the morning after

julie christie

why isn't academy award photography more interesting? it really could be quite an art, but for some reason a lot of photographers don't see it that way. it seems like a lot of photographers from the 1960s and 70s were definetly more unique with their camera shots. I recently came across this photo of actress julie christie the day after she won her oscar for darling at the beverly hills hotel in 1966. there is such a dark and mysterious quality to this photo. I like that angle caught of julie christie in the corner and how she is being swarmed by a throng of photographers. I think what I love best about this pic is that cloud of smoke from her cigarette....a totally unexpected shot that you don't normally see in oscar photography....I don't know about you, but I would love to see celebrity photographers bring this type of style back. personally, these are the kind of oscar moments that I find most memorable and intriguing.

red on the red carpet

renée zellweger

I love to see a red dress on the red carpet....that is if it is done correctly. I will never forget the way actress renée zellweger looked in this carolina herrera dress at the academy awards back in 2003. I feel this photo has become a bit iconic. a couple of years ago, the los angeles times featured a billboard of this photo on melrose blvd. I guess it used was to promote their arts & entertainment section. I use to love to drive down the street and look at this pic....it really is quite stunning to look at.

personally, I have always liked the design relationship between carolina herrera and renée zellweger. she really understands her body, which is really important when designing a dress for someone. I think the silhouette of this dress is simply perfect and I love the way renée zellweger is posed....her back looks so toned and amazing. this really is what oscar fashion should be all about.....grace and elegance!

simply red

the making of a christian dior

a backstage look at the making of a christian dior red dress.....why is it that women in the 1940s and 50s looked so elegant and graceful in this look? nowadays, it is such a difficult look to get away with, but then again, there are some exceptions. personally, I think the key to looking classic in a red dress is some expert tailoring and some bright red lipstick.

lady in red

matador (1986)

a dramatic red dress looks so stunning on screen.....I recently watched pedro almodóvar's film matador and fell in love with this dress....particularly this scene of the film. there is such a valentino quality to this dress. I can't help but admire the way that dress flows and the way it blends with that staircase. such a perfect blend of cinematography, fashion and set design...I don't know why, but I always find the most obscure scenes of an almodóvar film the most inspiring.

image courtesy of mature amateur

a little prada

prada fall/winter 2009

after seeing true grit I started to think about prada's fall/winter 2009 collection....there are some strange similarities between the two if you look closely. I have often felt that this was one of miuccia prada's most underrated collections. her 2009 winter collection was all about an escape from the city and into a more outdoors/nature look. some of the looks included coats and suits in leather and tweed paired with mannish high-waisted leather belts....in a way, this prada look featured on this model could almost be a modern version of mattie ross in true grit.

sexy stripes

photo by arthur elgort

not too sound snobby, but I prefer stripes when they are done in a minimal way, not in a hipster annoying way. I'm sure you probably know what I am talking about. I think spring 2001 was the best season for stripes. designers like ralph lauren, giorgio armani, and marc jacobs all seem to go for this trend that season. personally, I thought miuccia prada was the best at incorporating stripes into her collection for spring 2001. this photo says it all. I love the striped crop-top paired with that cinched pencil skirt. its a little bit unconventional, yet still classic....I always like it when miuccia prada combines those two.

anchors away

i've been holding on to this picture of nicole kidman for so long. but since my sister posted her fun story about talking dior with nicole, this seems like the right moment to enjoy her sea voyage. i love her glamorous sailing outfit, heels and all. i only hope nicole remembered the spf for those long legs.

dior galore!

lately, I have been thinking about the early years of john galliano for christian dior....particularly, his first collection in 1997. I love those evening silhouettes and how the models look like china dolls....my personal favorite is this magenta silk gown with that hand-stitched chinoiserie....total galliano glam!

photos by tyen

the way she wore

nicole kidman & tom cruise at the oscars-1997

I don't think I will ever forget when nicole kidman chose to wear this green embroidered chinoiserie dress from john galliano's debut collection for christian dior to the 1997 academy awards.....it will always be a classic. which brings me to an interesting story....this weekend while browsing through maxfield's department store in los angeles I happen to notice nicole kidman shopping. initially, when I saw her all I could think about was this galliano dress. there were no shoppers in the store, so I thought perhaps I should go talk to her. of course, I was a little nervous because she is nicole kidman, but then I thought just go for it and tell her that you love that galliano dress. at first, I think she was a little surprised that I remembered that galliano design, but then she quickly responded that was one of her favorites, as well. I think the best part of my encounter with her was when she told me that she keeps that galliano dress wrapped up and kept in a special closet....I don't know why, but I really loved it when she told me that. I guess I thought maybe she didn't own the dress anymore, but I was glad that she still kept on to it and saw the true beauty in this creation. in the end, I actually didn't feel so weird for telling her that I loved that galliano frock, because I think she knew too that this dress was not just simply a dress, but a piece of art.... it kind of makes me wonder why aren't more looks as immaculate as this on the red carpet?

romantic in rochas

photo by steven meisel

I am happy to see that olivier theyskens is back to designing again. his line at theory is a little bit different from his previous work for rochas and nina ricci, but at any rate I am glad to see that he is back and out of hiding...his talent and skill is too good to disappear. I hope that in future collections we will see more of his edwardian silhouettes at theory, but untill then let's not forget how amazing he was at the house of rochas.....I love that waist and that trailing skirt and of course, those elegant gloves.

carolyn and her gloves

carolyn bessette kennedy

I think the perfect accessory in the winter is a pair of gloves. whether cashmere, velvet, or leather they are a must this time of year. I always liked the way carolyn bessette kennedy wore gloves....especially when she was going somewhere fancy. this was one of my favorite looks on her....she was such a perfect example of sophisticated minimalism. I liked how the dress was simple and how she added a little something extra with the long velvet evening gloves. who says you need a lot of diamonds, or jewelry to make a fashion statement...sometimes, all you need is a nice pair of gloves.

wrist-length gloves

ralph lauren fall/winter 2007

I always like looking for the tiny details that add to a collection....I feel that ralph lauren's fall/winter 2007 has a lot of hidden treasures. personally, I love the cashmere dresses, the flirty short skirts, the berets, and of course those wrist-length gloves....so sophisticated, yet youthful. this may sound strange, but I always had an issue with teenage girls wearing long gloves to their prom. I never thought the look was age appropriate. instead, teenage girls just look uncomfortable and a bit like they are trying to look older than they really are. if teenage girls feel they must do this look, why not go for a wrist-length glove. it is young, a little funky, but yet still classic. to all teenage girls who need some fashion advice, I would probably go for the long-glove look ten years after the prom.

just browsing

one of my favorite books is simple titled "the eyebrow". all it contains is photos of eyebrow styles over the years. eyebrows can change your entire face. my favorite eyebrow shape is not too thick, and not too thin with a great arch. janine turner has a very alluring eyebrow shape. the arch is a little wicked, and a lot come hither.

what the pluck

remember the episode of house of style where linda evangelista told us how she "plucked the hell out of her eyebrows". i certainly remember, and i'm pretty sure she influenced my 14 year old self to pluck the hell out of my eyebrows. till this day i still aim for the evangelista arch!

lovely linda

linda evangelista

in the 90's, linda evangelista was such a chameleon. she could get away with so many different hairstyles and colors. not many supermodels could do it quite like her. I don't think I will ever forget the time when she had blue hair for a moment. how did she do it? after doing some thinking, I have come to the conclusion that my personal favorite linda evangelista hairstyle was when she worked that high ponytail. she looked so elegant and regal...I don't know about you, but I couldn't help but be inspired by this look back in the day.

hailee's hair

hailee steinfeld

I love a long and sleek ponytail.....but it has to be done in a minimal fashion! take it from actress hailee steinfeld on how to properly wear this look...she has such gorgeous hair. I find it hard to believe that she is only fourteen years old...lately, I have been thinking that her style is quite impeccable.

easy breezy beautiful

these days i want my hair long, one length, and low maintenance. but i still want to look cool. i think this low wrapped pony is the perfect way to portray the look i am going for with a minimum amount of fuss.

a little princess

givenchy spring 2008 couture


natalie portman

lately, I have been quite nauseated by seeing so many princess gowns on the red carpet. why do so many actresses feel this is the right way to go when dressing up fancy? I can understand the idea of wanting to look glamorous and lady-like, but there is a way to look princess-esque without all the fabric. I recently was looking back to a givenchy spring 2008 couture collection and came across this white dress. this is one of my favorite riccardo tisci creations....the silhouette is youthful and I love the white frilled under-edgings. it translates perfectly from the runway to the red carpet. personally, I think one can look like a princess without being so literal..this dress is a perfect example of that. I really love the way natalie portman looks in this photo and I must say that this is one of her best red carptet moments. she looks like such a white swan and that length is perfect....not too long and not too short. I know she has a bun in her oven, but I would love for her to win her academy award in something as feminine, as this....who says you need an over the top ball gown to look like a princess?....I think that is a concept that a lot of designers and stylists should think more about!

he loves me...he loves me not

darling (1965)

today, is valentine's day! naturally, on a day like this I think about films that deal with the complicated relationships between men and women. one that comes to mind is john schlesinger's film darling. julie christie plays diana scott a model, who uses her beauty to gain fame and fortune....immediately, she draws attention from a television journalist dirk bogarde and convinces him to give up his family to be with her. as their relationship goes on, she becomes increasingly bored by him and starts sleeping around with other men in higher circles of society. while she is able to get more modeling jobs, and more attention from other men, she finds that she is unable to achieve happiness within herself. whether you are single or in a relationship, there is definetly something to be learned by watching this film. personally, I have never really understood men or women who jump from relationship to relationship....while, I do support a healthy realtionship I do not support couples who stay together just because they are afraid of being alone. sometimes, I think being single is important. you start to understand more about what makes you happy and not so much about pleasing others. diana scott in darling was all about finding happiness by running into the arms of men who paid her a little bit of attention...personally, I always think that is a recipe for disaster. I liked this film because because it was not the perfect happy ending...the man that diana truly loves does not want to be with her, and diana ends up with someone else...how sad! I don't want too sound negative, but sometimes I think it is better to be alone than to fake a relationship....I think this is a lesson to be taught to all men and women. on that note, if you find yourself in a healthy relationship, consider yourself lucky and if you are single....well, still be happy. I guess it is not your typical valentine's day film, but it will most likely get you thinking about the complications of love and relationships....happy valentine's day!

sofia's choice

photo by bruce weber

one of my favorite moments captured of sofia coppola....I find it interesting how her interior style is very similar to the way she dresses...very clean and minimal. to be honest, I think what I love best about this pic are those framed photos against her wall....some of them are hard to notice, but the one I do see clearly is the poster of the film darling with julie christie above her bed...why am I not surprised that she loves this film?

death valley

my weekend getaway to death valley involved lots of driving, amazing photo opportunities in the most isolated of regions, and an appreciation of mother nature. enjoy

wild wild west

hermès spring/summer 2011

I know I have mentioned this hermès spring/summer 2011 collection before, but I can't stop thinking about it...it is definetly the kind of look I want to emulate for spring. I love the jean-paul gaultier approach to the wild west...its a little spanish meets americana. normally, I shy away from this type of western-horseback riding look....but I am finding it so inspiring....in my closet and for my sketchbook.

mattie ross style

true grit (2010)

this whole week I have been feeling inspired by the wild west look....so I thought I would finally go see true grit. to be honest, I have not seen many westerns, but I was really amazed by the look of this film. there were such gorgeous frontier shots and of course I loved the costumes. my personal favorite was the look of mattie ross. she really was so subtly stylish with her hat, braids, and that coat paired with that high waisted leather belt. I so want to wear this look! when you start to think about it, mattie ross very much relates to a lot of what we are seeing on the spring/summer runways for 2011.....I couldn't help but think of the this season's hermès and ralph lauren collections. this really was such an unexpected film of style...I love it when I am pleasantly surprised.

desert beauty

I dedicate these photos to my fellow sister in black...don't you love the way carmen kass blends in with that flaxen sand background? I thought you could use these pics as inspiration for your weekend getaway....just remember to get some desert sand in your photos...




photos by camilla akrans

classic ghesquière

balenciaga fall/winter 2002

I love to look back on classic balenciaga collections....lately, I have been quite obsessed with this fall/winter 2002 collection. I like this look especially...I think its quite cool how nicolas ghesquière paired those trousers with that shaggy vest...there is such an artisan quality to this look, but yet still very fashion forward. I don't know why, but I always feel nicolas ghesquière's work gets better with age.

balenciaga inspired

photo by jean-baptiste mondino

for our handmade felted scarfs, my sister and I immediately thought of balenciaga's fall/winter 2002 collection...particularly those incredible shaggy ivory coats and vests from that season....I love how handcrafted this jacket looks, but yet dramatic at the same time....such an inspirational design.

puli

the hungarian puli dog

whenever I think of balenciaga's fall/winter 2002 collection I always think of the hungarian puli dog....there are such odd similarities between the two. perhaps, it is strange to say, but I have always wanted to walk down the street with this dog while wearing that shaggy ivory balenciaga coat...maybe, its a little too much, but I think they blend so beautifully together. I find the look of this dog so fascinating...the hair almost looks like dreadlocks...it is such a unique dog, but I couldn't help but be inspired by that hair while handcrafting my felted scarf.

fetching felt

a few weeks ago we signed up for a "no knit felted scarf class". it was a lot of fun, and even sort of primal. you use your body in the process of making the scarf. felt is a material we've always been a bit fascinated by ever since seeing a jewelry collection made entirely of the material. the collection was so unique and interesting that felt can be kneaded into whatever 3d idea you may have. the scarf class will not be our last felted project.

darling debi

all of our excitement about debi mazar's new cooking show "extra virgin" must have caused a cosmic reaction. there she was in all of her vintage christian dior glory. good thing i had on my 1980's donna karan. we talked cooking shows, vintage stores, and blogs. she couldn't have been nicer. i had a feeling about her!

junya jackets

junya watanabe fall/winter 2009

with black history month upon us, I started to think about some of my favorite fashion collections that use the color black so amazingly well....immediately, the one that came to mind was junya watanabe fall/winter 2009. if someone were to ask me to pick a collection that best represents my sense of style I would have to say this one. watanabe took the puffer jacket look to a whole another level with this collection....from what I have read, watanabe created concentric circles of padded nylon and transformed them into paul poiret inspired shapes such as cocoons, cloaks, capes, and peacoats....the strange part about this collection is that it is completely functional. I think what I love so much about this watanabe collection is that it is totally wearable, unique and of course all in black....hats off to junya watanabe for creating such imaginative designs!