Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala Red Carpet: The Avant Garde or Avant Gauche!

Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala Red Carpet: The Avant Garde or Avant Gauche!

Fashionista Prom: The Met Gala Red Carpet...Avant Garde or Avant Gauche??

The Fashion World is known for taking itself (sometimes) way too seriously and I for one, have been a victim of this. And this was no where more apparent than last night's Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala. This is the Red Carpet where EVERYONE tries to "bring it" in terms of FASHION! Some did it right and some well...see for yourself.

Here's my Portfolio of who got "Avant Garde" Points (positive) and who got "Avant Gauche" ones (not so good!). Let's start with Miss Daphne Guinness, heiress to Guinness Beer:

Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen: Now this is how you get it right! When you are honoring someone like Alexander McQueen and your date is Hamish Bowles, what else can you do but wear a feathered Gown! Avante Garde!

Serena Williams: And this is how you do a feathered gown wrong! I know she must have been inspired by the Royal Wedding when she chose that hat, but she looks like she is going to an Easter Service at a Southern Baptist Church rather than a party honoring a Couture King! Avant Gauche!

Christina Ricci in Zac Posen: This Gown which looks like it was knit from spiderwebs is just the type of gown you would expect from Christina and her edgy/dark personality. For someone who is probably about 5 feet tall, she looks statuesque and commanding...if only she could have done something more with her hair. Avant Garde!

Beyonce in Emilio Pucci: Miss Beyonce. Miss Beyonce. I give it to you in terms of the "overall gown". Beyonce has never met a Mermaid Shape she didn't like. This is no exception. However...it's the "peek-a-boo" lace "boobie things" (sorry for the un-Fashion Terminology) that are questionable. They look like "after-thought tattoos" or something of that matter. Unfortunately, because of this, I have to rate her an "Avant Gauche".

Margherita Missoni in Missoni: I love Missoni and I am a big fan of how the House of Missoni has taken their trademark weaving technique and really kept it alive with fresh and modern RTW Collections, but this dress missed the mark...and wait....are those pieces of her dress she has left trailing on the floor?? Messsss...Avant Gauche!

Iman in Stella McCartney: Admit it...as tacky as a gold sequin, bell-bottomed jumpsuit sounds on paper, Iman is workin' it! And let's not forget, this woman is 55 years old!! Let me say it right here and now: Iman has a CURRICULUM VITAE to wear this! And NO ONE ELSE does! Except maybe Bianca Jagger. Therefore, she gets an Avant Garde! from me.

Rihanna in Stella McCartney: Raggedy Ann-Meets-Pippi Longstocking-Meets Morticia. Enough Said. Lace over nude is all the rage this season, but it is something about the combination of the lace with the single sleeve and side train (?)! along with that crazy hair that makes the entire look all wrong. Avant Gauche. For sure. (sorry Miss Rihanna, still love you!)

Shalom Harlow in Marchesa: I'm on the "Fashion Fence" on this one. Love the gown, Hate the clip-on detail in her hair. I'll leave this one up to you guys: Avant Garde or Avant Gauche? What Do You Guys Think?

Anne Dello Russo in Alexander McQueen: Italy-born Editor at Large and Creative Consultant for Vogue Japan Anna Dello Russo wore an EGG on her HEAD!!! Hello??? Avant Garde. Period. No More Questions. She's just happy someone flew her First Class from Tokyo to NYC (a $15,000 flight thank you very much!) and she got to pack this. Just sayin'.

How to Pack

How to Pack

Amazon.com

Packing for a trip. If you are like me, this is one of the most dreaded fashion situations you can face. I’m really hoping someone will invent a way to teleport your entire closet with you wherever you go. In the meantime, here are my tips, tricks and past mistakes in hopes of helping you become a better packer!

1. Brainstorm.

On my recent trip to Europe, I spent at least two months planning my outfits in advance. That might sound excessive, but I was visiting a climate that was very different from the one I live in, wearing shoes I never wear (flats) and I also wanted to come up with cute outfits I could use as blog posts. ;-) You may not need as much planning as I did, but I still think that doing some initial brainstorming can really help with packing. Write down outfit ideas for your trip in the days and weeks leading up to your trip. Use inspiration photos and fashion blogs to get fresh new ideas.

2. Check the weather.

Leading up to your trip you’ll want to be checking the weather on a fairly regular basis. I recommend checking online, but also asking people you know that live there or have been to that region at the same time of year. I am notoriously bad at packing correctly for the weather. On my recent trip to Europe, I underestimated how hot Rome would be despite having checked the weather a gazillion times. If you are unsure of the weather or visiting multiple climates as I was, I recommend bringing an item from either end of the spectrum (both a warm coat and a pair of summery sandals, for example) *just in case.*

3. Pick your shoes first.

So… where to begin? With your shoes, of course! My #1 packing tip is to start with your shoes. These are by far the biggest and bulkiest items in your suitcase, so I always start there first. Often, I will pick either black or brown shoes and stick with that same color theme for the whole trip. Another tip: wear your bulkiest pair of shoes on the plane (both directions) to save room in your suitcase.

4.  Pick your jackets next.

The weather research you do will help determine how heavy and how many jackets to bring, and I recommend picking them next since they are also one of the bulkiest items in your suitcase. Use the shoes and jackets as a guide, and then only pack the smaller items (tops, bottoms, dresses) that go with them.

5. Layer it up.

Even the best meteorologist can't detect quick weather changes, so whenever possible I suggest packing outfits that have varying “stages” like the one above, that you can be adjusted based on how cold or hot it turns out to be that day. This can also be a helpful way to pack if you are traveling from one very hot climate to a very cold climate in the same day, or if it's warm during the day and gets much colder at night. Try packing a cardigan that can go under each jacket you packed and/or a scarf or gloves that you can add to your outfits.

6. Pack full outfits.

To ensure that I don’t pack a single item I won’t use, I like to try everything on and pack full outfits, rather than bits and pieces. This method might not work for everyone, but it has been a huge space saver for me. (Bonus: if you take the time to snap a photo of each outfit, you can look back at the pictures to help you remember what's in your suitcase and choose which outfit to wear while you're on your trip!)

7. Reuse, reuse, reuse.

I try not to pack anything that I won’t wear twice, even on a short trip. Try to think of packing as a fun puzzle and challenge yourself to come up with a way to re-wear any given item more than once.

8. Evaluate.

At the end of packing, I recommend going through everything and do three things: 1. Count how many outfits you have. Make sure you haven’t packed too many outfits, or not enough. 2. Imagine as many scenarios as possible (museum, church, mountains, dinner) and make sure you have head-to-toe look for every occasion. 3. Pick which outfits you will wear on the plane in both directions.

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A Packing Case Study: What I Packed for Europe


My recent trip to Europe was 16 days, 7 flights, one train ride and three countries (England, France and Italy). This is everything I wore (minus two outfits, those photos were unfortunately erased). I packed: 

Three pairs of (cute) shoes.

• My super-comfy flat Bakers boots that I’ve had for a year.
• A new pair of Michael Kors loafers. I must’ve tried on 50 pairs of flats and these were by far the most comfy!
•  A new pair of boat shoes. These are a great alternative to sneakers since they have a cushy rubber bottom like sneakers but are much cuter (in my opinion).
•  My gym shoes. I had planned to work out at least 3 times, but only wound up wearing them once, on a run through the streets of Milan. I would consider leaving these behind next time, but then again that run was one of my favorite highlights of the trip, so it’s a tough call!

Four jackets.

• Trench coat. (didn't use it, not pictured)
• Wool navy coat. (worn 4 times)
• Camel blazer. (worn 4 times)
• Tan leather jacket. (worn 4 times)

Five bottoms.

• Dark skinny jeans. (worn 2 times)
• Black skinny jeans. (worn 2 times)
• Camel wool skirt. (worn 2 times)
• Red cords. (worn 2 times)
• Striped skirt. (worn 1 time)

Seven dresses.

• Light pink ruffles. (worn 1 time)
• Polka dots. (worn 1 time)
• Gray t-shirt dress. (worn 1 time, with leggings on the plane)
•  Camel t-shirt dress. (worn 1 time, with leggings on the plane)
• Sweater dress. (worn 2 times, not pictured)
• Olive dress. (worn 1 time)

Eight tops.

• Graphic tee.  (worn 1 time)
• Blue collared shirt. (worn 2 times)
• Plaid collared shirt.  (worn 1 time)
• Striped t-shirt. (worn 2 times)
• Mustard tank top.  (worn 1 time)
• Red silk blouse.  (worn 1 time)
• Leopard blouse. (worn 1 time)
• Polka dot blouse. (worn 1 time)

One purse.

• I brought one, large purse. It was big enough to stuff full on the airplane, but then small/lightweight enough to wear cross-body style while sightseeing. It usually contained a bottle of water, snacks, maps, and the usual stuff (wallet, lip gloss, sunglasses) for sightseeing.

Tons of accessories. 

• The right statement necklace can dramatically change your look, but as I discovered they are also very heavy, so choose wisely when packing these. I wore my heaviest necklace (Stella & Dot Jacqueline) three times on this trip.

What I packed but didn't need: 

• My trench coat (planned to wear it over the pink ruffled and polka dot dresses). It was much hotter in Italy than I thought it would be and I didn't need it.
• Four cardigans/sweaters that I packed "just in case." I really overdid it on this part. I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold, and overall I just really thought it would be much colder than it was in Italy and France. I wish I had done even more research on the weather beforehand to avoid this! I also wish I had considered the other end of the spectrum - a super-hot day, and packed a pair of flat sandals. These would have really come in handy in the 100-degree heat in Rome!
• I packed an "alternate" outfit at the very last minute that I didn’t wind up needing. I wore the other pieces, but not the cargo pants. Those were wasted space in my luggage!

Other packing tips for Europe:

• Since I was checking a bag, I felt free to stuff it full. This was a mistake. It wound up being over 50 pounds, which meant I was removing items at the airport and putting them into my purse. Which then meant I was carrying the world's heaviest purse on and off the plane. We also opted to take public transit to and from the airport most of the time, which resulted in my lugging my own 50 pound suitcase up and down stairs all over Europe. Choose wisely.
• Historical places like churches will make you cover your legs and arms when you enter. Since it was 100 degrees in Italy, I wore a breezy skirt and tank top and just covered up with a scarves (see photo above) as I entered the church.
• I packed my straightener, but not my hair dryer since hotels usually have those. You will need converters for anything you want to plug in (like your phone charger) so make sure to pick those up before your trip.
•  Don’t forget the snacks. I brought a jar of peanut butter that saved my life on a super-early flight. Nothing was open yet so that became my breakfast.

What are your best tips for packing?

XMAS GOODIES: Something For Everyone!

XMAS GOODIES: Something For Everyone!

H & A DRESS TO IMPRESS, Dar es Salaam,  has a beautiful collection of 50's style frocks! A perfect look for Xmas day church service and lunch with family or friends

Give your already beautiful face a lift with ATSOKO, Dar es Salaam, makeup and paint your nails red for the seasonal look

For those spending time in cold countries here's a bright and stylish kitenge winter coat from the same design house!

DOMINIKI GODFREY, Dar es Salaam, caps are ideal for him and perfect for sailing to the beach.

Xmas in the tropics is all about sun, sea and fun

HUNTER BLUE, Slipway, Dar es Salaam is closing down, so hurry on for the most unique clothes, accessories and bags before Xmas.

Not on leave this Xmas, then cheer yourself up with a pair of Mary Jane's from ESTILE AFFAIRS, Dar es Salaam Free Market, 1st Floor, Oysterbay, Dar es Salaam

SONYA KASHMIRI, London, bags on order before the 22nd December 2016

COCO LILI DAR ES SALAAM is the most sophisticated office couture brand to hit East Africa this year.  Order by email if you are in East Africa and look the part at your office Xmas parties.

POOJA JESHANG, London, sparkles with her handmade glitter bags which are set for sale on ETSY 

For original and handcrafted Xmas decoration pop into THE GREEN ROOM, Slipway, Dar es Salaam 

FASHION TIPS

Support local designers this Xmas and buy their collections such as these above seen fresh from the runway of Swahili Fashion Week 2016

BIJOUX TRENDY

Dar Free Market, Oysterbay, Dar es Salaam

Stella Luca makeover!

Stella Luca makeover!

Ashley was the winner of the Stella Luca and J's Everyday Fashion makeover giveaway! Last Saturday we met up to redeem her prize - $250 in clothes from Stella Luca with yours truly as her personal sylist. Check out what she got, and you can read her winning entry here.

Green and white striped dress (left), $89 (perfect for Saturday errands, or with heels for a dinner date)
Gray tank top (right), $38 (love this tank top for a mom on the go like Ashley - it's basic enough to wear anywhere, but definitely not lacking in style!)

Animal print dress (left), $58 (a great night time look for her upcoming cruise!)
Black sheath (right), $30 on sale (a classic black sheath that can be dressed up for church or date night alike)

From left to right: Joy from Stella Luca, Ashley the contest winner, and lil ole me. Joy and Ashley are both in dresses and shoes from Stella Luca. You can read all about my outfit here.

2014 Winter Costume

2014 Winter Costume

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Forever. Very Knight Bob Rogers (also known as the head of the United States Sincere Evans aka aka Pete chest) must decide whether to continue, known by some companies, a new enemy that is unusual, such as winter Soldado (aka Saibot novice Sebastian Stan). Let's start with these activities. Often published Bourne moved with ADHD capture digital camera and activities nearby. Winter warriors produce limited action, but with a warning. The action is real fame movie, but I had to fix the world to bathe in the display.

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History of the Venice Film Festival from time to time the value of the festival will be reduced to 1930 when Mussolini avoid. The position of the image in the global symbol of Venice be great for a few months weeks weeks hiding.

Venetian Carnival Mask Venice Film Festival is unique because it is safe for the above. The concept is that the position of the Church attracted contain hidden by them. Some show contains characters from the Commedia dell'Arte. Serious payment is used when the external backup program to save the threat to use.

Although Democrats have really scream conservative in Parliament as moderator Bob A. Boehner efficiently complete the evaluation. US Olympic dress designed in the United States, but really efficient worldwide icon for the global economic system and the position in the U. s. Countries in this economic system. In a statement, "the legendary American company" US Olympic Panel-law Rob Lauren and said he was very pleased with the organization.

It also had a little talk about factors that activity Rob Lauren 2008 Olympic Games is an efficient provider in China suppliers. However, Rob Lauren says that by 2014, all teams Rob Lauren dresses winter Olympics a few weeks to start the season in the US bearing USOC defended the extra money for the winning team has cushioned the United States.

After Schumer Hickey Freeman is able to fulfill the agreement, there is no "obligation or cost-wise fashion wise" - unless, of course, share the dedication and the consequences of absolute efficiency, to free themselves from the top start 

PROJECT RUNWAY RECAPS....."Project Runway" Season 14 Recaps: Episode 11 Avant-garde Challenge Blog Recap!

PROJECT RUNWAY RECAPS....."Project Runway" Season 14 Recaps: Episode 11 Avant-garde Challenge Blog Recap!

 Is This Avant-garde: Season 11 "Project Runway" Episode 11 "Avant-garde Challenge"

This past week's challenge on Lifetime Network's Season 14 "Project Runway" was the Avant-garde Challenge. Fans and viewers of the show always look forward to this challenge since, besides the "Unconventional" one, this really shows how creative the designers can be and how their design boundaries can be pushed.

The Bridge Is Your Inspiration: Tim Gunn introduces this season's Avant-garde Challenge overlooking the Queensboro Bridge--Season 14 "Project Runway Episode 11

Iconic NYC bridges were the inspiration...

Brooklyn Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

 Queensboro Bridge

The designers were also to create 3D prints as detail for the Avant-garde designs--using a Cube 3D printer...As a novice of 3D printing and what can be done, I am wowed every time I see the technology up close...

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of hosting a fashion event at the Las Vegas Computer Electronics Show/CES 2015 and saw this wonderful design, the "3D Spider Dress" by Anouk Wipprecht which was created using Intel 3D Printing technology

Back to the so-called Avant-garde Runway...

Not Avant-garde Judging: During the runway critique, the judges were a little confusing with their take on the Avant-garde creations from this season's remaining designers. Most of the designs were NOT Avant-garde and yet, the judges were praising them for how "Pretty" and "Red Carpet Perfect" some were. Excuse me, but I thought this was an Avant-garde Challenge NOT a Red Carpet one...



Now, in case you need a refresher course on WHAT AVANT-GARDE should look like...here's a peak:

Comme Des Garcons by Rei Kawakubo Spring 2016

 (L to R) Commes Des Garcons by Rei Kawakubo Fall 2015, Spring 2015

 (L to R) Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture Spring 2015, Fall 2015

 Gareth Pugh Spring/Summer 2015

Now that you have seen that, we can continue with what was NOT Avant-garde on the runway in this past week's "Project Runway" episode:

 Candice Cuoco: Candice's strapless mermaid-shaped gown was very elegant and pretty, as some of the judges said. And in fact Guest Judge Mel B said she would wear it to an upcoming an event. But it wasn't Avant-garde, so for me it failed at the challenge. But, yes, it was quite Flamenco pretty! I do wonder if this center back panel on the models behind...

Back Ooopsie: Was a last-minute addition since it was probably too tight. I would bet my prized pattern shears on it!

Edmond Newton: Once again, a very pretty design but not really Avant-garde. I liked how he used the "X's" of his Queensboro Bridge inspiration and his 3D prints. But this was Avant-garde Lite.

Kelly Dempsey: Kelly's design was the well deserved winner. So at least the judges got that right! This was certainly the closest thing to an actual Avant-garde design. The geometric shape was jarring yet very reminiscent of the bridges' structure and the front torso straps were a great homage to the spider web-like cables of the Brooklyn Bridge.



The Bottom:

Ashley Nell Tipton: Ashley's "Wonder Woman-Meets-Church Choir" creation had drama, certainly. But A) Not Avant-garde and B) those pants were a mess:

Waaaay Too Tight: rippling that originates from the inseam and crotch/rise is Design School 101 Too Tight Pant Fit

Merline Labissiere: Merline--a student of architecture and one of the only designers this season whose aesthetic leans toward being slightly "avant-garde"--should have had this challenge in the bag. But she was OUT. This was uninspired, not Avant-garde and almost somewhat wearable. Also, as Heidi pointed out, the bottom section was very reminiscent of...

Kini Zamora of Season 13 Avant-garde design (now THAT'S Avant-garde, kids!)

And now, here's my RECAP for this past week's episode--Read all I have to say about the episode and the NOT-SO Avant-garde designs...

Season 14, Episode 11: A Bridge Not Far Enough

''Pretty." "Feminine." "Perfect for a red carpet
event." These were all comments from the judges to some of the creations
that came down the runway in this week's episode. There’s only a
teeny-tiny problem: these SHOULDN’T BE the comments you want to hear
when critiquing an avant-garde challenge. But here we were. This week’s
challenge is always supposed to be a highlight of the “Project Runway”
season, showcasing the limitless level of creativity that the designers
can achieve. Sadly, this wasn't the case. What happened? How did four
out of the five designers get it so avant-garde wrong, and more
importantly, what Kool-Aid were the judges drinking? Time to investigate
and recap.

The episode begins with the top five
designers, Edmond being the only male left. They discuss Swapnil (who
was given the auf last week) and what a shame that he gave up so soon. I
know that there’s a lot of web chatter about Swapnil and whether or not
he was edited to seem unproductive. However, the fact that these
designers are reiterating the “he gave up” narrative, makes me think
that, in fact, it wasn’t editing.

Heidi meets up
with the designers on the runway stage, telling them that for the next
challenge that “they are going to bring some NY landmarks to life…in
3D!” as she puts on a pair of 3D glasses. The designers join Tim at a
location overlooking the Queensboro Bridge to introduce the challenge:
Create an avant-garde design inspired by an iconic NYC bridge. Each
designer gets a bridge: Kelly, who won last week, chooses the Brooklyn
Bridge;,Candice and Merline get the Queensboro, and Edmond and Ashley
are given the Manhattan Bridge...

To continue reading my RECAP, click HERE on the "Project Runway" myLifetime.com Blog