Biased

This is an excellent article on learning how to sew on the bias, a sure-fire way to achieve a designer look.

RWR: Speculation on Fascinators

Here's a fun little video that features headpieces of past British Royal weddings, speculation on what head wear Kate will wear on her big day, and a collection of de-lic-ious hats!

What I love on Etsy right now: Mardi Gras Masks

With Mardi Gras just around the corner on March 8, I thought it would be fun to check out what Etsy has to offer in the way of masks for the holiday. Fat Tuesday is all about excess, so a simple gold and purple plastic half mask from Party City just won't do.

Here are some fun ones I tracked down:

Purple Lace Mask

The Mask of Strong Emotion





Scarlett Macaw Masquerade Ball Mask






Fire Bird Phoenix Feathered Mardi Gras Mask





Wild Lotus





Handpainted Damask Inspired Mask

Oscar night

In my house, the Oscars are a big social occasion. I have a great time, but I don't actually get much of a chance to analyze the fashion. Also, today I happened to spend the first half of the day having a majorly awesome vintage shopping experience (more on Shareen Vintage in downtown LA later!) so I didn't catch most of the red carpet action.

A couple of trends I did notice:

Emeralds.
Women are still shunning the necklace.
Sheath dresses, body conscious silhouettes.
Beads, metallics and sequins, oh my!

After scanning some of the fashion more closely online, I have to say that I think my favorite of the night was Helen Mirren in a classic and sophisticated Vivienne Westwood.



On the other end of the spectrum of loveliness was True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld in a dreamy Marchesa gown.



I also thought Natalie Portman pulled of maternity beautifully in her Swarovski studded Rodarte and I really loved her Tiffany & Co tassel earrings.

right NOW

If you happen to be online right now, you can watch a live stream of the Fall 2011 Prada collection at Milan Fashion Week.

RWR: Bertie and Elizabeth

Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon were married on April 26, 1923.


After proposing to Lady Elizabeth three times, Prince Albert was finally accepted on January 13, 1923. Elizabeth did not refuse Bertie because she did not love him, but because she was reticent to enter a life of public service and celebrity.



The princess-to-be was given a sapphire and diamond engagement ring, sapphires were said to be her favorite stone.


Lady Elizabeth's gown, described by the London Times as "the simplest gown ever made for a royal wedding", was designed by Madame Handley Seymour, a former London court dressmaker. It was made of pearl embroidered ivory chiffon moiré dyed to match the veil perfectly. The veil itself was borrowed from Queen Mary and was secured with a wreath of myrtle, white roses and heather.


Lady Elizabeth had eight bridal attendants from the British aristocracy who were dressed in a similar fashion to the bride.

The wedding ceremony took place in London's Westminster Abbey. As the bride began her procession down the aisle with her father, she placed her bouqet of white roses on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in somber remembrance of the fallen soldiers of the recently ended First World War. The bride had lost her brother Fergus in the war and herself had spent the war caring for wounded soldiers.

It is important to remember that when one marries into royalty, they become not just a spouse, but a representative of an entire people. The Archbishop of York reminded the couple of this in no uncertain terms during the ceremony when he stated, "The warm and generous heart of this people takes you today unto itself. Will you not, in response, take that heart, with all its joys and sorrows, unto your own?" This seems to almost foreshadow the unprecedented manner in which Prince Albert was later to reluctantly become King George VI and the tumultuous times in which they would reign together, steadfast and courageous in their commitment to the United Kingdom through the horrors of World War II.

You can learn more about the lives of the Duke and Duchess of York and their controversial rise to the throne in the Oscar nominated film The King's Speech.

King George passed away in 1952, it is believed that the great stress of reigning through World War II contributed to his untimely death. In 2002, at the age of 103, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother died. I was studying abroad in London at the time and I was able to attend her funeral procession. It was clear that she was much beloved by the people of England as well as her own family, I'm sure Prince William will be thinking of his dear great-grandmother on his wedding day this April, 88 years and 3 days after her marriage to Prince Albert.


And here is a sweet video of the wedding day. I can imagine how fun it would be to replicate this style of videography for a present day wedding.

Review: Seamless

With the exception of the screeners that are delivered directly to our door, I don't get around to watching new movies very often. So even though this is not a new film, thanks to an afternoon with the house to myself, our internet TV and Netflix Watch Instantly, I was able to enjoy the 2005 documentary Seamless by Douglas Keeve (of Unzipped fame).


(Spoiler Alert! If you click on the links in this next paragraph, you may learn about the end results of the film, so if you want to be surprised and enjoy the dramatic tension of the film, don't click!)

The action centers around a contest sponsored by Vouge and the Council of Fashion Designers of America to discover, promote, mentor and assist an up-and-coming designer in the American fashion scene. The contest consists of ten contestants, and the documentary crew follows three of the hopefuls: Alexadre Plokhov of Cloak, Doo-Ri Chung of doo.ri, and Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCullough of Proenza Schouler. It is an eye-opening look into what the real world of fashion is like behind the glitz and glam of runway shows, posh boutiques, and glossy magazines... a world where young, talented, artistic designers struggle to make ends meet while pursuing their passion, a world where the majority of small designers who are seemingly successful due to lots of media hype run businesses that have not yet begun to be profitable (despite the enormous retail price tags of their pieces). The prize for which they are vying is $200,000 in award money as well as a mentorship with an established fashion industry executive. The judges panel includes fashion heavyweights such as Vogue's Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs CEO Robert Duffy, Narciso Rodriguez and others.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film and think it is a worthwhile, educational watch for anyone who enjoys the world of fashion or has any curiosity about this multi-billion dollar American industry. It is definitely a must watch for anyone who aspires to become a fashion designer and wants to know the dedication, talent, sacrifice and perseverance it will take to become a success in the business. The film is shot in an artistic and aesthetically interesting manner, in many ways like a fashion magazine editorial spread brought to life. The film is also quite personal, giving intimate glimpses into the lives and personalities of the people who make up the glamorous fashion industry.

The filmmaker successfully builds dramatic tension that culminates in the presentation of the CFDA/Vouge Fashion Fund Award at a star-studded, red-carpet gala event and includes some information on what became of the designers following production of the film.

I gave the film four out of five stars on the Netflix rating system ("really liked it"). It is 75 minutes long and is available via Netflix, Netflix Watch Instantly, and for sale on Amazon for $24.95.