StyleWhipped

Daily Devotion: Adia Kibur Teardrop Bead Necklace

NUDE NUDE NUDE! No, I'm not promoting a new business venture. I'm echoing the cry of fashion editors and enthusiasts centered around the it-color of the season. Everyone's on the lookout for the hottest nude shoe and figuring out what the perfect shade of nude top or dress is for their skin tone so that they don't look washed out. I happen to be one of these people, and let me tell you, it is not easy! Luckily I've found an easier way to wear this fabulous shade while I figure out what my best personal nude is, and it's in a necklace.

Adia Kibur's Teardrop Bead Necklace is the kind of piece I love to wear. It's got a lot going on and makes a statement with chunky beads in every shape and size intricately woven together. But the single shade of soft nude tones everything down a bit into a quietly bold elegance. It's perfect for everything from dressing up a plain white tee to adding some interest to your favorite little black dress. It's so versatile and looks much more expensive than the $128 price-tag!

- Cindy 

Win a fabulous men's automatic watch from ORIENT on Stylewhipped!

That's right...we are so excited to be giving away this gorgeous men's automatic watch from ORIENT right here on Stylewhipped. All you have to do is join our email club (on the upper right-hand side of this page) and you will automatically be entered to win. And this watch, with its stainless steel case & bracelet and beautiful oversized olive-green/brown face, looks equally cool on a man or woman...so ladies, enter to win and maybe you'll give it to your boyfriend...or maybe not...

Want to know more about this watch and ORIENT in general? With a $140 retail value, day-date functions, adjustable band, and water resistance to 50m, this is the perfect everyday, signature watch. ORIENT is known for its numerous lines of significant, well-made and fashion-forward timepieces...so just in case you don't win this give-away from us, make sure you check out all their watches online at http://www.orientwatchusa.com/. And if you're in the market for another automatic watch (like the one we're featuring), they are one of ORIENT's specialities and can be seen on their site as well:  http://www.orientwatchusa.com/watches.php.

Now go sign up (you'll get a dedicated email from us once a week and we'll never share your information) so you can win this awesome watch (sorry, contest is open to US residents only and the winner will randomly be drawn on Friday, April 9, 2010). Good luck!

~ Alison

Daily Devotion: DKNY Large Dot Strapless Dress

There's nothing like a vacation in Antigua to get you out of a winter funk and looking forward to beautiful sunny days. I loved every minute I wasn't wrapped up in winter layers, and spent the entire time enjoying my laid-back casual wardrobe. While my resort ensembles aren't quite as put together as Alison's, I spent most of my non-beach time in bright colored summer dresses, so that's what I'm in the mood for lately.

One of my favorites right now is the Large Dot Strapless Dress from DKNY's Spring Collection. With a sweetheart neckline and above-the-knee length, it is super flattering. And with soft pleats falling from the empire waist, it is super forgiving. No need to hold back on those vacation cocktails! On gorgeous red silk, the stone-colored dots are perfectly imperfect, keeping the dress from looking too precious or "Minnie Mouse". And while we don't quite have Antigua weather in NYC just yet, you can always pull this together into a weather-appropriate look by pairing it up with a cardigan or blazer. It may be a little bit before my next island vacation, but that doesn't mean I can't dress like I'm there.

- Cindy 

Daily Devotion: Geren Ford X Back Silk Empire Cami

I love animal prints, but zebra has always been a tough one for me. It always seems to bring forth memories of horrible neon zebra patterned spandex pants worn by '80s hair band entertainers and their brethren. Cheetah, leopard, giraffe, python-- they've all earned themselves a spot in classic fashion distinction that has eluded the zebra...until now.

I was on the Intermix website, browsing as I always do, when I saw Geren Ford's X Back Silk Empire Cami. My initial thought was that I loved the print, followed by "oh! it's zebra". The genius of this zebra print is that it contrasts cream against a palette of watercolored neutrals, a much softer and more subtle presentation. And in a lovely silk v-neck cami with a softly gathered empire waist, this top is so far away from the '80's hair band uniform! Hard proof that zebra can be glamorous, elegant and sophisticated.

- Cindy 

Daily Devotion: Josie Maran Natural Wonder Powders Palette

Bold brights are big in Spring beauty, and I'm loving it. While I like to play with bright lip color, blush, and eyeliner, I've always shied away from bright eye shadow. In the fun-house that is my imagination, bright shadow always looks garish, tacky, clown-like...have you seen Johnny Depp in any of the Alice in Wonderland promos? And while I hold strong that this is a very plausible possibility, I'm learning that there's an alternative--a fresh and beautiful eye look that flatters both warm and cool skin tones. The key for me is balancing my eye with the rest of my face, and working with sheer buildable color. 

I love Josie Maran's Natural Wonder Powders Palette. With 5 buildable shadows that include gorgeous brights as well as neutrals, it makes introducing bright shadow into your look easy. Before you know it you'll have a ton of different looks, from subtle to look-at-me vivid, to bring into your Spring beauty repertoire. Also included in the palette is a great bronzer, and 2 blush options- one rosy and one peachy. Along with the fantastic color options, I also love that this makeup is infused with argan oil to help keep your skin hydrated, nourished and toned. So if you're like me and have shied away from bright eye shadows, now's the time to break out and play. I'm glad I did it and you will be too!

- Cindy

For you girlie-girls...

I am a platform devotee when it comes to shoes. I tend to like a "solid" shoe with at least a 5-inch heel (again, I'm 4'11"...I need all the help I can get!) for evening (ok, ok, pretty much for all the time...). Therefore, platforms tend to be at least a little bit more comfortable. I also tend to not like anything overly "pretty"...and if I do go for something really girlie or overly feminine, I always (always, always!) make sure to balance it somewhere in my outfit with something sleeker and really fashion-forward (you know, that whole leather-and-lace concept!). However, even though I am normally drawn to tougher, more rocker-inspired shoes, I couldn't help but instantly fall in love with these super delicate, really feminine "Definition" heels from Sergio Rossi.

With their pencil-thin straps, bridesmaid-dress-inspired color and stingray-embossed-but-made-to-look-like-lace heel cap, they are the ultimate girlie-girl shoe. These scream for a tea-length floral dress and a ladylike clutch. But instead, I would wear them with my tightest leather leggings and a tunic top with the deepest v-neck for some edgier sex appeal. Let them stand on their own as your one utterly demure piece, and remember...no matter how much leather or studded jewelry you pile on, you can still act like a lady...

~ Alison

Daily Devotion: T by Alexander Wang Cowl Back Tunic Dress

I normally go out of my way to avoid writing about the same brand/designer within a short period of time, let alone one post after the other. There are so many amazing designers and lines out there, it's just more  interesting to mix things up. But I'm clearly digging Alexander Wang's vibe this season, and I'll justify this  bending of the rules by calling out that this pick is by Alexander Wang's special T by Alexander Wang line that centers around, well, the tee. 

The T by Alexander Wang Cowl Back Tunic Dress is the kind of thing  that I really really love to wear. There are things that are comfortable but look sloppy, there are things that look great but take a little bit of work to wear, and there are things that are chic but make you look like you're trying too hard to be trendy. This dress is comfortable in ultra soft jersey, is super easy to wear (throw it on and go), is very casually but undeniably cool, and can be worn and styled a hundred different ways. I'd wear it with tights and a strong-shouldered blazer, I'd wear it with a casual low-slung belt and flat gladiator sandals, I'd travel with it, I'd wear it as a bathing suit cover-up...you get the picture. And the best part-- it's Alexander Wang with Alexander Wang attention to detail, at just $94! You know what? I take back my earlier justification. There's no need for justifying something this fantastic.

- Cindy   

Daily Devotion: Alexander Wang Rocco Mini Duffle

After Fashion Week and related events, and working hard to look appropriately fabulous each and every day, I found myself going through my usual understated period. Red lipstick is replaced by lip balm, platforms with 5" heels are replaced by tall low-heel boots, and denim makes a big comeback into my everyday wear. I'm not saying that this trend will go uninterrupted, but it is a momentary preference. I just happen to be one of those people who enjoys plain vanilla every once in a while. But that said, it does need to be a stellar vanilla. And my stellar vanilla fashion pick of the moment is Alexander Wang's Rocco Mini Duffel.

On paper it's simply a black textured leather, top-handle bag. But in person, it's pretty amazing. Of all the fantastic bags at Barneys CO-OP, my eyes were instantly drawn to this little black bag with the studded bottom (studs Alison!), and I had a "gotta have it" moment. There's something about the all-black features-- black leather, black studs, black zipper, black lining, that makes it so damn cool. So while I call this my "vanilla fashion pick", don't misunderstand and assume that it's boring. With perfect quality, design and balance, vanilla can be quite extraordinary. Just like this bag.

- Cindy   

 

Two pieces for two moments...

I always say that I'm "having a fill-in-the-blank moment"...last fall I was having a navy blue moment, last summer I was having a maxi dress moment. And right now, I'm sort of having two moments at the same time. I keep catching bits of "Saturday Night Fever" on cable, which has fueled my '70's moment, and I've been working with a musician who is egging on my rocker moment...

In the '70's (for women at least...the men's fashion was just scary...), it was all about drapey sex-appeal, plunging necklines, slouchy bags, sky-high platforms and flowing caftans. Basically, all my favortie things. I always wish I could go back in time and head to Studio 54 just once...and honestly, it's really just so I could wear Halston for the evening. So when I saw this leather clutch with a tie-dye effect from Dulce, I immediately wanted to pair it with a silk-jersey jumpsuit and some serious gold platforms for a fabulous, '70's-inspired night out. It's wood handle gives it some heft and a cool dose of casual...so you could also easily pair it with flared jeans and a peasant top for a fabulous little lunch date.

And my other moment? I've been all about the rocker-chic lately. I'm completely obsessed with my shiny black leggings (and anything else black for that matter), have been piling on an overdose of studding, and secretly coveted every single piece from Stella Zotis' latest collection (see a couple posts below...). However, at heart I am still a little glam girl who loves bright prints and only wears gold jewelry. So when I saw this bracelet from my best-kept-jewelry-secret Banana Republic, I was in instant love. The studded grey suede is edgy, but the fact that the studs are both tiny and gold make it glamorous and feminine. I'm going to wear this with my massively oversized gold watch and fully expect it to become one of my (totally affordable!) signature pieces.

~ Alison

Event Recap: Revolver Magazine's "1st-ever Tattoo Issue" Party

Last week, despite one of the worst snowstorms NYC has ever seen, I happily put on a (very tight...) all-black ensemble and 5-inch heels and headed to a party for Revolver Magazine's 1st-ever tattoo issue. With Revolver being a metal music magazine, this fashion girl was definitely excited to have Big Bang Baby frontman (and former Belladonna bassist) Paul Mocci and drummer Billy Atwell with me...

Held at the edgy, Gothic-inspired Paul Booth's Last Rites Gallery on way West 33rd Street in Manhattan, the party was celebrating the magazine's first-ever all-tattoo issue. And they certainly pulled out all the stops...a screening room showing footage from "Revolver TV's" red carpet coverage of the Golden Gods Awards, Coney Island side-show-style performances, a fantastically curated display of intense, aggressive artwork from the gallery, guests having actual tattoos done, and even temporary tattoos designed by legendary tattoo artist Paul Booth himself were available. Revolver Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Brandon Geist was on hand to celebrate, and Mistress Julia of Fuse TV fame was doing on-camera interviews (including with yours truly...).

The magazine issue is only available on newsstands and in stores from March 2nd to May 10th and features Kerry King from Slayer on the cover, complete with a hard-core shot of his Paul Booth-inked head. There are feature articles in the issue that explore how and why hard rock and tattooing go hand-in-hand, as well as in-depth interviews with some of rock's most popular (and most heavily tattooed) artists. Fittingly, there was some amazing body ink on display at the party...everything from full sleeves to head-and-neck art...to my two little ones that you can't actually see when I have clothes on...

Rock. On.

~ Alison

    

(All photos by Marc Stamas for Getty Images)