A fashion reminder for January 1, 2010

(Rihanna, New Year's Eve. pic: Concreteloop.com)

I love Rihanna.  Her style totally rocks and I'm digging her hair here.  But this is probably a really good reminder that horizontal stripes are not flattering. So for 2010, look taller and wear vertical stripes.

Fashionably yours,

Laurie B

Fashion Radar: Shoulder Chains.

Rihanna. (pic:fashionising.com)

Ah Rihanna, always a step ahead of the game.  Now that I have shoulder details on my fashion radar from before, I'm noticing the next evolution that is just grazing the fashion savvy and working its way towards the everyday fashion vernacular. As we've seen over the last couple seasons... with special thanks to Balmain, Michael Jackson, and now Rihanna, sharp shoulders have made their way back into our closets and are the "new" big idea in fashion.  An 80's revival of sorts.  Resonating back to the powersuits and shoulder padded jackets of yesteryear.  But this time, almost 20 years later, there is something shaper, sophisticated, futuristic and all powerful woman about our new shoulder details.   Most wearable being the plain sharp shoulder which has already trickled into into the mass market stores.   So after the Studded shoulder evolved out of the shape shoulder, what's the next update?  Shoulder chains.  Duh..  Just kidding. ( I can't expect you to know that! That's why you're here with me!)

And now that it is on my fashion radar, I've been noticing it in the most fashionable of places.  Would you rock the shoulder chain?  It's definitely an easier trend to grasp that the spike studs spawned by Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Adam Lambert.

Stay tuned for the follow up!  I'm brewing it as I type!

Fashionably yours,

Laurie  B

ps.. check out which stylin, stylist was ahead of this game...

(pic: style.com)

(Pic: becauseimadicted.com)

(Pic: Nitrolicious.com)

(pic: VMagazine.com)

(pic: fashionleaka.com)

(pics: outsapop.com)

Fashion Radar: Studs. Tracing the trend back to Christian Louboutin for Rodarte Fall 2008 Collection

Alicia Keys looking edgy and dangerous thanks to the studs (pic: Concreteloop.com)

This 80s revival meets metal rock thorn stud trend is currently about to hit the tipping point.   About 2 years ago Rodarte's Fall 2008 runway collection debuted the most killer of shoes:  The thorny, strappy, platform.  Designed in collaboration with Christian Louboutin, this was the day the trend was revealed to the masses. And it took almost two years for it's trending cycle to expand, elaborate and hit the influencers of today. ie: Lauren Conrad, Rihanna, Adam Lambert and now Alicia Keys.   What does this mean?   It means that the tipping point is upon us and will we will now be seeing this trend hit the masses.  Shoes will be the most wearable and mark my words... you will now be seeing them everywhere.   But I imagine we'll be seeing the studded shoulders on jackets.  You know Zara is totally on top of this right now...   Regardless.  Sign me up!  I think it's cool and you've got to be one tough cookie to rock this look with the right confidence and a whole lot of feminine glam...

Please turn your fashion radars on.  And while you're observing this fashion idea.. I'm working on the next one to bring to you!

Fashionably yours,

Laurie B

Christian Louboutin for Rodarte Fall 2008 Runway 

Presented in February 08 (pic: Style.com)

Lauren Conrad in Aldo pump studded by stylist Britt Bardo

 (pic: wireimage)

Louise Golden for Topshop.  AW 2009 collection (pic: Refinery29.com)

Adam Lambert, For Your Entertainment music video

Adam Lambert portrait at the AMAs (pic: wireimage.com)

Rihanna portrait at the AMAs (pic: wireimage.com)

Rihanna at the R-Rated Album Release party (pic: wireimage.com)

The Fifth Element: a fashion re-emergence at the AMA's 2009

Plavalaguna meets Lady Gaga

Lilu (Milla Jovovich) meets Rihanna

 At the American Music Awards we all witnessed the vision of future fashion come true.  Jean Paul Gaultier's costumes from the Fifth Element have made their way to the AMAs!

Remember the 1997 Bruce Willis movie The Fifth Element? A story about a future society, the end of the world and the kick ass woman (aka: Milla Jovovich) who holds the key to saving it?   Well.. tonight I almost died and went to fashion heaven when I saw Lady Gaga and Rihanna perform.   Lady Gaga is seriously channeling Plavalaguna and Rihanna has taken the Lilu bandage jumper to a whole new level!

Since the costumery for The Fifth Element was envisioned and designed by the incredible Jean Paul Gautlier, we end up with an interesting fashion analyzation.  Did JPG predict the future of fashion... or did he influence it?  Actually both are correct in my eyes.  He did envision the future and he interpreted it into costumes that are futuristic, other worldly and all innovative.  But by giving us that vision 12 years ago he most definitely influenced our thinking today. And now we see the prediction meet the influence and come to life.   Jean Paul Gaultier's vision of the future has officially emerged off the sci-fi screen of the past and into the streets of the today. Amazing.  I love fashion.

 Well, I know what I am wearing for Halloween next year!  Time to stalk up on white bandages.

Fashionably yours,

Laurie B

Click here to see my AMA red carpet fashion review

Rihanna + LA's Funktional = Red Hot, Red Carpet Style

Rihanna has always rocked our fashion worlds.  In my newly famous words,  her style, her clothes and her look is "bangin"!  Each time she hit's the carpet, we see reinvention, innovation and just the haute-est of high fashion.  And really every time she graces the paparazzi cameras with her high style, her we just dream of having a wardrobe like hers. Well that idea is not so far fetched, as I have recently uncovered that Rihanna, just two nights ago walked the Nokia X6 London launch party red carpet in an under $100 dress!  Pretty amazing right? The dress by Funktional, is a Los Angeles based brand. (Go LA!)  And the best part about this discovery is that the dress goes on sale today for $85 at StyleQ.com.

SOLD!

Fashionably yours,

Laurie B

(photo supplied by: Metro PR)