Style Maven Series: Dita Von Teese

If I could use only 2 words to describe Dita Von Teese they would be Timeless and GLAMOUR. To me Miss Dita is like a live avante guard runway show, a Hollywood silver screen film in Technicolor and a Swarovski crystal swathed enduring piece of artwork. I have to say that she is the ULTIMATE vintage style maven, a fashion icon and a true style inspiration for me. I love the bold colors, the hats, the accessories and the mixing of the vintage with the contemporary. Her display of fashion forwardness by highlighting and paying homage to fashions past is second to none. She is one of the only people who can pull of a head-to-toe vintage look to any event, with the hair, makeup AND accessories.

3 things you may not know about Dita:

*She is a natural blond

*Given name at birth: Heather Sweet

*Her Christmas Tree: “I have a pink foil tree that has chandelier pieces. It’s not bubblegum pink, but real Victorian, shiny pink. I like pink lights—I think it’s really romantic and flattering.” (www.fashionmagazine.com)

She is as famous for her Burlesque numbers as she is for her fashion. She is a fashion designers dream and a darling at several of the world’s most famous fashion houses ~ Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab, Christian Laboutin, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Swarovski. She is the extraordinary showgirl on and off the red carpet. Her costumes are like a jewel encrusted dream. Dita has been compared to the Burlesque strip-teaser Gypsy Rose Lee but I think that Dita is in a class all her own.

(CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

Her world is not just garter belts and feathers; she is a self styled, self created fashion icon and brand. She brought her style to contemporary lingerie, with Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese. This vintage-inspired, limited edition lingerie collection for Wonderbra was a bestseller, and her 2nd season, the "Party Edition," was launched in 2009 all over Europe. Dita also has her own collection of full-fashioned seamed stockings with Secrets in Lace, which are available through their catalog and her website. She has teamed up with Perrier mineral water and limited edition bottles and cans with Dita’s images are now available.

She is the face of Cointreau with a signature drink: Cointreau Teese

1 1/2 oz. Cointreau

3/4 oz. Apple juice

1/2 oz. Violet syrup

1/2 oz. Lemon juice

Ginger

1 Violet

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and frost ginger around the rim of the glass. Garnish with a violet.

You can take a piece of Dita home with her many AMAZING products: Clothing, books, cosmetics, lingerie, fragrance, and MORE. Visit her BOUTIQUE

I had a chance to ask the princess of the pasties my style maven questions.

LISAG: Can you describe your personal Style aesthetic AND attitude about fashion

DITA: I admire people that have a personal sense of style that does not falter according to the trends, and I especially love those that dare to be different and take risks! Some of my personal icons are Isabella Blow, Anna Piaggi, Chantal Thomass and Marlene Dietrich.

LISAG: What are the key components / pieces in your closet?

DITA: Shapely black dresses with perfect tailoring, classic shapes, with the perfect amount of cleavage and the right hemline. I like to style these dresses with vintage jewelry, gloves and hats. A beautiful coat is also essential!

LISAG: How do you feel about Vintage Clothing and Accessories?

DITA: Most of my wardrobe is vintage! I began dressing in vintage when I was a teenager because I was never able to afford designer clothes. I would see similarities between looks I saw in magazines from designers like Vivienne Westwood, and vintage 1940's suits and dresses. I would seek out vintage bullet bras to get the look of Jean-Paul Gaultier. My aim was to get the look for less by scouring flea markets and vintage stores, and that is how my love affair with vintage style began!

LISAG: What are your favorite Vintage pieces (Clothing and/or Accessories)? Do you only wear designer vintage?

DITA: I wear what I like, regardless of the value. I do own some spectacular vintage designer pieces, like a 1954 Dior Paris Haute Couture suit which is labeled with the season and year, and it's in a famous book about Dior. But the majority of my collection is comprised of no-name dresses, or lesser-known designers. It's all about how you wear it, not how expensive it is.

LISAG: What are you wearing this fall/winter? Tell our readers the key elements for your Fall/Winter wardrobe

DITA: Wearing a fabulous coat is always my favorite thing about the fall and winter. I love bringing out my coats! I don't always have a new one every year, but when you invest in a great style, it doesn't matter. A great coat is THE key to looking chic in the winter! This year I am wearing a fit and flare black Dior, a 1950's Lilli Ann Princess coat, and my favorite, a Dior trench coat with strict shoulders that is dripping in black bugle beads at the hemline. The way I see it, if I can't wear bugle beads in the daytime, what good is it being a showgirl anyway?!?

You are a show girl supreme Dita! 

Here are some of my favorite looks:

(CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

You have personally inspired me Dita to even push my own fashion boundaries even further than I normally do. I LOVE cage veiling even more now!! XO

EVOLUTION VINTAGE'S PICKS FOR DITA:

1950's Black Velvet Dress

Feather hat w black cage veil

SHOP: http://www.evolution-vintage.com/

Gianni Versace ~ Fashion ICON

December 2 would have marked the 64th birthday for the Italian born fashion designer Gianni Versace. Since he was violently and senselessly taken from us in 1997 the fashion world has never been the same. I chose to start my tribute series on the day he was born in honor of the amazingly creative life he shared with all of us.

To me there is no possible way to sum up Gianni Versace in one blog or an article. He has been my favourite designer since I was a little girl secretly thumbing through my older sisters VOGUE collection and taping Fashion Television segments onto VHS. Imagine my wonderment at the age of 9 and 10 at the colorful images presented in the ad campaigns, the over the top, star studded runway shows packed with the most beautiful faces in the world. Then there is the clothes themselves.




Words alone can not convey the impact the world of Gainni Versace has had on me creatively. He was my very first "Hero" or "Icon". Looking back I'm sure my parents and friends found it odd for a 10 year old girl to idolize a fashion designer but he was my version of a superhero. My love affair with fashion can be attributed to Gianni Versace. I wish I had the opportunity to meet him in person but I will do my best in this blog seires in the coming weeks to take you on a journey that started 64years ago today in a small town in Reggio, Calabria, Italy in 1946 all the way to the steps of his Miami mansion in 1997.




We will take a look at each creative facet and season of his career, his family & personal life as well as the man himself.


With Younger sister Donatella and older brother Santo


He pushed boundaries.

He loved beauty.

He designed dreams.

Enjoy the colourful ride.


LisaG
XO

Stroller Derby

Pregnancy, childbirth and raising children is not what it used to be. I'm very happy to report that women and the human race as a whole have at least evolved to being to celebrate pregnancy, pregnant shapes and motherhood. We have come a long way baby from the smocked hidden days of the 1960's and before. It was a great cover up that has thankfully fallen by the wayside for bearing it all in a celebration of the baby bump. A BIG thank you to Demi Moore for bearing it all for the Cover of Vanity Fair (shot by Annie Leibovitz in 1991) magazine while pregnant with daughter Scout LaRue. It sparked controversy at the time but has since become a symbol (to me) of female empowerment.

In fact, pregnant with my first daughter Kaleigh Rain I had a nude maternity photo shoot done. I enjoyed every minute of it both in protest of conservative, generic maternity shoots and in pure celebration of my current state.

Since Demi many magazines have jumped on the baby bandwagon featuring both nude and non-nude celebrities mothers-to-be on their covers and in the pages of their magazines. I find the female form, while pregnant to be this beautiful juxtaposition of elements; so beautiful, strong, fragile, powerful and vulnerable. It is a wonderful state of being which ends in the "pain with a purpose" stage that would bring ANY MAN to his knees! BRAVO LADIES!

The great divide between celebrity and non-celebrity has been bridged via reproduction. We literally have common ground with the women that are idolized, revered and followed. Pregnancy and childbirth brings a human quality to these women that cannot be felt through the pages of a magazine or through the television. We all have the same struggles of morning sickness, weight gain, labor, delivery (in all it's forms), shitty diapers, barf and all of the other wonderful things that come with motherhood. I don’t drive a Bentley or carry a Birkin but I efficiently change diapers and could hold my own in a stroller derby with these women any day of the week!

HA HA!

The celebrity mothers are also inspirational as Chic mammas who have snubbed the track pant and make being pregnant a fashion statement all in its own.

Here are some of my favorite fashionable mammas in various states of motherhood. (CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE!!!)

An honorable mention must be made to the MAJOR MAMMA of 3 Kimora Lee Simmons Hounsou for keeping it real with her fans a posting a photo of her in the hospital in labor to her twitter account and announcing the following (Via @OfficialKimora)

"It's time !! No turning back! At hospital in labor right now!!"

"Having contractions now! Ooo- wee! It's like WHOA!"

She also documented the birth of her son Kenzo Lee in a Style Network special and in an episode of "Kimora Life in the Fab Lane" that chronicled her journey from hospital arrival in labor to his delivery. A very intimate look from the outside. Thank you Kimora for sharing that special time with the world.

The moral of my blog is that keeping in line with the trend setting mammas I am announcing my own reproductive news. My husband David and I are expecting our second child in the spring!!

My news comes on the heels of 2 of my favorite ladies: P!NK and Rachel Zoe who both announced this week that they are also expecting.

P!NK made her announcement on the Ellen show AND tweeted this to her followes: "ok tweethearts: here's my own personal official whatever...... Carey Hart knocked me up and i don't know how to tell my dad. what do i say?"

She also tweeted this WISH: "My wish for this pregnancy, besides a healthy happy baby, is for the paparazzi to LEAVE US ALONE and let me gain my weight in PEACE"

Rachel Zoe ROCKS a Gianfranco Ferre gown and a baby bump! She tweets this yesterday: "Hey everyone! I want to officially confirm to my loyal friends and followers that I am pregnant!..."

Bravo mamma’s to be! Hang on for the craziest, life transforming ride. A real motherhood metamorphosis.

Style Maven Series: Molly Sims

Molly Sims is what one could refer to as a "triple threat". She's a successful model, actress and now a jewelry designer. You may remember her from the Victoria's Secret runway or the pages of Sports Illustrated (where she wore the world's most expensive bikini valued at $30 Million dollars) Sorry Molly I had to post the photo ~ you are beautiful! I could not mention a 30M dollar bikini without letting the readers have a peek ;)

She has successfully launched a line of vintage-inspired jewelry called "Grayce" which is available on HSN a higher end line available directly from her web site: HERE


Here are some of the pieces I love (Cuffs, rings & statement necklaces):

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
In fact she is approaching her 1 year anniversary for the line which she will celebrate with a live appearance on HSN, Friday November 19th. See her and her jewels at 1:00AM-2:00AM & 2:00PM-3:00PM


What I love about Molly's style is her fearless approach to accessories and colors. She does not shy away from mixing it up; colors, prints, accessories. She is also a girl after my own heart, she loves herself a CLUTCH! I love how she will mix sequins and a blazer on a red carpet or try an over the top statement necklace with an otherwise conservative gown. Bravo style maven!


I had a chance to ask Molly my Style Maven Questions:

LISAG: Can you describe your personal Style aesthetic AND attitude about fashion?

MOLLY: My style is usually one of the four "Grayce girls": Gypsy/Bohemian, City Sophisticate, Glamour Girl, or All-American. I am always mixing and matching. I will never be too trendy, always classic. Fashion gives you the ability to play dress up.

LISAG: What are the key components / pieces in your closet?

MOLLY: Every girl should have a great pencil skirt, a great boyfriend blazer, a great pair of black pants, and a great white shirt. You only need to buy a few trendy pieces a season. This season it’s all about leopard, camel and motorcycle fun. And don’t forget to layer.

LISAG: How do you feel about Vintage Clothing and Accessories?

MOLLY: I love vintage clothing and accessories. Grayce was inspired by my own vintage jewelry pieces that I have from my mother. My design style infuses my love of mixing vintage pieces with tradition aesthetic that allows me to create timeless pieces that can be worn from season to season. The key to buying vintage clothing is to invest in a good tailor. Find one, make friends and you’re good to go.

LISAG: What are your favorite Vintage pieces (Clothing and/or Accessories)?

MOLLY: An amazing old Pucci Dress, a gold vintage Rolex, vintage pearls my mother gave me, a leopard jacket I got 15 years ago, and a vintage croc bag.

LISAG: Do you only wear designer vintage?

MOLLY: No. When I was younger my mother and I would go to yard sales and buy boxes of jewelry for ten dollars and sort through them to find amazing pieces. A flea market find can be just as eclectic and chic as a fancy diamond! Do not feel like you have to pay a lot for vintage.

LISAG: What are you wearing this fall? Tell our readers the key elements for your Fall/Winter wardrobe

MOLLY: I think three key elements for your Fall/Winter wardrobe should be a great motorcycle jacket, deco jewelry and a fringe bag. I’m also obsessed with tights under bohemian dresses!

There were so many wonderful looks to choose from with Molly ~ here are some of my Fav's

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE







Follow Molly on Twitter @MollyBSims

EVOLUTION VINTAGE'S PICKS FOR MOLLY

Vintage Striped Day Dress

60's Chocolate Metallic mini dress
70's Clutch

Vintage 3 strand necklace with fopal (faux opal) crown

Late 40's/Early 50's Whiting and Davis gold metal mesh clutch



SHOP: EVOLUTION VINTAGE