Just another LBD: Vanessa Hudgens in a long boho dress
Vanessa Hudgens might as well be the spokesperson for the equally bohemian inclined brand, Gypsy 05. I noted earlier in the year the prevalence of the maxi dress for Spring / Summer 2010–a long sheath known best for its flowing material which falls naturally away from the body. Publicist of the brand, Roxana Saidi, elucidates, “Floor length, or maxi dresses, possess an ethereal beauty and effortless grace that mysteriously transcends that of any other dress. As a company, we value this irreplaceable attribute and therefore continue to create gorgeous, versatile maxi dresses season after season.” Indeed, universally flattering and automatically elongating, the maxi dress has escaped the style circuit, which otherwise keeps any single item from staying trendy too long. It is a style that that will be always delicate and feminine and a staple piece for a label like Gypsy ’05, known for laid back luxurious silk fabrics and a pallet that makes rainbow sherbet look bland.
The Gypsy ’05 Talya Maxi Dress is the latest must have to be seen on celebrity Vanessa Hudgens. And with an 85 degree day on the horizon come Wednesday, you’re gonna want to get your hands on the latest version of the LBD–the long boho dress–now.
As the reigning star of the latest blockbuster hit, Avatar, Zoe Saldana, swiftly rose to the top of the Hollywood hierarchy to emerge as a powerful female actress, role model, and fashion icon nearly overnight. But when Saldana stepped on to the red carpet in Paris, France to promote James Cameron’s cinematic achievement and her own professional prowess, the film-of-honor wasn’t the only visual masterpiece in the spotlight. Indeed, a dream is unique to its dreamer.
Take, for instance, the Spring/Summer 2010 collection from Italian fine footwear designer Sergio Rossi. Creative Director, Francesco Russo, strove to inspire through his own artistic creations. “A shoe inspires an entire range of emotions. I tried to convey these through a dream,” Russo articulates on the brand’s online platform.
Saldana wore the Sergio Rossi Cachet Peep Toe Sued Sling Back Platforms abroad to a promotional event for the epic film, and in doing so reached epic proportions of a different kind. Saldana’s are of a safe and practical hue—a subdued Bois de Rose, or Taupe, that elevates her red carpet panache in both senses of the heightening term. The classic peek-a-boo pump returns each season as an inspired Sergio Rossi staple, and though the reliable pair is back as expected, just as the rain in March or a Tulip in April, the fashion label has made it alternatively available in the progressive and aggressive Magenta hue for spring.
Sex and the City 2; Charlotte still Preppy in Pink
Fashion and film are natural partners in crime. The 2010 Golden Globes have come and gone, but in the world of costume design right now, there happens to be two frontrunners vying for best in show—each film with significant manifestations of and, likewise, influential capabilities in fashion. But what Tom Ford’s career fulfilling feature, A Single Man, achieves in its wardrobe, it lacks in reputation. Ford’s directorship in the film is itself highly reputable, but the legendary designer falls short by four: Samantha, Charlotte, Miranda, and Carrie. They are and will always be female fashion icons to be reckoned with.
The countdown to Sex and the City 2 has begun. Actually, it started when Sex and the City one rolled credits. Before it hits the silver screen, catch a sneak peak of the dresses Samantha, Charlotte, Miranda, and Carrie wear—must have styles that spans the eras, from Carrie’s flashback to 70s and 80s glam to Samantha’s risqué cutout 90s LBD. And of course, Charlotte is back, and she’s even preppy-er in pink. Some things never change; but in this case, keep the color but lose the silhouette, which ages her about fifty years.
Must Have’s from the Celebrities of Sex and the City 2:
Donna Mizani One Shoulder Cut Out Dress
Halston Heritage Button Front Shirt
Halston Heritage Deep V Jersey Cocktail Dress
Pleasure Doing Business Solid Sweetheart Dress
Woah Nelly! Vanessa Hudgens’ Gypsy 05 He-Shirt
There has long been this effortless sexiness surrounding a woman who slips on her mans’ crumpled up button down, plucked off the floor or the arm of a chair on a whim and without permission. Maybe it’s the oversized build of a large or XL top on the frame of a delicate dame; the seams which naturally—albeit slightly awkwardly—droop below her shoulders and the hem which falls just beneath her derrière. Such subtleties give a woman wearing exaggerated clothing an inexplicable allure understandable only by watching old movie clips of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall or observing the original luxuriously relaxed fits first exhibited by Coco Chanel.
Vanessa Hudgens’ Gypsy 05 Nelly Dress revisits this gender ambiguous silhouette, employing feminine accessories to capture the essence of a woman strutting down the street in the he-tee. “Boyfriend” inspired baggy jeans and American Apparel ultra-deep v-necks perhaps try too hard to unite the male and female wardrobe, which is why the buttoned down tunic is today’s Celebrity Must Have example for Spring 2010.
Worn alone, the Gypsy ’05 Nelly Dress might err on the safe side of plain Jane, but like a blank canvas, the button down challenges you to apply your own personality and to define your clothing. Vanessa Hudgens adds to her signature bohemian beauty the wholesome, romanticized spirit of the all-American girl. But as fashion should never be confined to one region or sentiment, Hudgens’ Savannah-chic floppy hat can also be Brooklynized with the substitution of a downtown Eugenia Kim fedora. With analogous intentions, a classic belt like that from Linea Pelle’s celebrity adored accessory line, can be traded for an all-over studded Kimberly Taylor creation—a stark yet welcomed contrast to the overall innocence of the Gypsy 05 dress.
For Spring 2010, there are more ways than one to Get Vanessa Hudgens’ Must Have look:
Gypsy 05 Nelly Dress
House of Harlow 1960 Sienna Sandal
Mystique T Strap Python Sandal
Kimberly Taylor Multisquare Gommet Hip Belt
Linea Pelle Belt in Vintage Cognac
Linea Pelle Dylan Leather Zip Tote
Ralph Lauren’s Spring / Summer 2010 runway collection featured one model after another dressed in cuts and patterns so wholesome, even grandma would approve. The assortment of sickly sweet floral and gentle All-American-Girl buttons, bucket hats, and sock-shoe combos is surely hunky-dory, but will it be the look that lures in that catch to bring home to grandma? Not unless he’s from the Great Plains or 1945.
I’m not even sure anymore if it’s spring that is beginning to bud, or if it’s just the runways that are in full bloom. For me at least, some of the looks that floated down the catwalks were downright too apple-pie-cooling-on-the-windowsill to be taken too seriously, but the idea of petals and nature-based materials is one that is nevertheless intriguing.
More two faced than Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, there exists a must have item that doubles as a playful poolside/beach cover up or as an easily dressed up option for night. The semi-sheer silken dresses and tops are very much needed at this time when our flip flops, gladiator sandals, and open toed pumps are emerging from their long hibernation. Bikini weather might not quite be here yet, but these dresses serve as a prelude to the sweltering heat we’re anticipating. After a dreadful winter of bulky knits and stuffy pants, the flowing creations from celebrity must have brands Alexis and Mara Hoffman offer some much needed relief. Think of it as comfort food brought to you by the fashion world.
Today’s designers are not only drawing upon inspiration directly from the dirt though. Rather, tribally tinged tops, like the Yumi Kim tunic worn by Lauren Conrad, have emerged as an authentic form of femininity—one that exudes strength, endurance, and vitality. And even those red carpet threads with a strictly floral foundation are not as obvious as they appear at first, many featuring sheer necklines, short hemlines, and bold, neon colors that hyperbolize the shades typically found in nature. If flowers could really grow to be so fluorescent, I might have picked up a shovel and hoe years ago.
Celebrity Must Haves for Spring 2010, as exemplified by Lauren Conrad and co:
The Mara Hoffman Poncho Dress in Guatemala White
Alexis Shy Off The Shoulder Tunic
Alexis Lani Poncho Dress
Military gets a Celebrity Makeover
I hate to call attention to the obvious. I actually feel so uncreative that I’m tempted to go scream recklessly into the abyss like Natalie Portman and Zach Braff in Garden State just to feel like I’m not completely unoriginal. But because I’m considering getting a pair, or just grabbing my old ones from the bottom of my dresser, I guess I’ll have to cede my individuality for the time being: cargo pants have made a predictable and inevitable return to the style circuit. There, I did it.
But every trend comes back, right? What makes the return of military inspired clothing any different than the reemergence of the fur vest this past winter or the studded embellishment this past year? Even if your legs risk looking like every other fashionably conscious pair of stems walking down 5th Ave, you can at least work tirelessly to separate your army inspired acquisition from the rest of them. A rose may be a rose may be a rose, but if one is red, one is wilting, and one is hardly yet a bud, then we’re talking about three very different roses, aren’t we. Cubism can be far too shallow.
For spring, work to set yourself apart from the convoy even if you’ve joined the ranks of celebrities donning army affiliated attire. Por ejemplo, a structured, matte green military jacket doesn’t require an equally neutral shirt underneath. Instead, take your look from the desert to the jungle and add a natural but daring leopard print top. It’s risky, yes, but if Balmain says it’s OK on the runway, then you can’t possibly fall any harder than a model who trips during a show. Like mixing polka dots and flowers, stripes with paisley, or lamb and tuna fish (Big Daddy reference, don’t judge)—ambiguous style takes enormous precision, but the end result is well worth the effort.
Here’s the game plan:
Jeffrey Campbell Morrow Bootie in Black
Jeffrey Campbell All Stud Combat Boot in Black
Nightcap Clothing Leather Scarf in Charcoal
Sauce Army Vest in Army
J Brand Houlihan Skinny Cargo Pant
Blake Lively’s Leather Bomber, Brown to the Bone
There is something that is just so Fabio about a taut leather shirt, so when 3.1 Phillip Lim sent an army of models down the runway with torsos clad in none other than leather shirts, I definitely had an eighties flashback moment—and I was barely just a toddler.
Like most runway exhibits though, the materials, cuts, patterns and color combinations that float across the stage are mere examples of the various possibilities available for a given season. These options allow the audience to ruminate once the models have washed off the excessive makeup and have returned the couture collections to their hangers. So what celebrities and, yes, everyday citizens leave the various fashion week stages with is the overall essence of the coming styles of a season and not necessarily concrete items from a designer’s line.
In which case, leather continues to frequent both our closets and our cravings for Spring 2010; and coincidentally, as the geese are flying back north to welcome April warmth, our down coats are flying south to hibernate in the cellar. For celebrities Blake Lively, Jessica Simpson, and the current face of Burberry Prorsum, Emma Watson, brown leather bombers are an absolute must have.
By opting for a neutral hue that aligns with the prevailing utilitarian trend, we easily eschew the harsh statements akin to this past fall and winter. Goodbye superfluous chains a la motorcycle brigade; goodbye leather so thick and stiff it competes with semi-dried tar. This Spring’s leather should be warm in color—think caramel, honeycomb, and maybe even flan—and made of (genuine or synthetic) leather so soft it practically melts onto your body.
The leather bomber has become less of a cyclical occurrence; it has more accurately become a way of dressing. So the leather coat you choose should be more of a lifetime investment than a careless quickie. Bad to the bone may be a bad choice for today, but stick with the must have outwear seen on this trifecta of fresh celebrity females, and you can be as brown to the bone as you want.
Mike and Chris Dylan Bomber
Joie Astro Bomber in Natural
