Monday, December 20, 2010

Current Obsession: Marcel Waves



Marcel waves, also known as finger waves, were popular in the 1920s and continue to be a favorite amongst designers and starlets.  They are fairly easy to do, come in a variety of looks, and can work with many lengths of hair.






















Diane Kruger has worn Marcel waves several times, each with a different vibe.  From polished to decorated, they always make a statement.















When adding glitz to your waves, consider vintage and estate jewelry.  Dolce & Gabbana featured some beautiful combs and clips in their Spring 2010 collection:






















For instructions on how to make Marcel waves, see the image below (which can be enlarged by clicking on it), or search YouTube for videos.









































XOXO, Coco Birdie


*Images via Style.com and Google Images

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Top 10 Gowns of 2010




















10.  Jessica Biel in Oscar de la Renta at the "Valentine's Day" Hollywood Premiere




















9.  Kerry Washington in Marchesa at the Metropolitan Opera




















8.  Christina Hendricks in Christian Siriano at the Golden Globes





















7.  Carey Mulligan in Prada at the Oscars





















6.  Claire Danes in Armani PrivĂ© at the Emmys





















5.  Carey Mulligan in Vionnet at BAFTA




















4.  Anne Hathaway in Valentino at the Costume Institute Gala




















3.  Camilla Belle in Jason Wu at the Costume Institute Gala




















2.  Camilla Belle in Yves Saint Laurent at the Metropolitan Opera




















1.  Natalie Portman in Rodarte at the Venice Film Festival Premiere of "Black Swan"

Friday, November 19, 2010

Designer Profile: Lanvin for H & M

The limited edition Lanvin collection for H & M launches tomorrow in the States.  If you are lucky enough to be in one of the selected cities, get in line tomorrow as early as possible- it will sell out!  The looks are amazing and reasonably priced.  Here's a sneak peak:






If you aren't lucky enough to live in one of the cities getting the collection (aka, most of the population), you can bid on couture looks online.  Also available are Alber Elbaz's delightful sketches.  All proceeds go to charity, so you can justify the high price since it is a good deed.  Of the 19 looks available, here are my favorite 7:








For more information check out: www.hm.com and www.lanvinforhm.com.

Happy Shopping!
XOXO,
Coco Birdie

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Mark Rothko Meets Rachel Roy

One of my favorite painters is Mark Rothko, and his use of color and soft block shapes has influenced one of my favorite designers, Rachel Roy.  I find both of their work to be inspiring, particularly in color mixing so I thought I would share with you some of my favorite looks.



































For more information on Rachel Roy, visit her website at: www.rachelroy.com.  She also has an amazing lower priced line, RACHEL Rachel Roy, available at the same site.

XOXO,
Coco Birdie

**All Rothko images from Google Images.  All Rachel Roy images from Style.com.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Current Obsession: Statement Lips


Right now I love the bright lips seen on the fall and spring runways.  The best was Fendi's Spring 2011 RTW show which featured some hot reds, corals, and pinks.  The best way to pull off statement lips is with soft eye makeup, subtle hair, and a little attitude.

Here are my favorite statement lip looks in reds, corals and pinks:

Fendi's makeup artist Peter Philips told Style.com: "To get a perfect, strong Technicolor lip, I would advise drawing out your lip with a lip liner in a strong pink, orange, or coral—basic shades you can find easily at Make Up For Ever.  Fill in totally and top off with Chanel's Rouge Allure in Super, a shocking pink, or Genial, a Technicolor coral."
Sephora has a great web app that will help you pick the best lipstick shades based on your skin tone and hair color.  You'll also find the Make Up For Ever lip sticks and pencils on Sephora's site.  Chanel's Rouge and Allure lipsticks can be found on their site.

XOXO,
Coco Birdie


*Images via Style.com, Sephora, Google Images, and The Sartorialist

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Wardrobe Overhaul

After being photographed one too many times in pieces that just don't work on me, I've decided to give my closet an overhaul.  I'll be getting rid of anything that does fit my new criteria, and looking for pieces that do.

My inspiration comes from classic glamour: Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel, and Dior's New Look.


Pieces I will be looking for will be in basic colors, tailored, with v-necks and a 1950s feel.  I'll introduce color in accessories and makeup, and add lace for a feminine touch.  Since I'm home most of the day, my casual wardrobe needs to be updated.  I'll look for nice, comfortable pieces that I can still be seen in.



Things I won't be wearing? Stripes, boatnecks, back scoop necks, skinny leg pants, and oversized pieces.

XOXO, Coco Birdie

*Images from Style.com, Anthropologie, J. Crew, Net-a-Porter, Real Simple, and Google Images.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Alpacas




I am currently taking a course in sustainability for fashion and came across some amazing knowledge about alpacas, which I previously knew nothing about.  South American in origin, the alpaca is the world's oldest domestic livestock and a very distant relative of the camel.  Alpacas produce one of the most environmentally friendly natural fibers out there.

Production of the hair into yarn creates a textile that is far softer and less irritating to the wearer than wool and many other natural fibers.  Not only does alpaca yarn naturally exhibit pure softness, but also it is also completely hypoallergenic, low-shrink, luxurious, and thermal (each fine hair is hollow so the thermal qualities are very strong; it's like wearing insulation, only much softer).  Because the fabric is very durable, resilient, and doesn't pill, matt, lose its luster, or wear thin easily, an alpaca garment's appearance can remain largely unchanged with wear, time, and cleaning. 

Alpaca farming is also much better for the environment because they have anefficient three-stomach digestive system that metabolizes grass and hay more efficiently than nearly all other livestock, so they eat less per pound (they average 160 lbs).  Alpacas have a lightweight, which is soft on the ground, which greatly reduces soil damage, which in turn allows for grazing in more fragile environments.  The other alpaca byproduct, "Paca Poo," is pH-balanced and an excellent, natural slow-release/low-odor fertilizer.

Unlike sheep wool, which contains the allergen oil lanolin, alpacas produce a dry fiber that contains no lanolin.  This means it doesn't need to be subjected to the heavy scouring that sheep's wool requires, or washed in harsh chemicals to remove any residual contaminates, both of which contribute to wool allergies. Alpaca dyes very well and takes color nicely from plant and other natural dyes. With alpaca's wide range of rich, lustrous natural colors producers can create colorful, non-fading items without any dyes at all.  Being animal fibers, alpaca is naturally flame-retardant and self-extinguishing.   Alpaca fabric's natural cleanliness requires only infrequent laundering and generates little static electricity.  It is naturally stain-resistant and antimicrobial, so it doesn't hold odors.  The fabric is not waterproof, but it does shed moisture well, stay warm even when wet, and dry quickly.  Because of its ability to regulate body moisture, it keeps the wearer drier than many waterproof fabrics that cause internal saturation from perspiration.

So where can you get this amazing fabric?  It is not as easy to find as wool, but there are a variety of websites and stores that offer stylish alpaca products:

Purely Alpaca offers cute sweater dresses, versatile wraps, and really great custom coats.


The Alpaca Boutique offers great sweaters, scarves, hats, gloves, and goods for the whole family.


Peruvian Link sells beautiful ponchos, trendy gloves, cozy slippers, and soft toys for kids.


Peruvian Connection offers the most sophisticated and stylish collection, including amazing sweaters and dresses, as well as products made of pima cotton and other soft knits.


You can also find alpaca products and blends at more commercial retailers like Eileen Fisher, J. Crew, Nordstroms, and Banana Republic.




XOXO, Coco Birdie

Products:
Alpaca Boutique- Hat, Shawl, Coat
Peruvian Link- Poncho, Coat, Gloves
Peruvian Connection- Sweater, Jacket, Dress
Eileen Fisher- Sweater, Coat, Tunic
Banana Republic- Cardigan, Vest, Mens