Cannes-piration: Keeping it Très Chic at Any Event

Every Spring, filmmakers, actors, models, designers and dignitaries flock to the French Riviera for the annual Cannes Film Festival.  This twelve day extravaganza not only celebrates the best in current and upcoming movies, but it also showcases the crème de la crème of fashion.  One of the greatest things about this festival is seeing the many different looks that celebrities have to pull together for all the varying types of events that they will attend.  Everyone can relate to having to pack for a trip that will require numerous wardrobe changes, which can be very challenging.  While these stars have stylists to help pull together their looks, we can still take a cue from how they chose smart-looking outfits that meet a plethora of functions.

Carey Mulligan wore a black jumpsuit by Alexander Wang for Balenciaga for the photocall for The Great Gatsby.  The modern, rounded neckline, beaded detailing and t-strap heels added a special touch to this decidedly more casual look.  Rosie Huntington Whiteley chose a creme Dior corset top and high-low hemmed skirt with pockets for the amfAR Benefit.  Her matching ivory pumps balanced the look with a prim yet not overly-done feel.  Olivia Palermo showed her innate sense of style in a short black Roberto Cavalli frock with varying textures and long sleeves.  The feather accents on her heel straps and her cobalt purse shows that it's all in the details for an evening out.  Also in Cavalli, Princess Charlene of Monaco proves that a pant suit can be sexy and sharp at the boat party celebrating the designer.  Her robin's-egg blue clutch is the perfect counterpoint to her dark ensemble.  You'll also notice that each of these women has chosen to forego jewelry or stick with very simple pieces - keeping in line with the "less is more" theory - especially when considering precious luggage space!

Yet there are those nights when you just know you want to pull out all the stops.  This was the case at the 'All Is Lost' Cannes premiere.  As Milla Jovovich shows, the red carpet was made for drama, and her sweeping Armani gown with a jewel-encrusted bodice and navy  silk skirt is a showstopper. Her dark nails, sideswept bangs, smoky eye makeup, matching clutch and sparkling cuff are perfect accessories for this glamorous yet French-chic look.

What did you think of this year's Cannes fashion?  Checking out the quick and varied ensemble changes that the attendees have to make, I definitely feel the need to keep my style quotient 'en pointe' while on business or personal trips! 

Rock // Stars

The Costume Institute's Metropolitan Museum of Art Ball is regarded as 'the biggest night in fashion'.  The very essence of the event is centered around all that is couture: the goal is to raise funds and celebrate the Institute's latest fashion-as-art exhibit, and it is tradition for designers to bring their current muse (see: model or starlet) as their guest.  The theme of this year's event was Punk Rock: Chaos to Couture and it was with high expectation that fashionophones awaited what designers, stylists and celebrities would come up with for this seemingly odd pairing of punk and haute couture.

Rooney Mara was co-chair of the event along with Anna Wintour (naturally!) and Riccardo Tisci.  She donned an on-trend white lace dress by Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy.  While you'd expect this to be a more demure and ladylike look, what gave this ensemble the rock-star treatment were the structured shoulders, exposed zippers, plunging neckline, high center slit and dark lip color.  Anne Hathaway stunned in sheer and shredded black Valentino column with cut out panels.  Her brand-new platinum hair color added a bit of surprising yet balancing glam.  Model Rosie Huntington Whitely made a grand entrance in an olive-hued Gucci gown of silk, see-through fishnet and feathers.  

My favorite look of the night was Cara Delevigne, arguably the most sought-after model in the business right now.  Her custom-designed studded Burberry gown had a low neckline that showcased her layered and dripping necklaces.  She accented her look with her signature heavy eyebrows, smoky eye makeup and tousled hair.  Perhaps it has something to do with the precarious personality that she's known for, but for me she encapsulated exactly what this night called for: model cool and devil-may-care punk.

Who was your best dressed at the Met Gala?  Do these looks make you reconsider the juxtaposition of  unconventional punk and high fashion?

Gatsby: The Jazz-Age Aesthetic

"Can't repeat the past?... Why of course you can!" -  Jay Gatsby, The Great Gatsby

To say that I am excited about The Great Gatsby movie is a huge understatement.  Art Deco architecture and fashion have always topped my style list, and I've always been a huge fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, even when it was required reading in college.  Perhaps it was his apt accounts of the epic parties and grand fashions of the twenties, but the story that intertwined the opulent atmospheric descriptions made the whole era seem even more mysterious and elegant.  Leave it to visionary film maker Baz Luhrmann to amp my excitement up even more with the debut of his film adaptation, coming to theaters on Friday.  From the very first glimpse at a trailer for the movie, it's clear that the fashion in this film will be as legendary as Gatsby himself.

Baz Luhrmann turned to Miuccia Prada to design the over 40 bespoke costumes for the film.  Prada then pulled inspiration from her own archive to update and revitalize flapper-era fashion.  I love fashion sketches as they tend to shed light on the thought process and musings of a designer at work.  The recently released sketches above show Prada's initial ideas for costuming the film.  On the recent runways I've noticed many other fashion houses who have showcased an opulent twenties influence in their pieces.

At Naeem Khan, the entire collection seemed to be a nod to the twenties, with sparkling beadwork and deep hues.  Vanessa Bruno showed a modern update to the angular designs with a mini dress in an Art Deco print.  The sheer paneling that Elie Saab is famous for was highlighted with embellishments mirroring prohibition-era geometric motifs.

At Sao Paulo fashion week, Adriana Degreas showed Gatsby-inspired resort wear with plunging necklines and beaded caps.  Emporio Armani's accessories really gave his contemporary pieces a twenties touch with hats perfectly fit for Gatsby character Daisy Buchanan.  At Louis Vuitton, modern flapper-girl style was evident in the  hair and makeup as well as the feathered and beaded detailing shown on the jumpsuit above.

I will definitely be working Art Deco fashion influences into my wardrobe in the coming seasons.  Does Gatsby fashion inspire your style?

The Politics of Fashion: White House Correspondent's Dinner

Last night, Hollywood and D.C. collided at the annual White House Correspondent's Dinner.  Recently nicknamed the "nerd prom", this event allows for an evening of levity and laughs for celebrities and political heavy-hitters.  The red carpet at the WHCD usually skews less D.C.-serious and more towards awards-show fabulous due to the entertainment-industry quotient.  And with arguably one of the most fashionable FLOTUS' ever as hostess, the guests were well aware that the style bar is set pretty high at this soiree.  A sampling of the top looks of the night prove that point.

Robin Wright, who currently stars in the excellent D.C. drama 'House of Cards' rocked a navy Rolando Santana gown with a slight mermaid flare.  The curled neckline detail was just ruffled enough without being frilly and it framed her cropped hairstyle perfectly.  Robin's 'House of Cards' co-star Kate Mara's white Prada sheath provided one of the only non-strapless looks of the night.  Again showing that she and her sister Rooney are fashion forces to be reckoned with, Kate's unique styling brought this look to a new level with a lime green clutch, jeweled cuff and dark nails.  Jessica Paré, who has been making waves with her on-point fashion choices recently, looked elegant in Antonio Berardi's cobalt gown.  The velvet draping added just the right amount of texture to the structured dress.

Kerry Washington, who has been shooting 100% in the style playoffs, did not disappoint in Wes Gordon's printed gown.  From the halter neck, to the multi-level cascading hemline and on-trend black and white color story, this dress was a perfect choice for this glamorous yet political event.  She styled it perfectly with minimal jewelry and loose curls.

Did you watch the White House Correspondent's Dinner?  What did you think about the styles at this unconventional red carpet event?

Fashion Week Fave: Louis Vuitton RTW F/W 2013

I've covered some of the trends of the recent fashion weeks, but I wanted to stop and take a breather to really appreciate one of the most inspiring of the ready-to-wear Fall/Winter shows.  In Paris, Marc Jacobs once again brought the drama to his collection for Louis Vuitton.  It's hard to pinpoint exactly why he excels as the head of this fashion house, but his ability to fully realize who "the girl" is (read: the target consumer) for this particular season, is aspirational yet identifiable at the same time.  Marc's pieces were not only aesthetically beautiful, but the motivation behind them was thought-provoking.  He mentioned that the most fabulous place that a you can get all dressed up to be is your own hotel room or home.  Why not lounge around in berry lips and silk pajamas that could just as easily be worn out with an embellished coat and a bit of attitude?

In fact, it was these very embellishments that brought a cohesive theme to many of the collection's most stunning pieces.  Feathers fused to the edge of menswear-chic jumpsuits and trenches added movement and femininity.  On mid-calf coats and dresses, fur placed on the hems and throughout the lining added a lush touch of glam that skewed cool vintage versus gaudy.

Marc Jacobs' vision of relaxed elegance continued with the luxe coats over lingerie-inspired underpinnings.  The mid-length jackets came in shades of checked taupe and cobalt with ombre sequin details at the hem which really juxtaposed the seemingly contradictory theory of at-home special occasion dressing.  The cowl neckline on his 40's-style shimmering coatdress with fadeway plaid at the top was impeccable.

And it wouldn't be a Marc for Louis Vuitton show without his muse, Kate Moss.  She stunned in her rare runway turn by confidently flaunting a sheer embellished sky blue gown suitable for a woman who knows she can take the town's most posh events by storm, but would most prefer the most exclusive of them all: her own boudoir.  

I was very inspired by this collection for Fall/Winter 2013 and will be trying to incorporate elements of retro relaxed-glam into my wardrobe.  Did you love the collection as much as I did?  

European Fashion Week Trend Report: Part Two, Velvet Underground

One textile that filled the runways in London, Milan and Paris over the past few weeks was velvet.  The use of velvet in collection after collection proved that this trend will be everywhere come Fall/Winter 2013.  Velvet all on it's own can seem an overwhelming fabric for many people to pull off, but so many styles can be achieved with adjusting the amount and placement of velvet in an ensemble, along with the textures used in the rest of the look.  

Alberta Ferretti showed a bright blue scalloped skirt with a sheer top for a flattering and feminine look. This isn't your traditional BVD (Black Velvet Dress) at Haider Ackermann: the column gown had a modern softness that was so chic.  Maison Martin Margiela displayed a very downtown hip vibe with gold and gray velvet panels on a knit sweater and black mini.  Jil Sander showed how you can add a touch of the plush textile with accessories like a slate colored velvet belt.  For Marios Schwab, who showed many velvet looks in his Fall/Winter collection, even boots and capes in bordeaux velvet look stylish paired with an embellished top to balance out the texture.  Rochas had perhaps one of my favorite velvet looks of the season.  This look featured a 50's silhouette with an A-line chocolate velvet circle skirt and a belted tweed vest for the epitome of updated ladylike cool.

I saw so many beautiful and fun examples of velvet in the European Fashion Week collections {there were even too many to post here!} so please check out my Pinterest board at: http://pinterest.com/angelhowlett/velvet-apricot-at-european-fashion-weeks-2013/ for more velvet inspiration!

European Fashion Week: Trend Report Part One, Orange Sorbet

The past 3 weeks of the respective European weeks have shown us a variety of textures, themes and visions for where the Fall/Winter 2013 season is heading for fashion.  We've seen everything from renewed grunge at Saint Laurent to royal Versailles-ready costume gowns at McQueen.  In the next few posts, I will discuss a couple of the prevalent trends as well as my favorite show from Fashion Week at London, Milan & Paris. 

First, let's take a look at color: an apricot sorbet hue caught my eye as it popped up on the runways in various monochromatic styles.  While orange seems like an obvious choice for Fall/Winter campaigns, this new hue for 2013 is less saturated and more pale, making it much more flattering on a variety of skin tones. 

At Max Mara, a sporty mixed-media take on the color was shown with a matching bag.  Gucci gave the apricot look a modern silhouette and complimentary leather boots.  Belted and with the perennial high-slit, Gianfranco Ferre's take on pale orange was feminine yet strong.  In London, Richard Nicoll showed a versatile peachy leather sheath that can easily go from day to night.  Mugler displayed a crop-top style shown with a high waist for a fresh take on the tangerine dream.

This wearable tone is sure to be big in the coming seasons.  Will you add some apricot sorbet to your fashion palette?