Alexander McQueen: Tribute's End

This would be my last entry of shoes for the month of February and the end to my month's tribute to Alexander McQueen in my shoe blog.  I've been away in the blogosphere for quite a while and I want to make my comeback special and memorable by posting the most talked about shoe of the late Alexander McQueen... yes, the infamous "armadillo" shoes from his Paris Spring 2010 collection.

I personally don't like the shoe but on the runway, like what he usually does, it was a spectacular moment in fashion.  The armadillo shoe was first worn by Lady Gaga in her Bad Romance music video but it was Daphne Guiness who had the guts to wear it in an event.  We were all in astonishment when another fashion risk taker, Kelis, wore the same shoe during the 1st Annual Data Awards on January 28, a few weeks before McQueen claimed his own life.  

The armadillo shoe and other McQueen runway OTTs, will forever remind us that fashion has no limits and every design is an acceptable form of art where millions of neurons were put to the ultimate test to put the pieces together.  Just like a family who has lost its member, the fashion industry has lost a great artist, but the as old adage goes, the show must go on.

He will be remembered for as long as the world knows fashion.

The Shoe Diet

Let me just take a break in posting the most beautiful shoes in the market and let me focus for a while in this really interesting book that I accidentally found as I was browsing for interesting topics about shoes.  The browsing brought me to The Shoe Diet.

I got curious about the title, it made me think three of things: the book is about the process of rehab for shoe addiction or you will become thin by wearing a specific type of shoe or you become thin by eating a shoe.  Ok, so the third thought was out of this world but anything is possible.  

I researched further to finally get me out of curiosity and I arrived at the book's official website.  The author of the book, Isabelle R. Shaw--a noted scientist and researcher, would like to show women a different strategy to lose weight... not to eat shoe, but to reward oneself with her most coveted shoe in every milestone of her dieting adventure.  The author shares her personal experiences in dieting and her love for shoes and how she incorporated both to make an effective weight loss program.  Great idea!  

I hate dieting, the thought of it makes me cringe.  I haven't read the book but the idea of rewarding a shoe addict with a shoe for being a good girl--it's a deal!

Dissecting Annalynne McCord

 

Do you know how old is she?  Judging from this picture, she looks 30.  After verification, she's only 22, she was born on July 16, 1987.

The 90210 star clearly doesn't want to dress her age.  Yes, yes, yes.  She's of age, but the cleavage and too much legs made her look trashy and trying too hard.  The ruffled hemline and hoop earrings also didn't do well with the whole look.  In all aspects, 77% voted in People Magazine that this is a miss.  

Do not try to convince me that she has a good fashion sense because I haven't seen in her in the many lists of best dressed in Hollywood.  Do not also try to defend that most stars in the list has established career and already earned a million... many starlets in the biz has a good sense of style sans a stylist, take for example  Selena Gomez, Jessica Szhor, Leighton Meester and many others.  She has a nice figure, really gorgeous hair and a beautiful face... and I bet by this time she has already earned enough to hire a stylist.

Can somebody offer her a make-under???

Alexander McQueen

I was watching the early news today and I was shocked when the anchor announced Alexander McQueen was found dead in his house.The cause of his death is still unknown but there are speculations that he committed suicide because of depression brought about by his mother's death. 

 

Image from Harper's Bazaar.

I chose Alexander McQueen's red, devilish hot boots as the maiden entry of this blog.  He is a brilliant designer--outrageous and brilliant are the exact words to explain his pieces.   He is at the pinnacle of his success but unfortunately his career has to end soon.  Anna Wintour considered him as one of the greatest designers of his generation--I agree.  McQueen's runway shows were always a production, an entertainment in itself, and once again-even for the last time, he never disappointed his guests during his 2010 collection.  It is no wonder why celebrities and high society people go crazy about his designs.  He once dressed Madonna, Sandra Bullock, Kate Moss and the most recent was Lady Gaga wherein in she wore in her Bad Romance video his most outrageous shoe designs.

To pay tribute to Alexander McQueen, I will dedicate the whole month of February of my shoe blog to him.

Celebrity Red Carpet Gowns For Less

Awards nights are the chance for celebrities to show off their star status.  What they will wear in every awards night takes months of careful planning with a stylist.  Gowns from designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Armani, Naeem Khan, Gucci, Versace, Monique Lhuillier and other noted celebrity favorites are delivered and fitted to stars... and their price starts at $4,000.  If you would compute the worth of what a celebrity is wearing on the red carpet, you'd be blown away because most red carpet veterans like Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston's complete look costs more than $1 million.  Us mere mortals obviously could not afford to wear such extravagance but we have options.  E-dress Me offers celebrity inspired gowns at reasonable prices so that you can be a star without asking for world peace.

 

During the 2009 Oscars, Miley Cyrus' gown by Zuhair Murad costs thousands but the recreation by Terani Couture costs only $470.

  

Anne Hathaway was breathtaking in this Armani beaded gown she wore during the Oscars 2009 but you can get the same look for less by wearing this Terani Couture strapless pailette gown for only $498. 

  

Beyonce at the 2009 Golden Globe was sparkling in this Elie Saab number but the same look may be achievable with the Terani Couture recreation for only $450.

Clothed in Nude

Nude is one of the re-appearing trends in the runways and I couldn't agree less if designers always include it in their collection regardless of the season because it is a versatile color and although it washes out fair skinned, it is generally flattering.  Here are some nude things that you might want to include in your wardrobe.

This Valentino Glamorous Bow Pumps, $695 at Saks Fifth Avenue, with the bow detail at the back made this pump really interesting.  Wear with a dress that shows your legs so that your friends will ogle with envy at the beauty of your shoe.  The D&G Royal Pump on the right gives the same effect as the Valentino pump for a fraction of the cost.  Get this at Forward Forward for $315 (previously $525).

 

This Newport tiered dress is sexy enough without showing too much skin, for $89 at Newport News this is already a value but the Jessica Howard tiered dress (right) at Dillard's sells for $80, you get $9 savings... but wait, you can have another dollar saved for the same dress at Spiegel.

The Origami Dress: Splurge, Save and Steal

I've been seeing a lot of gorgeous dresses and gowns in Hollywood with origami folds.  Could this mean the Japanese art has won Hollywood invasion?

 

Photo courtesy of mystyle.com

Here Camilla Belle (middle) is wearing a Giorgio Armani frock while Diana Ramirez and Rihanna are wearing a Stephane Rolland.

If you want to sashay one of those origami dresses here are your splurge, save and steal options.

SPLURGE

 

David Meester strapless origami dress at Neiman Marcus, $448.

 

SAVE

 

Voom Vanessa strapless origami dress at Shop Rumor, $216. This dress (in blue) was already worn by Guiliana Rancic and Kristy Flores.

STEAL

 

Teez Me strapless origami dress at Dillard's, $69.

Grandma's Last Will

Grandma has only days to live... she could be gone days after this blog and she could be gone even before the day ends.  The time she was diagnosed with brain cancer up to the time that I learned about her story, his only grandchild  looked after her.

Grandma:  Come here boy, I have something very important to tell you.
Grandson:  What is it Grandma?
Grandma:  You know that you are the only relative I have and despite my condition, you never left me in one of those nursing homes for the sick and aged like me... and I thank you for that.
Grandson:  That is nothing compared to the love and care you've given me since my parents died.  You are now my mother and I love you so much!
Grandma:  Only He knows when I will be gone, I have already accepted it in exchange that He will take care of you in my behalf.  There are things that you didn't know of and I think this is the best time for me to tell it all to you.
Grandson:  What are you talking about, Grandma?
Grandma:  In your name I will leave you my land, all my animals and all the things I have come to acquire throughout the years.  Promise me that you will take care of them.  Promise me.
Grandson:  I promise, Grandma... I promise and I will never let you down.  Where is it then?
Grandma:  In Farmville... my Facebook account is grandma@yahoo.com and my password is grandson.  By the way, it is almost time to harvest my pumpkins... could you please harvest it for me before they wilt?