KarTRASHian

For those who know me, this post's title may come as a bit of a shock. I love the Kardashians (you shouldn't be that surprised to hear I'm watching Keep Up With the Kardashians as I write this). From their low-class reality show to their empire of boutiques, products, and social events, I think the Kardashians are insane geniuses. Even that four hour wedding special had me watching and rooting for Kim and man- Kris. In my mind, the Kardashians can do no wrong. They're successful! They're entertaining! They're funny! They're fashionable! Little did I know, I would have to rethink the latter.  Now you must be wondering what happened. Cannes happened.

(Photo Cred)

Sure, there have been a lot of crazy outfits at this year's Cannes, but this one is officially my least favorite. Ever. So why didn't I just include this bad boy in my Cannes roundup? This ensemble was so painful, it needed my undivided attention. I must admit, her hair and makeup is stellar. Sexy and clean at the same time. Scratch that- I like her makeup. I'm such a sucker for the smokey eye and nude lip combination. That hair, on the other hand, needs to go. A slick ponytail would've been perfect, not this greasy mess!  And that awkward slicked back do is horrendous with the Balmain. Speaking of Balmain, as much as I love Olivier Rousteing and everything he does, this gilded mini just does not work with Kim. She's too boobalicious and curvy for this silhouette and deep v. Especially for Cannes! This is a classy event- not the MTV movie awards. On a side note, why  is Kanye even wearing jeans? THIS IS CANNES! HE'S AT CANNES FOR HIS MOVIE.  For such a glam-obsessed "couple," I'm majorly disappointed.  In a world of red carpet glam, does this really suffice? No.

As if this ensemble couldn't get any worse, Kim decides to put on those Giuseppe Zanotti booties. Not only are they an uncomfortable height, but why would you ever pair those with a mini?  She looks like a second-rate street walker. I hate it. This weekend, I decided to re-watch the first season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Kim claimed she was a stylist in one episode. I scoffed as any fashion snob would.

To top off this fashion horror story, Kardashian did the unthinkable: repeated an outfit. Sure, she didn't wear the same thing twice, but she stole Gwyneth's show-stopping Pucci from the 2011 Emmys, which is worse.

(Photo Cred)

Though this happens all the time in Hollywood, Fashion Police wouldn't have a weekly "Bitch Stole My Look" segment if there wasn't, this is terrible. How could you copy a look as infamous as Gwyneth's? So wrong. Especially since the same dress is showcased at two very prominent red carpet events: the Emmys and Cannes. Plus, it's not even like Kim looks better. While er hourglass figure offers a different look, I hate those earrings. They are neither here nor there.

Kim has had some fashion successes since then; however, I really wonder if I'll ever forget this. As much as I hate to say it, I feel like Kim Kardashian is no longer relevant in the world of fashion. It's fine, I was always more of a Kourtney fan anywho.
xx

The Finale

It has literally taken me forever to finally get the energy and time to write a runway report for Paris Fashion Week. In my mind, Paris is the perfect location to act as a finish line for Fashion Week. Yes, I may think of Fashion Week as a marathon but that's not the point. The city of lights gives us everything we could ever ask for: glamour, forward thinking, and beyond chic clothes. So let's cut to the chase, shall we?

VIKTOR & ROLF 

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This collection is absolutely brilliant: I love the juxtaposition between the sharp silhouettes and the ribboned details. The colors are very spring; however, it's not your typical "springtime with pastels" color palette. Overall, the collection is completely cohesive, yet each look is unique. The ball gowns are true show stoppers. Also, doesn't the turquoise and black color combination remind you a lot of the prom scene from Grease? Just saying.

ALEXANDER McQUEEN

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I was listening to the Black Swan soundtrack when I was flipping through this collection; let me just say that the combination was quite fitting! Every single look is absolute perfection. All of the silhouettes are phenomenal and I love the intricate details that accompanied every ensemble. I think this collection truly proves that Sarah Burton is a fabulous designer: she is innovative and this collection is so reminiscent of McQueen's work. In love. L-O-V-E.

BALMAIN

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For Paris Fashion Week, this is such a wearable collection! The separates are versatile and super chic. Each look is pretty different; however, the gold accents tie the whole collection together. While the silhouettes are rather simple, the detailing really give these looks a "wow" factor. Absolutely incredible.

ELIE SAAB

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I always get so excited for Elie Saab's collection because I instantly think, "RED CARPET SEASON." I'm borderline obsessed with the colors, sequins, and overall glamour of the whole collection. Each look is phenomenal and unique. There's not much I can say except for I'm SO excited to see these looks stroll down the red carpet. 

DIOR

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This collection is a complete redemption from Bill Gaytten's horrific Couture Fall 2011 collection. I'm so enamored with the ladylike silhouettes in this collection. The prints that are featured in some of the dresses equals AMAZING. These looks are wearable and I think they could look good on a variety of shapes and sizes. Beautiful! BUT WHO WILL BE DIOR'S NEW DESIGNER? It's killing me.

VALENTINO

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There are two things that I'm  obsessed with: color and lace. The fact that these two elements are in the same collection literally blew my mind. While this season's collection isn't as classic as Valentino collections usually are, it is FABULOUS.

PACO RABANNE

(Photo Cred)

This collection may not be the most wearable; however, the innovation  is truly remarkable. In my mind, this will be fashion in the future: the shine, the details, and the crazy silhouettes. Welcome to the future, I hope you like it.

Well, ladies and gent, that's the end of the Spring RTW 2012 extravaganza. I hope it was entertaining and informative.

xx

The Weekly: Men, Men, Men, Men, Manly Men

Menswear couldn't have come at a more perfect time. For a few days now, my mother and I have been singing the Two and a Half Men theme song all around our house; once that song gets in your head, it'll never come out. Ever.

Sorry, I had to.

Anyways, back to menswear. As a girl who's single and minglin', and obsessed with all things  fashionable, a guy's outfit is one of the first things I look at when checking out a prospect. Shallow? Maybe. But I honestly do think the way a person dresses, especially a guy, tells a lot about what kind of guy they are. 

I mean, who would you rather date based on the clothes?

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OR

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I rest my case.

So in order to accurately analyze the latest menswear collections, and bask in my own singlehood glory, I'm bringing back Would You Date That? HOORAY!

ALEXIS MABILLE

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Rating: 3

Well, I was definitely a fan of the male models; however,  this collection kind of freaked me out. I'm not a really big fan of product placement on clothes, so this really did bother me.  While there were some looks that embraced both masculinity and chicness, Mabille's collection was too... feminine for me. Honestly, would you date someone who wears chained shoulder bags? That's our job, ladies! And the unitards? Way too much man for street wear! Okay, now I feel like I'm really bashing this collection so let's be positive, shall we? The color scheme of this collection was very suave and could be very Chuck Bass at times, which I loved. And I did love the little hints of leopard! All in all, not that dateable. 

BALMAIN

(Photo Cred)

Rating: 10

To quote my man, Justin Timberlake, this collection is essentially "flawless like some uncut pie."   In my mind, this reminded me of a chicer version of Bruce Springsteen's wardrobe back in the day. The reason this collection is such a win is because it perfectly combines fashion forwardness and masculinity together. The pastels and the use of jean vests (a must-have in my humble opinion) make are rugged and trendy. This collection screams, "Yes, I do care about my personal style but I'm going to pretend like it's no big deal." I mean, I know I'd hate if a guy I was dating cared more about fashion than me. At the same time, who wants a slob?  The juxtaposition of the hiker boots, which I don't love but I'll deal, and the long scarves make this look seem completely effortless.  And that's very sexy!  

ISSEY MIYAKE

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Rating: 5

I truly have mixed emotions about this collection. On one hand,  really enjoy the nice jackets, vibrant colors, and the sophisticated styling. On the other hand, I hate baggy pants and the matchy-matchy. It reminds me of a playsuit andWHAT KIND OF BOY WEARS PLAYSUITS?! I admit, I do love a good playsuit...for girls. Not for boys!  I just feel like the baggy-ness and partial androgynous aspects of this collection makes it seem like boys must wear girlie clothes to be chic, which is so false. But at the same time, the color scheme and prints don't shout "girl." Is it just me being overly sensitive, or is something funky happening in this collection?  Maybe this was a "look-by-look" situation, but I'm still very torn.

LOUIS VUITTON

(Photo Cred)
Rating: 8

I liked this collection for two reasons. First of all, this is was so clean and "All American." I know everyone pretends that they like bad boys, but don't we all love a little cutie deep down? Second of all, I felt like I was watching little Ken dolls strut down a runway. It was like dress up!  What makes this collection successful is balance. Yes, there were some very...fashionable pieces which I questioned, to say the least; however, the classic pieces  gave this collection some normalcy. It's one of those collections that any man could find something he liked, which I find  imperative. I thought the hemlines were kind of weird on some of the suits and some of the jackets are unrealistically fitted, but it was fabulous. Also, I really want this jacket for myself! 

RICK OWENS

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Rating: 0

I'm so disturbed by this collection, so I'm going to make this short, not-so-sweet, and to the point:

Dear Rick,

Nobody, I tell you NOBODY, wants their guy to look like a girl. Dresses are for ladies. This is painful to look at. Please change the way you view boys; I'm sure they aren't thrilled with you either.

xx,

Me.

PS:  You and Yohji Yamamoto both need to work on your feminine situation. Maybe a nice coffee or luncheon to settle things? 

Well that was oodles of fun but now it's time for a short, but sweet, weekly.

So...onto The Weekly!

• Emmy Rossum at a press event for Shameless (Lyn Devon): Even though Emmy Rossum essentially fell off the face of the earth, this look is so classic on her. I love the white Dolce and Gabbana peep-toes with this fun print: the white in the shoes really picks up the white in this dress. It was so smart of her/her stylist to accessorize with hoops: normally, someone would want to channel their inner-Jackie O and wear pearls or some really feminine jewels. The hoops, however, spice it up and make this look relevant. As much as I love stacking up bracelets and necklaces, I feel like copious amounts of jewels would make this look lost in translation.  The blowed out hair and pinkish glow also looked stunning. Now only if she smiled...
• Sofia Vegara at some Harry Winston shindig (Marchesa): Absolutely stunning. I truly believe Sofia Vegara is every man's dream and every woman's worst nightmare: she's so beautiful and who doesn't wish they were on Modern Family? Anyways, back to this look. By nature, she's a curvy woman and I love how she literally shakes what her mama gave her. The corset bodice is incredibly flattering and, if anything, makes her look narrower. I think a lot of women are afraid of embracing their curves and, though not everyone is built like her, Sofia Vegara shows everyone that they should flaunt their figures. ANYWAYS, the white looks absolutely stunning on her tan skin. The light shoes actually works with this look since she is so tan. Since they're not white, the focus is still on the dress. Though I wish she didn't accessorize with a watch (what?), I loved the way her dangling earrings looked with her sleek hair.  Incredible, as always!

xx

Her Skin Type Maybelline

So I've been a terrible blogger lately and have simply not had the time to discuss INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEKS. In my opinion, IFW (look at me and my acronyms) is where it gets interesting; as an American, some of the looks I question but that's what makes fashion fascinating. It's dynamic and culture specific. While Vivienne Westwood's collection kind of made me anxious  and Mugler almost brought me to tears of sadness, I wonder if I would love it if I was from somewhere else.

So without more procrastination, here's some of my favorites from IFW!

Photo Cred

Well Antonio Berardi had basically everything and anything you could want in a collection: fur, extreme jackets, lace, pants, dresses, shimmer. Needless to say, I loved it.  While the show wasn't entirely cohesive, the progression from white to colored to blacks was effortless and logical, which made the show feel more cohesive. I loved how this collection and outfits that would actually look good on people who are not size 00: the chunky coat would be flattering on almost anyone. Some of his sexiest dresses, on the other hand, would look so feminine on a Kim Kardashian figure. And, for the record, I am head over heels obsessed with the textured tuxedo. And this toughie blazerish dress ensemble. It was just awesome

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I'm going to be really short about Dior. John Galliano has made a fool out of himself and I believe that the damage is irreversible. That being said, Dior had a heavy dosage of ruffles, and I kind of enjoyed it. This collection, in my mind, was very Florence Welch mixed with a very other randoms. The colors were appropriately "fall/winter" and there were a lot of separates that will make for an extremely chic season. Like there's this orange fur coat that I kind of need. Oh and I loved how many hats there were!  But most importantly, the ending was hoping and inspiring- just what Dior needs right now. 

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For now on, I am referring to this Lanvin collection as "Tim Burton's Tea Party". Why? This collection started off as, for lack of a better word, "normal": everything was rather plain and simple: simplistic silhouettes and not many accessories. But then, everything changes and, in my opinion, for the better because minimalism is annoying. Silhouettes became more interesting whilst the proportions were out-of-whack. Although some simple pieces still walked the runway, like this canary dress, Tim Burton's Tea Party was invaded with feminine pieces that had a darker and more artistic flare, hence the nickname.  Even though I refuse to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas because it's really scary (my mother can attest to that), Tim Burton is so artistic, individualistic, and eery. Which is what I thought of this collection. But unlike The Nightmare Before Christmas, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection: it was chic, thought-provoking, and art. Just what fashion should be.

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Essential question: Can Prada ever do wrong? This collection screamed 1960s retro and let's be honest, who doesn't wish they lived in the swinging sixties? The people who actually lived then. To describe this collection in one word, besides "retro", this collection was "fun". Good 'ol fun!  The repetition of the drop waist belt  added some funk to what would be a rather typical jacket or outfit. The fur was so care free and I'm really upset I don't own at least one of these! AND THE SEQUINS?!  Amazing. I was so pleased when I saw all of the sequins! I think in order to wear this collection, you need confidence. I think this is one of those collections where people who don't love ridiculous avant gardish fashion will cringe, while the others with coo.  I  AM OBSESSED WITH THIS COLLECTION. That is all.

Photo Cred

I think what I really love about Balmain is how they are rather consistent with their silhouettes and looks altogether. While I know that being too consistent is a bad thing, Balmain is like comfort food: if you want long sleeved minis that have a hint of edge, you go to Balmain. That's just how it works. This collection; however, I really enjoyed. Of course, there were the trendy long sleeved minis that I love oh so much, but I really loved all of the tuxedo  sets and jackets that strutted down the catwalk. I love the metallic striped pattern that they displayed: it reminded me of Chanel with a twist. Whenever I think of Balmain, I always think of fabulous and really sharp: fabulous because all of the sparkle and sharp because of the rigid silhouette. Never change, Balmain.

Photo Cred

Nina Ricci's collection is the girliest collection, I think, of this season. Needless to say, I absolutely fell in love with it! The blacks, pinks, and blues of the collection reminded me of a 1950's Barbie, which I thought was fabulous. For fall, designers usually stick with blacks and darker colors so the change in color was incredible.  Like so many collections, I love Nina Ricci's use of lace and sparkles! And I loved this one look with a jester collared and trousers. Speaking of trousers... can I get these velvet trousers? Also, the final was FABULOUS! I wish I could wear it. I feel like a non-pregnant Natalie Portman would look stunning in this collection!

xx

A Very Strange, Enchanting Boy

I've been so insanely busy with school work and college, I've barely had time to look at the last of Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion Week. When the New York Fashion Week is over, always need to represent my home state, and when London Fashion Week is over, always need to represent my favorite place ever, Paris is what I always look forward to. Even compared to New York or London,  I truly believe that Paris is the fashion mecca. Just think about all of the fabulous designers that have rooted from Paris.

Photo Cred: http://www.counterfeitchic.com/Images/Coco_Chanel.jpg

Photo Cred: http://www.fashion-forum.org/images/designers/christian-dior.jpg

Photo Cred: http://www.runningwithheels.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/christian-louboutin-sm-039.jpg

Have I made my point clear? I hope so! I could go on and on, but that could get a wee bit redundant. So what does a busy college girl do to get the latest fashion trends? The Style.com recap obviously. One returning trend throughout all of the collections was the "boy look". 

To my own surprise, I actually love it. 

I know, I don't believe it either! Although I am trying to transform my style into what it is now and semi bohemian, a la Kate Hudson, I am the epitome of a femininity. I love skirts, pearls, Audrey Hepburn, and all things that depict being a girl. So I would hate this trend, right? No.  Is this me growing as an aspiring fashionista?! 

In the Balenciaga show, it seemed to me like the boy style is all about mixing and matching: you can make it your own!  And the pieces of each look involved so many fun fashion qualities. Jackets, blouses, shorts, vests! There's so much room for interpretation, which is the whole fun of fashion.

You could have a very strong and masculine look:

Balenciaga. Photo Cred: Style.com

Or Funky Glam:

Balmain. Photo Cred: Style.com

Or WHAT IF, one created a feminine boy look. How fabulously androgynous would THAT be?!

xx