Fashion Heads Up: Target's GO INTERNATIONAL -- March 13

     What do you get when you mix A-list designers with the marketing geniuses at Target? Answer: affordable label dresses -- aka my kind of heaven. What's more incredible than seeing my friends Erin Fetherston, Zac Posen, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza and Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, and Thakoon in the nearest Target store and spending about a fraction of the price than their usual price tag. In this five year anniversary of their Go International designer collaborations, Target stores and Target.com are releasing a 34 piece limited edition collection of their past partnership with seventeen designers. The line which will be sold starting March 13 will feature dresses under $50 (from $25-$45) from their famous veteran collaborations. I've been obsessing over it since the moment I saw the two page ad in Vogue and since they've had an official press release about it earlier last week (Feb 21.) So ladies, mark your calendars and take notes of your favorite pieces, I know I already have! I'm already obsessed with the black Erin Fetherston tiered dress, the nude Rodarte slip dress, the Thakoon wrap dress, and the Tracy Feith white ruffled hem dress. Must-get-to-store-asap on March 13. So until then, come check out the look book that they've released! 

Love, KB 

Erin Fetherston 

chiffon dress $40, layered dress $45

Zac Posen

polka dot dress $40, wrap dress $45

Proenza Schouler 

bustier dress $45, palm print gauze dress $40

Rodarte 

lace print dress $40, slip dress $45

Luella Bartley 

gathered dress $45, empire dress $45

Libertine 

striped tunic $25, woven dress with lace trim $30, crepe dress $45

Thakoon

color-block shift dress $40, gathered dress $40, printed tie waist dress $40

Alice Temperley

viole ruffle-front dress $35, swiss dot chiffon dress $40, crepe dress $45

Tucker 

ruffle back dress $40, button-front dress $35, signature dress $40

Jovovich-Hawk

lurex mini dress $35, floral dress $40, chiffon dot print dress $40

Richard Chai

tuxedo dress $45, sweetheart dress $40

Tracy Feith 

strappy dress $40, floral dress $40

Tara Jarmon

color block dress $30

Paul & Joe

button front dress $25

Jonathan Saunders

color block dress with belt $35

Rogan

leopard-print shift dress $40

Behnaz Sarafpour

silk georgette lace dress $45

Model Obsession: Karlie Kloss

     Every month, I go on what I call a Sunday Barnes and Noble magazine run where I go and pick up the latest issues of my favorite glossies like Vogue, Elle, Nylon, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. And while flipping through the March 2011 Vogue issue of Lady Gaga, I started seeing multiples -- or at least finally noticing for the first time. The eighteen year old ballet dancer turn American supermodel Karlie Kloss was the face of three current campaign ads for Dior, Donna Karan, and Oscar de la Renta. For those of you who know little about the modeling business, doing fashion shows definitely makes money but being the face of campaign ads is like the creme de la creme of the modeling business. Being featured in one will definitely bring home the big bucks, but being on three current simultaneous [or maybe even more!] will add a lot of zeros at the end of that pay check. 

     I first knew about Karlie Kloss when she was featured in the February 2008 cover of Teen Vogue along with American supermodels Ali Michael and Chanel Iman. Being fifteen at the time, the St. Louis, Missouri native talked about the challenges of being such a young model but the perks of working with design houses like Calvin Klein, Gucci, Valentino, Alexander McQueen, Nina Ricci, and Chole'. Two years later, she appeared again on the cover of the May 2010 issue of Teen Vogue, but this time around, she didn't share the spotlight. From that moment on, I knew she was going to be big. Since then I've seen her walk in the Paris haute couture shows of John Galliano for Dior and this Fall 2011 RTW season for Rodarte. Being only eighteen years old [she looks so much older than me!] she's already been in so many A-list designer shows and the face of so many ad campaigns including those before-mentioned ones plus Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Gap, Hermes, Top Shop, Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New York. In addition she has also walked for names like Karl Lagerfeld and Givenchy. Need I say more? Her signature gaze is killer and can be spotted from the moment she steps on the runway. Come look at [only some of] her ad campaigns! 

Love, KB

Magazine Covergirl: ELLE -- Katy Perry (March 2011)

Silk jacket, satin shirt, satin pants, and python belt by Gucci
Soutache bra by La Perla Jean Paul Gaultier Collection Createur

     Katy Perry has gone a long way since her bi-curious days of I Kissed a Girl. Her second album and new single Teenage Dream along with California Gurls and Firework portray her new deliciously sweet and color-infused look.  We've always seen her in colorful ensembles and prints, but this time around those colors and cotton candy flavors have spread through her hair, nails, and all spandex outfits. So it was only fitting when ELLE's creative director Joe Zee created this circus inspired shoot for her cover story, because since her Christian album days [yes, Katy Perry started out as a Christian singer!] her life has definitely been a hectic, but wonderful mess of a circus. From her marriage to Russel Brand in October 2010, to her performance at the Victoria's Secret fashion in December 2010, the Jingle Ball performance in NYC, the Sesame Street scandal, her cameo on the hit TV show How I Met Your Mother, and her impending world tour, she is busier than ever -- "I think that people now see that I'm more than just a one-trick pony sexy girl."

     Sexy wasn't always the word that Katy Perry was comfortable using when describing herself. She wasn't always comfortable with the top heavy curves of her body, but now more than ever she's embracing it and this twelve page cover spread on the March 2011 issue of ELLE definitely didn't hide those curves. Finally over her straight cut bangs, she looked beautiful in all of these Oscar de la Renta ensembles. I absolutely loved the dramatic look of her ruby red lipstick with this silk, faille Oscar de la Renta dress with a swansdown skirt and Christian Louboutin pumps. The drama and spectacle setting of this shoot fits her very personality and overall look. Come fall in love with these images along with me! 

Love, KB

Mask by Palace Costume Co.
Silk faille dress by Oscar de la Renta

Lycra romper with chiffon sleves and mesh poof headband worn as a belt by Pam Hogg

Strapless silk faille dress with swansdown skirt by Oscar de la Renta
Watersnake pumps by Christian Louboutin

Silk-blend dress by Blumarine
Gold-plated brass collar by Robert Lee Morris 

Silk and leather body suit by Gianfranco Ferre'
Lace-trim brief by Camilla and Marc
Crocodile belt by Nancy Gonzalez
Diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels
Fishnets tights by Hue

Vicarose-blend bodysuit by Max Mara
Perforated leather belt by Oscar de la Renta
Sheer tights by Leg Avenue
Suede and leather sandals with feather detail by Dior 

2011 Oscars -- The Academy Awards

Elie Saab Haute Couture

     

     During the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, no one shined brighter than Mila Kunis in a lavender Elie Saab haute couture gown. As soon as I saw her on the red carpet I knew it was going to be really hard to top her that night. She has looked consistently beautiful this entire award season! She wore an emerald green, one shoulder Vera Wang gown at the Golden Globes and a red strapless Alexander McQueen at the SAG Awards this year. The Grecian draping was beautifully done and the cut of the top half of the bodice suited her frame so well. I love how she has worn different looks for all the red carpet appearances she has done this year. This light lavender Elie Saab gown is a much more romantic look in contrast to the dark and floral McQueen dress she wore to the SAGs. From her chic up-do to her minimal jewelry [drop earrings and single bangle], it's all such a perfect balance to this gorgeous lace dress. I guess having a breakout role in Black Swan has a lot of perks other than award nominations for best supporting actress -- so many designers are so willing to let you wear their beautiful dresses! Lucky. 

     I'm also completely in love with new comer Halee Steinfeld's Marchesa dress that she helped design with the designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig. It perfectly compliments her fair skin and the detailing of the bodice and big tulle skirt [which is my favorite part!] is perfection. From afar it looks like a strapless gown, but when you look closely, there's actually a very thin sheathe that becomes part of the bodice. I have to give to Amy Adams in this dark navy L'Wren Scott. As with Mila, we've seen her countless times on the red carpet this season and I must say, this gown is a winner this time around, except for the drop necklace that she could do without. However, her old Hollywood waves is gorgeous. 

     Oh, and, my oh my. Nude colors are a big hit this season and not just on the runway. Mandy Moore wore this biege Monique Lhuillier gown with an ombre effect [a very popular detail this season] while Michelle Williams opted for this creamy white Chanel gown. Her pixie haircut is perfect for this gown. What's more? I thought the pregnant Natalie Portman -- who also won last night's Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Black Swan!-- glowed in this plum colored, custom-made Rodarte gown. And how fitting! Laura and Kate Mulleavy, the designers of Rodarte, also designed the costumes for Black Swan. The sisters said that they "couldn't have been more thrilled to create a dress especially for her at the Oscars." And even though I'm not a big fan of Scar Jo, I thought the back detailing of her Dolce & Gabbana floral gown was beautiful and sexy. *Damnit. Come check out these Oscar fashions! What were your favorites?

Love, KB

Halee Steinfeld in Marchesa & Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott

Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuillier & Michelle Williams in Chanel

Natalie Portman in Rodarte & Scarlett Johansson in Dolce &Gabbana

Oh, and look who else I spotted on the red carpet. The very tan and talented
Valentino Garavani. 

P.S. here are Anne Hathaway's looks while hosting the Oscars. Her stylist, Rachel Zoe definitely did an amazing job dressing her for the entire night! 

Givenchy

tuxedo by Lanvin
custom-made Swarovski crytal pumps by Brian Atwood

Vivenne Westwood

Oscar de la Renta

Atelier Versace

Armani Prive'

Tom Ford