Hot Mesh

I love fashion because it is forever changing, evolving and there is truly something for everyone. I don't personally adhere to trends but I do enjoy watching the new collections at Fashion Week when it comes around twice a year. Currently Fashion week in Paris is in full swing, showing Spring/Summer 2018 looks.

DIOR S/S 2018

I noticed two collections, Dior and Saint Laurent (formerly YSL) both showed some Hot Mesh .. Black with dotted prints.

YSL S/S 2018

It reminded me how designers have to look back to go forward and this dress that I procured from the 55,000 Dress Collection of Mr. Paul Brockmann.

It was designed by Nolan Miller, the costume designer of the 80's hit show DYNASTY. Who remembers that show? Glamour, drama and all the over the top 80's garments that we are now coming to adore once more.

I used to watch Dallas with my grandmother and as a young girl the character Alexis Carrington was always a style icon with her cage veils, diamonds and gowns. Sassy and Fabulous!

The Noalan Miller dress was designed as part of a collection for Saks Fifth Avenue and is MAJOR Hot Mesh .... complete with velvet dots, bows and a layered skirt.

SHOP: $180

Oscar Fashion: 2015 Red Carpet

via CNN

I always look forward to the Red carpet's of award season. I'm forever excited to see the borrowed dresses of the most talented and famous designers in the world, the most expensive jewels on loan and what hard working stylists have come up with for their uber famous clients. Again with the Oscars I didn't see anything that was over the top amazing, but several lovely gowns. I do long for the days of authentic dressing and a lot less "entourage" influence when it comes to the choices of the celebrities.  Decades owner Cameron Silver came up with the best term, "UnManufactured Glamour" exactly what I think is missing in 'celebrity fashion' but that is an entirely different blog. Gone are the days of the truly chic and seemingly effortless starlet's who attended such affairs in dresses and jewels they actually owned and chose themselves. Without further adieu ....

Here are my nominees for BEST DRESSED at the 2015 Oscar's

Black Beauties

Margot Robbie wearing Saint Laurent & Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Necklace

Nancy O'dell in  Gauri And Nainika gown

Kelly Osborne in Rita Vinieris

Reese Witherspoon in Tom Ford

Jamie Chung - Yanina couture

Jennifer Lopez in Elie Saab Haute Couture 

Emma Stone also in Elie Saab

Best Party Dress

Dita Von Teese in Zuhair Murad

Best Detail

Gwyneth Paltrow in Ralph & Russo gown with this romantic floral detail that I somehow fell in love with. I liked the simple styling and the ruby accents from the MAJOR custom earrings.

Anna Hu Fire Phoenix earrings (priced at $425,000), consisting of two pear-shaped cabochon Rubellites set in white gold amid white-and-yellow diamonds; blue, pink and purple sapphires; spinels and paraiba tourmalines.

Best Jewelry

Emeralds stole the show for me last night.

 Dita Von Teese flashed her emeralds, signature manicure on Intagram (and some great dress detailing). Jewels by jewels by Doves by Doron Paloma and Leticia Linton.

Scarlet Johansen wearing an emerald & diamond Piaget ear cuff

Best Necklace is Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels, this piece was designed in 1938 for the Duchess of Windsor AKA Wallis Simpson. Gold, Diamond and Sapphire show stopper is worth a cool 1.5M and is dubbed the Zipper Necklace.

Who made your best dressed list?

Mature Models: A Breath Of Fresh Air

This was a wonderful week in fashion advertising for me. I cannot even express my thrill land delight at seeing the recent ad campaign by the French fashion house CELINE.

Led by British Fashion designer and Creative Director Phoebe Philo the house features American writer Joan Didion as the new face of the house. At 80 years young Joan in over sized black shades is a vision of character and quite frankly a breath of fresh air.

A documentary about her life was just crowd funded through kisktarter, it required $80,000 and received $221,135.00. We can expect to see her documentary in September 2015!

Joan is not new to the fashion world either. In the 1960's she did a two year stint at VOGUE starting as promotional copywriter and worked her way to associate feature editor. While at VOGUE she wrote her first novel Run, River that was published in 1963.

Photographed by Henry Clarke, Vogue, October 1972

She has a large list of literary accomplishments that spans non-fiction, fiction, screenplays and plays.

Seeing Joan reminded me that there ARE forward thinking, creative and unique people left in the world. Forward thinkers who are tired of the over played, over exposed visions of what I call "the herd". In the wake of the 'Kimye" VOGUE cover and subsequent Balmain ad campaign I was beginning to really wonder ... and worry!

Seeing Joan for Celine was the first of 3 mature and stylish ladies featured in fashion ad campaigns this week!!

The music legend Joni Mitchell at 71 for Saint Laurent

and the forever stylish Iris Afpel for Alexis Bittar

The house of LANVIN paved the way in 2012 when their models included then 62 year old Advanced Style Icon Tziporah Salamon

AND

Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock, 82

I hope this officially means the tide is turning and fashion houses are now looking past age, shape and size and looking for true character, wisdom and personality.

SHOP:

VINTAGE FROM CELINE, YSL & LANVIN

EVOLUTION VINTAGE

 Vintage Celine Wool Skirt ~ $200

 Vintage YSL Skirt - $250

 Vintage LANVIN Dotted Dress ~ $125