FabSugar

Fab Read: The Black Dress

FabSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:00:22 PST

We all know that black dresses are hardly just reserved for funerals anymore - they're wardrobe staples! In The Black Dress ($15), Dr. Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (my alma mater!), explores the zeitgeist of the black dress and how they've become timelessly chic.

The tome is filled with pages of iconic black dress images pulled from Chanel's collection, Audrey Hepburn's films, and more, plus quotes on the color black from writers, artists, and fashion personalities. Definitely one to check out - especially if you love your LBDs as much as I do.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Fall 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:22:09 PST

The Marc by Marc Jacobs collection was all about the schoolgirl gone grunge. Loose trapeze-like dresses and combat boots melded with pleated skirts and pretty bouclé coats resulting in a mashup of feminine cool tinged with military touches. The main focus were full-skirted dresses made in floral prints, metallic finishes, plaid, velvet, and sheer mesh. Outerwear featured a standout fur collared anorak and plenty of ladylike coats. We were especially smitten with the polished textural coats, nipped in at the waist with leather belts. For accessories, Jacobs highlighted a range of structured satchels, military caps, and punkish lace-up boots. Read more highlights below, then see the complete collection in the slideshow.

Trends: Full skirts, bouclé, plaid.
Colors: Red, blue, black, gray, brown, gold.
Key Piece: The fur-collared anorak coat and full-skirted dresses were key standouts.
Accessories: Lace-up boots military boots, structured satchels, military caps.
Who Would Wear It: We can easily see Lauren Conrad or Elle Fanning wearing the cute dresses and coats.

Naeem Khan Fall 2012

Hannah Weil — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:01:23 PST

With the Oscars at the end of the month, Naeem Khan's gorgeously crafted red-carpet wear couldn't have come at a better time. Head-to-toe sparkle, full-length prints, embellished pants - Khan's wildly beautiful Fall '12 confections are begging to be worn right now. Beginning with an essentially ethnic-inspired feel, Khan sent ornately crafted tunic-style dresses and gowns down the runway that spoke decidedly to his native India. But, cinched at the waist with lovely black bows, these tunics are both somewhat exotic and at the same time steeped in classic red-carpet glamour. It's that wow factor that registers, the luxuriousness of it all, the decadence that unfolds in all-over sparkle, fringe trim, and jaw-dropping silhouettes. Showstoppers are Khan's bread and butter - in fact, it was hard not to audibly ohh and ahh with nearly every ensemble's turn down the runway. That's not to say you tire of the effect - you're captivated. It's not just the exotic detail, the texture, or the shine, it's how Khan masters the cut. Necklines and slits are sexy but never reveal too much; fringe and beading are used abundantly, but it never feels over-the-top. It's how Khan's mastered the art of razzle-dazzle with perfect allure.

Trends: Textured, embellished eveningwear; ethnic-feeling robe- and tunic-style gowns; dramatic black and white prints.
Colors: Black, white, silver, gold.
Key Piece: The gold full-length v-neck gown is begging for a red-carpet appearance.
Accessories: Open-toe cutout ankle boots, peep-toe pumps, ankle-strap heels.
Who Would Wear It: Hollywood A-listers and Oscar contenders like front-rower Ahna O'Reilly; beauties like Zoe Saldana and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley would carry off these gowns flawlessly.

Vera Wang Fall 2012

Noria Morales — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:00:13 PST

Vera Wang explored the relationship between hard and soft, structure and fluidity in her Fall 2012 collection. Like many of the collections this season, Wang's clothes had a distinct architectural feel via artful prints and super-structured outerwear. On the flip side, dresses were sheer and made of flowy chiffon, a softness that she countered with sparkly tops resembling armor (very pretty armor that we might want to wear out at night). Big coats were a win - many of them had oversized hoods and big fur collars that made them look like positively yummy options for Winter. With Vera's innate talent for constructing insanely beautiful dresses, we paid special attention to her eveningwear options, particularly one pale blue dress of layered chiffon and organza that, with a slip underneath, might just appeal to the celebs in the front row, including Viola Davis, Maria Sharapova, and Leighton Meester.

Trends: Architectural prints, sculptural silhouettes, sheerness.
Colors: Gray, black, camel, a gorgeous dutch blue and bright orange for contrast.
Key Piece: The coats with big hoods and oversized collars; a dutch blue organza dress.
Accessories: Big wedge booties and boots looked futuristic but were also a bit heavy.
Who Would Wear It: With Leighton Meester, Maria Sharapova, and Viola Davis in the front row, you can assume a diverse group of women might be attracted to Wang's artful sensibility here, but overall it's geared to women who don't want the classics.

Jennifer Lopez Stops by The Tonight Show to Chat Idol, Her Coconuts, and Valentine's Day

Katie Henry — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:58:00 PST

Jennifer Lopez, wearing a chic black dress, stopped by The Late Show last night in LA to chat with Jay Leno. Jay began by getting Jen's thoughts on the passing of Whitney Houston. Jen described her voice as "the pinnacle" of greatness in the music industry and called the entire situation "sad." The conversation switched to a lighter subject when Jay asked about her latest TV projects, American Idol and ¡Q'Viva! The Chosen. As for Idol Jen said her job on the panel is to "keep it fair" when her fellow judges Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler get distracted by pretty contestants. Meanwhile, in regards to working with her ex Marc Anthony Jen said they "had a lot of fun."

Jen and Marc have moved beyond their breakup and both seem to be moving on with new relationships. He's been spotted on the arm of Shannon de Lima and Jen's been enjoying romantic beach dates with Casper Smart. She wasn't sure about her Valentine's Day plans, but did mention receiving a necklace in the shape of coconuts, which happens to be her nickname for twins Max and Emme.

5 Sexy Valentine's Day Dresses to Keep You Looking Hot For Your Valentine!

Allison McNamara — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:00:24 PST

Every girl wants to look sexy on Valentine's Day, so we've rounded up 5 stylish dresses to keep you looking hot for your valentine! Obviously, a little black dress is a great go to, but if you're looking for something a bit more festive, we've got a great little red dress, a peplum, and even polka dots for you to choose from. Like what you see? Shop the dresses below! On Allison McNamara: Alice + Olivia dress.

Chris Benz Fall 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:26:27 PST

Chris Benz described his retro collection “like a little kid watching your mom getting ready for a holiday party.” For Fall, the designer took a trip to the '50s and '60s with a festive array of sequins, lamé, and floral prints complete with throwback bouffants. Vibrant-hued trousers and cropped jackets were fresh and fun, while voluminous tulle skirts and metallic dresses provided a quirky twist to party dressing. More details below.

Trends: Full skirts, cropped jackets, pleats.
Colors: Citron, red, eggshell, black, gray, green.
Key Piece: The floral pants and structured wool coat pairing was the prefect mix of vintage modern.
Accessories: Red, green, and black pumps, leather gloves, statement jewelry, striped scarves.
Who Would Wear It: Girls who crave fun party looks and a new twist on separates.

Donna Karan Fall 2012

FabSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:37:06 PST

Somewhere, Marlene Dietrich is smiling. Donna Karan's Fall 2012 collection gave menswear a seductive turn, somehow making the double-breasted suit look just as sexy as the fitted dresses. Whereas past collections felt as loose and languid as a yoga pose, this latest collection was all about sharp tailoring and even sharper edges. Blazers had pointed shoulders, tops had extra wide, stiff cuffs, and skirts and dresses were folded and gathered like the face of a Frank Gehry building. There was lots of structure, and it seemed that Karan is making a strong argument for the '90s power suit. Models were adorned with miniature fedoras - thank you, Stephen Jones - giving the show a slightly playful and sexy undertone, as if they were Vegas dancers playing businesswomen. That said, Donna Karan also paid tribute to Whitney Houston, and the show closed with the late singer's rendition of "I'm Every Woman." No one knows that better than Karan. Side note: the show opened with a preview of her Casual Luxe line, which could be summed up as tartan-loving biker chick. Those looks follow the collection photos.

Trends: power suits, menswear, architectural details, sculptural.
Colors: Red, black, gray, olive.
Key Piece: The fitted menswear blazers, a sexy red cocktail dress.
Accessories:The miniature hats were amazing.
Who Would Wear It: Women who can pull off the menswear look - think Evan Rachel Wood.

Rihanna Shows Skin in a Backless Black Armani Gown at the Grammys

Lauren Turner — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:59:15 PST

Rihanna brought an extra dose of sexiness to music's biggest night in an Armani gown at the Grammys. She helped design the racy black dress, which had an open back and slit, with Giorgio Armani. Rihanna's nominated at this evening's show and will also be performing. She'll first take the stage solo and will later be joined by Coldplay. Rihanna will be back in the spotlight later this month for the Brit Awards, which will take place on Feb. 21, the day after her 24th birthday.

What do you think of Rihanna's hot look? Make sure to vote on Fab and Bella's red carpet polls here!

Carolina Herrera Fall 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:08:19 PST

Carolina Herrera delivered her quintessential elegance in brilliant red gowns, shimmering red-carpet-worthy dresses, and refined separates for her Fall collection. Pleasing both the celebrity clientele and polished working women, Herrera displayed her magnitude for the classics and modernity in one graceful swoop. Classic ballgowns were sharpened with angles and diaphanous silk dresses were swept with artistic brush-stroke prints, most of which were cinched in with Japanese obi-inspired belts. Meanwhile, for the working class, Herrera paired knee-length wool skirts with an array of sparkly, fur, and feathered sweaters, cropped jackets, and wrap coats doused in one of our favorite color combos: navy and black. More details from the collection below.

Trends: Black and navy color combos, full skirts.
Colors: Black, navy, red, gray, purple, mauve.
Key Piece: We can't wait to see one of the architectural ballgowns on the Oscars red carpet.
Accessories: Wrap obi belts, wedge pumps, long leather gloves.
Who Would Wear It: Michelle Obama would look amazing in the skirt suits, and we'd like to see front-row attendee Renée Zellweger in one of Carolina's magical ballgowns.

Party Dress in Many Colors - by Naven - $369.00	MICHAEL Michael Kors - Cowl Twist Dress w/ Knot Front - $120.00
Alice + Olivia Tory Peplum Dress - $297.00	Tory Peplum Dress - $297.00
Victoria Peplum Dress - $264.00	Silk Polka Dot Dress - $325.00
Forever 21 Polka Dotted Dress - $27.80	Strapless Silk Duran Dress - $328.00
Strapless short dress - $54.90	JILL JILL STUART Strapless Red Mini Dress - $495.00
GUESS Dress, Strapless Sweetheart Neck A-Line - $128.00