J.Crew

When it comes to styling up a polished yet playful party look, nobody does it quite like J.Crew — and with invitations coming in left and right, we thought it necessary to tap into the brand's signature quirky-cool aesthetic for the season ahead. We chatted with Tom Mora, J.Crew's head of women's design, to hear about the latest collection and get his expert tips on holiday party dressing — and boy, did we get a wealth of inspiration. Tom gave us his advice on taking a look from work to play, his favorite cocktail dress alternatives, and even gave us the inside scoop on the gifts that make creative director Jenna Lyons smile. See what he had to say below.

FabSugar: A lot of us end up going to holiday events straight from work — what are your tips for making an office look party-ready?
Tom Mora: There are a couple things that I think are easy fixes: throwing on a statement necklace or pair of earrings does an incredible job of making an outfit feel really special. In the same vein, we have really gorgeous suede pumps in the most exquisite colors, and it's really fun to walk into a party in a more muted black or gray outfit and then have people look down and see a bright shoe! I also think a really great lipstick color — a really red or poppy-colored lip — looks amazing and is an easy switch-up.

There are a million parties to go to all season, and we tend to get into our somber, dark clothes — but there's lots of color out there, and it's a great opportunity to experiment with brighter tones and mix and match them with hues like seafoam green, icy lilac, and citrus. Don't shy away from colors that you think don't work on you — those rules were made to be broken!

For more of Tom's tips, and to see chic style inspiration from J.Crew's Holiday 2012 lookbook, just keep reading.

Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

• Victoria Beckham isn't pregnant after all. So that's settled. [Vogue UK]
  

• J.Crew has relaunched its outlet label Factory as a standalone retail concept with exclusive merchandise. "No outtakes, no leftovers, just more of what you want for less," reads a description on the brand-new website. [FabSugar]
  

• Valentino was awarded the Commandeur de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres medal by the French Ministry of Culture on Wednesday night. The designer said he got his Legion d'Honneur in 2006 "in the same reception room." [WWD]
  

• Annie Leibovitz says she's photographed Rihanna and Anne Hathaway for "back-to-back" covers of Vogue. [Fashionista]
  

• Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte's latest collaboration is a series of products — including a gift card — for Starbucks. [The Cut]

Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

• Artist Mari Kasurinen has created a Karl Lagerfeld doll inspired by My Little Pony. [Racked]
• Yesterday the salaries of Condé Nast's staffers were revealed. Today, it's all about Hearst. [Fashion Etc]
• J.Crew's newest partnership features a pair of jeans from Goldsign. The five-pocket Jenny jean was inspired by a pair Norma Jean Baker wore in the 1940s. [T Magazine]
• Stella McCartney will endow a scholarship at Central Saint Martins. Winners have to avoid using fur and leather during their studies and will be given a one-year contract to work for McCartney after graduation. [Vogue UK]
• The 82-year-old model who Alber Elbaz cast in Lanvin's Fall 2012 ad campaign is a New York native named Jacquie Murdock, who dreamed of working in fashion as a teenager. "From a very young age, I wanted to model [and] to go to Paris. The opportunity was not there at my time for women of color," she says. [Fashionista]
• Leandra Medine of Man Repeller says she's very gradually expanding her blog into a destination website. "I want women to come to Man Repeller and feel smart and get something funny out of it and just feel good," she says. [Teen Vogue]
• Former South African President Nelson Mandela debuted his clothing line 46664 with a party at the South African consulate in New York this week. [Stylelist]
• The commercial for Lady Gaga's upcoming fragrance Fame has been released. [Styleite]

Ali Fedotowsky showed her stripes, literally, in red striped J.Crew shorts, a chambray top, and navy crochet Steve Madden wedges ($60, originally $79) in NYC. The reality starlet accessorized her red, white, and blue ensemble with a red multilayered beaded necklace and oversized gold watch. Her patriotic color scheme is perfect for your next nautical adventure, and also keep it in mind while planning your upcoming Fourth of July look. Capture Ali's breezy style with red striped shorts, a denim shirt, and navy wedges, or switch things up with her exact J.Crew shorts in navy ($65), a red top, and nude wedges.

Those stories here in our daily news roundup.

• Menswear designer Adam Kimmel will take a yearlong break from designing after he ships his Fall 2012 collection to stores. He'll use the time off to "enrich my vision, spend time with my family, and explore a number of creative arenas that have interested me while I'm still young." [WWD]
  

• Diane von Furstenberg was instated as president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America for the fourth time last week, extending her tenure until at least 2014. The group also approved 26 new members, including Joseph Altuzarra, Carly Cushnie, Michelle Ochs, and Von Furstenberg's right-hand man Yvan Mispelaere. [The Cut]
  

• J.Crew will make its introduction to the Chinese market through a partnership with retailer Lane Crawford. The store will play host to a curated selection of the retailer's Fall 2012 women's ready-to-wear and shoes, menswear, and accessory collections. "When it comes to editing and presenting collections with a creative and elevated point of view, no one does it better," said J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler. [Fashion Etc.]