Mr. Blasberg’s Best Dressed List: March 2nd, 2012

Shailene Woodley in Proenza Schouler

It’s been a quick rise to the top of the sartorial ladder for Shailene Woodley, the wholesome American girl who plays George Clooney’s wonderfully mature daughter in The Descendants. Maybe too quick. While the rest of the girls her age are experimenting and finding their own personal style, Shailene is being shoved down red carpets in borrowed gowns. So there are bound to be some hits and misses along the way. I loved what she wore to the parties following the Oscars ceremony. She’s not one to dress like a tart (she’s into high necks and long sleeves), but by turning to a brand like Proenza Schouler, there’s still a bright, youthful kick to the covered-up look. She has the rest of her life to look dowdy, so I like it when she looks so young and vibrant.

David Beckham and Victoria Beckham in Victoria Beckham

I mean, who cares what she’s wearing when she has that hunk on her arm. But if I put my hand on my computer screen and cover him up, Victoria Beckham looks just as divine in her own dress at the Vanity Fair party. I’ve always been a fan of Posh (she was my favorite Spice Girl in the 90s, not that that comes as a shock to anyone), and I’ve been duly impressed with how she has slowly and steadily built her fashion empire. And it’s red-carpet moments like these that prove why: She’s her own muse, and her own best model.

Claire Danes in Valentino

Red was a huge trend at the Oscars this year. (See Emma Stone in a cherry Giambattista Valli, Michelle Williams in a coral Louis Vuitton gown and Natalie Portman in a red polka-dot vintage Dior gown, which were all at the ceremonies; and Kate Hudson, in Versace, and Diane Kruger, in Calvin Klein, at the after-parties.) But Claire Danes definitely brought the biggest, brightest red moment when she climbed out of her car at the Vanity Fair Oscars party following the telecast. Yes, the dress is rather large and rather ruffled, but it made me so happy to see Claire wearing it. She is often drawn to minimalist, monochromatic designs, and after seeing so much red on the carpet, seeing her in this big flowing cupcake definitely put a smile on my face. Which is the whole point of fashion, after all!

Gwyneth Paltrow in Band of Outsiders

Sofia wasn’t the only fashion goddess who succumbed to the appeal of the jumpsuit during the Oscars excitement in L.A. Gwyneth Paltrow also found herself putting one on (one leg at a time) at the 5th Annual Women In Film Pre-Oscar Cocktail Party. You know, I really have to hand it to Gwyneth. For decades now, she has consistently surprised me with her fashion choices. Of all the garments bags that probably showed up at her hotel room for her to pick from, I wouldn’t have thought she’d open the one from Band of Outsiders and toss on their black jumpsuit. But she looks so subtle and so sweetly divine. Bravo.

Giovanna Battaglia in Missoni

Now, let’s shift our attention a few thousand miles away to another fashion capital: Milan. It was fashion week there, which means that the girls in the Italian town brought out the big guns. One of the reigning queens of Italian style working in the fashion industry today is Giovanna, the former Dolce & Gabbana house-model-turned-superstylist. And she didn’t disappoint her countrymen during Milan Fashion Week, that’s for sure. My favorite look of hers was this funky, structured Missoni cocktail dress and leather trompe-l’oeil boots. Yes, those are boots.

Source: Best Dressed Celebrities Week of March 2nd, 2012 – Best Dressed Photos March 2012 – Harper’s BAZAAR

STREET STYLE TREND REPORT: FALL 2012

The girls committed to going the stylish distance during fashion month are both discerning in which trends they opt to embrace and savvy at taking runway pieces and making them a reality. Take notes on how they wear the 8 most-wanted looks spotted on the streets, shot by Mr. Newton, from major furs to all-over prints and monochromatic dressing, or as we like to call it — color monogamy. Plus, catch up on all of BAZAAR’s inspiring street style.

Strategic Layers

Wearing a turtleneck under a button-down, under a jacket under a coat completely works here.

Different shades of blue layered on top of one another looks fresh.

Source: Fall 2012 Street Style Photos – Street Style Trend Report Fall 2012 – Harper’s BAZAAR

 

FLIRTY FIFTIES

Miranda Kerr takes a bite out of Brooklyn in unforgettable daywear. Photographed by Terry Richardson. Fashion Editor: Brana Wolf.

Turn heads in deliciously ladylike looks.

Dress, $5,690, Oscar de la Renta. Bergdorf Goodman; 212-753-7300. Earrings, rings, and bracelet, Verdura. Watch, Hamilton. Clutch, Derek Lam.

Dress, $1,410, Jil Sander. Neiman Marcus; 888-888-4757. Earrings, Bulgari. Bracelet, Ca & Lou. Watch, Timex. Bag, Marni. Shoes, Marc Jacobs.

Be a poster girl for spring fashion in looks that are ripe for the picking.

Top, $995, and skirt, $825, Dolce & Gabbana. 877-70-DGUSA. Necklace, Bulgari. Watch, Van Cleef & Arpels. Ring (right), Elizabeth and James. Ring (left), Janis by Janis Savitt. Bag, Valextra. Pumps, Jimmy Choo.

Dress, $1,695, Donna Karan New York. Neiman Marcus; 888-888-4757. Bracelet, Verdura. Necklace, Kenneth Jay Lane. Ring, Bulgari. Watch, Timex.

BEAUTY BAZAAR Create a ’50s cat’s-eye with Maybelline New York Line Stiletto Ultimate Precision Liquid Eyeliner in Blackest Black ($7.25).

Whether evoking vampiness or innocent flirtation, these dresses fit to a T.

Dress, $6,450, Bottega Veneta. 212-371-5511. Sunglasses, Agent Provocateur by Linda Farrow. Ring, Robin Katz Vintage Jewels. Necklace and bracelet (right), Janis by Janis Savitt. Orb charm bracelet, Lynn Ban. Coin charm bracelet, Verdura.

Belted dress, $5,800, Dior. 800-929-DIOR. Earrings, Verdura. Necklace, Tom Binns. Clutch, Ralph Lauren Collection. Pumps, Christian Louboutin.

 

BEAUTY BAZAAR Lift your roots with Pantene Pro-V Fine Style Lasting Volume Hairspray ($3.99).

Mint condition: Step up your style with washes of pretty pastel.

Jacket, $3,930, skirt, $2,900, and collar, $630, Louis Vuitton. 866-VUITTON. Ring, Lynn Ban. Pin, Kenneth Jay Lane. Watch, Timex. Pumps, Tabitha Simmons.

Jacket, $3,995, blouse, $650, bra, $295, skirt, $1,990, and shoes, $645, Marc Jacobs. 212-343-1490. Ring (right), Lynn Ban. Bangle (right), Cartier. Bracelet (left), Janis by Janis Savitt. Bag, Prada.

Hair: Duffy for Sebastian Professional; Makeup: Frank B; Manicure: Alicia Torello; Production and location scouting: William Carducci for Urban NYC.

Source: Miranda Kerr Brooklyn Photo shoot – Terry Richardson’s Miranda Kerr Photo Shoot – Harper’s BAZAAR

MY LIST: KARL LAGERFELD IN 24 HOURS

8:00 A.M. I sleep seven hours. If I go to bed at two, I wake up at nine. If I go to bed at midnight, I wake up at seven. I don’t wake up before—the house can fall apart, but I sleep for seven hours. I wear a long, full-length white shirt, in a material called poplin imperial, made for me by Hilditch & Key in Paris after a design of a 17th-century men’s nightshirt I saw at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The first thing I do when I get up, I have breakfast. I have two protein shakes made for me by my doctor–they have a chocolate taste and no sugar, of course—and steamed apples. That’s all. I don’t like anything else in the morning. I never drink anything hot; I don’t like hot drinks, very strange. I drink Diet Coke from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed. I can even drink it in the middle of the night, and I can sleep. I don’t drink coffee, I don’t drink tea, I drink nothing else.

I do most of my reading in the morning. I have a special canopy for that, near the window, where I can see the Louvre and the Seine. I only read, look at books, and sketch. And daydream—daydreaming’s important too. At night there are the dreams too, but I don’t have too many. I read the French, English, and some American papers, some German papers, Women’s Wear—quite a lot. I read on paper; I prefer that.

11:00 A.M. I have my hair done because I hate to have hair in my face when I sketch. My hair is not really white; it’s kind of grayish, and I don’t like the color. So I make it totally white with Klorane dry shampoo. That is the best thing to do because my hair is always clean.

12:00 P.M. I don’t get dressed and take a bath until lunchtime because I am doing a dirty job, painting with colors. So I wear my long nightshirt; it becomes kind of like a painter’s smock, then it goes to the laundry. I have everything—sheets and nightshirt and robes—changed every day. I like everything to be washable, myself included. I like antique lace, antique sheets, beautiful quilted covers, but everything is white. In white you can hide nothing. Most people don’t use this kind of sheets and things because it’s very difficult and very expensive for the upkeep. But it’s such a pleasure to go to bed in the evening in a beautiful bed with beautiful sheets and beautiful pillows, everything flawless, in a freshly pressed, long white smock. It’s perfect.

When I’m ready, I soak in the bathtub, if you really want to know. I used to have a product I loved, by Shu Uemura, but they don’t make it anymore, so I found a French product that softens the water; it’s a hundred years old. I put half a bottle in the bathtub. I exercise very little because my doctor said it’s not necessary. I did a lot when I was very young, and all you do when you’re young stays. So it’s not the problem as with people who started later. I’m very flexible; I have no problems.

My latest uniform is actually two looks—a special jacket with tails made by Dior, but not what you wear for weddings. I have them made in tweed and things like this. Then I have another jacket I love from the new Dior men’s collection that I bought five of, so people think I wear the same thing every day, but in fact it’s never the same thing. And then I wear jeans; at the moment they are from my new collection. They are dark gray with my face, my profile, printed in black on them, but you really have to look at it to see it. My dressing room is so full that I can only wear what I see on top of all the racks. I still have all my clothes from 10 years ago from Dior, but I think I will give them back to Dior for the museum. I have pieces that are unique pieces that I will never wear again, because life is different now, you know. I used to fax a lot, but people don’t have faxes anymore.

I never have lunch, but when I do, I ask them to bring it to me in the house. I actually have two houses. This house here, it’s only for sleeping and sketching, and I have another house two-and-a-half meters away for lunch and dinner and to see people, and where the cook is and all that. I don’t want that here. Even if the place is huge, I want to be alone. If I want something, I call them, and they’re next door, they come. The studio is next door, the office is next door. If I have guests and butlers, I don’t want them in my house. Everything is next door.

4:00 P.M. I have two drivers and several cars. I have a driver who in the morning does the shopping for me and brings the newspapers, and another one, Sébastien, who is also my secretary, who is free in the morning and works in the afternoon and late in the evening. On my way to the Chanel studio, I like to look around, I like to look at Paris. I never get tired of Paris. A lot of people are on the phone all the time; they don’t see anything anymore. It’s true. I like to watch. I go from here to Galignani, my favorite bookshop, and then to Chanel, and then to Colette, and sometimes to the Dior men’s shop. I don’t go to too many shops.

5:00 P.M. I arrive at the studio very late in the afternoon because I want the première to stay in the workroom with the workers during the day. If they are in the studio with me, they don’t supervise the work. I go there from five to eight, half-past eight. I’m very quick and organized. The way I sketch, the way I work, I prefer to do all my work in the evening or in the morning and during the weekend, and I send everything on the iPhone. I’m not there in the studio draping—I don’t do those things. My work is very conceptual.

9:00 P.M. Dinner depends on the day. I don’t go out that much because I’m always late, and I’m so busy and so pleased with what I’m doing that I’m not really ready for a social evening. That’s over—the people I was going out with are dead or don’t exist anymore. Sometimes I go to La Maison du Caviar, but most of the time I have dinner in the Rue des Saints-Pères house and come home after that. I hate the word routine. What I hate most is when you have to look at your watch and get in a hurry to change for dinner, if you have an important dinner. Every dinner is important; you should never be without a dinner, but this I’m a little tired of. I did a lot of it in my life.

To unwind, it depends on how tired I am. Sometimes I read a little bit. Lately, I play with my cat, Choupette. The cat always stays home, and when I leave, the maid takes care of her. The cat is like a very refined object; she doesn’t go into the street, and she doesn’t go to other places. She is a spoiled princess.

Source: My List: Karl Lagerfeld in 24 Hours – Harper’s BAZAAR

MR. BLASBERG’S BEST-DRESSED LIST: MARCH 16TH, 2012

Michelle Obama in Marchesa

She’s got arms, and she knows how to use them. That was the refrain I was singing as I watched some recent news footage of Michelle Obama at a White House State Dinner. I loved the elegance of her Marchesa dress and the way she layered on those necklaces to dress down the gown a wee bit. But really, it’s all about those arms. Even in this picture, you can see that Samantha Cameron, who I think is sweet and stylish too, for the record, hid her appendages, while the first lady got her guns out.

Michelle Williams in Valentino

Michelle Williams is on a roll. The Louis Vuitton dress she wore to the Oscars a few weeks ago is still fresh in my mind and was one of my favorites from the awards, and now she showed up at a Japanese press conference for My Week with Marilyn (for which she was nominated, FYI) in an adorable yet still sexy shift dress in a muted shade of coral. I’m sure, with her pixie haircut and cutesy demeanor, it would be easy for Michelle to stick to familiar fashion territory, but I like that she still seems to be having fun with what she wears.

Elizabeth Olsen in The Row

Fashion is a family affair—quite literally, in the case of Elizabeth Olsen and the ensemble, designed by her older sisters, that she chose for a recent radio show appearance. The actress, one of my favorite breakout stars of 2011 in film and on the red carpet, looks absolutely polished in this fun, funky velvet suit. Although, I must admit, I was disappointed on behalf of all the listeners who couldn’t see how beautiful she looked.

Elizabeth Banks in Atelier Versace

With her big smile and hearty sense of humor, Elizabeth Banks has always reminded me of a girl-next-door-type.  She is always polite and gracious and kind, and always looks put together and sweet. That is why I was kind of shocked—in a good way!—to see her in this va-va-voom Versace cocktail dress. It’s a bright color and it’s so short, not that I’m complaining. I like to see a good girl go bad every once in awhile. (But keep it cute, Banks!)

Jennifer Lawrence in Prabal Gurung

Elizabeth Banks wasn’t the only actress who I thought was pushing the envelope this week. Did anyone else see the gilded, hip-hugging Prabal Gurung dress that Jennifer Lawrence wore to the Hunger Games premiere in L.A.? Jennifer, whom I celebrated for her classic American grace when she wore a simple red Calvin Klein sheath dress at the Oscars last year, tapped into her inner seductress here. And I liked what she came out with.

Miranda Kerr in Marni

Marni is one of my favorite labels for women to wear. And that’s because it takes a certain type of confident female who’s comfortable in her own skin. Now, someone like Miranda Kerr, a Victoria’s Secret supermodel and wife to Orlando Bloom, is probably pretty comfortable in her skin (and I’ve seen her in pictures wearing little more than that), but I like that she ditched the lingerie for something graphic, structured and interesting.

Source: Best Dressed Celebrities Week of March 16th, 2012 – Red Carpet Photos March 2012 – Harper’s BAZAAR