Best of the Week of April18th to the 24th

OK so I think the celebs are back but no actress or singer is my number one pick of the week but one of the top models right now
Here model Karlie Kloss wearing a Fall 2003 Rochas dress to the DADA Ball 2010: DADA Rocks with Decades. This dress is so couture in style yet youthful and Karlie pulls it off with a demure elegance that I'm not sure anyone else can do.
Thank God Taylor Swift did not wear her normal sparkle embellished prom gown style dress to the ACM Awards. Instead Taylor opted for this Spring 2010 Marchesa gown. On the runway I was not a fan of this dress, but on Taylor it looks elegant and classy.
OK so JLo has had an AMAZING week giving her three spots on this list. The best look is this Gianfranco Ferre dress which she paired with a Christian Louboutin studded clutch and Salvatore Ferragamo pumps. I love the sexy and edgy yet elegant part of this look. After leaving her goddess gowns behind JLo looks stunning.
Carie Underwood usually excites me on the red carpet and I do love her Basil Soda Spring 2010 Couture gown but Carrie always wears these Lebanese designers and its sort of getting old. I wish Carrie would discover some other nationalities of designers. Maybe its just a Gwen Stefani phase, lets hope the addiction passes and not the great since of style.
Here is JLo's second look on the list. The dress and shoes were designed by Lanvin and Jenny wore this look for her appearance on "Live With Regis and Kelly."
Red carpet style diva Zoe Saldana brings it yet again to the red carpet at "The Losers" LA Preimiere wearing a stunning Fall 2010 Balmain dress and the look would not be anything without her stunning Cesare Paciotti shoes.
And finally Jennifer Lopez's last look on this list, and it is from her today show appearance. Jennifer wore this Fall 2010 Halston dress and Christian Louboutin Stilletos. The amazing nude shoes completed this red dress which complemented JLo's skin beautifully.
Then there is Law & Order: SVU beauty Mariska Hargitay wearing Dries Van Noten Spring 2010. This dress is so amazing with the mix of prints that only Dries can do and I'm suprised that anyone can pull off, but Mariska does which earns her this spot on my list.
I have to highlight Heidi Klum living up to her Project Runway promises and wearing the gown the Emilio Sosa designed for her. I like this dress but much more preferred it as a gown and not a cocktail dress, but Heidi doesn't wear gowns unless to one of the major awards shows so I should have guessed that this is what was going to happen. I also love the pop of color Heidi gives through her Christian Louboutin shoes.

Who was your best dressed? Leave me comments, please. Please I am hoping to get a few wish lists to post for the Cannes Film Festival and the Met Gala, if you have any please email them to me at tmonks93@gmail.com.

The Cinderella Fantansy aided by Oscar de la Renta

First off I would like to thank Martha at the Oscar de la Renta office for helping me. When I think of grand Cinderella ball gowns I think of the American classic designer Oscar de la Renta. I worked this look to be the classic beauty, with the Cinderella shoe and the something blue.
The gown is from the Oscar de la Renta Spring 2010 Bridal, the dress has amazing details in the skirt. The dress costs $22,990 and you can look in to this dress by going to the Oscar de la Renta website to find an Oscar de la Renta Bridal near you.
And seeing I am a New Yorker by heart I had to add the so upper east side element in this Oscar de la Renta white fox fur stole for $2,000.
Then to carry all of the bridal necessities here is an Oscar de la Renta white satin pochette with embroidered medallions for $390
Then one of the only elements not from Oscar de la Renta are the Stuart Weitzman glitter pumps from Neiman Marcus for $355
And here is the second item not by Oscar de la Renta is this stunning Harry Winston sapphire and diamond necklace. The necklace is set in platinum and has a total carat weight of 45.38 total carats, that is the sapphire and diamonds combined. For more info contact Harry Winston.
And to top the look off and ethereal white angel cut cathedral veil with picot organza trim for $590 also by Oscar de la Renta.

Again thanks to the Oscar de la Renta team for helping me put this post together.

Cinderella Fantasy: Locations and the Prefect Gowns

Well I know not every girl can afford to get married in a beautiful castle. Cinderella could be everywhere not just in a castle.
Take these beautiful Cloisters garden at the One & Only Beach Club in Nassau, Bahamas. This is a simply beautiful location and is perfect for any destination wedding.
This Carmen Marc Valvo gown is perfect for this type of location. The dress is light and flowy and perfect to billow in the Caribbean breeze. This dress is available to purchase at Bergdorf Goodman for $745. This dress would look amazing if the hair was pulled back into a loose bun with a white lily and some elegant flat sandals. and diamond stud earrings
Then there is the Disney Wedding Pavilion where brides can have Cinderellas Castle as the backdrop of this setting.
This Lanvin Gown may be out of many brides price ranges at $15,440 from Net-A-Porter. This dress would look truly magical with a cathedral length veil with no blusher, some white peep toe pumps, and some chandelier earrings.
And then the fantasy location a true castle. This is Oheka Castle in Huntington, Long Island, New York. I have seen this place first hand because my sister had her wedding here. The castle is so pretty with amazing ballrooms and gardens.
The perfect dress for this location is this ruffled Marchesa gown. This dress is $6,820 from the Bergdorf Goodman store in Manhattan, for more information call 212-872-2743. This dress would look perfect also with a chathedral length veil but this should have a blusher, some silver glitter Christian Louboutins, diamond studs, and a diamond cuff.

So what are your opinions, are the gowns I picked right for the locations that i choose them for?

The Cinderella Fantansy: Bridesmaids

The color of Cinderella is blue, so I had to do the Bridesmaids in Blue. I believe that the bridesmaids gowns should not all be the same style because not all styles look good an everyone. That is why I believe in giving a color and letting the bridesmaids pick out of their own gowns.
The first dress I picked is a Jason Wu gown that is available at Bergdorf Goodman for $5,900. This dress is elegant yet not hideous like traditional bridesmaids dresses.
Then I found this Fall 2010 Andrew Gn gown, from his recent runway show. This dress is elegant and had the simplicity that is perfect for a bridesmaid.
This Carmen Marc Valvo gown is also perfect for the trend specific bridesmaid. The dress is available for purchase for $2,860 through Bergdorf Goodman.
Then we have a gown from one of my favorite designers Elie Saab's Fall 2010 collection. This dress is simple and flowy perfect for a garden wedding.
And then this Halston Heritage gown is the last I have picked. It is available from Net-A-Porter for $545

Fall 2010 Cinderella Bridal Gowns

So this is love, mmm
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine
I'm all aglow, mmm
And now I know (and now I know)
The key to all heaven is mine
My heart has wings, mmm
And I can fly
I'll touch every star in the sky
So this is the miracle
That I've been dreaming of
Mmm, mmm
So this is love

Every girl has that Cinderella Fantasy for their wedding as they grow up, this is what I am going to show you this week. Today I am showcasing 8 gowns from Fall 2010 Bridal that just scream Cinderella to me.
First we have this gown by Angel Sanchez, this gown is simple and elegant yet modern and classic. What I love about this dress is the skirt. The ruffle detail and the cut out was very elegant.
Then there is bridal classic Badgley Mischka. This gown is perfect for the ultra stylish bride who wants to be on trend. The one shoulder detail is amazing with the floral details is perfect for a sweet yet hip Cinderella moment.
Jenny Packham is a newer designer and always brings the bling factor. This gown is very 1940's in style and I love the crystal detail at the breast.
Kenneth Pool is also a classic bridal designer. Here is a gown that is on trend with the tiered skirt, but it could still be in fashion in 20-30 years because it is classic in shape and is not overly embellished. It has a sweetheart neckline and an embroidered bodice.
Then there is the more common Melissa Sweet, who has gowns for almost any budget. This dress has that wow factor that any Cinderella would love to have. The petal detail and the slight mermaid silhouette. I love this dress, because it is detailed yet simple not gaudy.
This Monique Lhuillier dress is very trendy with all the detail and embellishments. Monique has dressed countless celebs for their big day such as Pink, Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson, and Jewel. This dress has a lot going on but it is also extremely elegant, perfect for the diva Cinderella.
Oscar de la Renta is an American classic and this dress is impecible. Oscar knows how to show the woman's figure and also knows what makes a woman feel special. I love the details in this dress all the ruffled and ruched bodice. This dress would be perfect for a destination wedding in a royal castle in Scotland.
And then we have Reem Acra who also is a bridal queen. This dress I love because of the feathering detail and the sweetheart neckline. This dress has all the drama Cinderella must command.

So what do you think did I do a good job of picking out the perfect Cinderella dress for different types of Cinderellas? Which was your favortie? Please comment and let me know, I have opened up the comments to all not just blogger users.

Dior vs Reem Acra

Why must designers copy each other. As I was doing research for this weeks Cinderella Fantasy I came across the Fall 2010 Reem Acra Bridal collection. The finale of the show had me scratching my head, why you may ask? Well the Finale dress was almost an exact copy of a Christian Dior Couture gown from the Fall 2009 collection. While the dresses are not exact copies of each other, the Reem Acra gown is fuller and not as sexy but the similarities are unmistakable. The tired tulle skirt is about the same and the bustier with the dip in the center. Well if your not convinced then check it out for your self.
Christian Dior Fall 2009 Couture.
Reem Acra Fall 2010 Bridal

So what is the verdict?

Best of the Week of April 17th to the 24th

So the celebs are back on the red carpet, thank god. I have been through countless red carpets and have narrowed down my favs. I hope that the celebs don't start going into hiding before the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute Gala and then the Cannes Film Festival. In the next coming weeks I will be posting some of my wished for these carpets. If you have any of your own requests please email them to me at tmonks93@gmail, I do check often so I will have your wish posted as soon as I can. Now on to the Best Dressed.

Well many of you know I had mixed feelings about Diane Kruger during awards season, bringing my favorite and least favorite looks she has worn. Diane wore this Spring 2010 RM by Roland Mouret Dress to the Genie Awards. Diane may have been in attendance to support her man, Joshua Jackson who won an award for best actor in "One Week," But it was Diane who stole the spotlight wearing a daring striped dress. This dress could have gone horribly wrong because stripes usually don't show up very well on the red carpet. But this dress just worked, and I love the pink Prada clutch and simple black sandals.
Then there is red carpet diva Camilla Belle who never gets it wrong. Here is my favorite of this weeks looks wearing Yves St Laurent gown to the Metropolitan Opera Gala Premiere of ‘Armida’ in New York. The dress is stunning and Camilla as always wears it with grace and elegance. She paired the gown with a Yves St Laurent clutch and black strappy heels.
Halle Berry still got IT. The 44 year old actress attended the Tod's Beverly Hills store opening wearing an Isabel Marant top, an All Saints vest, and Helmut Lang pants. The look is sexy and youthful yet age appropriate. Halle topped her look off with a Tod's bag and shoes.
Former model Helena Christensen attended the 2010 Tribeca Ball wearing Miu Miu dress availibe from Net-A-Porter for $1,260
Zoe Saldana also never ceases to look stunning on the red carpet. Here she is at the "Death at a Funeral" LA Premeire wearing a Lanvin dress. This dress is sort of similar to the Amanda Wakeley gown the I gave best dressed of the week a few weeks ago. Zoe paired her dress with a Christian Loubouitn clutch and pumps. Love this color on Zoe, truthfully I love just about any color on Zoe.

This is just my top 5 looks from the past week. Who do you like, who don't you like? Let me know who you liked the most. I have opened up the comments so that anyone can write in them, so please let me know you are reading.

The IT Item: DSquared2 Platforms

The search for this months IT Item was a long one. It started by taking to twitter and asking numerous Stores, Designers PR, and Stylists. As I started going through the items that were recommended I just wasn't finding what I was looking for. So what do I do I start going through online stores I went through Bergdorfs, Neimans, Saks, Barneys, Net-A-Porter, Nordstoms looking for the right IT Item. I knew that as soon as I saw it that I would know that it was IT. So I was taking a quick break at shopstyle.com when I came across the IT Item.
When I saw these DSquared2 platforms they automatically shouted out at me. They are super sexy and they just scream powerful to me. You will see that because these shoes are such a statement that I styled it more classic. These shoes cost $1,304 at Zappos Couture
Then I went to Net-A-Porter and styled the look. I started with this Elizabeth and James jacket that is $395.
Then the DKNY dress at a cost of $245
Paired with a simple Nancy Gonzalez crocodile clutch for $1,850
and you cant walk out of the house without bling. So how about these Erickson Beamon earrings for $365
and to shield the eyes these Fendi sunglasses for $235.

Fall 2010 Must Have: Fur for Men

So fur coats are going to be big for men this Fall, so I found a few options for all my male readers to ponder on.
Here is a full on fur from Gucci. The coat is very 1970's in style as was the woman's collection. I like this but it would only work in certain cases, most of which being styled in the same manner as the runway.
You could also go for the more masculine look with the fur-trimmed collar of the Michael Kors bomber jacket. This jacket is the most likely to show up in the local department store as it is a common style, but I personally want to own this coat because this is just AMAZING.
And then if it is early fall and it is just starting to get chilly then you could go for this fur-trimmed collar Prada cardigan. This would be perfect for hanging around the ski lodge with a hot cup of cocoa in front of the fire.

So what are the opinions on man fur? I am for it but that's just my opinion would love to hear from my readers.