100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein + Joe’s Jeans = Newfound Holiday Spirit

Text, Vivian Kelly

Yesterday, I finally edged my way into “the Holiday Spirit”.

The event that got me into the spirit was  InStyle Fashion Director Hal Rubenstein’s Book Signing  at Joe’s 77 Mercer Street, orchestrated by Paul Wilmot Communications.

Hal Rubenstein, Author of 100 Dresses, fashion guru-personality

I’ve blogged about Joe’s Jeans before because I was entranced by Paz de la Huerta in the recent campaign that was more art than commerce [love that].  The most recent campaign – colored jeans – grabbed me too, but in a different way. The last time I wore colored jeans was in the Eighties. It was Christmas Break at Duke, and I had some money to spend and found myself at Macy’s, in the Ralph Lauren Department. I was inextricably drawn to a pair of Tiffany blue jeans. What would I wear with them? I didn’t know, or care. I wanted them, they were on sale and they were “something else”.

Years later, [last night] when I had a look at what Hal wrote in my copy of 100 Unforgettable Dresses, I was reminded of those jeans.

His signature in my copy reads, “ To Vivian, Wear Something Unforgettable, Be Someone Unforgettable”. H.R.

Every time I wore those jeans, I got compliments from fraternity guy friends, and was thrilled that “stepping out of the box” could reap ego boosting benefits.

Every since then, I’ve gone with my gut – something Hal recommends. If you love it, GET it, you WILL wear it. Last night, I luxuriated in a pedicure and gobbled up as many entries in the book as I got the opportunity to read some of the entries. A few favorites:

Slip for Butterfield 8 [Elizabeth Taylor in Helen Rose

Green Evening GownFor Atonement [Keira Knightlley in Jacquelyn Durran]

Revenge Dress [Diana Princess of Wales in Christina Stambolian]

Elizabeth Hurley launches her career thanks to Gianni Versace's "safety pin dress"

 

Many of these dresses are about one of my favorite themes, “The right time and the right place”. Take Elizabeth Hurley’s career making Versace safety pin dress. Prior to her 1994 appearance to then boyfriend Hugh Grant’s Three Weddings and a Funeral, she was “the girlfriend” aka arm candy. After that  came a those lucrative Estee Lauder contracts.

There’s so much more than this, consider this as an aperitif on a book that’s the perfect gift for anyone on your Holiday list who’s interested in any or all of the following: fashion, fashion icons, fashion history.

As far as the jeans, there are 55 colors to consider, but for now, the parakeet colored ones are in first place. Hey Santa, are you listening?

#1 on the list - Parakeet colored Joe's Jeans

Farah Angsana- When Less Really IS More

Text, Vivian Kelly

A few weeks ago, while in Town [NYC] to check-out Douglas Hannant’s new PINK collection, I had a number of interesting conversations. One of these was with an industry insider, M, whom I’ve known for 20 years, and whose opinions I respect. We had been rehashing a few of the recent NYFW Shows. Farah Angsana, an eveningwear designer came up.

I remarked that I’d been following her for 4 or so years ago, starting back when I attended the now defunct Mercedes Benz LA Fashion Weeks at Culver City, CA. She and Kevin Hall were consistently among the best shows there. Ms. Angsana knew how to shape a beautiful bodice – which reminded me of Nineties designer, Donald Deal – who may have missed his calling. HE should have been working with movie costume designer Edith Head. Together, they would have designed some utterly unforgettable gowns for Grace Kelly, similar to the stunning aqua one she wore in To Catch a Thief (1955).

Prior to seeing the butterscotch ruffled ball gown in this collection, I had associated the words, “beading” and “bling” with Ms. Angasana’s evening gown designs. This gown showed her ability to deliver design that is understated and elegant and that whispers rather than shouts. Designs such as these play better in the Box’s Art Gallery setting rather than on a runway with blaring music in the big tent’s stadium-like venue.

“Sometimes less is more, said my friend, M. It really worked better for her  showing in the Box than having a big runway show.”

She’s right. I admittedly only saw a few of the looks before rushing off to the next show, but was impressed by the elegant looks I did catch. In our short interview, Ms. Angsana said that she was inspired by a recent trip to Asia and numerous visits to art galleries and museums in which she was sparked by the gorgeous fabrics and embroidery treatment she admired there.

Watch the video below, to hear the details.

The Tibi Spring/Summer 2012 Collection Show at Lincoln Center

Text, Carey Reed Zamarriego

Images of Front Row and two Runway Looks, CRZ

Individual Runway Looks, from Vogue UK

“I think women should dress in a way that’s effortless but never lazy,” Amy Smilovic, the American designer behind the Tibi label has said. Naming the ladies of Charlie’s Angels as the epitome of chic style, Tibi strives to provide pieces that take the effort out of creating laidback, modern looks. A feat that’s easier said, than done. I know I toiled away in front of the mirror the morning of the show agonizing over my outfit and trying to piece together an effortless, yet contemporary. In the end, I settled on a billowy red and white striped tank, navy boyfriend cardigan, gray skinny jeans and black booties. However, when placed under the bright lights of the runway show, my cool, collected appearance quickly began to melt.

Diagonally across from me though, were three ladies who seemed to beam in the heat of the show lights and represented the crisp, effortless modern style of Tibi to a T.

Socialite and part-time reality TV star, Olivia Palermo sat flanked by a male companion on one side and TV actress Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill). On the other side of Bush was Emma Roberts, tween actress (Nancy Drew) Julia Roberts’ niece. Olivia looked fresh and classic in an oversized gauzy cream blouse, a skirt so short it disappeared when she was seated, and animal-print pumps. Sofia opted for a strapless rouge leather dress, paired with a python clutch and Emma was decked out in a deep shade of plum.

The show began with a series of shorts, pants and tops in cream and pale hues of pink, green and blue, exuding Tibi’s effortless chicness. Next, there were pops of color with mustard and outfits pairing royal blue and black. Different textiles played off one another, some more successful than others. I didn’t really care for the short-sleeved leather tops, which awkwardly flared out at the models’ waists. There were several textured pieces: an eyelet black ‘nude-illusions’ dress and shorts, and several dresses that looked like they had been pressed with prints. Well-constructed, wide legged trousers and long cargo skirts were paired with sleek, feminine tops and represented Smilovic’s desire that “a woman should dress in contradictions – youthful and sophisticated, masculine and feminine, bold and muted colors.”

The show closed with a series of tops, shorts; and my personal favorite, a strapless, pocketed genie jumpsuit, which all had the same delicate white Asian flower print atop an emerald green and black background. The look was possibly inspired by Smilovic’s time spent living in Hong Kong. My other favorites included a strapless dress in mustard and Tibi’s gauzy halter neck dresses in baby blue and cream, all of which would easily roll up and travel nicely in a bag to the island for a day on the beach and transition, with heels, for an evening out.

Trends for spring/summer:

Return to long, cargo-style skirts

Wide-legged trousers

Royal blue and black; mustard and cream; slate blue and blush

Trends for fall (as seen in the crowd):

60’s styles a-la Mad Men

70’s boho chic: large, floppy velvety hats, oversized clutches, bellbottoms and hair left long, wavy and parted in the center.

80’s preppie style a-la any John Hughes film from the time

To view the collection and for more information on the Tibi brand, visit www.tibi.com

If you’re in NYC, drop into their  SoHo Location, at  120 Wooster Street, to browse.

Carey is the Editorial Director for (W)anderlust Writing. To see more of her work and current project, visit:

wanderlustwriting.com

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The Rebecca Taylor s/s2012 Collection Preview – pretty in pink

Text, Vivian Kelly

Remember the Eighties’ John Hughes movie, “Pretty in Pink”? I hesitate to call it “a cult classic”, because there are just too many of us John Hughes fans out there.

Every time I hear or read the name REBECCA TAYLOR, I’m reminded of this film and how pretty Molly Ringwald looked in her do it yourself pink dress – the marriage of a Mall atrocity and a beautiful vintage gown.

Okay, so Ms. Taylor does not ONLY work with a pink-tinged color palette, but you can always count on her designs to be pretty and to make you feel like the fresh ingenue Miss Ringwald looked back in 1986.

IF this film would be reshot today, and the late Mr. Hughes were still alive, and Molly Ringwald was a teen, she might just wear this pretty ensemble to the prom. I’d put “Duckie” [Jon Cryer] in what else? Duckie Brown, of course.

Below, a few of Rebecca Taylor’s best designs from the past few seasons.

Just a little refresher!

>Lauren Hutton’s Easy “ALL-AMERICAN” Style, Circa 1975 – Is it Back?

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TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Yesterday, at the Mall, I stopped into H&M to see if there was anything there that I could pick-up for under $40 that with my genius tailor’s nimble hands, could be elevated to be worthy to wear to the upcoming Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week.
It took some time, but it was there – a safari dress, not in the usual khaki, but in the still fashionable gray. As I rubbed the fabric between my fingers I had visions of UBER-MODEL, LAUREN HUTTON, AT THE TOP OF HER GAME, CIRCA 1975. Transfixed on the floor at H&M, I was transported back to the age of that effortless “all-American dressing” that HALSTON and then RALPH LAUREN, did so well. [I still maintain that one of Ralph’s best-evers was his SAFARI COLLECTION, and those fragrance ads still hold-up, years later.
Back home, while trolling galleries of images of Lauren, I came across a wonderful article on her life in this period, by Lee Wohlfert on www.maryellenmark.com

In May 1975, Lauren was an “IT GIRL”, and anyone who was anyone, raved about her style and specialness.
She was on of then VOGUE EDITRIX, DIANA VREELAND’S DISCOVERIES. Said, Ms. Vreeland, “”She is the best of America,” says Diana. “She is the person people want to look at. I am always amazed at how many moods she can project. Sometimes she has the eyes of a baby, the questioning look of a child. Then she has this very special electricity. Her reactions are so fast. I like her speed, her timing.”
This all leads back to the big question: WHAT can we expect to see at the spring/summer 2010 NY shows? Will designers go back to all-American dressing? There are hints in the September Vogue and Harper’s issues that just hit my doorstep, that we may be going back to that uncomplicated “American” look. TOMMY HILFIGER JUST INVESTED IN 6 PAGES OF JUST THIS LOOK – SEVENTIES TAILGAITING – in the front of the September book. A few pages before, there’s a spread for MICAHEL KORS. Long-time model, CARMEN KASS is in a classic camel coat and has a yummy brown satchel bag on the crook of her arm. The year could be 1970, and if you reverse the models’ hair color, they couple could well be ALI MCGRAW and RYAN O’NEIL in LOVE STORY.

I’m circling back tomorrow, and getting this dress and dropping it with Kaitlin at R&E Cleaners and Tailors. I’ll be sporting my $39.95 find at Fashion Week, channeling a little bit of Lauren Hutton.

Weight-in on this post! It is:

amusing

informative

snarky

Makes me want to buy it

>Films – "The Runaways" – A Candid Glimpse Into the Early Joan Jett Days

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TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

Last night was that kind of night David Bowie famously sang about, ” I don’t want to stay in, I don’t want to go out…Modern Love”.
I elected to stay in and finally watch “THE RUNAWAYS”, starring KRISTEN STEWART and DAKOTA FANNING. Yes, they WERE both great in the Twi-series, but there’s more to these girls than hanging-out with vampires and werewolves. Kristen was totally believable as the tougher than tough JOAN JETT [who I mistakenly thought was originally from Long Island]. DAKOTA FANNING played the band’s reluctant sex pot, CHERIE, to a tee. The hair, makeup and costume team got it right too, and even if you’re not into girl punk bands, if you love fashion, you’ll appreciate the visuals.
The best part – when the Japanese school girls actually broke the glass of the green room where the girls were relaxing pre-show and swarmed in like a bunch of hornets.
A close second – when Joan comes-up with the lyrics and music to “I Love Rock And Roll”.
See it – rent it at your local RedBox kiosk.
www.redbox.com

Weight-in on this post! It is:

amusing

informative

snarky

Makes me want to buy it