Addiction thirty-six: THE ROYAL WEDDING part one

Part one: The Dress
If you don’t already know I was so excited about the royal wedding. After living in London for nearly 15 years the couple had to get engaged AFTER I moved back to the States, TYPICAL! I was absolutely gutted I was not there to partake in the excitement of the event.
Now lets get back to the most important topic of this wedding, The DRESS! When Kate and William first got engaged back in November everyone wanted to know who would design her dress. There were lots of rumors people thought she might wear her favorite brand Issa London however the woman behind the label was born in Brazil. As a future member of the royal family I knew she would be expected to wear a British designer.
Amongst the bridal industry the rumor was she might go with the bridal designer Bruce Oldfield or Phillipa Lepley, both whom I’ve met while working at the UK bridal magazine, You & Your Wedding. Both design beautiful bridal dresses especially for the upper classes but it would be a very safe and traditional choice. I was secretly hoping that she might go with one of the many fashion forward British RTW designers like Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Amanda Wakeley or Jenny Packham. As it got closer to the wedding there was a lot of speculation that she might go with the British designer Sarah Burton for the House of Alexander McQueen. I started to really get excited and thought she’d forgo convention for something with a fashion edge.
So when I got up at 4am (Eastern time) to watch the wedding I have to say I was slightly disappointed with her dress. It was very traditional and terribly safe, something that I hope she would avoid especially from a forward fashion house like Alexander McQueen. When I saw the dress her sister Pippa wore, also by McQueen, that’s what I hoped Kate might wear. A bias cut gown that was slinky, perfect for a young and modern bride with an amazing figure. I’ve never been a fan of lace as I general don’t think it’s terribly modern. What I do like about the dress is the quality, craftsmanship and elegance. I also prefer the top half, which was far more interesting than the bottom. The bodice is incredibly well constructed with a flattering silhouette for her slim figure. Sarah cleverly gave her some hips in the skirt, which help emphasize her extraordinarily tiny waist. I was excited to see a bustle but thought it was too subtle and unfortunately not clearly visible behind her veil. Next blog: The BEST and WORST dressed at the Royal Wedding…….

NEW WORK: Michigan Avenue Magazine

Photographer: Heather Talbert
Stylist: Jessica Moazami
Hair and Make Up: Carley Martin

Sweater and skirt by Diana von Furstenberg and wedges by Christian Louboutin all available at Neiman Marcus

Latest published work...IN LONDON Magazine

Photographer: Perry Curties
Stylist: Jessica Moazami
Hair and Make Up: Aly Hazlewood
Model: Sofie Schwensen at Union

Addiction thirty-five: JIL SANDER

My signature look has always been pairing the casual with the smart for a bit of understated elegance. Many times I’ve styled a white shirt, tee or tank with a satin, sequins or bias-cut shirt. So it’s no surprise that I LOVE Jil Sander’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection.

With fashion’s recent obsession of the “new minimalism” Raf Simons the designers of this definitive minimalist house wanted to go “maximal” with explosive colors combined with simple silhouettes.






This collection has been a fav with a few celebs including Tilda Swinton (2011 Golden Globes) and Kate Bosworth (The Style Awards) who both chose to wear the same skirt but different white tops.

After a brief hiatus where I was traveling to London, to style a fashion shoot for In London Magazine then to Singapore and Indonesia (see above) for a wedding on a private island, I’m now back and ready to blog.

COMING SOON My Spring/Summer 2011 Favorite Trends and Wish List.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Michigan Avenue Magazine

Yesterday I was at the W Hotel styling the up and coming actress Danielle Campbell for Michigan Avenue Magazine. My brief from the magazine was “young, fun and bright” so I knew straight away I wanted to feature clothes from Marc by Marc Jacobs , DVF, Milly, Miu Miu and Kate Spade .

This beautiful and gifted girl has been in several TV productions like StarStruck and Prison Break. She is making her big screen debut in the Disney movie, Prom, coming out later this year.

It was my first time working with the very talented and lovely photographer, Heather Talbert, who took some amazing photos of Danielle. The creative and hilarious Carley Martin did a fantastic job with her hair & make-up.

Addiction thirty-four: JANUARY SALES

I love post holiday shopping, It’s a great opportunity to nab some fantastic designer bargains. Department stores can do great discounts and some of my fav designer pieces were found in the Jan sales. Now I’ve searched the major department stores online and found some items you would be crazy not to grab.

Save on this oversized crochet tank by Jean Paul Gaultier at Bergdorf Goodman, Original price $395, now $158. Worn with a pair of black leggings (a key item in any woman’s wardrobe) would look effortlessly cool.

I would be quick and snap up this fabulous Marc by Marc Jacobs bag before someone else does from Barneys.com. On sale for $169 this very cool gold zipper leather bag was originally $428!

I could see this distressed leather belt being a versatile accessories for so many great outfits. Available at Saks Fifth Avenue this Michael Kors’ belt was $395, now only $118. I think I just might have to get this one for myself.

HAPPY SHOPPING and GOOD LUCK!