December 4, 2008
by fashionpulse
The cold weather is here to stay, and we admit that we’re prone to resorting to Uggs and a bulky ski jacket to brave the blistering New York City winter. However, just because the weather is frightful doesn’t mean that you have to look that way too! Plus, with all of the holiday parties you’ll be sure to snag invites to, you’ll have to be prepared to look your best from the moment you walk in the door. Luckily, Fashion Pulse Stylist is here to help! We’ll tell you what to wear so you’ll look more like a snow goddess than a bundled up Eskimo!
The central feature of this look is most definitely the coat. The other pieces should be built to compliment this crucial item. A white or cream coat is chic and feminine, and will give the look a decidedly pristine finish. We love the wide collar and flair of this wool blend Kenneth Cole Reaction Coat, $159.99 (originally $280) at Bluefly.com. What better way to contrast the white coat than with Lipstick Red Leather Gloves from Mulberry (about $200)? We think the bows on the gloves are the perfect touch for this dainty look.
The fashion flair of the second half of the coat is just asking to be paired with a skirt or dress underneath. The metallic surface and tulle underlay of the Izzy Skirt, $38.50 at dELiA’s, is a great holiday look, and should be layered over a simple tank like this American Apparel Tri-Blend Racerback Tank ($19) in Athletic Grey. Next, add this Sequined Embellished Cardigan, $36, from Forever 21. The bow belt and black sequins will make you look more appealing than an actual present!
Of course you’ll need tights that will keep your legs super-warm. We recommend these Marled Sweater Crochet Tights, $18 from Urban Outfitters. For boots, there’s nothing that combines durability and style as well as Frye boots. These Elizabeth Wings Boots, $648 from TheFryeCompany.com, will keep your feet dry in any winter condition that the weather may throw at you, but still look very sophisticated. For an inexpensive shoe, check out these Etienne Aigner Venezia Boots, $178.50 at Zappos.com.
Now for your crown — ear muffs! These white and fluffy Juicy Couture Luxe Fur Earmuffs, $95, are certainly fit for a snow goddess like yourself!
–Sarah Ferguson
December 1, 2008
by fashionpulse
We saw a tremendous amount of exposed zippers on the runway this season, our favorites being from the fabulous Proenza Schouler spring/summer 2009 collection (pictured). Naturally we know right away that we had to participate in this trend, so we pulled together some affordable items that will help you get that exposed zipper look.
We’ve already purchased the Exposed Zipper Top (features a zipper down the back), $18.99 and Zippered Leggings, $16.99, both from Charlotte Russe, although we definitely wouldn’t wear the two items together. 
We were thrilled to find zippered leggings that didn’t cost $100, likes the coveted LNA brand ones, and the slight batwing sleeves, buckle-waist, and longer tunic length give the exposed zipper top a very of-the-moment aesthetic. Next up we found the Kensie Double-Knit Dress at Dillard’s for $49 (was $98), which most certainly channels mod-chic and also has a zipper down the back. Last of all, we foudn the splurge item — the Marc by Marc Jacobs Runway Exposed Zipper Dress, on sale for $199 (was $328) at eLUXURY.com. The cool blue color and tiered fabric gives a pulled-together, ladylike look, then turn around and go a little grunge with the exposed zipper surprise.
— Julia DiNardo
November 27, 2008
by fashionpulse
From RedCarpet-FashionAwards.com
Its a fact that every year celebrities attend a slew of award shows. The majority of these red-carpet events essentially require the starlets to dress in fancy gowns that hark back to old Hollywood glamour. However, a few nights a year, celebs have the opportunity to let their hair down, and wear something to an award show that allows their true, perhaps eccentric personalities (well, or their stylists’) to shine through. The American Music Awards is one of these nights. We have a blast watching shows like the AMAs, because when a celebrity takes the reigns of coordinating their own outfit, particularly for a performance, we are bound to be treated to an array of bizarre and outrageous garments. This year, we spotted a plethora of accessory no-nos, including such adornments as eye patches, head jewelry, and absolute ridiculous hats. Here are our five favorite accessory faux pas that we spotted at this year’s AMA’s:
Image from abc.com
We totally think Nick Jonas is adorable, but as if the shiny ensemble wasn’t enough, the green tie makes our favorite Jonas Brother look like he has just landed from outer space… or even worse–the eighties.
Image from justjared.buzznet.com
Oh Rihanna. We can never get her catchy songs out of our heads, and unfortunately we can never get her over-the-top outfits out of our heads either. At first when she appeared on stage, we were worried. We wondered if Rihanna was simply dressed up as a pirate dominatrix, or if she had lost sight in her left eye! Luckily, she quickly took off her jewel-encrusted eye patch and we were rest assured that her eye was still in tact. The moral of the story is, enjoy this pop-princess’ music, but please ignore some of her wardrobe choices! We shudder to think of the day when eye-patches become a popular fashion accessory.
Image from abc.com
While we’re on the subject of eye-wear, let’s talk about Steve Perry. This rocker came fully equipped to the award show with…night-vision goggles? Or perhaps x-ray vision goggles to check out fellow celebs without his date knowing? All we know is, his insect-like shades kind of freaked us out.
Image from abc.com
Why is Alicia Keys’ forehead jewelry coming out of the top of her head? Unless Alicia Keys has converted to Hinduism recently, we’d advise her to leave the bling around her neck or on her ears.
Image from abc.com
All we have to say about T-Pain’s studded tiger top-hat is: this tiger should have never been let out of the zoo!
–Sarah Ferguson
November 24, 2008
by fashionpulse
What do you get when you mix Marc Jacobs’ ground-breaking grunge looks of the 1990’s with the iconic and classy style of Chanel? Grunge-chic, naturally. We’ve spotted the look on celebrity fashion icons such as Mary-Kate Olsen, Lindsay Lohan, and Rachel Bilson, who are all donning Kurt Cobain- inspired plaid flannel paired with leggings and sky-high heels. If you still love Nirvana but dream of quilted purses, or if like us, just have style ADD, then this look is perfect for you! The key to achieving this style is to successfully contrast girly pieces with edgy and grungy pieces, and of course Fashion Pulse will show you how to do it!
To begin you’ll need a basic black cami, like this Cassandra Lace Cami from dELiA’s for $19.50, and some black tights (we swear by the UO Supersoft Bamboo Tights, $18 from Urban Outfitters). Next, add a colorful high–waisted tulip skirt. The pop of color will counter all of the black that you’ll be wearing with this outfit, and the tulip shape adds femininity. American Apparel’s Polyester Micro-Fiber Tulip Skirt, for $28, is perfect for this piece.
Now for the main grunge ingredient: over the tank and the skirt, layer a long sleeved plaid flannel shirt, and roll up the sleeves. We prefer the men’s Mountain Pond plaid shirt, $80 at Abercrombie and Fitch (search “mens” then click “shirts”), or you can always just “borrow” one from your dad or boyfriend! The shirt should look over-sized and a little sloppy to juxtapose the chic aspect of the look. Fasten on a black belt, like this Fashion Focus Black Croc-Stamped Patent Wide Belt from Bluefly for $27, over the flannel to accentuate your feminine features under that baggy shirt. If you want to expose the cami, leave the flannel unbuttoned and peel back the front shirttails before putting the belt on.
Image from popsugar.com
The Midnight Suede Bowtie Bootie, $88 from Urban Outfitters is the perfect shoe for this outfit because they’ve got an adorable bow, yet still have a pretty hardcore aesthetic. Finally, to top it off, add a Blair Waldorf-like black headband like this one from Forever 21 for $2.80, and voila! You are now equipped to rock out grunge-chic!
—Sarah Ferguson
