Anna Wintour and Marc Jacobs on Late Night

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:46:59 +0000

In case you missed it, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and designer Marc Jacobs were on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night, and much like last year’s appearance on David Letterman, Wintour drew laughs with her uncanniness. Watch her diss Lady Gaga and discuss Fashions Night Out.

Fall Fashion Preview 2010 – What (and Where) To Buy

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:30:43 +0000

By Francesca Claybrook

After reading our fall fashion preview with fantastic stylists Nicole and Lori (if you didn’t catch it, you can read it here), I’m sure that you, like me, are feeling inspired and ready to work on your fall wardrobe. Here I’ve compiled a bunch of products that our stylists have assured us will be hot for fall, so consider this a one-stop shop for the biggest trends of the season. Ready? Let’s go!
Shearling looks to be a big trend, and that’s something you probably want to wear as an outer layer – check out a motorcycle jacket or a hooded jacket from Aqua. Joe’s Jeans offers a casual cropped jacket in one of the season’s hot colors: gray. Think shearling on a jacket is too predictable? Try Elie Tahari’s clog booties with shearling – although I’m admittedly iffy on clogs, these are pretty stylish.
Sweater dresses are also a great fall option. You could never go wrong with a classic piece like Ralph Lauren Black Label’s gorgeous, camel-colored dress – another hot color for fall! (However, if your budget is telling you that dress is not an option, check out Victoria’s Secret. You can get the same buckled look in a long sweater for a significantly lower price.) And speaking of good deals, Victoria’s Secret also has a sweater dress with an asymmetrical neckline that’s also very cute. Want something a little funkier? Nanette Lepore’s “Bellezza” sweater dress has some beautiful embroidery – not much jewelry required to jazz that one up!
Leggings are hanging around to keep your legs warm as the seasons change, but this season the emphasis is on the unusual. Marc by Marc Jacobs and Alice + Olivia offer tuxedo-stripe style pants that blend knits and leather – hot! Alice + Olivia also has some faux leather leggings, but you can get a shiny metallic look for much less at Forever 21 (only $12!) James Jeans has some corduroy leggings, and M Missoni has some black and white space dyed ones, but my favorite are the knit and ribbed styles like these from Tory Burch and – my ultimate favorite – these cashmere leggings from Donna Karan New York.
And finally, shoes. Want ankle boots? Just click this link and go crazy! Want tougher, biker-chic boots (or just some with flatter heels)? You will be in heaven. What more do you need? Happy Almost Fall!

Fall Jewelry Trend: Layers and Stacking

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:21:28 +0000

With the approach of fall, it means it’s time to update our jewelry. Gunmetal, chains, stacking and converseley Victorian jewlery will be big this season. More power to you if you can find a look that embraces all three themes. When it comes to necklaces think long and layered. This draped necklace from Overstock.com is a good example. Stacked bracelets will remain big this fall, the more the better. Unlike other seasons, these don’t have to be similar looking bangles, but mix and match your bracelets in terms of textures and colors. Try pairing up gold bangles with leather bracelets like this and this. Finger bling? Check out cocktail rings like this one.

Emmy Bling: Bulgari on the Red Carpet

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:19:36 +0000

By Francesca Claybrook

Red carpet bling is always noteworthy (and drool-worthy, for that matter!), and last night at the Emmys the jewels looked seriously amazing. Let’s check out two stars, both of whom wore Bulgari on the red carpet.
First up: Olivia Munn, the newest Daily Show correspondent, has also appeared in Iron Man 2. She wore mostly yellow jewels: a pair of yellow sapphire and diamond earrings, a yellow sapphire and diamond ring, and two yellow gold and fancy sapphire bracelets. Gorgeous!

We also have Gugu Mbatha-Raw, a British actress who scored a gig as the female lead in new show The Undercovers. This gorgeous star chose a platinum and diamond bracelet and pink quartz and diamond earrings. Absolutely stunning! If anyone wants to lend me such amazing jewelry to wear out for an evening, let me know…

Emmy Best Dressed

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:22:21 +0000

All Emmy’s we’ll be bringing you the best dressed celebrities from the Red Carpet and Award show. Here are some of our faves

Jayma Mays looks radiant in this navy gown

Dexter’s Julie Benz went with a Grecian look

Glee’s Lea Michele seriously always looks flawless. She sported an Oscar De La Renta gown for the awards.

Va va voom. Modern Family’s Sophoa Vergara looks gorgeous in this Carolina Herrera number

Claire Danes all blinged out in an Armani Prive number

Eat Pray Love Conquers the World, And Now Your Wardrobe

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:31:48 +0000

By Francesca Claybrook

Eat Pray Love is officially a phenomenon. Unless you’ve been living in a cave, I’m sure you’ve heard about (and probably read) Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir of self-discovery in Italy, India, and Indonesia, which is now a film starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem. But as Eat Pray Love takes over the world – or at least HSN – a number of products inspired by the story are popping up everywhere, such as Sue Wong’s collection (in partnership with Sony Pictures – the cynic in me is rolling her eyes right now) of clothes that were inspired by the film. You can check out the collection on her website, but there really isn’t a whole lot to it. In my opinion, the embellished sheath dress is the only potentially wearable piece. But, full disclosure ahead: the Italian part of me was slightly offended the designer decided not to take any inspiration from the Italian segment of the book, only the Indian and Indonesian parts. So I might be somewhat biased, and thus I need your opinion. Tell me what you think of the clothes, and in the meantime I might have to console myself with some Eat Pray Love lipgloss from Lancome.

Ask the Experts: Fall Fashion Preview

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:37:11 +0000

By Francesca Claybrook

Ladies, we’ve made it halfway through August and, believe it or not, that means fall is right around the corner. This is always a big time in the fashion world (September issue, anyone?), and it’s also an exciting time for planning your fall wardrobe. We’ve been lucky enough to score you some assistance: here to help us out are two New York stylists who collaborated with BellaVitaStyle to bring you a fall fashion preview. Nicole Gulotta works in fashion, music, and television, and has just branched out with a company of her own. Lori Messerschmitt works with musicians and photographic artists and collects vintage jewelry. Let’s see what these dynamic ladies have to say about what we’ll be wearing this fall.

BellaVitaStyle: What are the major trends we should keep our eyes open for this fall?
Nicole Gulotta: Sweater dresses, major. Monochromatic outfits. Lots of layering.
Lori Messerschmitt:
1) Shearling, wonderful shearling, but more modern and lightweight than our mothers would recall.
2) Brocade me. Gimme gold! ?3) Prints, prints, prints

BVS: What kind of shoes and boots are going to be popular?
NG: The loafer is making a comeback; it’s kind of a twist on a proper or Annie Hall type thing. Wear them with something unexpected like a short little frock or with cool, rolled up slouchy pants – to de-conservative-ize them. The brogue/lace up is still happening, both high heeled and flat. Ankle boots and motorcycle-ish motifs are still popular, too.
LM: Call me crazy, but the strappy sandal is hanging on for winter, just pair her with a heavy, heavy sock. And don’t forget her dear friend, the caramel colored clog!

BVS: What kind of feeling did the fall collections have? How does that translate into clothes we all can wear?
NG: Casual and Modern. Which is easy to wear, it just takes some courage to loosely pair things together.
LM: For me fall was an exercise in acceptance. It has all been out there, but the modern twist is unlike those before us – beautiful sleek cuts in neopreen or the aforementioned shearling, thinner and sleeker. The best throw backs are the A-lines with the skinny belted waist. For every day, this translates into a big break for those professional gals looking for something fashionable they can wear every day, but also for us street beats who love layers but don’t want the bulk.

BVS: Is there a particular color or two that are really going to be big this season?
NG, LM: Camel. Grey.

BVS: Are there any articles of clothing or accessories that we should definitely be putting away for now?
NG: Put away the Uggs, pleeeeeeeeese.
LM: I agree with Nicole on this one. Trash those f-ugg-lies.

BVS: If you had to narrow it down, what’s the one item that everyone needs to have this fall?
NG: Some kind of unusual, textured, possibly sparkly legging.
LM: Give me shearling or give me death! But I’d settle for the bloomers from a detacher.

BVS: Any final words of wisdom to help us construct our fall wardrobes?
NG: Think about looseness, layers and varying lengths – and the ease of clothes on your body. Then put a tiny jacket on top. Then, when winter hits, put a loose coat on top of that!
LM: Silhouette! Shape, volume, tailoring. Don’t be afraid to go oversized with light fabrics and layer under and over for some warmth. Then cinch it in with the slim belt. Roll up your sleeves, roll up your trousers, and throw on something woolly on the legs and feet and never forget that smile.

Want to learn more about our stylists? Check out Nicole at www.nicolegulotta.com and her new company, The Nomadic Trading Company (a collection of beautiful bits inspired by her travels – traditional textiles are culled from artisan collectives and local bazaars around the world, and then transformed into chic gear and home paraphernalia) at http://nomadictradingcompany.com. More information about Lori can be found on her website, www.lorimesserschmitt.com. Thank you ladies!

Stylewatch French Riviera

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:29:48 +0000

So on our second leg of our European tour we encountered a few trends — so, we loved and some we were not too fond of. First things first, let’s dish wish the bad. Seemingly everywhere we went in the Riviera be it Nice, Monte Carlo or Cannes, women were sporting harem pants — think of a mix between Princess Jasmine and AC Slater. The pants were usually rouched at the hips and then baggy at the waist and either ended at capri length with a tapered leg or at the ankle. Its a completely unflattering look that I pray doesnt catch on in the States although Stella McCartney and Jean Paul Gaultier have similar designs. Even the stick-thin French women had a hard time making the look work.
The second trend we saw repeatedly, but liked, was summer boots, usually at the mid calf height. Admittedly I at first found it hard to stomach women prancing around in leather and suede boots while I was basking in the Meditteranean in sweltering heat, but these girls made the look work. They paired them with loose-fitting dresses, over skinny jeans etc.
Thirdly, whites and naturals rule the Riviera. Women sported white hot dresses with matching stilettos and tans, light browns and other shades of neutrals.

Fall Trend: Claw Stilettos

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:17:01 +0000

I’m not sure how I feel about this trend, but it’s our duty to share all things fashion-related with you and let you decide for yourself. So in the latest innovation to stilettos, some designers are adding a patch of rivveted rubber to the bottom of the toe and sole, creating a claw look. Camilla Skovgaard was first spotted with the design with her “Saw” pump, but collections from BCBG, Jil Sander and Jeffrey Campbell also feature the look. What do you think? Would you rock the claw?

Armani Cosmetics Hires New Spokesmodel

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:49:02 +0000

By Francesca Claybrook

Breaking news – Megan Fox has just been named the face of Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, replacing model Lara Stone. This comes as no surprise to anyone who follows the brand (or the actress) closely, as Ms. Fox is already the face of Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani Underwear, where she and soccer stud Cristiano Ronaldo (hello – did you see those abs?) replaced Les Beckhams as spokesmodels for the brand. We’ll keep an eye out for the campaign, which is scheduled to begin in the fall. Want to get a jump on purchasing the makeup that Megan will be modeling soon? Check out the official Giorgio Armani Cosmetics US online shop here.