Sew That's How You Do It!

You can now read all the fashion fun at Blogger!

Here’s Burberry’s take on the ’11 cat-y trend: smokey, yet defined with a winged end.  I call it the Smokey Cat.

 

Flipping through the first few pages of the August 2011 Vogue, I saw advertisements from the usual suspects: Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi (and as you know, the list goes on and on and on for about 100 pages)…  Anyway, I noticed a trend – heavy eyeliner. Not so heavy that it makes you think of punk rockers; it was more like thick cat eye.  Sometimes just on top, sometimes also on the bottom. But always with a point or wing. I can’t wait to try this new, very defined eye – it’s been a little smokey for too long.

I’ve come to realize how superior Blogger is to WordPress.  It’s more customizable, Google-related, and did I say it’s more customizable?  Like I don’t have to have a specific template to have a picture header?  Like whoa.  So… pretty soon I think I’ll be moving over to Blogger.  What do you think?  Should I keep the name “Sew That’s How” or move on to something else, a la “Sweet (Southern) Things”? (If I were using Blogger, I could add a poll here.  So instead, please leave a comment.  Thanks!)

Hello all! Back again. I saw Winnie the Pooh today in theaters – it was my first Pooh Bear experience! And you know what I took away from it? (Besides many awws at the adorable cuteness of characters.)  Christopher Robin’s style!  YES!  His style.  Um, hello knee socks?  Can we bring those back from last year?  Well, I’m going to try.  They’re super cute AND they keep you warm, you know, if you’re lucky enough to wear shorts or skirts or dresses in the winter like moi.  (And yes, I remember way back when the heat inside was so warm that you had to wear something short to stay cool.  That counts too.)

What do you guys think?  Should knee socks make a comeback?  Are they too little-girl sexy?

Hi all, sorry I’ve been MIA for ages! I’ll post all my stuff from my Costume Design I final soon – that way you know I’m still sewing! AND, I’ll be sewing next semester in Costume Design II! You’ll certainly be hearing how it goes. But this summer I don’t want to take a complete break from sewing – I want to make pillows for my couch and work on my dress-making skills so I can enjoy the summer in style! Okay, I think that’s enough exclamation points.

Now, let’s get on with what this title means (though I think it’s pretty obvious). This summer I’m interning with Southern Protocol – the No. 1 wedding planning team in Charleston, S.C. (which is also the No. 1 wedding destination). I’ve been to a few weddings so far, one bridal portrait session and I just wrote my first blog post for them! If you like more of the short stuff, you can follow their tweets and try to guess which ones are from me!

Anyway, that’s all for now, so have a lovely weekend!

February 24, 50-year-old John Galliano was arrested for alleged assault and alleged anti-Semitic remarks to a couple in Paris, where making such remarks is a crime. The attacks occurred just after 9pm, at Marais restaurant Le Perle where he had finished the equivalent of two bottles of wine. He was released by police the following morning, after having been tested for sobriety and was found to be just over the legal limit. Paris native Galliano was accompanied by police to his home.

Among the comments he made towards 35-year-old Géraldine Bloch, head of Paris’s Institute of the Arab World and his accuser, he has been said to have said, “You’re so ugly I can’t bear looking at you. You’re wearing cheap boots, cheap thigh boots. You’ve got no hair, your eyebrows are ugly, you’re ugly, you’re nothing but a whore.”

Bloch said that Galliano grabbed her by the hair and shouted “Dirty Jew face, you should be dead,’ adding ‘shut your mouth, dirty bitch, I can’t stand your dirty whore voice.” Bloch also stated to police that Galliano threatened to kill her boyfriend (who is of Asian descent), 41-year-old receptionist Philippe Virgitti, screaming “******* Asian bastard, I’ll kill you!” UK’s The Daily Mail reports “[Bloch] has claimed Galliano concluded his tirade with: ‘I am the designer John Galliano!’ while striking the trademark ‘rock star’ pose with which he often ends his couture shows.”

The public drunkenness and possibly even the anti-Semitic statements would have likely blown over had Galliano’s aggression not been filmed. The video was released February 28 and that day, Vogue Italia Editor-in-Chief Franca Sozzani defended Galliano in a post on the magazine’s website on February 28. The statement was posted that morning and edited that afternoon after certain remarks were seen to be contradictory and herself was seen as an anti-Semite. She wrote:

“The creative director of Dior (now suspended by the company) was clearly provoked, and filmed, while obviously inebriated.” She continued to question the validity of the film, saying: “It’s all in high definition [sic]—especially the sound—and the image is enviably composed.”

“Either whoever took it was a master of timing, or what we are seeing is a video created for this purpose.”

Gabriel Bell of Refinery29 retorted on her own company’s website: “Well, congrats to the filmmaker may be in order, true—but high definition video is no longer the sole property of documentary filmmakers and paparazzi on the make. Flip cams and other technologies have been available and in use by the public—and no doubt by contributors to Vogue.It—for years. The text then doubts the editing of the video with a false choice.”

Gabriel also pointed out that Dior gowns were almost nowhere to be seen at the Oscars. Natalie Portman is rumored to have swapped her Dior gown for the Marchesa after hearing about Galliano’s comments. Nicole Kidman was the sole wearer of any Dior that night.

By the afternoon of February 25, the Dior Chief Executive and President Sidney Toledano confirmed in a statement that Galliano was suspended from Dior. “Dior affirms with the utmost conviction its policy of zero tolerance towards any anti-Semitic or racist words or behaviour. “Pending the results of the inquiry, Christian Dior has suspended John Galliano from his responsibilities.”

Galliano probably should have suspected some reproach from his employer, considering Toledano’s father was a “Jewish man who fought against Franco’s Hilter-backed Fascists in the Spanish Civil war,” wrote Bell.

A police source told the Daily Telegraph “witnesses said [Galliano] swore heavily, using anti-Jewish insults, before attacking a couple. Both have provided witness statements, as have a number of other people at the bar, including staff.”

Another source said otherwise to Vogue UK: “‘We had a table at La Perle and John Galliano sat next to us. He spoke to a couple at a nearby table to say ‘Cheers’ and they insulted him. An argument started and the police came, so Galliano’s bodyguard suggested that they should go to the police station to sort it out. He wasn’t ‘busted’ aggressively by police, it was very quiet and peaceful. I definitely didn’t hear him say anything anti-Semitic, or against any religion, it was all very calm.’”

Despite exact details of the event still under investigation, Dior declared today that John Galliano will no longer serve as creative director. “I unequivocally condemn the statements made by John Galliano, which are in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior,”Toledano, said in a statement today. “The house confirmed that the ‘odious behaviour’ exhibited by Galliano in the video released February 28 was the last straw resulting in his dismissal” (Vogue UK).

It has been confirmed by a Dior representative that the Fall 2011 collection is scheduled to show Sunday, March 6 without Galliano.

Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman said of Galliano‘s dismissal this afternoon: “I think Galliano made a terrible mistake and such offensive behaviour could not be ignored. It is all the same true that he has a huge talent and has contributed enormously to the resurrection of the house of Dior. Who can predict what the future will bring?”

Courtesy of Style.com, Harper’s Bazaar (which is still carrying on despite the drama), Vogue.com and Glamour.com I have compiled my favorite looks from the 83^rd Academy Awards (in no particular order other than categorized). Click the images to see the host’s page from where I have selected the photographs.

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Fabulous First Place Gowns

Let’s start with the hostess. Anne Hathaway was stunning in every outfit, but two stood out. Firstly, the grecian Givenchy was brilliant. The beautiful folds in the skirt, the detailed beading on the bodice – the sparkles were almost distracting enough to keep you from noticing Anne’s fidgeting fingers (poor girl). Also, as the night progressed and she changed again and again, she also seemed to get less nervous. I wouldn’t be commenting on it except for the double high-five and wooing at the end. Did she have some champagne to quell her nerves? If she did or if she didn’t, the girl deserved it and I don’t think we have to keep talking about her excitement. I mean, she did stand in front of millions of people looking her skinniest – er, best – and having to be funny, gorgeous, sophisticated, and present the best of her industry with awards. So, woo! for Anne Hathaway!

Later in the evening, we saw Anne in a wine-colored Atelier Versace gown. Glamour’s Slaves of Fashion bloggers wrote, “This must’ve been Anne Hathaway’s favorite, as she wore it out to the Oscars 2011 after-parties, including Vanity Fair’s A-list bash.” And with draping, sequins and a stand-out color like that, topped by the most gorgeous, almost-scalloped sweetheart bust, wouldn’t you want to wear it again and again? Plus, she looks far more comfortable in this gown than the Givenchy gown.

Cate Blanchett’s Givenchy Haute Couture very light lavender gown was certainly interesting. I adored the flash of yellow at her shoulders and the way the upper half was structured while the skirt was made to be romantically flowy. The beading really unified the different styles.

I loved Scarlett Johansson’s fuchsia lace Dolce & Gabbana gown. She looked elegant while keeping it playful and youthful with her messy ‘do.

This is the perfect dress for a young girl. But if you’re beginning to think the dress is too princess-y and she’s clearly too young, check out those pumps!

Sexy and pretty, Mila Kunis looks gorgeous and made, I think, everyone’s top ten.

Halle Berry’s peach, sparkly, organza Marchesa gown was beautiful. This one will be remembered for years to come.

I absolutely LOVE Nicole Kidman’s necklace. And her Dior dress isn’t bad, either. It’s a beautiful structured gown that somehow works from all angles (though the front is not my favorite – perhaps the side).

Melissa Leo’s custom-made Marc Bouwer gown was perfectly sweet and classy for an older Oscar nominee (and Best Supporting Actress winner!). The white lace overlay displayed gold mirror pieces underneath which looked stunning when she moved. I adore this style.

Sandra Bullock looked stunning in this red Vera Wang gown while keeping the jewels and purse a bit more subtle. Her lips perfectly matched the dress, which is a style I absolutely love! She’ll be remembered in this one, I’m sure.

Hilary Swank awed us all in Gucci Premiere. She often goes for more feminine gowns (probably to off-set her most famous role in “Million Dollar Baby”) but this was amazing. The sparkles, the ostrich feathers, the lavender hue (which you can’t see in this photo) really made this gown a statement.

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Stunning Second Places

Jennifer Hudson looked surprisingly amazing. She’s slimmed down quite a bit and was showing it off in a skin-tight, red-orange Atelier Versace gown. The ring and the huge bangles were a bit much for one hand, in my opinion, but otherwise she looked great. (Although whoever did her makeup missed her skin tone by a few shades – if you look closely, her face is a completely different color than the rest of her body.)

Amy Adams looked beautiful, but the dress was just not among my favorites. I adore her, and I’m very sad she went for something so simple. Did I mention that she was wearing $1,350,000 in Cartier emeralds and diamonds? Wowza!

Mandy Moore looks so elegant and grown-up in Monique Lhullier. I love the subtle sparkle transitions throughout the dress.

Celine Dion looked amazing in this dress. I don’t know that anyone could have worn it better. Good for her!

To be fair, I should put Reese with Jennifer Lawrence (below), but, while the Armani Privé gown was a bit understated, she looked phenomenal. When she walked onstage I couldn’t take my eyes off of her! (Sidenote: with this hair, she could totally play Barbi in a live-action movie; couldn’t she?)

Well, Natalie Portman’s pregnant, so there’s no real way to compete with the other Oscar nominees for couture. But she is wearing Rodarte, and she does look gorgeous, and she’s wearing the best gown possible which holds her baby bump very well among all those folds. And she totally deserved the Oscar. She should be very proud.

You know, Natalie Portman has me wondering, how do you look fashionable while pregnant? And didn’t her feet hurt? And then, thank God flats are in fashion! I just hope they’re still around when I get to that.

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Drab Dresses

And then the boring actresses. I mean, they all look fabulous, but couldn’t they have at least gone a little more glamorous? It’s the Academy Awards!

Rachel Roy in a color-block somewhat baggy, somewhat tight dress (not even a gown) by ??, wearing ??. Enough said.

In my Internet musings today I have discovered Polyvore. And oh my God it’s amazing. You can put together items from all over the Internet to create an outfit. Below’s an example of what is typical (and how I’d dress to fit in if I had thousands of dollars) at Carolina Cup.

You can see she’s having trouble walking due to the ridiculously impractical outfit she’s wearing at the horse tracks (or even more likely, in the parking lot where she’s “tailgating”). And, of course, that Lilly Pulitzer water bottle is full of everything but water.

She’s also far more blond and tan than I will ever be.

I may look like a total nutter, but I really need an internship. Ever since I found the study abroad program that I had planned for this summer fell through, I’ve been in a pickle. Most summer internships aren’t posted until March and I am SO anxious!

But, this actually happened.