Monday, February 28, 2011

And the Oscar goes to...

A pretty predictable Oscar night was livened up with great fashion as always (and others not so great...Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon). Here are my favorites:

The nominees are...

Best High Fashion Look: Cate Blanchet in Givenchy

This is more a piece of art than a dress but I love it for its uniqueness and structured bodice coupled with a flowing pleated bottom. The purple pastel and yellow detailing on the shoulders and back are the icing on this spectacularly ornamented cake.


Best Color Combination: Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott

I love all things sequined and Amy Adams achieved perfection with the beautiful color combination of her voluminous wavy red hair, navy sequins and emerald jewelry.

Best Age Appropriate Look: Celine Dion in Giorgio Armani Prive

After having twins a mere four months ago, my hat is off to Celine Dion who looked incredibly stunning in this nude Armani gown. The loose waves and simple necklace make this timeless look another one of my favorites.

Best personal style: Florence Welch in Valentino

Florence Welch stayed true to her style in this Valentino Couture maxi dress. While her hair could have used a comb through it, lace and ruffles are two of my favorite things at the moment so she made my list.

Most Wearable: Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein.

If I had to pick a dress to wear myself, I think it would be this one. The always stunning, Gwyneth Paltrow wore Calvin Klein and was perfectly styled with simple jewelry and straight hair to create this sleek and sophisticated look.

Most comfortable: Mila Kunis in Elie Saab

A close runner up, Mila Kunis wore this lavender chiffon gown so well. While others looked like breathing was a chore and took tiny one inch steps down the red carpet, Mila breezed right in in this elegant dress. The tiered lace and simple diamond diamond earrings complete this very romantic look.


And the Oscar goes to: Halle Berry in Marchesa. 

Maybe its because she's gorgeous and could win best dressed in a brown paper sack with a body like that but my pick for best dressed goes to Halle Berry. Simply breathtaking.  

Hope you all had a great weekend!

xx,
Shanelé




Sunday, February 27, 2011

Raise your mini-glasses

...To the BEST Mom in the whole, wide world:




Today is my Mom's birthday. As evidenced above, she has quite the obsession with all things mini or 'coot coot' as she calls it. While I can't be back in Illinois to hand deliver an extra special birthday cream horn, I am dedicating today's post to the best mom anyone could ever ask for. For making me who I am, raising four kids (correction: three kids and one varmint) while working full-time, and being genuinely one of the nicest and most selfless people I've ever met, I speak for everyone when I say thank you for being you...oh, and for putting up with Dad. I hope one day I can be half as good of a mother and wife. Happy Birthday!

Cheers,
 Shanelé

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Looks for Less - Forever Finds

One thing you will quickly discover about me is that I am always on the lookout for a deal. I must say that I get it honest though. My late Grandmother could quite possibly have been the BIGGEST bargain shopper known to man. She was always impeccably dressed in outfits with unique pieces from Catholic Charities (or the "C.C. Boutique" as she called it) and yard sales around the nation (literally).  With that, I will leave you with some budget-concious finds I discovered on a recent Forever 21 online shopping session.

1) Shop Mamie High Tides Cropped Jacket $44  vs.  Forever 21 Striped Commander Jacket $24.80


I have not seen the Forever version of this jacket in person but it's hard to identify any major differences other than I think the Shop Mamie version is navy & cream while Forever 21 jacket is black & cream. Either way they Shop Mamie version won't break the bank if navy fits better with your wardrobe.

P.S. One of my favorite bloggers is Kendi Lea [top] at Kendi Everyday. I'm particularly inspired by her ability to mix and match different pieces in her closet to create a new look everyday. Luckily, I already have a lot of her pieces so look forward to those outfit posts!

2. Anthropologie Ocean Jasper Necklace $798  vs.  Forever 21 Geology Charm Necklace $6.80




There's no question that the Anthropologie version is better quality. But is it 100+ times better?? The chain on the Forever necklace will likely tarnish with a couple wears but I simply buy one nice gold chain and switch out charms as needed.

3. Alexander Wang Trish Leather Wedge Mules $575 vs. Forever 21 Leatherette Wedge Loafers $29.80


Side by side, the Alexander Wang loafers clearly look better but I saw the Forever 21 version at the store last week and they're really not that bad. And for under $30 (albeit slightly), I think these would look cute with some flared, high-waisted jeans or trousers. 
                                                                           xx,
Shanelé




















Monday, February 21, 2011

Winter Winds




Coat: Sportstaff
Scarf, Gold Ring, Bracelet, Booties: Forever 21
Shirt: H&M
Vest, Belt, Trousers: Zara
Purse: 1940s vintage from Pippin Vintage
After co-workers asking a handful of times, 'Do you even own a pair of pants?' it was time to head to Zara and stock up. And what a great time it was considering all trousers are deeply discounted to clear post-holiday inventory.

I wore this to a birthday party at a loft in SoHo Saturday night.  These army-green Zara trousers helped me withstand the 50 mph gale-force winds while hunting desperately for an open cab. I really liked the antique feel of this vest and its gold-embellished floral pattern provided just enough glitz to complete this high/low look. 

                                                               xx,
                                                               Shanelé

Sunday, February 20, 2011

A New Beginning

Welcome to Shanelé-

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to find something outside of work to break up the monotony of Life in the Cubicle. After personal reflecting about things I love (read: shopping, food, all things lovely) and the end of February quickly approaching, I figured no better time than now to start a blog of my own.

By way of background, I am a 25-yr-old living in New York City for the last year after growing up on a farm in middle-of-nowhere Illinois, living in Chicago for two years post-college and a much-to-short 6-month stint in San Francisco. You will rarely find me on the streets of New York without a Forever 25...I mean 21, H&M or Zara shopping bag...or all three. It's a sick addiction. But with this blog, I will justify the time and money that I waste spend on this incessant shopping spree.

This blog is a work in progress so any recommendations on how to make it better are welcome and much appreciated.

xx,
Shanelé
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