Claridge's London Decks the Halls with a Lanvin Christmas Tree

The Claridge’s Christmas Tree has long drawn visitors and Londoners alike to marvel at its fabulousness, and this year is no exception. The hotel invited the fashion maison Lanvin to accessorize the tree - which was just unveiled in its lobby, where it will remain on display through the new year. “We wanted to make all our Christmas dreams come true; an infusion of tradition and modernity together," notes this year's tree-trimmer-in-chief, Alber Elbaz - Lanvin's Creative Director - whose likeness is perched atop the tree, complete with trademark glasses and bowtie, and in the spirit of the season, a wand and a pair of fairy wings. Around the tree are gathered marionettes depicting the Lanvin fam at home (this fam apparently includes a Claridge's hotel doorman and maid). "I hope the tree brings a big heart of joy to all who work and stay at Claridge's hotel," continues Elbaz. "It's my way to say a very Merry Christmas."

- Lesley Scott

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When the Yves Saint Laurent Exhibition Heads to Denver in Spring 2012 - Where to Stay & Get Pampered

The internationally acclaimed exhibit "Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective" will make its only North American stop at the Denver Art Museum, March 25 - July 8, 2012.

Covering four decades of creativity, this sweeping retrospective features 200 looks, starting with his first days at Dior in 1958 and on through his final runway collection in 2002. Numerous photographs, drawings and films also illustrate the development of Saint Laurent's style and the historical foundations of his work.

The retrospective is organized by theme - highlights include:

Gender Revolution How YSL bent (& sometimes broke) the rules of what women were expected to wear, and created clothing that was much more modern.

Yves Saint Laurent and Women A Who's Who of outfits worn by high-profile fashionistas including Catherine Deneuve, Princess Grace of Monaco & Paloma Picasso.

Last Ball An actual red carpet lined with exquisite evening dresses from the glory days of Haute Couture.

Colors of Yves Saint Laurent Vibrant examples from his collections and hundreds of fabric samples.

To celebrate, a dozen local hotels have created "YSL Retrospective VIP Packages". Each room that is booked includes two tickets - valid for any date and time - plus an audio guide. And as befits a VIP, there is no waiting in lines!

Additionally, each hotel has added its own special touch:

Scratch Your Lady GaGa Itch with Her Elaborately Hand-Embellished "Workshop" Nails

In a pre-party extravaganza, Barneys let the peeps peep at GaGa's Workshop with celeb nail artiste Naomi Yasuda, showing off her limited edition designs - exclusive to the retailer - which took her a full two months to craft and package.

Made possible by KissUSA, they include gold & chains, studs with silver geometric designs, a pop-art-meets-tribal look & full-on bling - Swarovski crystals & semi-precious gemstones selling for $225 for a package of 16 nails. Especially fun are the "Flames", inspired by the outfit Lady G wore to the 2002 VMAs, "Gold Objects" with nail charms like guns, skyscrapers & unicorns, and "Black & White" with zig-zags, gold trim & gems.

- Lesley Scott

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Fabulously Creative & Fun Glasses Frames from Kirk Originals

When I recently had an eye exam, I was hoping for a valid reason (not that fashion-boredom isn't, mind you) to spring for a chic new pair of frames. Sadly, my good eating habits (or, more likely, dumb luck) have kept my prescription exactly the same since the early 90s, and I'm still rocking the same pair of tortoise Isaac Mizrahi frames I sprang for way back in the day (what can I say, I'm persnickety about keeping my treasured fashion items in pristine condition). They have turned out to be a surpringly trend-proof design and don't look dated, necessarily, but these uber-cute designs from Kirk Originals definitely got my inner Shopinista buzzing.

Following in the footsteps of grandad Sidney & his brother Percy - who together helped establish London as a world center for optical excellence in the early 1920s after turning a sewing machine into a lens cutter - Jason Kirk finally entered the family biz himself (dad was an optician) after he was made redundant by L'Oreal.

"I discovered a stash of glasses that Sidney and Percy had designed in the ’50s and ’60s," he told Blink London, "beautiful upswept blues and greens." So he did the sensible thing and dropped his entire severance check on making new frames, launching Kirk Originals. "When I found Grandpa Sidney's glasses back in 1992, I did not know much about the world of fashion and design. That was probably an advantage. I had no preconceptions and no hesitation about approaching anyone." He even wrote to Paul Smith, asking if he could meet him, and ended up being invited over for breakfast!

What stands out about Kirk Originals is how, well, original these frames are. "People come to Kirk Originals for something different," acknowledges Kirk. "A good designer's handwriting should be obvious without any effort to make it so. It is always so dangerous to attempt to move with trends...If we did bow to commercial pressure and design the same frames as everybody else then we would be relying on our brand name to sell our products…..that is just not our style."  What is their style?  Making a product that is sustainable - both literally and in terms of looking stylish for many seasons to come. They even hand-made their S/S'12 collection entirely in acrylic (shhh!!!) because it's so light, easy to adjust and offers tons of chic options in terms of colors. "Color," adds Kirk, "is often about an attitude or a state of mind than an object or movement for us. We need a little brightness in our lives, some celebration."

Why not celebrate whatever is worth partying about with a stylish new pair (or better yet, pairs) yourself? Purchasing info at KirkOriginals.com.

- Lesley Scott

 

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Chic Jeans With a Crisp Edge by Norway's Mardou&Dean

A modern travelling couple, Ingrid Bredholt and Patrik Rosenfors loved soaking up Beatnik culture and literature but were into threads with a more modern and edgy feel. Mardou&Dean was the result, featuring unique, tailored pieces designed in Norway and crafted in Italy from fab fabrics and look good whether you're running errands or stepping out.

"We believe that every garment has its own prime period, that is, time mellows and defines each piece uniquely," explain the stylish denim'y duo. "In accordance with this, Mardou&Dean aspires to a state of mind rather than the dictates of a passing norm." They also hope you will imbue your own pair with "a sense of euphoria." What that means, well that's anyone's guess...most importantly yours!  In mine, it translates as: I've barely removed my pair since Ingrid & Patrick so graciously sent them my way to try.

Purchasing info at MardouandDean.com.

- Lesley Scott

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The Answer to Your Holiday Fashion Dilemma: a Chic Black Sweater Tunic

Ever since a spate of killer black sweater dresses & tops walked some our fave runways for Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 - in particular at Tao, Vionnet and Chanel - I've had a serious jones on to shimmy on into one. With tights, tall boots and a wonderful coat, a girl can be dressed and fabulous (and warm) in minutes flat. But don't think the fashion fun stops when the temperature no longer drops...au contraire! Kaiser Karl showed his black sweater tunic/dress for Spring/Summer with bare legs & cute platform strappy flats.

This chic lil' cashmere number from Spiegel - source of fab women's apparel when you want fun trends without silly pricetags - is glamorously glitzy (shimmer was a huge component of the Chanel collection); some of the sequins are matte, creating overall shine that's textural and chic rather than disco ball shiny.

As the dress will do most of the talking (you just do the walking), take it easy on accessories, but do have some fun with your nails. This eyecatching purple (also from Spiegel) makes for a refreshing change from classic red.

- Lesley Scott

[Note: This post was written in partnership with Spiegel, but the words & opinions are mine.]

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Banish Dark Circles! Perky Peepers in 5 Easy Steps.

Black is great for dresses, especially those chic holiday party frocks...but underneath your eyes? Not so much. Dark circles can make a girl look old, tired, unhealthy - not exactly the most festive look for the season. To send those bags packin', we asked award-winning makeup artist and beauty expert Sarah Brock to spill her secrets. Her top tip? Get enough beauty sleep, meaning eight (or so) hours of uninterrupted shut eye per night as part of a regular bedtime routine that you follow most every day (yes, weekends as well). She also recommends drinking lots of water to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. And lighting up...well you already knew this is a total no-no. "Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your skin, and this is especially true of dark circles," warns Sarah. "Smoking drains much needed vitamin C from the skin, making it thinner and the bags darker and more obvious. Cutting out nicotine might be tough, but it will make a real difference to your health and beauty."

For a quicker fix, here are Sarah steps that will have you applying concealer like a pro:

1. Prep your skin by first patting on a separate eye cream. “Remember to apply eye cream sparingly, as too much will make the area greasy, causing concealer to slide off the skin. Just pat a small amount onto the eye area and gently blend in.”

2. Once your eye cream has absorbed, tap a small amount of concealer onto the back of your hand. If you have dry or problematic skin, add a touch of eye cream.

3. Using a concealer brush, apply the concealer. Don't forget the inner corners of your eyes. And when you're concealer shopping, be sure you buy the right one. “Look for ones with light-diffusing properties to help illuminate the skin around the eye."

4. Gently pat in the product using your ring finger until it blends into your skin or foundation.

5. Bring some concealer with for on-the-go touch-ups. “If you’re worried about the eye area becoming drier throughout the day, carry your cream with you," notes Sarah, "and gently apply a tiny amount on top of the concealer to refresh the look.”

[Note: this was written in partnership with Nuture Skin Care, but the words & opinions are ours.]

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Janet Jackson Becomes a Mink-Clad Blackglama Legend

"The art of fashion is one of my great passions,” says Ms. Jackson, who recently teamed up with the fur house on a 15 piece collection of coats, jackets vests, scarves, gloves and accessories that contain both the signature Blackglama ink-dark mink and edgier touches like leather. "I've worked for years to bring a collection into the world. Partnering with Blackglama is very exciting."

And iconic. I still remember vividly when I was smal how impossibly-glamorous the famous beauties of the day seemed, draped in their Blackglamas with the very same tagline, "What becomes a legend most?" Glittery goddesses such as Barbra Streisand (shot by Avedon), Faye Dunaway, Diana Ross, Carol Channing....

For the Janet Jackson Blackglama collection, Jackson was hands-on in the design process. "The result is an amazing collection of Blackglama garments and accessories that reflect Janet's tremendous sense of style and fashion," adds Mike McCrea, VP of Marketing for Blackglama. "This is one of the most visually appealing and innovative Blackglama collections I have seen."

The line will be available at select Saks Fifth Avenue and the Maximilian Fur Salon at select Bloomingdales. If you have to ask the price....

- Lesley Scott

- Lesley Scott

vintage 1970s Blackglama ads via: The Advertising Archives

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How to Wear Red Booties! 1 Lipstick-Red Pair by Lanvin & 5 Totally Different Looks

To civilians, the notion of splurging on a pair of wedge booties by Lanvin in a shade of I'm-faaaaaaaaabulous crimson makes no sense. However, to those of us who simply know better, they are actually cheap. Dirt cheap. Free even. Why through the magic of Fashion Math, of course...that magical "cost per wear" number. And once you start getting creative with all the different looks you can build around them, you might even have to force yourself to spread the love amongst all the other gazillion shoes in your closet collecting dust so they don't get too jealous.

In addition to sexing up a suit'y sheath dress, we've come up with a bunch of different way to dress them down (but not out) with cute jeans and a boho-glam coat, with a sexy kimono top and print coat for looking tres artiste, with an animal print, and paired with a swishy wide legged pant in grape silk for an offbeat color mix.

WITH CUTE ROLLED-UP BOYFRIEND JEANS & FUR CAR COAT:

 

 

WITH KHAKI, BURGUNDY & LEOPARD:

 

WITH A SIMILAR-TONED WRAP TOP & BOLD PRINT COAT:

 

WITH SHADES OF GRAPE & MAGENTA:

- Lesley Scott

[Note: the link to the Lanvin boots is an affiliate link]

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