Wednesday, April 28, 2010

NY Bridal Fashion Week and Barbie

Remember how I said that my Mac was being evil and grumpy?  Well it died yesterday morning, and then miraculously resurrected itself in the afternoon, hence the late posting.

Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera: I think I've confessed my love for Bridal Fashion Week before, but I'll do it again.  So many pretty things.  So many.  I know that Vera Wang is the epitome of bridal for most people, but I've never been a huge fan of her wedding dresses.  This dress, however, I love.  It's soft, but structured, ethereal, but not too fairy-princessy, flattering, but also concealing.  It's pretty much low-maintenance glamour at its highest.  Carolina Herrera isn't someone that comes to mind when I think bridal, but isn't this dress lovely?  The neckline is a little unconventional, but it would be so perfect for a beach wedding with the slight halter vibe.  The detail at the waist keeps it from being too casual, and the soft lines of the skirt would flow so, so perfectly on a breezy beach afternoon.


Jenny Packham, Junko Yoshioka: I'm 90% sure that Miley Cyrus wore a variation of this Jenny Packham dress to the Oscars and I hated it, but here for some reason it works.  Maybe because it actually fits.  Obviously this is a little on the retro/sexbomb side for a traditional wedding, but I think with the right attitude it would come across as classy instead of too in-your-face.  The bustier top is very in at the moment, and the voluminous a-line skirt contrasts the structure of the top perfectly.  I've never heard of Junko Yoshioka before, but if she makes dresses like this all the time, we all need to watch out for her.  This dress is organic, but soft and romantic, clean-lined, but not stark.  It really is a study in opposites, but doesn't come across as too fashion forward or statement-making to wear to an event that will be immortalized in pictures literally FOREVER.



Both Oscar de la Renta: Oh, Oscar.  No one does ball gowns like he does, or wedding dresses for that matter.  I absolutely love the way he combines tactile skirts with streamlined, structured bodices.  It's a great, flattering way to do high-contrast in a wedding dress, because it highlights your smallest part (your waist) and your collarbone, but also skims over any potential problem areas in the hip region.  The version on the left is a little more subtle and modern, with the light floral applique skirt, and the dress on the right is more full-blown romantic--doesn't it almost look like feathers flowing in the wind?  So lovely.



Oscar de la Renta, Reem Acra: I don't really see where this dress fits into Oscar's bridal vision, well, at all, but it does really remind me of that moment in Gone with the Wind when Scarlett's wearing this black dress and supposed to be mourning a dead husband, but ends up being the center of attention and a total drama queen instead.  And it's totally gorgeous, and I'm pretty sure those appliques are in the shape of butterflies, which is totally killing the 6 year old in me.  I think Reem Acra might be one of my favorite wedding dress designers (she's right up there with Monique Lhuillier).  Just look at the cut on this dress--it's so, so flattering, soft without being sloppy, clean but not minimalist, romantic but not sappy.  The off-white hue is so lovely, and the tulle overlay on the skirt makes me want to twirl around in it for hours.



David Lerner Lace Front Shorts, $88 at shopbop.com: And as a palate cleanser from all that gorgeousness, here are some lace-front bike shorts!  I was trying to figure out why Shopbop wasn't showing a front picture, and then I realized that the lace isn't just on the legs, it's all across the front.  Which means that you either wear underwear and everyone sees, or you don't wear underwear and yet arrested for indecent exposure.  And did I mention that they're BIKESHORTS?



















Alkemie Jewelry Octopus Ring, $155 at shopbop.com, Anemone Barbie by Christian Louboutin, $150 at net-a-porter.com: On a prettier note, how adorable is this octopus ring?  I clearly have a thing for jewelry with awkward animals on it, and this octopus is no exception.  How unexpected would this be just chilling on your ring finger?  It's odd, and the rough-hewn texture only adds to the organic feel, but there's something so elegant about it at the same time, with the graceful curves of the octopus' legs.  Christian Louboutin came out with another Barbie!  I die.  Not only does she come in a fab red carpet gown, but she also comes with four pairs of shoes that I would personally do terrible things to own in big girl sizes, especially those mules on the left.  And this Barbie has red hair!  I don't think she's ever been more glamorous.



Daisy Knights Kim Gold-Vermeil Skull Stud Earrings, $150 at net-a-porter.com, Diane von Fursternberg Ferdon Snake-Print Dress, $200 at net-a-porter.com: In the same vein as awkward animal jewelry, I love tiny earrings with weird things on them.  They look like basic studs from a distance, but when you get up close you realize that they're really something awesomely offbeat and interesting.  These tiny skulls remind me of the calaveras that you see on Day of the Dead, and the primitive nature of the shape and cut of the skulls almost makes them less creepy and kind of adorable.  They're like the Caspers of the ghost world, endearing instead of frightening.  I don't think I've ever seen a snake print dress before, but I'm kind of loving this DVF version.  The snake print comes across as really fun and summery because of the tropical color palette, and the simplicity of the cut balances out the high-impact print perfectly.  It's such an offbeat take on the traditional sundress, and would be fab with a pair of brown leather sandals, a gold pendant necklace, and some oversized Wayfarers.



Image Sources:
Vera Wang: nymag.com, Carolina Herrera: nymag.com, Jenny Packham: nymag.com, Junko Yoshioka: nymag.com, Oscar de la Renta: nymag.com, Reem Acra: nymag.com, David Lerner shorts: shopbop.com, Alkemie Jewelry ring: shopbop.com, Barbie: net-a-porter.com, Daisy Knights earrings: net-a-porter.com, DVF dress: net-a-porter.com.

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