Emmy Glam

My red carpet watching experience was not in full effect last Sunday as the Emmy awards kicked off gown-watching season; however, I did still have time to watch a little tidbit and check out the gowns online. Here's my take on the best dresses.

 Best Overall - Gretchen Mol in Vintage Valentino and lovely Louboutins

Best Old School Hollywood Glam - Jessica Pare in Jason Wu

Best Matching Purple Hair/Dress Combo - Kelly Osbourne in Zac Posen

Also, here's hoping the girls take more risks at the Globes and Oscars. I'm kind of bored.

Back at it...Fall Preview

It seems like fall is a long way off, but now is the time to start saving those pennies for some fall wardrobe additions. Here are a few of my must-have picks for Fall 2012.

Leather pants

Simple and skinny. Wear with a baggy top or tucked in blouse and blazer.

Green heels

Every season, there is one item on my list that I'm never able to find. I have a feeling this will be the item this year that eludes me. The perfect pair has an ankle or T-strap and is just the right shade of emerald or jade green.

Animal sweater

I love this one from Burberry Prorsum. I'm sure H&M and other low-cost retailers will also have these, and it's definitely not an investment piece.

 Camel

Top or bottom, camel is a classic that needs only minor updates each fall. Look for a skinny camel pencil skirt, pants or a beautiful coat you can invest in and wear year after year.

Hippie jeans

Super soft and super long. Wear with a belt and tucked in top or heels to keep from looking too sloppy.

In My Tribe

Awards season is upon us - yippee! I love the red carpet so...and so do lots of my girlfriends. In an effort to get some conversation going during this year's battle over best dressed for the Golden Globes, I decided to ask my tribe who they thought did it best. After all, I'm not the only one with an opinion.

Their picks:

Jessica Alba in Gucci (top vote-getter)


Salma Hayek also in Gucci


Charlize Theron in Dior


Nicole Kidman in Versace


Julianne Moore in Chanel Couture (jealous!)


Diane Lane in Elie Saab


My picks:
The aforementioned Diane Lane - how does she still look so good??

Rooney Mara in Nina Ricci (gratuitous black dress award since I looooove black dresses and French design houses)


And the eye candy award goes to Adam Levine in Tom Ford (aka God)


Thanks, ladies - appreciate you playing!

P.S. if you want a good look at a lot more dresses, Huffington Post has a nice little gallery with some of the dresses we didn't see on the tube.

Crystal Ball 2012

With the new year upon us, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what this year might bring. I am hoping for a kindler, gentler 2012. 2011 was incredibly stressful for everyone - the world still seemed to be on edge from the recession. For that reason, I think most people are looking for a return to a simpler life and some normalcy while also valuing what the earth already provides for us outside of our material possessions. That's why I'm predicting the following trends for this year:

Bikes - Already gaining lots of traction in Europe and New York, bikes are definitely the way to get around the city these days. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see people riding down the street with their farmer's market haul in a basket on front (or back) of their bike.

Back to Nature - I was just reading Conde Nast Traveler and they had a fantastic line-up of "quiet places" trips for people who need to completely disconnect and retreat to a deserted isle. While that's all well and good for those who can afford a $30k vacation, I do think there will be a return to nature this year with more visitors to our national parks and an appreciation for visiting endangered wildlife, native tribes and more of the bounty that this beautiful planet has to offer.

Clean Eating - Here in sunny SoCal, the detox is a big, big thing. In fact, we just got a Detox Lounge in our neighborhood, which I love. I also love Cheetos. But instead of eating Cheetos, I'm going to focus on cleaner eating this year. Beans, fresh/locally grown fruits and veggies. Start your day with a glass of lemon water to help counteract the toxins and acid in your cup of coffee - your tummy will thank you.

Classics - In fashion, there is also a return to basics...or classics. Sure, there will be trends everyone still has to jump on, but I think customers are looking for value and quality in classic pieces they can mix and match with the more trendy. Refer to my earlier post on Ines de la Fressange's book or J. Crew's latest collection for a great line-up of classic wardrobe pieces.

Good deeds/good people - The backlash against the Kardashians is just the start of a continued disassociation with bling and mean girls. The buzz this year will be all about those who are doing good or celebrities who are actually nice. Think of the shift in judging style on last year's American Idol and you'll see where I'm headed with this. Greed is no longer good.

Blessings to you all in the New Year. Cheers to happiness and health!

Le Bible

For the complete bible on dressing, pick up a copy of Ines de la Fressange's Parisian Chic. It's a great reminder of the simplicity inherent in great style (the French woman's ultimate secret).