ELLE & ELLE girl
ElleGirl- The red carpet at the Oscars might not have had the same shock value as some other red carpet events (ahem—Lady Gaga at the Grammys for instance) but as far as Hollywood’s biggest night of the year goes, it was a feast of swoon-worthy dresses from the past year’s leading ladies. We round up our favorites from last night:
Photo: Retna
Camila Alves accompanied boyfriend Matthew Mconaughey in your not-so-basic black dress by Kaufman Franco.
- ElleGirl
Photo: Retna
Oscar-worthy films and their Oscar-worthy costumes influence fashion every season. As Hitchock blondes and James Bond femme fatales march down the runway, they inject their aesthetic into the way we dress daily. But there’s no reason that you can’t go straight to the source, especially in honor of Sunday’s awards ceremony. Here are just a few of Hollywood’s lasting fictional wardrobes, and how to replicate their style today. Get ready for your close up! Annie Hall: Diane Keaton ushered in a new era of masculine/feminine style, kicking off with her character’s signature wide-leg pants, vests, button-up tops, ties, and brimmed hats. With Ralph Lauren as a costume consultant, it comes as no surprise that her look epitomized 70′s NYC perfectly.
- ElleGirl
Erdem, Imaxtree
For those of us who are maxed out on maxis, the fall 2011 shows offer some welcome news. Sort of. While the long, ground-grazing skirts aren’t going anywhere yet, designers are splitting them up the middle and finding exciting, new ways to update them for the modern woman who wants to avoid looking like a nun. Despite a distinct business vibe, Michael Kors kept his sportswear young and edgy, adding a side-splitting slit to his black wool mid-calf pieces. Maybe it’s the new casual Friday?
- ElleGirl
Photo: Imaxtree
Frilly shorts are cropping up on catwalks throughout London this week and just like picnics, Easter eggs, and daylight savings, these flouncy shorts scream spring. This latest trend is cute, versatile, and the perfect solution to avoiding unwanted Britney Spears-styled exposure when out for a spring bike ride. Flirty, flattering and oh-so comfortable, we suggest picking up a pair of these shorts, just for the frill of it.
- ElleGirl
Photo: Getty Images
Who: Kirsten Dunst
What: Mulberry Fall 2011 After Party at Claridge’s, London
Wear: Mulberry metallic dress
After Mulberry’s fall 2011 show of English country classics-turned-trendy, the British brand continued the celebration well into the night with a star-studded after party at Claridge’s in London. Kirsten Dunst, looking fierce in a simple-yet-sparkling Mulberry dress, stepped out yesterday evening to celebrate the new collection with the likes of Gemma Arterton, Rosamund Pike, Clemence Posey, Janice Dickinson, and Yasmin Le Bon. The star toughened up her sparkles with sultry black eye makeup—a perfect to compliment to her dazzling charcoal dress.
- ElleGirl
Photo: Celebuzz
Jewelry or weaponry? We are not sure if you will be allowed through airport security, but we can safely say that statement rings are a must-have accessory for the spring. Whether you’re accessorizing an evening outfit or want to add a little flare to your daytime wear, these unconventional ornaments are an easy way to spice up a simple ensemble in a pinch. Our favorite celebrities and designers are dressing up their digits with a wide variety of high voltage statement rings. Check out these affordable adornments for your fingers!
- ElleGirl
Photo: Getty Images.
From rummaging through her mother’s jewelry box to embellishing the models of Althea Harper’s fall 2011 presentation, Amy Delson has come a long way with her original and empowering designs. We caught up with the designer, who dishes on creating her designs by hand, earliest inspirations, and more.
ELLEgirl: How did the apparel of Althea Harper influence your designs for the show?
Amy Delson: I love to mix old and new materials and artifacts in my jewelry designs, so Althea’s clothes portrayed an aesthetic that naturally resonated with me—a co-mingling of the golden and modern era. We spoke about the muses for her fall 2011 collection—the screen heroines of ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s—and how the vulnerability and courage of these actresses helped them transcend their victim roles. Here with these clothes, Althea empowered the screen siren archetype as a modern woman.
EG: What is unique about the jewelry design process in comparison to other aspects of fashion design?
AD: The jewelry design process can be unique in that while you must maintain a sense of proportion, you don’t have to be as concerned with fit and function in the same way as you do with clothes. I think on some level, you can be freer to explore more versatility among body type, age, and occasion.
EG: What type of woman do you imagine to wear your jewelry?
AD: I’ve designed jewelry for everyone from young girl to mature adult, minimalist to maximum glamour. I generally imagine a woman who reflects her changing moods through her accessories and has fun with her jewelry. She chooses a piece to wear on a given day to communicate that she’s feeling playful, sexy, strong, feminine, spiritual.
EG: Is there any one person or idea that inspires your design style in general?
AD: I am inspired by vintage beads and artifacts and period dress, and love to re-purpose elements of antique jewelry, combining them with new materials in a fresh, contemporary way. I remember as a little girl, playing in my mother’s jewelry box with her costume and real jewelry pieces, and the odd foreign coin, button or silver dollar that was thrown in there. I would love to help her choose what combination of beaded bracelets to wear. It made a lasting impression on me how just one or two pieces could unleash a whole new style sensibility. Now, she has given me many of these pieces to take apart and work with in my own designs.
EG: How do you take your designs from the conceptual process to the hard product?
AD: I make everything personally by hand, so I generally lay out the beads and other elements on a spacing board, and I wire, string, knot, and crimp my jewelry pieces together using my tools—different pliers, wire cutters, and an awl. I almost always adapt as I go and the pieces start to take real shape.
EG: What is your favorite part about the design process?
AD: My favorite part about the design process is that I start with an idea, and then experience the reward of creating a tangible end result that brings joy, comfort, excitement, and confidence to someone wearing my piece.
Photo: Amy Delson.
Amy Delson’s work can be found on Facebook and for those looking to take home one of Delson’s original pieces, she can be contacted at amydelson@gmail.com.
Elle.Stardoll
Photo: Chanel
Colette’s expected to keep spirits up throughout the long haul of Paris Fashion Week and this season the Rue St. Honore boutique is getting serious help—from Karl Lagerfeld. The Chanel designer’s teaming up with Sarah Lerfel for a pop-up shop in a garage further down the same street from March 1st through 10th. It’ll offer Chanel, of course, as well as Eres and a handful of younger designers, but it will also sell customized bags, dolls and CDs (including a new compilation made with Dazed’s Jefferson Hack). Meanwhile, the most exciting part may be the chance to learn camellia-making from the Lemarié couturiers—the ones who build the white flowers for Chanel’s Haute Couture. Couture, and les petites-mains, won’t be around forever so the chance to see its artisans in action, and ask them questions, may be once in a lifetime.
- ElleGirl
Photo: Getty Images
Who: Katie Holmes
What: The MaxMara fall 2011 show in Milan
Wear: MaxMara jumpsuit
Katie Holmes sat front row at MaxMara’s fall 2011 show today in Milan. The brand, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, recognized Holmes as the Women in Film MaxMara ‘Face of the Future’ recipient for 2011 (the award has honored Zoe Saldana, Emily Blunt, and Elizabeth Banks in previous years). The style-savvy mom, who forayed into designing with her premium line Holmes & Yang in 2009, sported a brown Max Mara one-shouldered jumpsuit from the pre-fall 2011 collection. The asymmetrical jumpsuit reflected one of the season’s strongest trends: a daytime disco vibe reminiscent of Halston’s influence.
- ElleGirl
Yigal Azrouël, Imaxtree
Don’t file down those nails just yet. Whether they were delicately dipped or a full-on half moon, tipped manicures emerged as the go-to style of New York Fashion Week.In a fun twist, a number of designers played off of the traditional French manicure: Behnaz Sarafpour complemented her otherwise opulent collection with edgy goth nails, substituting black for the typical creamy white. Similarly, Monique Lhuillier dipped her models’ peachy digits in a subtle sliver of dark aubergine polish. Others seized a golden moment, combining the shiny hue with unexpected results. Jason Wu coated the end of ruby painted fingers with a modern, angular swipe of gold. To create a glam grunge look, Yigal Azrouël topped black with messy glitter tips that brought icicles to mind. But Jen Kao showed a manicure worthy of a true prima donna, pairing a vibrant peacock base with contrasting gold trim.
