Three Times Makes it a Trend: The Death of Necklaces?

As I've been looking through red carpet and various celebrity photos from my favorite gossip blogs, I've been noticing more and more that starlets are choosing to not wear necklaces with their formal wear. It's become more about statement earrings and bracelets and leaving necks bare. Here are three examples from the 2007 VMAs.

Rihanna

Beyonce

Alicia Keys

And the trend continues with three celebrities at the Heroes Pre-Emmy Party:

Ali Larter

Kristen Bell and Hayden Panettiere

Will bare necks be all the rage at tonight's Emmy awards? I think so!

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Wurk, B*tch!: America Ferrara

Snaps in a "z" formation go to America Ferrara for her dress, shoes, hair and makeup at the 2007 Creative Arts Emmys. I have one word for her total look: FLAWLESS!

WURK B*TCH!

Style Jack: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige looked stylish and sophisticated on the red carpet of the Fashion Rocks show. Her white trench, peep-toe platforms and sassy beret looked grown-up and sexy. This look could come right off the red carpet and be appropriate for a work event. Here's how you can jack MJB's style.

DAY Birger et Mikkelsen Cotton Twill Trench $219.50 (on sale!)

Nine West Look Good Peep Toe Mary Janes $69.99 (on sale!)

Nordstrom Wool Beret $22

Steve Madden Bnan Gold Clutch $38

Total cost to jack MJB's style: $349.49
Working a sexy secret agent style look: PRICELESS!

Purse Envy

I had to post this picture of Angelina Jolie and her daughter Zahara wearing matching Valentino Histoire handbags. It's really just too cute for words. And who knew Valentino made a mini-Histoire? And more importantly, how do I get my hands on one???

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What to Wear: Pregnancy Chic

While I'm not a fan of Nicole Richie or her "rocker" fiance Joel Madden, I must concede that her choices of outfits during her pregancy have been very chic and sexy without being tacky. I'm all for pregnant women celebrating their sensuality but I think this can be done without wearing a skin-tight shirt over your bump which was all the rage a few years ago. Nicole Richie makes all the right moves with an empire waist halter top dress and sexy Christian Louboutin mary janes. Bravo!

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Frankenstein Bag: Part 2

I guess you can't wear a $52,000 handbag just once, right?

Beyonce wears that monstrous Louis Vuitton Tribute bag while leaving the MTV TRL show. Similar to her previous outing, she pairs the patchwork Tribute with a white t-shirt and jeans. What other wardrobe options are there for such an overpowering bag?

Double Your Pleasure...

I've never been pregnant but God-willing I will be by the end of this year! My friends with children have all told me about the many changes that happen to a woman's body during pregnancy. One that I am not looking forward to (since I have a pretty extensive shoe collection), is that some women's feet grow an entire shoe size by the time they give birth. That would explain why moms-to-be Isla Fisher and Naomi Watts chose to wear super-comfy Birkenstocks while out in Hollywood.

Birkenstock Gizeh Sandals $100



I'm not a Birkenstocks woman, so when I'm looking for comfort in a shoe, I gravitate towards something a little more glam like this:
Beverly Feldman White Leather Sandals $215



Who says comfort can't be fabulous?

Too Luxe: Louis Vuitton Tribute Patchwork Bag

I was looking through this week's Life & Style Weekly and had to do a double-take. I had read about the Louis Vuitton Tribute Patchwork bag many months ago, but had yet to see someone photographed with one. It appears Beyonce owns that most heinous of over-priced, "I just want the world to know I'm rich," status bags. As the article mentions, only 24 were made and thank God for that. I would hardly consider this Marc Jacobs' finest work for Louis Vuitton. In fact, the Tribute Patchwork was referred to as "the Frankenstein monster" by the British press when it first appeared on the runway for the Spring 2007 Ready-to-Wear show. I would say it looks more like a bad arts and crafts challenge from Project Runway than a luxury accessory worth what some people make as an annual salary.

Here is a lesson that should inform all accessory purchases in the age of the $52,000 handbag: Just because something is expensive, doesn't make it elegant or chic.

Photo credit: Life & Style Weekly, 7/30/2007

Deja-Loub

Is Christian Louboutin giving these peep-toe Mary Jane pumps away? If so, I seriously need to get on his gift list. Add Jamie-Lynn Sigler to the list of Hollywood starlets with the "it" shoe. Jamie-Lynn wore her pair (also in black! Does it come in other colors???) with a Dolce & Gabbanna dress to the ESPY awards. That brings my count of starlets with this shoe to six!

Peep-Toe Crazy!

While I can appreciate the beauty of Christian Louboutin's shoes, rarely do I feel the urge to actually buy a pair. With prices upwards of $500, I simply can't afford them. But I have become obsessed with his peep-toe Mary Jane pumps since all of hot young Hollywood seems to own a pair. What has me especially curious about these shoes is that they are 4-inch stillettos, which is a style I have found to be cripplingly uncomfortable. But many starlets, such as Jessica Alba, own these shoes and wear them repeatedly which leads me to believe they may actually be comfortable!

Sarah Michelle Gellar wears her peep-toe Loubs to a movie premiere.

Hillary Duff performs in her Loubs on the Today Show.

LeAnn Rimes promotes Corn Flakes in her Loubs.

Yikes! Even perennially worst-dressed Britney Spears owns a pair!

I think these may be Hollywood's new "it" shoe.

What Not to Wear: Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria shows us how to cheapen a classic Chanel dress while exiting her civil wedding ceremony to Tony Parker today:

• - Add stripper heels
• - Wear a gawdy necklace that I'm sure was expensive but looks cheap

Simpler jewelry and a less busy shoe would have worked wonders to elevate this look. For shame, Robert Verdi!

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Style Jack: Penelope Cruz

Penelope Cruz looks stylish and comfortable as she takes a stroll through Soho. Her layered outfit is perfect for those hot summer days that can lead to cool summer nights. I love her weathered jeans that are a happy medium between the boot-cut and skinny extremes. Penelope's three-quarter length jacket is perfect for the season and her cross-body handbag is much easier on your back than a shoulder bag. What a great outfit for a casual friday at work or a day out with your best girlfriends! Here's how you can get Penelope's style on a budget.

JCrew Cropped Trench $198
Gap Drawstring Trapeze Top $44.50

Banana Republic Contoured Straight-Leg Jean $78
Steve Madden Kaprii Wedge $89.95

Old Navy Large Square Sunglasses $4.75

Urban Outfitters Convertible Suede Bag $89

While some of these pieces may be a little pricey, things like the JCrew jacket and Urban Outfitters handbag can become wonderful staples in your summer to fall wardrobe.

Too Luxe: Balenciaga Leggings

If you watched the 2007 BET Awards last night, I'm sure you were impressed by Beyonce's performance of "Get Me Bodied". What you might not have realized was that Beyonce performed in Balenciaga's gold leggings which were featured in their Spring 2007 runway collection.

The leggings are made only on request and cost a whopping $100,000! (No, that's not a typo.) They are made of metallic fabric and made quite a splash on the runway. While they are very cutting edge, at $100,000 they are absurdly priced for a trend that will probably not last many more seasons.

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Style Jack: Gabrielle Union's Kimono Dress

Gabrielle Union looks chic and sexy in a printed kimono dress on the red carpet for a party for the BET Awards. With deep v-necks and wide sleeves, kimono style dresses are very flattering. They elongate a woman's neck and show off cleavage while hiding problem areas like upper arms and less than flat stomachs. Gabrielle Union adds a wide leather belt as a sophisticated touch to her Asian-inspired frock. Here's how you can incorporate Gabrielle's style into your summer wardrobe.

This floral print kimono dress from Urban Outfitters is nearly a perfect match. At $58, it's a steal!

Splurge on an Elegantly Waisted wrap belt from ShopBop at empire waist level to complete the look. ($198)

Total cost to jack Gabrielle's style: $256

Figure flattering, sexy style: PRICELESS!

Style Lesson: Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston is not a woman who follows every trend. You probably won't see her any time soon in a tunic, leggings and ballet flats. This is exactly what I love about her. She has a look that is unique and she sticks to her own personal style aesthetic. Some people might say she has a uniform, but I say she has a signature style.

You can be casual but still chic. In her personal time, it's clear Jennifer loves to be comfortable and wear jeans. But comfort does not have to mean sloppy or not looking put together. Jennifer matches dark jeans with a wide leather belt, heels and a cozy sweater for a stylish yet casual look.

When Jennifer wants to add a little color and warmth to her casual wear, she'll often throw on an extra large scarf.

Want to dress up your shorts? Wear tailored ones with a button down shirt and heels.

Primary colors and neutrals are fool-proof for formal occasions. Jennifer has a set color palette and rarely deviates from it. For red carpet events, she will often wear neutrals, dark or primary colors. She hardly ever ventures into the arena of patterns or bright colors. Dark colors and neutrals are universally flattering. Of course we all know the way to hide a figure flaw is to wear a dark color. And what shows off suntanned, gorgeous skin better than a neutral colored dress? Jennifer knows what colors work for her.

Most importantly, since Jennifer sticks to simple, elegant styles, she is never competing for attention from her clothes. She wears her clothes; the clothes don't wear her. The next time you're debating whether to buy into the latest trend being foisted on us from the fashion world, remember that a classic style is consistent and doesn't need to change with every season. Or maybe just ask yourself, "What Would Jennifer Do?"

Three Times Makes it a Trend: Nude Dresses

What's sexier than showing a little skin? Going nude! Many Hollywood starlets are wearing flesh colored dresses to add a little sex appeal to their summer wardrobes. And we all know what it means when three starlets wear the same style... It's a trend!

Victoria Beckham wears a fun and flirty Azzedine Alaia nude dress for her appearance on The Today Show. She accents her dress with nude colored Christian Louboutin pumps and extra large sunglasses.

Katie Holmes wears a strapless nude colored dress with metallic heels and oversized shades while in France with her husband, Tom Cruise.

Entertainment correspondent Maria Menounos wears a nude Dolce & Gabbana dress with gold metallic accents in her corset belt and shoes.

Want to be dressed and still feel nude? Try these pretty flesh-colored dresses.
Leyendecker Chandelier Dress $169.50 (on sale!)

Gap Trapeze Dress $49.99 (on sale!)

SJP's Bitten: I'm Not Biting

For the most part, I tend to ignore celebrity clothing lines. As all of the celebrities who have their own clothing brands (such as Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Gwen Stefani, Kate Moss, etc.) have not gone to fashion design school or had any kind of training, it's obvious they don't really have the neccessary skills to create and design a fashion line. Duh! They're not actually "designing" anything. The typical celebrity clothing brand is based on the star's personal style; which is the result of a well-paid stylist putting together outfits for said star from established or up-and-coming "real" designers. What is particularly interesting or fashion-forward about that?

That said, the advertising campaign and media blitz for Sarah Jessica Parker's Bitten line has annoyed me enough to force a comment. The manifesto for the line is:
"It is every woman's inalienable right to have a pulled-together stylish, confident wardrobe with money left over to live."

And as you can see, Sarah wears a t-shirt that says "Fashion is not a luxury" in the ads for the line.

I'm astonished at how pretentious and insulting the whole marketing campaign behind this line is and that so many people are falling for it hook, line and sinker. Why does a clothing line need a "manifesto"? Am I supposed to believe this line is part of some greater political movement and not an opportunity for Sarah Jessica Parker and the Steve & Barry store chain (where the line is sold) to make money off Sarah's post-Sex and the City-style icon status?

And how kind of her to make lower-priced clothing for the masses. "Fashion is not a luxury?" You don't say? And here I was thinking women of limited means should just walk around naked. If you have ever walked into an H&M, Gap or Old Navy, I am sure you are well aware that fashion can be affordable and leave you with enough money to pay your bills. Even designer clothing can be affordable if you shop at thrift stores or discounters such as Century 21, TJ Maxx and Marshall's. Fashionable clothing at an accessible price is not a new concept and shouldn't be treated as if it's some kind of revelation particularly when it's being marketed by a millionaire who is best known for playing a character that had $40,000 in shoes.

I don't know anything about the quality of the line itself and I have no intention to go to a Steve & Barry's and check it out. From what's been shown in the media, I don't see much about Bitten that makes it any different from other lower-priced lines.

Bitten appears to be just another uninspiring, celeb-persona driven clothing line in an already oversaturated market. Check out a really good article about celebrity clothing lines in today's New York Times here.

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What Not to Wear

Here is Kimberly Stewart wearing one of the most dreadful Spring/Summer 2007 trends: the hippie-style headband. Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie and Kate Bosworth have all worn this accessory with mixed results. Now that Kimberly Stewart (who is definitely not known for her fashion sense) has shown the world how uncomplimentary and silly this looks, can we finally put a nail in the coffin of the headband trend?

Dream Item of the Day

I've been obsessed with red accessories ever since I noticed what a popular trend red shoes had become among the celebrity set. But even more than being trendworthy, a pair of red shoes or a red handbag can add just the right POP! to an otherwise conservative outfit.

Beyond adding a little spice, the Valentino Histoire bag in red has beautiful details like braided handles and oversized buckles. It's also very functional with two outer front pockets to stash those items you need quick access to.

At $1,595 this bag is out of my price range but Jennifer Garner looks pretty cool toting hers.

Shoe Deja Vu with Jessica Alba

Most fashionistas have that shirt or pair of shoes in their closet that they adore and wear pretty frequently. I think I have identified that item for Jessica Alba: her Christian Louboutin patent Mary-Janes! Jessica has been photographed wearing these shoes several times in the past few months and they seem to look appropriate with everything.

Jessica wears her peep-toe Louboutin Mary-Janes with bare legs and a strapless dress at the MTV Movie Awards in June.

She wears them with a Chanel dress and black opaque tights at the Chanel Cruise Show in May.

Jessica looks chic in a gray knit top, black pencil skirt and stockings while promoting The Fantatic Four in Australia in May.

While trendy women may often want to go out and purchase whatever is the newest "it" shoe, Jessica Alba gives a prime example of how to find a classic style and wear it in different ways to keep it fresh.