Orange County Fashion Week

I was lucky enough to have been sent to Orange County Fashion Week by Uber.  I am honored to report back on what a fabulous experience it was.  What I loved about Orange County Fashion Week was that designers presented looks that could be worn very soon - in the coming weeks or months - as opposed to most major fashion week shows where we get a glimpse of what will be trending for the next year or season. Perhaps that's one of the many perks of OC life - fresh fashion is readily accessible.  I saw intricate crochet crop tops, breezy tie-dye caftans, versatile shape-shifting swimwear and easy gowns that looked suitable from beach brunch to belle of the ball.

Day 1 - Sugar Rush

OC Fashion Week kicked off with resortwear and men's intimates at the Seven Degrees venue in Laguna Beach.  With a beautiful red carpet, brand-new Vespas on display and pop-up shops ranging from jewelry to hats to beauty, the atmosphere was welcoming and fun.

The night started with an expert fashion panel including Neel Grover, CEO of Bluefly.com; Rose Olson Januzzi, COO of Chinese Laundry; Lash Fary, CEO of Distinctive Assets; Kelli Ellis, Celebrity Interior Designer and Sarah De Anna, supermodel and author of the book Supermodel You.

Noia showed some of the coolest coverups I've seen with ultra chic body jewelry as the perfect accent to take your day from poolside to pre-dinner drinks.

Charmosa Swimwear came from Brazil to show her designs.  She did feature bikinis and one pieces, however for me, the standouts in her collection were the maxi dresses that seemed to float down the runway.

Indie Soul's collection was decidedly tribal in influence with ethnic beaded elements and tie-dye patterns.  This fringed crochet top is one I could definitely see paired with jeans and heels or on the way to the beach this Spring and Summer.

Day 2 - HauTECH

The second night was held at the incredible Lyon Air Museum at the Orange County Airport. Set amongst vintage airplanes and the newest luxury car models, this night of menswear designs was definitely swanky.

Celebrity stylist Daniel Musto was a stylish and delightful emcee for the evening.

One of the featured pop-up shops was David August, Inc., which creates custom menswear ranging from polo shirts to tuxedos.  Their clients consult with them and each item is measured to fit the man perfectly.  They also have gorgeous accessories such as ties and cufflinks and they can monogram any piece of clothing as well.

Another of the pop-up shops on night two was The Left Shoe Company, which uses innovative 3-D scanning to create stylish made-to-measure men's shoes.

Valor Collective's laid-back looks were perfect for the guy who wants to look put-together and stylish even in his casual wear.  The high-end streetwear featured many interchangeable separates.

Popular surfwear company Rip Curl featured their boardshorts, tees and California-cool activewear.

The Orange County Ballet Theatre preformed in between each fashion show, with exceptional pieces geared to express the theme of each preceding designer.

Pal Zileri's stunning collection of elegant menswear featured suits and separates in fine Italian fabrics and super chic color combinations.  The impeccably tailored styles were the epitome of the modern gentleman.

Day 4 - Avant Garde

The splashy and sophisticated restaurant, Anqi, was the host venue of the avant garde night of OC Fashion Week.  Highlighting local and international designers who push the limits of fashion, the night was full of fascinating creations.

Coral Castillo's designs were a standout of the night.  Using embellishments and an all-black palette, the pieces seemed at the same time light and structural.

Final Night - Fashionably Responsible

The final night of Orange County Fashion Week was held at Dawson Cole Fine Art Galley in Laguna Beach. In the outdoor courtyard, dotted with graceful sculptures and waterfalls, the night celebrated Orange County's local designers who give back to the community.  It also highlighted OC Fashion Week's 2014 charitable cause: HomeAid Orange County, the founding chapter of a national non-profit organization with the vision and purpose to end homelessness. 

Ansari Haute Couture is the design house of Nasrin Ansari, who uses unique fabrics and fine detailing on her creations.  The styles were decidedly European and sensational.

Dan Richters Couture designs are artful and otherworldly.  How appropriate that his collection was entitled "Vessel".  The gold and black pieces in rich textures featured embellishments fit for a warrior queen.  Beyond the elegant structure applied to each design, what was so striking on the runway was that every other model was en pointe, pacing the catwalk on the tips of her toes.  The idea was inspired, adding to the transcendent value of the finale collection of Orange County Fashion Week.

Go Buy Now: Pink Coats

The whirlwind season of New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks has come to a close and there were so many unique looks shown for Fall/Winter 2014. However, it was impossible to ignore the "it" item still prevalent in numerous collections: the pink coat.  This item has actually been popular for a few seasons, and the most recent runways prove that this new classic is not going anywhere.  While pastels are always in the Spring fashion forecast, a huge plus is that you can wear this now and through the end of the year as an unexpected neutral to balance out Fall and Winter's darker hues. These designers show that the pink coat is far more versatile than it sounds.

Burberry Prorsum showed a wool version with a thick scarf thrown over one shoulder- a cool new way to accessorize outerwear.

Carven's salmon coat featured a half-zip closure and showed how you can introduce prints to your ensemble with a wide leopard lapel.

At Christopher Kane, an angled and embellished hem adds modern edge to the pink coat.

A sportier version stood out in Fendi's collection, paired nicely with army green to show how earthy tones can work well with a pink coat.

Giambattista Valli's pink coat had swinging peplum wings lined in pink's chic counterpart: red.

Givenchy featured a glamorous take with a blush-colored coat upgraded by a fur lapel and fur sleeves.

The pink coat at Gucci had a sixties-mod, double-breasted silhouette.  Paired with a pink turtleneck, this proves that this monochromatic style can look very polished.

A cape, like the pink suede version at Ralph Lauren, is a cool spin on the trend.  When styled with varying textures, such as cableknit and cotton, the aesthetic is effortlessly chic.

Rochas featured a loose wool version in the popular oversized cocoon silhouette.

You can work one of the many variations of the pink coat into your wardrobe with some of the more affordable versions below:

ASOS Vintage Cocoon Coat

Kenneth Cole Boucle Coat at 6pm

TopShop Wool Boyfriend Coat

Zara Round Neck Coat

Oscars Fashion Review Part Two: Best { Dressed } of the Rest

While many ladies were ravishing in black, with Charlize Theron and Olivia Wilde as standouts, these stars ruled the Oscars red carpet with their fabulous style:

Naomi Watts had a modern chic look in an exquisitely embellished white Calvin Klein column.  Her soft yet slicked-back hair, Bulgari statement necklace and graphic clutch were the perfect accessories.

Lupita Nyongo looked every bit the princess of the party in her pale blue Prada dress.  Clearly, she loved the shimmering pleated skirt that seemed to float as she walked the red carpet.

As soon as Kate Hudson hit the red carpet, I knew her look was my favorite of the night.  Her silver Atelier Versace gown featured a swinging cape, poised perfectly on her shoulders, along with a flattering gathering at the waist and a super sleek train.  Paired with her retro waves and glowing makeup, she brought complete glamour Hollywood's biggest night.

Who was your best dressed at the Academy Awards?

Oscars Fashion Review Part One: Black Out

The stars brought their fashion A-game to last night's Academy Awards, and luckily the actual show was as fun to watch as the red carpet.  One major trend that I saw was a bit of a surprise: black gowns. Usually stylists will recommend that celebrities stay away from black on the red carpet as it may not "pop" as much as more colorful looks, but these stars showed that black is back.

Julia Roberts wore a lace Givenchy dress which featured a peplum waist.  Choosing a lace dress in a darker hue like black keeps it from looking too sweet.

Olivia Wilde's perfect pregnancy style continues with this beautiful black Valentino gown.  She was smart to pick a dress with a unique back element- a cool white streak.  This is a great style note for maternity dressing.  Her art deco accessories worked wonderfully with the overall look.

Emma Watson pulled off a difficult feat- looking cutting edge yet timeless at the same time.  Her shimmering charcoal Vera Wang gown almost looked like separates with it's sheer back and sweeping skirt.  Paired with minimal jewelry and a tousled ponytail, the look was beautiful.

Anne Hathaway's black Gucci dress was bold and powerful, with it's back slit and high neckline, however the sparkling embellishments that continued around the waistline created a cool and confident vibe.

Charlize Theron's Dior gown was a show-stopper.  With an architectural train attached with sheer organza, and unique illusion sleeves holding up the deep v neck, it was an entrance you could not ignore.  Taking advantage of the lovely black backdrop, she wore a dazzling diamond drop necklace by Harry Winston.

Margot Robbie (now a brunette!) chose an overall fashion-forward look with a Saint Laurent gown.  The beaded bodice featured a back cut-out and large bow.  She was the only star who chose to pair dark lipstick with her black dress which creates a vampy look when coupled with her dark hair.

Okay, so this dress wasn't seen on the actual red carpet to the awards show, however I did choose it as one of my gown front-runners for the Oscars!  Kate Hudson wore this amazing Zuhair Murad dress to the after parties and she looked stunning.  Again, it shows that black dresses, when paired with design elements such as sheer panels, lace, beading or surprising silhouettes can be anything but boring.

Did you like the black dress trend on last night's red carpet? Does it make you think twice about choosing this color for special occasions?  Stay tuned... my Oscar's best dressed (which may include one of the ladies above!) will be coming soon.  

Oscar Gown Contenders from Fashion Week

The biggest night in Hollywood is coming up on Sunday and after reviewing the collections from Fashion Week, it's easy to see that many designers had this in mind when curating this season's looks.  Here are some styles that I think would be perfect for the Academy Awards.

Although I'd love to see Jennifer Lawrence branch out a bit, it's a pretty safe bet that she will be wearing Dior to the Oscars.  Contrasting her cream princess-style ballgown from last year, this dress would be a more modern and unique style for her.  By adding some sparkling jewels, this could make a real statement.

Nearly all of the dresses in Elie Saab's Spring/Summer couture collection were red-carpet ready.  This pale gold gown mixes structured peplum and floating tulle for a romantic look.  While nominees Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep usually go for more pragmatic styles, I would love to see one of them in something like this.

This Jenny Packham dress would look gorgeous on Sandra Bullock, who loves to play with asymmetrical lines and varying textures.  It is a classy take on the sheer trend, with immaculate draping from the shoulder.

Now this is an Oscar-worthy look!  The mixing of scarlet colored velvet and pink silk along with the perfect shoe-framing length, make this dress a fabulous choice for someone like Amy Adams, who is a front-runner in the Best Actress category.

As soon as I saw this unique three-quarter sleeve dress by Tony Ward I thought of the newest red-carpet darling, Lupita N'yongo.  Her Oscar gown choice is highly anticipated and interviews reveal that she does her fashion research.  Tony Ward would be an unexpected and chic direction for her biggest award show turn to date.

Regardless of who wears it, I am dying to see this dress hit the red carpet!  It would be such a major fashion moment, as long as the hair and jewelry are kept simple.  The elements of sheer and lace detailing create a fresh yet elegant look.  I think someone like Cate Blanchett, who loves high fashion and unique details, would look great in this.

Who do you think will be best dressed on Sunday at the Academy Awards?  Don't forget to follow along on Instagram (@AngelHowlett) and Twitter (@AngelHowlett) for the live fashion play-by-play!  And check out Pinterest for more Oscar-worthy gowns: http://www.pinterest.com/angelhowlett/oscar-worthy-gowns-2014/

Well-Red: New York Fashion Week Trend Report

This season, the designers at New York Fashion Week must have had Valentine's Day on their minds when they were creating.  Red was a consistent color popping up on the runways.  Here are just a few of the collections that featured this bold color.

Rag & Bone showed how just a flash of red on the lining of a coat can have a sporty impact, and how mixing medias, such as leather and suede, can toughen up this sexy shade.

At Marissa Webb, silks paired with soft cashmere created a romantic yet chic monochromatic look.

Helmut Lang, renowned for statement-making coats, presented red accessories in the form of shoes and handbags to show how well this color pairs with neutrals.

Zac Posen's runway was filled with gowns just waiting to be worn for awards season, and two of his red showstoppers demonstrated how a crimson dress can work perfectly for a sleek look or a ballgown style.

Will you take notes from the NYFW runways and incorporate red into your wardrobe beyond just Valentines Day?

Let's Hear It For The Boys - Grammy's Best Dressed Men

I would be remiss to discuss Grammys fashion and not mention a couple of guys whose style can oscillate from runway renegade to fashion forward.  Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were not only big winners at the Grammys, but they also came up big on the red carpet.

This is men's Grammy style done right. Ryan Lewis wore a houndstooth suit by Mr. Turk and Macklemore wore a teal velvet suit- probably not from the "Thrift Shop".  Guys, take note: both suits are artfully tailored and shows their personalities without being sloppy.  And while still respecting the awards red carpet.  Now can we talk about these shoes?

Ryan's embellished pair didn't detract from his printed suit but kept the edgy cool look down to his toes. Macklemore opted for Guissepe Zanotti's studded loafers with gold shark tooth tassels, completing his stylish ensemble.

What did you think of their Grammys style? Do you think there were any other men on the red carpet who looked cooler than these two?