first lady of fashion

Greetings, fashionistas and ‘nistos! I recently moved to NYC and will continue blogging from the Big Apple. However, I wanted to pay homage to my home District and our First Lady of Fashion, Michelle Obama.

Like the rest of the world, I’m in awe of Mrs. Obama’s classy and elegant style. She carries herself with Old Hollywood glamour and the grace of a powerful woman. Here are a few of my favorite looks from her White House closet:

Michelle’s keen sense of style is enough to shake up the political landscape in DC and all over the world. Cheers to her and our Nation’s Capital!

style icon of the week

we could all use a lesson from leighton! leighton meester of the hit cw series ‘gossip girl,’ of course. the actress seems to have come into her own over the past year, impressing us with her wardrobe choices both on-set and off.

whether rocking a jewel-toned ensemble on the red carpet or one of her character’s signature prep school pieces, leighton’s ability to mix and match accessories is impeccable. we’re also mildly obsessed with her idea of throwing cropped jackets over simple dresses for a more buttoned-up look.

all in all, we think leighton’s style is lovely. we’re totally on team blair! xoxo gossip girl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oscar hits and misses

no one actually watches the oscars for the awards, do they? if you’re like me, you live for the red carpet and fast forward through most or all of the awards ceremony here are my takes on the fashion hits and misses of the biggest night in showbiz…

best dressed couple for me was a tie between brangelina and mr. and mrs. klum! i know, i know, kinda not fair since both couples could wear potato sacks and still look flawless..

best dressed leading ladies…natalie portman and alicia keys (both pretty in pink!) and penelope cruz (in vintage pierre balmain):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

biggest surprises of the night came through actresses amy adams and frieda pinto. i absolutely loved amy’s necklace by fred leighton – it perfectly accented her dress and brought out her gorgeous eyes! and although neither starlet went home with an oscar, frieda shined in her dress by john galliano, making me want to see ’slumdog millionaire’ even more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

drumroll please…and the worst dressed awards go to scary hart, oily rourke and phillip “skicap” hoffman. seriously, what were they thinking?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

do you all agree with me? who were your oscar hits and misses??

the laws of chiconomics

hey everyone! the haute list has returned after a hiatus of sorts…i don’t know about you guys, but my kooba bag has certainly been feeling a little lighter lately. even if you’re not short on cash, the state of our economy is reason enough to plump up that piggy bank.

this week, i thought i would focus on the laws of chiconomics. study up, recessionistas!

1) learn how to spot quality: good quality goes a long way, but great quality can last a lifetime. one wardrobe essential that should be of the utmost quality is the classic cardigan. elements that i look for in a quality cardigan include the knit of the sweater – both the color and density of the fabric; buttons — depending on your personal preference, rhinestones can give cardigans a modern, yet ladylike flair; and the hem, cuffs and collar of the sweater.

of course, these are simple guidelines to one of many wardrobe staples…but once you get the hang of spotting quality, your pieces will survive more than one season, leaving you some wiggle room on those splurge-worthy items.  

2) if you don’t absolutely love it, keep shopping: this has become my new rule of thumb. i will walk out of a store before purchasing an item, just to “test” whether i am still thinking about it once i leave the store. if i absolutely love a piece, i will keep thinking about it until it’s mine. true love indeed

3) when shopping online, full price is a last resort: there’s really no excuse for paying full price online, especially with the advent of sites such as eBay and bluefly. there are also many online sample sale sites, including gilt.com, hautelook.com and ruelala.com. if discount sites are not your bag, comparing prices on several different websites is also an option. 

4) the more you’ll wear it, the more it’s worth: simple math can help you shop! use the quiz below (courtesy of instyle magazine) to help calculate whether an item is worth buying…starting with a value of 100, add or subtract as you go:

• Does it go with more than three things you own? YES (+5); NO (-10)
• How many seasons can you wear it in? ONE (-5); TWO (+0); THREE (+5); ALL FOUR (+10)
• Would your boyfriend, boss and glammiest girlfriend all approve? YES (+5); NO (-5)
• How often will you wear it? OFTEN (+10); SOMETIMES (-10); ONCE (-15)
• If it’s a clothing item, does it need dry cleaning? YES (-5); NO (+5)
• Will it transition from day to night? YES (+5); NO (-5)
• When was it last in style? WHEN WASN’T IT (+10); FALL 1991 (-10)
• Do you need to lose weight for it to fit? YES (-50); NO (+5)

Results: 50 and below – Purchase at your own peril. 50 to 95 – Proceed with caution. 100 to 120 – You love it. It looks great and is a good choice! 121 and above – Buy one in every color

the haute list turned politico???

well, sort of. since today was day 1 of the dnc in denver, i thought it’d be fun to dedicate my post to our next president. barack obama recently inspired a collection by donatella versace herself - how many presidential candidates can say they accomplished that feat? he also may be responsible for the ugliest purse ever created, but i forgive him.

below are some obamalicious designs for the donkey in you. be sure to barack the vote on november 4th!

  

say it ain’t so!

this weekend marks the end of summer. goodbye, lazy days at the pool, gelatto, havaianas, bad tan lines. until next year. i’m not exactly sure where my summer went, but i plan to live up the last few days of it!

lauren conrad’s style epitomizes summertime for me – maybe that’s why i’ve constantly featured her on my blog this season. i just tried this new hairstyle of hers. thought i would share the instructions for it with you all. rock it while you still can! B-)

 

1) blow-dry hair.
2) wrap thick sections around a curling iron for loose waves.
3) create thin braids in front. pin in back. 
4) finish by pulling down the curls to loosen. set with light hairspray.

you’re either een or you’re out!

i love, love, LOVE project runway and am so happy for its return. however, is anyone else bored by the lack of creativity so far this season? i can’t really see any of the designers making it big – except for kelli and kenley. what ticked me off the most was the gristedes challenge during episode 1 - i couldn’t believe only one or two of the contestants used produce to create their garments! most of them used tablecloths or other fabrics, which is pretty much cheating..

but i digress. i was really impressed by kenley and leanne this week (their designs below): 

 

the rest of the designers need to get their mojos going…or auf wiedersehen! holla atcha girl

valuable lessons from carrie, samantha, miranda and charlotte

the long-awaited sex and the city movie hit theaters at the end of may. and it did not disappoint. after seeing it not once – but twice – within the first few weeks of its release, i thought i’d share some lessons learned from my favorite characters.

if you’re one of the handful of women who hasn’t seen the movie yet, a) you need to rush to a theater near you! and b) do *not* read any further  

1) bagborroworsteal.com – is a real website! as carrie’s assistant mentions in the movie, it’s like the “netflix for purses.” using the innovative website, women who lust for designer accessories, including bags, sunglasses and jewelry, can “borrow” items for affordable rates. if they fall in love with one of the accessories, users can even choose to “steal” an item! talk about product placement at its best! 

 

2) one should never wear a bird as a wedding accessory – although i thought she pulled it off elegantly, wearing that turquoise bird on her head spelled trouble for carrie. stick to tiaras or flowers, people.

3) beautiful love letters and walk-in closets will never go out of style – one of beethoven’s last love letters was featured in the movie:

Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together – Be calm – love me – today – yesterday – what tearful longings for you – you – you – my life – my all – farewell. Oh continue to love me – never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved

ever thine

ever mine

ever ours

4) coloring outside the lines!! – ‘nuff said.

5) the best label a woman can wear is love – whether it’s the love of your family, a significant other, your friends, or for yourself. i think this message and that of forgiveness touched me the most of all. it’s sometimes easy to overlook how lucky we are for the people that enrich our daily lives. and i never want to forget!

anyone else ready for the sequel??? 

fun in the sun

seems a torrential downpour has swept through d.c. tonight! this craptastic weather only makes me all the more anxious for sunny days, sunglasses and the tank tops that patiently await me in my walk-in closet  

speaking of sunglasses, do you know which types are most flattering for your face? are you a halle, or more of an sjp? see below for the lowdown – applies to fashionistos, too!

long face a la sjp – look for wide frames to break up the length of your face. oval or round shapes give the illusion of greater width. a word of caution: avoid anything with vertical lines – it will only make you look longer.

round face a la kate bosworth – look for angular frames that contrast with your curves to create a longer and slimmer look. opt for shades with squared-off bottoms, and skip very rounded or curved styles.

 

heart-shaped face a la reese - look for frames with rounded upper corners to draw attention away from the forehead. square bottoms will soften the chin, but on top, stay clear of any hard horizontals.

square face a la paris – if you have a square face like paris hilton, look for gently curved oval or round frames to lengthen the face – think aviators over any square styles.

oval face a la halle – lucky girl! you can pretty much pull off any sunglass style, so go for it! try the new hipster fave or a glam retro look.  

style icon of the week

…goes to the Other Boleyn Girl, Natalie Portman!

Not only is this petite star talented and intelligent (Harvard alum, what?), she’s got plenty of style to boot. She seems to pull off conservative, simple styles effortlessly and has been coined the Audrey Hepburn of our time. 

Not to mention how absolutely obsessed I am with the purple Lanvin she wore in Cannes!! Kudos to Ms. Portman