Inauguration Weekend - Zero + Maria Cornejo - Historic Train Ride To Philadelphia

Michelle Obama once again chooses an ensemble designed by Maria Cornejo. It is reported that Cornejo custom made a variety of pieces for the First Lady, including the royal purple jacket she wore during the historic train ride she took with her husband Barack Obama. The Obama family made the journey that Abraham Lincoln took, traveling from Philadelphia to Washington, the ride itself is symbolic of how far our country has come.

The Maria Cornejo jacket was very flattering for Michelle, however when paired with the less brilliant, purple sweater, it loses it's effect. Cornejo, known to many fashion enthusiasts such as Tilda Swinton and Sofia Coppola, is relatively unknown to the general public. Obama's choice will certainly help to make Maria Cornejo a household name.

Cornejo was born in Chile but spent most of her adolescence in England with her family. Currently she lives in NYC with her husband and children. Her designs are minimalistic, and she herself has said that she doesn't like embellishments. Although she is known for her minimalism it doesn't make her work any less exciting. She uses clean lines and expresses a great deal of sophistication in her clothes. I began to peruse her collections as soon as I heard the buzz about Cornejo and her work with Michelle Obama. Needless to say, I was definitely impressed. Her collection is full of clothes that a woman could wear right off the runway, without looking like she is overdoing it. Maria Cornejo has two stores in NYC: one in Nolita and the other in the West Village.







Zero Maria Cornejo Spring 2009 Collection

Golden Globes 2009 - Best Dressed

BEST DRESSED
My choice for best dressed of the evening goes to Eva Mendes, hands down. She looked sensational in her Christian Dior white dress. The dress was the perfect fit to show off her figure and was simple and elegant. Her choice of a teal necklace, Van Cleef & Arpels, really makes the whole ensemble. Since the dress was white, the teal necklace really made her stand out amongst the rest of the attendees.















Admittedly I am biased when it comes to Kate Winslet (because I love her so!) but there is no doubt that she looked absolutely flawless at the Golden Globes. She wore Yves Saint Laurent and Chopard jewels. The gown is simple and black yet it really makes her shine. She doesn't need any embellishments. Her acceptance speech was sweet and genuine. Not to mention how wonderful it was to hear Kate refer to Angelina Jolie as "who is the other one?" When referring to her fellow nominees, Kate who was full of emotion couldn't remember Angelina. The camera flashes to Angelina, who's scowl proves she didn't enjoy Kate's temporary memory lapse. Come on Angie, laugh a little. Not everyone takes you as seriously as you take yourself.









Freida Pinto, from Slumdog Millionaire, wore Christian Lacroix Haute Couture. I don't think anyone else on the red carpet could have pulled off this mustard yellow dress with as much class and beauty as Freida did. The mustard color set her apart from all the others wearing black, nudes, etc.

















Kate Beckinsale in J. Mendel with Fred Leighton jewels. Some might think that the oversized earrings may be from a previous season, but there is no denying how well they went with her dress. She is pure glamor in this white mermaid gown. It really accentuates her figure and I am in love with the ruching on the top of the dress.
















Ok I realize that this is overstated but how great does Demi Moore look? I won't belabor the fact of how beautiful she is at her age, but she did appear more confident than many of the other young starlets in attendance. She wore a Christian Dior gown with Cartier jewels. Kudos also for her natural hair. She usually wears her hair straight, but the waves goes well with the frills of her dress.















Olivia Wilde dared to wear some color on the red carpet, where most everyone else made the safe choice not to. Her lavender Reem Acra gown went beautifully with her skin tone. One suggestion however, loose the belt. The jeweled belt makes more for a prom queen rather than an esteemed television actress.















Image Credit - vogue.com

Golden Globes 2009 - Not A Fan

Worst Dressed
At the very least if someone wants to take the road untraveled on the red carpet, at least make it flattering. Renée Zellweger wore Carolina Herrera gown which made her look like she was wearing a transparent top and spanx underneath. Why is it that Renée insists on appearing older? The dress along with the sculpted curls on her head made her appear frumpy and much older than her years.















Megan Fox in Ralph Lauren Collection did not make an impression. Her face, makeup and Amrapali earrings were beautiful but the dress appeared cheap, not to mention the cheap comments she made to her interviewers. When told how beautiful she looked, Megan responded saying that she looked like a 'tranny.' "I'm so painfully insecure I'm on the verge of vomiting right now." Please learn to take a compliment Megan. Further digging herself into a whole, when asked about her husband Brian Austin Green she responded saying that he doesn't want to be her date because he has an ego. "I don't think he cares," she added. Her comments proved that she is just as tacky as the dress.











Rumor has it that J-Lo reserved so many dresses at Marchesa, other actresses weren't able to get their hands on them. Only Miley Cyrus was able to sneak a gown away from J-Lo. If J-Lo had her choice of all those gowns, one might ask why she chose this one? I do love the color of the gown however with the plunging neckline it is rather reminiscent of another infamous J-Lo gown of the past. Give us something new Jennifer. In this case less is more.














Yawn... Angelina we have seen this many times before. The loosely fitted gowns in a neutral color. Admittedly it is hard for the actress to actually look bad in anything. I mean she could look stunning in a wife beater and jeans, but that doesn't mean she should walk down the red carpet in them. It is the Golden Globes after all.

















I hate to do this because I really love Beyonce, but I wish she would stop choosing these gaudy dresses. Once again she chose an Elie Saab dress and while I do love Elie Saab, Beyonce seems to be stuck in the same old rut; flashy, tight, and ill-fitted. I realize that sparkle and shine is a part of her style, however I would love to see Beyonce in something new. Maybe a feminine dress that doesn't cling to her every curve and cut off at her bust line.














Although I do not absolutely hate America Ferrera's Oscar de la Renta's dress I decided to put her on the list because she could do so much more. She is a beautiful young woman, however the shape of the dress does nothing for her. The structure of the bottom of the dress is unflattering for her body type and is inappropriate for her age. I would have loved to see America in a brightly colored cocktail dress for the Globes. Something more fresh and appealing.














Image Credit - vogue.com

Dolce & Gabbana Pajamas for Spring - What Was She Thinking??

Jessica Alba arrived to the premiere of My Bloody Valentine 3D in a pair of silk pajamas. Maybe there was a party at the playboy mansion after the premiere, but my gut says she didn't get this look from Mr. Hefner. Jessica looked beautiful as usual, but the look was disappointing. Dolce & Gabbana featured the new pajama ensembles in their Spring 2009 ready to wear collection. The willowy models whisked down the runway in many different pajama ensembles, however the look in real life fails to be impressive.

Lazy college students have been sporting the 'pajamas as day wear' for many years now. Endless studying and partying have helped make this look popular on many campuses. By showing up to a movie premiere in pajamas, Jessica is encouraging students everywhere that their apathy is in fact a fashion statement. Without realizing it, college students around the country may have inadvertently stumbled upon the trend while stumbling their way to class, tired and hungover.

It is often difficult to pull off a runway look off the runway, especially one such as this. The pajamas, in this case, should stay on the runway, and in the bedroom. Celebrities shouldn't be in such a rush to wear something merely because it has a designer price tag on it.

Fashion Accessory or Political Statement?

The other night I went to a party in the Lower East Side. I didn't feel like dressing up so I was happy to attend the chill house party. It was a little cold so I decided to wear my trusty bright pink keffiyeh scarf that you certainly have seen all over the city the past couple of years. It has definitely become over-exposed. I wear them and other scarfs not to make any fashion or political statement (more on the political statement of the keffiyeh later) but rather I wear them in order to bring some color to my pale olive complexion.

I walk into the party and I am one of four people wearing the same accessory. I shrug off the fashion faux pas and begin to mingle. Not surprisingly, since most of the guests attended a liberal arts university in New York City and consumed lots of alcoholic beverages throughout the evening, people began to discuss the crisis between Palestine and Israel. Honestly I wasn't in the mood to discuss politics as I sipped on my spiked apple cider.

I do not want to make light of a very serious topic however, the debate reminded me of the political discourse surrounding the keffiyeh. It is interesting to see how even fashion can carry a political stance. Traditionally the keffiyeh is a headdress for Arab men. It is used to protect the skin from the harsh heat, cold, and sand of arid climates. Because of the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine, the keffiyeh became a symbol of Palestinian solidarity. Figures such as Yassar Arafat, who would have been hard to recognize without his trademark headscarf, contributed to such sentiments. People with the desire to make a political statement only had to wear the small piece of fabric around their neck. However what people forget is that the keffiyeh has been worn by lots of different cultures. The reason the scarf is so easily appropriated is because of it's practicality. Keffiyeh's have been sold in Jerusalem for many years. British, US, and Australian troops have used the keffiyeh during times of war. The use of keffiyehs (shemaghs) by the British military dates as far back as World War II. Therefore if this scarf has been worn by Palestinians, Israelis, Hipsters, celebrities, US troops, Europeans, and Canadians, then isn't it just an accessory after all?

The scarf is no stranger to fashion and is certainly not a 'new' trend. It first became popular in the US during the 80s, worn by bohemian women around their necks. The emergence of the scarf as 'trendy' came in mid 2000 in big cities of the US, Canada, and Australia. The trend exploded after NYC hipsters and celebrities sported the keffiyeh every chance they got.

To give an idea of how substantial the fashion and political statement became, there were a few controversies regarding the keffiyeh. Last year there was one regarding the scarf and the high-pitched TV host Rachel Ray. Yes that is correct, the daytime talk show host sparked the controversy in a Dunkin Donuts advertisement where she was wearing the scarf. The chain decided to pull the ads after some concerns brought about by right-wing bloggers. They complained that the campaign was insensitive. Even Urban Outfitters pulled the scarves from their shelves when the controversy ensued. Although that certainly didn't stop anyone from buying them. Most scarves can be bought for $5 with any NYC street vendor.

As for me, I do not associate the scarf with any political side, however I do realize that we need to take responsibility for the image we portray. After all I hate when people wear Che Guevara shirts when they do not understand the story and the symbol he represents. For now I may stop wearing the controversial scarf for the simple reason that everyone else is wearing them.

Winter Breakouts

Have you noticed a few breakouts this winter? No doubt the weather and all the layers we start to pile on are the culprit. The constant contact with scarves and hats against the skin cause flare ups now and again. In order to prevent this, you need to make sure you take a bit more care of your skin. You should be washing your face everyday regardless, however now toner is a necessity. The cheapest option, and my personal favorite, is Witch Hazel. You can find Witch Hazel at your local convenience store, and the best news is that a bottle seldom costs more than $5. Certainly your grandmother kept a bottle of Witch Hazel in her medicine cabinet. It is a natural astringent that comes from the Witch Hazel plant, therefore it is the most natural toner you can find. You can reapply during the day with a cotton swab. Not only will it keep your breakouts in check, but it is extremely refreshing.

Boots - Street Style - How To Shop Vintage

Keeping with the theme of Winter boots, I have been browsing the web for interesting boot selections. I stumbled upon elle.com street style, and to my excitement I saw that they were featuring boots. The street style feature reinforces why I love NYC fashion so much. The distinct style and and fresh layered look that is seemingly effortlessly.

Below there are a select designer boots. Most of the population finds such styles to be out of their price range. However there is an alternative! You can find quality boots for the fraction of the price of Chanel or Fendi. Solution, pop into a vintage clothing store. For those of you who are wary about buying vintage, especially shoes, take a chance. I have had reservations in the past about buying vintage, but with a little practice and know how you can become quite adept. Who knows, you may even find a diamond in the rough. There are a few suggestions you should consider before making your purchase.

-Pay attention to details. Make sure the shoe is well made. Look at the instep, stitching, heel and sole.

-Look at the designer. Vintage allows you to buy designer brands at a fraction of the price. Yes designer duds tend to be extremely expensive, but the price tag is also relative to the quality of the product. Vintage allows you to get quality at a fraction of the price.

-Do not forget that about your shoe maker. Make sure you find one whom you trust and who charges reasonably. A good shoe maker can bring vintage shoes back to life.

-Look at the material. You shouldn't be buying pleather vintage shoes. Look for quality materials such as good leather or snake skin. Look for rich fabrics and unusual styles. The great thing about vintage is that it is virtually impossible to pass someone on the street wearing your same shoes, that will most likely happen if you buy your shoes at say Nine West.

-Always always clean your shoes after purchase. A little polish and shoe cleaner will go a long way.

-Since we saw snow early this year, do not forget to get your shoes treated for the weather. The last thing you want is to ruin a pair of pumps because of snow and salt.


Designer Styles


From left to right : Fendi, Chanel, Manolo Blahnik


Vintage Styles



Bargain Styles

Zara Boots



Image Credit : elle.com

Snow Day... Dress Appropriately

For all of you dreaming of a White Christmas, you got your wish. The first snow storm of the season hit the tri-state area today and left everyone scratching their heads. New Yorkers are used to a little snow, but not really this early in the season. Nonetheless, lots of people welcomed the storm as they walked in Central Park and threw snowballs at one another. It was fairly easy to catch a cab, not so easy to find parking. The city was absolutely beautiful. The streets were covered in white and the trees collected snow on their boughs.

After enjoying the beauty of the snow, reality set in. The commute from New York City to Northern Jersey took over two hours, which is not typical for the middle of the afternoon. Cars were going literally 5 miles per hour on the highway. Welcome to winter everyone. Not only was the commute bad, but my toes were freezing. No one anticipated that we would need to get out our snow boots this early, but alas tis the season. Below are a few suggestion that I found on zappos.com, one of the best shoe sites on the web. The most important thing is that you keep warm, however it doesn't hurt to look good while warm.


Lassen Boots
Ava
$103.50
zappos.com







Lassen Boots
Merida
$134.10
zappos.com







Fitzwell
Kelly
$139.00
zappos.com







Steve Madden
Power Embellished
$99.90
zappos.com







Prari
Amberleigh
$160.00
zappos.com







Lacoste
Bundle Patent
$129.95
zappos.com







Image Credit: nytimes

Nerdy Chic - How To Choose The Right Glasses For Your Face

As a young child no one wants glasses. Showing up at school with a pair of glasses can be a death sentence. I have seen children left in tears because of the incessant taunts of bullies pushing them around and calling them four-eyes. Luckily I wasn't one of those children. I have always been proud of my perfect 20/20 vision, until one day I was kicked off my high horse when I realized I couldn't read a sign across the street from me. All those years of boasting, and sitting in front of a computer, have finally caught up with me. Turns out I developed myopia and astigmatism in my left eye. Now the search began for the perfect frames.

The possibility of a new look is exciting, however there is pressure to find the right pair. After all most people have one pair of glasses, for the most part, and they need to fit your face correctly, as well as fit with most of your wardrobe. As you get older, you get over the angst of your youth and the fear of looking 'nerdy.' You begin to fall for the appeal of the glass and metal object that sits on the bridge of the nose. The right pair of shades can change your look, even enhance it. Whether they make you look more intelligent, as the popular stereotype suggests, or they make you look more sophisticated. Nerdy chic is my preference as of late, as the square plastic rims I purchased suggest. When I put them on I look like a different person, and frankly I love a new look every once in awhile.

The LensCrafters website has a wonderful tool in order to figure out what glasses flatter someone's face shape. There is also the option to upload a picture of yourself and virtually try on a pairs of lens.

OVAL This face shape always seems to be the easiest to fit because of the even proportion. You can experiment with many frames but make sure the glasses do not overpower you. Try rectangular or butterfly frames.

SQUARE This face shape has a strong prominent jawline therefore you might want to try frames that will soften your strong features. Try oval frames or even rimless frames to create a softer look around your face.

ROUND This face shape is fuller without the angular features of the square. You do not want to emphasize the fullness so try a rectangular shape that will create angles on your face. Glasses that rest higher on your face will lengthen the roundness.

HEART This face shape is almost looks like the shape of a heart. You have a wider forehead and a narrower jaw. Also high cheekbones. Frames that have a wider bottom help to balance out your wider forehead. Avoid frames that call attention to the top of your head. Cat eye, butterfly, or round lenses are a good choice for you.



Check out some pictures of the celebrities who make frames look good.

Blogging Hiatus, But I'm Back

For the past 6 months I temporarily replaced my obsession with fashion and beauty for a new obsession, le Français. I moved to Montreal with the sole purpose to conquer the French language. Unfortunately, in the meantime, my blogging was put on the back burner. The struggle with verb conjugations, pronunciation, and miscommunication proved to take up much of my time.

For most of my adolescence, I idealized anything French. Just hearing someone utter a few words, used to make me melt into a puddle (ok admitedly sometimes it still does). I would pick up French Vogue and flip through the pages, wishing that I could read them. The aura is infectious, after all French fashion has inspired fashion enthusiasts throughout the world. Marketers need merely to slap on a French label on any beauty product, and instantly the image of that product enhances. Atleast in the beauty world, French is associated with high-end products, great quality, and style. However I don't want to confuse anyone. Quebec is not like France. If anyone has ever been to Montreal, you will notice that the only thing our neighbor to the north shares with our distant neighbor oversees is the language. Quebecois culture is vastly different whether you are comparing poutine to croque monsieur or merely the mannerisms of its inhabitants. The accents are so different that many people, even the French themselves, just can't understand what the heck the Quebecois are saying. In the end, despite my bias to all things from France, I fell in love with Quebec, even if it is a little rough around the edges.

Despite my new love, New York City missed me, as the French like to say. The first day I stepped foot on the island, I felt a strong feeling of nostalgia. The annoying yellow cabs, the rushed faces, the smelly subway, even tacky Times Square, I missed it all. I walked out of Port Authority with a huge grin plastered on my face. Trust me Port Authority ain't pretty, but I was happy to be back.

New York has a strange place in my heart. Afterall, it has always been so close to my reach, since I grew up just over the bridge. I know the skyline very well. The city is noisy and confrontational, but what I've learned, however, is that I can't stay away. I always yearn to come back, for now, until a new obsession enters the horizon.