Fashion meets Art: Elsa Schiaparelli

The Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli created wearable art with her cutting edge fashion. She entered the fashion scene with the encouragement of Paul Poiret and began by designing knitwear. She was the rival of Coco Chanel during the 1930s when they designed for women between the two world wars; but their styles allowed them to serve very different women--the risk taker versus the classicist.

Though an artist in her own right, Elsa Schiaparelli also collaborated with fine artists such as Salvador Dali. Through their collaborations, surrealist art qualities came alive as women wore shoe hats, skeleton dresses and much more.

Elsa Schiaparelli from LIFE magazine in 1937.

These two famous designs showcase the surrealist quality. Surrealist art included tricks of the eye and the unexpected. Never before had fashion seen prints that included a large lobster.

More of the unexpected: a three dimensional dress of a skeleton and shoe as a hat.

Dolce & Gabbana's Fall 2009 collection channelled the surrealist qualities of Elsa Schiaparelli. Elegant gloves suddenly become hats and and scarves. The key to it having the surrealist quality is the fact that the glove shape is completely obvious and unexpected.

The theme of time finds its way from the 1931 surrealist painting "The Persistence of Memory" by Dali, to the runway as worn by Karlie Kloss.

Elsa Schiaparelli introduced the concept of functional becoming beautiful. Rather than leave buttons plain, she began designing ornate buttons that resembled broaches.

Two designs of Elsa Schiaparelli with decorative buttons. Dolce & Gabbana took this idea to new levels for the Fall 2009 collections.

Think pink...

Barbie and Legally Blonde's Elle were not the first to strut in shades of neon pink. In addition to her advances in design, Elsa suprised everyone with her use of "shocking pink." The color was found with her clothing and was the name of her perfume.

Obviously inspired by the shocking Schiaparelli, Dolce & Gabbana had models step out on the runways in this amazing color.

A shocking pink striped Schiaparelli design.

A shockingly sweet beauty in pink with a glove hat, model Chanel Iman.

Sadly, after WWII Elsa Schiaparelli was unable to continue designing since the direction of the fashion world was changing so much. But her artistic spirit lives on with the help of modern designers like Dolce & Gabbana. So think pink when you get dressed tomorrow...

Runway photos: Style.com

Other: wikipedia

Bon Hiver

Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2009 Couture

Snow is softly falling throughout Nashville. For the past two days we've received a steady dusting of snowflakes. As a rare winter gift for Nashville, I can't help but be in awe of the pure beauty. The white snow softly decorates the landscape, making the cold weather more bearable because of its sheer beauty.

Snow makes for a bon hiver (good winter). The perfect soundtrack: Bon Iver. I discovered this mellow, folk-ish artist last winter and now can't help but associate him with the season.

As with the landscape and in music, snow falls on the runways as we see shades of white in every fabric and style imaginable. Winter white can be fiercely fashionable, as with 3.1 Phillip Lim...

Andrew Gn Fall 2009

Burberry Pre-Fall 2010

Todd Lynn Spring 2010
Fur trimmed/fringed shoulders. A new look I can't help but find interesting.

A clean white palette that would seem simple, but is paired with edgy leather heeled boots and bags.

Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2009
Fierce fur and silhouette with strong shoulders and use of black with white.

White can go from fiercely fashionable to fabulously feminine with the help of Elie Saab and images of the Nutcracker's snowflake ballerinas.

Soft lines, draping, curve-hugging and romantically detailed.

Snow angels in pure white couture.

Chanel does white through the lens of its classic black and white combination. Black helps winterize what was once a summer shade.

As winter's snow white princess, every girl needs a classic white Lady Dior bag, white polish, a spritz of Juicy Couture perfume and a couple of diamond "snowflakes."

Azzaro Spring 2010

Here's to a bon hiver.

Runway photos: Style.com

Winter photos: Wikipedia

Powerfully Pretty

I recently started a new job that has kept me away from blogging more than I would like. But with the idea of corporate life on my mind, I couldn't help but think of the power suit that women often wear into the office.

To showcase power and position, women have used clothing for centuries to communicate their message. Medieval warrior Joan of Arc scandalously put on men's attire that included pants and armor as she led the king's army into battle. John Galliano's Fall 2006 collection for Dior takes a romanticized approach on Joan of Arc's powerful look.

Hundreds of years later, the powerful Queen Elizabeth used fashion as a platform to establish her royal authority in England. The strong shoulders, flattened chest (to mimic the broad, flat strength of a man) and dark colors could easily be seen in the Elizabethan era, as well as centuries later in the 1980s.

Cate Blanchette as Queen Elizabeth I. Notice how the volume of the shoulders combined with the neck ruff create a broad appearance of strength.

Strong shoulders continued to make appearance in fashion, as seen here in the photo of the 1890s woman. This was the time period that women began to gain freedom and indepence and so fashion had to communicate these advancements. Never before had a woman been able to do something as amazing as ride a bicycle.

The 1988 film Working Girl, starring Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver is the perfect example of a more modern approach to power dressing. The 1980s birthed the power suit as women climbed the corporate ladder alongside their male counterparts.

The 1980s made a comeback on the Fall 2009 runway with Marc Jacobs.

Military details always signal a powerful tone as they mimic the suits, camouflage and fatigues of America's soldiers.

The office is a battleground that requires proper attire for sure.

Chanel Pre-Fall 2010

When talking about the frontlines, I can't help but mention our First Lady, wife to the Commander-in-Chief. Michelle Obama showed a modern sophistication with her 2009 Isabel Toledo suit.

Designer Isabel Toledo with her artist husband Ruben Toledo for Paper Mag...wearing suits of course.

The designer of Michelle's white inauguration ball gown, Jason Wu, offers us a modern interpretation of the power suit. I just love the two different materials used for the sleeves and jacket on the left.

J. Mendel Pre-Fall 2010
Black is always a powerful color choice.

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2010

Michael Kors not only chose a powerful color and silhouette with strong shoulders, he also used gladiator heels--a clear connection to the war ready gladiators of ancient Rome.

Are you dressed for the call of duty? Prepare for battle with the perfect combination of sophistication and femininty by wearing a power suit. A powerfully pretty dress choice for sure.

Christmas at the Opry

A country Christmas isn't complete without a trip to the Grande Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. I love going to see the lights in the hotel atrium each year. I just went last night and wanted to share some of my favorite pictures.

The Opryland hotel is festively decorated in the indoor garden that includes high glass ceilings, waterfalls, a miniature river, bridges and plants of all kinds.

A focal point is the oversized Christmas tree decorated with large bows, balls and presents.

The architecture and lamplit paths make you almost forget that you're inside a hotel atrium.

Shops and restaurants like this beautiful building are located within the atrium.

A romantic gazebo twinkled with white lights and snowflakes.

A tree of white poinsettias...

with shiny presents underneath. So cute.

Red and white flowers decorate every inch of the atrium.

A winter wonderland of streaming lights, hot air balloons, flying teddy bears and more.

A giraffe plays a cello outside the hotel balconies.

A cafe is located on the ground floor of the atrium. I just love the strings of oversized Christmas lights that hang above the tables. Makes me think of a European sidewalk cafe.

Santa's elf overlooks a garden pond and the fish.

I love books, so I couldn't resist this ribbon wrapped bookstore with cafe tables. So cozy.

If you ever visit Nashville at Christmas, the Opry should definitely be on your list of things to do. It's a simple and sweet Christmas tradition.

Merry Christmas!

Blue Christmas

"I'll have a blue Christmas, without you..."
Surely Elvis was not referring to fashion when singing the blues. But it's the perfect way to bring cool shades of style into the Christmas season. From a Target tree to a Tiffany's porcelain gift box, it all sings to the tune of a Blue Christmas.

All looks are from Fall 2009 collections.
Winter wonderful in a blue Dior coat with fur trim.

Sleek in Chanel's blue dress and Victorian inspired booties.

Power dressing of the 80s returns on the runway of Donna Karan.


Marc Jacobs also channelled the 80s with this strong-shouldered pleated design.

Blue also has a sweeter side to balance out the 80s powerhouses from Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs. Here, Erdem showcases romantic babydoll dresses.

Boho blue from Anna Sui.

A splash of color with blue-aquamarine tights from DVF.

Versace sparkles with blue sophistication.

Lovely in blue Balenciaga.

And finally, my feathered favorite. A whimiscally wonderful coat from Valentino. You can see Britney Spears wearing this amazing coat in the January issue of Elle.

Who wouldn't want to have a blue Christmas with these amazing styles to choose from?

Runway photos: Style.com

Smitten with a Scarf

One of my favorite parts of this season is wearing fabulous scarves. Cool weather is warmed with a charming pashmina wrapped chicly around the neck. With every color from the rainbow available, it doesn't matter what you're wearing, there's always a perfect scarf to add as a complimentary color or one that stands on its own as a statement piece.

The beautiful Soft Orange Charlotte scarf in the picture is my newest acquisition thanks to the stylish blogger Cafe Fashionista and her partnered giveaway with The Shawl Shop. If you're like me, you enter contests without expecting to win...but when you do it's wonderful! I was pleasantly surprised to learn I won this beautiful scarf. It's soft and lovely and I can't wait to wear it.

Are you looking to add a splash of color to your winter wardrobe and weather the chill? Don't let winter give you the cold shoulder. Wrap yourself in a stylish scarf instead. In the words of Cafe Fashionista, "Are you smitten?"

A Love Story

It's always the season for love. So this is a perfect time to enter the world of Shakespeare's classic, Romeo & Juliet, as it was brought to life with model Coca Rocha as Juliet and American Ballet Theatre's Roberto Bolle as a very handsome Romeo. These epic photos were done by Annie Leibovitz for the December 2008 issue of Vogue.

Wedded bliss in Vera Wang.

The love story ends in tragedy, but with an everpresent beauty when wearing this Alexander McQueen gown.

Photos: Vogue.com