so we beat on, boats against the current

 
The trailer for The Great Gatsby is just too much from me. From the Jay-Z/Kanye intro, to the Baz Luhrman-signature party scene, I literally got pumped up watching it. It doesn't hurt that The Great Gatsby is my favorite book ever, and I love Carey Mulligan. Plus, the last time Baz Luhrman and Leo got together, we got Romeo + Juliet, so this is sure to be amazing.

The fact that the movie is in 3D (don't know how I feel about that), and knowing the director's style, the film will definitely be heavily based on aesthetics. Considering the amazing Jazz Age wardrobe, I'm pretty excited about this. I'm dying over the white suits, fur stoles and head wraps.

Possibly in anticipation of the movie, flapper and 20's style was all over the runway this year (I talked about Ralph Laurens show here). The Great Gatsby look can be emulated literally, or more interpretively. Channel Daisy Buchanan in a silk swing dress with mary janes and pearls, or combine the feminine and masculine styles with a girlie, lavender dress (that seems to be Daisy's color in this film) and cream brogues.

Rag & Bone Sophie Dress // Alberta Ferretti Feather Cape // Topshop Maddie Lemon Eva Sole Brogues // Marni Edition Mary Janes // Stella & Dot Soiree Pearl Pave Bracelet // Aspinal of London Pink Butterfly Silk Scarf // BCBG Paisley Rhinestone Headband // MAC Lipstick // Eternal Child Sunday Dress

the long and short of it

Sigh... Life is so unfair. All I want to do is wear a crop top with a pencil skirt, but I literally can't think of a single occasion where this would be appropriate. This look is the perfect juxtaposition of sophistication and irreverence, which is why I love it, and exactly why I have nowhere to wear it.

Runways, blogs and editorials are full of a variety of high-waisted skirts with different crop tops. However, my absolutely favorite is a pencil skirt with a bralette. I just think the proportions are perfect. It elongates, brings attention to a small waist, and, as long as you're not that busty, gives an athletic twist to a refined look. It has a 60's feel with a bohemian twist. It looks perfect with big, messy, Bardot hair.

So obviously, I can't rock this to work. I'm pretty sure it's not the best choice for a dinner with all the eating, and sitting, and probably slouching I'd do. Maybe for a night out? It just feels a little too glamorous or outrageous. Editorials have shown the look with light jackets and blazers, or maybe a cardigan thrown over top, à la Krystal would tame it a little bit?

P.S. I was just scanning my beloved Oscar PR Girl's Tumblr, and came across this picture. I'm perpetually channeling Cher Horowitz.

are you ready to go back to titanic?

Umm... yes! What twenty-something girl is not thrilled that Titanic is coming back? I've already watched it on T.V. (and even got my boyfriend to watch!) and am totally planning on seeing it in 3D. The movie was a girl's fantasy when it first came out. The gorgeous cinemetography, award-winning score, beautiful costumes, epic love story and some actor named Leonardo Dicaprio.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Kate Winslet appears the first time. She's so aloof with her gorgeous luggage and perfect posture. She steps out into the street filled with steam from the cars and boats and the epic music kicks in and it's like Ahh!! TITANIC!!

Rose's wardrobe was so major, filled with gowns, corsets and intricate detailing, but her look in the first scene is one of my favorites. She's wearing a purple pinstripe skirt suit complete with a fabulous hat, umbrella and a sharp tie! I thought it would be fun to try to emulate her classic, elegant look with modern pieces. Rose looks so effortless and sophisticated but I think tailored cream trousers, a striped blazer and silk scarf work better for a current take on the look.

Smythe Piped One Button Blazer // Reiss Suzie Wide Leg Trousers // Forever 21 Wool Floppy Hat // Emilio Pucci Floral Silk Blue Scarf // Aspinal of London Ladies Umbrella

Images via Pinterest, Yahoo! Movies, IMDB

to see her is to take a sudden chill

Let me start by saying, I loved Ralph Lauren's Fall 2012 collection. It was majorly androgynous and had a great 1920s vibe, combining the English look of the Downton Abbey era with F. Scott Fitzgerald's roaring twenties style. It was full of rich fabrics, sophisticated ways of mixing prints (OBSESSED with the leopard with old school plaids) and classic, dark earthy tones, punctuated with reds and fuchsia.

Now, I feel weird about saying this, but when I was looking at the gorgeous pictures, my first thought was that it seemed like a high fashion, real-life version of 101 Dalmatians! It's well established that Cruella de Vil is a major style icon, but I never realized how sharp Anita dressed, too! She was killing it with the tweed, those gorgeous hats and check out her hipster glasses and those booties! Roger wasn't too shabby either. He was the epitome of manly sophistication with his man scarf, vests and pipes, and his collection of hats rivals his wife's. Obviously, Cruella was the scene stealer. Her figure flattering black gown is right off of Ralph Lauren's runway, and the fur hat and purse are to die for. Not to mention, those red leather gloves were all the rage at J. Crew's show.

What do you think? Is 101 Dalmatians the trendiest movie of 2012 or what? Was Mr. Lauren inspired by the classic British look with both feminine and masculine details of Roger and Anita and the luxurious, fur-and-leather-loving Cruella?  Even the dogs are style icons! Animal prints are hot everywhere, not just Ralph Lauren. Though spots weren't featured on this particular runway, the dog-inspired print has been a must-have item for a while now.

Ralph Lauren images via FabSugar.com

a valentine's vow

I never thought I would be a fan of this couple. I mean, unlike my roommate and her sister, I'm not a die hard fan of Step Up. But recently I've been loving Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum! She's been rocking the red carpet, I loved her Golden Globes gown, and he seems so nice and charming. She looked absolutely ready for a Valentine's Day date at the premiere of The Vow. How perfectly appropriate considering her husband's movie looks like the most weepy, romantic, cheesy, wonderful Valentine's Day movie!

The Tadashi Shoji Spring 2012 dress is overtly girly with its pinkish red lace, layers of tulle and a ribbon bow. I probably would have opted for neutral shoes and clutch, but it kind of works that she went over the top with the Valentine's Day theme, considering the event she was attending.

not that kind of bar(re)

I'm not a fitness guru. I go through stages where I don't think about working out for weeks. Okay... I think about it. But that doesn't really do anything. I'm interested in being healthy, not dedicated to it. There were a few months last year where I was doing Bikram yoga three times a week and consuming mostly organic juices I made myself. Yeah, that was weird

I'm currently trying to make exercise a regular part of my life. Instead of telling myself I need to go to the gym every day, and feeling defeated if I miss a day, and giving up all together, my goal is to run a faster mile. I can work on it at my own pace, and it's a small accomplishment that takes some effort. The work it takes to get there involves sprints, long distance running, weights and cross-training

To supplement the running. I'm also trying to add some diversity to my routine without throwing myself into a new lifestyle, à la the Bikram yoga incident of '11. I want to try out boxing, get back into swimming, and I've signed up for a few classes at a local barre studio

Barre is apparently similar to ballet and focuses on small muscle groups. When I first heard about it, I had images of Center Stage, Save the Last Dance and the ballets I went to when I was little. Ballerinas are always so small and delicate but somehow ripped at the same time. Barre utilizes short, repetitive movements, weight-bearing exercises and stretching. Hopefully, throwing in a couple of these classes with my regular routine will add diversity to my workouts and help get me strong, long and lean. I mean, if I get one millionth of the muscle tone and flexibility of these ballerinas, I may get hooked.

blushing

How gorgeous were the dresses at the Golden Globes last night? My favorite look of the night was Charlize Theron's. The plunging neckline combined with the cascading bow and train were the perfect balance of sexy and edgy and sweet and classic. I also loved Elle McPherson's frothy Zac Posen gown.

Both of these dresses showed off one of the biggest trends of the night: neutral colors. The red carpet was flooded with nudes, blushes, beiges, putties and off-whites. Heidi Klum and Angelina Jolie accented their looks with pops of color, while Sarah Hyland's dress was cinched with a black lace belt. With those exceptions, the stars who wore neutrals stuck to the restrained color palette and avoided flashy accessories. In fact, jewelry was really kept to a minimum. The shades may have been simple but the styles were varied. Some were bridal, others were minimal and many were ethereal. The gowns came in different textures, like lace, tulle and sparkles.

Images via People.com / Fabsugar.com / HarpersBazaar.com / Usmagazine.com