Magazine Must-Haves: Tobey Maguire & Carolyn Murphy Celebrate Hitchcock’s ‘Rear Window’ For Vogue!

I’ve been saving up my April magazines to bring with me to work & now that Spring Break is over, I’ve finally had the chance to take in the latest issue of Vogue, with the always lovely FLOTUS Michelle Obama on the cover. However, as a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock movies & Grace Kelly‘s timeless style, I was enchanted by the magazine’s reprise of the 1954 suspense thriller, Rear Window, starring The Great Gatsby‘s Tobey Maguire & supermodel Carolyn Murphy, with an appearance by Laurie Metcalf, taking over the film’s roles for a shoot by Peter Lindbergh. The shoot contains stunning looks by Dolce & Gabbana, Fred Leighton, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, J. Crew, Michael Kors, Miu Miu, Hermès, Gucci, House of Lavande, & Rochas.

Rear Window is definitely in the air since this week’s episode of ABC’s Castle spoofed the Oscar-nominated film, so as soon as I saw the nine-page shoot, I knew I had to feature the retro images. Tobey’s Brooks Brothers pajamas are nearly spot-on to those worn famously by James Stewart‘s photojournalist character in the film.

What do you think of the stylish shoot? Do you like the Tobey-Carolyn pairing for the shoot? Which is your favorite Grace Kelly film? For more fashionable posts, check out Lena Dunham’s video for designer Rebecca Antonoff, Marion Cotillard for Lady Dior, Beyonce’s debut ads for H&M, & Gucci’s Spring / Summer campaign! Happy Styling!

Cover Craze / Watch This Style: The Ladies Of ‘Oz: The Great & Powerful’ Talk Red Carpet Favorites, On-Set Costumes, & More With InStyle’s March 2013 Issue!

In a recent post in Cover Craze, I shared the March 2013 cover of InStyle, featuring the leading ladies of Oz: The Great & Powerful: Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, & Mila Kunis. However, I received the issue in the mail today & was super excited to see the shoot & then I learned that there was a coordinating video, including a behind-the-scenes look & interview with the fabulous stars, where they discuss their favorite red carpet looks, remaining ladylike in the face of stunts, & how they were case in the film.

Of course they’re all donning the best trends for spring, including florals from Bottega Veneta & Burberry Prorsum, pink & red shades by Rochas, Miu Miu, & Yves Saint Laurent, black & white mod looks by Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, & Lanvin, as well as graphic designs from Derek Lam & Peter Pilotto.  The stylish cover looks include brands like Valentino, Fred Leighton, Nina Ricci, & Carolina Herrera!

Are you looking forward to this movie? Do you like the casting? Which looks are your favorites? For more magazine posts, check out Keira Knightley for Marie Claire, Emmy Rossum for Self, Carrie Underwood for Allure, Claire Danes for ELLE, & Rooney Mara for Vogue.  Happy Styling!

Top 10 Celeb Sightings: Menswear, Pajamas, Leather & Lace, & Plaid Trends As Seen On Taylor Swift, Krysten Ritter, & Jaime King!

After what’s starting out to be a party-filled weekend, I can’t help but look back at the headline-making red carpet appearances from the last week. Of course, I’m headed to birthday parties & Halloween celebrations, not galas, premieres, or press events, but there’s also prepping for this nasty hurricane in the hopes that it simply whispers passed Long Island & the rest of the Northeast. So if you’re not talking about Sandy, start talking about style.  Some of my favorite looks include major trends seen on & off the runway recently, teaching us budget shoppers how to make it work.

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However, if you’re a celebrity, or have a very talented stylist, the chic pajama look, as seen on Jaime King, may not be such a stretch.  Also, Taylor Swift is plugging her latest album, Red, wearing a vibrant red top & plaid tea-length skirt, paying homage to her Southern following.  Not to mention that the always lovely Lauren Conrad is mixing it up with a leather dress by Johanna Johnson with some fierce Christian Louboutins.  Where’s there’s leather, there’s also lace & by that, I mean a sizzling silver-coated Halle Berry in Dolce & Gabbana, as well as a corseted overlay Jason Wu look worn by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

If you’re trying to recreate menswear, look to No Doubt frontwoman & fashion icon Gwen Stefani for her Gucci & satin sexy tuxedo look, frosted in Neil Lane, as well as Don’t Trust The B**** In Apartment 23 star Krysten Ritter whose military-inspired jacket by Robert Rodriguez, paired with sandals from Rachel Zoe Collection screams fall-friendly.  Speaking of K’s… Kristen Stewart‘s graphic romper by Louis Vuitton is modern & edgy for the budding Style Darling in Brian Atwoods.

I couldn’t forget about newcomer Berenice Marlohe, of Skyfall, in the ravishing Elie Saab confection, as well as red carpet favorite, Sarah Jessica Parker in a sophisticated striped design by L’Wren Scott with Fred Leighton jewelry.

Who’s wearing your favorite look? Which of these celebrities do you follow on the red carpet? For more from Top 10 Celeb Sightings, be sure to check out posts featuring Emma Stone & Lea Michele, Jennifer Lopez, & Scarlett Johansson, & Amy Adams & Nicole Richie! Happy Styling!

Red Carpet Review: 2012 Emmy Awards Featuring Zooey Deschanel, Sofia Vergara, Hayden Panettiere, & More!

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This is a first for Style Darling. The 64th Annual Emmy Awards are currently airing & I’ve been scouring the web for the last 45 minutes to put together a complete gallery of the fabulous red carpet looks. Some of my favorites include Zooey Deschanel in a princess-like Reem Acra look, Julie Bowen in neon Monique Lhuillier, Claire Danes as a blushing mom-to-be in Lanvin, & Christina Hendricks in a belted design by Christian Siriano. Who are you rooting for? I’m a big fan of Girls, so keep an eye out for the very multi-talented Lena Dunham! Check out the gallery & share with readers which looks are your favorites! Enjoy the show! Happy Styling!

Basics for a Bargain: Pencil Dresses Inspired by Olivia Wilde, Dianna Agron, Emma Stone, & More!

Pencil dresses are the perfect way to accentuate your figure!  What’s even more fabulous about a dress like this is that you can show off some serious leg without worrying about a short hemline.  No matter your accessories (platforms, peep toes, belts, or chandelier earrings), a pencil dress recalls Old Hollywood & never goes out of style.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon star Rosie Huntington-Whiteley dons a feminine lace Dolce & Gabbana frock with neutral stilettos to a press event in Shanghai.  The softness of the lace details adds dimension, as well as creating a longer legline.  Emma Stone is trendy in a belted black lace pencil dress by Tom Ford, paired with Fred Leighton jewelry for the New York premiere of Crazy Stupid Love.  The Change-Up star Leslie Mann rocked a LWD with sequin accents by Marchesa with a gold clutch & Jimmy Choo peep toes.  Dianna Agron promoted Glee in a velvet Stella McCartney peplum dress & towering YSL platforms.  Lastly, super Style Darling of the moment, Olivia Wilde of Cowboys & Aliens went siren red in a knee-length Antonio Berardi pencil sheath with satin Brian Atwood pumps.

I’ve selected some super cute & affordable pencil dresses that are the foundation to any cocktail or work look.  We’ll start with the printed belted sheath dress from Macy’s by Charter Club, which costs $44.99.  If you break out your store card & check your local newspaper for coupons, you can reap the rewards of this great deal that can be made to look more professional with a blazer or jazzed up by switching the belt for something metallic.  Also, click here to see this dress is available in sizes 14W – 24W.  Next, @Victoria’s Secret, you can find a form-fitting tee midi dress for $59.50, that can be dressed up or down with just a few simple accessories, but really makes an impression as a stand-alone LBD.  Kohl’s sells this illusion brush stroke dress by AB Studio, which looks like a blouse & pencil skirt, but it is put together in one fashionable piece for only $41.30.

For my fuller-figured Style Darlings, I did find a mega sexy red dress from Torrid which runs in sizes 16-26.  No wonder it’s called Stop Staring! Red Millions Dollar Baby Dress, although it costs $120.50 (which is a lot for our budget, but this is definitely a dress that you can get a lot of miles out of for work or a wedding!).  It can be downplayed for a day at the office with a printed cardigan or simply worn for a fancy night out with black patent pumps, like those pictured.  Over @White House Black Market, I came across an affordable steal of a dress- the white jacquard strapless dress for $39.98, marked down from $158.00! It’s perfect to wear this season or it can be saved for the holidays with a sequined bolero cardy.  Over @ASOS, this cafe creme cowl front pencil dress costs $46.55.  The dress just calls out for a subtle, but complimentary animal print, like a leopard belt or chunky cut-out booties.  Also, it kind of reminds me of the slinky, nude dress that Carrie wore on her first date with Big in the first season of Sex & the City!

For more celebrities wearing pencil dresses, check out Rachel McAdams & Uma Thurman at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival in Red Carpet Review, as well as a Darling of the Day post featuring Sophia Bush wearing Ann Taylor. For more Basics for a Bargain, check out my post on pencil skirts inspired by Jennifer Lopez & Kate Bosworth, as well as denim dresses like those worn by Pippa Middleton & Reese Witherspoon! Happy Styling!

Red Carpet Review: Jennifer Aniston’s Little Black Dress Looks!

Jennifer Aniston is America’s Sweetheart- without a doubt. She’s filling the style ranks as a modern-day Audrey Hepburn (in her own way- of course nothing can truly compare to Miss Audrey)!  Jennifer is all about being comfortable & sexy, always complimenting her very fit figure, however she never looks overdone or as though someone else dressed her.  She makes the little black dress her own in every way possible, adding black tights for the cooler months, sticking to ultra strappy sandals, & always showing off some serious toe cleavage.  I watched a recent episode of Fashion Police on E! & Jennifer was being criticized for wearing yet another LBD to an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, but I think it suits her, especially looking so ridiculously effortless & hot in them.  She really puts twenty-somethings who don’t own their sense of style to shame.

These seven images capture Jennifer at various events over the last few years,  but most recently while she’s promoting her endless slew of rom-coms & other films.  Starting from left to right, here we go: First the former Friends star dons a flirty shoulder-embellished Nina Ricci frock for the February premiere of Just Go With It in Berlin.  Next she wears a structured black 3/4 sleeve dress with black tights again for another winter appearance, but this time at The Early Show.  Both of these looks are super easy to pull off & it really seems like she’s wearing the same shoes & tights.  Here’s a tip straight from the actress herself, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

The third image is from a 2004 luncheon in Los Angeles & she’s wearing a ruffled Moschino wrap dress & super skinny stapped sandals.  This is very figure-flattering & the thin straps on the heels don’t cover up her feet, thus helping elongate her legline.  At a 2006 event, she chose a metallic Calvin Klein dress with a little fringe detail at the bottom & plenty of decolletage to go around.  However it does look like she’s just thrown on yet another easy LBD & looks super comfortable in it, continuing with her skinny strappy sandal rule.

While promoting The Switch last summer, Jennifer went with a dolman style mini dress, layered necklaces, & peep toe pumps. This style of dress is very easy to wear, especially if there are parts that you wanna cover up, but really, do you think she’s got anything to hide?  At the Madrid premiere of The Bounty Hunter, she returned back to black metallics in strapless Valentino number & seriously bondage-looking heels.  The frilly look of the mini dress vs. the edge of the shoes is a surprising combination on her, but it totally works!

At the recent premiere of Horrible Bosses in Los Angeles, she chose a Balenciaga mini dress with her signature style of sandals by Versace & accessorized with Fred Leighton jewelry & a clutch by Salvatore Ferragamo.  Lastly, the alleged crime of LBDs (only b/c Joan Rivers is so sick of talking about it- I personally think it’s adorable), Jennifer returned to Nina Ricci in this feminine, floral LBD & cute accented peep toe pumps.  For the afternoon appearance at The Daily Show, she looks polished, professional, & like a lady, saving the sexy side for night.

Here we have some great little black dress suggestions, available at New York & Company, Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret, Lulu’s, Forever 21, Avenue, EDressMe, & Express!  Happy Styling!

Red Carpet Review: 2011 SAG Awards (PART ONE)!

Last night’s Screen Actor’s Guild Awards were a red carpet dream come true, filled with florals, belted looks, sparkles, brights, & enough black & white to go around.  Oscar de la Renta was the most worn designer & the stars were frosted in names like Fred Leighton, Neil Lane, Chopard, Lorraine Schwartz, & Swarovski.  Scroll your mouse over each image to see who’s wearing which designers.

My favorite of the night was an unexpected ballerina-inspired pale pink Monique Lhuillier ruffled number that Angie Harmon wore, although some may say that its beauty was Oscar-worthy & too overdressed for this event. With that, here we have the ladies wearing blush & pink showing off their femininity & boldness.  We saw a splash of pink at last month’s Golden Globe awards with Claire Danes, Lea Michele, & Megan Fox.

We can see that Jennifer Lawrence‘s whirlwind award’s season is only getting better after her ruffled Louis Vuitton pick.  I can’t wait to see what she’ll choose to wear at the Oscars- she’s nominated for her gritty performance in Winter’s Bone.

 We saw Christina Hendricks & January Jones showing off their love of red, but here we have four looks (including one demure burnt orange, a little warmer than Emma Stone’s coral) proving that no gorgeous color or design can clash with the red carpet at this event if you’re confident.  Tina Fey‘s red Oscar de la Renta was a most unexpected choice for the usually conservative comedienne, but I’m sure critics will love her bold choice, especially after last year’s stunner. For more on Oscar de la Renta’s Spring 2011 collection, click here.

Other nominees lit up the red carpet with thier elegant choices, embracing a deep crimson, magenta red, & a pretty pumpkin.  These rich colors make for incredible photographs & remind us of how truly stunning the female form can look in a column-inspired gown.  Whather cinched at the waist or knotted for a Grecian-style, these dresses made each starlet look like a tall glass of glamour!

 

Everybody was dying to see what glowing mother-to-be Natalie Portman was going to wear & she turned this white Azzaro number into a ridiculously chic maternity gown that would put red carpet moms-to-be like Angelina Jolie, Heidi Klum, & Naomi Watts to shame. White was definitely on-trend with Amy Adams & a creamy Rosario Dawson presented her own interpretation as well! Winona Ryder‘s Alberta Ferretti creation reminded me so much of a modern-day version of this famous Marilyn Monroe dress.

  

It isn’t a true awards show without some sparkle.  Bejeweled looks have been a staple for the red carpet in recent years, as we’ve seen on Sandra Bullock, Claire Danes, & Cameron Diaz.  Adding glistening touches to dresses with color was a popular trend too!  It must’ve been winner & Oscar-bound actress Melissa Leo of The Fighter who stole the sparkle show with a fitted golden number & a plunging neckline.

While other sparkles were subtle & elegant, none could quiet compare, but we have to give it up to Eva Longoria & Jayma Mays for their stylish efforts.  We could look forward to some of these fabulous ladies at the upcoming Oscar ceremony- that’s for sure!

Glee stars Lea Michele (keeping with her Globes Oscar de la Renta choice) & Naya Ramirez were on hand to lend some youthful glow to this parade of glitters.  We can see the diversity in a plunging neckline, a modest one-shoulder, spaghetti straps, & a short-sleeved dress in a hint of periwinkle.

Well, there’s really only so much fashion a girl can handle, but I’m excited to report that tomorrow’s post will contain the dark, black, & purple dresses (like Dianna Agron), as well as the risk takers of the night (including one of my favorites- Claire Danes!).  Any questions, comments, or suggestions are always welcome!  Happy Styling!