blendnewyork…Fashion.Art.Style.Inspiration.Love

In addition to being one of Woody Allen’s best films, “Annie Hall” also changed women’s fashion. When Diane Keaton donned a casual, menswear-inspired look, stylistas of ’77 shouted, “chic!”

“Flashdance” may not be a masterpiece, but this fan favorite made Jennifer Beals’ leg warmers, leotards and oversized sweatshirts become a definitive look of the ’80s.

As Eliza Dolittle in “My Fair Lady,” Audrey Hepburn’s costumes were amazing — they certainly don’t make hats like they used to — but they still don’t compare to the simple elegance of her black sheath dress and bejeweled up-do in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

Marilyn Monroe never hit the big screen without looking sensational, but her white dress in “The Seven Year Itch” might be the single most iconic fashion piece in film’s history.

Love it or hate it, Carrie Bradshaw’s style is all her own. Her wedding dress in the first “Sex and the City” movie, designed by Vivienne Westwood (not pictured here), sold out in less than a day.

Bridesmaids have the main duty of making sure the bride looks perfect and is calm on that big day, as they are some of the most important people in a bride’s life. When it comes to bridesmaid fashion, why shouldn’t bridesmaids look great too?

In the past, a bride picked one dress for all of the closest girls in her life. This led to many bridesmaids feeling uncomfortable while having to wear an unflattering dress. Whether it was due to an unfortunate color or an uncomplimentary cut, bridesmaids were commonly known to never put the dress on again. Now that it is 2012, all of that is changing.

What’s trending?

A few trends are emerging for bridesmaid dresses that will make it easier for everyone to feel and look great on that special person’s big day. Variations in color and style are becoming more and more popular as brides are realizing a happier bridesmaid equals a happier wedding.

Kayse Carter, owner of local bridal shop Pure Bridal, shares trends she has seen since opening her store earlier this year.

“A lot of girls are coming in who pick the color but leave the style decision up to each bridesmaid,” Carter said, “Strapped dresses work for busty girls and a tighter style for a littler girl.”

There is nothing wrong with wanting to look coordinated, but there is no harm in changing up the style to allow for bridesmaids’ unique styles to shine through.

Carter said, “Girls think having different styled dresses adds a little flare to their bridal party but usually keep a set color.”

Keeping a set color or applying other simple rules such as length or strap type is a great way to let bridesmaids have some reign while keeping the bride comfortable with their decisions. Also, if uniformity is a priority, using the same accessories, shoes or hairstyle can be a great alternative to having the same dress.

Big spender

Since being a bridesmaid means spending the money, brides are realizing that choosing a dress that can be worn again is a big plus. Designers are also finding more ways to make dresses functional for work and even other types of parties.

Carter shared that Pure Bridal aims to choose dresses from the hundreds of styles at the market that can be worn again.

She said Pure Bridal is “not the place for a dress that you will put on once and never want to wear again.”

(by Melanie Anderson – view original post here)

The color of 2012 is a citrus-red hue that will give your weary eyes a break from all of those neutrals. Tangerine Tango, Pantone’s 2012 color of the year, was selected because, “there’s the element of encouragement with orange, it’s building on the ideas of courage and action, that we want to move on to better things. I think it would be a disservice to go with a relaxed, soothing color now,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, told the Associated Press.

The Pantone color of the year — which, last year, was a bright pink shade called Honeysuckle — is an annual influence on fashion and design. Tangerine Tango has already begun to pop up in fashion and cosmetics, with a strong showing in New York’s fashion week this fall. The bright orange is not an especially tricky color to wear, but it’s also not universally flattering — especially when it comes to cosmetics. Can you picture Tangerine Tango-hued eyeshadow? Pantone can.

By Maura Judkis

Thirteen-year-old blogging sensations are just the beginning. For Spring, designers kicked their youth obsession up a notch by indulging in some Lolita fantasies. Christopher Kane drew inspiration directly from the Kubrick movie for his sweet gingham baby-doll dresses, and Stella McCartney’s off-the-shoulder ruffled blouse and Moschino Cheap & Chic’s retro two-piece and floppy sun hat might also have been plucked directly from the film’s costume department. At Prada, meanwhile, itty-bitty pinafores were paired with pigtails, red lips, and plastic shades—the only thing missing was a cherry lollipop.

Tell us whether or not you’ll be flaunting the nymphet look….

- Romney Leader (style.com)

Suddenly round sunglasses are the look of the summer…

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Why Round Sunglasses? A Style Investigation

The 1970s were not kind to macramé, but now designers have brought it back in a modern way this summer.

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Fine Points: A Sleight of Hand With a Bit of String

Ali Baba pants at Ralph Lauren, djellabas at Gucci, turbans everywhere from Dries Van Noten to Paul Smith—the Spring runways were as shimmering and vibrant as a Moroccan souk. And there were as many slouchy, sexy silk jumpsuits as there are stars in an Arabian night sky… Here’s some looks from the shows…

Low-key and beachy is the theme this year, but you’ll still need a fat wallet.

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The Hamptons in Flip-Flops

COCO CHANEL, who is the subject of a new French biopic starring Audrey Tautou, had an aversion to frills. “A woman is always overdressed and never sufficiently elegant,” she once said of turn-of-the-century fashion, which favored impossible layers of lacy frippery. She believed that simple well-tailored pieces borrowed both literally and in spirit from her companions’ closets made for a more sophisticated, modern look; and a century later, stylish women seem to feel the same way. From boyfriend blazers to grandpa cardigans to this season’s return of the pantsuit, women are filching from men’s wardrobes.

“I just feel more comfortable in a jacket and trousers,” said the stylist Anastasia Barbieri, who was one of many women wearing menswear looks during the Paris fashion shows earlier this year. Hers, an Yves Saint Laurent suit, right.

Chalk it up, if you will, to the current economic climate. It has been argued that menswear dressing tends to gain popularity during recessionary periods, when classic, structured pieces convey a kind of elegant fortitude.

“There’s a mood that comes with that kind of dressing,” said Scott Sternberg, who designs menswear for women under the label Boy by Band of Outsiders. “It feels protective, safe. A beautiful jacket is like a cocoon, and yet it lends a certain confidence.” But Mr. Sternberg is quick to point out that the style is not a passing fad for his customers. As he explains, these are women who, long before menswear-inspired brands like Boy and the Row came along, headed straight for the men’s departments and bought the XS sizes.

“It’s similar to vintage shopping,” he said. “There’s a sense of ingenuity that comes with wearing something not necessarily meant for you. It’s like a badge of honor for these women. They don’t want a waistcoat made into a dress with a ruffly collar. They want these basic pieces so when they get up in the morning, they can put themselves together.”

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Noticed: It Works For Us

Gucci. If there was any doubt that we are in the midst of an eighties moment, the longevity of leggings has cleared that right up. Every runway saw a pair or three…

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Fall Trends: You’ll Still Be Wearing Leggings

Velvet is growing up this fall. It’s no longer a little-girl fabric, nor prissy and prim. Instead, you’ll wear sophisticated looks that are classic, soft, and feminine with a hint of toughness…

Link:
Fall Trends: Velvet for Adults

The news in jackets this fall? Size is everything. The masculine, oversize boyfriend blazer has returned from the eighties…

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Fall Trends: The Boyfriend Jacket Is Back

Even though we don’t think that this trend will emerge until Fall 08, we are constantly seeing this leather leggings or faux leather leggings trend on the runways and media. See Scarlett Johansson on the cover of Nylon Magazine below. You can also look at our previous Trend Watch posts to see other pictures.