Little Black List: Suri’s Top 10

“Suri” means pickpocket in Japanese, which makes sense, because we’d love to steal her style!  Miss Cruise turned 6 today, and we’re counting down her Top 10 Looks – which, despite only being alive for a few years, was pretty hard to narrow down.  No wonder she has her own blog…

1. Black & White & Cute All Over: This editor’s two favorite shades on a girl with her favorite coloring (brown hair, blue eyes, pale skin).  This silk dress was made for her by Holmes & Yang (her mother’s design label).  Suri looks like a china-doll with edge.2. Burberry Baby: This is probably Suri’s most famous outfit.  She wore this classic Burberry plaid dress and bob haircut in 2007 that made her a style phenomenon.  All of a sudden, toddlers everywhere were sporting this adorable ‘do.3. Lady in Red: Suri sported a similar dress to the NYC Ballet, but this one is by Helena & Harry.  She paired it was a great pair of silver Bonpoint ballet flats and pigtails!4. Anchors Away: We featured this look last spring.  This black and white Ralph Lauren nautical dress is perfect for the summer!  We wish it came in our size!5. Bold Navy: There’s two things Suri seems to love – a great fashion moment, and a good cupcake.  Here, she has both!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Oh, Canada: Here is an older Suri last year in Vancouver, sporting an adorable Burberry princess coat.  She had on sneakers and a dress from H&M, too – the horror!

7. Disney Princess: All little girls play dress-up, but some get to do it for magazines.  Here, Suri sports a Cinderella gown at the famous theme park in Florida. 8. 1980s Chic: The true mark of a trendsetter is pulling off something that wouldn’t normally look good – Suri does it all the time.  Our editors hate both Juicy Couture and leggings, but here, Suri is pulling off both.  College cardigan by Juicy, flats by Manolo Blahnik, leggings by American Apparel, and princess umbrella by Disney.

9. Boots Made for Walking: Our editors also happen to hate rain boots (mainly because they’re meant for children under 10, but college girls seem to think that’s their age group…), but Suri makes them look good, once again!  Dress by mother’s label Holmes & Yang, accessories by Kidorable.

10. Tiny Dancer: Here, Suri is sporting the classic ballet look: soft pink tights, leotard, and ballet slippers.  She even stays in character by having her hair French-braided.  Love. ❤

Look-of-the-Day

All week theSkinnyStiletto has been featuring our favorite looks from various movies nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.  Today is the 84th Oscar ceremony and in honor of the film industry, we’re featuring our all-time favorite style icon, Audrey Hepburn, from the only Best Picture she’s appeared in, My Fair Lady.  This editor isn’t exactly a fan of musicals, and unfortunately My Fair Lady is my least favorite Audrey movie.  (Fun Fact: It was also Hepburn’s least favorite film she made!  Guess she wasn’t too happy about the studio dubbing her singing…)  Cecil Beaton won the Academy Award for this costume design on the visually stunning 1964 flick.  Our favorite outfit of the movie is the white lace Edwardian Ascot gown with black and white striped ribbons and the greatest hat ever worn.  This outfit would wear most people that threw it on, but Audrey looks elegant and completely confident in her massive costume – obviously, or she wouldn’t have yelled, “Move your bloomin’ arse!” in such a refined look.  The costume is worth between $200,000 and $300,000, and is currently part of the Debbie Reynolds’ auction of movie memorabilia.

Portrait of The Artist as a Movie

The Artist is a silent black and white movie that is sweeping this year’s award season!  The French movie features Jean Dujardin as a famous silent film star named George Valentin in the late 1920s, and Berenice Bejo plays Peppy Miller, who becomes an overnight “it” girl.  Both actors have been nominated for Oscars this year, along with Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and, of course, Costume Design!  The designer of this film, Mark Bridges, is celebrating his first Oscar nomination for The Artist, but has had an interesting and varied career that seems to have gone unnoticed by the Academy.  Some of Bridges’ prior work includes Boogie Nights, The Fighter, Blow, The Italian Job, and There Will Be Blood.  Not exactly sweeping romances that demand big ball gowns, but they are definitely films that demand particular looks and eras, which Bridges perfectly captured from oil fields to 1970s porn.  The Artist begins in the late 1920s and proceeds through the early 1930s.  Dujardin is so handsome, he looks like he could be Gene Kelly’s French brother, and Bejo is so creative and easy to watch, she makes dancing with a hanger look like there’s a person under that suit jacket (pictured, above left)!  While the roaring 20s and old Hollywood glamor are always favored time periods to celebrate, Bridges had the extra hurdle of making the costumes look apropos without having colored film to show the stunning outfits of the movie.  Bridges discussed this difficulty with CNN, “Without the color to communicate the language of telling the story, I was trying to tell the story through textures, whether it be lamé, sequins and beads for Hollywood, or very flat rough textured wools to communicate down-on-your-heels, or the elegance of satin lapels for evening wear, or the shimmer of a beautiful nightgown.  It became a story of textures telling the story.”  Bejo certainly looks adorable in delicate white gloves and loose-fitting garments of the 1920s, as an ordinary citizen, but she looks right at home as a Hollywood starlet in minks, diamonds, satins, silks, pearls and evening gowns, after finding success in Los Angeles.  Peppy Miller’s headgear definitely matches her first name, adding whimsy to Bejo’s head of curls and firmly cements the film’s era.  Dujardin’s wardrobe is just as dashing as he is, as he sports three-piece tuxedos and suits, white bow-ties, black studs and one hell of a moustache.  This editor kept wishing to see the film’s wardrobe in color, but was actually disappointed once I saw the real-life versions on mannequins, which are now currently on display at FIDM Museum & Galleries in Los Angeles (pictured, bottom).  Guess the black and white film really created charm and magic for me!  Congrats Mark!

2012 BAFTA Rundown

The British are elegant and friendly people, so it’s no surprise their film award ceremony is as delightful as they are.  This year, not too many gowns wowed us, but there were several excellent choices on the London red carpet.  Best Actress nominee Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) shocked everyone by showing up in this sophisticated black and white silhouette from… H&M!  While you won’t find this gown at your local mall, Williams still looks adorable with red lipstick, dark nails and the accessory of the season – an Arthur Miller book clutch from Olympia Le-Tan.  (Fun Fact: Arthur Miller was married to Marilyn Monroe, who Williams was nominated for playing!)  Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig looked especially beautiful in a gathered white Alberta Ferretti gown and new brunette locks.  Our final favorite was created by Valentino – the perfect designer to feature two days before Valentine’s Day!  Best Actress nominee Viola Davis decided to take part in the Green Carpet Challenge (where celebrities sport environmentally-sound digs on the red carpet), wearing a one-shouldered light pink gown made of eco fabric and… recycled plastic bottles!  Going green never looked so good!

Look-of-the-Day

We’ve mentioned that one of our editors was almost named for this 1954 classic, but we’re amazed that we’ve only featured Sabrina one time over the last year, when nearly every look in this film could be walked down a runway!  Here is our idol, Audrey Hepburn, playing the title character, with the object of her affection, William Holden as David Larrabee.  Sabrina is the daughter of the Larrabees’ chauffeur on Long Island.  After studying culinary arts in Paris (and becoming a woman along the way), Sabrina returns to New York barely unrecognizable to her childhood crush.  David invites her to a party at his home, and she sports this stunning strapless black and white gown with long white gloves and black pumps.  The column dress has a detachable overskirt with an underlay of black tulle, and was hand-embroidered with silk thread and jet beads.  Hubert de Givenchy personally created most of the outfits for Hepburn, yet Edith Head went on to receive the Academy Award for Best Costume Design (which was not without controversy, since Givenchy did not receive due credit for his spectacular work.  Although Givenchy has been the one forever associated with the gorgeous wardrobe in the film.)  Fun Fact: The relationship that developed between Hepburn and Givenchy on the set of Sabrina resulted in a lifelong friendship, and Audrey became the French designer’s muse!  This work of art has to be one of our favorite fashion moments in history, and the perfect “Fancy Friday” tribute to romance this February.

Look-of-the-Day

What’s black and white and red all over?  This scarlet-haired beauty in this sophisticated black and white combo!  In Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts has to overcome living a hard life as a hooker in Hollywood, and even when a wealthy suitor comes to her rescue, it doesn’t mean the rest of the Los Angeles elite is going to accept her into their way of life.  When attempting to buy clothing on Rodeo Drive, some self-impressed shop-girls make her feel uncomfortable and ask her to leave.  But with help from her fairy godfather, Hector Elizondo, and this elegant white dress adorned with black and gold buttons, dainty gloves, pearl drop earrings, and a lovely black hat with a matching clutch and heels, Roberts goes from prostitute to posh in one outfit change!  Those shop-girls don’t even know what hit them when she comes back to let them know what they missed out on…

Look-of-the-Day

Here’s our golden girl, Rachel McAdams, in a plunging, ruched white Emilio Pucci mini-dress and black Christian Louboutin Pigalle heels at the New York premiere of The Time Traveler’s Wife in 2009.  Rachel’s porcelain skin looks untouched and flawless with pink accents, complementing her dark, smokey eyes quite nicely.  She evokes sexiness and sophistication to the Nth degree, as per usual.

Look-of-the-Day

It’s a family tradition to watch It’s A Wonderful Life every Christmas, and a personal favorite of both our editors.  (Fun Fact: We love it so much that it was worked into the maid of honor speech this editor gave at the other’s wedding!)  Here is the gorgeous Donna Reed as Mary Bailey in a beautiful, long-sleeved black dress with a white lace collar, a strand of white pearls and a pair of black heels.  All dressed up for Christmas dinner, Mary doesn’t realize that her husband, George, may be going to prison if he doesn’t sort out his uncle’s financial mess… but she figures out something is wrong pretty quickly!  Thankfully a pretty slick angel and the townspeople of Bedford Falls come to George’s rescue, after Mary gathers friends, family and neighbors to aid the man that’s worked hard for them all their lives.  It’s one of the most touching films of all-time, and Reed saves the day as one adorable heroine in this Christmas classic.

Look-of-the-Day

Costume designer Marlene Stewart did a fantastic job outfitting The Holiday, because it seems we just can’t stop talking about the clothes in this movie!  Here, Cameron Diaz is wearing a silk black top by Carlos Rosario, a Roland Mouret white pencil skirt, black stiletto pumps and a leather and rhinestone belt that’s apparently vintage.  She stops by Jude Law’s adorable English home in this sexy outfit to surprise him, but he’s got two surprises of his own that she wasn’t expecting…  This glamorous look is perfect for holiday gatherings, or special date nights in December – actually this outfit is quite wearable year-round, but it sure does look good under a long dress coat – which makes it a perfectly lovely Christmas Eve selection!

Wednesday’s Shoe

Now these are the ultimate “skinny” stilettos, because they’re nothing but bones!  Want a Halloween-themed heel that’s also stylish and positively bone-chilling?  Then these skeletal sensations from Sears are sure to rock your world!  Priced at $44, they’re also available at several online stores that sell them for a few dollars less; Meijer offers them at $31.99, and Spirit Halloween at $39.99.  And don’t hesitate to match your partner-in-costume this year, Sears also offers the men’s oxford version!