Spotlight Saturday - Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul is in the spotlight today rocking the late 40's and looking better than ever.  She was seen at the first round of Fox's, The X Factor where she'll be co-judging with Simon Cowell this Fall.  She looked totally fab in a draped purple Yves St. Laurent asymmetrical hemmed mini dress and matching YSL sandals.  Abdul has definitely restructured her reputation and recovered from the bad rap she's had during the course of the past decade for her alleged drug addiction.  Back in 2007 she made a poor decision by agreeing to do a reality show on Bravo which portrayed her as a needy berating diva who relied on everyone for everything.  I don't think I'll ever understand why celebrities with so much star power feel the need to live their lives in a fish bowl? 

: tinseltown-style.blogspot.com , lwdress.blogspot.com

Designer Dish on Salvatore Ferragamo

Although he's been gone for over a half a century, Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo will always be known for his outrageous shoe designs, as pictured here with this pair of 1938, stacked, multi color platform sandals that were actually about forty years ahead of their time being that they could have easily be mistaken for styles we've seen worn circa 1970.

At the height of his career, his shoe designs were worn by Hollywood royalty such as Audrey Hepburn and he was considered to be the 'shoemaker to the stars'.  What set him apart from the many other up and coming designer competitors was his ability to custom make a shoe that felt just as good as it looked on the wearer.  He could fashion a shoe to fit any foot, just as well as a tailor could custom a suit.

Ferragamo or rather, the design house of the late Ferragamo has always been considered a family ran business being that it has been handed down from generation to generation and although shoes, belts and bags have always been at the forefront of the store front, around 1980 they began incorporating clothing into their mix of merchandise with their reputable designer label however, shoes will always be their mainstay.  Recently they showcased their 'Women's Resort 2012 Collection' featuring new designs of shoes and bags with a 'geared toward going on a vay kay' vibe & it was said that some notable ladies of Tinseltown made an appearance at the event such as Eva Mendez & Minka Kelly to stake dibs on their select fave pieces...

Given the past rich history of the Ferragamo line of extraordinary shoe designs, I am personally not very hooked on the Resort Collection.  I feel it's a bit muted/tame in comparison to what I've seen from decades ago which is now considered 'Vintage Ferragamo'....

Check back often as Retro Threadz has been known to find Ferragamo's every now and then! 


: anonymitynews.com , tumblr.com , cosmicallychic.wordpress.com , reuters.com , secondcitystyle.com , sewmanstore.com  blog.lulusvintage.com , shoesense.com , pennydreadfulvintage.com 

Watercolor Floral

There's a new diversion to the common floral print taking over these days as 'water color floral' designs are making a big statement this summer.  Gone is the idea that 'floral prints' are a vintage design of the past or for your granny, as solids are out & vivacious brush stroke hues are in!  Watercolor prints look like something that came straight off of an artists canvas...  Floral is big in Hollywood at the moment, seen here being worn by Cameron Diaz, Heidi Montag and Leslie Mann.

Floral was seen at Prom this year in designs such as this watercolor floral low draped back prom dress...

This watercolor floral bohemian print peasant blouse is ultra feminine paired with a pair of stone washed denim jeans...

  
Floral is everywhere and in every design from bags to shoes and don't think it's going to go away come Winter as it's even being incorporated into colder weather clothing although considered non traditional.

 thisnext.com , stylebyne.net , static.fasion4us.com , divavillage.com , marctimes.com , jovani.com , refinery29.com , theinsidesource.com .

The Lure of The Little Black Dress

For decades, women everywhere have been in pursuit of the perfect 'little black dress'.  Why you ask? ... Because the 'right' LBD has the ability to create a slimming illusion on the most curviest of frames, so make no mistake...the color black is a girl's best friend!

Prior to the 1920's the color black was reserved for periods of mourning and considered appalling to be worn for anything but however, in 1926, 'Coco' Chanel published a photo of a short, simple black dress in 'Vogue' and the concept took off and became a fashion staple for women of taste.  The LBD has evolved since the beginning of its vintage roots in regards to cuts and fabrics but remains as popular as it ever was.


In 1961, the now vintage fashion icon & once Hollywood starlet Audrey Hepburn wore a little black dress by designer Hubert de' Givenchy in the cult classic 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' and this gave rise to this simple, yet absolutely glamorous look.

I have recently done some research on how to acquire a unique yet affordable 'LBD' and here's what I found...  You can get your own 'little black dress' for under $100.00 at Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, Express and Charlotte Russe.

: fashionwithethics.files . wordpress.com , farm3.static.flickrcom , taheena.blogspot.com , storage.koinup.com , thegloss.com , harpersbazaar.com , thegloss.com , splendora.com 

Spotlight Saturday - Unflattering Fashion Fail For Kim Kardashian!

The Saturday Spotlight's is on Kim Kardashian  and we are shining the light bright on her unflattering fashion fail as she was recently photographed filming her reality show in West Hollywood.  I don't know which of the many Kardashian related shows it was because this Kardashian truly is hard to 'keep up with'...but nonetheless, she was seen wearing a belted, cream colored, stretch silk harem jumpsuit from designer Catherine Malandrino that she paired with a colorful clutch by Balenciaga and Givenchy booties.  I give a two thumbs up to her exquisite choice of accessories, but there is so much wrong going on with this shapeless bunchy looking one piece that it doesn't really make a difference.  It's no secret that Kim Kardashian has a curvy figure (i.e. baby got back) and with that being said, it would be in her favor if she chose more figure enhancing styles.  When you are 'hippy' so to speak, the last thing you want to do is wear something loose and baggy which in turn will give the illusion of extra weightiness.  There is nothing wrong with being voluptuous, however it's a huge misconception by most women that wearing bigger, looser clothes will make you appear smaller when actually, it's quite the opposite... 

         
 pics: www.myfashionpower.com

The Risque' & Raunchy Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan was in the news today because she's taking on a new role in the popular hit t.v. series 'Law & Order SVU'.  She's been known since the beginning of her acting career back in 1992 for playing the bad girl femme fatale.

She made it more than obvious at the MTV Music Video Awards in 1996 that she was the 'real deal' when she pushed the envelope to the hilt by wearing a barely there, see through string dress and a t-back thong minus the bra as she accompanied then fiance' Marilyn Manson down the red carpet!  After viewing these pics, it's pretty hard to believe she suffers from agoraphobia (fear of wide open spaces, crowds or uncontrolled social conditions) as well as an anxiety disorder given the nature of her extrovert risque' and raunchy persona eh? By the way, I'm pretty sure that no designer would stake claim to this mess!  

This fashion disaster, poor judgement call and lack of good taste didn't cost her anything of course because this is Hollywood after all, and she went on three years after the fact to play Paige Matthews in the popular WB television series 'Charmed', taking over the role of Shannon Doherty's character opposite Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano. 

   
Her acting career was at a stand still for a bit after she finished the film 'Grindhouse' written by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.  This gig shot her to cult icon status after she aced the leading role as the Texas go-go dancer Cherry Darling who became a one legged zombie killing heroine... 

It is said that the reason for the lag in her career was due to the fact that she was in a car accident in 2007 in which she endured serious injuries to her face and she attributes that as the reason behind her undergoing plastic surgery to repair the cut under her eye caused by her glasses at impact.  Really? take a look at these before and after pics of Ms. Gowan.  Seems to me that more than than her eye got nipped and tucked!...  It couldn't be more obvious that it was either her extremist sense of self or misplaced vanity that cost her the soft curves of her once youthful look and replaced it with the "I just got done walking through a wind tunnel" look because seriously...no one ages 20 years overnight!  

  

: spectrumculture.com , acephotos.org , rose-mcgowan.com , moviewallpaper.net , picturesplasticsurgery.com , womenrepublic.co.uk , simplydivinechaos.com

Elizabeth Taylor...The Passing Of A Hollywood Icon

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor...known to the world as Liz Taylor, passed away this morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles California.
In spite of her wealth, fame and star status, she had a lifetime of ill health, failed romances and personal tragedies through which she always remained consistent in maintaining an air of grace and dignity...

Not only was she a two time Academy Award Winner, she was also a devout humanitarian and dedicated AIDS fundraiser who helped start The American Foundation For AIDS Research.

Her 1st major screen role was in the 1950 film 'A Place In The Sun' opposite Montgomery Clift but it wasn't until thirteen years later that her rise to fame began to take off, as her role in the 1963 movie Cleopatra opposite soon to be husband Richard Burton sealed her spot in the ranks of Hollywood movie starlet status.  

As a Fashion Icon, Elizabeth Taylor had the ability to turn simple into sexy with her ability to make mundane clothing seem magnificent with accessories. She quoted "Enough is never enough" in describing her personal style.  She was such a force to be reckoned with, so much so that she made the simple white slip she wore in the 1960's film 'Butterfied 8' seem like a haute couture dress!

In 1989 she said..."I think I'm becoming fantalistic...too much has happened in my life for me not to be fantalistic."   And that she was...completely and utterly fantalistic as she leaves us with her legacy of strength & beauty.




Elizabeth Taylor ~ February 27th 1932 - March 23rd 2011

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Mae West

Before Marilyn and before Madonna, there was Mae West, Hollywood's first superstar sex symbol and the original blonde bombshell.

 

born Aug. 17, 1893, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S. — died Nov. 22, 1980, Los Angeles, Calif.)

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