Hello Hauteness

I’m blind as a bat.  Ever since the 3rd grade my eyesight has gotten progressively worse.  So why am I telling you this?  Because I took this shortcoming, and made it into a fashion statement.

I wear contacts most everyday so I went a long time without buying new glasses (8 years to be exact).  This year I finally decided it was time to invest in a new pair…and invest I did…in Chanel.  While I went shopping without having the expectation of purchasing designer specs, I secretly knew deep down that I wouldn’t be able to resist a pair of Prada, Tiffany, Coach, or Chanel if the right pair came along.

Well, the right pair came in the form of Chanel and they just so happen to be the same style that my gorgeous friend Mere already has.  I actually texted her in the store to make sure that it was okay that I buy her glasses.  Afterall, she had them first.  The same rule applies to designer accessories as to ex’s amongst friends:  you don’t touch what another has had.  Luckily, Mere was completely ok with it so I made the second biggest designer purchase of my life, behind my LV Speedy 30.

Due to my excitement over my newest piece of wearable art, I thought I’d share some pics.  Forgive my weak attempt at trying to make them appear as if they’re in a chic product shot.

“A girl should be two things:  classy and fabulous.” ~Coco Chanel

The weekend I have been looking forward to for 2 years is finally here.  Sex and the City 2 is in theaters!!!  This is where I ask, “Where’s my cosmo?”.

I’m so ready for the fun, the fashion, the friendship, and the sex!  Bring.  It.  On.  Now, I’ve had several people counter my giddiness with “but the storyline looks so stupid”.  My response to them is the same every time:  “I don’t care about the storyline”. I just want to spend 2 hours catching up with with characters that I have known and loved so well since I was 15 years old.  To me, watching this movie will feel like catching up with old friends.

Not to mention, we get Aidan (mmmmmmm…a dream bubble featuring Aidan shirtless is now floating above my head) and a wedding for Stanford.  Seriously, what more could a girl want?!

As you can tell by the names of my stylist service packages, I kinda love Sex and the City.  I would even go as far as to say that it’s my favorite show of all time.  Cleverly written and personal to the point that I have actually seen my life played out in certain episodes.  Afterall, single girls are alike whether they’re in New York City or Austin, TX.

So, in honor of the movie release I want to share my favorite Carrie looks from seasons (and movies) past.  Thank you In Style magazine for doing a spotlight on Carrie fashion so I could revisit my favorite pieces (and thank you to my friend Peggy for bringing it to my attention).

Ashley’s Fashion Tip #32:  Just because it looks good on the hanger (or mannequin), doesn’t mean it looks good on you.

This is a concept I have struggled with myself.  For example, I love full skirts a la Dior’s New Look from the 1950’s…but these skirts don’t like me back.  You put a full skirt with gathers on my hips and suddenly they are magnified to 10 times the width they already are.  I’ve tried this look, I’ve seen pictures of myself in this look, I’ve been rejected by this look, and I’ve now accepted that I cannot wear this look.

The key is to accept your body for what it is and play up your good areas while playing down your less attractive areas.  For me that means bringing attention to my waist and above because my hips and legs are my least attractive attributes that I want to de-emphasize.  Figure out your strong points and then find styles and fabrics that show them off.  If you carry weight in your middle, don’t wear an empire waist top in a woven fabric that poofs out stiffly and makes you look pregnant.  Instead, wear an A-line top in a light-weight, flowy fabric with a skinny pant that shows off your legs, taking attention away from your tummy.  This is called fashion diversion.  Do it whenever you can!

Gentlemen, the same goes for you.  If you have super skinny legs and want to look a little bulkier (this is so the opposite of women), then throw on a pair of cargo pants or a less tapered trouser to add a little weight to your look.  When I see a man wearing pants that are almost definitely a size smaller than me I’m truly depressed and turned off.  Don’t do it.

Just remember to ask yourself when you’re trying on the latest crazy trend, “do I like this because it looks good on me or do I like this because I like the style?”.  It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing the latest and greatest trends as long as you’re wearing what makes you look like a million bucks.

Visit your local Goodwill or charity second-hand store.  One man’s (or woman’s) junk is another’s treasure.  Plus, you have the added bonus of giving back to your community with your purchases.

I love to travel.  It has become such a passion for me that I find myself shopping less in order to save for my next trip.  Believe me, this is huge.  One of my fav things to do when traveling is to grab the latest fashion magazines and take in the pictures like a sponge.  I figure it keeps me occupied so I don’t get antsy and allows me to gather the latest on fashion, society, and culture.  On a recent trip to San Francisco (swoon!) I was checking out the latest Harper’s Bazaar and came across an article that made me smile.

Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton Fall 2010

In the May 2010 edition of Harper’s Bazaar, Derek Blasberg caught my attention with the title of his article, “Curves are Back!”.  Being a curvy girl, I thought to myself “thank God”!  In his article Mr. Blasberg highlights the return of curvaceousness and cleavage to the catwalk during the Fall 2010 runway shows.  As he puts it, “What started as the fashion industry’s familiar X-ray silhouettes on designers’ runways morphed into nearly X-rated curves, as some major labels traded in stick-thin models for faces more familiar to Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues and Victoria’s Secret catalogs”.  I wanted to shout “hell yeah” on the plane when I read this.

In the past few years we have seen a new approach to beauty as far as the catwalks are concerned.  We are finally getting away from the emaciated, cocaine-addict look that was born in the 90’s (thank you Kate Moss) and finding our way back to an appreciation for curves and breasts.  It all started in 2007 when the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) decided to make a change regarding  the standard of beauty by spearheading a health initiative.  The CFDA came out and said that they are “committed to the notion of a healthy mind in a healthy body, and there cannot be one without the other. The industry is determined to foster a balanced approach to nutrition, recreation, exercise, work, and relationships.”  Through this initiative the fashion industry finally attacked the unhealthy effect that the modeling industry has on individuals due to the standards set to be ridiculously thin.

Prada Fall 2010

Think about it:  Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista were all the epitome of beauty but they weren’t stick thin.  These were real women with real bodies that made it to the top of their industry to become highly sought after “supermodels”.  Why did fashion shy away from this in the first place?

When Whitney Thompson won America’s Top Model in 2008 as a size 10 (considered plus-size in the modeling industry) I truly believe it helped further the CFDA’s work towards change in the fashion industry.  Since then we’ve seen a movement by designers to incorporate models with curves onto the runway.  While they may still be size 4-6 and not size 10, they at least can fill out the clothes and give us a glimpse of what a real woman would like in the designer duds.

Whitney Thompson, plus-size winner of America's Top Model

As someone who is a size 8 with breasts and curves, I applaud the fashion industry for finally doing something about this.  When I studied fashion in school I was always frustrated because I was one of the bigger girls in class and I couldn’t even wear the garments I made because they were designed on a size 4 form.  It’s time to get back to a healthy standard of beauty that celebrates a woman with a full figure.  I look forward to seeing more reality and fewer skeletons on the runway.

Check out Canadian Mark Fast’s Spring 2010 runway show where he proudly used plus-size models to show off his designs.