Runway Archives - Red Soled Momma

MOMMA KNOWS… spring 2015 fashion trends (europe has spoken)

Europe has spoken the sprint 2015 fashion trends are here – everything from sheer, cropped, cutout, menswear, embellishment and gladiator have emerged – and it’s all spectacular! All pics courtesy of style.com (l-r L Balenciaga, Givenchy, Celine & Balmain – photos by: Monica Feudi)

London, Milan and Paris runway has shown and the spring 2015 fashion trends have emerged and it looks like everything is going to be sexy, fun, futuristic and fabulous. As we saw in during the New York collections black and white dominated the runway but the european shows gave us a more glamorous edgier side to look forward to. Spring 2015 fashion trends seem to be a very slow shift from fall/winter as we still see plenty of traditionally cold weather fabrics and hues but with a bit more skin… The european collections have always been more directional, experimental and edgier – we don’t just see where fashion will be in the next 6 months but where it’s going well beyond that… Some things that come down the runway (which you can see more of on style.com may never see the light of Bergdorf Goodman’s racks but may just make it on to the red carpet and the pages of vogue. The Spring 2015 fashion trends we see on the runway today will certainly be moderated for public consumption, but it’s a beautiful thing to see where it starts… Fashion, after all, is an art and far more than the sum of the clothes on our back. Enjoy my preview of the spring 2015 fashion trends – it’ll give you some inspiration for what you can buy this fall that you will be able to keep wearing come spring!

Mad men – 60′s & 70′s eat your heart out! That’s right, everything from a bit of floral print hippie boho chic 60′s at Gucci, Chloe, Valentino and even Prada to a touch of 60′s mod at Versace and Balmain progressed into super hot 70′s studio 54 glamrock chick (or chic as the case may be) courtesy of Tom Ford and Saint Laurent. The 60′s and 70′s have long been 2 of my favorite fashion decades and now the merging of these retro stylings means we have a LOT to look forward to come spring. Kate Moss, eat your heart out – swinging london meets boho traveller has exploded on the runway (think Edie Sedwick and Bianca Jagger had a baby) aka fashion heaven. Micro mini shift dresses, grommets, caged silhouettes with peekaboo plastic, clashing floral prints under suede trench coats and those 3 70′s s’s (sequins, sheer and shine) are major and certain to set your fashion heartbeats racing!

Black, white and black & white… As I mentioned after New York collections – one of the big spring 2015 fashion trends is the colors black (on black), white (on white) and, of course, black on white. While you will find New Yorkers in black all year round it’s rare for it to be so dominant on the runway for Spring but here is it – black is the new black, white is the new white and it’s all about looking clean and crisp. I would talk about who featured this trend but it was so dominant there was hardly anyone who didn’t! So hold onto your black and your winter whites because they’ll take you through the next 12 months!

Pretty pastels – while black and white reigned supreme we did see a nice bit of pastel injections throughout the european collections. Pretty powdery hues of pinks, lavenders, blues and so forth peppered the runway bringing color to spring. Powerhouse designers such as Fendi, Balenciaga and Christian Dior made sure to include some sprinkles of these pastels to take us back to our warm happy place.

Leather and Suede – that’s right, another one of the unexpected spring 2015 fashion trends was the presence of leather and suede, a traditionally cold weather fabric made it’s way on multiple runways. For spring the leather seemed lighter in weight and was often laser cut to create a more interesting warm weather dimension. With design houses such as Versace, Fendi, Chloe, Chanel, Givenchy, Mcqueen, Chanel, Gucci & Prada it is impossible to ignore the fact that we will all be wearing leather still come Spring!

Coats (for spring?) Once again, it appears that designers aren’t quite ready to let go of Fall just yet because there were plenty of coats in the Spring/summer collections. Everything from trench coats to duster were heavily (pun intended) featured. Perhaps we’re looking forward to another very long winter and designers want to make sure they have plenty of layering options… Also, lets not forget that we tend to start to see the spring collections hit stores when snow is often still on the ground – so smart move! Versace, Gucci, Christian Dior, Chanel, Prada, Balenciaga, Celine and so many others made sure to include a spring coat for your layering “warm” weather pleasure.

Gladiator – that’s right, New York we saw utilitarian, military influences and while we still see a hint of that in the Mialn and Paris collections the gladiator clearly dominated. Givenchy, Valentino, Chloe and Alexander Mcqueen included a truly desirable gladiator influence from the amazing footwear (get me those shoes!!) to the more editorial headpieces at McQueen. From toga inspired (with a beautifully feminine 60′s touch) at Valentino and Chloe to proper foot soldiers ready to do some battle at Givenchy and McQueen I think the gladiator trend is going to have many layers of fabulous come spring!

Cropped and cutouts aren’t going anywhere! As we saw during New York collections (and for this Fall and last Spring) cropped tops and cutouts are here to stay (well, at least until fall 2015 then who knows). The midriff continues to reign supreme among the fashion elite so keep doing those crunches and put down the oreos (she says while tucking into her 3 package of pumpkin oreos). All you have to do is check out Versace, Fendi, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, Tom Ford, Celine and Balmain (to name a few) to know the cutout and cropped trend is alive and even dominant. Of course there is a new modern, even futuristic (whilst still referencing 60′s mod) take on cutouts which is interesting – everything from caged to laser cut to slashed – designers are certainly not resting on their laurels by coming up with new innovative takes on last season’s trend.

Sheer and Mesh – again, not a new trend but the take on is fresh and modern while still referencing that 60′s mod. Now you see it now you don’t is the name of the gam – it’s illusion its layered – the sheer and mesh spring 2015 fashion trends has more texture than ever before. Micro mesh to wide netting was layered over over and under garments giving new dimension to spring looks giving a sexy yet coy appeal. We saw mesh and sheer everywhere including at Versace, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Givenchy and Tom Ford to name a few – it was one part rock chick and one part modern muse but 100% fabulous.

Future perfect/Architectural – designers have been playing with structure, silhouette and the idea of what will the future hold since the days of Cristobel Balenciaga and Christian Dior – and here we are decades later still playing with these notions. Of course, textiles have come such a long way that it’s completely awe inspiring to see how this futuristic, architectural trend continues to emerge. Structure is supreme and silhouettes exaggerated to create surprisingly desirable garments that will make phenomenal editorial images but can still be wearable (once the volume has been condensed) for the marketplace. This futuristic /architectural trend wowed fashionistas at Balenciaga, Dior, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and Balmain’s runway shows just to name a few.

Embellished – while there were a lot of austere minimal moments for spring there were also a lot of over the top details. Embellishment may not have dominated but it was certainly widely featured and put some flash into fashion. Everything from feathers and appliqué to sequins and beading made pieces that much richer. Exquisite details at Fendi, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Celine, Chloe, Givenchy, Balenciaga and Tom Ford gave an extra luxe touch to the collections.

Menswear vs Ladylike – everything from pretty polished to slouchy cigarette pants and blazers or vest came together on the runway. The play on masculine and feminine reigned supreme and it was all about tailoring. The ladylike pieces were all about fit, flare and femininity while the menswear inspired pieces were all about exquisite tailoring and a long and lean silhouette. Every designer was loving on this masculine/feminine play – but some of my favorites were: Tom Ford, Chanel, Celine, Balmain, Fendi and Dior.

Sporty spice – another trend that’s not going anywhere is the play on sportswear. Techno fabrics and sporty styling giveaway to an athletic aesthetic which plenty of designers are still including in their collections. Balenciaga, Fendi and Versace all included nods to the sporty trend. Perhaps it’s the masculine/feminine, sheer/mesh and cropped/cutout trends that naturally lend themselves to a more sporty look but whatever it is – it’s working out (ha ha pun intended). Whether you prefer a more feminine tennis inspired little dress or a more literal cropped top and shorts look these style will certainly inspire you to get to the gym (while looking fabulous en route).

And of course we still saw quite a bit of red, mixed media, florals and clashing prints – so hold on to your fall wardrobe because spring 2015 fashion trends aren’t such a huge deviation – it’s all about mixing, matching and celebrating the trends that resonate with you and your personal style! Street fashion is so huge and such an inspiration for today’s designers because the modern approach to style is all about what real people are really wearing – how we’re putting our looks together. We are the modern muse – so when these trends hit the store always make sure to shop for your own aesthetic – what you are most connected with – this is what modern style is all about.

Versace spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Yannis Vlamos for style.com)

Fendi spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Yannis Vlamos for style.com)

Gucci spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Marcus Tondo for style.com)

Dolce & Gabbana spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Yannis Vlamos for style.com)

Balenciaga spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Monica Feudi for style.com)

Tom Ford spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Gianni Pucci for style.com)

Prada spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Monica Feudi for style.com)

Balmain spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Monica Feudi for style.com)

Christian Dior spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Yannis Vlamos for style.com)

Celine spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Monica Feudi for style.com)

Chloe spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Marcus Tondo for style.com)

Givenchy spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Monica Feudi for style.com)

Chanel spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Marcus Tondo for style.com)

Valentino spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Marcus Tondo for style.com)

Alexander McQueen spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Marcus Tondo for style.com)

Saint Laurent spring 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Gianni Pucci for style.com)

MOMMA KNOWS… 2015 spring fashion trends are coming

That’s right, NY shows were last week and London shows are happening right now so 2015 spring fashion trends are beginning to emerge and I’m going to share my favorites! Remember that runway shows aren’t always literal – you may never see these items in stores but you can see some of these looks on the red carpet, in magazines and they are directional in terms of what will be hitting stores in the next 6 months! You can check out my favorite go-to fashion resource: style.com for all the latest shows, reviews and street fashion that will certainly inspire you and tickle your fashion fancy!

Some of the major 2015 spring fashion trends I’ve seen thus far (and remember, until we’ve seen Milan and Paris there are still many more to come) are truly transitional from fall. There is lots of black on the runway and even some leather and tartan – which for spring is significant and for us it means getting more wear from our fall wardrobe. Everyone from Vera Wang to Proenza, Narciso, Versus, Michael Kors and the list goes on featured black, white and the pair of them, meaning black is back (if it ever left). While there is lots of black, red and white (white is generally pretty huge for spring) there is a new color in town and that is yellow! Lots of designers from Carolina Herrera to Michael Kors featured pops of it in their collections!

More 2015 spring fashion trends include a techy feel – mixed media clothing and futuristic fabrications from patent to metal and mesh. Mixed media is nothing new but it s louder, prouder and more apparent than ever for Spring/Summer. Tech is reaching new fashionable heights with unique, interesting and embellished interpretations – even the most simple designs are fare more complex than meets the eye. These unique textiles and combinations could be seen everywhere from the ultra adorned Prabal Gurung collection to the red carpet ready J Mendel dresses and even to the minimalist stylings of Calvin Klein.

Floral as a spring/summer trend doesn’t seem particularly new, but the interpretation is. Michael Kors showed floral appliqué voluminous skirts while Carolina Herrera used unique prints that seemed almost digital and in several pieces like shattered porcelain. These new ways ways of translating floral was fresh, unique and incredible special and desirable!

Another 2015 spring fashion trend was menswear. Menswear could be seen in the super sexy (these ain’t your boyfriend’s shirts) Versus collection and then oversized yet achingly chic (perhaps these are your boyfriend’s shirts) for Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren. With the menswear trend it truly is all about how it’s tailored and styled – the perfect amounts of undone buttons, is the sleeve super long or is perfectly rolled. Are trousers long and lean or cropped and wide? These are the styling decisions you’ll have to make – there is plenty of ways to interpret the trend but balancing it with femininity (whether super sexy or fit and flared with a voluminous skirt) seems to be what’s particularly new with this trend.

Finally, one of the biggest new 2015 spring fashion trends was a utilitarian edge. Whether you call it military, safari or glamping – shades of khaki and cargo pockets were dominating the runway for both Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren. Make no mistake, while these designs were clearly referencing utilitarian/uniform fashion they were anything but basic – from rich fabrications to the most intricate luxe details – these looks were haute haute haute.

Oh, and for those wondering – trends that aren’t going anywhere include: cut outs, cropped tops, fringe, sportswear and sheer. Spring/summer fashion for 2015 looks like it’s going to be a glamorous, super sexy (with a twist) kind of season.

Michael Kors s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Yannis Vlamos for style.com)

Calivin Klein s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Kim Weston Arnold for style.com)

Vera Wang s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Fabio Iona for style.com)

Proenza Schouler s/s 2015 - 2015 spring fashion trends

Proenza Schouler s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Monica Feudi for style.com)

Carolina Herrera s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Kim Weston Arnold for style.com)

Prabal Gurung s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Kim Weston Arnold for style.com)

Ralph Lauren s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Fabio Iona for style.com)

Marc Jacobs s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Gianni Pucci for style.com)

Narciso Rodrigues s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Kim Weston Arnold for style.com)

Oscar de la Renta s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Fabio Iona for style.com)

Versus s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Fabio Iona for style.com)

J Mendel s/s 2015 - 2015 spring fashion trends

J Mendel s/s 2015 – click for more from the collection! (photo’s by Monica Feudi for style.com)

MOMMA KNOWS… the new spring makeup trends

The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen playing with my makeup… time to get some replacement makeup in time for spring 2014!

As the fall collections for 2014 are in full swing I’m looking back at what happened in the spring collections that we need to start thinking about now. I’m talking about the hot new spring makeup trends we can look forward to and start thinking about. The major happenings for beauty that we can look forward to is clean, barely there makeup for the skin with pops of color on the lips and eyes (not at the same time). The idea for spring makeup trends is fresh faced with pops of bright to move past the vicious winter. For those who are a bit more weary of color, shades of shimmery gold stunned on the catwalk and can give you and overall ethereal, fresh faced look with a bit of sparkle… Of course, nails are still fun and fearless, albeit it slightly more subdued than they have been. Beauty (makeup) is always the fastest, easiest and least expensive way to look amazing while keeping up with the latest style. Obviously, we can’t take everything that comes down the runway seriously (or else we might end up looking like we’re early for halloween) but there are plenty of beautiful looks that are sure to be capturing our attention at every beauty counter or drugstore makeup aisle right now. Check out some of my favorite new spring makeup trends that I’m ready to try now!

SKIN: Skin was all about keeping it au natural. Clean, beautiful, healthy looking skin where moisturizer was more apparent than foundation. For those of us who feel we need a bit more coverage go for a tinted moisturizer and invest in a great concealer… Also, go for more neutral tones of blush which can give you a bit of contour without adding too much color. Let your natural beauty shine through and get the best out of your skin for spring!

Clean skin – the runway beauty inspiration:

Clean skin with barely there makeup at Balmain (click the pic to see more beauty from the Balmain show on style.com photo by: Sonny Vandevelde)

get the look:

Mac mineralized moisture gel $39

Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer $43

Cle de Peau concealer $70 (the BEST concealer)

Nars illuminator in copacabana $30

Revlon photo ready skinlights face illuminator $10.99 (either in your skin color or in bronze to add more color/dimension to cheeks)

Boots No 7 lift & luminate day cream $16.99

Sonia Kashuk hidden agenda concealer palette $10.49

Boots No 7 sheer tinted moisturizer $10.19

LIPS: The hot new colors for lips this spring include shades of orange and shades of purple. This may sound a bit wild but its actually so beautiful and poppy – think fun and feminine! Of course, on the runway anything goes and sometimes the pigment may be richer than what we wear in our daily lives but consider these more lavender and tangerine tones for day (perhaps in a gloss) and then go for something bold and vibrant for a night out. Personally, I never like a lip and eye to both be bold at the same time so, when going for a pop of color on the lip stick with neutral tones on the eye lids and mascara (according to taste – I love lashes). The look will be fresh, vibrant but not overdone.

Shades of purple lips – the runway beauty inspiration:

shades of purple lips at shows like Prabal Gurung (see more beauty from Prabal by clicking picture to take you to style.com photos by Ivan Lattuada)

Get the look:

Bite Beauty lip pencil in Violet $24

stila color balm lipstick in pink violet

stila color balm lipstick in Gemma – pink violet $22

Yves Saint Laurent lip gloss in Vibrant Violet $35

L’Oreal lip lacquer in stubborn plum $4.98

Maybelline color sensationals in brazen berry $5.59

sephora collection glossy gloss lipgloss in candy rinnon - sheer purple:pink

Sephora Collection lipgloss – candy ribbon sheer purple/pink $5

The orange lip runway beauty inspiration:

Orang lips at Rag & Bone (click to see more beauty from the Rag & Bone show on style.com – photos by: Ivan Lattuada)

Get the look:

Nars lip pencil in Timanfaya $25

MAC lipstick in morange $16

Yves Saint Laurent lip gloss in “8 orange de chine” $35

revlon colorburst matter balm in mischievous $6.49

maybelline colorsensational lipstick in electric orange $7.49

EYES: A huge spring makeup trend was a wash of color on the eyes. There was plenty of blue but also various shades of pastel from greens to pinks and lavender. Don’t be afraid – people get so wrapped up in the fear that blue eye shade = 80′s tragedy – this is not the case – its modern, fresh, lightweight and beautiful. You can do any shade that you gravitate towards but traditionally shades of blue and green looks great on those eye colors and shades of purple and lavender look stunning with brown eyes – but don’t be afraid to experiment – one great way to do this is to buy a color palette with various colors and try them! The color wash means a full sweep across the lid, even accented a bit under the lash line…. And for those who aren’t ready to make the plunge – there were also great colorful looks with a simple eyeliner…

Color wash on the eyes, runway beauty inspiration:

Blue color wash on the eyes at Marc by Marc Jacobs (to see more beauty from the collection click the pic to take you to style.com photo by Ivan Lattuda)

Green color wash on the eyes at Giorgio Armani (for more beauty from the collection click the pic to take you to style.com photo by: Sonny Vandevelde)

Pink color wash on the eye at Burberry (to see more beauty from the collection click the pic to take you to style.com photo by Ivan Lattuda)

Get the look:

Nars duo eyeshadow in “Marie Galante” $34

L’Oreal infallible eye shadow in “burst into bloom” $6.99

Shiseido eye shadow in “BL714 fresco” $25

Maybelline eyestudio color pearls in downtown denim $2.98

Bobbi Brown eyeshadow stick in iced blue $28

shiseido shimmering cream eye color in peacock blue $25

sephora collection duo eyeshadow in “02 intense blue” $5

Lancome 5 color palette in lavender grace $50

Revlon custom eyes eyeshadow palette $3.99

Marc Jacobs eye shadow in “the punk #104″ $42

maybelline expert wear eyeshadow quad in Lavender Smokes $4.99

Nars eyeshadow trio in high society $45

Benefit eyeshadow in pinky swear $20

Clinique chunky stick shadow in pink and plenty $17

Neutrogena eye shadow in pink $7.99

Burberry eyeshadow in “No. 11 tea rose” $29

Cover Girl eyeshadow in “fired up pink” $3.94

MAC mineralize eyeshadow duo in “joy and laughter” $21

Sephora eyeshadow in “No. 42 strawberry macaroon” $13

Nars soft touch shadow pencil in parrot green $25

Covergirl eyeshadow pencil in lime green flame $5.69

Sephora + Pantone Universe shadow in emerald $10

Stilla eyeshadow in cha cha $18

Makeup Forever starpowder in “celadon 910″ $20

Maybelline pure pigment powder in “jade forrest” $5.99

Sonia Kashuk instructional eye palette $19.99

Eyeliner runway inspiration (of course most people will translate the colored liner to sit on the top lashes but its a nice alternative to black from spring!)

Colorful liner at Marc Jacobs (for more beauty looks from the show click on the picture to take you to style.com photo by: Ivan Lattuada)

Get the look:

Nars eyeliner in khao san road $24

Make Up Forever eyeliner in “turquoise 7L” $19

Lancome artliner in amethyst, navy or classic black $30.50

Revlon eyeliner in navy $4.99

Stila Liquid liner in emerald $20

Cover Girl eyeliner in “jade 310″ $4.99

MAC technakohl liner in purple dash $16

Sephora Collection eyeliner in “05 mystic purple” $10

NAILS: Manicures have been getting crazier and more fabulous every season with celeb manicurists having to one up themselves constantly for the mani-cam. Fun nail colors can be the easiest and longest lasting way to look stylish! Colors for spring are various pastel shades from sea greens to apricots to periwinkle and various fun shades of navy, purple and chocolate. You can keep it simple with just a fun pop of color or get a bit crazy with a minimalist accent (a bow on your cuticle, an ironic french manicure, an upside down french manicure or perhaps even a monogram…). There are plenty of great options for the nail enthusiasts who want to make a subtle statement or get a bit more wild.

The new manicure runway beauty inspiration:

new nails at Ruffian – still fun but a bit more minimalist than we’ve seen (click the pic for more beauty from the Ruffian collection on style.com photo by Ivan Lattuda)

Get the look:

Marc Jacobs nail polish in magenta violet $18

Dolce & Gabbana nail polish in blue grey $25

Essie nail polish in “play date” $8.50

Deborah Lippmann polish in “tiptoe through the tulips” $18

Sephora Collection nail polish in “67 green tea time” $5

Essie nail polish in little brown dress $8.50

Essie “resort fling” four pack $17

Maybelline nail polish in iced queen $4.19

Butter London nail polish in Fiver $15

Nars nail polish in “wind dancer” $19

formula x transformers topcoat in hyperactive $12.50

and for something completely different:

The New Black ombre polish set $22 (ombre polish gives you a different color for each finger that progresses in color)

Sally Hanson french tips in gold cabaret $5.98

Ciate cuticle tattoos $12

Nails Inc. monogram manicure $25

ALL OVER BEAUTY: The gold rush – its all about shimmer and shine and shades of gold. It gives a freshness and polish to any look – it feels safer than color but gives you a very modern glow. I personally love a touch of golden shimmer on the inside corners of the eyes as well as some shine from a highlighter on the brown bone and cheek bone… But, you can use the gold shimmer on eyes, cheeks, lips and even nails – check out some great options to give you that extra sparkle!

Golden girl beauty runway inspiration:

Golden shimmer at Dolce & Gabbana (to see more beauty from the collection click the pic to go to style.com)

Get the look:

Dolce & Gabbana duo eyeshadow in “gold 130″ $43

Sonia Kashuk eyeshadow in “bronzed beauty’ $13.69

Lancome eyeshadow in “101 eternal gold” $25

Sephora Collection eyeshadow in “No. 76 sunset at the beach” $13

MAC eyeshadow in gilt by association $21

Revlon creme eye shadow in precious medals $4.99

Laura Mercier eye color in sand blast $26

Covergirl eyeliner in truffle 305 $5.99

Yves Saint Laurent lip gloss in gold $32

Burt’s Bees lip gloss in autumn haze $8.99

Stila liquid luminizer $20

Covergirl trumagic luminizer $9.59

Benefit Watt’s Up highlighter $30

Sonia Kashuk highlighter stick in sparkling sand $10.99

Dolce & Gabbana nail polish in gold $24

Essie nail polish in good as gold $8.50

Sephora and Pantone Universe nail polish $5

RUNWAY REPORT – runway to red carpet predictions from NY fashion week

Its that time of year again – awards show and fashion shows – and believe me, the two go very much hand in hand. New York’s Autumn Winter collections have just finished so I wanted to do a post on all me runway to red carpet predictions for the upcoming Oscars. This runway report has nothing to do about the practical trends we will be wearing come fall – this is all about the hollywood glamour we can keep an eye out for when the Academy Awards happen in the beginning of March. I am going to help you be in the know so you can keep up with all the E! reporters on the red carpet. The major trends are much the same as we’ve been seeing: black, white, black and white, red, metallics, embellishment, sheer, prints and lots and lots of leg! That’s right, shoes will once again get their chance to shine on the red carpet with more hi-low hemlines and thigh high slits that keep on going… You may even notice a nod to 80′s over the top glam as well as 90′s subdued minimalism. Glamour is everywhere and figuring out what you want to see your favorite Oscar contender to be wearing can be great fun – so check out some of my favorite gowns from NY fashion week and make your runway to red carpet predictions! My one to watch is Lupita Nyong’o who can do no wrong when it comes to here red carpet decisions – will she wear Ralph Lauren again, go for a pop of bright color or do something completely unexpected? Seeing runway translate to the red carpet is one of my favorite things – so check out some of the fabulous frocks that designer are creating that are making celebrities and their stylist vie for! PS – if you click any of the pics it’ll take you to that designer’s Autumn/Winter ’14 collection on style.com (my favorite site) so you can see all the latest designs for yourself!

Ralph Lauren A/W 2014 top oscar gown contenders

Oscar de la Renta A/W ’14 top oscar gown contenders

Marchesa AW ’14 top oscar gown contenders

Carolina Herrera A/W ’14 oscar gown contenders

J. Mendel A/W ’14 oscar gown contenders

Donna Karan A/W ’14 Oscar gown contenders

Monique LHuillier A/W ’14 oscar gown contenders

Zac Posen A/W ’14 oscar gown contenders

runway to red carpet oscar dress predictions

Kaufmanfranco A/W ’14 oscar gown predictions

Prabal Gurung runway to red carpet oscar gowns

Prabal Gurung A/W ’14 oscar gown contenders

RED CARPET REPORT – Grammy fashion

So the Grammy Awards were last night, when we get to watch the music industry’s best, brightest and greatest legends come together for a night of amazing performances and often times crazy Grammy fashion. Musicians are not like other celebrities – they don’t have to fear the worst dressed list because the same rules don’t apply to them. If Lady Gaga wants to come dressed as a purple duck we can call it performance art and a great Grammy moment because these artists are just that… artists. How they dress can be entirely who they are for that moment, that performance, that red carpet. Madonna has long been the queen of reinvention and Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Nikki Minaj, Miley Cyrus and Rihanna all follow that line of fashion risk taking. They are often caricatures of themselves and they’re having fun and giving us something to talk about… Last night we didn’t get Lady Gaga, but we did get Madonna in Ralph Lauren’s menswear inspired runway look, Katy Perry in Valentino Couture look #1 fresh off the Paris runway and Beyonce bringing it as always in an incredibly sexy Michael Costello gown. Check out some of my favorite Grammy fashion wild style from the evening…

left to right: Beyonce in Michael Costello, Madonna in Ralph Lauren and Katy Perry in Valentino Haute Couture

Of course, now we need to talk about some of my Grammy fashion favorites that stood head and shoulders above the rest for their sexy, sleek glam. All that glitters was a huge trend last night and the ladies that took gold for me were Taylor, Chrissy and Ciara. Taylor Swift looked better than ever (and too the Grammy fashion gold for me last night) in glimmering Gucci Premiere, Chrissy Teigen was legendary in Johanna Johnson and Ciara… Well, a very pregnant Ciara glowed for expectant momma’s everywhere in Emilio Pucci showing us how maternity red carpet should be done! Check out these gorgeous golden glamazons…

left to right: Ciara in Emilio Pucci, Taylor Swift in Gucci Premiere and Chrissy Teigen in Johanna Johnson

Finally, there had to be the sexy ladies of the Grammy’s – those ladies that took the plunge. Streamline, body skimming gowns with necklines so low one could only imagine the amount of double sided tape being used to prevent any potential wardrobe malfunctions. My other favorite of the evening was the amazing Miranda Lambert in a gorgeous Pamella Roland gown in the hot color of the awards season – red. Miranda brought exactly the right balance of sexy, chic glam (and I’m not just saying that because my bestie, and Max’s God Mom, Tiffany Gifford is her stylist). Other ladies that took the sexy Grammy fashion plunge were presenter Anna Kendrick in Azzaro and Alicia Keys looking beautiful in blue Armani Prive. The ladies (and their ladies) looked incredible, and fortunately there were no Grammy Fashion violations (aka nip slips) despite the down to their necklines. Check out some of last nights sexiest looks…

left to right: Miranda Lambert in Pamella Roland, Anna Kendrick in Azzaro and Alicia Keys in Armani Prive.

RUNWAY REPORT… Couture fashion for the red carpet

Couture Fashion week is happening in Paris at the moment and for those of you who don’t work in fashion – this is when designers show off their ultimate most innovative, expensive and beautiful designs. For those of us who work in fashion – couture is what makes our hearts beat faster and truly is art. These dresses will not see the racks of Saks or Nordstroms – these are usually one offs many costing in the six figures – they are hand made from the most exquisite fabrics by the most talented design teams. Where you WILL see them is on the red carpet. And with awards season upon us, keep an eye out for some of these amazing designs. Couture fashion week happens just at the right time for these gowns to potentially make appearances on the biggest stars in the world. With the Grammys coming up on Sunday stylists and designers will be desperately trying to get these dresses to LA from Paris for their red carpet debut. Some of the wilder more daring (super sheer and sexy) designs will probably be the hot ticket dresses for Sunday, while the more conservative but equally stunning gowns are probably being fought over right now for the Academy Awards. I have put together some select favorites from a few of the couture fashion show so that you too can be in the know and keep an eye out to see which of your favorite celebrities will be wearing what… There were blacks, whites, nudes, pastels, reds, metallics and so much adornment you would think Liberace himself had a hand in these designs. No expense has been spared and no detail overlooked. Here are some of the most exquisite gowns from couture fashion week – who do you think should wear these looks on the red carpet? (PS – click on any of these pics to see the whole collection)

Chanel Spring Couture 2014

Elie Saab Spring Couture 2014 (there were soooooo many beautiful dresses – impossible to narrow down – see for yourself by clicking on the picture)

Atelier Versace Spring Couture 2014

Christian Dior Spring Couture 2014 (PS – Jennifer Lawrence is the face of Dior so her Oscar gown and recent Golden Globes gown were both Dior – she will most likely be wearing Dior for the upcoming Oscars)

Giambattista Valli Spring Couture 2014

Armani Prive Spring Couture 2014

Zuhair Murad Spring Couture 2014 ( a favorite amongst celebs like Jennifer Lopez – some of these incredibly sexy and revealing gowns may make an appearance on Sunday if they make the flight in time! Hope there’s plenty of double sided tape to prevent wardrobe malfunctions – a big Grammy no-no!)

Valention Spring Couture 2014 (could someone wear the operatic music score number he opened with for the Grammys?)

GOLDEN GLOBES RED CARPET STYLE REPORT

Last night was the Golden Globes and all the stars were out in their black tie best to celebrate the occasion. I think its fair to say that the evening was full of plenty of glam! I of course wanted to do a Golden Globes red carpet style report to discuss the trends and best dressed of the evening. My best dressed of the evening was new comer and instant style icon, Lupita Nyongo’o in a stunning red Ralph Lauren caped gown. Which brings me to my first big trend – the color red. Various shades orangey undertones to deep red with blue undertones – these ladies put the red in red carpet!

left to right: Lupita Nyong’o in Ralph Lauren, Amy Adams in Valentino Couture, Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Narciso Rodriguez and Emma Watson in Dior Couture

I would like to do an extra shout out to Emma Watson for her fashion risk of wearing a look that was dress in the front but layered over trousers and open in the back – it was daring, yes, but modern and completely age appropriate – she was absolutely one of my favorites!

Another huge (unsurprising) his of the evening was black. No ordinary black, there was lace, tulle, beading, embellishment, gold accents and plenty of curvy silhouettes. These were not your safe little black dresses – these were statement dresses (hello Sofia Vergara and Cate Blanchett – 2 more favorites). These ladies put the black in black tie fabulous!

left to right: Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive, Sofia Vergara in Zac Posen, Emma Roberts in Lanvin and Juliana Margulies in Andrew Gn

Another white hot trend was shades of light (as I call it). The golden globes red carpet style could be seen from the moon it was emitting so much light. There was white, cream, pale golds, nudes and silvers – whatever creative name you want to put on it – these gowns were glorious, ethereal and glowing. 2 of my favorites Naomi Watts (in Tom Ford) and new comer Margot Robbie (in Gucci) absolutely killed it in their body skimming light gowns. Once again, there was nothing basic about these shades of light – there was lace, organza, beading and all the adornment you could expect from the biggest stars on one of the most prestigious red carpets…

left to right: Naomi Watts in Tom Ford, Margot Robbie in Gucci, Emilia Clarke in Proenza Schouler and red carpet darling, Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Couture

While we’re talking about color, I need to talk about the color green – it wasn’t everywhere but it was pretty and present and in various hues and silhouettes. I say silhouette because green was the color that two of my favorite expectant (and incredibly glamorous) ladies chose to style their bumps. I am talking about Kerry Washington in the palest green Balenciaga and one of my very favorites of the night, Olivia Wilde in a sparkly Gucci gown. I hate to use so many lame puns – but I was green with envy!

left to right: Olivia Wilde in Gucci, Kerry Washington in Balenciaga, Helen Mirren in Jenny Packham and Reese Witherspoon in Calvin Klein

Another hot Golden Globes red carpet style trend was color blocked gowns! Color blocking has been a popular trend for a number of year but seeing it at the highest level in these incredible gowns was jaw dropping. Yes, there was lots of black and white together – but the use of colors – both contrasting and tonal was magnificent and fresh. Amy Adams absolutely killed it in Valentino Couture gown – another of my favorite looks – which featured 2 of the hot colors of the night – red and red! This was definitely a big red carpet trend and great for ladies who are torn on what color to wear…

left to right: Sandra Bullock in Prabal Gurung, Julie Bowen in Carolina Herrera, Taylor Swift in Carolina Herrera and Aubrey Plaza in Oscar de la Renta

Finally, I want to talk about the surprise scene stealers of the night… I’m talking about shoes baby! That’s right, most shoes don’t get much air time at these black tie red carpet events… These gorgeous heels are usually hidden behind layer so fabric which musty be frustrating for shoe designers and uncomfortable for the celebs wearing these incredible shoes without getting to show them off! This year we got lots and lots of shoe sightings on the Golden Globes red carpet thanks to some thigh high slits (thank you Amber Heard and Margot Robbie) but designers were definitely experimenting with some high low hemlines. Everyone from Sandra Bullock, Zoe Deschanel to the expectant Drew Barrymore showed some ankle and shoe love in these high low hemlines. Furthermore, there was more tea length than usual (which cuts just below the knee) which Sarah Paulson showed off in Marchesa as did Emma Thompson who actually came out to present an award carrying her sky high Christian Louboutins proclaiming the red was actually her blood. So, congratulations to all those amazing shoe designers out there who finally got the exposure they deserve at these black tie events!

clockwise from the upper left: Amber Heard in Atelier Versace (and Jimmy Choo shoes), Sandra Bullock in Prabal Gurung (and Jimmy Choo shoes), Michelle Dockery in Oscar de la Renta (and Christian Louboutin shoes), Drew Barrymore in Monique Lhuillier (and Roger Vivier shoes), Elizabeth Moss in J. Mendel (with Stuart Weitzman shoes) and Zoe Saldana in Prabal Gurung (with Christian Louboutin shoes)

Golden Globes red carpet madness!

Flashback to one of my first posts on red carpet trends… Its the Golden Globes today and Max and I are gearing up for some red carpet fun. My prediction for the Golden Globes red carpet trends remains the same as it was several months ago – black, shades of white (from diamond white, to ivory to the palest colors) and shades of coral (from the pinkier to the more vibrant red orange hues) as well as lots of sheer, lace, embellishment and sexy! See below for some of my favorite dresses from the F/W 2014 collections for looks I’m hoping to see on my favorite celebrities on the Golden Globes red carpet. I’m looking forward to seeing what stylish mom nominees like Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock and Kate Winslet will being, not to mention those hilarious moms hosting the show – Tina Fey (a fellow greek) and Amy Poehler… And of course, one of my favorite fashionistas – Kerry Washington is fully pregnant – how will she chose to style the bump? I’m looking forward to all the Golden Globes red carpet hits, misses and bling!

left to right: Elie Saab, J Mendel and Roberto Cavalli

Golden Globes red carpet trend predictions

left to right: Marchesa, Naeem Khan and Naeem Khan

left to right: Monique L’Huillier, Calvin Klein and Elie Saab

SHARE RSM

SHARE RSM

SHARE RSM

SHARE RSM

SHARE RSM

SHARE RSM

SHARE RSM

SHARE RSM