February 15, 2016
by fashion pulse contributor
by Connor Norton
Raquel Allegra, in her Fall 2016 presentation, entitled “Good Vibrations”, divorced herself from the muted, pale pastels of her previous collections for a more vibrant, playful aesthetic. Models, carefully positioned on road cases meant for storing stage equipment, nostalgically recalled the band groupies of the 80s and 90s. Silk, gauze, alpaca wool, chiffon, and surprisingly, velvet were just a few of the textiles employed to create Allegra’s signature oversized and billowy silhouettes. Missing from the fall collection was the designer’s trademark webbed cotton cocoon tees, however, Allegra’s classic use of tie-dye appeared in the collection as well as varying shades of burgundy, mustard yellow, heather gray, hot pink, deep purple, and royal blue.
Floral prints also surfaced in Allegra’s fall presentation; the most impressive look of the collection was a tie-dyed blue velvet blazer cordially called the “Bowie Blazer”, layered upon a grey-blue, silk charmeuse blouse paired with tie-dyed blue velvet flare trousers. This season marked a noteworthy transition from her previously soft and subdued collections towards a more whimsical and eccentric design aesthetic.
February 1, 2016
by Julia DiNardo
With the start of the new month today, there’s one thing that is weighing heavily on my mind: New York Fashion Week. Running from February 11-18th this year and showcasing the fall/winter fashions for 2016, this one is certainly a doozy, bulldozing right through Valentine’s Day and the President Day holiday.
I candidly admit that this particular February showing is not my favorite to dress for and navigate; it’s bitterly cold, New York always gets hit with snowfall for a portion of it, and any attempt to look glamorous quickly becomes eclipsed by the desire to stay warm — and safe. By safe, I mean shoes that can function in inclement weather, that won’t leave one atop thin stilettos, navigating piles of snow, ice, and slush.
Even though I’ve been attending New York Fashion Week since 2003, I could only find pictures dating back to February of 2007, and in those nine years my style has certainly evolved, however one thing has stayed the same: I am a huge fan of layering. Wearing a sequined top? Throw a layer underneath. How about a sleeveless dress? It’s time for a non-intrusive turtleneck underneath. What about a skin tight merino wool sweater? There’s definitely room for another layer under it, don’t even think of not trying it!
The picture at top is pretty much all you need to know about how I feel about dressing for New York Fashion Week in February, but let’s take a quick look back at some of the items I’ve worn, listed in chronological order, to the shows:
[Photo by Giafrese]
[Photo by Giafrese]
September 23, 2015
by Julia DiNardo
[Two different hair looks at the Banana Republic spring 2016 presentation]
It may sound odd, but for me, the hardest of the trio to master, among hair, makeup, or nails, is…hair. With nails and your face, the surface that you need to work with is pretty straightforward and universal, yet with hair, there are so many variables that can come into play that it can get downright tricky. Thankfully, there are step by step guides and tricks from the pros to help along the way, and practice does make perfect, but oftentimes I run out of patience (and time) to master a great hair look.
This season, however, can truly instill confidence in the most hair styling challenged (like me), thanks to the simplistic looks, easily recreated to be identical to those popular on the runway. See below for the top trends, and of course, some of the trade secrets on how to easily achieve them on your own.
Simple, Down, & Polished
[Image courtesy of Red Door Spa]
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September 22, 2015
by Julia DiNardo
[A model backstage at Mara Hoffman]
If you aren’t a fan of a lot of makeup, rejoice in the fact that the bulk of it disappeared from the runways this season! “Natural” makeup is in, with the occasional bright lid color or lip here and there. See below for Fashion Pulse Daily’s top four makeup trends for spring 2016:
Au Natural & Fresh
[Image Courtesy of NARS]
Uzo, NARS International Lead Makeup Stylist at Tanya Taylor took the lead from the inspiration, Meryl Streep’s protagonist from the film “Out of Africa,” with largely natural, slightly flushed pink-lilac shades blended on the lips and cheeks.
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