oscars red carpet: pretty, but not that exciting

Let me start by saying I had a great time watching the Oscars last night. One of my good friends celebrated her birthday yesterday by hosting a viewing party, and since there ain't no party like a theme party, we all dressed up in our favorite, old school velour track suits and played Oscars bingo. Oh yeah, we keep it classy.

So yes, I had fun last night, but wasn't the red carpet...boring?!? Lots of people looked really pretty, but they also looked really safe. One of my friends and I were left pining for the wild days of Cher on the carpet in Bob Mackie, or even someone - anyone! - willing to take a fashion risk, like Cate Blanchett always does. (Seriously, where was Tilda Swinton when you need her?) Overall, the red carpet was a snoozefest, but there were a few looks that left a lasting impression:

Rooney Mara in Givenchy Couture

I adore Rooney Mara. She dresses for fashion, and this Givenchy Couture gown was a perfect choice for her. There was a lot of buzz about who would dress Mara for her first Oscar nomination - Calvin Klein was deemed a strong contender when she showed up front row at the fall show - but I had a feeling it would be Givenchy. I mean, the French house's spring couture show looked like it was created expressly for Lisbeth Salander, her character in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. This dress was a softer, more accessible choice, but it's flawlessly constructed with interesting, challenging design details. Not just anyone could pull this off, but Mara makes wearing it look effortless.

from the archives: open hunt

Much to my delight, there has been a very British equestrian influence on the fall runways of designers as divergent as Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Emilia Wickstead. I grew up with horses, riding pretty regularly until college took over my life, and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for horses - and the clothes worn while riding them. I always preferred riding English, not only because it was more exciting (hello, jumping) but because it was more stylish. Trim hacking jackets, breeches, tall black leather boots - it's a look that's equally chic in the show ring and on the runway.

Flashback to fall 2008, when I styled a shoot at the Grosse Pointe Hunt Club for the September/October issue of Ambassador Magazine. Photographed by Michelle Matiyow and Lians for LM Studios, the concept was to juxtapose formal, aristocratic portraits of the models with sexier, cinematic shots that told a different story. Check out the full shoot, with credits, below.

runway to davenport: louis vuitton

Guest blogger Amanda Sinistaj, the interior designer who, in her first post, showed you how to translate Alexander McQueen's inimitable style into your home decor, has set her sights on the oh-so-sweet Louis Vuitton spring collection. For her second post on paper + cloth, Amanda takes the girly frocks off the runway and into your boudoir.


Runway to Davenport: Louis Vuitton
by Amanda Sinistaj

The spring 2012 Louis Vuitton collection…ahhh, how sweet it is! Pastel colors and laser-cut lace tops and dresses left me with a feeling of innocence and remind me of when I used to play dress up. (Let’s be honest - my girlfriends and I still do when the occasion calls for it.) I think you can find your inner child whilst still living as an adult. So I’ve built these selections around the grown up princess. Playing with texture and a lack of color proves that you can uniquely express yourself by personalizing your selections.

from the archives: migration

One of my most recent projects has been sorting through my styling portfolio, organizing the images for an agency I am newly signed to. It got me thinking - I have been truly blessed to work with some incredibly talented people throughout the years. My fashion adventures to date have included dangling models off of rooftops, a memorable (and cold) shoot at an ice carving workshop, literally tying antlers to a girl's head with her own hair, building bustiers out of plastic wrap, and much, much more. None of it would have been possible without the amazing designers, photographers, models, makeup artists, hair stylists, assistants and interns who helped make the magic happen. To acknowledge and celebrate them (and to shamelessly show off some of the work of which I am most proud), I've decided to share some of my fave shoots here on paper + cloth. Enjoy!

Michael Kors dress. Sweetface belt. Miu Miu shoes.

Shot for the September/October 2007 issue of Ambassador, Migration was inspired by one of the fall 2007 season's biggest trends (and one of my personal fashion weaknesses) - feathers! The idea with the shoot was to keep the avian influence subtle - rather than wearing feathers head to toe, our model would be dressed in shades of gray, black, white and cream with pops of color (introduced through accessories) and dashes of sparkle and feathers. To get the look, I pulled from a diverse group of designers, including Michael Kors, Monique Lhuillier, Jason Wu (way before he was a household name with a hotly anticipated collection for Target on the way), Alexander Wang (also a relative newcomer at the time), Gucci, Lela Rose and more. Check out the full shoot, with credits, below.