Wearing is Believing

Hammertime!

It’s Hammertime….again?  I never thought parachute pants would come back...but hey, neon came back big time, so you never know.  Whatever you call them, the poofy pants made famous by AC Slater and MC Hammer are back in style.  Stars like Kim Kardashian have been snapped wearing hammer pants this summer.

You’re in luck if baggy enormous pants are your thing, because right now you’re at the top of the fashion curve.  One could also argue that these pants are a relaxed response to body-conscious skinny jeans and leggings.  But I can’t think of an instance where I’ve looked back at early 90s fashion and missed a single thing about it.  In fact, who doesn’t cringe and laugh when they watch old episodes of Saved By The Bell or see MC Hammer himself on VH1?

My rule of thumb in fashion is: if something is trendy, it’s not automatically a good idea.  Kim Kardashian is beautiful, and while these pants do a great job showing off her tiny waist, they make her look overall more bulky than she really is.  And your clothes should always accentuate your best assets and make you look great - and I don’t see how hammer pants are flattering for anyone.

File hammer pants under: “Just Because It’s In Doesn’t Mean I Should Wear It”. 

Belted Style: It’s a Cinch!

What’s a fantastic way to put a fresh spin on your favorite summer jacket, dress or skirt and blouse combo?  Belt it!  I’ve been getting lots of mileage out of a wide gray patent leather belt from Banana Republic - it’s given new life to the pencil skirts and blouses I often wear to the office.  And after hours, it looks great with a black sheath.

I’m not alone in my newfound affection for this look - wide belts worn at the waist are all the rage right now.  Wide belts not only cinch your waist and make it look tinier, they can add depth and rich detail to an otherwise staid outfit.  The cinching effect is particularly pronounced with this season’s bell-shaped skirts and dresses that accentuate the hips.  Play up your feminine wiles even more by adding a wide belt!  Belts to try: Banana Republic’s Leather snake-embossed belt, or White House Black Market’s Stretch Square Buckle Belt, which captures the essence of a similar belt by Gucci for only $48.

Want to really be on the inside style track, with a look that will transition right into the fall?  Go for a wide metallic belt like Michelle Obama (at right), who wore a silver Givenchy belt with a voluminious cream colored cropped kimono-style jacket and slacks at a recent LGBT event in Washington. To get a look like Michelle’s, try Michael Kors’ Metallic Leather Belt.

What do you think of this trend?  Is it one you'll try?  Tell us!

The Best Invention, Possibly Ever, For Shoe Gals!

So often we hear that beauty is pain.  Ask any woman who’s limped through a marathon night of dinner and dancing, and she’ll affirm this fact.  We try to tell ourselves that we’ll be fine, we stuff band-aids in our clutches and stomp proudly off into the night on vertiginous heels like my current fave, the Enzo Angiolini Merry Ann (get them in all colors, immediately!).  But any heel that’s worth its slimming height or calf-perfecting magic generally has an expiration date of about three hours, and leads to blisters, sore arches and sometimes, in dire circumstances, a vile barefoot walk home. 

Answering every woman’s prayers are two British companies, with quite possibly one of the greatest ideas of recent times (at least to this fashionista):  a vending machine that dispenses flats!  Rollasoles retail for about $8 - bargain when you’re suffering shoe pain - and come in three cheekily-named colors: Gold Digger, Silver Lining and Back to Black.  When they were tested in UK clubs, they sold out in record time.  And as their name suggests, you can roll them up and stuff them into your bag as necessary.

Afterheels sell for about the same price as Rollasoles, but the company claims that their vending machine flats are made from natural materials and are fully recyclable. 

Both flats dispense with a pouch for carrying your heels home, but in terms of stylishness, I give Rollasoles a slight edge.

Dear makers of Rollasoles and Afterheels: please, I beg you - bring your fabulous invention stateside!

It's All in The Details

Easily the best Nicole Ritchie has ever looked:  the reality star dazzled at the recent Carousel of Hope Ball in an intricately beaded Reem Acra gown, accessorized with a wrist full of bangles. The ornate gown perfectly complimented Ritchie’s post-pregnancy curves while not overpowering her.

So who is Reem Acra?  Renowned for her ability to bring the feel of royalty to modern dress, Acra has been passionate about fabric and design her entire life.  While studying at the University of Beirut, she was discovered by a fashion editor who was taken by her dress, made from one of her mother’s tablecloths.  Acra studied in Paris and New York, travelled the world, and started her own bridal line in 1997.  She launched a ready-to-wear collection in spring 2008.

A hallmark of Reem Acra’s work is her ornate beadwork and embroidery, which demonstrates an amazing eye to detail.  Ritchie’s dress is a perfect example of Reem Acra’s luxurious apparel.

Reem Acra counts Angelina Jolie, Olivia Wilde, Ali Larter (at right in a Reem Acra gown), Jennifer Lopez and Ugly Betty star Becki Newton amongst her fans.

Want to know more?  Check out Reem Acra’s website!

Is Destination Style a Worthwhile Stop?

Sex & The City stylist Patricia Field recently launched her own clothing and accessory line for HSN, Destination Style New York.  Field made style the 5th leading lady on the HBO series, dressing the show’s heroines Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda in lavish, and often outlandish, creations that always inspired trends.  Field has a knack for seamlessly meshing high-end with low-end to create memorable looks -- most famously, the $5 thrift store tutu Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the series’ opening credits, which was paired with a designer pink leotard and heels.

Destination Style New York is reasonably priced, with pieces ranging from $20-$200.  Field calls the line, co-designed with her House of Field collaborator David Dalrymple, “affordable luxury”.

I was immediately struck by how much of the line seems lifted directly from SATC style, particularly the recent Sex & the City movie: from Carrie Bradshaw’s (Parker) wide studded belt (left) and over the top metallic flower dress (white in the movie, black for HSN) to Samantha Jones’ (Kim Cattrall) huge flower ring.  The HSN version of the ring is $39.95, goldtone and crystal (below right)-- a far cry from the $50K Samantha bid on her version in the film. 

I often watched the Sex & the City series and wondered how Carrie’s oversized flower pins or tacky chic “Carrie” necklace would play in reality, even in New York, where almost anything goes.  I decided that it simply wouldn’t work for most people -- Sex and the City style seemed, like runway shows, mostly for the press, a suggestion to real people and not to be directly imported into one’s life.  While I think pieces from Field’s line could work for the average woman, most of them will look like ridiculous outliers anywhere outside Manhattan.

However, it seems not everyone agrees with me -- available for less than a week, much of the Destination Style New York line is already sold out, according to HSN’s website.

WWD Defining Moments in Fashion

To celebrate the launch of their revamped wwd.com site, Women’s Wear Daily is announcing a list of 75 Defining Moments in Fashion.  The WWD list includes Jackie O’s timeless style, Brangelina’s photo homage to Sixties suburban unrest in W Magazine, and J. Lo’s plunging green Versace Grammy gown.

In honor of the WWD list, I’ve selected a few of my favorite moments in celebrity fashion from the past decade or so.

Renee Zellweger, 2001 Oscars

Zellweger glowed golden in this vintage 50’s era Jean Desses gown.  Strapless, fitted yet flowy, the daffodil-colored confection evoked old Hollywood glamour at a time when glamour had been somewhat brushed aside. Coupled with red lips, soft wavy hair and a chunky pearl bracelet, the dress was a red carpet smash.

Cameron Diaz, 2008 Oscars

Diaz was pretty in pale pink Dior at the 2008 Oscars.  Fashionistas bagged on the color, but the pleated, well-structured strapless gown emphasized the femininity of Diaz’s fantastic physique.

Reese Witherspoon, 2007 Oscars

Nina Ricci designer Olivier Theyskens has called Witherspoon one of his muses -- and it’s easy to see his passion for dressing her, particularly with this ’07 Oscar gown.  The sweeping drama of Witherspoon’s midnight-hued, multi-tiered dress is complemented by ethereal makeup and ice blonde hair, embodying Theyskens’ childhood fascination with princesses and fairy tales.

Nicole Kidman, 2000 Oscars

On Oscar night 2000, I felt that even if Tom Cruise didn’t win for Best Supporting Actor, he was still taking home quite the golden trophy.  Kidman was dazzling in metallic Dior, looking every bit the gilded deity in a gown that seemed as if it had been hammered by the gods just for her.  In fact, it had been crafted by John Galliano for Dior, one of the designers who helped establish Kidman as a style icon.

Swimsuit Season Is In Full Swing!

Here in New York City, temperatures have been in the mid-90s all week. It's June! Swimsuit season is here!

Are you comfortable enough to purchase a swimsuit online? I've done it before and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. However, in case you need some direction when it comes to this topic, check out this link from The It Lists:

Shopping For Swimwear Online

Happy Summer! 

Trend de la Creme: A Blog To Check Out

Since Holsted Jewelers entered the blogosphere a few months ago we've gotten to know some very cool people who love accessories, beauty, fashion and jewelry just as much as we do. One of those people is Jill Sherman, who maintains a blog about all the latest trends in these areas. Jill seems to be able to spot trends as easy as the rest of us breathe and she can find evidence of a designer's ideas in just about anything: from birds and insects, to flowers and cathedral ceilings.

Until recently she called her very successful blog Trendinista. However, it seems as if that success has necessitated a name change, because it is now called Trend de la Creme. Now how cool is that? I love it!

If you like reading about trends as much as I do you should defeinitely visit Trend de la Creme. Happy reading!

Unvogue Magazine: Fashion For Everyone

Here at Blingology you can read about having fabulous jewelry that only looks expensive. How do you have a great wardrobe that only looks expensive? Unvogue can help show you.

Unvogue is an online fashion magazine for ladies whose wardrobe budgets are not those of wealthy socialites. If you can only spend between $200 and $2,000, the pages of Unvogue will show you how to look like you've spent between $5,000 and $10,000. They see their readers as fashionistas of various races, sizes and backgrounds who like to mix in an occasional luxury purchase with affordable, mass-marketed items.

While other, established fashion magazines dictate what to wear and how to wear it, Unvogue doesn't take itself that seriously; it only makes suggestions and encourages feedback from readers.

Sound interesting? It does to me. I'm going to bookmark this site and make sure I don't miss an issue!

Fashion In The 21st Century?

This morning I came across this old newsreel that predicted how the stylish woman would look in the 21st Century:

Do the cantilevered heels look familiar? Take a look at Marc Jacob's Spring 2008 Women's Shoe Collection to see what I mean. Very interesting, huh?