Crystals are a Girl’s Best Friend

Lorelei Lee, the adorable character played by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Howard Hawks (1953), had an obsession for diamond jewellery and she was lucky enough to marry a her very rich fiancè, who surely fostered this passion. Nowadays girls still love diamonds, but sometimes they can also be pleased by equally glittering and precious objects, Judith Leiber’s amazing crystal minaudieres. The brand, founded by the Hungarian Leiber in 1963, means incomparable quality and craftsmanship, because all the pieces are hand-crafted and decorated by Swarovski crystals.

Generations of American ladies (and First Ladies) have carried these minaudieres since the launch of the brand, but Leiber became really famous thanks to Sex and the City and its costume designer, Patricia Field. I cannot count all the trends launched by the iconic tv show (just think of Fendi Baguette and Hermès Birkin bags, Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik shoes, nameplate necklaces, flower corsages and leather opera gloves), but the unique style of its characters is still lingering everywhere. For this reason, anytime I spot a celebrity carrying a Leiber clutch, Carrie’s swan-shaped bag comes to my mind.

I am referring to The Caste System, the tenth episode of the second season, where Mr Big gives Carrie what he thinks is the it bag par excellence, a Leiber animal-shaped clutch.

Carrie is literally puzzled by this present (and so we are),but she fakes a smile for him, doesn’t know what to say about the bag and says she loves him instead.

The following day, the clutch stands out on the table of the restaurant where Carrie and the girls are having lunch. Miranda comments her mother has a similar bag, but squirrel-shaped!

When Carrie and Big go to a private party in the Upper East Side, she realizes Big has bought that bag not because it was trendy among Upper East Side ladies, not because it would have been the perfect present for her. Everywhere she turns, she notices Leiber bags, all in different shapes and colours. In the screecap below a bunch of flowers and a fruit (I couldn’t identify it) are visible.

In the foreground there is a watermelon slice, which I actually like.

The woman sitting on the couch has a pig-shaped bag on her lap, while the one in the background has an aubergine-shaped bag (this is quite creepy, in my opinion).

It’s funny that Carrie decided to carry her swan at a party where everyone else is sporting the same kind of bag.

Patricia Field picked an important Leiber piece for Sex and the City – the Movie (2008). The infamous cupcake-shaped bag has got an important role in the plot, because Lily, Charlotte and Henry’s adorable daughter, puts Carrie’s mobile phone in her bag before Carrie and Big’s wedding, and this causes all the drama of the movie. Leiber created a custom-made version of the cupcake bag for the movie, because Carrie’s phone didn’t fit in the regular version of the bag.

Katy Perry hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008: during the show and backstage she sported crazy and colourful outfits, including this weird satin “eye” satin dress by JC de Castelbajac. All my attention is focused on her sweet cupcake-shaped bag, because it is exactly the same as seen in Sex and the City – the Movie. I’m not a fan of Perry’s over-the-top and pin-up style, but she looked amazing in this ensemble.

TV personality Rocsi carried the same precious bag (in chocolate version) at 2009 Bet Awards pre-event, and paired it to a strapless white dress and white lace-up peep-toe booties. I don’t care about the outfit, because it’s quite boring, but the bag is so cute!

The actress Katie Cassidy, among the protagonists of Melrose Place, attended a Nylon Magazine party in August 2009, sporting a leopard-printed dress and hot pink pumps; she carried a Judith Leiber leopard-shaped minaudiere. I think the minaudiere is nice, but it doesn’t show on Katie because it has the same pattern of the dress. The lying-down leopard is very elegant, in my opinion.

One of the celebrities who has been recently spotted with a Leiber animal-shaped clutch in hand is Mary-Kate Olsen, who attended a CFDA reception in October 2009 sporting a black and white outfit. She accessorized it with a gorgeous elephant-shaped crystal clutch. This looks like a maharaja’s elephant, with that colourful carpet hanging from his back. I’ve never thought Mary-Kate was a Leiber girl, but it’s clear she loves statement accessories.

Girls are not the only fans of Leiber’s dazzling bags. Richie Rich, the former Heatherette designer who has now turned to a solo career, sported one of my favourite minaudieres, owl-shaped, during the launch of Heatherette for MAC collection in 2008. Leiber’s style is very different from Rich’s unique taste, but this owl bag somehow works with his outfits.

Leiber’s greatest fan is Jennifer Lopez, who often carries gorgeous crystal minaudieres. On Valentine’s day in 2009, she carried Heart n’ Soul, a heart-shaped clutch beaded with red hot crystals. I think she picked the perfect accessory for an amazing outfit – a Marchesa chiffon dress and Christian Louboutin Carnival satin D’Orsay pumps.

In October 2009 she attended a Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills game [1], during the Breast Cancer Awareness week. She wore a flowy orange dress and carried a lovely Leiber clutch: it was dolphin-shaped as a homage to Miami’s team and pink as a homage to the symbolical colour of the breast cancer awareness. I love it!

Most of Leiber’s crystallized minaudieres have animal shapes, but the range of precious pieces include other fancy shapes,such as fans, fruit, flowers and Buddhas.

Here are some of my favourite pieces. I love this Red Delicious apple-shaped bag. I think it could be the perfect accessory on an all-black outfit: this can be said for most of Leiber’s creations, because they’re so bright and sparkling, that it would be very difficult to pair them with colourful clothes.

This pink finch is adorable, isn’t it? I know Leiber’s creations are surprisingly expensive, but some of her pieces would be perfect for young girls because their shapes are so funny and cute, but definitely not for adults (I would never carry a bird-shaped clutch).

Bianca, my daughter, adores cats, so this black cat clutch immediately makes me think of her.The shape, the attitude of the animal, the eyes are so nice and so true to life that I would love to carry it for a special occasion. I love cats, too, and I’ve always thought black cats are magical and mysterious, so this clutch would be an amazing accessory for any black cat lover.

I know these accessories are really peculiar. They’re so peculiar and expensive that they’ve never become a real trend, but this doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to have one of those (the black cat and the owl) in my small bag collection. What are your thoughts? Do you think they’re just divertissement bags?

[1] Jennifer’s husband, Marc Antony, is minority owner of Miami Dolphins.

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From the Valley to the Upper East Side: Lily Van Der Woodsen’s Style Cross-Over (3.08 – The Grandfather Part II + Pumpkin Patch Special)

What is happening to Gossip Girl? I enjoyed the eighth episode of the third season – The Grandfather Part II – because the plot seems to make things more exciting, thanks to the rekindled rivalry between S and B and to William Van der Bilt’s intrigues. The downside is that Lily is shown in one scene only, what  a disappointment! On the other hand, I’ve found some juicy stills from the next episode, but I’ll post them next week.

The scene is set in Lily’s sitting room, where Jenny is recovering from a (swine?) flu and where Dan, Olivia and Rufus are playing scrabble. Lily is seen with her beloved white tea cup and saucer in her hand. Have you noticed she’s often holding a cup and saucer in her hands? She’s Lady GaGa’s Upper East Side version!

It’s refreshing to see her wearing a cute patterned skirt and a short-sleeved sweater. She looks very elegant but informal at the same time.

She’s sporting her trademark updo and a subtle make-up.

Here is a close-up on the grey sweater, which has a jeweled neckline. The sparkles from the neckline emphasize the diamond stud earrings, the only pieces of jewellery she’s wearing.

Due to the lack of candids from the set of Gossip Girl, here are some super-cute pics of Kelly and Matthew Settle (who plays the role of Rufus in the show), who went to the Old Navy’s Urban Pumpkin Patch in the Meatpacking district, in New York, just before Halloween. You know I love pumpkins, so I couldn’t resist in posting these.

OMG. Aren’t the little girls absolutely adorable? Matthew is posing with her 8-month-old Aven Angelica [1] and Kelly with her 4-month-old Helena Grace. It’s funny that both children were born in the same year, just a few months apart. Kelly’s outfit is chic as usual: she was wearing skinny jeans, brown boots, a slate grey jacket, a white shirt and a flowy grey pashmina. She was also wearing one of her favourite watches, Hermès H Hour watch.

I love the first pic above: it could come from the set of a romantic movie set in New York, couldn’t it?

My heart melts in front of this pic: Aven is such a cutie, with her denim jacket, pink overalls and pink shoes with white pom-pons!

What are your impressions about the eighth episode of Gossip Girl? Did you enjoy it or do you think the show is getting boring?

[1] Matthew is married to the model/actress Naama Nativ.

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Dreams Fly on the Wings of (Temporary) Tattoos

I’ve always loved tattoos, because I think they can be amazing works of art. Unfortunately, many people get (most of the time, horrible) ink-works just because they want to follow the herd, not because they are really aware of what permanent tattoos mean. In any case, tattoos are becoming more and more mainstream, and you can say it from the several tattoed models who walk the runway. In the Nineties, only the gorgeous Eleonora Bosè, Carre Otis and Jenny Shimizu, plus a few others, didn’t hide their tattoos while strutting the catwalk or posing in front of the camera; nowadays, not only models show the drawings on their skin, but designers have jumped the bandwagon, decorating the bodies of their models with temporary tattoos or body paint.

Chanel spring/summer 2010 collection was all about rolls in the hay, country life and seduction, themes seen through the ever glamourous lens of the Parisian maison. Karl Lagerfeld decided to add a touch of exoticism to some of his models with some wonderful temporary drawings on their legs, neck and cleavage.

Dorothea Barth Jorgensen got several drawings on her: a beaded double C on her biceps and two sparrows holding a pearl thread in their beaks across her neck and cleavage. I think this is a brilliant way to re-work the classic theme of pearls.

Denisa Dvorakova got two temporary tattoos on the back of her legs. In this case, the drawings are cherry blossom branches and pearl threads hanging from them. The longest thread ends with a double C. I love the way in which a Japanese-inspired image is connected to a Chanel leitmotiv.

Kasia Struss cracked a smile for the cameras, while standing on a stool and getting her decorations done before the fashion show. The make-up artists drew a lovely temporary tattoo on her thigh, just above her knee.

Chains and pearls have always been among the most famous symbols of Chanel, so it’s no wonder Kasia got a chain and pearl tattoo done. It’s strange but this decoration remind me of the cilice, a torture implement used in some religious traditions as a sign of repentance and atonement.

This beautiful shot by Tommy Ton shows a model after the show and her chain and pearl tattoo around her wrist.

Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the genius minds behind Rodarte, made a very different choice for their spring/summer 2010 fashion show. Their style is powerful without being overtly sexy or trashy, and is full of references to gothic, primitivism, futurism and the post-atomic age envisioned by Japanese cartoon artists [1]. When I first saw the pics below, I first thought of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome meeting Maori tattoos.

Mirte Maas was seen backstage while getting her decorations done all over the arms. MAC senior artist Chantel Miller designed the motifs, collaborating with the Mulleavys and James Kaliardos (who did the make-up for the show): the result is absolutely amazing, I totally love it. I really like the graphics and the technique which they were made with. Chanel artists used fine-tip brushes or pens, while MAC artists at Rodarte used thick-tip drawing pens, so as to give the temporary drawings a rough and uneven quality.

Dorothea Barth Jorgensen posed for the cameras while a make-up artist was just starting to sketch the decorations on her arm.

These tribal/futuristic drawings were seen on all the models’ arms and necks, and beautifully completed the gorgeous clothes they wore. Do Ranya Mordanova and Sasha Pivovarova, Jules Mordovets and Madisyn Ritland look like fierce inhabitants of a future Earth, don’t they?

The make-up somehow echoes the tribal tattooes – see the lips lined with a hue which is darker than the lipstick.

These are just two examples of tattooes in the world of fashion. Speaking of designers, apart from Marc Jacobs (I hate his tattoos), the only one who comes to my mind is the one and only Stefano Pilati. Ok, I’ve got a crush for him since he became creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, and his lovely tattoos are one of the reasons why I think he’s so charming.

This beautiful shot by Olivier Zahm portrays Pilati hugging one of his muses, Chloe Sevingny. One of his tattoos is visible – an American Indian eagle, very similar to the one seen on John Frusciante’s left upper arm.

He also has a simple star on his upper back. I am so in love with this tattoo that I’m planning to have it done.

The latest ink-work seen on him is an amazing arm sleeve tattoo. Unfortunately this pic – shot by Olivier Zahm – is the only one I could find, because it would be very interesting to see the complete drawing. From what I can see, it is inspired to Japanese culture, because of the blue and purple chrysanthemums.

In this black and white shot by Zahm, the floral tattoo peeps from the sleeve of his blouson, sexy!

As for me, I only have one tattoo, but I hope I can add more in the near future – a star just like Pilati’s and one inspired to Audrey Kawasaki’s works.  I had this done in 2006: at first I wanted to get it on my waist-line, but then I changed my mind and opted for the left inner leg. The quotation is taken from Frank Herbert’s Dune (1965):  it is a line from Bene Gesserit litany against fear [2].

It took me several years before deciding to have a tattoo done, because I wanted to have something really meaningful on me. One of my favourite science-fictions novels came to the rescue.

What about you? Do you have tattoos or do you plan to get one?

[1] I’m sure they got their inspiration for the fall/winter 2008 collection from Katsuhiro Otomo’s masterpiece, Akira.

[2] The complete litany is: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain”.

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From the Valley to the Upper East Side: Lily Van Der Woodsen’s Style Cross-Over (3.07 – How to Succeed in Bassness + On the Set)

How to Succeed in Bassness, the seventh episode of Gossip Girl’s third season, was surprisingly a miss. I really hope the producers of the show have something big in store for the audience, because the plotting and the mysteries we’ve enjoyed so far are nowhere to be found in the latest episodes. Blair herself, the Queen of blackmail and intrigue, is muted, as if she were unable to remember who she is (but I guess this is part of the personal crisis she’s going through). Another reason why I was so disappointed after watching the episode is that Lily is hardly to be seen, and she only has two outfit changings, bummer! On the other hand, I like that the episode is set at Halloween: it’s so funny watching Rufus – a Halloween enthusiast – decorating pumpkins as the Kiss and see him dressed [1] as Johnny Ramone.

Lily’s first scene is set in Jenny’s bedroom, where she’s trying to convince her to clean her closet up, getting rid of the dresses she doesn’t wear. In this case, Lily is wearing a tweed pencil skirt and a short-sleeved blouse with ruffles on the neckline. She also wears black pumps and a pearl necklace. This outfit is very conservative, perfectly matching Lily’s style. I love the shot where Lily’s image is reflected in the mirror: it looks like she’s Jenny’s nemesis, or an older version of the platinum blonde wild girl.

In the rest of the episode, Lily sports a lovely suit, with a camel short-sleeved jacket and a matching pencil skirt. This is the only full figure shot I could get: her shoes and her hairstyle are visible. She’s wearing a pair of Christian Louboutin Rolando pumps in Roccia python [2]. Her hairstyle is typically an updo; this time, she adds a satin bow to accent her bun.

Jewellery is a must for Lily, so some pieces cannot be missing in her outfit. She wore a nice chain bracelet (some rings of the chain are enameled) and lovely button earrings with central coral beads. I really love this outfit and the jacket in particular, because it’s tailored and simple. I also love her red polished nails.

I repeat: the episode let me down, but some candids of Kelly Rutherford from the set emerged and they made my day. The first detail that caught my eye are the flared jeans, because I love this cut. I’m not as tall as Kelly, but I like wearing flared jeans [3] because they’re super-comfortable and have a bohemian vibe. She wore them with a beige cashmere sweater, black ballerina flats and a gorgeous necklace.

When I saw the necklace, I was genuinely happy because I thought I had identified at least one piece seen on Rutherford. I was 100% sure it was a Suzanna Dai necklace, because those circular elements really screamed “Dai” to me. I dropped a line to Dai’s pr office, just to have more details about the necklace…and they told me the necklace is not a Suzanna Dai piece. Bummer again! She also wore a pair of drop topaz and gold earrings.

I have always liked high-heeled shoes (I own some of them, but I never put them on), but what I wear on a daily basis are flats. Well, my favourite flats of the moment are Melissa plastic shoes [4], because they’re very comfortable, but my on-the-go shoes have always been Converse All Star hi-tops since I was 15. In any case, I think flats are amazing if paired to flared jeans, because they emphasize their relaxed vibe. For this reason, I cannot but applaud Kelly’s choice to wear the most classic flats ever, the BB flats by Repetto. This style was originally created for Brigitte Bardot (hence its name), who wore them in Et Dieu Créa la Femme (1956) by Roger Vadim.  The shape and details (the tiny front bow, the gros grain trim) make them a classic to wear all the time. Kelly is so beautiful here, and the BB flats add a touch of Parisian glamour to her beauty.

Did you enjoy Gossip Girl’s last episode? And what about your shoes? Are they flats or high heels?

[1] For the record, Rufus is wearing a CBGB skull tee, another homage to the Ramones, who started their career performing at the famous club in the Lower East Side in New York.

[2] This is not is the first she is spotted wearing Louboutin shoes in exotic leather. She wore a pair of Miss Boxe wedges in Roccia python in Rufus Getting Married.

[3] I don’t wear skinny jeans, because I don’t like wearing something that emphasizes my body. I prefer flowy and comfortable items.

[4] I own three of them – Night flats in green, Isabela Capeto Aranha Flocked sandals in navy blue and Vivienne Westwood three-strap Mary Janes in plum – but I’d like to buy Vivienne Westwood toe shoe Mary Janes, too: they are so cute!

Christina Aguilera’s Style: More Love for Plaid and Halloween Special

I’ve always loved Halloween, because it’s one of the most symbolical events of the year: it marks the passage from autumn to winter and it represents a moment where the suspension of disbelief is a must, and everybody can pretend to be someone else. Many of my favourite movies are set at Halloween (John Carpenter’s movie with the same title and Donnie Darko, for example), and this is another reason why I think it’s a magical night.

I’m Italian, so I live Halloween as an imported festivity. Nevertheless, I’ve been carving pumpkins for Halloween for ten years, one of the moments of the year I love most. My husband usually plants pumpkins in our vegetable garden, so there’s no need for us to buy them, but I’d love to visit a pumpkin patch. A celebrity who seems to share this love for Halloween and for carved pumpkins is Christina Aguilera, who always celebrates this festivity and goes to pick some pumpkins to carve. This year she went to Mr. Bones pumpkin patch with her husband Jordan, her mother Shelly and her adorable son Max. In this occasion, she showed once more her love for plaid shirts.

She wore a cotton brown and pale blue plaid shirt with grey jeans (with busted knees) and lace-up combat boots. Max is wearing a yellow and light blue plaid shirt too!

In this shot we can have a better view of the accessories she chose to complete the outfit: her trusty Alexander Wang Fanny Pack in denim leather and a pair of Prada sunglasses in Honey Brown.

I don’t own any bag by Alexander Wang, but I must admit his bag collections are very interesting. I like the materials he uses (leather that looks like denim, for example) and the simple shapes of the bags.

Isn’t this pic super-cute? I’m sure Max was going to fall asleep, because my daughter does this when she’s tired and wants to sleep. I love Christina’s bare face, blonder-than-blonde hair and red hot nails.

We all know her love for plaid shirts, but scouring archives of past images, I’ve found out that she really loves to wear them to go to the pumpkin patch. Last year she went to a pumpkin patch with a cute little Max (who was wearing a skull t-shirt), wearing another plaid shirt and light grey jeans.

She paired them to black flats, a knitted black cap, a grey bag and an Alexander McQueen black and white skull scarf (thus quoting Max’s t-shirt).

In that occasion, she wore a little make-up – just a pink lipstick and her trademark ruby nail polish.

Christina also loves Halloween, so here are the costumes she has recently worn. In 2009 Max and Christina sported matching skeleton costumes.

Christina also wore Lanvin patent flats, a bowler hat and a pirate patch on her eye. I really love the costumes, because they have a gothic – yet funny – vibe, but I prefer Christina without the eye patch. She was carrying an orange shopping bag with a ghost on it and an Elmo-shaped bucket for trick or treating.

Her trademark is not missing, but in this case it beautifully completes her outfit. Their costumes remind me of the skeleton costumes seen on the Kaiser Chiefs in their Everyday I Love You Less and Less video.

Last year she went treat-or-tricking with her cute family. They all dressed up as characters of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – she was Dorothy, Max was the Cowardly Lion and Jordan was the Scarecrow.

She also carried the ghost orange bag. I have a thing for red glittering shoes, so I really like the Mary-Janes she wore with white socks.

The year before, in 2007, she was still pregnant with Max, but this didn’t stop her from celebrating Halloween. She wore a Spider-Woman costume, with a long black dress (I think the rhinestone web on her belly is really creepy), a purple cape, fingerless gloves and a spider-shaped headpiece; she also carried a Yves Saint Laurent Mini Muse bag in black patent leather. I think this costume is so wrong for her and for the occasion: she looks trashy with all that make-up on and with that puffy hairstyle, and the dress is trashy as well.

On the other hand, in 2006 she sported one of the best Halloween costumes I’ve ever seen. She attended a party in New York, dressed up as the Corpse Bride (Jordan was the Corpse Bridegroom, of course). She took inspiration from the lovely movie by Tim Burton, and re-created the tattered, dusty and bloody wedding gown of the movie’s protagonist in real life. She wore a curly pink wig and a lace-trimmed veil, and carried a bunch of white flowers with red stains on them.

In 2005 she went to a pumpkin patch sporting a very casual – yet cute – outfit. She wore Juicy Couture velour pants, a plain white tee and a comfy Missoni striped cardigan. She also wore pink Havaianas flip-flops and a pink felt hat. She wore no make-up, but her nails and toe-nails were painted red.

For a pumpkin lover like me, the pic above is heaven!

In 2005 she dressed up as a sexy Eighteenth-century lady: she wore a strapless champagne lace corset, a tiered tulle skirt, thigh highs, a nice lace umbrella and a lace-trimmed handkerchief. She completed the quirky look with a curly white wig and Christian Louboutin Wallis patent Mary-Janes. This is not her best look, but it perfectly suits her.

I’ll update the post when I get pictures of Christina taking part in this year’s Halloween. In the meantime, are you planning anything special for the event? At the moment, both Bianca and me are sick (gastric flu), but I really hope we will recover in time to go out on Halloween’s afternoon. For the occasion, I have bought the skull mask of Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti, my favourite Italian group, whose members never show their face in front of the cameras. They say what Oscar Wilde said – “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth” – a motto I totally agree with.

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From the Valley to the Upper East Side: Lily Van Der Woodsen’s Style Cross-Over (3.06 – Enough About Eve + On the Set)

It’s quite a hectic period for me: I’m busy with my job, my daughter has caught the first gastric flu of the season (she attends the day nursery and you know how easily viruses spread among children) and I’m not feeling well neither, but I still cannot give up my weekly dose of Gossip Girl.  The sixth episode of the third season, Enough About Eve, is about the useless plots of Vanessa and Blair to have the coveted honour of delivering the freshman toast at the parents’ dinner at NYU.

Vanessa’s mother, Gabriella, appears for the first time. They go and pay a visit to Rufus and Lily, and this is where we first see Mrs Humphrey, in all her little-black-dress glory. Lily is the exact opposite of Gabriella, who doesn’t agree with Vanessa’s choice to attend a private university: Lily is blonde, Gabriella is dark, Lily is the epitome of Upper East Side understated style, while Gabriella loves ethnic jewellery and colourful clothes. Even if my style is more similar to Gabriella’s, I cannot help but gushing over Lily’s first outfit.

She’s wearing a sleeveless black dress, nothing special, but she makes it interesting with a gold chain bracelet and lovely flower-shaped earrings.

The scene takes place in the beautiful living room of Lily’s apartment. It’s funny to see Rufus and Gabriella sitting on the floor, but this makes us understand they’re long-time friends and that the atmosphere of the meeting is informal.

Lily’s second outfit can be seen at the parents’ dinner at NYU.

She wore an Alberta Ferretti purple satin dress, with long sleeves, a round neckline and some decorative stitchings on the sides. She accessorized the dress with gold filigree two-disc earrings, a gorgeous gold bangle by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany, a Judith Leiber crystal-studded clutch and Giuseppe Zanotti gold pumps.

This is an unusual dress for Lily, who doesn’t usually wear skin-tight clothes, but she looks lovely. I really like the bohemian touch of the filigree earrings.

The third – and unfortunately last – outfit sported by Lily in this episode is my favourite. She wore black jeans and a gorgeous red silk blouse, with ruffles on the shoulders. When I saw her multi-strand rhinestone necklace, I fell in awe [1], because it’s so beautiful.

Her hairstyle was quite the same during the whole episode – her trademark messy bun, simple and chic!

Kelly Rutherford does not shoot outdoor scenes very often, so it was a nice surprise to see some candids from the set on the streets of New York. You know I love her personal style and the style of the character she plays in Gossip Girl, but I was really speechless when I saw this outfit on her. Don’t you think it’s pure perfection? She reminds me of the cold and refined heroines of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies (Kim Novak in primis). This is a formal daily outfit, where everything perfectly matches.

She wore a pencil skirt (or maybe it’s a dress) and an amazing tweed jacket, pairing them to a dark green/brown scarf, brown leather opera gloves, Christian Louboutin New Simple pumps (the platform is made of wood) and a black frame bag.

The items I love most are the jacket and the gloves. I think tweed is one of the most timeless and elegant fabrics ever, and is the best choice for this jacket, short-sleeved and not fitted. The short sleeves allows us to admire the stunning brown long gloves. I’ve always had a thing for long gloves, because they’re symbols of a long-gone – but still fascinating – past, so I’ve really appreciated Daman’s choice to connect such evocative accessories to Lily.

Lily always wears at least one piece of jewellery, and in this case she wore small hoop earrings in gold and diamonds. Her hairstyle is a little bit messy as usual, and her trademark updo is not missing.

Now, before closing, just a thought about the frame bag she was carrying: the same style (in a different leather type and size) was seen on Serena/Blake Lively just a few days before. I’m quite surprised Lily didn’t carry one of her Hermès bags and that she traded her Kellys or Birkins for another bag. This is the Wallace frame bag in vacchetta leather by Kotur, a style introduced in the fall/winter 2007 collection and which is modeled after a classic handbag Fiona Kotur found in the Parisian vintage market of Clignancourt. It is carefully crafted with suede lining, interior zipper compartment, and it can be locked or double-locked with a hidden key. Even if Kelly Rutherford and her character always mean Hermès to me, I like this bag on Lily, because it matches her classic style so well.

The Wallace bag seen on Kelly is the medium size, while Serena is carrying the large size in goldleaf haircalf. I prefer the medium size over the large, and I like the goldleaf version better than the vacchetta leather one, because it’s much more interesting and original.

As for the episode, I didn’t like it very much, but it’s what I like calling bridge episode: the effects of what happened in Enough About Eve (especially between Blair and Chuck) will surely entertain us in the following weeks.

[1] I collect vintage rhinestone necklaces, so I’d really love to have such a piece in my collection.

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Yes, Anastasia

I love when I stumble across images or stories which can be connected to something else. When I first saw Moncler Gamme Rouge fall/winter 2009 collection, the name of Anastasija Nikolaevna Romanova, the mysterious and tragic story of her family, the end of the Romanov dynasty and Tori Amos’ Yes, Anastasia (from the album Under the Pink) all came to my mind.

You must admit the collection, designed by Giambattista Valli, are so peculiar and precious, so inspired to Russian culture and history (not only the names given to each style, but also the decorations, materials, colours), that it is impossible not to think of the sources he drew inspiration from. Though disappointed by his spring/summer 2010 collection (Prada-ish fringes and animalier prints??? He could have done more than this), I still believe Valli is one of the most interesting Italian designers of his generation, and the Gamme Rouge collections he has designed so far [1] widely demonstrate this.

One of the features of Gamme Rouge collections are the striking colours and materials used. I mean: all the collections are made of duvet jackets and coats, but the ways in which Valli turns these in works of art are simply stunning. I would never ever wear fur, but you must admit the touch of fur in the Ielena jacket is like the icing on the cake. The butter beige silk, the rhinestone decoration on the front and the cone shape of the jacket do the rest.

Should I ever go to a Snowflake Ball, I would surely wear this Lena vest. The silvery taupe colour of the satin is lovely and so is the tiered stole around the shoulders.

Is there anything more luxurious than a fur-lined silk sleeping bag? I don’t like going camping, but I would sleep anywhere, should I have something like Czarina in my luggage.

Most of the items in this collections have features in common, especially the egg shape and the wide collar. It’s funny to see how the model’s mouth is sometimes hidden under the collar of the coat she’s wearing. It’s the case of Anouska, a beautiful coat with ruffled sleeves and black bows accenting the waist-line. The collar of Nadja, a black fur jacket, is even wider.

Tasha and Sasha are dramatic styles, both made of black satin: the first is a long jacket with a gorgeous rhinestone decoration on the puller of the zip fastener, and the second is a sleeveless vest with an astrakhan fur insert on the front. These jackets are accessorized by gorgeous black opera gloves in crocodile-effect leather.

Tereza is based on the same shape of Anouska – here the bows accent the ruffled cuffs – and Svetlana first presents a theme that will be found in other coats – the egg shape, the shawl collar, the gathering at the central waist-line.  Doesn’t Svetlana looks extremely cozy and warm?

Tanya is one of the most classic pieces of the whole collection, because it reminds of traditional trench coats – see the collar and the belt – but padded. Tatyana, on the other hand, has the same collar as Lena, but the shape is different, balloon-like.

Polina and Helena perfectly conform with the rest of the collection, but with a twist: the silk of the first jacket is printed with a chinchilla-like effect [3], while the coated silk of the second has a singular brocade-scale effect. They are both lovely, but I prefer pieces made of simple silk.

Natalia is the mauve and long version of Sasha, while Oksana is the mauve version of Tatyana, with a simple collar.

Raissa is a very peculiar piece: the silk is printed to achieve a fur-like effect, but real fur is applied at the cuffs; the shape is kept simple, to emphasize the fur and the printed silk. Sophia’s collar is amazing, so similar to an embroidered pleated ribbon; I also love the pleats at the waist.

Olga takes the main features of Raissa but in a different order: here most of the jacket is made of fur, and only a small section of fur-like silk is visible. I don’t know why but there’s something in the juxtaposition of materials that doesn’t convince me much.

The shape of Kristina is reminiscent of the infamous Yves Saint Laurent Cocoon wedding dress, and the scale-like gold satin, with those black appliques as decorations, bring the Fabergé Imperial eggs to my mind.

Just a thought about the model’s hairstyle and make-up: I like the fact that she always poses in front of the same white wall, because this gives consistency to the lookbook, but I don’t like her crinkled and puffy hairstyle. I hate when she wears concealer on her lips, but I love the contrast between her fair skin and the red hot lipstick she has in some pictures.

The Russian Sasha Pivovarova is the protagonist of the collection’s campaign, shot by Steven Meisel. She poses in front of a grey wall, a neutral colour which strangely emphasizes the model and the jacket she’s wearing. In the first shot she wears Tamara, a champagne-coloured satin jacket with a double-headed eagle (symbol of the Romanovs) embroidery on the front.

In the second shot she wears Dasha, which has the same shape as Lena, but is made of chinchilla-effect printed silk.

In the third shot of the campaign, Sasha is wearing the Anouska coat, with the crocodile-effect long gloves and a gorgeous rhinestone bracelet. Sasha is very serene and beautiful in these pictures: her natural beauty is emphasized by a little make-up and a rhinestone tiara, put on her blonde hair, which looks even lighter, thanks to a bit of powdering.

My style is very casual, so you will never find pieces like these in my closet. This doesn’t mean I like most of the collection and I wouldn’t mind wearing Dasha or Tatyana, if I had the chance to. Which one is your favourite coat?

[1] The fall/winter 2008 collection was inspired to Versailles.

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From the Valley to the Upper East Side: Lily Van Der Woodsen’s Style Cross-Over (3.05 – Rufus Getting Married)

It’s true time flies when you’re a mother! Well, of course it flies even if you’re not a mother, but these last weeks have been passing so fast! With my job, my family, the chores and all the rest, I’ve just realized I haven’t written anything since my last post, which happened to be about Lily Van Der Woodsen’s style in Dan de Fleurette, the fourth episode of the third season of Gossip Girl. So here we go again with the same topic, in relation to Rufus Getting Married, which aired two days ago.

Let me say I absolutely loved this episode, because it’s all about Lily and Rufus, their past and present complicated relationship. I really like the way in which the plot develops, reaching its highest point at the end, with the real wedding at the Humpreys’ loft in Brooklyn.

Lily sports the first outfit [1] in two scenes, one set in her apartment, the other in a restaurant. She wears a lovely black silk blouse, with a blue rhinestone embroidery on one shoulder, a pair of trousers and her trademark statement jewellery.

The chandelier earrings are made of gold and green jade; the cocktail ring has a green stone as well.

The character of Lily is rarely shot in full figure [2], so it’s not easy to observe her outfits or her shoes. In this screencap we can see the blouse is quite loose, and the trousers she’s wearing are a bit flared. She carries one of her many Hermès bags, the Birkin bag (made of ostrich leather) in Tobacco.

She sports the second outfit in her apartment, while Serena, Blair, Jenny and the New Mean Girls are helping with the wedding preparations.  I love love love her green pussy bow shirt, which she pairs with black skinny pants. Her accessories here are just clip-on gold earrings.

I’ve always had a thing for pussy bow shirts, because they’re so romantic! I own three – one of red paisley silk, one of flower-printed chiffon and one in beige cotton – but I would like to add others. Too bad they’re not trendy, because it’s very difficult to find them in shops.

The third and last outfit seen on Lily is the infamous fuchsia satin dress she wears at her wedding at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. In the fiction of the tv show, this is a creation by Jenny (who actually sews it), but I still have to identify the designer. Lily is stunningly beautiful in this part of the episode: even if she’s not ready for the wedding, she literally glows. In this scene, shot indoor, all her wrinkles are visible, and I’m glad they are, because they make the character believable (thanks, Kelly, for having turned your back to Botox so far).

The lovely chandelier turquoise earrings she wears are by Siman Tu. Her make-up focuses on red shiny lips, while her updo is a bit messy but elegant.

Here is another rare full-figure shot. I really like the dress she’s wearing, because it’s not a conventional wedding dress (don’t forget this is not Lily’s first marriage, so a white dress would have been out of place) and because fuchsia compliments her fair hair and complexion. Being a romantic and nostalgic, I also like the tiered collar and the full skirt with pleats behind.

Now, before closing the post, a few thoughts about the real wedding, which takes place at the Humpreys. During the episode, while the girls are planning the wedding, Dorota – Blair’s maid – says the Sonic Youth cannot make it to the wedding because they’re stuck in the traffic. I swear: when I heard “Sonic Youth”, my heart leapt up. When I saw Kim Gordon celebrating the wedding, and all the band there, I couldn’t believe that was true. When I heard them playing Star Power, one of my favourite Sonic Youth tracks ever, I – metaphorically – died.

This is what I love about Lily’s character: her rock-chick background, her being so observant of social conventions and a rule-breaker at the same time. She’s an adult, a mother of three with lots of responsabilities, but she’s still the Lincoln Hawk groupie Rufus fell in love with in the Eighties. The guest appearance of the Sonic Youth [3] adds a unique touch of alternative culture and their choice to perform that song (which first appeared in the album Evol, published in 1986) is so right for the moment. I think this mix-matching of different worlds is very interesting: the Sonic Youth symbolize the post-punk New York scene in the 80s/90s, Gossip Girl shows part of New York’s contemporary society, so I guess they are different faces of the same coin.

[1] She sports the very first outfit (a simple beige robe) of the episode in the first scenes, when she walks across the sitting room of her apartment.

[2] The complete outfit can be seen here.

[3] This is not the first time Thurston Moore has contributed to the soundtrack of the show.

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From the Valley to the Upper East Side: Lily Van Der Woodsen’s Style Cross-Over (3.04 – Dan de Fleurette)

Last summer I spent my days hanging out with my family, going out with my daughter and making frequent trips to the nearest ice-cream parlour (hey, it was a hot and long summer indeed!). I didn’t watch tv much, but sometimes my mind went to the second season of Gossip Girl and to its lovely finale. I missed this show, and I was looking forward for it to start again in September. The third season premiered on September 14th [1], but I had to wait three weeks before having my favourite character back on track. Yes, Lily Van Der Woodsen was welcomed back by S and Rufus in Dan de Fleurette, and I hardly could hold my happiness. I mean: I like many characters of the series, but she’s the one I really relate to, because of her age and because she’s a mother.

The first scene in which Lily is shown is set in the beautiful sitting room of her Upper East Side apartment.

Lily enters the scene and immediately stops the show with her amazing outfit. She’s wearing skinny jeans, purple pumps, a black jacket and a nice metallic flowered top.

The jacket she’s wearing has a classic and tailored cut and it’s simply stunning, so fitted and elegant. It’s perfect if worn over a lamè colourful top. A staple in Lily’s style is the massive presence of jewellery, and in this episode Lily shows off some important pieces, like the gold and topaz earrings she wears in this scene, along with a big cocktail ring.

Speaking of Lily’s style, it is impossible not to mention her love for Hermès accessories. Kelly Rutherford, who plays the role, has such an obsession for the luxury goods of the Parisian house of fashion, that she uses pieces of her personal collection in the show. It’s the case of the beautiful Kelly bag in Parchemin, which it has been spotted many times on her in real life.

The second scene with Lily is set in a cinema, where the movie Fleur (starring the characters played by Hilary Duff and Tyra Banks) is premiering. Lily is the epitome of effortless elegance, wearing a nice little black dress with an interesting pleated neckline and stunning flower diamond earrings. Here her hairstyle is lovely, very different from what we have seen so far. In the first two seasons, her hair was always up in a bun, but now it looks like she’s experimenting with a bohemian style, which I love.

In the third – and last – scene, Lily confronts Serena, who is leaving her home. Lily is sipping her tea from a white cup, and is wearing a simple blue cyan dress, gathered on the neckline. I couldn’t find a good full figure picture, but she’s also wearing python pumps.

What has struck my attention are the magnificent turquoise earrings she’s wearing. They’re similar to the ones she will be wearing in the next episode, but I still haven’t found their designer. They could possibly be another Siman Tu piece or maybe an Asha by ADM creation. I really like her apparently messy hairstyle.

Did you like this episode? What do you think of Lily’s comeback? It will surely bring more drama to the show!

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[1] It’s a coincidence, but the new start for the Gossip Girl freshmen coincided with my new start at school, because here in Italy the first day of the school year was September 14th. I have always worked with fixed-term contracts, from September to June, and I’ve always changed my place of work; this means a new school and new students each and every year. For me every school year means starting over.

Christina Aguilera’s Style: Out in Hollywood, 26/09/09 – Out in Venice Beach, 02/10/09

As a Christina Aguilera fan, I couldn’t be happier to see her back to her social life. I think she’s decided to leave her semi-seclusion period, because she’ll soon start filming her debut movie, then she’ll hopefully promote her Light & Darkness album, so she’s preparing her comeback.

She was spotted on 26th September at the Roosevelt hotel in Hollywood. I love her outfit, because it’s simple but with a personal twist.

She was wearing a baggy white t-shirt with “Here We Go” scribbled on the front; she added black skinny pants, a grey blazer and some funky accessories.

Everybody knows Christina is a huge fan of Louboutin shoes (do you remember her stunning shoe closet?), so it’s no wonder she was wearing one of Louboutin’s latest styles. Candy pumps are so cute: the tip is studded and there are side lace inserts. Nicky Hilton is a fan of the same style, while Heidi Klum has recently been spotted with the flat version.

I’m not a matchy matchy person when it comes to nail polish, but I think the combo red lips and nails is absolutely gorgeous and elegant. I wish I knew which red lipstick Christina uses: it surely has orange undertones, so I could never wear it, but this is my make-up junkie self speaking.

I’ve always thought Lindsay Lohan is the biggest fan of Alexander Wang’s bags, but it looks like Christina could overcome her. Apart from the Donna hobo and the Brenda shoulder bag, she owns a Max Fanny Pack in washed leather with the look of denim. I’m sure this bag is really comfortable and roomy, with all those zipped pockets.

On 2nd October Christina and Jordan were spotted at Venice Beach, where they attended the Abbot Kinney Festival. She sported a boho-ish look in this occasion.

I must say I’m not a fan of sheer clothes, but Christina is definitely one, so she wore a sheer black off-shoulder tunic, with a blue bra underneath. She also wore Current/Elliott skinny jeans in Wishing Well Destroy, black studded boots, a white fedora hat and an interesting bag.

The boots she wore are very famous among celebrities (Mischa Barton, Blake Lively, Ashley Tisdale and Sienna Miller own one pair of these buckled studded boots, whether in leather or suede, flat or with heels). They are produced by Co-Op Barneys New York and are a modern version of the classic rock chick boots. Christina was wearin heeled boots in black suede.

When I first saw her bag, I focused on the detail of the chain strap, so characteristic of Givenchy bags. I checked Givenchy’s latest bag collection and I realized Christina was carrying the Ombre Shiny Textured messenger bag. I much prefer the version with the long tassel on one side because, being a proud Balenciaga bag owner, I like feeling some tassels hanging from my bag.

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