This year, the designer labels seem to agree the t-strap “flip flop” is their casual trend of choice. It’s like the gladiator sandal from the past two seasons that decided to shed its straps.
The look is either a single, feminine strap or adorned with chucky stones. You could also opt for something a little more durable and simple.
Honestly, I don’t think any of these are MUST HAVES, but trust me when I tell you, you will find something you love at every price point in this fun flat.
‘I’d love to see the fashion industry open their eyes to the variety of women. That variety is what’s beautiful’ – Crystal Renn, plus size model
There’s so much talk about what size models should be versus what’s healthy, and what size women in general should be verses what’s realistic. What is realistic is that we’re all different sizes, shapes, and colors, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Human beings are supposed to be different! Being healthy and happy at the size that works best for your body type is the most important part.
As you may suspect, my friends and clients that fall into the plus size range have a hard time finding stylish clothes. Until they talk to me that is ; ) Sexy dresses, flirty skirts, fun tops and classy coats abound at Igigi! Igigi is a wonderful resource for my plus size ladies that are looking for some style, and one of my favorite brands for sizes 12 and up.
If you take the time to search, there are actually a lot of good plus size brands out there today – Thanks to Beth Ditto there will be another really kick butt one coming out this year, yay! It’s wonderful to see the fashion world moving (slow as it may be) toward more size varieties, and less stigma on not being a sample size. I mean come on, curves are sexy!
What’s a girl got to to do to get some fashionable sunglasses that don’t break her bank? All together now… Visit Forever 21! The cat eye sunglasses that Alexander Wang sent down the runway for his RTW Spring 2010 collection are highly coveted – but also highly priced.
Spring lines are just hitting the stores so guess what, so are their cheaper counterparts! Clever girls (which I know you all are) will hop on over to the hardware store or hobby shop for some gold, silver, or bronze paint to add the finishing touches to their new Forever 21 find. DIY fashion upgrades are brilliant, and when people start asking you where you got your fabulous sunglasses you can say “Oh these, they’re custom, I actually designed them myself”. Priceless, and all for around $13.00!
I’ve actually been planning to write a post on my experience with cheap sunglasses for while, but kept forgetting about it until Kallah brought it up today.
Before my last trip to Mexico, I wrote about the stylish sunnies I found for a bargain at Anthropologie, shown here.
See, they’re cute.
For three weeks I ran around on the beach while not having to worry about scratching expensive lenses. Before this trip I was terrified I would ruin my Guccis, Oliver Peoples, etc in the sand or from throwing them in my bag.
Although no one else could tell they were $4 shades, I could. For some reason, the lenses got dirty quicker and were harder to clean. They were greasy even after I washed they off. Looking through them was also different. It felt like the plastic was thicker, my view was clouded, and the tint made everything look flat. Basically it left me frustrated and missing my designer frames.
All of that being said, I would still buy the cheaper version for the beach or if I wanted a trendy frame like the Alexander Wang cat-eye style that would only last a season.
Spring styles you’ll want in your wardrobe. Don’t want to splurge for the real deal? Not to worry, you’ll see variations of these trends all over the place.
(Top to bottom: Elizabeth and James, Christian Louboutin, Balmain, Valentino. All at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills. Contact Charles for more info.)
Reader Lauren wrote in that she loved the silver and gold hardware on Reece Witherspoon’s bag, but couldn’t find the designer.
This is when we put those swollen college brains to the test! I asked my intern Giselle to track it down and brilliant DG at USC did! The designer is……
Now that you’ve seen all of Mary’s amazing New York Fashion Week coverage, I’m going to help you translate it into your own personal style! 6:30pm this Thursday, February 25th at the eclectic boutique EM&Co. in West Hollywood (CA) – I’ll be sharing some of the secrets about how to dress to get the kind of attention you want, and I’ll be demonstrating with three live makeovers!
The Get Up Girl’s “Girls Night Out” is hosting this fun event, and their founders Margalit and Shannon will be there to share some tips from all of their years as life and career coaches. Snacks, drinks, gift bags, and insider tips on how to take your style, life, and career to the next level are all included in this fun filled evening – So be sure to RSVP asap, oh and did I mention that the event is FREE ; )
If you can’t join us in person don’t let that stop you – we’ll be podcasting the entire event so stay tuned for that link!
Image courtesy of me (it’s my wardrobe styling), and Gilbert – the most amazing photographer I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with!
UPDATE!
Huge success, the makeovers were so much fun and all of the ladies looked amazing! I’m dying to get the pictures of the before and afters up for all of you to see but it’s taking forever to get them. Promise I’ll post them as soon as they are in my hot little hands ; ) Best part of the evening – All of the makeover ladies purchased their outfits, I take that as a huge compliment!
Fortunately we don’t have to fight over him, or his clothes because we are in agreement that Yigal Azrouel is the hottest thing to hit the tents every New York Fashion Week. (And he’s straight!)
As promised I went backstage and interviewed the man himself to talk about his latest (and greatest) collection. You’ll hear his take as well as mine on what he sent down the runway last week.
Before fashion week, I gave you guidelines on how to dress for Fashion Week. One of them was that you should have a piece that defines your outfit. These days, that accessory is shoes. You MUST have killer shoes that will draw attention on the front row (and hopefully they are comfortable). Well, I was wrong. You can survive the discerning eye of the world’s most critical fashionistas if you know how to rock the basics. And because I left my fab footwear at the cobbler in Houston, I was put to the test!
Above are the three accessories that got me through eight days of fashion’s most demanding week (in the US).
Elizabeth & James suede booties – $595 and worth every penny because they were surprisingly the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn to the tents)
Calvin Klein faux heels – From DSW I bought on a whim
There were a couple others that played a more supportive role that should not be forgotten:
Chanel classic black tote (Ugh, what a bad picture. But see how they fade into the background of our ensembles)
Gucci sunglasses (not pictured)that made people think “she’s important.” Not that I really cared, but part of navigating the tents is knowing how to play the game. And yes, it’s as simple as sunglass sometimes.
Uggs. Because by day 4 there is no question you have to walk to and from the tents in them.
However, more important than accessories, was the amazing support system I had in place to make sure you saw all of the action at the tents LIVE and keep me smiling during the process. At this time, I would like to thank them for their tremendous efforts.
Livestream.com – Otto, Marko, and Deb, you have worked tirelessly to make my vision a reality for two seasons now. And we’re still having fun! (BTW, you can go here to see all of our coverage catalogued by show.)
Marytern - Wow, Sarah! You really came through not only for me, but also for all of the viewers watching our stream. You are intelligent, meticulous, and dedicated beyond your years, and I am fortunate to have you on my team.
Mom – My eternal and selfless support. Thank you for your patience with my crazy lifestyle and often irresponsible nature.
Mercedes Benz – Adam, Jeff, Christine, and yes, you too Greg, keep me sane and even laughing through the chaos. Over the past three years, it has been such a pleasure to get to know you all!
Kodak – It is always such a pleasure to represent the brand and use your products to cover events. I love using the Zi8 Pocket Video Camera* to get every last detail of each design.
Adrien Field and Rocco – Because without you, fashion week could never be fun.
Giselle and Katie – My two remote interns that helped put the whole event together.
Amanda Parenti – You curate a great collection of designers I am always honored to wear. Magalis Garcia* (designer of the dress I’m wearing above) is going to be huge if I have anything to say about it.
Bob – For your friendship and support, I am eternally grateful.
GOMI – You guys keep me on my toes and laughing at myself. And in this biz, that’s priceless.
(Full Disclosure: Items with * not purchased. Provided by the brand.)
