As girls, many of us dreamed of being a prima ballerina but as women, most of us would settle for two tix to Lincoln Center and a pair of Tory Burch ballet flats rather than tipping around a stage on our toes. But even though the season for ballet slippers is more o-vah than Chris Brown‘s singing career, we’re loving this fresh and very literal take on the trend. Capezio’s studded ballet slippers are less pink tulle, more punk leather. Adorned with silver studs and a drawstring at the toe, these soft leather and suede slippers are ruggedly adorable; perfect for traipsing around...  Read More..

Basic black paired with gold stud detail is this season’s hottest trend. Pair one piece with a simple look for rockstar style sans the punk effect. Shop these hot black and gold studded picks: 1. Maurie & Eve Velvet Leather Skirt with Stud Trim in Black, $90, Revolve Clothing 2. Alexis Bittar Square Ring with Gold Pyramid Stud in Gold, $132, Revolve Clothing 3. Steve Madden ‘Revenu’ Pump, $129.95, Nordstrom 4. Philip Crangi ‘Mon Amour’ cuff, $4,740, Net-a-Porter 5. Larsen Gray Studded Cardigan, $251, shopbop 6. Rebecca Minkoff Stud Devote Bag, $695, Saks Fifth Avenue Share...  Read More..

As modern women, we have to juggle work, relationships, children, shopping, giving, hosting…you get the hint. With all the things on our plates, who has time for the little luxuries? So washing your hair may not seem like a little luxury but for me, it takes 2.5+ hours, to wash, dry and style my hair, from start to finish. So you can see how that might cut into my crazy busy modern woman schedule. That’s why I seek out spectacular little shortcuts, like the Cake Satin Sugar Hair & Body Refreshing Powder. It’s a light, cocoa-colored (for darker hues; creamy-colored for lighter...  Read More..

BCBG Max Azria satisfied both buyers and editors by remaining consistent for Fall 2009. The brand displayed a plethora of its signature utterly wearable and adorable dresses in jewel tones of turquoise and emerald along with neutral metallics, all accessorized with liquid bronze leggings. Complex drapes, folds, pleats and ruching were highlighted throughout the collection, with it’s origami-meets-futuristic space-age constructed sheaths. Velvets, shimmery jersey and brilliant matte satins were the fabrics of choice. BCBG Max Azria remains the brand that make pieces to truly flatter every...  Read More..

Last night, President Obama delivered his first of many hopeful State of the Union addresses. But of seemingly more importance was what the First Lady was wearing. Gosh, I love America. First Lady and modern fashion icon Michelle Obama looked stunning in a plum-colored Narciso Rodriguez silk and wool sleeveless dress. Mrs. Obama may be a Democrat in the White House but a loyalist when it comes to fashion. You can always count on her to wear something that shows off her toned arms, support emerging designers (Maria Pinto), and something that the average woman would wear (J. Crew anyone?) But when...  Read More..

For Fall 2009, Tibi designer Amy Smilovic presented a colorfully cohesive collection based on “a lighthearted moodiness influenced by the Russian fairytale, “The Tale of the Firebird“.” Smilovic’s jaunt to Russia resulted in a vivid display of satin dresses, chiffon tops, chicly cut wool coats a peacock-style prints throughout in hues of blue, black and gold. Though heavily incorporating this Fall’s ‘black is back’ trend, Smilovic’s frequent pops of color and punchy cut pieces set her collection apart. Asymmetical cuts, and carefully placed...  Read More..

What color is the new black? Depending on who you ask, the answers differ. But my pick is navy, thanks to this stylish, trendsetting tote. The Miu Miu Studded shoulder bag is the pick of the season, combining haute trends (stud detail and convertible straps) with a truly classic design. Miu Miu uses simple shapes and solid leathers to create classic bags that stand out in spite of their simplicity. This bag works equally well as a corporate companion for day, as well as for the night owls. The blue leather mixed with the vertical rows of gold studs gives this bag a nautical feel, yet strays far...  Read More..

Last week actress/singer Jennifer Lopez attended the Barney’s New York launch of Andrea Lieberman’s new collection, A.L.C. in Beverly Hills, California. Lieberman has been a celebrity stylist for J. Lo herself, Gwen Stefani and many others in Hollywood. Jennifer was joined by BFF Leah Remini, along with Tracee Ellis Ross, Ellen Pompeo and others to celebrate the launch of the clothing line. Dressed in a white A.L.C. sheath dress with pintuck detail, strappy Louboutin sandals, Lambertson Truex clutch and jewelry, she looked absolutely stunning. Get her haute look: 1. Amrita Singh 11 Piece...  Read More..

As hot as they are, latex leggings aren’t for everyone. But for those who can’t rock those sexy pants, there’s a more versatile alternative. The Kova & T Archer One Shoulder Dress combines the sexiness of the latex legging with the femininity of a cocktail dress. A slimming latex bodice meets a pleated jersey skirt at a ruched waist with a concealed side zip. The one-shoulder gives you red carpet style but with a sleek, rocker edge. $473, shopbop.com Share and Enjoy  Read More → Read More..

Nanette Lepore is known for creating ultrafeminine pieces and her Fall 2009 collection was no different. The designer told media sources that she was inspired by “opulent women who mix and match pieces, travels a lot, collects and keeps clothes and mixes something fabulous with something old and vintage.” In her runway show, it was obvious to see the touches of vintage influences in the fabrics, silhouettes and color choices. But Lepore managed to put a modern glamorous spin on it all. Rich color combinations were utilized – gold metallic accented black, brown and coral tones in...  Read More..

Here we are in the blender. Many of the downtown up and coming designers and the clients that wear them are consistently combining the rebellious looks of the past as a way of striking out at the homogeneity that was constricting fashion. What happens when designers like Jordi Scott and Starr Rinaldi of Jordi Scott get a hold of the uniforms of rebels past is they become style terrorists and use design to attack the numbing fog of blandness that is commercial fashion. As with many designers who have been marginalized and denied exposure, for Fall/Winter ’09 there was a strong sense that...  Read More..

Typically reality show winners suffer the curse of the sudden death of their careers once the show ends. But Christian Siriano seems to have shaken and broken the curse and his meteoric rise in the fashion industry has been something worth watching. Siriano won last year’s Project Runway and since has reached celeb status, partly due to his fierceness, but mainly due to his incredible talent as a fashion designer. His over the top creations on the show won him fans but we all wondered if he was a one-note. Well, his Bryant Park debut proved otherwise. It was great to see Siriano duplicate...  Read More..

The 2009 Academy Awards red carpet saw a lot of winter white gowns. Anne Hathaway looked gorgeous in a diagonal pailette-patterned strapless Armani Privé gown and Roger Vivier clutch. Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson looked stunning in an ivory Roberto Cavalli gown and Mary Norton clutch. The Wrestler co-star Evan Rachel Wood wore a beautifully draped Elie Saab Couture gown. Marisa Tomei was absolutely breathtaking in her white Versace gown that just arrived this morning! Miley Cyrus looked like an elegant young stunner in her Zuhair Murad gown that she claimed weighed ’100,000 pounds’....  Read More..

Applause is due to Tia Cibani of Ports 1961 for shifting her inspirational focus to a climate that is far, far away from both her home and the home of her last Fall/Winter collection. The choice of India was a risk as far as fabrics and cuts. I really liked the softness of the color palette and the materials looked very soft and luxurious. Being luxurious these days is akin to a mortal sin as well, so hats off to Tia for that choice as well. Some of the dresses were lovely and feminine, but overall far too many of the pieces looked as if the cuts had just missed the mark in terms of fit. I am...  Read More..

Fashion Week went by in such a blur that I didn’t even have time to run and check my mailbox. Had I done so, I would have realized that I received an invitation to one of the most opulent shows of the week, 3.1 Phillip Lim. Complete with a performance by Lissy Trullie, the designer’s show featured an incredible range of rock and roll and mod looks in which he channeled vintage 1960’s London style. The collection looked as if its inspiration was drawn directly from The Beatles and Twiggy, with a laid-back cool aesthetic. Models sporting vintage bob haircuts rocked the runway wearing...  Read More..

[Every week College Candy's style guru Jill takes a celebrity look and breaks it down for you. What does that mean? It means that while the celebrities are spending $5,000 on an ensemble, you don’t have to. All you have to do is click on the goods and - boom - you can buy the entire ensemble. Yes, we know; there is a spot for her in heaven.] I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t like some of Miley Cyrus’ songs, or even guiltily thinking (to myself) last weekend that the preview for her movie looked cute and that maaaybe I would have to find a 9 year old girl to babysit so that I wouldn’t...  Read More..

In this strangest of seasons where everyone felt the pressure to reinvent themselves, and a great variety of reactions to that pressure have been on display. The designers who have been the most interesting to watch have been designers who have a fairly traditional, and therefore commercially acceptable, aesthetic. They didn’t need to change for cash but they still had to not appear insensitive. Everyone under the Bryant Park circus this season seemed to change at least a little, simply because they knew that everything else had changed…a lot. So it was with Rebecca Taylor, she used...  Read More..

I always love to find out how much borrowed jewelry a celebrity is wearing to a red carpet event. If the Golden Globes earlier this year was any sign of how much money celebrities will be wearing to future events, then we’re in for a treat for the Oscars, hosted by Hugh Jackman. Being a jewelry designer who is heavily immersed in this industry, I have a good knack for predicting trends and what people will wear. Here are my trend predictions that you can expect from the Oscars. (Photo Credit: www.whiteflash.com) Diamonds are a fail-proof solution to any jewelry concerns, especially Natural Colored...  Read More..