InStyle.com: my editorial debut!

I’ve been interning at InStyle for about 6 weeks now (time flies!) and even though I’m a production intern, I’m trying tirelessly to get back into editorial anyway I can. Enter my newest gig: part-time blogger for the InStyle.com What’s Right Now blog! Here’s my inaugural post. And to top it off, it ran today as the main story on the homepage. A girl couldn’t be happier. 🙂

Emma Watson: A decade of premiere style

Hermoine Granger and Haute Couture

Watching Emma Watson grow up with Hermoine Granger is only second to watching her grow up in the fashion industry over the last decade. From wearing Chanel (lots and lots of Chanel), to modeling for Burberry, to now stunning the masses in a straight-off-the-runway Oscar de la Renta silver and gray pouf, she’s the fashion ingenue of the early 2000s . Swapping the fur coat for the white blazer takes it to a whole new level of chic that would usually involve some kind of magic – I suspect she left her wand at home for this. Everything from the hair, the makeup, that signature left-lip-curl-instead-of-a-smile thing she does for the camera is absolute perfection. I can’t wait to see what her other premiere ensembles look like – NYC in T (minus) 3 days.

J.K. Rowling also wore Oscar, although I personally wished she’d worn the pink shrug (can you call it that?) that accompanied it on the runway.

Met Gala: a recap

I believe the @ManRepeller said it best: Can’t believe my invite to the Met Ball got lost in the mail AGAIN! Get your shit together, post office.

Every magazine has already done slideshows and blog posts galore about who wore what at the Met Gala last night. Since I’ve been otherwise occupied with finals (senioritis is so not helping me out right now), I haven’t been able to put my opinions about last night into cyberspace. So here are my favs.

No. 1 / Elle Fanning, Valentino Couture
I really can’t say enough good things about this look! She’s so age appropriate but brimming with fashion-savvy I can’t stand it! I like her sartorial POV better than her sister’s – and that’s not an easy thing to admit.

No. 2 / Blake Lively, Chanel Haute Couture
I kind of hate this (hair) color, but the toga-esque dress is flattering and interesting in a way I wouldn’t have expected. Plus, who isn’t instantly more chic when they Karl Lagerfeld on their arm?

No. 3 / Diane Kruger, Jason Wu
When do I not love what Diane wears? Next.
No. 4 / Anna Wintour, Chanel Haute Couture
While I’m slightly shocked she didn’t wear McQueen in honor of the evening, Anna in Chanel is kind of an institution in itself. And I think she looked really outstanding in this custom piece.

No. 5 / Chanel Iman, Dolce and Gabbana
A lace shift might be a little understated for the Met Gala on anyone else, but on Chanel its really stunning.

Absolute worst dressed? Naomi Campbell. I understand she may have felt the necessity of wearing McQueen last night, but did she have a mirror?

Anne Hathaway: 8 more reasons to love her!

Hosting the Oscars last night I was in full-on girl crush mode. Anne looking amazing in all of her dresses – and don’t forget the one tux too! There was only one real “miss,” but the rest were so great!

Arriving in Valentino (with Valentino!)

Givenchy Haute Couture

Oscar de la Renta

Lanvin tux

Vivienne Westwood
(aka the only one I wasn’t truly crazy about, plus that hair looks like one of the misfiring dos from the Princess Diaries movies..)

Atelier Versace

Armani Prive

Tom Ford 

Oscar Red Carpet

My favs:

Amy Adams
This was my favorite red carpet look of the night. The rest are runners-up, but Amy Adams looked amazing. She had a kid last year, right? 

Cate Blanchett
This dress alone is why it was so hard to pick my favorite. Everything about Cate is spot on, especially that hair. So good!

Hailee Steinfeld
Could there have been someone dressed more age appropriate? She looks like a perfect cupcake of a 13-year-old.

Mila Kunis
The color is amazing! What I love most is that she didn’t go big or super structured, but she still impressed us in this understated lavender number.

Mandy Moore
I can’t remember the last time Mandy was on this red carpet, but believe me, she looked so great I won’t forget this one!

Andrew Garfield
He’s just so nice to look at.

Perfection at the Golden Globes

Red Carpet season is upon us! Rather than bore you with an introduction to this post, I’ll give you what you really want to see: the pretty dresses!!

Anne Hathaway, Armani Prive
Some of my favorite trends in dresses are long sleeves and open backs. Anne Hathaway can do no wrong in my book (hi, my name is Ashleigh, I have a ginormous girl crush on Anne Hathaway), and this is just another reason to love and worship her the way I do. It’s a complete departure from what she usually does on the red carpet, but it still works. LOVE! Anne, you’re a goddess, don’t change. I can’t wait to see all the gorge dresses you’ll wear when you host the oscars!

Lea Michele, Oscar de la Renta
How adorable did Lea Michele look last night? So sweet and fresh. Age appropriate and completely charming. I’m generally not a fan of such sugary sweet dresses like this, but it’s perfect for the Glee star, she’s definitely getting the hang of red carpet dressing.

Emma Stone, Calvin Klein
I really wish she had worn her hair so we could see her bangs, they’re incredible! And you can’t help but notice how incredible her body looked in this minimalist dress (also backless and way chic). I wish she were a little less tan so she didn’t blend into the color of her dress as much. Most people like to see bright colors on tan skin, but I prefere the contrast it has to pale skin. But she looked fab and I can’t wait to see what she pulls out the rest of the season.

Leighton Meester, Burberry
Another fantastic long-sleeved number. I don’t know how she could have chosen a dress that makes her look so impossibly Blair Waldorf and Country Strong at the same time, but she did! Brava! 
Jayma Mays, Alberta Ferretti
I was dying over this look last night; I am in love with everything about it! The styling makes her look like she walked out of the 1920s right into the red carpet without skipping a beat. Everything about Jayma was perfect last night and she’s my runner-up to Anne Hathaway for best dressed. 

Red carpet magic

In the most inspired red carpet move of the year, Natalie Portman wore a stunning black cocktail length frock to the Gotham Independent Film Awards Nomination presentation. The best part? This gorgeous dress is part of the Lanvin for H&M capsule collection and costs less than $200. Natalie accepted a nomination for her role in Black Swan, which I can’t wait to see!! A ballerina thriller with costumes designed by Rodarte. Swoon! Teen Vogue’s Beauty and Health Director Eva Chen tweeted this after seeing the premier: “Black Swan will shock & awe you. Shock bc it’s kind of freakydeeky & scary, awe bc of the Rodarte costumes.” Um, I can’t wait to see this movie, but I’ve already said that… about three sentences ago.

The Lanvin for H&M dress in aubergine (far right):

This visual reminds me of the visuals I saw while in Paris and London! It’s like something from a Harvey Nichols or Galeries Lafayette window display. And the thought bubbles are genius. Here are some more Lanvin for H&M images because I’m now slightly obsessed. The only reason these haven’t been on here already is because I’ve forced myself not to look at the H&M website until the Dallas location opens – at Northpark (or I move to NY… whichever is sooner).

 

Eco fashion plus some red carpet catch-up

I can’t believe I haven’t posted since January 18th! Well, yes I can. My laptop was once again out of commission until the brainiacs at Baylor ITS could figure out why my software soulmate, InDesign, wasn’t reciprocating my affections. But alas it feels better than ever to have Moe (my macbook pro) back. And I also feel more behind on my fashion news – and posting! – than ever.

Now to visit the last TWO red carpets I missed for posting – the SAGs and the Grammys. I was otherwise engaged (that’s a buzz word, wait for it later on in this post) for those two events and had to catch up via E!’s Fashion Police. My favorite trend of the red carpet season, short/cap sleeves, has definitely been held up by the most glamorous of stars. Sandra Bullock was my hands down fav at the SAGs in Alexander McQueen. Runners up were Diane Kruger in Jason Wu and Kate Hudson in Emilio Pucci. The SAGs had a significantly better red carpet than the Globes.

At the Grammys, I’ll be honest, I haven’t quite caught up on all of Lady Gaga’s ensembles and I haven’t been over to my friend’s apartment to watch it on DVR yet. Expect both to happen. Until then let me talk about how much I loved Beyonce rocking the short/cap sleeve look in Stephane Rolland. Rhianna brought it out in couture… my jury’s still out on whether it was fantastic. It was couture. My runners up for the Grammy red carpet go to Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift – the country divas upped the ante with the geometric trend.

And lastly, one of my besties (you know who you are) is recently engaged. While the wedding is a good year and a half away, plans are very much being laid. Among the first decisions was to make the wedding completely eco-friendly. How rad is that?! Way rad. As a member of the wedding party I’ll get to wear Toms with my bridesmaid dress. Amen! That’s especially good to know when the tallest groomsman is 5’8″ and I’m 5’11″… Hearing about an eco-friendly wedding is so refreshing after seeing all the wedding shows on WEtv where tulle goes to die.

As red carpet season approaches

Once the New Year hits the red carpet season will be upon us. It’s actually already started since Golden Globe noms are out, and my head is swarming with what I’d love to see on the red carpet and what I expect will hit the red carpet (some overlap, others don’t). With Inglouriuos Basterds and Nine receiving so many accolades I except charmers Diane Kruger, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard to bring it. Here are a few of the offerings I’m offering.

Oscar de la Renta

Christian Siriano

Badgely Mischka

Carolina Herrera

(The last one reminds me of the pink Chanel number Cameron Diaz wore last year)