Posts Tagged: Jackie O

Breaking Dawn’s Bella Swan Wedding Dress Close-Up

28, 2011 1:30pm

With an estimated box-office cume thus far of $220m in North America alone, “Breaking Dawn Part 1″ is soaring at the box-office, holding down the number one spot two weeks in a row and just falling short of a Harry Potter record for midnight screenings last week.

Of course, much of the buzz on the film related to the Twilight wedding and the vampire baby pregnancy, and many will hold onto these discussions from now until next year when “Breaking Dawn Part 2″ completes the series. Will “Hunger Games” then take the mantle as most buzzed about pop-culture beat?

For now, the movie is continuing to be broken down – what did it mean when Robert Pattinson stared silently at Kristen Stewart???

More importantly, who designed the dress – well, for Twilight fashionistas, the answer is fashion designer Carolina Herrera.The Venezuelan fashion designer born with the name “María Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Niño” is reportedly worth more than $100 million. And no doubt that figure will increase, as Bella Swan’s dress design has already been launched into some of her stores.

Herrera is perhaps (until now) best known for having dressed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (Jackie O) for the last twelve years of the style icon’s life. Other famous clients include Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Shakira and Salma Hayek.

Here are the close-ups.

Celebs.com Weekly Trend Report: Celebs Are Taking a Bite Into Houndstooth

20, 2011 1:00pm

By Allison Daniels

Houndstooth has been around for centuries. Originally a print used on the outerwear of shepherds in the Scottish Lowlands, the design (also known as dogstooth and shepherd’s check), has experienced countless iterations since its inception.

Perhaps the cause of its modern day popularity, the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson (the woman for whom King Edward VIII abdicated the throne) made it her print of choice in the 1920s. A decade later (1938 to be exact), Christian Dior made his first big splash as a designer by creating a houndstooth suit, a quickly lauded trademark of his “new look”.

Houndstooth has since been a hallmark of the restrained, elegant manner of high society. Worn by royalty (Queen Elizabeth II above, is a fan) as well as figurative royalty (the suit above belonged to Jackie Kennedy Onassis), houndstooth has long enjoyed its association with refinement.

Pimms Cup anyone?

In its most recent revival, fashion risk-takers like Teresa Palmer, Fan Bing Bing and Lady GaGa (l-r, above), and Kim Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow below, the tooth has taken on a more playful personality.

Now, houndstooth is not something you have to wear head-to-toe (though Ferragamo’s hugely popular dress certainly gives you that option), but it’s most likely to be paired with a little bit of attitude (or, in Lady GaGa’s case, a LOT of attitude plus matching sunglasses, hat and clutch). Gwyneth chooses to modernize the print with bright red booties to great effect.

The new way to bear tooth is to offer up punchy print accents with bold brights, or to try it the traditional design in untraditional colors. Pair a houndstooth shoe or clutch with a coordinating print, or add a bright solid for graphic interest. For celeb examples, take a look at Alexa Chung and Ashley Greene’s houndstooth accessories to solid, knee-length frocks.

Above, right, Alexa rocks houndstooth again, this time with shades that seem a little more practical than Lady Gaga’s, making it work with a small floral print in complimentary colors (eggshell and navy). One of our favorites, Jayma Mays (above, left), styles houndstooth in a playful-but-preppy, sexy-but-demure way. Jayma pairs a menswear-inspired houndstooth blazer with a slinky mini-skirt and horse-print sweater, and finishes the look with metallic heels.

What’s great about this trend is that it can really add interest to any look – formal or casual, proper or cheeky. All you have to do is choose the statement you want to make. Here are a few adorable accessories if you just want to dip your toe in the houndstooth pool (and one or two apparel selections for when you’re ready to dive in headfirst). Click the pics to shop!