Though not my favorite dress of the night, I give Marisa Tomei tons of credit for wearing a navy 1950s CHARLES JAMES gown from Lily et Cie to the Oscars. Apparently, it had been in her closet for some time and this was finally the occasion worthy of such high design.
Marisa is a huge fan of vintage and she shopped last December's A Current Affair where I was showing the GlamAmor collection. The next one is the weekend of April 2nd and 3rd at the Cooper Design Center once again, so don't miss this incredible show!
There were several strong design trends at last night's 83rd annual Academy Awards. Not surprisingly, those trends reflected the vibrance of Spring and so we saw a spectrum of reds, violets, and loads of shimmer coloring the dresses. I also particularly enjoyed the ever so slight turn toward minimalism on fashion's biggest night, certainly seeing more streamlined silhouettes than ever before. Hair remained touchable and often tousled, including sophisticated and sexy short cuts on both Michelle Williams and Cate Blanchett. Even much of the makeup was simply soft and glowing. The result? An awful lot of ladies looking truly lovely. Here are just some of the Oscar favorites.
Jennifer Hudson (above) in tangerine VERSACE and hidden purple heels
Jennifer Lawrence in tomato CALVIN KLEIN
Sandra Bullock in scarlet VERA WANG
Anne Hathaway in "archival" VALENTINO in his signature red
Mila Kunis in lavender ELIE SAAB
Fashion forward Cate Blanchett in icy lilac GIVENCHY HAUTE COUTURE
Michelle Williams in a white beaded CHANEL HAUTE COUTURE column
With the upcoming Academy Awards, there have been events all over Los Angeles this past week to prepare for the big night. I was invited to one such event at Victoria's Secret to learn a little behind-the-scenes on how to look amazing on the red carpet. Lots was shown to flatter the face as well as the figure. Rachel Zalis, former West Coast Editor of Glamour and current television contributor for shows such as NBC's Today, offered her shapewear solutions for every single dress silhouette. And Beauty Blitz's Polly Blitzer, contributing editor for InStyle and Marie Claire, showed us both face and body makeup to help every woman look picture perfect.
The Victoria's Secret at the Grove is an incredible two-story structure filled with nearly everything the company has to offer including their entire makeup line, bridal collection, and even swimwear. So much to see and shop. The afternoon was both practical and loads of fun...great to have a little girl time and celebrate the Oscars!
A Place in the Sun: 1960s grass green wool boucle coat, 1960s cerulean knit shortsleeve shift, cerulean Charles David strappy stilettos,
Barr + Barr camel leather satchel, silver Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses, silver hoop earrings, and 1970s sterling silver bangle bracelet
Welcome to Victoria's Secret!
Style experts Polly Blitzer and Rachel Zalis
Rachel sharing her knowledge of the new VS shapewear
Though I spend a ton of time outdoors, I'm almost constantly protecting my naturally fair skin with SPF. But I live in Southern California and love a summery glow year round, so self-tanner has become one of my beauty staples. I'm always a bit obsessed with finding the perfect one because it's such a challenging product to get right. I think I've actually found it with Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Custom Tan.
It shouldn't surprise me that Victoria's Secret would have worked so hard to perfect this particular product. After all, they're responsible for making women look wonderful whether in lingerie or bikinis, and a sun-kissed glow helps anyone look better naked. Tested on models in photos shoots and runway shows, their Beach Sexy self-tanner is an incredible tool for real women as well. Here's how:
Cutomized color. No matter how light or dark you already are, or how light or dark you want to be, you can get it all from this one bottle. No need to buy a bunch of different formulas any longer. Your perfect shade--from subtly sun-kissed to deep bronze--develops in just a few hours.
Natural-looking tan. It's easy for self-tanners to look orange on your skin, especially if you're fair and trying to go much darker. We've all seen it, even on celebrities. This Victoria's Secret lotion looks natural every single time. It also includes skin-perfecting luminizers so your body has a lovely lit glow while you're wearing it.
Moisturizing. Often self-tanners lack in true moisturization, requiring the need to layer on even more lotion in order to keep your skin supple. Not so with Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy. It's an incredible formulation that somehow feels light going on and absorbs easily into the skin, yet it's made with rich shea butter so your skin stays hydrated. An amazing combination.
Smells great! This is what makes VS Beach Sexy Custom Tan truly miraculous, in my opinion. For me, the scent is always the sticking point with any self-tanner. Even the ones that claim not to smell like self-tanner are basically a bunch of perfume up front that fades into that familiar chemical smell. I started to think that would simply always be the case and I just needed to accept it. Then I tried this product. VS Beach Sexy smells like the beach--like a summery blend of tropical fruit, coconut, and maybe a little hint of sunscreen. And even over time, it simply becomes a softer version of that same scent. I couldn't be more excited.
I really feel that this is a break-through product and won't be surprised when it starts showing up on the pages of the magazines. If you love self-tanner as much as I do, I can't recommend this product highly enough. Victoria's Secret also has a whole line of Beach Sexy products that I'm starting to try as well. Get ready for that summer glow all year round!
As many of you know, GlamAmor is influenced by both the costumes of classic cinema and the combined color and conservatism of WASP style. Not surprisingly, Jacquie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn are considered the triumvirate of WASP style. But there is even more inspiration to be found from a man who captured the WASPs better than any other--photographer Slim Aarons. Slim was once quoted that he made a career "photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places," but this clearly downplays his own talent and makes it sound deceptively simple. In fact, he was responsible for some of the most iconic photographs we have of Americana.
Reportedly, Alfred Hitchcock based Jimmy Stewart's character in Rear Window on Slim...I'm guessing after Grace Kelly's fashion forward socialite gets him to trade in the National Geographic for her and Harper's Bazaar. Slim somehow seemed to know everyone in the highest social circles of both coasts, from the stars of Old Hollywood to the tycoons of the Ivy League. Thus, he was invited to party after party and given unparalleled access to his subjects at their most comfortable. It's this blend of candid shots with incredibly careful composition that makes Slim's photographs so stunning.
His career is most known for capturing the East Coast preps living the good life, particularly his photographs of them luxuriating by their pools. His photographs are recognized for capturing the color color and more color of true preppy style, which you'll see was embraced in their everyday lives and even by the men (sometimes especially by the men). Here are just some of Slim's images that continue to inspire me today.
Join film and fashion historian Kimberly Truhler for the 7th annual FASHION IN FILM OF TCMFF! The 2024 festival theme is "Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film" and that is just some of what will be shared at this year's event - from THE MAD MISS MANTON (1938) to CHINATOWN (1974).
Sample of Past Events
American Cinematheque presents Film Noir Style
The series accompanies and mirrors the book Film Noir Style: The Killer 1940s. Each event will include a presentation followed by a film screening. Like the book, the series is divided into 4 parts:
MAY 7 Before the War 1940-1941 w/ The Maltese Falcon
JUNE 25 War Years 1942-1945 w/ Laura
JULY 29 Year of Transition 1946 w/ The Killers
SEPT 10 Post-War Years 1947-1950 w/ Out of the Past
HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: Opposites Attract
Join film and fashion historian Kimberly Truhler for the fourth event in her series HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM! Opposites Attract focuses on 1950s style icons Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot, and Doris Day.
HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: Film Noir and Fantasy
Join film and fashion historian Kimberly Truhler for the third event in her series HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM! Film Noir and Fantasy focuses on 1940s style icons Rosalind Russell, Katharine Hepburn, Veronica Lake, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, and Lana Turner.
HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: Art Deco Elegance
Join film and fashion historian Kimberly Truhler for the second event in her series HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM! Art Deco Elegance focuses on 1930s style icons Marlene Dietrich, Kay Francis, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Ginger Rogers, and Joan Crawford.
HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: The Jazz Age
Join film and fashion historian Kimberly Truhler for the first event in her series HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM! The Jazz Age focuses on 1920s style icons Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, and Louise Brooks.
