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Red Carpet Recap: Academic Achievment

By |February 22nd, 2015|Celebrity Style, Red Carpet Recap, Why Did You Wear That?|

dakota johnson rosamund pike behati prinsloo Dakota Johnson in Saint Laurent, Rosamund Pike in Givenchy, Behati Prinsloo in Armani

The red carpet was red hot this year at the 87th Annual Academy Awards.  While it poured down rain in Los Angeles, causing a hot box effect with plastic tenting literally wilting A-list hairstyles and melting perfectly made up faces, nominees and future winners did not let us down in the dress department.  While there was nothing truly offensive, there were also very few that inspired any standing ovations, which would be saved for John Legend, Common, Patricia Arquette, and Graham Moore.  Saint Laurent on both Dakota Johnson and Margot Robbie were two of my early favorites.  When Rosamund Pike arrived in a perfectly fitted Givenchy frock only two months after giving birth, I shed a tear and poured out a little bit of alcohol, which my dog quickly lapped up.  A few debatable dresses were worn by Lupita Nyong’o, Nicole Kidman, and Felicity Jones.  I’m not sure why, but Khloe Kardashian was recruited by E! for her opinions on red carpet arrivals, to which she held nothing back.  I zoned out from the actual awards show after Neil Patrick Harris’s first failed joke, but I did catch Julianne Moore’s well deserved acceptance speech, Common’s freckles, Lady Gaga’s epic cover of The Sound of Music, and the absence of Joan Rivers in the Memoriam.

Citron Sirens:

nicole kidman emma stone oscarsNicole Kidman in Louis Vuitton, Jennifer Hudson in Romona Keveza, Emma Stone in Elie Saab

Blushing Beauties:

jennifer anniston jennifer lopez oscarsJennifer Anniston in Versace, Zoe Saldana in Atelier Versace, Jennifer Lopez in Elie Saab

Petal Pushers:

kiera knightley gwyneth paltrow chloe moretz oscarsKiera Knightley in Valentino, Gwyneth Paltrow in Ralph and Russo, Chloe Moretz in Miu Miu

White Hot Women:

faith hill zendaya jenna dewan oscarsFaith Hill in J. Mendel, Zendaya in Vivienne Westwood, Jenna Dewan Tatum in Zuhair Murad

julianne moore lady gaga lupita nyongo oscarsJulianne Moore in custom Chanel, Lupita Nyong’o in Calvin Klein, Lady Gaga in Azzedeine Alaia

 Metallic Mavens:

laura dern naomi watts oscarsLaura Dern in Alberta Ferretti, Anna Faris in Zuhair Murad, Naomi Watts in Armani

felicity jones chrissy teigen

Felicity Jones in Alexander McQueen, Chrissy Teigen in Zuhair Murad, Kerry Washington in Miu Miu

Black Betties:

margot robbie sienna miller oscarsMargot Robbie in Saint Laurent, Sienna Miller in Oscar de la Renta, Cate Blanchett in Margiela

Black and White Babes:

reese witherspoon meryl streep arquetteReese Witherspoon in Tom Ford, Particia Arquette in Rosetta Getty, Meryl Streep in Lanvin

Navy, Baby:

rita ora jessica chastain oscarsRita Ora in Marchesa, Jessica Chastain in Givenchy

Gift Guide: Jay-Z Approved, Gifts with No Budget

By |December 20th, 2014|Gift Guide|

jay z beyonceYou know the lyrics (and if you don’t, you should), “In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin’ four lanes with the top down screamin’ out, ‘money ain’t a thang.”  Perhaps you’re not Jay-Z, but you did get a particularly large bonus this year and you have a very deserving individual on your gift list.  Bless you.  If pinching pennies is not something you must do and budgeting is a word that is reserved strictly for the government, I’ve got a heap of indulgent gifts for the most discerning recipients.  And if you’re feeling particularly generous, I’ll happily accept any of the below suggestions.  It is far better to give than receive, after all.

over the top holiday giftsKimberly McDonald 18 Karat Rose Gold Diamond Slice Cuff, $24,330La Perla Pizzo Lace Paneled Silk Satin Silk Blend Satin Nightdress, $970Givenchy Ostrich Mini Antigona Duffel, $7,900Saint Laurent Leather Biker Jacket, $5,290Fred Leighton 1930’s Platinum Diamond, $55,000Tom Ford Limited Edition Lip and Nail Box, $656Carine Gilson Aurelia Printed Silk Satin Robe, $2,005Brunello Cucinelli Mink Fur Backpack, $7,830Jennifer Meyer 18 Karat Gold Diamond Drop Earrings, $17,000Kevyn Aucoin The Essential Brush Collection, $650

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Shoe In

By |October 2nd, 2014|Why Did You Wear That?|

best fall bootsOnce you’ve procured all of this fall’s must have fashion trends, you’re going to need the shoes to accessorize with.  One of my greatest struggles in life besides fitted sheets and the mental battle between being rail thin or indulging in gnocchi, is putting together the perfect outfit only to realize I do not have the perfect shoes to complete it.  This has led to lots of late arrivals, pissed off friends, and missed appointments.  Pretty sure this complaint would fall under the hashtag of “first world problems.”  In any case, this fall you are going to want to round out your wardrobe with boyish brogues, combat boots, boots that go beyond the knee, statement booties in addition to basic black, and a pair of sneakers that thank heaven almighty do not include the word “wedge.”  Below find my picks for fall’s best footwear.

best fall combat boots

1. Ash Soviet Lace Up Flat Booties, 2. Church’s Angelina Polished Leather Ankle Boots, 3. Rag & Bone Cozen Boots, 4. Markus Lupfer Embellished Ribbed Knit and Leather Ankle Boots, 5. Maison Martin Margiela Leather Combat Boots

I Kneed You:

over the knee boots1. Stuart Weitzman Fifo Stretch Boots, 2. Chloé Textured Leather Over the Knee Boots, 3. Kurt Geiger London Rowland Over the Knee Boots, 4. Joie Daymar Over the Knee Boots, 5. Sam Edelman Jenkins Over the Knee Boot

Sweet Shoes, Brogue:

fall shoes brogues oxfords1. 3.1 Phillip Lim Hacienda Haircalf Oxfords, 2. Matt Bernson Thames Oxfords, 3. Finds +L’F Shoes Gipsy Ilga Gliter Finished Leather Brogues, 4. Schutz Nikola Chain Trim Oxfords, 5. Robert Clergerie Irvina Leather Platform Brogues

Shake Up Your Bootie:

best fall boots1. Narciso Rodriguez Sarah Leather Suede and Watersnake Ankle Boots, 2. Joie Lina Haircalf Booties, 3. Laurence Dacade Pete Studded Suede Ankle Boots, 4. Sergio Rossi Faux Pearl Embellished Suede Ankle Boots, 5. Club Monaco Autumn Booties

sneakers,

fall sneakers trend1. Isabel Marant Étoile Bart Leather Sneakers, 2.  Superga 2750 Boucle Sneakers, 3. Adidas x Opening Ceremony Stan Smith Finger Print Sneakers, 4. Vans Metallic Leather Sneakers, 5. Saint Laurent Court Classic Leather Sneakers

 

Setting the Mood: Falling for You

By |September 15th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

fasll fashion editorial 2014In one week, it will officially be autumn… as well as two of my favorite men’s birthday.  Technically, it’s still summer, but the weather has taken a turn and the inevitable chill is in the air.  As a matter of fact, as I type this with my window cracked, I can actually smell what epitomizes fall to me.  When it’s not the skin melting heat of summer or the bone chilling frost of winter, the weather in Manhattan is nothing short of magical.  Spring and fall, while both way too short, are reminders to residents as to why we tolerate exorbitant rent, public urination, and unreliable transportation.  Start stashing your swimsuits and pull out your sweaters from the bins under your bed.  Enjoy the brief pause that is fall and brace yourselves for what the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting to be one wild winter.

fall 2014 accessoriesSaint Laurent Metallic Leopard Print Woven Scarf, Carolina Amato Fingerless Knit and Leather Gloves, The Elder Statesman It’s A Bunny Echo Cashmere Beanie, Alexander Wang Cara Colorblock booties with Haircalf Trim

xx,

Whydid

 

Red Carpet Recap: Are We There Yet?

By |March 3rd, 2014|Red Carpet Recap, Why Did You Wear That?|

lupito nyongo cate blanchett oscarsCharlize Theron in Dior, Kate Hudson in  Atelier Versace, Cate Blanchett in Giorgio Armani, Lupita Nyong’o in Prada

It feels as if this particular awards season stretched out a bit longer than years prior, but maybe that’s the overall theme of 2014 thus far.  Long winters, long award shows, long winded speeches.  Tonight’s award show, the 86th Annual Academy Awards, was no exception.  Seeing as the red carpet arrivals started at five thirty (Eastern time) and the actual show didn’t commence until midnight, I literally spent six and a half hours of my life staring at dresses, listening to sometimes awkward interviews with Seacrest, and holding my breath in hopes that the music didn’t come on during winners’ acceptance speeches.  I couldn’t tell if I was still exhausted from the weekend or if the cold had finally taken a toll on my cognitive thinking because I’m pretty sure that every actress on the red carpet was required to wear the same dress.  Either that or I was watching 1984 and didn’t know it, which is entirely possible.  Fortunately, for the first time in WhyDid’s history, I was unable to award an entire category to the worst dressed women of the night.  Instead it went to our charitable roast beef hat wearing friend, Pharrell, who decided that full trousers were not fully necessary for the red carpet.  I might have let it slide because he’s so darn cute if he hadn’t somehow convinced his lovely wife, Helen Lasichanh, to dress in tandem.  I guess it would be hard to say, “no,” to those dimples.

As for the rest of the red carpet, nudes, metallics, and soft whites and pastels were the overall theme with a spattering of both basic as well as embellished black.  Navy was a trend for both men and women and first time Oscar winner, Lupita Nyong’o, deemed her hue Nairobi blue.  Everyone was going nuts over her headband, which I hated because it made her look too “costumey” and would have preferred she’d accessorized her decollete with a delicate lariat, but she gets a pass for that stand out shade of blue.  Speaking of hair, cropped pixie cuts were the biggest trend and soft subtle styles as seen on Jessica Biel and Naomi Watts were the second runner up.  Jennifer Lawrence in a pixie cut and who wore red, didn’t even wait until she was inside before repeating last year’s tumble.  She either needs a better seamstress or a higher tolerance for champagne.  A notable trend for men was wearing a white jacket with their tuxes and why, why, why is Jared Leto so damn pretty?  Rarely do I covet another’s hair, but if someone can get me in touch with his stylist, I’ll be forever grateful… or at least for the next month or two.  And while I finished wrapping up the red carpet, I realized that the real style mavens held out until the afterparties.

Pretty in Pewter:

oscars red carpet Giuliana Rancic, Jessica Biel in Chanel, Jennifer Garner in Oscar de la Renta

Long (Sleeve) on Shine:

angelina jolieAngelina Jolie in Elie Saab, Sarah Paulson in Elie Saab, Julie Delpy in Jenny Peckham, Sally Hawkins in Valentino

Flesh and Gold:

oscars red carpet Kristin Chenoweth in Roberto Cavalli, Jenna Dewan Tatum in Reem Acra, Portia de Rossi in Naeem Khan

Bright Whites:

kelly-osbourne-naomi-watts-oscarsKelly Osbourne, Calista Flockhart in Andrew Gn,  Naomi Watts in Calvin Klein, Laura Dern in Alberta Ferretti

Petal Pink Princesses:

camila alves penelope cruz Penelope Cruz in Giambattista Valli, Cristin Milioti, Camila Alves in Gabriela Cadena

Lavender Ladies:

kristen bell oscarsLady Gaga in Versace,  Kerry Washington in Jason Wu, Kristen Bell in Roberto Cavalli

 Basic Black:

julia roberts oscarsGlenn Close in Zac Posen, Julia Roberts in black Givenchy, Karen O in Camilla Staerk, Olivia Wilde in black Valentino

Embellished Black:

oscars red carpetAnne Hathaway in Gucci, Emma Watson in Vera Wang, Anna Kendrick in J. Mendel, Chrissy Teigen in Monique Lhuillier

Moody Blues:

amy adams sandra bullock academy awardsAmy Adams in Gucci, Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen, Kevin Spacey in Burberry, Liza Minnelli in Halston

Red on Red:

jennifer-lawrence-oscars-dressJennifer Lawrence in Dior, Ireland Baldwin, Bette Middler in Reem Acra, Olga Kurylenko in Alice Elia

White Knights:

jared leto matthew mcconaugheyJared Leto in Saint Laurent, Ryan Seacrest, Matthew McConaughey in Dolce & Gabbana

No Pants, Well, Kinda Are a Problem:

pharrell williams Pharrell Williams in Lanvin

After the Party It’s the Afterparty:

vanity fair oscarsKarolina Kurkova,  Evan Rachel Wood in Elie Saab, Sofia Vergara in Roberto Cavalli, Diane Kruger in Valentino, Jane Fonda in Nicholas Oakwell 

xx,

WhyDid