Trend Alert: Silk Utilitarian

FabSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:00:22 -0700

Silk has a new look; it's more relaxed but hardened with tough details. This new silk utilitarian twist is more wearable and comfortable. Silk tops, jumpers, pants, and accessories have been updated with drawstrings, zippers and cargo pockets to lend a simultaneously chic and casual look. Gianfranco Ferre (left) went casual-lux with this zippered grape silk mechanic pantsuit. Now, buying silk can be an investment so I provided a couple silk-like items for you to wear this slick trend without stretching your wallet. As always, have fun . . .

ALLDRESSEDUP Touran silk parka - $553.00

Doo.Ri Runway Draped Vest - $700.00

Silk Jumpsuit - $27.80

Bhati Beads Sterling Silver Silk Planet Wrap Bracelets - $45.00

Stretch satin anorak jacket - $64.00

Candace Ang Tri Color Silk Bib Necklace - $185.00

Paul & Joe Sister Kenya silk playsuit - $270.00

Daryl K Drawstring Waist Jacket - $500.00

Knit Trim Bomber - $79.00

Da-Nang Woven Shorts 18" in Grey - $171.00

Danika Cargo Jumpsuit - $198.00

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Who Wore It Better? Green Rory Beca Silk Tie Dress

FabSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 04:00:22 -0800

Remember when I said wearing the same dress to the same event shouldn't happen? Well, it did again! Singer Katharine McPhee and actress January Jones both wore Rory Beca's green silk tie dress to Tao Nightclub's second anniversary party in Las Vegas. Katharine decided to go bare-legged and flirty with pointy gold pumps, while January chose a more funky look in navy blue tights and matching t-strap sandals. Who do you think wore it better?

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Cheap & Chic: Sleek Tie Dresses

FabSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:00:22 -0700

Are you the owner of a sleek tie dress? Cate Blanchett, here at the Audi LightHouse showroom launch in Sydney, is. Her silk self-tie dress is just loose enough, and the matching belt accentuates her waist without suffocating it. How about we follow in her fashionable footsteps and try some sleek tie dresses for ourselves? The good news is, a self-tie belt isn't written in stone. For variation, you can replace it with a different one for contrast. Below are a few affordable options. Cate's exotic gold accessories unfortunately not included.

Teen Choice Awards: Leighton Meester

FabSugar — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:07:32 -0700

Perfection takes time. Just ask Queen Bee, Leighton Meester, who just arrived on the green grass wearing a superbly fresh silk taffeta Louis Vuitton Resort striped dress and bright-red platform pumps by Brian Atwood. The ruffle tier and shoulder ties are a whimsical touch and peep her gold earrings. Another stand-out performance from Leighton? You tell me!

Vote on all of my Teen Choice Awards polls here!

Trend Alert: Long Dresses

FabSugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 07:29:48 -0800

For those of you gals graced with long legs: get psyched! We all know dresses are hot for Spring and this includes long, flowy, effortless dresses. These particular dresses are slimming, comfortable and sexy. For those of you who are a little more petite, all you've got to do is throw on some wedge platforms and you are good to go! Here are a few of my new favorite long dresses for Spring:

Scoop Printed Tube Dress, $345, is 100% silk and has elasticized tube banding on the chest area. It is available in six different rockin' patterns.

This Nieves Lavi Silk Halter Dress, $350, is made from 100% silk as well and I think is simply gorgeous. It is a long navy stunner with a multicolor floral print and halter straps that tie behind the neck. It's flattering to all bust sizes because of the ruching!

For a few more long dresses, read more

This Rebecca Taylor Voile Halter Dress, $334, is a full-length dress made from two layers of cotton voile. This fitted, empire waist dress ties at the back of the neck and has fabric flower appliqués at the neckline. I love the color of the dress atop a tan and I think this cut is quite flattering to all shapes.

Vivienne Tam Silk Jersey Halter Dress, $425, is a 100% silk, modern version of a kimono. This bright colored halter dress also ties at the neck, has a wrap around belt as well as built in bust pads for lift and comfort...no bra necessary!

Forever 21 Retro Halter Dress is $32.80 and though it's a bit retro, picture this with a great brown woven belt and sexy wedges. This halter dress features ruched detailing at the bust, a pointed waist line and satin retro print skirt.

Australia: A Romantic Wardrobe, Part II

FabSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:00:22 -0800

Did you happen to go see Australia this weekend? If my first words with costume designer Catherine Martin didn't pique your interest maybe these will. Some specific items of clothing stood out to me in the film - notably the colors of Lady Ashley's clothes, her belts, and her red Chinosierie dress. Here's what Martin had to say about those standouts.

I noticed she wears a lot of blues and browns. The film is so visually arresting how did you factor in the color of the clothes with the beauty of the movie?

"I had another collaborator, Mandy Walker, who is the Director or Photography. Baz, Mandy and I looked at a lot of color photography from that period and we started talking about exploring a palette out of the photography. We had a broad palette that encompassed all the colors from the film. What’s interesting about the color photography from the period, it meant a lot of mixed tones that got really close together, you have a monochromatic base. From that we developed our own color theory.

For the arrival suit, it wasn’t the ideal color choice, we made her blue and white because it was the most unlikely, it clashed with the environment. She was a totally different alien person to this place. And as the movie progresses her colors are references to Australia and become much stronger, she becomes part of her environment."

To read the rest, read more

I noticed throughout her transition in the movie, she has a fondness for belts. Everyone wore belts. Was that more fashion or function?

"It’s a combination. The style was wearing two belts, a belt to hold your pants up, and a hobble belt, which helped you capture horses, tying their legs together so they can’t run away during the night, which some of the stockmen wore. Looking over the beautiful leather accessories and sportswear of the 1930s, there were some beautiful belts, notably made by Hermes and various other designers of the period. I think they’re a fantastic accessory; I love how it defines the waistline, pulls the outfit together. I really was a fan of the belt in this film."

I love how it also defined Nicole’s tiny, perfect waist. Even at the end of the film, she still looked put together.

"Yeah, it’s sort of a no nonsense thing. You feel definite in some way."

Tell me about the red Chinosierie dress. And the pink one. What a unique choice.

"Those two dresses. Basically, Lady Ashley loses all her clothes at one point. Baz said the challenge was: What is she going to wear when she gets to town, all her clothes have been trashed. We were looking in the contemporary newspapers of the day. And in the Northern a lot of Chinese tailors would advertise their manufacturing skills and that fact that they could make clothes in a very short space of time.

Darwin is closer to Indonesia than any other city. You had a very big Asian influence at the time, and a very important Chinatown. We made a back-story in our minds that Sing Song, who was the Chinese cook, would have had a coven who comes from Shanghai to Darwin and he would have a tailoring business. And Sarah would go to that business and get her clothes made. There was a big fashion amongst Asian people, which was a problem with the Nationalists of the time. In reality, she would have gone to a Chinese tailor."

The red dress was the standout dress of the movie, of the party. I love how it gets rained on, but she doesn’t care.

"Yes. The one good thing about silk organza is it responds to the wet."

View 15 Photos ›

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The Look For Less: Matthew Williamson Tie-Dye Dress

FabSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:00:22 -0700

Tie-dye went from hippie to hip in Matthew Williamson's Spring '08 collection. The designer breathed life into his mini dresses by smattering the '70s-defined print in a combination of black and bright pink. Yum! Lucky for those who can't afford Matthew Williamson anything, and are too lazy to create it from scratch, there's a cheaper alternative just waiting to be worn.

To see the look for less, read more

Of course, nothing can compare to Matthew Williamson's tie-dye job, but this Asos Unique Boutique Silk Dip Dye Chain Dress ($98) comes pretty close. It has the same tie-dye slash ombre effect and uses a similar pink. If you still crave some black in the mix, throw on black accessories. Now you're good to go with no scruffy hippie in sight!

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Little Twists on the Little Black Dress

FabSugar — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 11:40:14 -0700

If there's one clothing essential that's always in style, it is the little black dress. Like shoes and lip gloss, I can never seem to get enough black dresses; they're just so classic and flattering that they're hard to resist. But why go with basic black when you could get a little black dress with character? Here are some of my favorite black dress styles in stores right now, each with its own unique twist.

TWIST: Jeweled Neckline
Emilio Pucci Jeweled Stretch Satin Dress, $1,535, available here.

TWIST: Lace Cut-Outs
Vivienne Tam Black Peony Cut-Out Cocktail Dress, $485, available here.

TWIST: Fringe
Michael Kors Fringed Dress, $1,595, available here.

TWIST: Oversized Bow
Chloe Bow Dress (show from back), $2,605.00, available here.

To see the less expensive options, read more

TWIST: Embroidered Lace
ABS by Allen Schwartz Vintage Lace Shirtdress, $230, available here..

TWIST: Beading
Cynthia Steffe Beaded Victorian Dress, $120, available here.

TWIST: Tiered Ruffles
Isaac Mizrahi Silk Faille Dress, $44.99, available here.

TWIST: Pink Sash
Yoana Baraschi Black Crinkled Silk Ribbon Tie Dress, $174, available here.

Online Sale Alert! Major Deals at La Garconne

FabSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:00:22 -0700

Feast your eyes on this gorgeous Vena Cava Silk Stud Dress ($219, originally $439). Does it ring a bell? This is the same dress (but hers is grey) Carrie wears in the Sex and the City movie where she and Big first start talking about tying the knot. This find and many others can be found at LaGarconne.com. They're hosting a huge sale with items marked 30 to 70 percent off.

Trend Alert: Ribbons and Bows

FabSugar — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 10:14:29 -0700

Here's a trend that's easy to tie on: Luscious ribbons in rich colors and materials, fashioned into big, graceful bows. Girly lace and ribbon accents are huge this fall, and now bows are showing up on everything from dresses to tops to shoes and purses. It's a great look for pretty dinner parties and holiday gatherings and an easy way to dress up an otherwise simple look. Here's a look at some of our favorite finds.

3.1 Phillip Lim Silk Tea Dress, $530, available here.

Gap Peep-Toe Bow Wedge, $48, available here.

For more picks and other ideas for how to use ribbons, read more

Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent Candie Gray Platform Pumps, $395, available here.

Emma Gordon London Granite Grace Bag, $80, available here.

Corey Lynn Calter Meadowlark Blouse, $148, available here.

Other ideas for accessorizing with ribbons:

Tie a thick satin sash around your waist with jeans and a girly blouse.
Weave a ribbon into a long chain necklace and tie a bow at the bottom.
Tie an embroidered ribbon around your neck and wear it as a choker, or tie a bow on your wrist as a bracelet.