Glossy Dreams: my favorite magazine spreads by my favorite stylists

     Glossies is a term referring to the glossy pages of a fashion magazine [file this away with words like 'skinnies' for skinny jeans and 'sunnies' for sunglasses] These pages are the ultimate gateway to my fashion fantasies. I feel like I'm always dreaming, fantasizing, and obsessing over fashion during every possible minute of the day. One minute I'm obsessing over Blair Waldorf's wardrobe ensemble in a recent Gossip Girl episode and the next, I can't stop thinking about Erin Fetherston's new line of tea cup volume dresses. It's like an ongoing slide show of images constantly going through in my head. So for the very first edition of this new segment which I appropriately call 'Glossy Dreams,' I'd like to share with you all some of my most favorite fashion spreads of all time. 

Vogue - December 2003 

Styled by Grace Coddington

Natalia Vodianova in "Alice in Wonderland: A Fashion Fairytale"

     The first is a spread that appeared in the December 2003 issue of Vogue titled, "Alice in Wonderland: A Fashion Fairytale." This spread was styled by none other than Grace Coddington, American Vogue's most famous creative director. The shoot itself was very ahead of its time because it actually appeared seven years prior to the hype of Tim Burton's remake of the famous Disney tale. The whole idea of the concept, which featured the Russian supermodel, Natalia Vodianova as Alice, comes straight from the pages of Lewis Caroll's classic tale of her journey through Wonderland, except with a wicked brilliant twist. Each memorable character in the book is represented by a famous designer like John Galliano as the queen of hearts, Marc Jacobs as the blue caterpillar, Jean Paul Gaultier as the cheshire cat, and Karl Lagerfeld as... well, Karl Lagerfeld! The blend of couture gowns and Grace Coddington's fantastic imagination, plus the mix of fashion's most prominent designers, was pure brilliance. 

 Model: Natalia Vodianova 

 Tom Ford

falling down the rabbit hole 

Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga

 John Galliano 

as the Queen of Hearts 

Oliver Theyskens of Nina Ricci

Marc Jacobs

as the Blue Caterpillar 

 Karl Lagerfeld 

Jean Paul Gaultier 

as the Cheshire Cat

 Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf

as Tweedledum and Tweedledee

 Christian Lacroix 

with the Mad Hatter for tea

Donatella Versace

Teen Vogue - November 2009

Styled by Havana Laffitte 

Emma Watson in "Emma Enchanted"

     My other favorite fashion spread appeared in the November 2009 issue of Teen Vogue which featured Emma Watson as the cover girl [look familiar?!]  I've read all seven of the Harry Potter books and I'm such a closet geek about it [but I guess the secret's out?] But as much as I'm obsessed over the franchise, I'm even more obsessed over the British beauty, Emma Watson. There's a reason why Burberry chose her to become the face of the famous British brand. Not only is she unbelievably stunning she is pretty much just as in love with the fashion world as I am. I distinctly remember reading an interview of her during the early years of her movie career in which she said that upon turning 21 and becoming in charge of her finances, that she will probably spend a whole chunk of it on couture dresses and shoes. What a great idea and an even better investment! This particular shoot was shot in a manor outside London when she was filming the sixth installment of the Harry Potter movies, The Half-Blood Prince. And the entire fashion spread is my kind of heaven. Styled by one of my favorite fashion director and stylist for Teen Vogue, Havana Laffitte, the entire shoot was a mixture of a colorful, playful, and whimsical fantasy with a great flair of a British royalty feel to it. Burberry [no surprise there] and Dolce & Gabbana dominated the entire wardrobe ensemble, along with this gorgeous plum colored, Monique Lhuillier tulle gown. *Sigh -- lovely. 

top, skirt, and brooches by Dolce and Gabbana 

 dress by Toga

boots by Burberry

feathered headband by Teeny House Bunny

blouse and brooches by Dolce & Gabbana 

skirt by Erin Fetherston 

boots by 7 for All Mankind 

tights by Fogal

dress by Burberry 

blazer by Moschino Cheap and Chic

faux fur stole by Adrienne Landau 

dress by Monique Lhuillier 

jacket by Gryphon New York

shoes by Burberry 

 t-shirt by 2K by Gingham 

skirt by Dolce & Gabbana 

shoes by Pleaser 

Harper's Bazaar - April 2010 

Styled by Rachel Zoe 

Demi Moore in "Demi Moore's Dream Life"

     I'm not a big fan of Demi Moore at all, but I am a huge supporter of team Zoe. In the third season of the Rachel Zoe Project, Rachel Zoe was booked for a job to style Demi Moore for her cover shoot for in the April 2010 issue of Harper's Bazaar. And aside from the magnificent idea of the shoot -- either very small or very big props, the wardrobe was so beautiful, I could cry. From a navy blue Oscar de la Renta halter dress complete with a there's no place like home, Wizard of Oz inspired red glittery Christian Louboutin pumps to an ethereal white Chanel dress with a matching bolero jacket, the entire spread was embellished with so many famous names [the late and great Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, and Carolina Herrera.] This is just a stylist's ultimate fantasy. In keeping with the Rachel Zoe dictionary of fashion expressions -- I DIE. 

dress and shoes by Alexander McQueen

 dress by Oscar de la Renta 

shoes by Christian Louboutin 

 dress and bolero jacket by Chanel 

sandals by Fendi 

 dress by Dior 

dress by Carolina Herrera 

Love, KB

Fashion Film Review: Coco Before Chanel

     I don't even know how to begin a blog about a woman who Giorgio Armani called "the most elegant woman who's ever lived." As if the interlocking C's is not intimidating enough, I just keep thinking about her other iconic symbols like the boxy Chanel jacket, the quilted bag, the label's cuff, the pearls, and the camellia flower. But in comparison to these iconic symbols and her famous quotes, there's a lot that we don't really know about Coco Chanel upon watching this film. 

     The French actress, Audrey Tautou,  who you may have known from her role in the Da Vinci Code alongside Tom Hanks, did an amazing job playing this iconic woman. From her demeanor to her mannerisms, everything that I have known and read about Coco Chanel was spot on. She was a terrible chain smoker, very blunt, and sarcastic -- never afraid to speak her mind as perfectly portrayed in the movie. But the movie also revealed several facts that you and I may not have known about Coco..

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel 

     First of all, did you even know that her legal name was Gabrielle? Coco was just a nickname with a very vague origin. There are numerous accounts as to how the name "Coco" came about. And long before she built her fashion empire, she was actually a cafe' singer and a seamstress. She learned how to sew in the orphanage where she lived as a child with her older sister, Adrienne.  But in the very early stages of her life, it was very evident that she always opted for simplicity and comfort over intricacy. She hated wearing corsets and anything over the top. 

Boxy Chanel Jacket 

     Did you also know that Coco Chanel loved to go horseback riding? In the movie it was portrayed that this hobby sparked the invention of that famous jacket or at least what brought about the classic, simple, and comfortable style that she was famously known for. She basically took the traditional male garb of white dress shirt, suit jacket, and trousers and made it suitable for her feminine body. And during an era of dresses full of ruffles, tulle, and volume, of course this was very scandalous. 

   

Millinery and the Little Black Dress 

     Would you have guessed that Coco Chanel made hats before she made dresses? It's true. Before she started making clothes, she had a shop that solely produced hats worn by the aristocratic women of the time. And despite of the fact that she was never married and was a cynic, did you also know that she fell in love? Yes! She was deeply in love with an English man named Arthur "Boy" Capel. And in the film, there was a scene where he took her to the beach town of  Deauville to go dancing and it was in these scenes where the Little Black Dress was portrayed to have been born. She didn't have anything to wear so she insisted that she make her own dress. She picked out this black fabric and justified such color choice by saying that "only black shows off the eyes." Unfortunately, some time after that trip, Boy was involved in a car accident that killed him, which could explain why she was never married. 

The Chanel Fashion House 

    The scenes following the car accident leading to the end of the movie were sort of just that -- scenes of time passing by, changes, and without much dialogue. It was in these scenes where Coco Chanel was shown immersed in her work creating clothes [and even hats!] for women. The movie ended with her debuting her newest collection down the stairs of her Paris apartment as she stayed behind and watched on while sitting on the stair case. 

     This account of her habit of sitting on the stair case while debuting her work is actually very accurate. During the second season of the Rachel Zoe Project, Rachel Zoe got an amazing opportunity to visit Coco Chanel's apartment while she was in Paris. And upon being shown the lounge where Coco Chanel spent a lot of her time [which is also the same room that had the interlocking C's chandelier when you look closely] the tour guide stated such fact as they walked up the stairs. 

   This movie is the classic rags to riches story. It's a very inspiring and heartfelt movie of a woman who forever influenced the world of fashion. If you want to learn more about this icon who is so famous, yet we know so little about, this is the perfect start. 

Love, KB

Magazine Covergirl: NYLON -- Mila Kunis (Dec'10-Jan'11)

Jacket by Dolce & Gabbana

Shirt by Bird by Juicy Couture

Pants by Guess

Belt by Chanel 

Styled by Daniela Jung

Williamsburg, Brooklyn 

     In this December/January issue of Nylon magazine, Mila Kunis, looking gorgeous as ever, grazes the cover of the holiday issue. Mila is one of my favorite 'it-girl' right now. Her recent role in the thriller Black Swan earned her the nominations for a Golden Globe and SAG awards this year. She was one of my favorite red carpet looks in both award events with her wearing a one-shoulder, emerald Vera Wang gown for the Globes and a strapless, red floral Alexander McQueen for the SAG Awards [flashback!] 

     In the cover article for this month's issue, Mila talked about everything that pertained to her acting career -- from taking acting classes as child to learn English [her family moved here from Ukraine], to That 70s Show, to her role as Meg Griffin in Family Guy, and to Judd Apatow's Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But her recent role as Lily in Black Swan is all of the buzz right now. The movie, which is ultimately about ballerinas, [no spoilers to be revealed here] had such gorgeous costumes! The beauty of the costume design becomes more evident, because it was designed by Amy Westcott in collaboration with the sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy , the founders of Rodarte. Which explains all of the glamour, volume, feathers, and tulle! [besides the obvious reasons]

     Here is Mila's NYLON December'10-January'11 Magazine spread:

Jacket by Elizabeth & James

Top by Armani Exchange 

Shorts by Ksubi

Necklace by Fiona Paxton

Feather Necklace by Bing Bang Jewelry 

Tights by Falke

Sweater by Bird by Juicy Couture

Shorts by Obesity and Speed

Necklace by Elizabeth & James

Dress by Dior

Bra by Dolce & Gabbana 

Sweater by Guess

Underwear by Topshop

Tights by Falke

Love, KB

Book Review: I LOVE Your Style

"Personal style is accepting who you are."

- Diane Von Furstenberg

     I'm building my fashion library as we speak. I love to read. I've always loved reading, but it wasn't until I purchased my first so-called 'style' book did I even consider purchasing and collecting them. The very first style book that I ever owned was this hard cover book printed by InStyle Magazine. It was a good start considering that after having read such reference book [it was more a reference book than an actual book] that I started to think that there had to be better 'style' books out there. And there are! [alleluia!] This book, I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks is an excellent start. 

     I came across this book while I was rummaging around Anthropologie [they have a great selection of coffee table books there.] Looking through books in small clothing boutiques and stores like Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters and bookstores is a great idea, because it will let you preview the book before you commit into buying it [Amazon.com doesn't have book previews for every book or even for every page for that matter!] 

     You know how people believe in love in first sight? Well, I believe in love in the first few pages. This book immediately caught my attention because of it's table of contents page and the foreword by Diane Von Furstenberg [I love her.] We don't have all day to stand around and flip through a book all day [unless it's the weekend, of course] so a good strategy in previewing a book quickly is by reading it's table of contents page, finding a section that immediately strikes your interest, and going directly to that section of the book to see if it's as good as it sounds. After all, a trailer for a movie isn't always as good as the actual feature film. 

     The one thing that I absolutely loved about this book are the photographs! Amanda Brooks, a fashion consultant who has written for publications like Vogue and the New York Magazine and who has appeared as a fashion expert on shows like the Today and Early Show, filled this entire book with photographs of her growing up, her family, and favorite photographs of movie stars, super models [lots of Kate Moss], and performers -- aka fashion icons. In the beginning of the book she even said that it's okay if you just want to flip through the book and look at the pictures. In fact, she encouraged it! She said that they are there for a reason. Don't mind if I do! 

     Another thing that I loved about this book is the section titled "My Style History." It included photographs of her early fashion influences like her parents, especially her mother, and grandparents. It was very evident from the early stages of her life that fashion was in her blood. When her mother got married, Lily Pulitzer, the designer known for her bright colors and patterns, designed a special pattern just for her bridesmaids to wear. That photograph included her mom and her five bridesmaids wearing dresses in the new green and white floral pattern. There was even a picture of her father climbing Machu Picchu in his Gucci loafers! This is a good fashion project that you can do -- trace your style history in your family. I've always wanted to do this and I've been meaning to add this to my fashion journal [stay tuned on that progress.] 

"People ask me how I can be stylish, how can I be elegant and what can I wear? My only answer is study! You have to learn."

- Muccia Prada 

     To get you started to the main attraction of the book, Amanda Brooks suggested two introductory steps in path of the finding your own style. These two components are the "6 Ways to Find Your Style" and her five-point series of "A Few Things to Consider." The lists are as follows: 

"Six Ways to Find Your Style"

1. Make tear sheets -- anything that resonates with you: outfits, color combinations, textiles, scenery.
2. Write down your style history.
3. Try a lot of looks.
4. Constantly ask yourself questions -- what proportions flatter you? what fabrics and colors do you love? what pieces in your closet do you come back to again and again?
5. Find your style icons and inspiration -- identifying with someone whose style you admire is a great way to figure out whether something is 'you.'
6. Make an effort -- try to always look and feel your best, in short, get dressed up! 

Here are the five-point, pretty self explanatory, "A Few Things to Consider"

1. Your budget 
2. Your body
3. Your age
4. Your rules -- like "I don't wear a brown belt with black shoes."
5. Your signature

"Finding your personal style is really about discovering yourself."

- Amanda Brooks

"It is a way of putting yourself together that allows your combination of tastes, desires, interests, aspirations, lifestyle, and history to shine through."

     But the creme de la creme lies in the chapters of the six distinct ways of dressing -- classic, bohemian, minimal, high fashion, street, and eclectic. Amanda noted that since it's somewhat easier to pin down the consistent elements of classic, bohemian, and minimal styles, she appropriately called that cluster of styles definable. So in contrast, high fashion, street and eclectic, given that their elements are always changing, she called those styles indefinable. As if that's not great enough already, after each style chapter she also included an entire section of what she calls "homework." It's not the usual grunt work that we associate with the word. Her definition of homework actually consists of recommendations of books to read and films to see in association with each style. For instance, after the classic chapter, she recommends seeing movies like La Dolce Vita and Bonnie and Clyde. These recommendations serve as an extra step toward exploring that particular style. 

     The rest of the book is dedicated to 4 types of shopping -- basics, cheap chic, designer, and vintage. Naturally these chapters include shopping tips like what to look for and where to find it and other tips like vintage thrifting tips! The designer shopping section even includes an entire page of difficult-to-pronounce designer names like Herve' Leger (Air-VAY Le-ZHAY) or Yves Saint Laurent (EEV Sahn Low-Rahn.) Work on those pronunciations and check out this book! I guarantee that you will love it as much as I do. 

Love, KB

Window Art: Winter Edition

"Fashion is the most powerful art there is.  It's movement, design, and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we'd like to be."

- Blair Waldorf 

     

     Another thing that you have to know about me is that I'm obsessed with window displays. I have this weird fascination with them. To me it's like another form of art that's constantly changing and always inspiring. I've always wanted to be the person designing them and making them come to life! On top of which, I get a lot of outfit and creative ideas from these displays. And on a recent trip to Orlando, Florida for my 24th birthday, I saw this window display outside Anthropologie that was so whimsical and beautiful -- I imagine it's what my dreams look like, colorful and eccentric [and I do dream in colors!]  The display was this gorgeous pastel yellow, one-shoulder dress with a long train that breaks into little petals of yellow and coral into the wind. 

     So when I see a window display or a dress form in an interesting outfit, I immediately reach out for my iPhone 4 and take a picture. That's the beauty of this kind of art form -- it's free and very inspirational! And in today's economy, nothing's better than free. After looking through the images on my phone I thought those pictures would make an interesting blog segment and something for all of you readers to try at home! Window displays could also be another substitute to magazines when you want to find the season's latest trends or just an idea or two for a new outfit to wear. I'm always looking out for new outfit ideas wherever I am. Here are some of some interesting wardrobe ideas I've seen and compiled for this winter season:

    

J.Crew

DO: 

Mix a denim shirt with your favorite winter pieces. 

A denim shirt?! Who knew right? Denim is making a huge revival right now and not just in the jeans department. Pair a denim shirt with a textured/patterned skirt, preferably something that closely resembles tweed or wool or even sequins as pictured above! Also add a skinny metallic or brown belt to define your waist. Then add your favorite winter accessory like a statement crystal necklace, cashmere scarf, or full length winter coat! I'm in love with the idea of mixing a denim shirt with a red nautical stripe shirt tucked into an A-line sequined skirt and cinched by a brown belt as featured in look #3. 

Chelsea and Violet & BB Dakota 

DO:

Wear a colorful and patterned dress for the winter season! 

As much as I love the Little Black Dress - LBD for short, [thank you Coco Chanel] many women gravitate towards a lot of dark and neutral colors when the temperature drops. I embrace colors and patterns all year round! I think it's the best way to brighten up your gloomy mood, especially when the cold weather has you bundled up and feeling a bit down. I'm often seen in the middle of January wearing a floral dress paired with colorful stockings! I feel like it's just my way of patiently waiting [and welcoming!] spring. 

Urban Outfitters 

DO: 

Layer different pieces and different patterns! 

I love layering as much as I love a good tiered dress. Not only will this keep you warm but it's also so fun and chic. Try layering a lace top with a chunky knit complete with a colorful statement necklace, or layer an A-line skirt with a grandpa cardigan tucked in or out and complete the outfit with a patterned scarf, stockings, and ballet flats or ankle boots. You'll be ready to play in the cold in no time! 

BCBG

DO: 
Wear a white dress in the winter! 
Many women try to avoid white in more than one occasion, but I love a white dress moment when it's cold out. Even though black and white falls in the same color categorization, the way I feel about black is so so different with the way I feel about white. When I think of white, I think of a white canvas, a clean white sheet of paper, or white flowy curtains. The beauty about this color is that you can accessorize it with any color! I see a white dress and I immediately think of the emerald, coral, or cerulean jewelry that I want to pair it with. And nothing says Coco Chanel better than a white dress paired with black patent leather pumps. So chic. 

   Try this at home! Just follow these four easy steps: 

1. Keep your eyes open for extraordinary window displays and dress forms inside the store.
2. Keep your camera phone or digital camera in handy at all times. You'll never know when you will come across something that will catch your eye. 
3. Take a picture! It's the most obvious step. It's going to feel awkward at first, but who cares! You're never going to see those people watching you do this ever again and you don't even know them! 
4. Try out your window display inspiration at home! Play dress up! I highly encourage it! 

Let me know what you guys think! Keep warm! 


Love, KB