the royal wedding - the guests!!!

obviously, my invite to the royal wedding was lost in the mail.  obviously.  but for those lucky brits who actually got invited... oh boy, there were some outfits!  some fabulous...some...less fabulous.  and some were downright terrifying!!  lots of fitted shifts, some bright colors, and seas of fascinator hats.  Philip Treacy was working overtime the past few months!

The Queen! (in Angela Kelly dress)

Autumn Phillips

David & Victoria Beckham, in Ralph Lauren and Victoria Beckham w/ Philip Treacy fascinator, respectively

Elton John and his partner, David. (they both look dashing!)

Chelsy Davy, in Alberta Ferretti (.....eh. not cute.)

Sophie Winkleman

Princess Anne

Marie-Chantal Miller

Princess Beatrice in Valentino Haute Couture w/ Philip Treacy fascinator (EEK!)

Princess Letizia of Asturias

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, in Deborah Milner w/ Nicholas Kirkwood shoes & Philip Treacy fascinator

okay...i promise, this is the end of my royal wedding obsessions!!!  my personal favorites - Tara Palmer-Tomkinson (a vision in blue!) and of course...Victoria Beckham in her sky-high Louboutins and her sassy, slicked back, bitchy ponytail!  amazing!!!

oh..and the Queen looks too adorable for words!

the royal wedding - Pippa Middleton steals the show!

last night after a long day of royal wedding obsessing and a royal nap, i went to the gym.  i was in my Speedball class, doing the lunges (ugh) and i was thinking..."Pippa's ass...Pippa's ass...work girl, do the lunges.  Pippa's ass."  

it's safe to say that everyone's eyes were on Kate Middleton yesterday.  however, close behind...her sister.  and her sister's behind.  Pippa Middleton, Kate's maid of honor, was looking smoking hot yesterday in her ivory McQueen gown....and everyone, including Prince Harry, took notice... she was KILLING IT!

amazing, right?  the dress was beautiful, young and fresh...and then her killer body turned it into a "whoa, look at Pippa!"  she has obviously been doing the "i haven't eaten since February" diet along with her sister... and doing lunges 24/7.  even in her sleep.

for the reception, she stepped out in a stunning green Temperley London dress ....once again, looking insanely gorgeous and smokin'!!

great color on her!  and again...her bod!  her arms are looking fierce, she looks super thin, and this dress is hitting her in all the right places!  i think the UK has it's next most eligible bachelorette!

ladies and gents, Pippa Middleton has arrived!

the royal wedding - Kate's 2nd dress!!!

for the evening wedding reception, the new Dutchess(!!!) of Cambridge, Princess Kate Middleton shed her fabulous Sarah Burton for McQueen ceremony dress and donned another amazing Sarah Burton creation!  this strapless white gazar gown only further accentuates her ultra tiny little waist, especially with the diamante waistband detail.  she paired it with a white angora bolera, which looks a little ice princess to me, but perhaps she was chilly.  

stunning, yet again!  

the royal wedding dress - Sarah Burton speaks!

designer of the royal wedding dress - Sarah Burton - finally able to speak about her creation!

“It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. It was such an incredible honour to be asked, and I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created. I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship. Alexander McQueen’s designs are all about bringing contrasts together to create startling and beautiful clothes and I hope that by marrying traditional fabrics and lacework, with a modern structure and design we have created a beautiful dress for Catherine on her wedding day.

“The last few months have been very exciting and an incredible experience for my team and I as we have worked closely with Catherine to create this dress under conditions of the strictest secrecy. Understandably, Catherine has been very keen to keep the details of her dress a secret, which is every bride’s prerogative, and we gave an undertaking to keep our role confidential until the day of the wedding.

“Catherine looked absolutely stunning today, and the team at Alexander McQueen are very proud of what we have created. The dress was just one component of a spectacular day, and I do not think it is appropriate to comment any further beyond saying that I personally am very grateful and honoured to have been given the opportunity to work on this project, and I wish TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge every good wish for the future.”

so humble and classy.  Bravo, Sarah Burton!

the royal wedding!!!!!

i cried.  admit it, you did too.  when Kate Middleton, now the Dutchess of Cambridge, stepped out of her Rolls Royce this morning and the world got the first glimpse of the stunning Sarah Burton for McQueen designed dress, it took the collective breath of the world away.  such a moment, obviously for Kate, but also for the world of fashion!

both Kate and her maid of honor, sister Pippa, wore Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, both in white, and both beautifully subtle.

the veil, bodice, and skirt trim were made of hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace, put together by hand by Sarah Burton and her team of seamstresses.  The train was 8.8 feet long...long enough but not too long.  The Royal School of Needlework did the lace overlay of the bodice, overseen by Burton personally.  The RSN also did the embroidery of the veil and shoes, which were also handmade by Burton.

Kate carried a small bouquet of various flowers, including sweet William (awww!) and the traditional sprig of myrtle.

the most beautiful touch, aside from the Bride herself, is the bustle of the gown, which is signature McQueen and signature Sarah Burton.  the soft, feminine cascade of white and ivory satin gazar opening like a lily down the back of the train is such a subtle detail giving nod to the house of McQueen, to Sarah Burton, and to Lee himself.

the lovely bride and groom, exiting the Abbey...can we all take a second and swoon over how tiny her waist is?  both Kate and Pippa were looking extra thin and extra fierce!

i think the most wonderful thing about Kate's dress is the muted restraint of it all.  the dress is beautiful, it's stunning, but when you look at all these pictures...all you can think is how beautiful SHE is.  this dress lets Kate shine through as the beautiful woman she is.  and she really is a beautiful woman.  gracious, poised, and absolutely stunning...and her dress just accentuated all of those things about her.

i think that up in heaven, Lee McQueen is beaming with pride.  his house, that he built, made the dress of the century, and did it so beautifully... he must be overflowing with pride for the label and for Sarah Burton.  up in heaven, i'm sure he's popping a bottle of champagne with Issy Blow, celebrating!

watching this, seeing this gown, made me well up with tears, as does every story written in memory of Lee, but i know he's proud.  his successor is a worthy one.

Congrats again to the happy couple!!!

a royal affair - part deux!

oh my god, the royal wedding is upon us!  Kate Middleton is probably already awake, prepping herself to strut down the aisle as i type!  if you're crazy like me, you'll be getting up at 5 am EST to watch the madness!  my girlfriends and i will also be dressing up while watching the event...because it's the royal wedding, duh!  yes, that's right...sitting in our little downtown Manhattan apartments, dressed up in our finest gowns, watching a wedding on television.  go ahead..judge.  i'm unashmed!

this does, however, make me think...what if i was invited? what would i wear? (keep dreaming, self..keep dreaming..)  I'd like to believe that if i were invited, i'd have the designers knocking down my door to dress me (again...keep dreaming girl...), and i've decided i'd have to fall for the charming Mr. Alber Elbaz and rock Lanvin all day long.

my ceremony look....

Philip Treacey fascinator (obviously!) and this gorgeous navy blue Lanvin gown.  a bit conservative, yes, but it's Westminster Abbey for goodness sake, people!  and i'd pair with...

cinched belt and amazinggggg snake-skin heels.  i know it'll be pretty hard to outside the future Queen of England..but these shoes might make her weep....

And for my reception outfit...a dash of evening..

no fascinator this time... just this beautiful billowing sheath and more breath-taking wedge heels!  i'd go with a strong rose petal pink lip here, along with a smooth blowout to keep with the natural, relaxed silhouette.  

and then i'd dance the night away with Prince Harry.  sorry Chelsy Davy, but no man can resist Lanvin heels.

....if only this were my real life. if only.

top knotch!

ah the top knot...the essential "go to" for the fashion gal on the go!  can be sleek or messy, tight or loose 'n wild...but regardless, it's always chic!  as all good clothes horses know, hair should be kept off the face when paired with a loud outfit..and definitely up when paired with structured or voluminous shoulders... the top knot is the perfect outfit topper...literally!  

how to: works best on day-old hair..if you're freshly washed, add a bit of sea salt spray (i love davines for wizards or bumble and bumble's version!) to rough it up.  flip your head, gather all your hair, secure with elastic.  the next part is up to you... depending on how loose or tight you want it.. if you want it loose, tease the ponytail with a mason brush, twist gently, and secure with bobby/hair pins.  if you want it tight, don't tease, just twist tightly and secure with bobby/hair pins!  pull baby hairs along the scalp and ears out for a devil-may-care look, or spray your brush with hairspray and secure them all back for a cleaner style.

always throw a few extra bobby pins in your clutch on your way out the door, for good measure, and you're set!

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Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to our friends and family who celebrate!  Enjoy this beautiful, sunny day with friends and family and relish the pastels, the brunches, the beautifully dyed eggs, the little girls in their brand new Easter Sunday dresses, and the time with loved ones!

To those who don't celebrate...Happy Beautiful Sunday afternoon!

life is a highway

this is how you do a road trip!  Prada stripes, Valentino lace and studs, Louis Vuitton baroque...and omg the blue and white print Fendi tunic with skyhigh flatforms and the sky blue/red/white bag...

when i first saw this editorial, i immediately think of this amazing Jaguar commercial, which i was obsessed with in college...



is anything sexier than a beautiful woman, gorgeous clothes, and a beautiful, classic car?  as Marie Claire Italia and Jaguar prove... gorgeous loves fast.

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Happy Passover!

Happy Passover to all of our Jewish friends and family!!!  Hope everyone is having a fabulous Seder and enjoying the time with loved ones!!

style file: spring wardrobe refresh!

a good friend of mine mentioned recently that she was feeling like her closet was in a rut and she needs some help for a spring wardrobe refresh!  fear not, gals... the fashion gods have blessed us with spring trends that will bring even the drabbest closet back to life!

spin the color wheel
ladies, please ditch the dark, drab greys and blacks for spring!  the easiest and most fun way to liven up your spring outfits is to inject COLOR!!!  and i'm not talking about soft pinks and muted yellows....

i'm talking about the brightest, punchiest, loudest colors you can find on the rack!  watermelon pink, bananas yellow, saturated coral, the richest grass green you can find... it's all about the brightest you've got right now!  and it has suddenly become okay to wear them together!  color blocking is having a major moment right now,  but it's a very loud look, so if you're not looking to really make some heads turn, take it down a notch and go with a pair of bright blue flats, an electric yellow clutch, or go big and buy a pair of watermelon pink pants!  infusing color into your everyday look, even for the office, is easy, fresh, and of the moment!

maximum impact


sweet, floaty dresses are always a big part of spring, but this year, buying a maxi length dress or skirt puts you directly on trend.  not only are they incredibly forgiving in fit, but they're versatile!

day or night, flats or heels, hair down and messy or cleanly swept up, the full length dress/skirt is one of the most hard-hitting pieces to add to your spring line-up.  they billow, they sweep with you as you walk, they make an entrance, and everyone notices the girl in fabulous maxi dress or floor length skirt.  if going with a maxi skirt, be mindful of proportion to avoid looking sloppy.  a fitted tank or tshirt is the best bet with a maxi skirt...or you can even wear a bodysuit (or even one-piece bathing suit, if it works!).  

more after the jump...CLICK ON!