The best dressed in Hollywood have been waiting anxiously for the 2008 release of People’s 10 Best Dressed List, and since there are only 10 slots to fill up, you can imagine that a few tears were shed over this year’s list. Yes, even I was surprised, as many of the names that cropped up I do not disagree with their style choices, but more on their locale on the list of ‘Best Dressed’. Naturally some names that came up had no shock value, but well….let’s just say the ones that *didn’t* quite make the cut really surprised me.

What should be of no surprise at all is that Sarah Jessica hit the list, and rightfully so, and I would guess this is her eight hundredth year in a row. She was chosen for her ‘expert eclectic style’. Love it! Anne Hathaway also made the cut for being young and glam, as she has been quite the style icon ever since her days of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’.

Other lovely ladies on the list included Charlize Theron, Rihanna, Eva Mendes, and naturally, Kate Hudson. Fergie got a mention for being a refined rocker, and this was my first surprise here. I love her style, but I don’t think she merits this recognition quite yet.

Another surprise, sort of, was with the appearance of Gywneth Paltrow on the list, honestly, I don’t think she’s quite ready either, but that’s just me. She has of course evolved this year into something much vampier than in days gone past, so perhaps this is where that is coming from.

My biggest jaw drop occurred when seeing Michelle Obama’s name on the list, perhaps People is simply making a political statement with this one. She was described as ‘classy and confident’.

But overall, my biggest head shaker came when I saw some names missing, notably Katie Holmes and Posh Spice who have now been beat out style wise by a potential First Lady. Ouch, that’s gotta hurt. Better luck next year ladies.

Ever since she appeared in tres fashionable ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Anne Hathaway has become an overnight style icon. And here she is at the Beverly Hills premiere of her new movie ‘Rachel Getting Married’ in a stunning Oscar de la Renta dress paired with *To. Die. For.* pumps by the fabulous Christian Louboutin. Like this look? No cheapies today girls, but you can drool, or pick up this very gown, or these very shoes right here…..

No, this is not THE actual dress that Anne wore, but it is the same dress that she wore by Oscar de la Renta. This gorgeous gown features a shirred strapless bodice, flurry upon flurry of pleated ruffles, all on a sweet printed Italian silk fabric. The bodice lining is cotton tulle, and the organza lining is a silk crepe de chine luxurious fabric. The dress just SOUNDS pretty, before you even try it on. Stunning.

*Sigh* And then of course we have the Louboutin pumps to pair. And well, they pretty much speak for themselves, don’t they? Here you have his classic pump in a beautiful glittery silvery gray patent leather. Need I say more? Uh no.

Linley Hall at London Fashion Week was the setting in play for the latest collection of Adidas by Stella McCartney. The traditional runway was transformed into ‘Stella’s Gym’ so that viewers and guests could see Stella’s work in action, and worn the way it was intended to be worn. By the type of people that the pieces were intended to be worn by – athletes. And just to get her point made crystal clear, the models themselves were none other than Olympic athletes and included stars such as Allyson Felix and Victoria Pendleton. That’s our Stella, whether she is showcasing a RTW collection of fine fabrics and garments, or whether she is showcasing a collection of activewear, she is thinking and designing outside the box. Why? So that her real pieces can be worn by real people, of all shapes and sizes.

Fret not if you’ve ever worried that designer garb was for stick figures. Stella proves this is not the case. Stella has almost single handedly transformed how women’s sportswear should look like, and be worn. Her entire Adidas by Stella collection now includes all sports whether that be running, yoga, dance, swimming, tennis, golf, or the gym, anyone can wear it.

And for those like myself that are *ahem* less than active, her collection is cute enough to wear when you are vegging at home on Sunday morning, or running errands Saturday afternoon.

What you see here is flawless attention to detail when it comes to style, fit, fabric, functionality, and yes, beauty. These pieces make any figure look pretty. I love the popping spring colors and the fitted garments that can be worn by anyone. I also love the block coloring and streamlined fabric that is instantly slimming.

That’s our Stella. About this particular collection she said ‘We like to push it a bit further each season.’

A divine way to end a divine collection. Why? Can’t wait till the next one!

And here you have the always glorious, always beautiful Kate Beckinsale being spotted at the 4^th Annual Pink Party in Santa Monica. Of course Kate darling looks smashing, but who wouldn’t in a Prada dress that probably cost more than the security vehicles. Ahem, yes, I’m jealous. Gorgeous dress, and it’s pretty too! I can’t stop ogling this one…Check out where you can get it for a few bucks cheaper, and no, you won’t need financing or a credit check….

From Dillard’s we have this Max and Cleo Tiered Dress that is an interesting take off the Prada piece. Actually, what I like about this one better is that it is a little more timeless than Kate’s Prada number. This one is all about flirty and flouncy and yes, fun as well with this cool dusty rose color and the satin fabric.

Daily Fashion Tip – You know that satin will add a couple of pounds on you if you aren’t wearing it right, but the ruffled tiers and drop waist will take care of that for you slimming you instantly. And it’s Max and Cleo so you can’t go wrong. Max and Cleo is a division of the BCBG Max Azria group, and this is a name you can trust, at a price you can afford. You can bet your fashion buck will go a long way here as this dress I think will withstand a few seasons now, and a few seasons later when vintage is all the rage. Again. 

And yes, I’ve definitely saved the best for last!!

Okay, and don’t hate me because they are beautiful, but I couldn’t help sneaking something in here that well, isn’t quite that affordable, but so PRETTY. I gasped when I saw these Prada black patent crystal studded peep-toe pumps from Bluefly that go so beautifully with the satin dress. The intricate detailing alongside the stellar craftsmanship alone will tell you that these, or any, Prada shoes will be well worth the investment. With the glossy patent leather upper and the adorable rounded peep toe, you won’t want to stop looking at your pretty peds all night long. Nor will anyone else. And guess what. Prada never goes out of style. *sigh* We know.

OH, and BTW and FYI, just to make you feel better about how coute chere the Prada pumps are, I will let you in on a little secret. At Bluefly, All Stuart Weitzman are on sale at prices so stinking cheap it’s almost sick. How did I not see this sooner??? Stock up now, the holidays are around the corner and you have to know Weitzmans will not be cheap the day before Thanksgiving.

Ah yes, when it comes to New York Fashion Week it can certainly feel like the most mystical place on earth. And while top designers were showcasing their ready to wear collections, shoe designers were showcasing the fact that shoes are just as important as the rest of the attire. And in this case, shoes were used to commemorate a very special event that kicked off the New York Fashion Week. It was the 70^th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz and top shoe lines participated in the Ruby Slippers Event at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Every little girl that watched Dorothy click her heels in the Wizard of Oz wanted a pair of shoes just like her ruby slippers. And lead designers created artistic inspirations so that every woman could be off to see the wizard if she so chose.

Participating designers are all your shoe faves and included: L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani, Manolo Blahnkik, Christian Louboutin, Testoni, Abaete, Alberta Ferreti, Botkier, Diane von Furstenberg, Jimmy Choo, Oscar de La Renta, Stuart Weitsman, Sergio Rossi, Tibi and Tuleh, Moschino, Betsey Johnson, Lisa Pliner, and Giuseppe Zanotti.

Each designers representation of the ruby slipper is on display now at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and is part of an event that also benefits the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. In addition to the disdplay, Crystallized Swarovski Elements ruby bracelets will be sold exclusively from Saks with 100% of the profits donated to the Foundation.

Designers with big hearts and pretty shoes….at Saks! Ah! There’s no place like home!

Last season the boys of Proenza Schouler were very flamboyant in their tastes and styles, and this manifested itself as frills and ruffles all over the runway. This season, they have done a complete 180 and you are seeing some seriously switched gears with sleek contemporary lines that will be very clean, and very fresh this spring.

Key elements of this collection are very retro, with a high fashion edge. You are going to see big shoulders, tapering in very high waists, and jumpsuits, jumpsuits, jumpsuits. While Jack McCollough said preparing this collection was ‘much tougher’ his sidekick says it’s not as much about toughness as it is about confidence.

And confidence is certainly in abundance here. The PS boys are doing very well now that they have sold a portion of their business to the Valentino Group, and this extra cash flow has allowed them to launch even more products in the PS line. The accessories you see here are full scale PS and are a fashion risk if nothing else. You’ll see fuzzy bedroom slippers with heels for outdoor use, and cool round sunglasses that is now on every fashion editor’s must have list.

And the collection itself? Here you are seeing a sample of it, and though, the jumpsuits aren’t exactly jumping out at ME, they are very pretty. The collection also had an abundance of blouses and coats with dolman sleeves, selvedges exposed on outside arm seams, and a parade of models with assymetrical hairstyles that complemented the abstract nature of some of the pieces. You also saw bra cup tops in black leather and stretch knit dresses and innovative fabric selections that are awe inspiring.

The detail on the jumpsuits is seen in day wear that can be belted over sheer sleeveless button down tops, or evening selections that were stitched in swirls of silver or white and black bugle beads. Pretty! But wearable? Not too sure yet, but being PS, these jumpsuits may make for surprising results at the retail end.

All in all, yet another stunning collection from two of my favorite boys of fashion, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez.

Alexander Wang was highly criticized after showing his Fall Collection that was almost completely black, and so when it came time to discuss his Spring RTW, all he had to say was ‘They wanted color, they got color!’. This collection was fairly impressive to me, which says a lot as I am not the BIGGEST Wang fan, but when it comes to RTW, what I love about this collection is that it holds true to the purpose of Ready to Wear. All very wearable pieces and an interesting collection to boot…

The color inspiration for Wang’s Spring RTW collection came from a recent trip home to Miami. Miami is clearly known as one of the most tropical Art Deco centers of the world, and so this inspiration clearly rang through Wang’s collection.

Wang, being a young designer but fairly established, is at a crossroads of sorts when it comes to career growth. Right now, he is in a place where he needs to move forward or get stuck behind. He is doing just that, moving forward, with his latest shoe collection and an incredible line of T shirts known as T. The muse behind his spring show is sexy, and devil may care. The woman that wears these pieces are the type that can play basketball in a dress caring more about comfort than style, all elements embodied in each of these pieces.

You see an infusion of brighter looks coupled with those that work for the body conscious as well. Yes, though we have six foot goddesses modeling these pieces, these can and should be worn by every woman. You have everything for every body here, whether you are a casual pants and shirt kind of gal, or the grunge queen in the hood.

Some athletic pieces were showcased as well, and they worked. These items were athletic with a feminine twist so that you CAN be active and still feel pretty. I loved the silk cargo pants and the fringed sweat tops, so cool.

All in all, an impressive set, and though Wang has yet to make me a die hard fan, I will be VERY interested to see what happens with his next collection.

New York Fashion Week is in full swing, and at the BCBG Max Azria collection, it was interesting to hear that powerful women in the likes of Hilary Clinton were among inspirations for their Spring 2009 Ready to Wear Collection. Designer Lubov Azria and her husband Max characterize this collection as ‘things that every girl wants to have’which is interesting considering these are not the first words that come to mind when you hear the word ‘pantsuit’. However, when you see the gorgeous fabrics, and *oh!* the ingenious draping happening in this collection, you will see precisely what she is talking about.

The collection embodies a work in progress almost, as viewing the glorious silky fabrics and clever drapes these pieces embody an in-studio work as a designer drapes fabric over their model and delicately but intelligently pins it here there and everywhere. And this is the outcome with the BCBG collection.

Casual elegance is a term one might use for this set, and these are pieces you can oh so easily take from day to night. You see slim pants, chemise dresses, and short short rompers. And I love the assymetrical work that is happening here with one shouldered dresses causing the girls to look like Amazon goddesses.

Colors are right in line with Fall trends, with Azria’s favorite hues of stone appearing more prominently than not, which should reinforce to you that stone and gray hues are as big this year as they were last. Many tonal hues through the collection as well with neutral shades, and the odd splash of orange, red, or blue.

With very little repetition and the clever use of draping, always one of my favorite looks, so far I am saying Fashion Week is starting with a bang.