Thursday, September 19, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
ABC-7 features The Princess Closet on the 5:00 News!!!
We made the local news! A great story narrated by anchor Ron Magers and filmed by correspondent Sylvia Jones. Board members Gina Davalos, Nicole Gallardo, Jamie Kendall, and Cindy Serrato all made the boutique space come to life! Check it out below...
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Oscars 2013: Let Sleeves Reign
Take a look at any bridal magazine or prom supplement: odds are there will be at least one strapless dress in the mix. The strapless silhouette has been the go-to formal style for over a decade now, closely following the "spaghetti strap" trend of the nineties.
While a strapless dress photographs beautifully (and if you've got great shoulders like Venus and Serena, bonus), there are definite cons to this style. Anyone who's worn one in an all-day wedding affair will tell you strapless dresses JUST DON'T STAY UP, requiring a great deal of tugging and hoisting to keep it in place. And unless you were blessed with a B-cup or smaller, a strapless dress also requires a STRAPLESS BRA. Cue the tugging and hoisting yet again...
So imagine the sighs of relief women everywhere felt when the Duchess of Cambridge herself, Kate Middleton, wore a full-sleeved Alexander McQueen wedding gown the day she married Prince William. Not only did she look AMAZING, but adding sleeves to her gown instantly gave it an air of elegance and sophistication. Who wouldn't want that?
Last week's Academy Awards offered several fabulous takes on the sleeve. A few of my favorites (and why):
1) Adele in Jenny Packham
Being only 24, newly minted Oscar winner Adele has youth, talent...and amazing style. Wearing sheer, beaded, and elbow-length sleeves was far from dowdy. Instead, she looked fresh, classic, and effortlessly chic. Wearing her hair half-up allowed the focus to remain on her beautiful dress (although Adele has the best hair in all of music, in my opinion). I give her major props for looking so lovely less than six months after having a baby, no less!
2) Jane Fonda in Versace
Though a few decades separate Ms. Fonda and Adele, the two share impeccable tailoring when it comes to their red-carpet looks. Fonda's chartreuse gown was bright, sharp, and timeless. The style might be a bit mature for a teenage audience, perhaps, but the COLOR is so incredible it would work whether you are 18 or 88. Perfection.
3) Dame Shirley Bassey's Touches of Lace
James Bond's favorite chanteuse blew the audience away with her rendition of "Goldfinger," but I was blown away by how stunning she looked in her black red carpet dress. The fitted silhouette showed off her amazing figure (if I can look like her at 76...), and the lace embellishments at the neckline created flattering visual interest. Lace touches on her sleeves took the dress over the top (in a good way), and she looked incredible as a result.
4) Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji
The Help is one of my absolute favorite movies, so I was thrilled to see my beloved "Minny" walk the red carpet, once again wearing designer Tadashi Shoji (who also dressed her last year when she won Best Supporting Actress). Ms. Spencer's cream-colored gown was simple and classic, but what stood out to me was the asymmetrical collar and sheer sleeve detailing. These little changes in a traditional silhouette really made her look special and one-of-a-kind.
What fun and inspiration we can take from these beautiful women, who proved that no tugging is necessary when you find the right dress!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Oscars 2013: Gowns, Gowns, Gowns
As far as red carpet events go, The Academy Awards are considered
to be the most elegant and refined of the group. The Grammy’s finest musicians
usually show their creativity with eyebrow-raising fashion. The Golden Globes offer
A-List glamour but in a more pared-down way. In essence, the Oscars aim for sophistication.
The black tie styling at the Oscars usually means a few
gowns are thrown in here and there. Gowns are the ultimate statement in feminine
dressing, with a rich history stemming from Queen Elizabeth I and France’s
notorious Marie Antoinette. Queen
Victoria famously wore a white gown to her wedding in the early 1800’s, single-handedly
creating the bridal industry with one garment!
In short…gowns say something.
Proms and formal dances in the 21st century can really
be considered “anything goes” simply because a long gown or dress is no longer
necessary for your big night. Flirtier cocktail styles and “Mad Men”-esque
short dresses are just a popular as their fuller, gown-ier counterparts.
If you decide to go with a show-stopping gown, here are a
few ways women at the Oscars got it right…
1. Charlize Theron in Dior: Simplicity Reigns
Being a 5’10” former ballerina
never hurts (as she is), but Charlize’s look worked in many ways because her
gown was so simple. Wearing white instantly conjures up thoughts of a wedding,
but without lace, a train, or a veil,
Ms. Theron’s Dior gown instead looks incredibly sophisticated and understated.
Done in black, it would be a bit ho-hum.
In white, she shines.
2. Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Haute Couture : A
Big Dress with Few Adornments
In paparazzi pictures (maybe due
to powerful flashbulbs), Best Actress Jennifer Lawrence’s gown did look like she was ready to walk down
the aisle and not the red carpet. Viewing it on television, though, Ms. Lawrence’s Dior Haute Couture gown
turned out to be pale pink and cream, not white. The color was beautiful on her. Her
stunning necklace was a long and slender chain, not a choker, and it helped
keep the focus on the gown itself (and its beautiful wearer).
3. Amy Adams in Oscar de la Renta: Texture and Weightlessness
American designer Oscar de la
Renta is known for his stunning silhouettes with amazing details (feathers,
ruffles, beading, etc.). When actress Amy Adams wore his gown, she knew exactly
what she was doing. Because the skirt of
the dress seemed almost weightless due to its “frothy” tutu-like texture, the
eye was drawn to the lightness of the gown. No mean feat, considering gowns
are often thought of as heavy and overly formal. The silvery blue hue also drew
the eye in, creating lots of visual interest.
4. Jennifer Garner in Gucci: Let the Ruffles
do the Talking
Jennifer Garner’s plum Gucci gown worked on
so many levels (perfect color for her, the right fit, the right mix of elegance
and glamour). My favorite part was the
surprise element of the ruffled train. From the front, her dress seemed to
be an impeccably cut strapless dress. Cue the back, and the cascading train
amps the glamour factor up tenfold. Ms. Garner’s jewelry was statement-making
but not gaudy, and her neutral makeup allowed the dress to really speak for
itself. Well done!
Tomorrow, I’ll share with you some thoughts
on how sleeves can really make a dress look fab and not drab. Thanks for
reading!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Oscars 2013: Playing with Color
The year was 1992, early spring. I was eleven years old and
home with a stomach bug. In between sleeping and eating popsicles, I turned on
the television and saw Katie Couric recapping the 63rd Academy
Awards from the night before. The moment I sat down, this image popped up onscreen:
Geena Davis. In all
her ruffled glory.
“The Today Show” hosts
hated her dress, going on and on about how bad it was. I, on the other hand,
thought it was amazing. Suddenly, the connection formed in my mind that movies
and fashion were closer than close, forever entwined together.
I was hooked.
From then on, I made a point every year to watch the Oscars and the red carpet
arrivals as well (all this before the dawn of the internet).
When people ask, I
usually tell them the Oscars are “my
Superbowl.” I get as excited for red carpet fashions and the glamorous men
and women wearing them as most men get for football’s ultimate night.
Working with the Princess Closet, I come across dresses
every year which, when matched with the right girl, give the wearer a true “red
carpet moment.” When you find the perfect dress, you get to channel some of
that Hollywood glamour (without having to spend five figures on a couture dress!).
It’s such a joy to give a young woman
that shining glory moment.
With online photo galleries bursting with images from last
night’s ceremony, I thought it would be fun to spend this week sharing my
thoughts on what worked (and what will work for YOU come prom night!).
Today, I thought it would be fun to focus on color. Many girls
come into our boutique and declare right away that they want their dress in red/pink/gold/black,
etc. The right color, as we all know, can make or break a look.
I thought these women looked especially great last night,
and here’s why…
1) Kerry Washington in coral Miu Miu
I absolutely love Kerry Washington’s acting
work, and she never fails to impress on the red carpet. Her sixties-inspired
Miu Miu dress was beautiful for its simplicity and also for its saturated coral
hue. Coral is a bold choice, but it works for so many skin tones, and by
keeping the silhouette simple, Ms. Washington was a style winner last night.
In a tie with Kerry Washington for best color, Ms. Aniston’s red Valentino gown was perfection on her. If the dress had been a simple column shape, it would have been ho-hum. Instead, Jen amped it up by wearing a true GOWN in signature Valentino red, and kept the rest of her look understated. Fabulous and elegant.
Everyone loves “Hushpuppy” for good reason (if you have not seen Beasts of the Southern Wild, do so NOW). She is adorable, precocious, and wise beyond her years. How many nine-year-olds do you know who get to wear Armani? The reason I love this dress (and, of course, little Miss Wallis) is that the color is so bold yet so elegant at the same time. If it was white, she might look like a flower girl in a wedding. Instead, she rocks the sapphire blue, and a young style star is born.
A dress this color could easily venture off into casual wear if done improperly. We see neon tees, leggings, and accessories everywhere these days! Instead, television correspondent Menounos finds a way to make her Romona Keveza column dress look impeccable and chic, wearing minimal accessories and letting the dress speak for itself. Wearing her hair down added a comfortable touch to her overall look.
Next time, I’ll share my thoughts on statement-making “big gowns” and how to actually wear one. Thanks
for reading!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Prom Trends 2013: Where to Begin
With spring around the corner, prom season will soon be upon us! The search for the perfect head-to-toe look can be very easy when you know what works best for you (and where to find it!).
This week, I'll be sharing tips on how to look "prom-perfect." Whether it's the perfect dress, a stylish new 'do, or standout trends in makeup, your best (personalized!) look is merely a blog post away...
PS: On Saturday, February 23rd, The Princess Closet will officially "move in" to our permanent boutique space in Elmwood Park. Setting up a home for our beautiful dresses, shoes, and jewelry is a dream come true (literally), and providing a glamorous look at no cost to our "Cinderella's" means that dream is fully realized.
Can't wait to share more with you tomorrow!
Warmly,
Jamie Kendall
Fashion Consultant for the Princess Closet
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