My Picks for Best Dressed: Oscars 2010

Jennifer Lopez in Armani Prive


Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Haute Couture


Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham

ELLE Green Room at the Spirit Awards

Snapshots from last night's ELLE Green Room at the 2010 Spirit Awards at L.A. Live downtown. I chatted with the ever-so-gorge Olivia Wilde, Editrix Robbie Myers and creative director Joe Zee (who turned some heads while modeling a black and white fedora that was on display.)

Fancy fun swag from Smashbox Cosmetics, Keds (I am totally going to have a Baby from Dirty Dancing revival this summer in my classic white canvas sneaks), White House Black Market and more rounded out the glamorous night. The biggest score of all? A year membership to Crunch Gym! Yessssss.

Adventures of Alice + Olivia Footwear

Designer Stacy Bendet of fashionable fame Alice + Olivia has been trying her hand at footwear, and the reviews are mixed. Right now she has a revolving collection at Payless (that still ring in at about $35-40/pair) that are pretty fashion-forward for the cheapie crowd; and come May, she's even rolling out a sequined line from Keds.






I saw samples of the A+O sparklers on display last night at a gifting lounge last night (more on that later!), and plenty of girls were going crazy for them. When I talked shop, though, with PR, I found out the shoes will be debuting at Neiman Marcus first, and at about $90 a pair. For Keds. Hmmm seriously, Stacy?

About Town: Armani Exchange on Robertson

The recession continues to have a major impact on retailers, which may explain why upscale Armani Casa on trendy Robertson Blvd. has recently (as in this past Wednesday) morphed into reasonably-priced Armani Exchange. I, personally, haven't stepped foot into an AX since high school (remember when logo tees were all the rage?), but I took a peek this time around, and was somewhat pleasantly surprised. The space has a very clean urban vibe, and the clothes are overall wearable, and of course, affordable. This location even has a few capsule limited-edition pieces (think: vintage-worn utilitarian jackets, skinny cargo pants, etc. in washed-out neutral tones) for both men and women, that were pretty cute (not my style, personally, but cute.)

My pick of the day? A black leather bow clutch with chic yet subtle gold hardware (no one will even notice that the nameplate says 'Armani Exchange' unless they're squinting) for a mere $68. Large enough to tote your nighttime essentials, and not too floppy that it gets ridiculous (hello, Valentino.)

Coming to a Sephora Near You...

If girly glam is your thing (and I know it's mine!), then you're probably all too familiar with jewelry queen Tarina Tarantino. But now, the line goes beyond Hello Kitty-infused pendants and bedazzled barrettes--TT is rolling out a makeup line that just hit Sephora nationwide. I attended the launch party for the line last week in Hollywood and got doused in shimmer powder shortly after my arrival. (Not complaining!)

Her collection features eyeshadow, eye liner, shimmer powder and spray (for hair or body), lip gloss and more.

Check out my party pics below:

Little Miss Sunshine

I'm pretty sure I don't currently own anything yellow whatsoever, but I am seriously loving this cheerful cocktail dress! The shade is spot on similar to Michelle Williams' gorge Oscar dress circa 2006, no?





Best of all? It's just $60.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

I went to New York this weekend, and I'm proud to report that the only souvenir I brought back with me was a fabulous black grosgrain hair bow from Cynthia Rowley. Clearly, it's a full-on girly girl accessory, of course, and is simply attached to a standard barrette with an old-school metal clip. The barrette makes putting a sexy half-up do bouffant in my hair a breeze, and stays secure without the hassle of bobby pins and the like, while a floppy standout bow scores major style points.
I had quite the hair bow collection during my elementary school days, and I'd kill for that sort of selection now! I went for basic black this time as I'm test driving the trend and didn't want anything too outlandish, but I'm thinking a few punchy colors might be the perfect pick-me-up for my mostly monochromatic wardrobe of neutrals.
Therefore, it's official: I'm on the hunt for more sassy sweet hair bows for spring...here are a few slightly silly, oversized options on Lulus.com.

Zac Posen for Target...!

Highlights from the look book:




Doesn't drop until April 25th, but it looks promising, no? Can't wait.

RIP Alexander McQueen.

It's a sad day, indeed.

Isn't She Lovely?

Okay, so I am (still) a far ways off from tying the knot myself, but that doesn't mean I can't start brainstorming well in advance. And, no...I don't actually know the girl in this picture, nor do I know the photographer; but what I do know is that her wedding dress definitely caught my eye!



I love the flirty, fashion-forward shape of it, the romantic-yet-modern charm and the seriously sweet n' sassy details! Sweetheart neckline, exaggerated mermaid hemline with tiers of lace peeking out? Well done. Just wanted to share... <3

Pink and White and Cute All Over...

During my days styling for Real Simple, I picked up a lot of knowledge on fabulous decorating resources for the ultimate stylish home.

Hable Construction is known for super sturdy, undeniably adorable canvas pieces, and I aimlessly browsed their site recently to see what's new. My two picks? Heart-shaped sachets (set of three for $30) and a punchy lightweight weekender bag ($195)--perfectly appropriate for Valentine's Day coming up:







Check it out at www.hableconstruction.com

Secret Weapons

On a whim, I recently snapped up two hair products from Sephora in hopes of improving/enhancing my 'do. It boggles me that even with trendy highlights, pricey haircuts and an arsenal of high-tech appliances, my hair still fails me in performance more times than not. The optimal hair goal? shiny, bouncy, voluminous, gorgeous hair that holds heat styling and still looks healthy. Up until now, I sadly miss the mark on this quest about half the time....until now!

I'm thrilled to report that my bad hair days are finally over, and I owe it all to the goods I grabbed on Sephora.com.
I am positively loving on Living Proof Thickening Cream and HerCut Long Layers Catalyst for my hair.





A combo of both (worked evenly throughout before blow drying) transforms my hair into thick, lustrous, bouncy locks. Styling with a flat iron or hot rollers after is a cinch, and the style (more importantly, the lift at the roots and the curl at the ends) lasts all day long. Even day-old hair still looks shapely and fresh, and needs no touching up.

Glorious!