La Creme de la Creme- Paris Couture

From sweet to sexy, collections at Paris Couture Fashion Week ran the gamut of looks for Spring and Summer! Here is a quick sampling of my favorite shows.

Giambattista Valli showed a modern take on Spring by playing with varying textures and origami shapes.

Ulyana Sergeenko took a retro turn with silky, smart silhouettes and bubble hems paired with bustiers.

Stephane Rolland's collection was as light as a feather with flouncy accents and sheer layers throughout.

Sexy as ever, Atelier Versace showed how the Versace woman goes from day to night, casual to formal.

One of my favorite collections, Zuhair Murad, featured slinky gowns with perfect detailing. I hope to see the middle look at the upcoming Oscar awards!

Which collection was your favorite?

Golden Globes 2014: The Best And the Brightest

Sunday night's Golden Globes red carpet did not disappoint- while there were definitely some fashion misses, risks were still taken and we had the chance to see some new stars shine.  Trends were seen in the form of red dresses, more color blocking, plunging necklines, pastels and embellished accents, however my best dressed represent the variety of  fabulous fashions seen at the Globes.

Newcomer Lupita Nyoung'o was breathtaking in a red Ralph Lauren cape dress that suited her perfectly and showed off her glowing skin.  It was a bold and elegant statement with her short haircut and minimal jewelry.  I've been a fan of Margot Robbie since the now-cancelled PanAm series, however this was one of her first big red carpet turns for her role in The Wolf of Wall Street.  Her white Gucci dress with simple yet impactful emerald piping and matching green heels looked modern and sexy.  There were several pregnant stars on the red carpet, however fashionista Olivia Wilde proved that she may be even more of a style siren while expecting!  Also in Gucci, the emerald green sequin sheath had simple lines with long sleeves, allowing both her baby bump and beautiful face to shine.  A blonder Kate Mara chose a metallic J. Mendel gown with an updated mermaid silhouette that fit her perfectly.  Featuring structured shoulders and a sheer pleated underlay, the look was slightly romantic yet strong.

It was tough to choose from all of the great fashion! I'd give honorable mention to Reese Witherspoon, Kate Beckinsale, Amy Adams and Amber Heard, not to mention cohosts Amy Poelher and Tina Fey.  Who were your Golden Globes best dressed?

People's Choice Awards - What They Wore

As we ramp up for my favorite time of the year- awards and fashion week season, the People's Choice Awards brought out celebrities who were ready to show off their first red-carpet looks of the new year. Here are some of the prominent trends I noticed last night.

Winter white hues were big at the People's Choice Awards.  Newcomer Adelaide Kane chose a lacy Rhea Costa frock with an emerald clutch for a pop of color. Humanitarian Award recipient Jennifer Hudson dazzled in a long-sleeved Kaufman Franco sheath.  Jason Wu's form-fitting zippered dress looked fresh on Jessica Alba, however her solid white Casadei pumps weighed down the ensemble.  A strappy, open toed sandal is usually a better choice for this monochromatic look.

The freezing temperatures throughout much of the U.S. seems to have left some stars yearning for Spring, as floral prints were also prominent.  Unfortunately most of the looks fell flat.  Florals can be tricky and are best kept simple. Sandra Bullock looked polished in her dress by Peter Pilotto, whose highly-anticipated collaboration with Target will be in stores on February 9th.  Kat Dennings chose the vampy route with a David Meister gown.  With a shoulder embellishment, low-cut neckline and busy floral pattern, Heidi Klum's Armani gown seemed to have a bit too much going on.

Colorblocking was out in full force- mostly kept in neutral tones on this red carpet.  Newly-engaged Naya Rivera looked stunning in a Michael Kors dress.  Co-host Beth Behrs showed off her first look of the evening in a flowing Rene Caovilla gown, showing that black and white are always a good pair.  Emily Deschanel matched her Max Azria gown to her colorblocked clutch.

What did you think of these trends at the People's Choice Awards? Do you think we'll see similar trends on the Golden Globes red carpet on Sunday?  Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram for live fashion updates all award season long!

Emmys Best Dressed: Turning Heads

This year's Emmys were full of beautiful fashion- we saw trends in the form of colors (blue was the big hit of the evening) and shapes (many stars opted for mermaid gowns).  However, my best dressed were the women whose looks had that special something: a stunning detail that stood out when they turned their heads.

In an elegant Prada gown, Michelle Dockery proved that bright hues and deep colors can play beautifully together.  The low-cut back and her sleek bob perfectly highlighted the oversized avant-garde bow-like detail.

Kate Mara again confirmed her place as a star who really 'gets' fashion in this gorgeous long-sleeved J. Mendel column. It's truly impressive how a dress with embroidered textures of varying patterns, and a skirt with high slit layers provided a look that was arguably the most modern and chic of the entire red carpet.  The side cutouts in the top were an unexpected construction detail.

Katrina Bowden made a lovely statement in a perennial red-carpet favorite, Badgley Mischka.  The navy gown looked simple from the front, however the back showed off the gorgeous art-deco embellishments that took her look to another level.  Styled perfectly with a clean bun and sparkling topaz earrings by David Yurman, she looked young and fresh.

What were your favorite looks at the Emmys?

Cream of the Crop

Sometimes not all fashion trends are ones that we can see working for us, however the frequency of the top trend at New York Fashion Week's Spring/Summer ready to wear collections was unmistakable and refuses to be overlooked: the crop top.  Initial reactions to this midriff-bearing style are often that there is no way the average woman would be able to work this into her wardrobe.  I've seen countless iterations of this style on the runway, and I guarantee that there are ways to make this trend classy, and to make it work for different figures.

First, let's explore some of the daytime looks that can be achieved.  Rebecca Taylor showed the crop top's sporty side with a low-slung skirt and long Varsity jacket.  At Narciso Rodriguez, the look was chic yet casual with three-quarter length sleeves and a monochrome colorway.  Tracy Reese gave the crop a ladylike turn, pairing it with a lace peplum skirt.  The key to these daytime looks is to not go overboard with various colors or accessories- keep it simple to keep it stunning.

Perhaps the most intriguing way that this trend was displayed was how it was worked into evening looks.  Christian Siriano showed a spectacular chartreuse crop top that was balanced by it's own flowing train and matching ankle pants.  Oscar de la Renta's collection included a way that the crop top can work for those of us who don't actually want to bear our bellies: match a shorter top with high-waisted skirt or pants in a complementary silhouette.  And Monique L'huillier brought us what was previously thought impossible: a red-carpet ready crop top look!  She paired a bandeau with a high-waisted skirt in beautiful flowing silk that showed just a sliver of stomach, and created a gorgeous, modern and elegant style, appropriate enough for a black-tie affair.  So consider my mind changed: there are ways to make this trend work beyond the super-slim and super-casual looks we've seen in the past.  

Will you be working crop tops into your wardrobe for the coming seasons?  If so, what will you pair it with?

Programming note: don't forget that the Emmy's are this Sunday, so be sure to follow me on Instagram and Twitter @AngelHowlett for all of the major fashion moments as they happen!

Flower Power

Floral patterns dominated the runways at Paris Fashion Week, proving that this trend isn't going anywhere for the upcoming seasons. While flowers often evoke a girlie visual, designers showed that the size of the pattern, colors used and silhouette can give this pattern a power boost.

At Giambattista Valli, an air of modern romance was achieved with a spray of red flowers on a beautifully draped gown.  Accessorized with a dark cinched belt, the look was kept from being overly sweet.  Ulyana Sergeenko used a floral trim on the straps and bustline of a velvet frock to balance the flounce of the hemline.  With exaggerated sleeves and a gauzy floor length skirt, Alexis Mabille used flowers to drive the romantic neo-Victorian feel of her couture collection.  Sexy cutouts and sheer panels laced with floral appliques donned the gowns at Tony Yaacoub, who designs for a woman who wants all eyes on her.  Maison Martin Margiela never fails to entertain, taking the quirky factor up a notch with full floral headdresses on many of his models.  His pastel swing coats lined with large blooms were countered with brown knee-high boots, proposing that come Fall/Winter, we will all be yearning for sunny Spring days and floral motifs.  

As with all Couture collections, these looks are meant to be a rarefied vision of the overall direction that fashion is taking.  For everyday ensembles, don't be afraid to mix floral with other patterns for a fresh look (for example, a floral top and striped skirt).  The general rule of thumb is to keep the size of the pattern varied- so if you use a wide stripe, keep the florals at micro-level.  Also, it pays off to have a 'base color', which is a color that is found in both patterns. 

Making Me Blush

Couture Fashion Week is a really exciting time to get a glimpse into the most decadent and gorgeous designs that will soon emerge as some of the hottest trends in every day fashion. One of the trends that really stood out at last week's Fall/Winter 2013 Couture fashion week in Paris was the dominance of nude colors.  On the runways at numerous shows, pale blush and light beige tones were showcased in various silhouettes and styles.

At Alexandre Vauthier, expert draping and a carefully corseted silk piece in nude showed that this color can still make a bold statement.  Elie Saab's long-sleeved gown with plunging neckline and embellished details was red carpet ready.  At Giorgio Armani Privé, one of my favorite collections from Fall/Winter Couture, all of the designs were based on this color story, showing the true multitude of neutral options. The chic tie-belt pants in this look were perfectly complimented by a sheer camisole and delicately bejeweled open blouse.  Zuhair Murad's romantic lace dress balanced a high slit and one gauzy shoulder strap.  At Jitrois, you can see how monochromatic nude separates work together for a look of modern elegance.

One of the great things about this trend is that it can flatter all skin tones- it's just a matter of finding the right spectrum for you! Add a dramatic smoky eye or bold lip color for some fun contrast.  Will you be working some nude and blush colors into your wardrobe for the coming seasons?