Stylish with Substance

Amy Winehouse: A Look Back in Style

Ella M — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:16:00 EDT

Amy Winehouse was a talented spirit troubled by addiction, an affliction some fashionistas can understand (those troubled by serious shopping addictions, like I am). She was also a free-spirited style star, a woman as 50s bouffant meets 60s go-go as she was a modern paparazzi-magnet. She will be missed, and so will her potential beyond her disease.

Here we look at some photos that represent her key looks in beauty and fashion. Enjoy with respect for her individualism and never forget the music above all else.

Start Gallery >

xx, Ella

Credits: View gallery of style & credit links after the jump!

Emmys Fashion 2010: The Good, The Bad & The Boring

Ella M — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:48:17 EDT

Emmy 2010 fashions were mostly, in a word, boring.

Somehow, for this year’s Emmy Awards’ fashions, safe seemed to rule the celebrity runway. The red carpet was littered with boring gowns either lacking detail (like poofs of ruffle) or shape. The always ubiquitous glitter ruled, as usual, and why am I supposed to care?

Ugly dresses were few and, as usual, often on wives; and they were tame. No one loves a bad dress, but we do love to spot them. A lot of the ugly dresses were ambiguous – “should I hate this or actually love it?”

While the ugly was tame, the fabulous was also safe. My favorite gown of the night, a trendy lace number that was much better on top than bottom, by Carolina Herrera on Dianna Agron, was actually hated by many in polls and thought to age the actress. Sure, I could give them that, but I didn’t see anything better or that I’d rather wear. Well I didn’t see those things on the stars although I had on the real runways.

On one of fashion’s most exciting nights to be home, in pajamas or whatever one wants, watching the action on television; there were few thrilling moments. There was the Agron gown, or at least the initial sighting of the bodice. There were Jane Krakowski’s blue teetering Ferragamo heels that were so high the tiny feet effect toppled the pair past sexy into adorable, but that’s right up my shoe alley. And there were Badgley Mischka shoes (worn by E!’s Giulianna Rancic) among some of their pairs I both cooed about in blogging and considered buying at Neiman Marcus Last Call. (Points off for accessibility?)

And there was of course McQueen, fabulous and questionable on Anna Paquin and carried as a clutch by Ricky Gervais’s date; one that I could barely make out on my medium “small screen”. Underwhelmed by the iffiness? Actually no, my current favorite show’s star in a dress immediately recognizable got me audibly excited; but how often did that happen?

Seeing the stars walk the red carpet even made me want to go watch the stars' series and not the awards show, but later I came to find that I enjoyed the event; but did I enjoy it even more than the fashion?

I feel so blah about it all that I can’t muster the emotion to tell.

Bonus photo: The worst:

Real Woman, Christina Hendricks, on Cover of GQ - Healthy Body Image(s) #2.5

Ella M — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:08:13 EDT

It's far from surprising (why should it be?), but it's huge for female self-esteem, for an actress like Hendricks to grace the cover of a male's magazine. Thanks, GQ.

View our Healthy Body Image(s) Campaign

Number 2 in the series, ok 2.5 if you count my butt---actually my thighs. (Here I was wearing shorts - for the Internet, go me!)

On the cover of men's mag, GQ (right), is a sexily*-curvy woman; Christina Hendricks. It is not about curves or a round figure, it is about sex appeal - this is a body men love and women admire and even relate to!

(*And, yes, made-up words are awesome.)

The 12 Craziest Miss Universe National Costumes (2010)

Ella M — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:53:07 EDT

Onward you'll find good fun for women, men, and even TV geeks! Don't forget the photos get better, as this is a countdown...

Costumes, they are, but that doesn't make them ... right. Necessarily. On to the viewing - and fug - fun!

#12 - Miss France and her leaning "tour"

Here goes, with a swoosh, France being synonymous with "chic"

#11 - Miss USA would die kill for the cause

Which of our national treasure, the poor eagle, had to die?

#10 - Miss Lebanon, from fairy land

Lebanon is where princesses come from? *Books a flight*

#9 - Miss Great Britain, as if you couldn't tell

After Alexander McQueen's sad death, this was Miss Great Britain's best option.

#8 - Miss Venezuela. Hey, I didn't know Venezuela was in space. Oh, that's why it's called Miss "Universe"!

Lady GaGa called; she wants her haus back. Points off (seriously!) for being now-less-original.

(Fashion points for her matching shoes!)

#7 - Miss Kosovo, it's surprising she didn't win.

... What with her maenad powers and all. Scary.

#6 - Miss Australia ... is a scrolldown.

Or shall we say, "Miss Uggstralia"? Yes, those are Uggs. Heeled Uggs, to boot.

Seriously, though, is it hot and cold simultaneously there? Fur shoulders + Bare waist = Class-y.

Continue. It just gets better with the last five!

Healthy Body Image(s) Campaign #1 - Britney Spears, now that's normal

Ella M — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:48:32 EDT

You may have noticed here and here that I'm trying to start a movement. A pro HEALTHY female form movement. This is my second post, actually, but the first of my IMAGES to get the image more out there. That's what it's all about: seeing is believing, in this case that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!

Here we have Britney Spears, seen recently. OK hardly anyone is more out there than Britney Spears and her images, but it's mostly smack talk, isn't it? Well anyone would actually say grown up Brit-Brit looks great here. Woohoo! But I want to point out how she's smokin' hot and lacks a superflat six pack. This is real, and this is very sexy.

She's making me feel great. Her stomach may yet be smaller than my own, but these images do help me to feel like I definitely don't need a near-concave tummy to look absolutely, perfectly, happily and healthily sized.

Read more about what caused this campaign from this blog post, then check out a related Facebook page.

If you spot some normalcy in a celeb body on the web, comment!

Photos from UK Daily Mail Online.

Chelsea Clinton Wedding Gown -OR- How to Easily Sketch that Complicated Fashion Design

Ella M — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:18:57 EDT

I didn't want to post the same ubiquitous entry on Chelsea Clinton's wedding gown. Sure, I couldn't miss this. Not because the bride is American royalty, nor for the name sake of Vera Wang, but I couldn't miss posting this because that gown is so fabulous! I would accept those "sloppy" seconds of the (I hear) custom design from Wang. Or a new version, sans the bejeweled waist, which isn't my thing, with perhaps the addition of a little ruching on the bodice (and perhaps a sweetheart neckline?). Now this is going to cost me $0 as well, right? Le sigh!

Anyway, my own little spin can come thankfully from Catwalk Queen and their splitscreen of the bride and the sketch:

I'm thinking of the fear novice designers may have when we envision something gloriously fabulous and intricate, yet we don't know how to sketch it. Unless it is the human form which troubles your hand, one can get a tip from Vera Wang. Impossibly complicated die-cut tiered dress ... from some fun-to-draw swooshes!

IMHO though, a bride/model of 11.5' in height is not a requirement.

Congratulations to Chelsea's groom, Marc Mezvinsky. Best wishes to the beautiful bride!

(Top photo from Us Magazine)

(QUOTE) What does it take for (a woman) to be successful?

Ella M — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:29:09 EDT

“

To be successful takes guts.

”Jackée Harry

Style Star Wars - Gaga, Christina, Rihanna - Give Peace a Chance!

Ella M — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:02:09 EDT

The Cut

It seems that many fans of certain popstars have abandoned those old loves and turned into zombies, I mean monsters, of Lady Gaga. Also, to me, it seems that there are hardly any fans of sensational voice, Christina Aguilera, still around.

Has anyone publicly stood up for "Xtina"? It's said that the songstress copies lady Gaga, but what about Rihanna?

One could say Rihanna either copies Gaga as well or she just has similar styles (couldn't they all?). Rihanna's own stylist, Mariel Haenn, vowed that Christina copies the Barbados popstar, and not the Lady. Of course, as Rihanna's own stylist, she knows the styling well, but is likely biased.

I say it could all be coincidence. They're popstars and they all dress in a form, or an extreme, of popstar/rockstar garb.

Even "civilians" follow trends, and that means many could dress alike. Aren't the spikes, leather, booty shorts, etc. just a trend that they put to extremes?

So I plead, can't we all get along and follow musicians for talent or just that other old reason, some good beats?

The Shoe Queen, Sarah-Jessica Parker, at ShoWest & Her Shoes

Ella M — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:36:56 EDT

A bunch of celebrity gals were at ShoWest (and in great shoes) but Sarah-Jessica Parker, herself, cannot get just one photo, no!

[gallery]

Everybody AND her MOM are becoming designers. No really...

Ella M — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:59:05 EDT

This is not a renewal of the old joke, although it's only partially true. You know it's more fright than funny, partly because some famous new designers don't even design. It seems every singer, or not, wants to be a designer. And then famous non-singers think they can sing. Why does everyone whose name is up in lights think they can design?

Fashion bloggers, too, are crafters, entrepreneurs and even designers. But we work hard to forge our own ways, usually sewing to boot. This is what Ella is doing, but I won't talk too much about my line that's merely upcoming. ;-)

Back to those spoiled celebs...

A while ago Lindsay Lohan debuted her leggings collection, under her own label, and recently started collaborating with another. Now her mom, Dina Lohan, has previewed her shoe collection. It's named after their famous surname in an oh-so mindless, embarrassing take on a pun, "Shoe-Han".

And you guessed it, Dina won't be designing, only having some part in the creative direction. Oh boy...

The name just makes me think of more puns relating to the slang term, "ho". It can be combined with so many other words that would suit Dina. In a way it makes talking about, if not wearing, "her" shoes oh so versatile.

Now for that peep-toe boot that wonderful role model tried on for the cameras - it's no more stylish than a cast.

You'll be sure not to purchase a pair for your own mommy dearest this Spring, when the line debuts around Mother's Day.