Steal Her Chic: Kerry Washington Covers The Hollywood Reporter

There is a new queen werkin’ the cover of The Hollywood Reporter—a new primetime queen that is. Kerry Washington, known to us as the scandalous, President Fitz-loving Olivia Pope, graces the new cover of the Hollywood Reporter with other primetime actors as the queen of her coveted time slot. All decked out in this season’s black and white trend, Kerry shows off her lithe frame in a pair of edgy white tapered tuxedo pants and a dangerously sexy crop top.

The look, far away from the structured suits, and pastels of her famous Scandal character, is fresh, clean and accented by a pop of red on her lips. This black and white sport look is perfect for hard working and intense flirting alike. Here's how you can get the look:

Start with the tuxedo striped pants; Macy’s has some fabulous (5) Calvin Klein Straight Leg ones on sale! As for the crop top, though they decided to put Kerry in a lighter material, I thought it would be cooler to have a similar top in faux leather, (1) ASTR had the perfect one. Bring the look from magazine cover to life with a pop of color. Ditch the black pumps for this pair of orange (2) High Heeled Shoes with Ankle Strap from Zara. Why not let (4) L’Oreal’s Color Riche Le Gloss in Peach Fuzz help you match your pout with your pumps? Accent your outfit with a simple gold (3) Idiom bangle from Kate Spade and Ba Da BING: CHIC STOLEN!

What's your favorite look by Kerry Washington? How would you Steal Her Chic?

- Chrislande Dorcilus

Steal Her Chic: Solange in White Jumpsuit at Cannes Film Festival

Solange did it again, y’all. She has single handedly shut Cannes fashion down in a Stephane Rolland Fall 2013 White Ruffled Jumpsuit. The chanteuse/actor/fashion goddess donned a fresh, milky white jumpsuit to her performance at the Vanity Fair party at Tetu Restaurant in Cannes. She served it up, and they ate it.

Photo Credit: Spread Pictures

Looking like a tall glass of milk, our favorite, fashionable Knowles went for a simple and classic beauty look by pairing a bold red lip with a fresh face. The suit was accented with a simple clutch and demure nude sandals. The fact that the intricate details of the jumpsuit didn't overshadow her shape or her skin’s radiance proves just how fierce Solange is. Is there anything she doesn't look good in?

Want to get the look? Here is how: Buy yourself a wide legged white jumpsuit like the (1) Reiss Francesca Wide Legged Jumpsuit, pair with one of LBS’s favorite (5) red lipsticks; Ruby Woo or Riri Woo, and this nice pair of nude (3) Zara Leather Sandals to show off and elongate those legs. Accessorize with this (4) Nine West Le Club Metallic Clutch, and prep the 'fro with (2) Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie and VOILA! You’re white hot heat; ready for a summer of dates and festivals.

What do you think of Solange’s look? Stealin’ it?

Get The Look:

- Chrislande Dorcilus

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Urban Outfitters NEW Fly Girl Inspired Collection

Even though they were around only 15 measly years ago, the 90’s are back in fashion. Trendy favorites from the Pac and Biggie era—like the dark plum lip— are seen on street fashion blogs and on actually streets. The “Poetic Justice” braids, stretchy acid washed jeans, combat boots, see through neon accessories, and black maxi dresses are here to stay. But, you can’t revisit 90’s fashion without remembering the Fly Girls.

The leading ladies of In Living Color are re-making fashion history thanks to Urban Outfitters. They have inspired a collection of the best fashion that the 90’s had to offer including zany prints, rompers, the classic baby doll dress, lots of crop tops, hats and acid washed everything. 

My favorite pieces from Urban's hip, young and flirty collection include: the Sparkle & Fade High-Rise Faux Leather Pinup Short, the Silence & Noise Illusion Mesh Tee, and the Silence & Noise Silky Zip-front Dress. 

And, no lie; I am a sucker for that Sparkle & Fade Mesh Inset Maxi Skirt. I’m a 90’s baby. I have a thing for mesh and leather shorts.

The accessories are the coolest part of the collection. The five panel hats, platform sandals, cool jangly bib necklaces would bring an interesting touch to a still modern leaning sense of style. I particularly loved the Mel By Melissa Shoes Macadamia Sandal since it's wearable through spring and into summer. The jelly sandals comes many cute colors like pink, green and nude. So you can forget about Snapbacks and Tattoos, this spring it’s all about crop tops and cut outs.

Feel free to check out the collection here and tell us what your favorites are below!

- Chrislande Dorcilus

Get The Look:

LBS Runway Review: Fotini Spring 2013

The Fotini Spring 2013 show focused on the decadence of the rococo. The designer overindulged in Swarovski, silk, lace, and organza to bring you a watercolor spring. The collection sprang from the watercolors of Watteau and the boudoir of Madame Pompadour and trust us, the collection did not disappoint. 

The pieces spoke to a time of decadence, and the setup of the show gave a museum feel. The models stood in the middle of “the box” and we moved around them. After all, paintings do not move, art admirers do. The garments were of a different time.

The trend to watch happens to also be one of my favorite RTW pieces of the collection, the printed dress with Swarovski Crystal buttons. 

I love how Fotini’s inspiration led to her use of organza and lace. In one of my other favorite looks, which I am hoping to see on the red carpet this season, she added a lightness to a high slit gown by accenting it with wisps of organza at the shoulders.

I really adored the accents of this collection. The 3-D effect on all the pieces allowed the dresses to come to life with light and movement.

One thing that dawned on me as a I nibbled on the multi colored macaroons severed at the show and watched as her models stood atop a white platform as easels for Fotini’s masterpieces was that the collection brought me to Wisteria Lane. You Desperate Housewives stans know that I could instantly imagine Brie Hodge wearing the beautiful embellished white gown, the centerpiece of the show, as a wedding dress for her third or fourth marriage. It had a sensuous, reminiscent elegance.

Are you in as much love with this collection as I am?

- Chrislande Dorcilus

LBS Runway Report: Erin Barr Spring 2013

The ferocity of femininity seemed to be designer Erin Barr's obsession this season. The New York based makeup artist turned designer took our favorite things about being a woman and turned them into the very things that can make us run the world. Yes, her Spring/Summer 2013 Collection had me feeling that powerful.

It has a lot to do with the structure of the garments. The cuts are very geometic, the pantsuits have wide legs and some of the dresses feature straight modern silhouettes. Yet, from the blazers to that magnificent white mini dress with the elegant cut-outs, Barr finds ways to be whimsical using her own parameters with color, fabric and her only pattern - the stripe.

This isn’t your everyday overused pattern. the fabric seems to be imperfectly painted with parallel stripes that give the garments a “badass” form of vulnerability. A defiant, “I know the stripes aren’t quite even but this fabric is practically hand painted.” vibe. 

She mixes fabrics by adding an unexpected piece of leather on a beautiful trench coat and messes with the stripe pattern of other pieces with a painted overlook. She layers. She grounds her collection in color by using just four; black, red, silver and white.

Her use of white is magnificent. Remember the dangerous femininity that I spoke of? Well the white garments are where it speaks the loudest. The models are archangels in Erin Barr. The silver stripes of the white pieces, uneven and without any particular set congruence in their repetition, are where the designers vision shines and sets her collection apart as one of the best I have seen so far this season.

There are (of course) repeated trends for the Spring/Summer 2013 collection like the use of see through fabric, button downs, and sharp collars, but their appearance isn’t over handed and they add an ethereal quality that brings a touch of familiarity to the edge of ErinBarr’s designs.

I really dug the beauty looks on the models. Who dislikes a statement purple or red lip? No one. Erin Barr’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection is all about feeling and being powerful. And power is something that looks good on all women!

What are you favorite power outfits? Which of the Erin Barr Spring/Summer 2013 collection pieces did you like most?

- Chrislande Dorcilus

VANS x Minx Nails Fashion's Night Out 2012

We trekked into the abyss of Soho to the Vans DQM store for Fashion’s Night Out (The Halloween of Fashiondom) to get our drank on, nails did (in Minx of course) and to check out the matching Vans Fall 2012 Women’s Classics Collection. We entered a packed store and April, the Vans rep, greeted us in her cute LBD and leopard print sneakers.

Courtesy hipster group The Pack (“got my vans on but they look like sneakers”), we've always had an appreciation for the lace up brand’s take on sneaks, admiring everything from the checkered slip ons to the neutral classics. They have been the perfect addition to our favorite “I don’t care, I’m cool” outfit -the oversized sweater and the miniskirt.

The Fall 2012 collection defined classics with prints. Fave design from the collection? The tropical themed sneaks! The bright orange of the high top sneaker with it’s matching Minx nail wrap caught and kept our eyes the whole event.

Each sneaker has it’s own matching Minx nail wrap, and I died for the leopard print! Orange sneakers and leopard print nails can make a girly girl's dream come true. With all the possibilities of mixing and matching nail to shoe and shoe to nail the Vans 2012 Classics Collection are literally the best way to kick start incorporating color into your fall palette.

- Chrislande Dorcilus

Do you rock Vans? Which is your favorite sneaker/nail wrap combination?

LBS Runway Report: Cotte d’Armes Spring 2013

I was way down Houston Street before the brilliance of Cotte d’Armes Spring 2013 presentation hit me. It dawned on me, in the middle of an argument with my photog friend about why New Yorkers say HOW-STON instead of Houston, that Clarence Ruth had elevated denim before my very eyes... but let me backtrack to the beginning.

I walked into a rooftop lounge at the THOMPSON LES. It had been transformed into an art space where the models were standing still. Like mannequin muses they stood on the drop cloth silent amidst the camera flashes and buzz of the room. The looks were very true to the American Biker theme that inspired designer Clarence Ruth in 2012, but for Spring 2013 his inspiration seemed to take a trip out West, did some art projects and came back in crop tops, teared and splattered and leather accent jeans, with a corded top as the hit of the night.

I loved trendy pieces like the studded denim jacket, the high-low top and those magnificent paint-splattered jeans. Seriously, I want them! [I can’t stop thinking about them.] Also the mixed gender show got me thinking about incorporating some menswear pieces into my wardrobe. 

Maybe a large denim men’s shirt under the studded jacket, or a high-low crop top with some bleached out men’s jeans? The possibilities are infinite. The beauty look was simple - nude faces with lots of bronzer accenting the cheekbones. It was cool chic with an air of serious. 

I left the presentation in a denim state of mind!

- Chrislande Dorcilus

Photos by Kai Bush

What denim looks are you looking forward to rockin in Spring 2013? [Please say the paint splatter jeans.]