It’s been a while since I posted a runway gallery, & what better day to celebrate the fabulous styles of Fall 2012 Haute Couture than by featuring the latest collection from Chanel. If you didn’t already know, August 19th marks the 129th birthday of designer Coco Chanel. In honor of the day, I’ve collected images of the 65-piece line from Elle, which shows a feminine & elegant homage to the legendary house of fashion. In addition to tweed separates, stylish jackets, & feathered dresses all in hues of black, gray, & pink. For more Runway Rundown favorites, check out looks from Lauren Conrad’s Fall 2012 collection for Kohl’s, Gucci’s 2013 Resort collection, & Stella McCartney’s Spring 2013 collection! Happy Styling!
Tag Archives: Chanel
Designer’s Best: Coco Chanel’s 129th Birthday Is Today & She’s Never Been More Fabulous!
When I was sifting through my Twitter feed (@MissAlissaL) this morning, I was surprised to learn that today marks the 129th birthday of the one & only Coco Chanel. The blogosphere is a embracing the day with #CocoChanelDay attached to every tweet, so I thought that today would be the perfect day to debut my latest category here on Style Darling, Designer’s Best. I’ve searched high & low to find some of the most fabulous looks by Chanel that have been worn by some of our favorite celebrities like Alexa Chung, Blake Lively, Emma Stone, Jennifer Aniston, Katy Perry, Sarah Jessica Parker, & many more!
Of course there are thousands more images to appreciate when celebrating the Chanel legacy, so check out Karl Lagerfeld’s “The Tale of a Fairy,” behind-the-scenes footages from Keira Knightley’s Coco Mademoiselle commercial, & Chanel’s denim-inspired nail polish! Also, I would love to share with readers some of my other favorite Chanel-related articles that are featured exclusively for today including Elle‘s “Looking Back: Coco Chanel”, “Coco Chanel Birthday: The Design House’s Signature Look Throughout The Years” from The Huffington Post, & Vogue’s “Honoring the Life of Coco Chanel!” Happy Styling!
Cover Craze: Victoria Beckham Is Glamour’s Sept Guest Editor!
Yes, this is my 2nd Spice Girls-related post in a day, however I’m writing about the always stunning Victoria Beckham who acted as guest editor for the September issue of Glamour. I was so excited to flip through the pages & find out VB’s picks, style secrets, as well as read about her thoughts on what’s going on in fashion for the upcoming fall season.
Aside from the fabulous shots of the former singer wearing duds by Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Lanvin, Giuseppe Zanotti, & of course Victoria Beckham, I’m loving what she’s offered to readers, including hair ideas featuring Lily Collins, the best way to experiment with makeup, & how to wear brights for the upcoming season. She’s had a very big hand in putting together the hefty 328-page issue alongside editor-in-chief Cindi Leive.
Also be sure to check out the video I scored below, featuring Victoria talking about her love of fashion, how she wants to empower women, & that at heart, she’s a real soccer mom. What do you think of Glamour‘s choice in picking Victoria for the cover & to guest edit? Is she your favorite Spice Girl? What fall trends are you looking forward to? Happy Styling!
Top 10 Celeb Sightings: Blake Lively in Marios Schwab, Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior, Zoe Saldana in Armani, & More!
This new category, Top 10 Celeb Sightings, is just another way for us to enjoy some celebrity-inspiration. Of course, there’s no question that when celebrities get it right, there’s this fantastic moment of joy in the world of design & style. I’m always finding fabulous images of some of my favorite celebrities out & about or hitting up a red carpet for an event & just want to post the image so we can share in the glory. What better conversation starter is there than.. “Did you see fill-in-the-black in that fill-in-the-black?”
Check out: Beyonce in Stephane Rolland, Blake Lively in Marios Schwab, Blake Lively in Lanvin, Clemence Poesy in Chanel, Jennifer Lawrence in a cobalt cocktail dress, Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior, Leslie Mann in Chanel, Olivia Palermo in pink lace, Shailene Woodley in Armani, & Zoe Saldana in Armani Prive!
In addition, all posts won’t be ranked in any particular order, but my personal favorites are from both Blake Lively & Jennifer Lawrence. Happy Styling!
Basics For A Bargain / Red Carpet Review: The Look Of Summer Leather!
Instead of posting yet another click-worthy gallery, I’ve selected these five outstanding red carpet looks, worn recently by some of my favorite celebrities. Each of them are showing how leather isn’t just a material for the cooler months. The sexy skin is also no longer just for jacket & bags, as seen in these above photos. Designers are all about texture this season, showing leather off in all sorts of articles of clothing. This includes dresses, as most frequently seen on the likes of rivaling stars like Angelina Jolie & Jennifer Aniston, but here I’m featuring Rock of Ages actress Julianne Hough in a blue leather dress at the film’s premiere & the always adorable Emma Stone in a red frock by Monique Lhuillier for an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
In addition, trendsetter Alexa Chung mixes her leather motorcycle jacket with a menswear-inspired look, paired with a printed mini skirt, embroidered clutch by Charlotte Olympia, & patent leather flats. Model Karolina Kurkova hit the streets of New York in leather leggings, Monika Chiang sneakers, a printed blouse, & chic double-breasted jacket. Zoe Kravitz plays with leather & tweed in a black & white ensemble at a cash celebrating Chanel.
For the rest of us on a budget, real leather may not be as tangible, but while keeping animal-friendly, faux leather is always an option, especially with these cute & affordable options to mix up your wardrobe. Check out the faux leather sheath dress ($27.00) from Venus, which makes the idea of an LBD all the more sexier. While I was searching through the Venus website, I came across this super sweet faux leather circle skirt ($24.00) in brown, which will toughen up even the most feminine of blouses or dress up the most basic silk camisoles for a stylish night out!
If you’re daring enough to wear leather on your bottom half, head over to Sears for the faux leather leggings ($25.99) which will pair nicely with any bohemian-inspired tunic top, a dolman top, or your favorite tank & blazer. For more subtle ways to wear leather, Cynthia Steffe has created this Maggie draped faux leather trim top ($47.00), available @Saks Fifth Avenue. To keep a classic faux leather look in your wardrobe, I’ve found this chic faux leather zip front jacket ($27.49 – $29.99) from Fashion Bug, which is sold in sizes Small – 4XL. This can make any pair of trousers & blouse fiercer & more fashionable because of the front pinhole details & rugged zippers.
For more celebrity-inspired style for the budget buyer, check out previous posts of Basics For A Bargain, as well as Luxury Look-Alikes For Less to get the latest & greatest in affordable fashion! To see more of what the celebrities are wearing & what trends are hitting the red carpet, take a look at Red Carpet Review, especially Charlize Theron’s latest looks & who wore what at the MTV Movie Awards! Which faux leather pieces are your favorites? Do you often wear leather or faux leather in the spring & summer months? Happy Styling!
Watch This Style: Karl Lagerfeld Directs “The Tale Of A Fairy” For Chanel’s 2012 Cruise Collection!
There have been quite a few videos coming out lately from big designers like Givenchy, Marni for H&M, & Christian Siriano. The latest & perhaps most beautiful to join the arsenal of fashionable videos is the Karl Lagerfeld-directed short film “The Tale of a Fairy,” for Chanel‘s 2012 Cruise collection. Perhaps the dialogue & story aren’t the most cinematically impressive, but you can’t deny that it’s a visually exciting with sleek, clean line & is a fitting, yet classic homage to the original icon of the fabulous French brand, Coco Chanel. I personally love the layered pearl necklaces, menswear inspiration, oversized sunglasses, & black & white ensembles. Who doesn’t???
For more stylish videos, click to check out the other Watch This Style posts! Happy Styling!
Watch This Style: My Five Favorite Lady Gaga Videos / Performances!
Lady Gaga is a commited artist when it comes to her music, performances, & costumes. In recent months, she’s been showing off her softer side in high-end designs by Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Versace, Michael Kors, & Salvatore Ferragamo. I think it’s time to feature some of my favorite Lady Gaga style moments, whether they’re music videos, or videos of live performances. What are your favorites? Happy Styling!
Watch This Style: Behind-The-Scenes with Keira Knightley For Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle Commercial!
It wasn’t too long ago that I posted one of my first videos, Dior’s J’adore commercial, starring Charlize Theron as she gets ready for the catwalk at Dior’s show & shows a little love to icons like Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich, & my favorite, Marliyn Monroe. Ever since then, I’ve been seeing Keira Knightley starring in commercials for Chanel & her most recent shoot for Coco Mademoiselle is extra elegant! I found a behind-the-scenes video on YouTube, which is posted below, as well as the extended-cut of the commercial, which serves like a mini-movie / music video, featuring music by Joss Stone. Happy Styling!
Red Carpet Review: Menswear Inspiration from Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga, & Evan Rachel Wood!
Menswear inspiration has made quite a comeback over the last few years & it looks like it’s not going away. We have some amazing celebrity inspiration on how to recreate these looks, embracing the androgynous trend in the most chic & elegant way. Evan Rachel Wood made a big splash this year in a Dolce & Gabbana suit with Salvatore Ferragamo heels at the Venice Film Festival & also a white Yves Saint Laurent suit with Neil Lane jewelry at the Ides of March premiere. Fashionista Alexa Chung showed off some color-blocking & layering with a long-sleeved sweater, a button-down shirt, with gray skinny jeans & a red quilted Chanel crossbody bags.
Supermodel Kate Moss wore all-over gray in a slouchy top & trousers with cap toe heels for a Rimmel London event. Naomi Watts sported her own interpretation of the vest & pants look in this all-white Stella McCartney design. Jennifer Aniston shows a sultry black version in Dolce & Gabbana for the New York premiere of Five, with a peek-a-boo bra. In a surprise turn of fashion, Lady Gaga showed up at New York City’s Beacon Theatre in this mustard Viktor & Rolf suit with a mini tube bra & plastic square sunglasses.
To shop for some menswear pieces like blazers, vests, trousers, & button down shirts, check out New York & Company, Express, Ann Taylor LOFT, & H&M. For accessories to complete your look like belts, necklaces, bags, & shoes, check out some of my favorite stores like Payless, DSW, ALDO, & Steve Madden.
For more on Red Carpet Review, check out the looks from last month’s Emmy Awards, the top looks from the 2011 Toronto Film Festival, & Jessica Chastain’s Summer of Style. Happy Styling!
Basics for a Bargain: Dispell Those Turtleneck Myths with Inspiration from Claudia Schiffer, Keira Knightley, & More (Dedicated to Laurie)!
My dear friend Laurie, who I’ve dedicated a past blog to, has inspired this post with a question about the myth that turtlenecks = frompy. However, here is the evidence that they’re not! Of course I’m not a turtleneck-donning Style Darling myself, or anything with collars for that matter, but I can say that looking at the celebs below, there’s no way turtlenecks can be so wrong when they look so right- especially on my dear Laurie who always looks fashionable in a turtleneck.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen turtlenecks come back in style, in the most classic way, just like a good pair of trousers, dark denim jeans, a pencil skirt, & a button-down shirt. Jennifer Connelly layers her turtleneck with a blazer & pleated Balenciaga mini skirt & opaque tights. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer makes a spring-like tunic fall-ready with a turtleneck, leggings, & heavy cardigan. Kristin Chenoweth looks super cozy in a furry sweater jacket, skinny jeans, & knee boots with her classic gray turtleneck underneath. Reese Witherspoon multi-tasks in a black mock turtleneck, aviators, straight leg jeans, & embellished flats with a Rebecca Minkoff crossbody bag. Amanda Seyfried covers up in the cold with a black turtleneck under a bright red romper dress for a TV appearance & matching red lips. Keira Knightley looks like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn in a belted pencil dress & turtleneck ensemble with round toe Sergio Rossi pumps. Disney darling Selena Gomez downplays her printed pants with a short-sleeved turtleneck & layered chains from LOFT.
And now the basic we’ve all been waiting for…. here are some turtlenecks, in stores now! @Old Navy, the ‘tropical storm’ turtleneck ($17.94) is available in five other colors & can be mixed & matched up with a skirt suit or puffer vest with white skinny jeans. Each color is available in sizes XS – XXL for Style Darlings of all shapes! Try out some jewel tones & primary colors with the classic turtleneck sweater ($34.93) from The Limited, marked down from $49.90. Take a skinny belt, like shown on the model, & add some modern edge to the underestimated basic piece that would look contemporary with classic stud earrings & bangles. Style&co created this gray & black colorblock turtleneck ($21.98), available @Macy’s, also in black & red. It’s prefect for a pair of leather shorts & hoop earrings. Add some straight leg cigarette pants & platform boots to create an mod / equestrian look.
If you’re a mock turtleneck kind of gal, check out Target‘s short-sleeve mock in black which can help you recreate Keira’s look, or would be fabulous with a houndstooth pencil skirt for work! Also, this turtleneck reminds me of a Fashion Flashback post featuring Marilyn Monroe with white pants & bouncy blonde curls.
Work a built-in belt with a sweater turtleneck ($17.80) like this from Forever 21 for a denim skirt & boots when you grab some hot chocolate with your gal pals on weeknight. Probably my favorite of all the turtlenecks is the shirred turtleneck in deep teal ($28.00) by Jennifer Lopez for Kohl’s. Also available in heather gray & black, this top is marked down from $40.00!
For those of you who still need some extra convincing, celebrities like Zoe Saldana, Emma Roberts, Lake Bell, Beyonce, & Cameron Diaz show that covering up in a turtleneck dress can be just as sexy & polished like a cocktail dress on the red carpet. Check out a previous Basics for a Bargain post, featuring sweater dresses to see stars like Heather Graham, Eva Mendes, & Nicole Richie sporting fall-ready turtleneck style sweater dresses without any worry about if it’s a do or don’t.
Turtlenecks have come a long way. Stay away from anything too festive, adorned with holiday-themes, & you won’t look like a fuddy-duddy. Look for a turtleneck in a strong solid color, or in a modern print. Remember: Since turtlenecks are a must-have basic, you’re setting up the foundation to a really fashionable ensemble that could be accented with with long necklaces, a vest, belted bootcut jeans, a leather corset, mini skirt, or figure-flattering pencil skirt.
Also, for a final persuasion to any nay-sayers, check out these stunning runway looks from Chanel, Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors, Valentino, Stella McCartney, & Donna Karan.
Do you have any style myths that you just can’t figure out? I’d be happy to show off how some celebrity-inspiration can translate into an affordable look. Do you have any turtleneck stories? Laurie, I hope this blog does the trick! Happy Styling!
Quickie Darling Deal & Steal: Chanel’s Denim-Inspired Nail Polish For Fashion’s Night Out!
In preparation for Fashion’s Night Out, the legendary house of Chanel has created three very exclusive & limited-time nail polishes. To some, they may just look like blue polish, but they are denim-inspired in shades of the all-American fabric. As you can see from the image to the right, the polishes have cute names like Coco Blue, Blue Boy, & Blue Rebel.
Courtesy of In Style, I learned that these colors will only be available at Chanel stores or on Chanel.com, starting September 8th, the night of the famed international shopping event in New York City.
There’s no word yet on how much the polishes will cost, but to treat yourself to one luxury item, nail polish seems like a good bet b/c no matter what outfit you’re wearing, if you splash on a little color to your nails, you can go to the grocery store with Chanel, have brunch with Chanel, wear Chanel to happy hour, & even go to sleep with Chanel, without having to splurge on more costly items like silk scarves, cashmere sweaters, or fine leather shoes (although I would love them all!)!
Be sure to check out the website for Fashion’s Night Out to see the countdown to the big day, as well as listings of collections, events, & where to shop! Happy Styling!
Runway Rundown: Karl Lagerfeld’s Stylish Line for Macy’s Starting August 31st!
The name Karl Lagerfeld is synonymous with luxury fashion, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to proudly own & wear a design by the legendary talent. Thanks to In Style, we have a sneak peek at the his latest collection for the Impulse department, exclusively @Macy’s. Prices range from $50 -$170, but if you wait for the right sale & take advantage of your Macy’s cardholder rewards, these very chic & modern looks can be yours for a steal! The genius behind brands like Chanel & Fendi said of the collection, “To me Macy’s is the perfect department store in the U.S. where everybody can find what they’re looking for without ruining their budget.“
Which is your favorite look of the ones shown above? I’m kind of crazy for the navy belted dress with those awesome tights! That screams out for fall & some suede ankle booties! Maybe I wouldn’t be sporting the cutoff leather gloves, but I can definitely see all of the dresses for a day at the office & mixed up with some metallic or patent accessories to dress up for cocktail hour! For more looks by the designer, check out these links of Emma Watson, Diane Kruger, Katy Perry, & Blake Lively. Happy Styling!
7/3/11 Darling of the Day: Drew Barrymore Goes Nautical Chic for Chanel!
At a recent benefit dinner for Chanel, the very lovely Drew Barrymore stepped out in this season’s most fashionable colors: navy & white. Looking every bit a Style Darling, she added a glamorous bib necklace to her white top & navy textured skirt, all by the very stylish brand. The pieces were matched with cork-heeled wedges by Christian Loboutin. With just the addition of a flowered bib necklace, the look instantly went from casual to dressy. Not to mention her polished black & white clutch. Or maybe it’s navy also? I can’t tell.Because Drew is one of those actresses adored by women of all shapes, styles, & sizes, I decided to do something a little different by selecting items that are both Misses & Plus Size friendly, as per the request of a very close friend who made a good point on Style Darling’s Facebook group page.
Here we have two very basic, but flattering white tops (from Macy’s & Avenue) that can be mixed & matched with virtually any item in your closet. Of course it was quite the task to search for two non-peasant looking navy skirts, but here we have ’em from Dillards & the other from One Stop Plus. A look like this can also be accessorized with a wide textured belt & platform sandals if you don’t have navy wedges. The wedges are currently on sale @Steve Madden for under $34, which is an awesome deal if you wear a lot of summer dresses in white eyelet or linen. Something in red would actually look really cute with these wedges too!
Speaking of accessories, the bib necklace is very affordable from JC Penney, along with a cocktail ring from Forever 21. While I couldn’t quite find an evening clutch worthy of this blog, I did come across a black one & a white, from Express that are just as versatile & affordable! Check out our previous blog on Drew in a Darling of the Day post from back in April, showing off some rock star chic! Happy Styling!
Red Carpet Review: 2011 SAG Awards (PART TWO)!
Let’s continue our fun & fashionable talk about this Sunday’s 17th Annual SAG awards. Our two final categories are the darker looks & the risk-takers. There’s so much to talk about & even after seeing E!’s Fashion Police last night, I can’t get Joan Rivers’ voice out of my head!
The red carpet beauties embraced black & dark colors in classic silhouettes like one-shoulder, a pencil LBD, sweetheart neckline, & even the daring Julie Bowen shows off an awards show-worthy pantsuit by Catherine Maladrino! She’s an innovative & underestimated fashionista- Sofia Vergara better watch out!
I just can’t explain how much I truly loved Dianna Agron‘s gorgeous navy Chanel tea-length dress. She’s the one to watch, of all the Gleek red carpet darlings.
Kim Kardashian killed in a plum Marchesa, although I’m still scratching my head as to why she was in attendance, having no credible acting talent. Don’t get me wrong, the girl has style, but for these occasions, I like to see the front-runners of the industry showing off their glamorous side.
Perhaps of the classic all-black looks, Amber Riley gets the A+ for going all out glam in a figure-flattering ruched mermaid gown by Anne Barge, originally designed as a bridal gown, but turned into raven for the actress. Her sleek chunky bangs & super straight hair reminded me of Jennifer Hudson‘s early red carpet days.
Parks & Recreation‘s Amy Poehler & The Closer‘s Kyra Sedgwick never looked more elegant than these age-appropriate black dresses! I did consider featuring Mad Men‘s Christina Hendricks in the risk-taker section, but I actually love her smoldering vintage look with a smoky eye. She usually embraces something sweet or bold, exuding flirty sex appeal, but here we see a more dramatic side to her belted L’Wren Scott sparkler.
The risk takers of the night were all about color, pattern, volume, & secrets. Claire Danes utilizes patterns in a floral, January Jones takes on printed lace (her first time wearing Carolina Herrera!), Hailee Steinfeld is youthful in stripes (she even wore a hot pink lips ring!), & Mila Kunis wears a watercolor pattern. Although Claire was the only winner of the group, she was on-trend with a long belt for her sweeping dress.
By color, I’m talking Sofia Vergara giving new meaning to “baby blues!” Watch out Jennifer Lopez, there’s a new Latina on the red carpet & she’s not going out without a bang! Volume exists in Jenna Ushkowitz‘s creamy ruffled dress (perhaps one size too small?) & her Glee co-star Jane Lynch shows her purple side in a less than flattering wrap gown, but still gives a good effort! I say secrets because of Nicole Kidman‘s Nina Ricci lacey dress with a very sexy & effortless lace back.
February 27th is the 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, so mark your calendars & break out your spanx! My bet is on Natalie Portman to simply steal the show, like winner Sandra Bullock did the year before. Nominees include Nicole Kidman, Melissa Leo, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Williams, & Hailee Steinfeld, so we’ll have to see how those stylish ladies continue their fabulous streak of red carpet excellence! In days to come, I’ll be on the lookout for SAG knockoffs, perhaps at EDressMe? Happy Styling!
Style Darling Daily 