but the stars are supporting their work with some fabulous fashions! At various events for the 2011 Toronto Film Festival, we saw many stylish cocktail & formal looks from some of our favorite Style Darlings!
Kate Mara looked radiant in a black overlay Christian Dior dress with nude pumps & a messy side braid. This season’s it-girl Jessica Chastain accented her porcelain skin with a gold dress by Derek Lam & ankle-strap sandals by Tory Burch. Marisa Tomei wore a geometric print dress by Proenza Schouler & carried a Stark clutch. My favorite part of this look is the halfway-to-the-knee strappy sandals. Evan Rachel Wood continued her androgynous menswear streak in a pinstripe suit by Dolce & Gabbana.
We all know how super hot True Blood is this summer, but take a look at the show’s star, Academy Award winner, Anna Paquin. During a recent appearance at the L.A. Shorts Fest, the actress kept it simple in black & white. She plays up her basic white tee with a Hervé Léger pencil skirt, cinching in her tiny waist.
Take a look at her layered statement necklace, something that you can achieve by wearing two of your favorite chunky necklaces & wear them at the same time. Also, a simple black bangle keeps it simple since she’s wearing towering leopard print platforms.