How to get Maleficient Style

Disney's Maleficient opens today. The elegantly dark villain of Sleeping Beauty takes center stage in one of my most anticipated movies this summer.  I started geeking out when I first saw Angelina Jolie's Maleficient costume in the poster.

The twisted shiny leather horns with stingray cap, the deep red lipstick, the sharp edged cheek implants... Yes.  Spanish costume designer Manuel Albarran is known for his fashion looks specializing in leather and corsetry.  He collaborated with legendary Hollywood costumer Sandy Powell, milliner Justin Smith and Rob Goodwin on some of the pieces as well. Creature effects and make-up legend Rick Baker created the cheek implants.  Angelina Jolie was inspired by Lady Gaga's look from a few years back and they echo the extreme look of the original animated version.

Maleficient's signature horns made have evolved from 15th century headpieces called horned hennins according to artist Claire Hummel.  She did a series of illustrations depicting popular Disney characters in historically accurate garb based on their story's time period.  She dated Sleeping Beauty's character around 1480 based on the houppelandes and the horned hennins were also a big trend earlier in the century.

The pieces in the film involved a lot of structure.  Manuel Albarran constructed metal bases wrapped in leather for the horns.  The dramatic wings and collar required layers and layers of hand dyed feathers carefully attached to a bone spine.

So how does a civilian get this look? There are basic costumes inspired by the Disney at costume shops and Ebay.  More involved hand-made costumes can be found by designers on Etsy.

HSN is launching their Maleficient collection this week.  Their top designers have created collections inspired by the movie.  Josie Natori was inspired by the forest and flora of Sleeping Beauty, designing lingerie with a beautiful botanical print.  Jewelry designers Ranjana Khan and Heidi Daus made intricate jeweled pieces with a darker edge inspired by the motifs in the film.

Of course, I was drooling with anticipation for the launch of the  M.A.C. Cosmetic's Maleficient collection.  If you are looking for the dramatic eyelashes and deep red lipstick, this is where you find it.

Whether you are a sleeping beauty or mistress of the dark, it's nice to know you have plenty of style choices for a fairy tale ending.

Film still from movies.disney.com, HSN Maleficient collection photos by Mariana Leung

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Summer Soiree Dresses Online

Summer has officially started. Do you have your Hamptons style set?  How about all of those summer garden parties?  If you are a dress girl like me, you will appreciate shopping Review Dresses online.  They are a great Australian label now shipping to us north of the Equator.   

The dresses from the Review collection have that perfect balance between pretty, sophisticated, work AND party appropriate.  From my own frustrated shopping excursions, finding looks that fit these requirements can be tough.  Warm weather in the city complicates your dressing choices even further. 

How to you look put together in between humidity and chilled offices (and then a night out)? Choose a dress with a simple silhouette with short or no sleeves.  The key is a gorgeous print or beautiful details to elevate the outfit.  The Rochas and Ginger Spice dresses have great floral prints.  The Brooklyn sheath dress has a sleek grey look but softened with pretty waves across the chest.  The Katya dress has a delicate texture paired with a bold contrast trim to frame your face. 

You can layer over your dress with a lightweight cardigan or cotton jacket for with the air conditioning goes full blast over your cubicle or it gets windy on a beach evening.  If you have a favorite summer tote, you can always stuff a knit shrug or pashmina shawl in it for emergencies. 

Review Australia dresses are priced well.  All of my favorite styles started under $100 and top out around $250 USD.  They even have cute accessories like skinny belts in candy colors and handbags with laser cut details.

If you are looking to discover a new source to shop, Review Dresses online can be your secret boutique, well, at least for now…

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Review Australia. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Review Australia.

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Sales Alert: DVF, Joie, Current/Elliot, R13, Autumn Cashmere

Memorial Day is over which hails the call for summer style.  You need bright looks for all of the sunset cocktails and beach weekends.   

Diane Von Furstenburg:
This icon's great prints and flattering silhouettes need no introduction.  The designer's collection of sportswear and accessories will be up to 75% off starting the day after Memorial Day.  Be careful, the lines can be long during peak times (lunch, after-work, etc.)  

When: May 27, - June 1, 2014 (check the DVF Sample Sale info for exact times)
Where: 260 Fifth Avenue, between 28th and 29th street

Joie, Current/Elliot, Equipment:
The following week, get your hands on upscale casual denim and sportswear by this trio of trendy labels.  

When: June 3 - June 7, 2014 (check the Joie, Current/Elliot, Equipment sale info for exact times)
Where: 260 Fifth Avenue, between 28th and 29th street

R13:
Are you a true denim obsessive? Then you must know R13's luxurious uber-cool collection, sourced from Italy and Japan.  Its fans include supermodels, rap moguls and countless other celebrities.

When: June 2 - June 4, 2014
Where: 261 West 36th street (between 7th and 8th avenue)

Autumn Cashmere:
Need to stock up on upscale knits for your Hamptons nights? Autumn Cashmere does luxe sweater essentials that will be discounted up to 75% off retail.

When: June 2  – June 6,2014  Monday - Thursday  (9-7), Friday (9-6)
Where:  231 West 39th Street, Suite 1111, between 7th & 8th Avenues 

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Parsons Fashion 2014 - Part Three

Outrageous runway looks are great for editorial, but true clothing design is a much bigger challenge. There were several students at the Parsons Fashion 2014 show who tackled collections for career wear.  How do you make traditional fabrics in basic grey, black and white and make them stand out?  Can one redesign the wheel and make the standard suit unique? 

Yea Jin Song answered this challenge by cutting the separates in unusual proportions.  A cropped jacket with extended shoulders and front piece paired with asymmetrical shorts.  A sculpted, almost origami folded trench paired with a skirt of different lengths. A long draped vest that extends past the skirt and belted tunic.  

David Valencia reinterpreted the basic items of a corporate suit.  The pants are draped wide and folded over like a jacket.  The middle dress is draped like a skirt, but ends in a halter at the neck.  The different shades of cool grey and warm grey end up looking very colorful just because the fabrics are in different temperature groups.

Sara Hoopes took a very zen approach to her group.  Long, flowing dresses had a summery, kimono ease about them.  I love the abstract interpretation of a traditional tie by presenting it as a necklace or scarf.  The foldback half-collar is a nod to a lapel, but not quite.  You could get away with wearing these looks to most creative industry offices, but feel as breezy as yoga wear.

Bravo, Parsons fashion graduates, class of 2014!

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Parsons Fashion 2014 - Part Two

 The wide range of fashion design graduates at Parsons New School of Design wanted to make sure they stood out.  Women's wear is saturated category, so a new designer's collection needs to have details that make it difficult to imitate.  This group of designers went with highly sculpted shapes and artful rendered detail.  Not exactly the clothes you find on the street, but that is a good thing.

Mijia Zhang built up big silhouettes with a combination of natural and brightly colored fur. The quirky combination of sporty stripes and footwear kept the elaborate fur from looking too overbearing or serious.

 Kailen Todt took an artistic approach to her collection.  There were swirls of painted patterns on the fabrics, but then the intricate knits also echoed the painterly approach with crochet  pieces that mirrored the same look.  The result was a gorgeous, body as art canvas effect.

Justin Chu probably took the most risks in deliberate sculpture of the garments.  He built volume through draping, padding, built up swirls and very structured tailoring.  You could even say his models were up on pedestals that unfortunately were toppled over.  The architecturally built shoes they wore presented quite a problem for the models as two of them both fell on their attempts to mount the runway.  They were good sports though, and it brought extra spotlight to the clothes they were wearing.  Based on how interesting the shapes of the collection were, they would have received the attention they deserved anyway.

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Parsons Fashion 2014 - Menswear

 Congratulations designers, you made it.  The fashion design graduates of Parsons New School of Design held its first runway show in its new digs last night.  I'll start with the menswear designers.  As you can see above, there were some dapper collections with some retro intellectual styling by Jennifer Lee and Moon Kyung Hwang.  Another with very effective use of black and white to graphic effect by In Seop Keum.

You had your more artistic collection from Simon Li that played on big wide proportions and variations in dyes and textures.

Then there were these looks by Hye GIn Hamm and Young Ji Cho that mixed sportswear and pajamas.  I wasn't quite sure if this was meant to be humorous or ironic.  The security blanket and pillow made the theme clear.  The clothes themselves were well fit and too tailored to look like they were really meant to be slept in.  However, they do look mighty comfortable right now.

photos by Mariana Leung

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The Path Redefined with Lauren Maillian Bias

Do you dream of being a mogul? Being an entrepreneur and creating a bestselling personal brand? Lauren Maillian Bias knows a bit about that.  Her new book, The Path Redefined: Getting to the Top on Your Own Terms details the tactics and skills she used to make herself a success in three different industries before the age of 30.  The author signed books at the launch party in the Meatpacking District location of the Sephora boutique.

 In this day and age, there are few opportunities for a fast trajectory in the corporate world, especially on a diversity level.  Those with an entrepreneurial spirit can turn the odds in their own favor.  Ms. Bias worked on multiple career paths in addition to being a mother of two.

   Fans of the author sipped on white wine and mini cupcakes between the stacks of beauty goods. It brought out similarly successful entrepreneurs from fashion world like celebrity stylist June Ambrose and designer Byron Lars; who dressed Lauren for the party.

Observing the event for Lauren Maillian Bias, you might have to rely on yourself to get to the top, but having friends that cheer for your success make it that much sweeter.

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Fresh Youth Initiative's Recycled Fashion Show

Looking for true eco-chic fashion? I went local (my own 'hood) and found a bunch of young crafters and designers.  The talents from the Fresh Youth Initiative created fabulous dresses made from newspapers, magazines and other typical trash items.

Under the direction of Fatima Guzman, the organization in Upper Manhattan put together the Fashionista project.  The mission was to gather items that people typically throw away (they also use lots of candy wrappers, chip bags, bottle caps, etc.) and create an upcycled stylish piece.

The grand finale of the recycled fashion project was a runway show featuring the 16 young makers.  The choreographed presentation took place earlier this month at the Opus Lounge in Inwood section of Manhattan.

As you can see, the silhouettes they achieved are quite impressive.  Some pieces looked like a corset with an elaborate train, fluted skirt, quick similar to some of the shapes you see on the Haute Couture runways.  If these ladies keep at it, they may be the new generation of style.
Photos courtesy of freshyouth.org

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Blogger Love: Investment Chic

Maybe it's the return of 90's minimalism, but these days it seems like the word on the street is all about getting back to the basics. Investing in the classics, returning to classically understated style and timeless beauty. Of course we all have to update this notion of "classic" to fit into our world today, which is why identifying what that means is a never-ending conversation. This week's links will give you some inspiration to that "classic" look that's just right for you.

• A Beauty Loft: Tutorial : 4 Easy Steps to Spiral Curls
• Adorned in Armor: Audrey Hepburn
• Attire Club: A Guide to Color Coordinating Your Clothes
• Confessions of a Style Cookie: Princesses in New York
• Fashion Me Purdy: 8th Generation Launches Inspired Natives
• Flower City Fashionista: On Shopping Sales
• Frugal Shopaholic: 8 Wardrobe Staples With The Splurge
• Hunting in Heels: Style Icon: Katherine Hepburn
• I Can Style U: What's the deal with flatforms?
• Ms. Fabulous: Pratt Fashion Honors African American Pioneers
• Romeo Style: Style Tips: Gold Bangles & Bracelets
• Save Spend Spurge: How Much Money Does It Cost To Be a Top Tier Fashion Blogger
• Sealed With A Kiss: 1940s Rationed Fashion
• Style By Alina: Inspired by Maleficent
• Style Curated: Two British Belles of Beauty
• Style Through Her Eyes: 5 Tips on Giving Gifts
• Style Vanity: #Want Makeup 3D Printer
• The Curatorial: A Fashion Minded Illustration Swap
• The Glambition: To Try: Orange Lipstick
• We Are Ready Made: May Rodarte Be With You

Brought to you by: East Dane Wonderland, Form Watches, F+C Bags, & 3 Dots, Sarah Chloe, Men's APC, Grenson, Zinke, Men's 7FAM, NDC & Zac Posen Bags

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Fashion Night Out Abolitionista Benefit

Celebrate a night of indie fashion designers with the bonus of being able to save a child.  A collective of artists and designers with The Set NYC have come together to host Fashion Night Out - Abolitionista Benefit.  The event raises money for efforts to stop child sex trafficking in its #PleaseSaveONEChild campaign.

The stylish night will include art exhibits and fashion shows from designers like REVERIE,  SNOWMAN, HOPE by Joy Hu & Joe Liang. Celebrity fans who wear these designes include Miss Universe Natalie Glebova, Miss Jamaica Chantal Zaky, Robin Kassner (Millionaire Matchmaker) and Angelina Pivarnick (MTV, VH1).  While enjoying the sights, guests can enjoy artisanal chocolates and cocktails. 

The event takes place in Chelsea on June 5, 2014.  If you hurry, you can buy one ticket and get your plus one's ticket for free if you purchase before Monday, May 19th.  

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Get #Downfor30 and Getaway to NYC!

Summer is about letting your hair down and flying free.   Have you had a chance to get #Downfor30?  Win the ultimate fashionable getaway to NYC with red carpet treatment.  Think VIP shopping, makeovers, luxury hotel and helicopter tour around New York’s original diva, Lady Liberty.

Show off your gorgeous tresses on Instagram with #downfor30 #sweeps in as many ways as you like to earn your chance to win the epic NYC luxury experience. Never pull back, get the details here. 

I styled myself with a "Modern Veronica" for a night out with my fashion school pals.  I always loved the mysterious elegance of classic screen star, Veronica Lake.  I started with two squirts of Frizz Ease Nourishing Elixir to smooth out the stray hairs and frizzies.  

I blew dry my hair around the crown in the opposite direction to give it a bit of body (my hair tends to flatten out midway through the day).  Next, I created a part off to the side with my fingers.  

For the soft waves, I used a vented, long barreled round brush and used the blow dryer to dry small sections of hair for a smooth wave with a bit of curl at the end.  You don't have to be perfect, you don't even have to curl your hair all the way around your head.  The pieces of hair that frame your face are the important ones.  

Great, now give me your own easy glam night out style.  You could win the ultimate Gotham getaway!

Frizz-Ease believes that when you pull your hair back, you also pull yourself back. So we're challenging women everywhere to take on the world hair-first and wear their hair #downfor30 days straight with the help their favorite Frizz-Ease products. Join the movement at NeverPullBack.com.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by KAO via Glam Media. The opinions

expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or

positions of KAO.

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The Costumes of Lady Gaga's Art Rave - ArtPop Ball

 


I had the most amazing time last night at the Lady Gaga ArtPop Ball! I didn't think a high-ticket Madison Square Garden sized venue could evoke the Art Raves of my youth, but she made it happen and more.  The costumes in the concert were some of the most creative pieces I have ever seen in pop overseen by fashion director Brandon Maxwell and costume designer Perry Meek.

Lady Gaga opened with a golden angel type costume of wings, Swarovski encrusted body suit and huge metallic gazing ball embedded in her chest, courtesy of artist Jeff Koons.  Next, was the jewel encrusted seashell bikini paired with a massive hair style on the star while the dancers were clad in bright alien costumes.

My favorite costume had to be the Octopus design with inflatable tentacles.  The silhouette of this emulated the Vegas showgirl outfits with long train and dramatic headpiece.  The bright polka dot pattern made her look like an anime fantasy.  The inflatable elements on the her and her dancers costumes were very clever.  In addition to the visual statement of the shapes, the lightness of those pieces made it easy for them to maneuver them as part of their dance or looked great in motion as they moved across the stage.

Lady Gaga had a more stripped down outfit of black vinyl pant, top and green wig.  She did a full costume change right onstage from this outfit to the ravers outfit of crazy braided wig, vinyl babydoll dress and furry legwarmers.  The dancing stadium, outfit and pumping techno beats totally brought me back to nights at the Limelight in the 1990's.  Yes, I just dated myself, and yes, I have attended a few fuzzily remembered art raves back in the day.

Her finale look was a couture-inspired white and crystal dress paired with a long wig.  She gave a shout-out to fashion, Donatella Versace and a strutted the stage like a runway.  The hair was down her back like a wraith, the dress had elements of Thierry Mugler.  

Back in my school days, I worshiped the tour costumes of Madonna from Jean-Paul Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana.  She raised the bar in mixing culture and high fashion as the new standard for concert chic and Lady Gaga inherited this tradition with pride.
Photos by Mariana Leung

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Skincare for the City

How is your skin feeling in the warmer change in weather, city pollution and allergies?  Those of us living the urban life have extra challenges to our beauty routine.

I interviewed Dr. Debra Luftman, the dermatologist over Simple Skincare and Gita Bass, celebrity make-up artist to stars like Ashley Greene and Gomez.  The ladies gave us their best tips for taking care of your skin in the summer and let us know what they really think of celebrity skin:

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Simple Skincare. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Simple Skincare.

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Trendspotting: Asian Grandparents

Who are the biggest trendsetters this season? Chinese grandparents as influencers may sound surprising, but the popularity of several style blogs has confirmed this trend beyond a doubt.

Mixed prints and geek chic?  Yep, grandparents in Chinatown have been doing this for almost a century. They weren't trying to be street style stars. As my own Mom explained, my Grandmother's love of color and pattern came from wearing cheerful clothes as a way to reflect the emotions you aspired to. Her wardrobe was ahead-of-her-time.

For an East Coast perspective, check out the blog Accidental Chinese Hipster.  For West Coast style-makers, you will find a great collection of photos at Chinatown Sartorialist. The men and women of this generation were all about practicality. Mom explained a clothing print that incorporates 10 different colors will pretty much coordinate with whatever else you own. If you read comments from the subjects of Chinatown Sartorialist, some of the fashionistas wore the outfit they did because it was a gift or happened to be the most comfortable.

Grandma, baby sis and me in the 1980s

On the hair front, there are two blogs celebrating the most embarrassing of Asian coiffure. Behold F**k Yeah, Asians with Perms and Asians with Bowl Cuts. Old yearbook photos you would hide from the public are the predecessor to the salon styling of modern hipsters now.

Sun protected, alabaster skin? Asian elders have been militant about sun protection for centuries before SPF BB creams were the industry standard.  ll hail the visor as the fashion accessory of choice.

Every child of immigrant parents or grandparents has had that moment in grade school where you were mortified by what they wore. This came from the insecurity of your efforts to fit in when they didn't dress by the narrow rules of the "cool" kids.  In reality, they were inspiring the runways of today's best designers all along.

Street photos by Andria Lo of Chinatown Sartorialist, 
Runway Photos by Mariana Leung and David Leung

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Blogger Love: Life of Style

When you are an avid fashion blog reader, it's easy to get lost in the trappings of "you look great!" and "nice dress!" you know, the internet version of air kisses. But what lies beneath? Well, there is quite a bit, it's not all on the surface! this week, we talk about love, life, style and of course, how to get your fashion on.  Read 20 of the best...

• Adorned in Armor: The Politics of Fashion
• A Prettier Place: My Tool Kit to Overcome Self-Doubt
• Alysa Lovely: 10 Love and Life Lessons from The Hills
• Barely Practical: Interview with Jennifer Sidary of Zappos Couture
• Beautyfille: How to Get Rid of Toxic Friends
• British Vague: Fashion & Femininity
• Maggiecal Life: Top 5 Fashion Items Worth Investing In
• ModaVracha's Spot: The Controversy Over the Normcore Fashion Trend
• Ms. Fabulous: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
• My Fashion Slash Life: Style Off: African Street Style
• On Duty Style Guide: Show Up, Don't Show Off
• Spend Save Splurge: The Principles of a Practical Wardrobe
• Style & Framed: Daniela D'Amico an Emerging Print Designer
• Style Vanity: 10 Lipstick Rules to Live By
• The Coveted: New or Vintage? 9 Fashion Pieces (Almost) No One Can Tell
• The Heart's Delight: From the Gym to The Street
• The Stylist: Dress for the (Fashion) Job You Want
• The Walrus Room: Free Online Design Tools for Bloggers
• We Are Ready Made: In the Mood for Cats
• Wild Beauty: Beauty Secrets of a Prehistoric Princess

SPONSOR: East Dane Fabric, Sincerely Jules, Maria Black, & Tech Gadgets, Illesteva, Men's APC, Milly Bags, Braun, Courrege, CK & Fjallraven

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Let Your Hair Down & Win the Ultimate NYC Getaway

Let your hair down girl!  Did you ever think that letting your locks fly free could win you a super stylish trip to NYC? Think makeovers, luxury hotel, shopping in Fashion district, VIP dining and helicopter tour around New York’s original diva, Lady Liberty.

Show off your flowing waves on Instagram with #downfor30 in as many ways as you like to earn your chance to win the epic NYC luxury experience. 

Never pull back, get the details here.

My own hair is generally a frizzy burden each morning.  I am too much of a late riser to attempt fancy curls in a disorganized blowout.  I recently got a digital perm to give my long, heavy hair some texture, but if I don't have time to style it properly, it turns into a nest!

Cue Frizz Ease Nourishing Elixir.  After toweling off my hair after a shower, I give myself one pump of the elixir and rub my hands together.  I work it through the roots, crown and the areas that I know will get the most unruly by the end of the day.  I also work a bit of styling mousse in with the longer strands.

Next, I divided my hair into four sections, two at the front, two at the back.  I twisted each section of hair and blew dry it while holding it from the ends.  A bit more light blow drying at my roots  to make sure I didn't flatten out and I am done!

I told you I don't have a lot of time to do my hair.  That is as complicated as I like my hair routine to be.  I am calling this my "Uptown Wave"   If you are like me, you can try a similar look or if you have a great tip, share it with #downfor30 and #sweeps for your chance a a luxury NYC getaway!

Frizz-Ease believes that when you pull your hair back, you also pull yourself back. So we're challenging women everywhere to take on the world hair-first and wear their hair #downfor30 days straight with the help their favorite Frizz-Ease products. Join the movement at NeverPullBack.com.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by KAO via Glam Media. The opinions

expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or

positions of KAO.

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Charles James, Beyond Fashion

What makes Charles James the most respected technician and designer of fashion?  The Metropolitan Museum of Art aims to explain this with their new exhibit, Charles James, Beyond Fashion.

While non-fashion fans may not be aware of his name and work as much as mega-brands like Chanel or Prada, anyone in the design field has probably studied his creations as a master class.  You may have heard clothing being described as "architectural" and missed the connection.  Looking at a Charles James dress, this is where you finally understand how a garment can resemble a scientifically constructed building.

The designer is most famous for his clover gowns created for special clients in his 40 year career, having first debuted in 1953.  The signature look is the way that the skirt drapes into a shape resembling a four-leaf clover.  For those of you who have never draped a soft, delicate, two dimensional fabric to cover a three-dimensional body, it might be impossible to understand what a feat of engineering this is.  As a fashion student, the legend was that these gowns were so impeccably constructed, they stood up on their own.

While I have seen many of these pieces in previous exhibits over the past 20 years, what was impressive to me about this show was the high-tech tools used to educate the viewer on the genius of Charles James.  There were large screens programmed next to each gown on the first floor gallery.  The screens displayed intricate 3D animations of each layer and pattern piece that went into each dress.
You might see each layer of horsehair, satin, lace, tulle and what their flat piece looked like (much like a Roschach test) and how it was draped and sewn into place to create the fully dimensional garment.  Robotic arms highlighted each area on the gown represented by the screen.  On the yellow satin lace gown (top photo) lace inserts were even lit from within to demonstrate its sheerness.  It also showed that in addition to the masterful shape of the lace on that skirt, there were hand-cut and stitched lace motifs added on top of the gown to give a more artistic layout and texture.

While the creativity or style sense of Charles James was undisputed. He saw himself as a problem solver and teacher.  The scrapbooks and studio part of the exhibit indicated he analyzed more effective ways to fit the human body, attempting to re-invent the modern dress form.

He was passionate about construction, innovative seaming, circle-cut gowns.  Many of his looks are iconic and never duplicated.  Some of his biomorphic designs were well ahead of their time, influencing other designers like Christian Dior, Zac Posen and Alexander McQueen.

Make sure to catch Charles James, Beyond Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art before August 10, 2014.
photos by Mariana Leung

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Met Gala 2014 - Red Carpet Trends

The Met Gala (or Prom for the fashion set) had a glorious red carpet procession last night.  The invitation's dress code was  “White Tie and Decorations.”  The marquee exhibit for the Metropolitan Museum's ball was Charles James, Beyond Fashion.  I guess Anna Wintour wanted guests to dress in classic glamour for the 2014 Met Ball.

The best looks came from guests paying tribute to Charles James in ball gowns echoing his silhouettes. Sarah Jessica Parker wore a black and white dress that was reminiscent of the black and white clover gown in the exhibit.  Sarah Silverman wore dark red Zac Posen similar to the scarlet creation in the museum.  Karolina Kurkova wore a sculptured work via Marchesa.  Anna Wintour's daughter Bee Schaffer wore a pale blue Alexander McQueen gown that paid tribute to the red and tulle gown by Charles James.

The irony of this event? In high school, the unpopular girls went to prom with their gay best friends.  For the Met Gala, the A-list celebrity girls attend "fashion prom" with their gay designer BFF's.  Yes, for this social event, it is much more likely to see top fashion designers bring their most popular celebrity muse as their date in lieu of their mates.  It's mutually beneficial as the designer secures the celebrity and the celebrity has designer cred.  I would love to see a designer give their date a jeweled corsage.

Worse trends?  Celebrities obviously paid to schill a mass market/high street clothing brand for press (I'm looking at you Topshop and Jenner family...) The other are celebrities dressing up as Disney princesses.  This is an unpopular opinion, at least where my niece is concerned.  She thinks this look is fabulous.  Last (AND least) the grotesque, wannabe streaker in pink mankini and Jersey Shore-worthy gold chain who tried to crash.  I am not even dignifying this clown with a photo.

Photos by Josh Haner/The New York Times, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images, Kevin Mazur/WireImage

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Pratt Fashion 2014 - Part Three

The second half of the Pratt Fashion Show 2014 was a study in handcrafted techniques and art.
Molly Clare Coyle showed an ethnic-inspired, hand painted group with a beautiful color palette.  Taylor Janotte appeared to have a similar ethnic muse, but with fantastic hand knits and prints.

Neil Grotzinger created a collection that looked like a mix of collage and found object embroidery.  There was a kimono-type jacket that was printed with patterns that looked like poster graffiti.  There was a bustier that looked pieced together like papier mâché.  I loved the dresses that were embellished in irregular motifs with beads in a technique that looked like three dimensional graffiti.

If you are looking for fashion as sculpture, Juliana Horner's collection is for you.  Her designs had a play of sheer and solid, with big shapes that ignored or distorted the natural body form.  This collection was not meant for every day wear but was impressive as statement pieces on the runway.

Congratulations graduates!
Photos by Mariana Leung

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