Archive for the Haute Hollywood Category

In the midst of the whole Leno/Conan/Jimmy Fallon NBC changes – with Jay Leno moving back to 11:35 pm in mid February, and Conan and Fallon on hold to move their shows back later (meaning “The Tonight Show” would actually really be The Tomorrow Show), here’s the controversy that really interests US at Fashionrules.com: to wear the new prints, or not to wear the new prints? Spring collections have all kinds of African and Ikat style prints in them – a lot of designs combined bright prints in different hues together. And let’s face it, if you’re going to wear prints – with color – better do it in spring. In any case, Nicholas Ghesquire, the designer of Parisian line Balenciaga, sets a lot of trends in fashion. And he’s rarely done prints. So when you see Balenciaga doing print, you know they’re going to really trickle down. Jennifer Connelly, going on “The Letterman Show” tonight (avoiding the NBC controversy – and Letterman is Number One now at night), matched her spring Balenciaga short print skirt with a black top and blazer, making it more wintery – but still adding a spring fashion element. Tres chic. Now only if she would say something as interesting as she looks. She’s famous for being a particularly dull interview. But she sure does have a few good designer friends.

Oscar winning actress Marion Cotillard picked up a tribute at the Palm Springs Film Festival last week, and then moved on to Los Angeles, where on Saturday night, Dior – for whom she does print ads – hosted a chic cocktail party for her at the Chateau Marmont, with some pretty heavy hitters in tow. If a list of an actress’s upcoming major projects isn’t enough (Cotillard is starring in “Incenption,” the new Christopher Nolan film with Leo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt; “Second Coming” with Mark Ruffalo, and “The Rivals,” a battle of the actress divas Sarah Bernhardt and Eleonora Duse in the 18th century – with Nicole Kidman), check out this list of who went on Saturday night to pay tribute: directors Michael Mann and Jim Sheridan, and actors Sean Penn, Tobey Maguire and Jake Gylenhaal. Cotillard shined in a lovely Dior silver mini and was the belle of the ball – since none of her “Nine” co-stars were on hand. We’ll get to see a lot more of her Dior wardrobe this weekend, we have a feeling.

Leighton Meester always wears fun clothes – she’s got great style, a zest for fun, a great figure, and of course, being on the hottest show on tv (“Gossip Girl” on the CW) doesn’t hurt her access to amazing clothes. For a New Year’s singing engagement in Chicago this year, she jumped on a spring trend: a lace top over an exposed bra, and added a fall trend: trousers – to the look. The combo was original and exciting – sexy and boyish at the same time. Meanwhile, her first album, “Love Is a Drug,” is coming out within the next few months, so we have a feeling she will have a hotter, edgier look for her singing carer. She says the music is going to be very dancey and edgey, a cross between Madonna and Blondie. Let’s hope it’s fun – and not embarrassing. At least, we know there will be good fashion involved.

We’ve been telling you the Emilio Pucci, which is what Pucci is being called now – under designer Peter Dundas – is hot, hot, hot. So hot, in fact, that Fergie wore this silver blue-ish mesh wrapped burn out long sleeved mini by Pucci resort to ring in the New Year in Times Square. And while the rest of New York City was shivering its buns off in giant furs on New Year’s Eve, here’s Fergie onstage, letting it all hang out with no coat or fur or anything – and with full leg exposure! Well, you gotta love it. Here’s a look at the dress as it was shown on the runway for resort, and expect to see a lot of resort looks – where are shorter collections, with less looks – turning up from now till February or March, when spring looks really kick in.

Rihanna and Jay Z appear on the New Year’s Eve countdown show with Carson Daly – and since it pre-taped this week, we get to give you a preview of what Rihanna was wearing! A gorgeous white fur coat – with, of course, a camisole and short skirt underneath. That’s enough heat to warm up Times Square as the new decade is welcomed in. Rihanna, of course, is greeting it in fine style.

Yes, we were riveted by everything that Rihanna was saying to Diane Sawyer on “Good Morning America” yesterday and today. It was her first interview where she discusses what really happened with ex-love Chris Brown the night she was physically abused by him. That interview will also air on ABC’s “20/20.” But, we hate to admit it, we were also riveted by Rihanna’s dress. It’s a white sweater looking dress, clingy, with a high neck and fluffs of white fur on its short chic sleeves. We discovered the dress is part of the Fendi fall 2009 collection, and was shown on the runway with a black corset over it. (Somehow, we have the feeling Rihanna owns the corset, but left it home at the advice of her manager). Rihanna’s dark chocolate hair is now a more golden shade, and her makeup was also very gold with earth tones. And the cut is even more dramatic – thanks to her stylist Tippi Shorter, who also does Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson.

The L.A. Times Styles section is throwing a very appropriate holiday fashion party: a fashion swap. It will be at the W Westwood Hotel on Monday November 16th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, at 930 Hilgard Avenue. This is actually the second annual clothing swap to be held at the W’s Whiskey Bar. They’re asking trendy ladies to bring a cocktail dress, and swap it for a new one – which is actually a genius idea for a party. Guests can bring up to a maximum of 10 cocktail dresses to swap. These should be in near new condition and things that you would wear or have worn but aren’t in love with any more. Feel free to bring in extras as they will be donating any leftover goods to Women Helping Women, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering low income women to achieve self-sufficiency through employment success.
Please RSVP to rsvpwlaevents@whotels.com
The first 50 guests to attend will receive a special gift from Make Love Not Trash

It’s always fun to see what stars are wearing on their off-time. Yes, it’s usually jeans or leggings. but the question is: WHICH jeans, and WHICH leggings? Because whatever way they go, so go the trends. Kate Beckinsale was spotted having lunch at the W in Westwood this warm weekend in the J Brand Oz brushed cotton twill jeans thatare in black and white. She did them with a pale heeled shoe and a white long t, and a chic bag – and it completely worked. We keep hearing the unusual washes are coming back – including tie-dye – but now that we see it on Kate, we believe.Susie Crippen from JBrand commented, “I always love to see what Kate wears…she has created a perfect blend of California chic and English girl style.” If you want to purchase these jeans, the correct way to refer to them is:
910 Low Rise Pencil Leg in Oz (Black and White Tie-Dye Luxe Twill)
Of course, it doesn’t hurt if you look like Kate Beckinsale in them.

Now that Meryl Streep is really looking like the frontrunner to scoop up all the statuettes this season for “Julie & Julia,” her fashion sense seems to be improving. While she’s been in Rome this week for the Rome Film Festival, she’s been dressed by Alberta Ferretti, and this black scoop neck gown is their second collaboration. What we really love about it is that with her hair in this perfect chignon and her soft makeup, Streep looks very Uma Thurman – the dress makes her seem more statuesque and sophisticated. Brava! MSNBC.com did a long piece this weekend on the possible female Oscar and Globe nominees, and the frontrunners