Hair accessories can often look childish, not chic. But we took a note from Rodarte's Fall 2012 runway and decided to see for ourselves if star hair accessories really are out of this world. It turns out, they are. See how to make your own in today's Bella How-To. On Kirbie Johnson: H&M dress. Note: You can pick up star nail studs needed for this project here.
Leave it to Kate and Laura Mulleavy to not only draw a star-studded front row — hello, George Lucas, Natalie Portman, and Dakota Fanning — but to deliver a stellar, 1940s-inspired Fall '12 collection too. One part cave-drawing-infused, one part retro femme, and one part Australian outback-reminiscent, Rodarte showcased a beautiful mix of totally girlie pieces with both red-carpet appeal and wearable ladylike style. The sister duo paid close attention to feminine details á la Peter Pan collars, artfully structured ruffles, and metal star appliqué hair combs. Yet, never ones to shy away from throwing some quirk into the picture, they added literal hand prints to long, flowy evening gowns and added cowboy buckles to double-strap leather belts. The biggest covet-worthy takeaway from today's show? After several seasons of collaborating with key shoe designers like Nicholas Kirkwood and Christian Louboutin, the Mulleavy sisters debuted their first-ever in-house shoe collection. We're calling it: Rodarte's two-tone pumps with heels made of plexiglass, sexy dominatrix-inspired spat heels, and lace-up boots will be Fall '12 It girl items. All in all, it's a gorgeous autumnal lineup, just begging to be worn.
>> With a front row that boasted some of the best fashion week sightings yet, the Fall 2012 Rodarte show was off to a pretty stellar start right out the gate. After all, its not every day that one sees George Lucas at a fashion show. Not to mention Natalie Portman. In fact, this front row was so heavy with star power that it prompted some to wonder, "Is the Rodarte show the new Oscars pre-show?"
Well, not quite — but it was far and away the Mulleavys' most controlled and accessible offering to date. The sisters found inspiration in Australia, culling influences from that country's colonial era, the Outback — and nearly everything else in between. The result was imaginative, transporting — and utterly wearable. There were super-structured coats; cropped cable-knit sweaters; slouchy dungarees; and a boatload of very appealing frocks. Fabrics ran the gamut from leather to chiffon, and some stunning Aboriginal-inspired prints were used throughout.
And — in case you were wondering — there were also plenty of dreamy gowns just right for the A-listers up front.
