Uninspired...

Well, it's been a while since I updated my "fashionable" blog, but to tell you the truth, I've been uninspired lately in fashion . For starters, I can't stand the dresses for the season. Those shift dresses, bubble dresses and tube dresses are unflattering to a woman's figure.

In many recent attempts to shop for dresses for various holiday festivities, I've been unsuccessful. All the shops that I normally buy at had nothing to my liking. I thought this was supposed to be the "season of the dress?"

Another possible reason for my disinterest in current fashion trends could be because I don't dress up for work. Now I know this is my fault, but once you hear my argument, you might side with me.

I work with all guys (trust me, this isn't a place to impress anybody). Everybody comes in jeans, sneakers and other non-business attire. This means, I too, come to work really laid-back. Typical work attire is: jeans or velor yoga pants, a T-shirt, sweatshirt (it's really cold in here) and flip-flops. Not exactly what I call chic.

I've tried to persuade myself to dress u a bit, at least with some dress jeans and fancy blouses, but I can't do it...I just sit at a desk all day and would rather spend that extra 20 minutes sleeping than getting ready.

I try to compensate my lack of dress on the weekdays during the week on the weekend, but still feel I'm not up-to-date on the current fashion trends. I definitely need to step up my fashion game, but wished I had a job that required such a dress code.

Oh well...at least my shoe closet is improving with some of Steve Madden's hottest designs!

A "Eutrophic Rebellion"

Monarchy, known for its cutting edge, punk-inspired treads, debuted its Spring 2008 collection titled “Eutrophic Rebellion” at Mercedes-Benz’s L.A. Fashion Week on October 18 at Smashbox Studio’s Main Stage.

In accordance with the overall “green” theme of Fashion Week, designer and founder Eric Kim, depicted preppy-punk-inspired warriors trying to save the world parading down a grass-covered runway, compete with battle wounds on male models.

For Spring 2008, Kim clashed East Coast preppy with rock star glam and added a 80s twist. For men, the result was argyle cardigans paired with pinstripe trousers or skinny jeans topped with fedoras, plunging V-neck tees accented with ascots and scarves, jeans with suspenders and pinstripe vests with jeans and sandals. Deconstructed hoddies and members only-type jackets paired with indigo jeans were highlights for the men’s pieces.

The women’s pieces featured high-waist skinny jeans, cropped jeans and Bermudas with suspenders, cardigans, multi-colored plaid shirts and gun sling-type vests. Jumper sets varied in length from booty-cut to mid-thigh and were worn with button-front shirts, as did shorts.




The highlight piece from the women’s collection was a grey metallic heart shape tuxedo-like dress accented with purple flaps, with grey tights, Mary Jane heels and black top hat. There was also a grey metallic pencil skirt with a sleeveless blouse that matched the tuxedo-lik dress.




Although the guys featured scars on their faces, the women’s hair was either in teased beehives, tousled back ponytails or worn straight down. Accessories included skinny belts, driving gloves, accosts, scarves, top hats and fedoras. The color scheme for the collection centered around blue, white, red, black and grey, with some purple laced on certain pieces.

At the end of the show, Kim walked the runway with a hippie-inspired model wearing only environmentally conscious messages written all over her body (she was wearing only a nude bra and boy-short underwear), such as “Green is the New Black” and “Green Peace.”

But what fashion show would be complete without it’s star power sitting in the front row? “American Idol’s” Randy Jackson,“Entourage’s” Rex Lee and two Cheetah Girls were among the various celebrities who attended the show.

Money Can't Compensate For Style

With the recent trend of high-end designers creating cheaper collections for stores real people can afford to shop at, it’s no surprise that the celebrities that can afford these designers’ expensive collections are hopping on the bandwagon. Academy Award-winner Reese Witherspoon was recently seen wearing a Simply Vera Vera Wang coat from Kohl’s (of course, underneath was an expensive yet stunning Versace dress). Goes to show that you don’t need lots of money to look fabulous!

Seeing Double

Okay, let’s face it. We’ve all had nightmares of showing up to a place only to find that some other girl in the room as your same exact outfit (with the only difference being in the accessories). What’s worse is when you’re a celebrity at public event where you know you’re going to be photographed a zillion times, and the picture will be posted on every fashion website and magazine in the country.

That’s what happened to Jessica Simpson at the Accessories Council Excellence Awards in New York City on Nov. 5. She showed up wearing the same cheetah-print Michael Kors sheath dress as Debora Norville. And if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, both were presenters on stage, so you know everybody knew the two committed a fashion cardinal sin.

Personally, I’ve never been in that predicament, but if I was, I don’t know what I’ll do. Before selecting an outfit, I always run options in my head on ways to make it stand out. I always try to imagine how a non-fashion person would approach the dress, shirt, pants, etc. and try to do the opposite. But, if I were Jessica, I probably would have wanted to go straight home and change! I’m guessing she’ll now carry wardrobe options in her limo or towncar wherever she goes!

Although the Michael Kors dress can be purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue for a mere $957 (on sale from $1,595), you can get an animal print dress almost anywhere! This zebra-print wrap dress and leopard-print high-waist skirt from Express are great (and cheap) substitutes at under $100 each.