Monthly Archives: April 2011

The Royal Wedding Countdown – Cinderella/Kate Middleton’s Shoes

Text, Vivian Kelly

Well, here we are, hours away from the big day and we STILL don’t know what Kate, soon to be Princess Catherine, will be wearing on her nuptials at Westminster Abbey on April 29.

I’m tired of speculating on THE DRESS, and after watching a rerun of the Lady Di-Charles 1981 wedding on TV Sunday night, I’m pretty sure Kate didn’t tap David and Elizabeth Emanuel to design her gown. Lady Di looked gorgeous, but the giant cream puff gown is so alien to Kate’s streamlined look/aesthetic that I’m going with Sarah Burton at McQueen or a complete unknown. I hope Kate goes this route and flouts convention a bit, and jump-starts a career, as the late Carolyn Bessette did when she wore Narcisso Rodriguez for her wedding to John F Kennedy Jr. in 1996.

What I’m NOT tired of discussing are Kate’s accessories, namely her wedding ring and her shoes.

First, the ring. According to an article that ran today on bbc.co.uk,

“When Prince William places a Welsh gold wedding ring onto Kate Middleton’s finger, he’ll be replicating an 88-year-old tradition dating back to the marriage of his great-grandparents, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon and the future George Vi.”

Translation, the wedding ring will be a plain gold wedding band. When you’ve got a spectacular and elaborate engagement ring such as Kate’s, that’s really the best choice – go plain.

NOW, onto the shoes.

It’s been widely rumored that she’ll wear flats and if I had to walk four-minute walk up the aisle  functional and practical is a good idea.

Nothing worse to ruin your look that pain etched on your face because your feet hurt. The rumor – she commissioned four pairs of wedding shoes. According to an email I received 4/26, UK footwear designer Aruna Seth, is in the running. The Liana flats are dressy enough for the walk, the Bryony heels make for a dignified choice for the part of the wedding when she’s waving to the crowds gathered at Buckingham Palace, and the Farfalla butterfly heels are a great “let you hair down” choice for the post parties.

In the meantime, I’m going to copy another blogger, Drew Hassenstein‘s idea – to wake-up Friday morning and watch the Royal Wedding on TV, wearing a fancy hat, as if I were really there, in the pews, watching and committing every fashion detail to memory.

ETRO Bath and Body Products – the Little Luxuries that make all the difference

Text, Vivian Kelly

Upon arriving at the five star Grand Luxe in the Grand Mayan Luxury Compound, in Nuevo Vallarta, I was blown-away by the luxurious zen atmosphere. The decor reminds me of that of the Setai in South Beach, Florida.

Being a beauty junkie – you fellow B.J.’s out there will “get” this – I ran, not walked, to the huge bathroom to check-out the all-important toiletries.

ETRO – I was not disappointed. This in fact, exceeded my expectations.

The body wash was rich single malt scotch shade and the body lotion looked sheer laden. Little details such as this figure prominently into my inner luxury barometer of a hotel. An unnamed 5 star hotel/Inn in New England was a great disappointment as they offered only watery body lotion and bath wash that was the same stuff as at the Howard Johnson Express we stayed at after a Justin Timberlake concert. Yuk.

Even Etro’s sewing kit is stylish and includes some of the classic rich moroccan inspired shades for any unexpected repairs you may have to make to your Etro silk-nylon swim trunks. They’re so gorgeous that I borrow my husband’s on an embarrassingly frequent basis just to lounge and do some writing in.

Recently, I picked-up a silk Etro tee shirt which has helped to ease my itch for all things Etro, as have the bath gels. The bath products are just the tip of the iceberg though. The official Etro website has a wealth of wonderful home options to contemplate.

I sat in the oversize bamboo and marble bathroom struggling how to explain the ETRO aesthetic as concisely as possible. I shouldn’t have bothered, as the company website did an outstanding job of it on their home page. I combined that and my thoughts and came up with the following definition of ETRO STYLE.

def. ETRO:  is…synonymous with a lifestyle based on quality rendered in a  sophisticated yet eclectic and bohemian style. 

Where else do you see colors such as rust, mustard, fuchsia, lavender and paisley look so good together, as unlikely as that might seem?

After some browsing, I’ll agree that “Gimmo Etro’s innate passion for travel and history [has served] to become the leitmotif [for] all of the lines of this fashion maison.”

‘JWOWW’ aka Jenni Farley – Why DO We Celebrate Bad Behavior?

Text, Vivian Kelly

I know, “style” and The Jersey Shore in the same sentence? I’m kidding right?

Yes and no.

Style does NOT always mean “in good taste” like the ladies in Assouline’s STYLE series. While that’s what I love, maybe I’m in the minority. This possibility smacked me upside the head as I sat watching an episode of CSI:Miami on a plane bound to Puerto Vallarta last weekend. The suspects, obnoxious partying kids on a hit TV show, were obviously based on The Jersey Shore. It was so  thinly disguised, I wondered why they bothered to change the names of the kids and the show.

Anyhow, as I sat back and watched, I went from wondering for the umpteenth time, ‘WHY would the public make these kids stars and God forbid, make stars of them?’

The most horrifying moment in the CSI episode was not when we found-out that [I think it was [Sammi] – ‘JWOWW’ – was the guilty party. She had killed her female costar by driving a piece of ice she pulled from the crown of the Statue of Liberty ice sculpture into her eye in a fit of rage because the latter was leaving the show and “ruining everything”.

Horrible yes, but worse was her pathetic back-story, which she explained to ‘Lieutenant Horatio Caine/David Caruso.

She was not REALLY ‘Sammi’, she of the sleazy spray tan, 11 inch skirts, big hair, and endless hook-ups and one night stands. The real shocker was that she was actually a nerdy Med Student who was sick of being a dateless MIT brainiac whose phone never rang on a Saturday night. The kicker – she killed a cast member whose departure from the show would have “ruined her life”.

Grossed-out, I kept researching, at 5a.m. Puerto Vallarta Time.

REALITY TV star Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley has a murky past.

According to RadarOnline, the Jersey Shore babe’s ex-boyfriend required 37 stitches in his arm after she stabbed him!

“Jenni put a kitchen knife through my entire arm,” Tom Lippolis told Star magazine, which hits the stands nationally Friday. “I thought she was going to kill me.”

Woww.

Here’s my big question – When the action’s not scripted, ie: on the show, what is REALLY there?

Why do we watch “the kids”?


Isabella Rossellini, Save the Children and Bulgari

Text, Vivian Kelly

A few weeks ago, I was on my way to visit friend, Anthony Palermo, at the Anthony Leonard Salon on East 54th Street. I was late.

Once  I told him WHY, he understood, and we had “an Isabella moment”. That would be Isabella Rossellini.

Here is the photograph, attached, taken by Fabrizio Ferri, who often came into our offices at Mirabella Magazine while I was a lowly assistant there. And guess who Grace Mirabella wanted him to shoot, a lot?? Isabella.

This works because there is something noble about it, she reminds me – in this photo – a bit of the late great Audrey Hepburn as she appeared when she worked with Save the Children in her last years of life.

Isabella does not look made-up or artificial at all and that is supremely charming, and beautiful. Yes, as Anthony and I heatedly discussed, it DOES fly in the face of the prevailing standards of beauty. For my part, as a forty-something, I admire the lines in her neck, and the neat but plain hands. What stands out is her philanthropical nature – wearing the Bulgari/Save the Children ring, and an innate dignity that can’t be obtained with Botox, fillers, or knives.

Isabella, you’re beautiful!

Princess Fever – the Kate Middleton Fashion Aesthetic

Text, Vivian Kelly

I’ve been interested – no scratch that –  fascinated – with Princess to be, “Waity Katy” as the Royal Wedding approaches. It’s not the prospect of the wedding – I dislike the whole pomp and circumstance and unnecessary expense a “big wedding” entails [Just watch an episode of "Bridezilla"].

I missed the last “wedding of the century” – the Diana Spencer – Prince Charles one – on purpose. As an intern in a French Company in New York City, the VP gave me the option to watch the wedding, OR to get double my hourly pay to man the reception desk while the office took of to watch it on the President’s TV.

I took the money and read about it in The NY Post on the ride back to Greenwich that night, while sipping a glass of Chardonnay in the Metro North Bar Car.

Back to the present.

While I’m interested to see if Kate chooses a Brit designer [the politically correct move] and if she’s REALLY going to wear flats, what truly interests me about her is her every day style.

Here’s a young woman who can make classic clothing look fresh and updated. Perhaps she had a conversation with the fabulous Carine Roitfeld, Paris Vogue’s former Fashion Editor. Her aesthetic is just what Carine wrote in her fall/winter 2011 Collections Series 10 letter from the editor.

“Fall2011 is championing a move back to time-honored classics – those enduring pieces that confer both status and stature on the wearer.”

It’s not preppy dressing, ie: wild plaids and Lilly Pulitzer pink and green, Rather, it’s pearls, a perfect yet understated ring, well-groomed hands, shiny hair, minimal makeup, strong brows, and classical clothing silhouettes and classic shoes.

What’s great – these pieces will serve you for a long long time.

BELOW, TheFE’s riff on  KATE’S CLASSICS

Mine are budget-priced, but these are also available at nose bleed price points if you want to go bonkers. Hint: Marc Jacobs’ Louis Vuitton fall2011 collection is LOADED with the right clothes.

- The perfect patterned skirt – tiered floral print skirt,  White House Black Market ($98)

- A pointy-toed slingback - Contrast Ladylike Slingback, White House Black Market 
($98)  

- Form Fitting Blazer in a Neutral Color – WHBM’s  Layered Sateen Blazer ($148)    

- The perfectly understated strand of pearls – Carolee

- The unforgettable Sapphire and Diamond “Lady Di” ring. It’s Kate’s now, but in my head, it will always be “the Princess Diana ring”. Say that phrase, and everyone knows what you’re talking about, including your personal jeweler, if you want to have a version with real sapphires and diamonds made up.

The budget version from Sterlington Collections “Royal Heirloom Ring” looks so perfect, I’ve worn it out, just for fun. Vital Stats: oval cut faux Ceylon Sapphire, 5.65 carats, surrounded by 8 CZs totaling 3.60 T.W. carats, set in platinum plate.

This just covers Kate’s dressy DAY look. More to come soon, on her wedding gown and accessory choices.

*What jeans, tees and shoes do you think she wears on her time-off?

Drop me a comment and let me know!

Banged! Get some Bangs to Celebrate the spring 2011 Season

Text, Vivian Kelly

About a month ago, I hit the Javitz Convention Center to visit the VIP booth at the Vision Expo Show with the intention of discovering what was new in the sunglass world.

Beth Dempsey and her lovely team from Images and Details PR made sure I left with the 411 [pink and red frames], but I left with more than that.

I walked in slightly bored with my almost-bob and walked out excited about pinky-red lipstick and bangs. NO, not those [yawn] perfect long side swept ones all the TV hostesses wear on shows such as “Entertainment Tonight” etc. The bangs that makeup artist Jenni Shaw showed me were short, punky, and blunt. They were EDITORIAL, ie: exciting. SHE looked amazing in them as she did with her strong pink-red lip, but would I?

Being the fearless sort, Jenni cuts her own bangs – really – with a man’s electric trimmer. “Just swoop from left to right in one straight line, and that’s it, you’re done.”

It sounded so easy and I would have done it right then and there had she had the styling tool on hand. Instead, Jenni showed me how to create YOUR perfect red lipstick by custom mixing them yourself on a little dish. Use 2-3 colors until you’ve got the shade you’re looking for. Chances are, you’ve already got everything you need in your makeup bag. I did, in the big makeup artist case I store under my bathroom sink.

Red is one of those colors you’ll be wearing for spring and if you don’t want to commit to a shirt or dress, start small, with a pair of sunglasses and red lip. Drew Barrymore looks great in this look as does Kanye West’s front row friend at the fall2011 Jeremy Scott Show. The latter has bangs to complete the look.

Erin Simmons of the Shine-Aveda Salon cut mine that weekend. At least 4 people told me that “I looked French” in them – which I am.

After looking at a the images Sheila Arway of Kaplow PR sent me of this trend yesterday, in which star stylist, Kevin Mancuso, explains the trend, I’m ready for MORE. ”

BLUNT BANGS – 411

“To duplicate this look, go for brow-grazing bangs that are slightly tapered at the corners.  This way you can wear them down or sweep them to the side to quickly change up the style.
Celebrity hairstylist and Nexxus Creative Director Kevin Mancuso, who has worked with A-listers like Anne Hathaway, Abbie Cornish and Kristen Bell, offers his tips on how to style your bang look:

Says Mancuso, “Bangs are a great way to update your look without sacrificing length off your ends,” The addition of thick, blunt fringe immediately draws focus to your eyes and emphasizes your bone structure.”

Here’s Kevin’s short cut to making sure your bangs look perfect, each and every day.

STYLING THEM:

  • Pin bangs to the side and create a middle part.  Then use a large round brush to blow dry the rest of your hair.
  • Make sure bangs are still damp before styling.  If they have dried a bit, mist them with water prior to blow drying.  This will ensure there are no unwanted kinks in the bangs and also help set the style.
  • Curl bangs over the round brush and blow dry on low, bending ends slightly under for a flattering, face-framing shape.
  • Release the rest of hair from the hair tie.


THE TOOLS

Nexxus Thermal Volume Volumizing Heat Protection Mousse

Nexxus Comb Thru Natural Design and Finishing Mist

A Round Brush – I like Kent’s, available at MinNY


Here’s my GALLERY of fashion icons who showed us how to sport a bang.


I’m off to Walgreens to buy a pair of electric clippers and go just a little shorter….


Grooving on Graffiti: Crash Matos at Tumi

Text, Vivian Kelly



Some things in life grow on you. One of those things, for me, is graffiti. As a child growing up in the secluded enclave of Old Greenwich, CT, it was SCARY and EXCITING to ride into the City and to see the subway cars our Metro North train passed on 125th Street. They were completely covered in graffiti. The scary part was 125th Street, which equaled the wanton corruption I saw on films such as “The French Connection” and the Bond classic, “Live and Let Die”. Some of the best actors to hit the silver screen made appearances in these two period blockbusters: Gene Hackman, and Roger Moore and Jane Seymour.

James Bond, Starring Jane Seymour and Roger Moore

Graffiti was glamorous too and appealed to the rich trust funders who hung out with Andy Warhol and patronized Jean- Michel Basquiat. Uptown fashion designer, Douglas Hannant, even created an evening gown, years later. His fall 2010 collection could be called “the Basquiat Collection”. It was influenced by the artists’ work and was the designer’s  hommage to the early Eighties downtown scene and a long-ago unforgettable party he attended, according to a source. I don’t doubt it, having attended just such a party back then, with every other person in attendance boasting credentials such as “assistant to Patrick Demarchelier, a model who walked for Steven Sprouse”, etc. etc.

These days, graffiti is ubiquitous and can border on pretension. I ran into a reclusive graffiti artist, manning his booth on Union Square. He had some riveting designs, of an eye, hand-painted on “boy-beater” tees. He was uninterested in conversation until I handed over twenty-odd dollars for one of his designs. Even then, “no photographs”. My friend, uber-twitter-er, Lisa Johnson, drolly commented, “With that attitude, we’ll probably be seeing him at the next NYFW”.

Upon receiving her facebook message, I chuckled, half-soaked, while waiting for the X-Town bus on 14th Street and shot her a response back.

“YES, chances are good that we will be seeing this guy in September.”


Ready-Set-Packing for spring Break w/ Lacoste,Tumi, OPI and More

Text, Vivian Kelly

At last! The promise of spring break is around the corner – just one short week away. I’m packing for two trips – the first is for a week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the second, for a week in Rockmont, North Carolina.

On the surface, you’d probably think that the packing list for these two trips would be radically different. They are not.

The CORE of my must-haves remains the same.

CORE PIECES

Lacoste shirts - dark colors [black, navy, olive] and one true red

Lands’ End Duffle Bag – navy, with monogram

Tumi Limited Edition “Crash collection” iphone case and small hardcase with wheels

Minnetonka – classic suede mocs  - no beading

From THE HUNT: Prada – red floral silk and chiffon overlay skirt from Deja Vu. It’s vintage, but florals are back and so is this skirt I grabbed for $29

Radlee cotton Mummu from Another Man’s Treasure – $45, circa 1970??

Burberry leather thong sandals with espadrille bottoms from Bring N’ Buy, $70

Lady Gaga “Monster Ball” black tee and Japan Relief rubber bracelet

Of all of these, Lacoste has the most storied backstory, which I cover in my month’s post for Tobi.com

Most of the above items are affordable and easy to come by with the exception of the Prada, Mummu and Burberrys acquired on a few sessions of THE HUNT. That, though, is the beauty of THE HUNT - never knowing WHAT you’ll find and WHEN.

Some of the above are “investment pieces” and won’t come cheap, but you never know if Crash Matos will ever collaborate with Tumi again….

The packing’s not done though. Now it’s time for the best part, choosing which books, accessories and fun new beauty products to bring and share.

So far, I’ve got Assouline’s Hitchcock Style on order, snapped-up the last bottle of OPI’s Katy Perry black “Shatter” nail polish. Just added after a hop on Amazon, OPI’s Kate Perry Mini Nail Lacquer Polish Set.

The HUNT to fill in the gaps continues.

A Changing of the Guard – the New Ports1961, Still in Formation

Text, Vivian Kelly


I miss the old Ports1961. The Ports I’m referring to is the free wheeling upscale boho aesthetic former Ports designer, Tia Cibanni, channeled in her women’s collection and the engaging V.P of PR and Marketing, Tony Alcindor, got us editors to know and to love. The vibe was “gypset” ie: a well-travelled woman who needed beautiful clothes cut from interesting fabrics that she could wear in Milan, Paris, Miami, New York, or Tokyo. The Ports woman was a free spirited globe trotter and I identified with her and cherish my pointy silver and black silk lame jacket to this day.

Glenda Bailey, Harper’s Bazaar Editor in Chief liked it too. As a result, Ports consistently got a lot of play in one of fashion’s most important glossies.

Recently, there’s been a changing of the guard. Perhaps it’s due to the harsh economy, or just Management’s desire for change. In any case, there’s now a new head designer, Fiona Cibanni, Tia’s sister, a men’s collection, co-designed by Ian Hylton and Fiona, and a very different philosophy. The men’s, which showed in Milan, was  stream-lined, neutral, and expensive-looking in that wealthy Milanese gentleman-type way. Even if you’re a jeans and tee kind of guy, you’d enjoy looking pulled together like this when the occasion arose for “serious” dressing.

I learned a little more when I dropped into the Ports showroom downtown feeling energized and inspired after a tour of the Assouline offices and lunch in the cafeteria with Assouline‘s Mimi Crume, just a few yards away from the Ports showroom.

I dropped in and  Ports PR Manager, Samantha Frappied, filled me in and showed me some of the new designs.

Samantha described the new Ports as sleeker, more refined, and with more attention to fabrics. There was a stunning red day dress shot-through with silver threads. It was a shift – I breathed a sigh of relief. Ports would REALLY not be Ports without their shift dresses.

Change extended to the accessories. No more shoe and bag collaborations – Ports will be taking that in house going forward. No more big Tent shows, no more Lincoln Center. Indeed, the last show was moved from the previously scheduled big Tent to a much smaller  show with only 200 people on the list. Shades of the Tom Ford Women’s show…??

In the meantime, I take back my words to my friend, Mark Behnke of Fashion Tribes – this version of Ports IS different, but different can be as good or better. I’m looking forward to the cruise/resort collection to form a cohesive picture in my mind.

Making a SuperModel – Steven Meisel and Candice Swanepoel and Vogue Covergirls

  • Text, Vivian Kelly

What girl that gets into modeling doesn’t have the following dream?

The dream of fashion photographer/genie,  Steven Meisel “discovering” her and plucking her out of obscurity or from a [ugh] “commercial” career and waving his magic wand/lens and ‘”transforming” her into an editorial STAR.

Over the years, Steven has created Gueneviere Van Seenus, Stella Tennant, Agyness Deyn, Carolyn Murphy, Liya Kebede, Kristen McMenamy, Coco Rocha, and more.

To read more about Steven, Vogue published an excellent feature on this very reclusive fashion figure, in their May 2009 issue.

His most famous transformation/creations are “The Trinity” aka Linda [Evangelista], Christy [Turlington-Burns], and Naomi [Campbell].

The latest lucky girl on the list is South African model, Candice Swanepoel.

Who? Come again?

Before she caught Steven’s eye, Candice Swanepoel was a Victoria’s Secret Girl.

Candice is  5’9″ [short], size 4 [curvy] and 21 [older]. The descriptors in brackets are BY FASHION INDUSTRY STANDARDS.

To confess, I’d never heard of her until my friend Anthony Leonard, showed me a spread he’d done with Steven Meisel for the February 2011 issue of Vogue Italia. Anthony created the wigs that helped to transform Candice from just another  beautiful commercial girl to  an Italian Vogue cover girl and a girl worthy of 8+ pages with her name prominently displayed – something that is virtually unheard of for a mere model. Only a photographer with Steven’s clout can make such a thing possible.

I trolled the Internet looking for images of Steven’s new star. Other than this huge new editorial coming-out, it’s as if Candice hadn’t really existed before Steven plucked her out of  relative obscurity.It was a few weeks until I made it back to Anthony Leonard to continue the conversation with Anthony for  a brainstorming session at A-L where we discussed his recent Elizabeth Taylor homage in his monthly product post and revisited the Candice-Steven topic.

TheFE: Getting back to Candice, what’s the attraction?

Anthony Palermo: [shrugging] There’s something about her that Steven liked. She’s very confident on set. I like what he did with her. She as a different girl in each photograph. With the hair change for each, it was like what he did with Linda [Evangelista], but different.

TheFE: You mean she could be a new Linda? That’s so exciting!

Anthony: We ALL want a new Linda.

TheFE: She’s different though. Linda was harder.

Anthony: Yes, and the body. Linda never had a body like THAT. Candice’s nickname in the Industry is “the organ donor” [explains] – her proportions are so tiny as if she’s had all her organs taken out to make them possible – yet she’s still so curvy and sexy.

TheFE: She looks real, though, it’s all really her, no plastic.  There’s no doubt after looking at pictures of her.

Anthony: She’s sexy but there’s more. Her face intrigues me; it’s iconic, as if she’s already been around for a while, even though she hasn’t.

TheFE: That brings us to a bigger question. How about American Vogue? Can she get on it? Do you think we’ll see models on the cover again as we used to before celebrities took over?

Anthony: No. I was so upset when models lost the covers to celebrities but there recently seems to be a shift to pop stars. We had Lady Gaga in the March issue and Rihanna in April’s – brilliant covers and I am dying to know who gets the next one.

TheFE: These things go in threes. For it to be a REAL shift, there has to be a third.

Anthony: I’m predicting that Anna may be going with pop stars. The Teen Vogue Reader from five years ago is now twenty and will be reading Vogue.

She doesn’t want to read about Angelina Jolie and her ten kids or Jennifer Anniston or Penelope Cruz. She’s interested in Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga. Those girls are 23. The reader wants to know what makes them so special that they can fill stadiums, about what it is about THEM that makes them stars.

TheFE: You’re right and this makes total sense. WHO then? Who should be next?

Anthony: Taylor Swift. She’s tall, she’s beautiful, talented and has a huge following. If she were on the cover, young girls would get the Vogue app for their ipads not because they’re Vogue fans but because something about that pop star cover drew them in. It would be good for business.

Endnotes:

I always look forward to the mags hitting my mailbox, but now, after this conversation, more so than ever, and not just for the May issue to see if Anthony’s onto something, but for the next 6 months. Maybe there really IS a shift in the winds of fashion.

What do you think? Are movie actresses  going to be dethroned on the big fashion magazine covers by pop celebrities?