Moving Day

My bags are packed (oh how I wish they were the Vuitton trunks above, but alas my cardboard boxes and hockey size duffels will have to do) and I am moving from Chicago to Boston this week! Posts from me will be limited the next couple of days, so I apologize for that, but just wait until next week when I reveal for some major Fashion Week news, a new designer spotlight, and a review of the fashion from the SAG and Grammy Awards. Thanks for being patient with me!

xoxo

Posen for Target

Even though we are still finding Rodarte on their sale rack and are waiting for Jean Paul Gaultier's collection debut in March, Target has already started releasing photos of the Zac Posen collection coming to Target April 25 through May 30. The collection is a bit of a departure from the gorgeous evening gowns we are used to seeing from Posen on the red carpet and from the collection he designed for Target Australia (see below).


However the prints are adorable and if the cut on the Target collection flatters a woman's figure as well as a Posen original does, with prices ranging from $19.99 to $90 we may be living in this collection from here on out.

Are you over the designer/Target collaborations or will you be waiting in line on April 25?

Photos from Fashionista.com

Style Source: Anna Dello Russo

This Style Source has been a long time coming. I actually started it back in September when Anna Dello Russo was photographed everywhere during fashion week, and FB&F featured her as our Chic of the Week in October, but no matter the publishing date Anna Dello Russo, Fashion Director at large for Vogue Nippon, is a timeless style inspiration source and credit must be paid.

If you Google Anna Dello Russo and you will find quotes like:
"Russo wears the clothing and becomes part of the art rather than being mere hanger. Her wearing of the clothes, the way she holds her body, selecting the right fit; all tells the story of a woman engaged in her fashion passion (and with designer guardian angels, rather than a beautiful person in a lovely dress."

"This incredible specimen is always incredibly put together, always sophisticated with a unique allure. Just spectacular. A true rock-star. But really, at least in Japan, quite literally."

These are just two opinions from the thousands of admiring fans out there, and we at FB&F completely echo their sentiments. This amazing woman has no fears when it comes to fashion. She somehow makes feathers, ballgowns, couture, or extreme color daytime appropriate and look as easy-to-wear as jeans and a t-shirt. She wears designer clothing straight off the runway, and always accessorizes them with an amazing pair of heels and some eye-catching jewelry and sunglasses.

Some of our favorite Anna Dello Russo looks (note the bright colors, the incredible shoes, the hat!!):

Anna with her stylish friends and assistants (note the pins, belts, jewelry, peach heels!!):

Wearing looks directly off the Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, and Prada runways:




You may be thinking that her ensembles seem a bit too "out there" for your everyday wear, but no matter your personal style you can find inspiration in the courage and fun that Anna Dello Russo has with fashion. I have multiple photos of Anna Dello Russo on my inspiration board, and every morning when I see a photo of her it encourages me to be a little bolder and take more risks with fashion.

So what does this mean for you and your couture-free closet? It means wear a fun hat, put a big pin on your blouse, wear on a waist-defining belt, wear fabulous heels with everything, surround yourself with fabulously stylish friends, and most importantly don't be afraid to take risks!

Want more Anna Dello Russo? Extra credit reading:
-A Day in the Life of: Anna Dello Russo on Style.com
-Anna, at the Ritz, a post by one of my favorite bloggers/photographers Garance Dore who visited Anna's room at the Ritz in Paris and posted photos of their amazing afternoon on her blog

Pictures from The Sartorialist, Style.com, and Street Peeper

Opposites Attract at the Golden Globes

With the exception of a few color standouts like Diane Kruger in fuchsia, Cameron Diaz in red McQueen, and Sandra Bullock in bright purple, the red carpet at the Golden Globes was covered with stars wearing either white/skin tone gowns or black. The color families may have been opposite, but both hues shared insane sex appeal, with thigh-high slits and low necklines, and the addition of ornate details, such as ruffles and beading.

Emily Blunt in Dolce & Gabbana , Drew Barrymore in Versace, Christina Hendricks in Christian Siriano

Calista Flockhart in Alberta Ferretti, Kate Hudson in Marchesa, Jennifer Garner in Atelier Versace

Jennifer Aniston in Valention, Courtney Cox Artquette in Victoria Beckham, Heather Graham in Elie Saab

Halle Berry in Kaufman Franco, January Jones in Lanvin, Julia Roberts in vintage YSL

What did you think of this year's fashion? Anything you didn't see at the Golden Globes that you are hoping to see at the Oscars? Who had your overall favorite look?

Most photos courtesy of InStyle.com

Best Bargains

Image from Fashionista.com

One of our favorite blogs, Fashionista, put up a post today about a topic very near and dear to our flat broke hearts, sample sale websites. I'm sure everyone belongs to at least one by now, if not five, and we have featured our favorite one, Gilt Groupe, many times on FB&F including it in our list of Favorite Shopping Sites.

Gilt Groupe may have been the first on the market, but with ideeli, RueLaLa, Swirl, CutDrop out there now, is it still the best? Fashionista tackles that question in Flash Sales Go To Battle which is definitely worth checking out today if you have a minute.

How many sample sales websites do you visit? Which is your favorite?

Utilities Included

Looks from the Utility Collection available at Gap.com

Gap's new Utility collection for spring is one of those things that FB&F loves : on-trend designs made by a company whose quality you trust at a price that works for our very little pocketbooks. The key pieces of the collection - cargo pants, military sweaters, camp skirts - are great updates on classics that are perfect for work or weekend when paired with great heels or flats and a button down or cardigan. Patrick Robinson, Head of Design at Gap, has made a little video about each of the key pieces, so if you have a minute check them out on Gap.com.

My favorite piece is the green anorak jacket below. I can imagine this coat, which The Cut describes as "epitomizing this season’s relaxed, effortless style," making a seamless transition into my closet and my list of spring favorites. I want to keep my overall look feminine, so I would pair this with short skirts, pretty dresses, soft scarves, and lots of jewelry.

Military anorak, $79.50 at Gap.com

Plus having this jacket in my closet, would give me the opportunity to echo a look that one of our Style Sources, Sylvana Soto-Ward, wore to the office one day in the Vogue.com article Five Days, Five Looks, One Girl.

Image from Vogue.com

Top 9 of 2009

We just wanted to say thank you very much to all of our readers for making 2009 such a fabulous year for FB&F! This was a great year, and we hope to make 2010 even better for our readers. In order to do so, we want to make sure that we are giving you everything you want on FB&F, and based on the most read posts of 2009 (aka The Top 9 of 2009 below) it seems that what you want more of are our Style Source posts so get ready for more!

Take a look at The Top 9 of 2009 and read any that you might have missed, or revisit those that you love, and please comment to let us know if you agree and want more Style Source articles in 2010, in addition to news on new designers, trends, sales, etc... or if there is something we are missing that you want to find on FB&F. Thank you for reading!

1) Style Source: Giovanna Battaglia
2) Looks like a Sneaker, Feels like a Pump
3) Style Source: Taylor Jacobson
4) Style Source: Annabelle Dexter-Jones
5) Style Source: Clueless
6) Aloha Style
7) She's On
8) Style Source: Julia Frakes
9) Rachel Rachel Roy

Happy New Year!

xoxo
Marilla and Alice