bLavish

Beckerman Is The New Kardashian

July 19, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel at 8:20 pm | Comments off

Okay, i have to admit that I’ve always had a weird semi-fondness for the Kardashian girls. Sure, none of them are really famous for actually doing anything, but aren’t most celebrities like that these days? Still, I’ve never been able to accept them as style mavens. Let’s be honest, their apparel choices are pretty bland, even if they are often form fitting.

The Beckerman sisters, on the other hand, are a totally different breed. They’re bloggers, which is a legitimate job, as far as I’m concerned (duh). More precisely, they’re fashion bloggers that have all actually been to design school. Which separates them from a lot of teenage fashion bloggers who just happen to be able to afford expensive clothes and the tiny bodies that clothes look good on.

The Beckerman blog, called The Beckerman Bite Plate, is an often updated chronicle of their adventures in fashion. They’re clothes walk a fine line between outrageous and wearable, and each of the three has an interesting stylistic perspective. They’re all blonde and pretty, but they’re not all stick thin. I mean, one of these girls might be like a size 8 or something reasonable like that. As far as fashion role models go, they’re definitely moving to the top of my list.

SJP Leaves Halston

July 14, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel, celebrities at 10:48 pm | Comments off

Sarah Jessica Parker is a woman who wears many, many hats. Wife, mother, actress, fashion plate, and designer. Except that she’s just removed one of those hats, and no one seems to know why. She took on the job as President of Halston Heritage in 2009. Bonnie Takhar, who was in charge of training her, left after less than a year. SJP admitted at the time that she didn’t really know how to do the job, but as a person who follows fashion, I’d say she did just fine.

Heritage is Halston’s lower-priced diffusion line, and since SJP took over it has enjoyed a lot of success. She totally didn’t exploit her celebrity for the line, like everyone expected her to, and instead relied on her intuitive design savvy. Which is why everyone is a little surprised that she will no longer be working with the company. The other mystery is that neither SJP nor Halston has actually made a statement about what happened.

Lady Gaga’s Love For Philip Treacy

July 12, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel at 10:00 pm | Comments off

Philip Trecy may not be one of the most recognizable designers, but he’s definitely one of the most influential. He just happens to work in a little appreciated medium, the hat. This Irish milliner has designed for many prominent fashion houses, including Galliano, Chanel, and Givenchy.

Even if you’re not sure you’ve seen his work, you definitely have. His hats have appeared on Sex and the City, in Harry Potter films, and no less than 36 of them were attendance at the well-viewed recent wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Plus, Lady Gaga loves them. She told V magazine:

The lines for myself have become so blurred now, I know not the difference between a moment of performance and a moment of honesty. If you were to ask me to remove my Philip Treacy hat at a party, in truth it is the emotional and physical equivalent of requesting I remove my liver.

That’s some kind of accolade.

Prada Funglasses

June 6, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel at 11:59 pm | Comments off

Miuccia Prada is known for a lot of things in the fashion world: making black nylon into a covetable material, that iconic triangular logo, and last but not least, her sometimes quirky sense of humor. Prada’s new Minimal-Baroque project is a collaboration between Prada, Vogue Italia, and a host of hot young artists.

The results are a cool blast of fresh air in the sometimes stuffy fashion world. The sunglasses themselves are pretty amazing, although not particularly wearable by most. Prada’s frames have been transformed into colorful curlicues and other fanciful shapes, and various non-traditional models have been used in the images.

By non-traditional I don’t mean women with unusual body types. I mean balloons and animal skulls. The prints of these images will be displayed in Prada boutiques all over the world beginning in July, but you can already see the sunglasses in fashion editorials.

Kieth Haring By House Of Field

June 3, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel, Artsy Fartsy at 12:12 am | Comments off

Fashion and art are two great tastes that taste great together. For years, artists and designers have been collaborating to produce wearable art. This is more of a posthumous collaboration, though, since one of the collaborators, Kieth Haring, died in 1990. Before and since then, he acquired legendary pop artist status, and Patria Field pays homage to him in her line for The House of Field.

You know Patricia Field because she was the stylist for Sex and the City, but fashionistas have known about her for decades. Patricia Field is always on the cutting edge of what’s happening next, especially more recently, when she’s become a driving force behind the trends. This line is eye-poppingly colorful and super graphic. It has a youthful playfulness that represents Haring’s work well.

The line is of a totally reasonable price point, too. Prices start at $38 for a cotton tote and go up from there for jewelry and apparel.

$800 Ralph Lauren Solar Panel RLX Backpack

April 11, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel, The Most Expensive at 8:21 am | Comments off

Made in Italy using water-resistant material, these luxurious Ralph Lauren Solar Panel RLX Backpacks are just what you’ve been needing for on-the-go gadget charging.

The Solar Panel RLX Backpack features a built-in solar panel sturdily attached to the back of the pack and capable of producing a 3.45 watt current, enough power to charge your cell phone or iPod in two to three hours tops.

Other features of this $800 backpack include adjustable shoulder straps, top flap with adjustable buckle closure, zip pockets and o course the RLX Ralph Lauren name.  Talk about showing off your luxury feathers.

Roberto Cavalli Metallic Leopard-Print Jeans

March 15, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel at 3:38 pm | Comments off

Now that winter has stopped rearing it’s bitterly cold head, it might be time to add a little more flash back into your wardrobe. Well, these metallic leopard-print jeans will definitely do the trick. They have everything that a high-glamour springtime staple should have. First, there’s the leopard print. I know it can come off a little Dynasty-era, but not if it’s done right. What you’ve gotta do is take them a little more rock-n-roll. The metallic gold is going to help you out a lot in that regard, as will the ultra-skinny, low-slung style.

At $950, this kind of bling jean doesn’t come cheap, but the combination of high design and rocker chic is a real winner. Why not break out of your winter whites and beiges with something a little more exciting than your average springtime flower print?

Prada Creeper Brogues

March 11, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel at 6:48 pm | Comments off

Sometimes high fashion is luxurious and amazing. Sometimes it’s so beautiful that it can make you feel totally different about your life. And sometimes it’s just…expensive. While these Prada Brogues have been a hit since they strutted down the runway, I just don’t have many good things to say about them. They took a classic Creeper style in conservative brown and added an athletic, striped platform. This combination of disparate styles does not, unfortunately, come together well.

Priced at around $900, these babies are a significant investment. But unless your wardrobe is fashioned around New York City club kid style circa the mid-90′s, I’m not really sure what you’re gonna wear with these. Prada sent them down the runway with a bunch of funky futuristic dresses, but honestly, they didn’t really work with those, either. I might skip these in lieu of some nice simple flip-flops.

Marithé + François Girbaud Gets A Makeover

March 10, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel at 6:28 pm | Comments off

When you think of the label Girbaud, you probably think of the 1990′s, which is the last thing the company wants you to do. Since its heyday, the brand has deteriorated greatly, going from a company that make upwards of $80 million a year to a company that makes barely $10 million. But Robert Stec, who is now head of the brand, has big things in store.

One of the first moves he’s making is to take the company public in order to boost capital. This move should be complete by the end of April. The next change on the list is to put women’s wear back into the fold, which could happen by the end of the year. In addition, the company is releasing two new lines, Brandina and Flow Society, to help increase their customer base. Flow Society is a sporty line targeting the lacrosse market, and Brandina is a line of mid-priced leather shoes and accessories. Hopefully, Spec’s multi-pronged approach will put Girbaud right back on the fashion map.

Cutaway Suede Flats By Belle Sigerson Morrison

March 7, 2011 | Posted by bLavish as Apparel at 2:45 pm | Comments off

In case you hadn’t noticed, and you might not have if you’re in one of the Northern climes, spring is coming. I’m not a major fan of hot pink, except during Mardi Gras, which you probably don’t know is now if you live in one of the Northern climes. In honor of both spring and Mardi Gras, I’m half in love with these little fuchsia skimmers.

Plus, they’re suede, which has a beautiful softness that goes really well with spring styles, and tones down the bright jewel tone color slightly. And while stiletto devotees will tell you that nothing under four inches is sexy, the low cutaway sides on these flats are definitely sexy. Not to mention wearable for a full day of romantic spring activities.

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