Chantilly Architecture

My Forever Five

Every Valentine’s Day that I’m single, my mother sends me a box of make-up. Albeit one of those situations that straddles the line of insulting and generous, it does give my American Express a reprieve so I’ll go with it.*

In my mother’s version of BirchBox, I’ve found some great products, that I will use forever. Since I’m committed to being embalmed with these, I thought I’d share. 

1. Perricone MD’s Face Finishing Moisturizer: If combination skin was a game I would be a level 12 dragon master. This moisturizer seems a little thick upon application, but as it sets it makes a great makeup primer whilst giving me (and hopefully you) perfectly moisturized skin. 

2. NARS Orgasm Blush: To be frank, the name made me uncomfortable more than excited. But, after trying it - I fell hard. It’s a great year round blush that suits 99.9% of the population. 

3. benefit’s they’re real! Mascara: I was a major fan of fake lashes for years, until mid-date my eyelash fell onto my cheek. Humiliation quickly prompted the search for an alternative. After running the gauntlet from CoverGirl to Dior, this was the clear winner. It lengthens, curls and did, in fact, prompt someone to ask if they were real. Isn’t it the little victories? 

4. theBalm Stainiac Lip Stain in Beauty Queen: If you dig red lips, but it doesn’t quite match you’re coloring, try a dark pink. I like this lip stain because you use multiple coats to get to the hue you want - so one coat at work, three at drinks  with a little chapstick and you’re set. 

5. Stila Perfecting Concealer: Best. under-eye. concealer. ever. It thick enough to get rid to cover dark circles and stays put all day. (Although, I wouldn’t recommend it for zits because it can be tough to blend).

*My mother does love me dearly and think I’ve hung the moon - with or without make-up. As she always taught me, I am, and you are, the most beautiful when we’re full of joy.

Seeing Spots: How To Wear Leopard

I love wearing leopard like Lindsay Lohan loves wearing handcuffs. Often my zealousness results in an overindulgence: me running around looking like a zoo animal. So, in effort to save you from the same embarrassment, here are my tips on wearing this trend.

1. Wear It As An Accessory

Leopard is a very loud pattern. Make it more subtle by wearing it as an accessory not a dress or shirt. Below are my three favorite accessories. 

2. Wear It With A Solid Color

Because the pattern is comprised of neutral colors, it’s great with a pop of color. Wear it with a green dress or yellow pants and you’re set. 

3. Wear It Only In One Element

If you wear leopard flats, you are under no circumstances to wear a leopard headband, ring or shirt. It will make you look like Cheetah Girl, and honey it ain’t 2004. 

From top: Kate Spade, Mossimo, Mossimo, Sorelle In Style 

What I Wore Today: March 31

Birthday Party

Blazer: Forever 21

Bag: Zara

Dress: Robert Rodriguez 

Boots: Vince Camuto 

Buying Basics: Pumps

1. Go Nude

When you’re investing in a single pair of shoes, defer to neutrals in order to match everything. Neutrals do not mean black. A pair of nude or tan heels will go with your entire closet, lengthen your legs (visually) and stand our from everyone else. 

If Kate does it, you can should must do it.

2. Lace And Leather

Again, with the investing, you need to buy leather. Leather will last forever, mold to your foot and hold it’s shape and color. Cheap imitation leather/pleather (I just threw up) will wear out, stretch too much (to the point that they’re floppy) and can get discolored. 

Peta friends- don’t flour bomb me - Stella McCartney does make an acceptable vegan alternative, but I like Jimmy Choo better. 

So help me, if you buy pleather, I will ban you from this blog. 

3. Tighten Up

When you initially buy leather pumps they should be a little snug. As you wear your shoes, the leather will mold to your foot. Don’t start too loose or you’ll be clicking your  heels like flip flops in no time.

A warning, they should never be foot binding tight. If you have a foot muffintop over the toe box or your toes have to be bent to put your shoes on, they do not fit. 

4. Don’t Be Flashy

When shopping, you may be tempted to buy patent leather, a platform or a peep-toe. Don’t do it…yet. Those are great choices in time, but if you want a truly versatile basic, you need to stick with non-glossy, nude, close-toed pump. 

And in the spirit of shopping, I will share with you my latest purchase. 

It’s okay to hate me. I hate me a little bit too. 

From top: L.K. Bennett, Jimmy Choo, Nine West and Christian Louboutin

Buying Basics: Blazers

Where have I been? Working - like a boss, unfortunately, not even close to the boss. In an effort to regain my fashion prowess from winter, I wanted to share how to buy basics. And in the spirit of corporate America, we’ll start with blazers. 

1. Simplicity

If you’re going to buy one great quality blazer, you should invest.  Classic blazers never go out of style. So the first thing to look for is simplicity in the color and cut. Will it still be on point in five years?

If it is jewel tone, asymmetrical or patterned, odds are no. 

2. Detail

You can skirt the issue of boredom that is often associated with simplicity by finding blazers with neutral detailing like a black trim or atypical pocket structure. 

3. Length

Do not fall prey to this season’s trends of cropped blazers. They are not doing any of us favors. Look for blazers that fall at your hip or just below. It will minimize the look of wider hips, or as my mother calls them, birthing hips.

4.  Versatility 

Whichever blazer you decide, run it through the uptown-downtown test. Can you pair your blazer with a little black dress and hit the town? If yes, can you also pair it with jeans and a white tee and go to brunch? If yes, go to five. 

5. Fit 

Last, but hands down most important is fit. A poor fitting blazer will add to your frame. Make sure your blazer tapers in at your waist then widens again to fit smoothly over the top of your hip. It should not bell out, but make a clean drop. 

And viola, you have a perfect blazer. Enjoy!

From top: Old Navy, J. Crew, Topshop, Aqua, Topshop, French Connection 

When I grow up…

I want to be a famous fashion blogger, because 

1. They get tons of free stuff to wear. No whoring themselves out for that Michael Kors watch or putting pennies away for every item in Nanette Lepore’s line.  No.  God smiles on them everyday. And I dream of the day I can write something besides c/o My Amex. 

2. That is their “real job.” 

Now let’s discuss why I can never be that, because 

1. I watch way too many Jaws sequels and define any day I wake up before noon as  a success to consistently blog. 

2. I have a “real job” waiting for me in August that will require me to utilize the technological wonders of e-mail and telephones not Rent The Runway. 

3. I’m pretty sure WWD is ashamed I’m one of their subscribers as I get equally excited about Shark Week as I do Fashion Weeks. 

But call me a dreamer, I’m going to give this my best effort….again.  

Rules of The Red Carpet

With red carpet season gearing up, fashion wannabes will be glued to their TVs Sunday nights, up and coming designers will be praying that celebrities remember the correct pronunciations of their labels and bloggers will be taking to their laptops ripe with judgement. 

Before I cast my overzealous opinions onto unsuspecting blog surfers about our red carpet  winners, and maybe more anticipated, losers. I think we should set a few ground rules on what defines success. 

To be on the much coveted Monday Best Dressed list, you traditionally have one of three things: architecture, color or age. 

Architecture: This concept relates to the creative construction of the dress. These are the dresses that define new proportions and their structure creates a compelling look that often seems revolutionary. Architecture success stories include 

                                             Marion Cotillard/ Jean Paul Gaultier

                                   Hilary Swank/ Guy Laroche 

Color: Easily the quickest way to spot a red carpet winner is color. Stand out colors can take dresses to a supreme level. The key is to find colors that complement each individuals skin tone and then to correctly accessorize them.  Some colors are appropriate to add pops of color to like Michelle Williams canary dress with red lips. Others need to stand out alone like  Catherine Zeta Jones red gown. Other memorable winners….

                                               Michelle Williams/ Vera Wang

                                          Catherine Zeta Jones/Atelier Versace

                                             Renee Zellweger/vintage Jean Desses 

Age: People say you can never go wrong with vintage, well pardon my crudeness but that’s a load of crap. A bad piece is a bad piece, but the good ones can become classics. And a classic will grant you entrance into the red carpet elite. Insert

                                    Julia Roberts/Valentino

Jennifer Garner/Valentino

And the key to mediocrity these days is sticking to a simple demure, old Hollywood look. Sure they’ll look great, but isn’t the whole point of these shows to stand out from your peers?

No one remembers the nominees.

I’m not usually one to reblog, but a good friend of mine, Blake Mitchell, has the chance to be an Oscar Correspondent this year. Needless to say, this is a huge dream of his and I can think of no one more deserving. Please take the time to read the below post and VOTE (for Blake and David)!  And then we can judge his red carpet prowess. 

blakemitchell89:

10 Reasons You Should Vote for Blake as MTVu’s Student Oscars Correspondent

10. I know how to tie a real bow tie, and you’ve got to have a good-looking bow tie to be on the red carpet, right?

9. Every year I make predictions of who I think will get nominated and win Academy Awards. Last year, between the Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director & Best Picture categories, I guessed all but 3 nominees correctly. Pretty solid, huh?

8. My two favorite movies are “The Sound of Music” and “All About Eve.” What do these films have in common? They’re both Best Picture winners. 

7. My videographer David Torcivia is a bad-ass. He has his own equipment and possesses a professional-level talent with video and editing. 

6. Robert Osborne, official historian for the Academy and host of the red carpet, is my hero. And he promised to tell me story about when he met Katharine Hepburn the next time I saw him, so I need to get on the red carpet to harass him about that. 

5. I study the Academy Awards, follow the buzz, and see the nominated films. I have no doubt I can talk to anyone on that carpet and offer intelligent questions about their body of work. 

4. Ryan Seacrest went to UGA as well, so I’m just trying to carry on the torch and represent the Dawgs at the Kodak Theater! 

3. I was on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival and worked around celebrities there and in L.A. I’m comfortable in this sort of environment. 

2. I already know what I would say to Meryl Streep if I interviewed her. “Mrs. Streep, what would you say to people who call you the Katharine Hepburn of our generation. And by ‘people,’ I’m speaking of myself…”

1. This is my dream. The #1 thing on my bucket list for my entire life is to attend the Oscars. How incredible would it be for me to be in the middle of it all at age 21? 

*To Vote, please visit the MTVu website through January 28th. 

Sophistication Isn’t So Black & White

It’s Christmas break and naturally I have buckets of work to do. The only solace I have is admiring the beautiful metallic leather cover of my planner before opening it and giving myself a heart attack. 

So naturally my burning need for productivity led me straight to Twitter (where I discovered Hefner’s engaged(?!), my good friend’s a new uncle and sororityproblems is a trending topic), then to Facebook (stalking high school classmates is always quite the self-esteem builder, no?) and then to the side advertisement: Boutiques.com. 

After completing my “I-like-this-more-than-that” style profiler, I looked at the choices that were most recommended for me. And low and behold, about 90% of everything was black. 

I will admit this, I wear a lot of black. A ton, not in the Taylor Momson/I will attack you in your dreams sort of way, but in the I am [pretending to be] busy, adult and sophisticated sort of way. And next month, it will be in the, I ate so much over the holidays the only thing touching my stomach is spanx sort of way (ie. layer that slimming black) 

Much to my cookie crumb covered chuckles, I was actually quite dismayed to see that the choices for sophisticated palettes were really only limited to black and white (maybe red if I was lucky).

This is not a new concept, many mainstream, uppercrust designers put the majority of their sophisticated pieces in monotone, but color is NOT unsophisticated. It just needs to be done right. 

1) Pick your favorite spring color and darken it a few shades (ie canary yellow becomes mustard yellow)

2) Stick to one color in the outfit and accentuate it with neutrals. 

3) Keep the silhouettes and cuts conservative, make the statement with the color. 

In order: J.Crew, Tibi, Tibi, Kate Spade, Balenciaga, Madewell 

I have fashionable friends. Enjoy the Anthropologie photo shoot that erupted in Georgia today. 

If the shoe fits

Cobblestones be damned, I love heels.

And not in the I had 400 pink plastic pumps for my Barbie (although I did), but in the when I put on my patent leather Manolos I will turn into Miranda Priestly and run this town. (If she was 30 years younger, blonde, nice…..and real).

So in a tribute to the items in our wardrobes that can turn heads, make us feel like a goddess and make us fall flat on our face all by themselves, here are my top ten picks for winter heels.

My criteria:

(1) must make a statement

(2) must be flattering - don’t fool yourself, shoes can be unflattering. If you are wearing chunky shoes, you better check they aren’t making you look the same. There is a very real reason I seldom wear thick heels. Got to know your strengths. Diatribe complete.

(3) Hookers must not wear them during performances - Yes, this is calling out those platforms that elves could live in. And, yes, this means you Versace.

And Santa, if you bring me any of these, I swear I will stop writing hateful e-mails to the people who created the Old Navy mannequin ads. Even though lets agree, that jank is cr-ee-py.

Would You Like to Oversize That?

With the forewarning cold winds and imminent Georgia winter approaching, wardrobes are starting to reflect the bleakness of the season. Monotones are unfolding in almost every wardrobe and with them the same haggard black pea-coat is proliferating across the state. Coco and the fashion foremothers are having a collective sigh in heaven as styles give way to warmth and practicality.

But just because the weather’s drab gives you zero excuse  not to dress fab and with this seasons adoration of over-sized sweaters why wouldn’t you?

The main hesitation in this trend is the inadvertent volume it adds to your frame. But again, fashion is a matter of proportion - so when you create volume, you have to compensate. Chunky sweaters should ALWAYS be matched with a thin leg or a cinched waist. ALWAYS.


kidnapped from modcloth.com

The big Y

Today I was asked why I always dressed up…again…maybe for the hundredth time. I don’t know if they expected a simple or vague answer, but I naturally launched into a monologue. 

“It’s multifaceted, you see. It’s part of me and part of leadership. It defines who I am.” 

*Slight nod, but blank eye*

My sweeping approach clearly was only clear to well me. There is a myarid of reasons I like to dress well first starting with

1) I like it. Everyday is a new day to be someone else. And while I love the person I am, sometimes I want to be edgy and cool when really I’m carrying sorority stickers and candy in my purse.

2) It is part of my “brand.” You don’t see me dressed down and do you know what you think when you see me dressed up - she’s got it together. Even when I am a downright mess I will still look like a champ because that’s one thing I’ve got. So you don’t know I’m a mess because I don’t look - ergo you trust me more, my decisions more. You think I’m exaggerating? Look for it in your life. You do it. You trust people by how they present themselves even when they are hiding their hot mess of a life.

3) So when I do wear running shorts to class, work, etc one day, no one says a thing because they all know the world has gone to hell in a hand basket. And do you know what? I never have to make an excuse on those days. Ever. Because….

I always dress up. 

Shopping for Fairy Tales

I’ve never understood why people hate shopping until today -the people that get in and get out as quickly as possible or look at the price longer than piece. I didn’t get it, until I finally realized when all you see in a garment is it’s shape and color, you lose the magical experience that is shopping.

Because leisurely shopping is about the opportunity that outfit or look creates. When you look in the mirror in that new Marchesa dress you see yourself floating down a carpeted stair case, the heads that will turn and the night you’ll have. Or when you throw on the crinkled leather cross body- you see yourself running through the subway stations of New York. And most recently for me it’s been the perfect interview outfit, seeing myself glide down the halls of an office building with post-it covered documents and a whirring blackberry - being a mover and a chic shaker.

So when I landed an on-site interview with my one of my dream companies I had to have the outfit to complete the euphoria I was temporarily living. And I know it’s not exactly traditional business attire, but it’s not exactly a traditional company - and that’s why I love it. Well I love that and the little fairy tale I get to buy every time I step in Lenox. 

The outfit in it’s entirety is from Anthropologie. Shoes Cole Haan.