Look-of-the-Day

It was hard trying to find an outfit from a romantic comedy that also happens to feature the team colors of the New York Giants, who won the Super Bowl last night, but then we stumbled on this!  Here is Jennifer Garner in Valentine’s Day (I guess it would have made more sense to post this on the actual holiday…) sporting an A-line blue skirt with a red and white polka-dotted cardigan, while Ashton Kutcher delivers her flowers at the school she teaches in.  Garner certainly looks at home holding that textbook with her red nails and ponytail – if she didn’t get into acting, she would have made one adorable schoolteacher!  This 2010 rom-com by Garry Marshall got horrible reviews, but it had some cute parts with these two, Julia Roberts and a bevy of other Hollywood A-listers.  At least the girls got to wear some cute clothes!  (Doesn’t that always make everything better?)  Go Giants!

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Look-of-the-Day

Today begins our “12 Days of Christmas Countdown,” where we list our favorite holiday movie looks everyday until Christmas!  Here is our beloved Keira Knightley in Love Actually.  Keira was only 18 when she played Juliet – a fitting name for the love interest stuck in a tricky triangle.  Here, she’s wearing a cropped, off-the-shoulder cream-colored top with cable-knit detail and slim-cut jeans.  In this scene, Juliet’s husband’s buddy, Mark, admits how he really feels about his best friend’s girl – it’s love actually… not the contempt she thought he had for her.  Even though Mark doesn’t win her heart, at least he gets a goodnight kiss from this English cutie!  We still can’t believe she’s only a teenager here!

Look-of-the-Day

theSkinnyStiletto has been on a bit of a hiatus, because our main editor was on a work stint in Washington, DC for the last six weeks, but she’s so glad to be back home!  (And back to writing!  Which is pretty difficult when you don’t have a computer in your apartment!)  Today is the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the event which would eventually draw the United States into World War II.  A movie by the same name was made 10 years ago starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and this beauty pictured above, Kate Beckinsale.  The three play friends and lovers in a dramatic triangle set to the background of the attacks in Hawaii.  Beckinsale plays a nurse in the US Navy, and sports some stunning 1940s looks (which we’ll definitely compile in a future article…), but we just couldn’t take our eyes off of this still!  Beckinsale is just stunning in her bright white nurse’s uniform and matching cap, with luscious brunette waves and a dark red pout.  This English rose looks right at home as an American sailor!  It’s important to remember this day, and the men and women who sacrificed their lives on this fateful day in 1941.

Ralph Lauren Saves American Flag

“O! say can you see by the dawn’s early light...”  I guess Ralph Lauren wanted his grandchildren’s children to see the flag that inspired our national anthem, because he is one of the major contributors that donated the funds to save it!  The flag in question, is the enormous Star-Spangled Banner that has hung in the Smithsonian over the last century.  It was flown on September 14, 1814 in Fort McHenry, Baltimore, during the War of 1812, and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the haunting lyrics that later became the United States’ national anthem.  Ralph Lauren, whose label epitomizes classic Americana sophistication, is no stranger to the national symbol, as his Polo brand’s icon is also Old Glory!  In 1998, Polo Ralph Lauren pledged $10 million to the cause of saving the nearly 200-year-old piece of history.  Lauren went on to actually give $13 million to the cause (which was nearly half of the money donated!)  Lauren even wrote the forward for the 2008 book, Star-Spangled Banner: The Making of an American Icon, which tells the story of the flag and the measures taken to save it.  Our editors were surprised to see the classy designer’s name printed outside the exhibition when we visited the flag last spring, and ended up investigating.  Museum director Brent Glass said, “Ralph Lauren really reflects the American dream in his personal story,” as a Bronx-native named Ralph Lipchitz, who went on to build his own business that would make him a billionaire, and become synonymous with American style.  Lauren stated, “The flag is an inspiration for all Americans and it captures the dreams and imaginations of men and women all over the world.  I am a product of the American dream and the flag is its symbol.  We at Polo Ralph Lauren are incredibly honored to be able to make this possible.”  It’s nearly inconceivable to separate American sportswear from the Ralph Lauren label, so it makes sense that he will forever be affiliated with another icon that embodies the American experience.  Today, it’s especially important to remember the sacrifices our veterans have made so we could all pursue our own American dreams, and remember how important Old Glory really is.

Wednesday’s Shoe

This upcoming weekend is Labor Day, so what better shoe to feature than a white pump?!  (Since we’re not supposed to wear them again until next Memorial Day… although we don’t follow that rule!  Especially with these puppies!)  These gorgeous rounded-toe Steve Madden patent leather pumps with cork platforms are called the NIB BEVV-C.  They have a 5 inch heel and retail at $110, but can be found at discounted prices on various online shoe outlets.  They are the ideal end-of-the-season footwear – perfect for garden brunches, outdoor gatherings and celebrating the final days of the summer on the boat (scratch that – stilettos aren’t great deck shoes, but they certainly look cute on the dock!  Although, ours washed away when Hurricane Irene came to town…)  These stylish shoes would also make a great accessory to winter white when it starts to snow this year!  We can’t wait!

What a Wonderful Woman

Wonder Woman is probably the world’s most popular female superhero, and honestly why wouldn’t she be?  She’s sexy, strong, smart, patriotic, and well-dressed – the epitome of the modern feminist.  Wonder Woman was first featured in All Star Comics #8 in December of 1941 – the same month as the Pearl Harbor attacks!  It’s so surreal Wonder Woman has been around that long.  She is a princess of the Amazons and is known as Diana of Themyscira, aka Diana Prince when she moves to the United States.  Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston, a psychologist famous for inventing the polygraph.  He wanted to create a superhero that fought with love instead of fists.  When he presented the idea to his wife, Elizabeth, she said “Fine.  But make her a woman.”  Marston wrote in 1943: “Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don’t want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Women’s strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.”  Originally, Diana fought the Nazis and other Axis powers after saving an American intelligence officer that crashed on her Amazonian island.  Wonder Woman has superhuman strength, agility, and speed.  She is quite adept at fighting in hand-to-hand combat and military tactics.  Her most famous onscreen portrayal is the television series starring Lynda Carter that aired from 1975 to 1979.  In the series, Carter looked like the perfect embodiment of a strong and saucy brunette.  Wonder Woman enlists in the United States Navy under the name “Diana Prince,” as a First Class Petty Officer.  While Carter looks strong and powerful as her natural self, her human alter-ego looks much softer – even in her Naval uniform (pictured, above right).  Diana’s round-rimmed glasses give her a much less-threatening appearance (even geeky in some shots), but when she’s in costume, there’s no messing with this woman!  As Diana, she wears many soft-looking fashion items, such as the pink frock featured on today’s “Look-of-the-Day.”  When out of either uniform, Diana wears her go-to spectacles, floral prints, vests and other trendy 70s items, in a conservative sense… Hell!  She’s even wearing stockings and a kimono in her one-piece bathing suit!  But when Diana is in Wonder Woman gear, she’s an entirely different person.  She has an extremely patriotic red, white and blue strapless leotard to show off her beautiful Amazonian physique.  Like any well-equipped soldier (or sailor, in this case), every accessory of Wonder Woman’s outfit can be used for other purposes: her tiara acts as a projectile, her gold cuffs with red stars are indestructible, and her Lasso of Truth forces people to be honest when tangled in it.  And her knee-high red and white boots?  Well those are just for looking good!  (Although, she’s probably be wearing something similar to this “Wednesday’s Shoe” in the age of the stiletto…)  We don’t particularly like the look of the new Wonder Woman pilot that’s yet to be picked up with Adrianne Palicki (her outfit just looks too cheap, and she doesn’t look comfortable in the role), but we certainly loved Lynda Carter in the role!  (Maybe because our editors were raised by another strong, dark brunette named Linda who also juggled everything going on in her world…)  Well, Wonder Woman is everything our editors admire in a person and she manages to do it with great style!

Wednesday’s Shoe

Well, these would have made the perfect pumps for last weekend, but they’ll look cute for any weekend this summer!  These red, white and blue peep-toe pumps are patriotic and nautical – perfect for this season!  They can be purchased on one of our favorite sites, Baby Girl Boutique.  They have a 4.5 inch heel and cost $59.00.

Look-of-the-Day

Princess Catherine was certainly theme-dressing for Canada in red and white for the royal couple’s visit to our northern neighbors this week.  Here, William and Kate were seeing the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Quebec.  Dressed in her famous Reiss dress from her official engagement photos, a Anya Hindmarch fan clutch, a fabulous red hat by Sylvia Fletcher at Lock and Co. with matching stilettos, and a maple leaf brooch, Kate looked like one cute Canadian flag!  Even though she was dressing to celebrate a different former British colony, she fit right in with our 4th of July fashion theme this weekend – red, white and blue!  (Saturday was going to be red and white, Sunday blue and Monday all three American colors, but we just realized – Kate’s widely known engagement ring from Princess Diana, who would have turned 50 yesterday had she lived, is quite blue!)  God Bless the USA!  (And Canada!  And the UK!)

Look-of-the-Day

This is the ultimate summer gown – white, flowing, Grecian and still sexy, so it’s no surprise Gossip Girl‘s Blake Lively got to wear it in Season Two.  It’s the epitome of Serena van der Woodsen’s style.  The Oscar de la Renta dress was from his 2008 Spring Collection, and looks gorgeous on Lively at a fictional “White Party” in the Hamptons.  She may be the Green Lantern’s girl now, but we’ll always see her as the carefree Upper East Sider Serena.

Look-of-the-Day

Helena Bonham Carter turned 45 today, and while she’s one of the most hated people on the red carpet, we kind of love that she does what she wants.  (Yes, we’re a blog dedicated to style, and whether you like it or not, Miss Bonham Carter certainly has her own unique sense of it…)  We’ve also discussed how fond we are of Colleen Atwood, the main costume designer Helena’s partner, Tim Burton, uses in the majority of his films.  Here is a still from the trio’s wacky picture, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.  As the worst baker in England, Helena plays Mrs. Lovett, a complete psychopath and devotee of Mr. Todd.  Here is one of her fantasies of the couple on a beach – in red, white and blue, she is both nautical (a great tribute to Memorial Day) and still maintains Burton and Atwood’s crazy-looking style.  And honestly, what’s a better accessory than Johnny Depp?