Celebrity Style – Victoria Beckham in Winter Neutrals

In winter weather its easy to get caught up in dark hues and layers upon layers of knits and wool. So what other options do we have without being splashed with spring colors? Victoria Beckham, shows us in L.A. that neutral colors with light layers can work their way into winter wardrobes. She meshes different neutrals such as a gold cardigan, nude tank, grey skinny jeans, brown open-toed booties, and a grey fedora to complete her ensemble.

The stand-out piece in this outfit are her burnt brown booties. They make the outfit pop and are the focal point of the look. Although this look can be pulled of in warmer weather places like in L.A., cold weather dwellers will have to add a scarf or extra neutral colored cardigan to bundle up. The good thing about neutrals? You can use them in any season with different accessories!

Take a browse through the fashion widget and see what you can add to mix up your wardrobe.

Ten Minutes with Jewelry Designer Emily Miranda

It may seem like an oxymoron, but many of the otherworldly pieces by Emily Miranda Studio are  crafted using materials from the natural world that’s all around us. Consider, for example, the showstopping cuff coaxed from freshwater pearls, rhinestones, silk cord, and seashells. The truly daring can draw a crowd with the claw earrings featuring herk diamonds, pyrite, gold leaf, and alligator claws. Emily’s work also gives homage to other artistic traditions with pieces such as the leafy Matisse necklace and the origami-ish folded ring. She claims to “not get out much,” but wearing Emily Miranda jewelry is sure to get you through more than a few fashionably festive doors.

Oligoville: In five words or less, Emily Miranda Studio is. . .

Emily: A wearable, fanciful sculpture venture.

Oligoville: How would you describe your ideal customer?

Emily: Bold, discerning, intelligent, curious.

Oligoville: How’d you end up as a designer?

Emily: By way of painting, by way of sculpture, by way of cakes.

Oligoville: How/when did you launch your brand?

Emily: About a year ago, through spending way too much time working alone, superlative family and friends, and an ongoing series of fortunate accidents.

Oligoville: How do cakes fit into your design life?

Emily: For me they were the gateway drug to jewelry design.

Oligoville: Who and/or what inspires you?

Emily: Birds, animals, insects, bivalves, aberrant conchology, folded paper, line drawings.

Oligoville: What’s 24 hours like in your life?

Emily: Coffee, email, studio, studio, studio, sleep, repeat.

Oligoville: What’s in your closet? What are you wearing right now?

Emily: A lutz & patmos cashmere track suit under French plumber’s coveralls, and a suede apron with lightning bolts sewn on it. No kidding. Cashmere socks and clogs.

Oligoville: What’s in your bag right now?

Emily: I’m trying to limit everything to coat pockets at the moment.

Oligoville: Tell us about some unexpected setbacks you have faced since starting your business and what you learned.

Emily: Tons of rookie mistakes. Too many to name. I keep a quote by Winston Churchill nearby: “Success is going from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”

Oligoville: What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

Emily: To make exactly what I like and have other people like it too.

Oligoville: Tell us where you expect to see your business in the next five years.

Emily: Bigger, better, faster, stronger. I’d also be thrilled if I could pay my mortgage on time.

Oligoville: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Emily: If someone tells you “it can’t be done,” please note that they have never tried it themselves.

Oligoville: What’s on your playlist right now?

Emily: Lots of NPR and audiobooks. When its time to rock out, The Stooges. I chill to Philip Glass.

FASHION BY THE RULES: AWARDS SEASON 2

Well 2 weeks into the season I see a marked improvement from the ladies of the world of television and movies. When the season lasts as long as this, there is always possible redemption, at least fashionably speaking. This week with the SAG awards, I have to say that we were exposed to a side of Hollywood which is rarely exposed, the tasteful, less over the top image which we have become so accustomed to seeing.

Take for example Mariah Carey, who literally, opted to keep her Golden Globes hidden from public view and Christina Kendrick who opted to wear sizzling red that was head and shoulders more chic and tasteful than last weeks peach debacle.

The SAG awards showed us a very tasteful, less adorned and somehow more realistic approach of “awards” fashion. Not as much dazzling borrowed jewelry and much more toned down attire and surprisingly better hair, not great but better.

I was wondering if some of the gals had feedback from the Golden Globes or this welcomed change was just serendipity. Take for example the wondrous transformation of Sandra Bullock from frumpy in what looked like a dime sore fairy dress to a chic confident STAR. Sophia Loren, at 75, outshone so many of the “starlets” of the new decade or Helen Mire who clearly understands tasteful and chic. And the lovely Juliana Margulies who bravely wore Narciso Rodriguez with great presence.

One has to think that maybe when the situation involves only your “peers” you tend to relax the dress code a bit since they are your co-workers. Whatever the reason, I am hoping to see a dressed up, yet no over the top, remainder of the season which will culminate with the Academy awards.

Also worth mentioning is Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Monaghan, Drew Barrymore, Kyra Sedgewick and most of all Meryl Streep who looked divine in print and who doesn’t get caught up in all the “who are you wearing” stuff and prefers that her talent speak for her.

Many thanks to People Magazine, The New York Post and Style.com

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