Vintage Glam

In contrast to the futuristic fashions from my earlier Fast Forward post, fashion also continually draws inspiration from the past. Season after season, fashion houses and designers never fail to introduce modern interpretations of vintage inspired looks from prior decades and magazine editorials styled in fashions reminiscent from previous eras remain prevalent...creating nostalgic looks that capture the essence of old Hollywood glam. As fashion evolves, there is no doubt it also continues to repeat history. What is your favorite fashion decade?

Seeing Red

Beautifully red stained lips embody glamour, sex appeal and confidence. When worn the right way, this vibrant lip color can also give one's ensemble a polished, classic and elegant look. At initial thought, one might think this bold color isn't suitable for everyone but with so many options available, there's a flattering shade of rouge for every skintone as reviewed here. Fun tidbit: Marilyn Monroe wore Chanel No. 5 to bed according to Marie Claire.

Amazing Grace

When I think of Vogue, I think of Grace Coddington. Anna Wintour has been public figure and influential force behind American Vogue, but after the release of the movie "The September Issue", more people came to know Grace Coddington as not only the Creative Director of American Vogue but the style visionary behind the phenomenal editorials. Her early career in fashion was initially as a successful model, later landed a stylist job at British Vogue and eventually joined American Vogue in 1988. Her high fashion, high drama layouts with a signature style aesthetic/approach that incorporates elements of fantasy, movement and storytelling are representative of what Vogue is all about. Simply put, she's a brilliant woman and creative genius. Fun tidbit: Although she can certainly afford a personal driver with her Vogue salary, she still takes the subway to work.

Celeb Portraits

There is such an artistic and creative nature behind fashion that naturally, I am also drawn to photography... particularly portraits. I stumbled across Jake Chessum's work recently and found myself intrigued at his celebrity portraits. Not only are the images beautiful, but he captures a wide range of unfiltered emotion that captivates your interest. Although his subjects are actors who are trained to transform themselves into characters/roles and convey raw emotion, I also believe as a photographer he assumes an important role in engaging and connecting with his subjects in order to capture those moments. Check out more of his incredible work at www.jakechessum.com.

Fast Forward

Ever envision what fashion would be like if we were to fast forward into the future? While the big screen has offered its own interpretation of futuristic fashion in movies like Mad Max, Matrix, and Star Trek, designers are also introducing modern day looks that are just as fashionable as they are innovative. The architectural and geometric design, leather/patent leather and bold colors are all apparent elements in these ultramodern editorials; giving us a glimpse into the next millennium. What is your vision of futuristic fashion?

Fur and Fringe

Fur and fringe elements appear everywhere this season; from coats and vests to embelished details on dresses, bags and accessories. Not sure if these editorials exemplify my observations...but although genuine fur has remained a symbol of luxury, there's a noticable awareness and conscious effort from designers to incorporate faux fur into their collections, allowing for PETA friendly options to achieve these luxurious looks. The fringe details have also made a mark this F/W season and not just in leather/suede. Having come a long way from being prevalent staples among hippies and cowboys, decorative fringe elements have also translated into luxurious pieces this season.

Fan of Freja

Of all the models currently gracing the magazine covers and editorials, Danish born Freja Beha Erichsen has steadily become my #1 model of the moment. She started her career in 2005 and has quickly achieved high ranking as one of the top models in the biz as they would say. The "it" factor would probably be attributed to her tough-glam appeal and edgy/cool looks. Fun tidbit: She's reportedly got 16 tattoos.

Jewelry Stands

What's a girl to do with all the fabulous jewelry we accumulate? The solution - a decorative jewelry stand (or two) to display our favorite and frequently worn pieces. Although jewelry "boxes" are more tidy and organized, unfortunately the drawback for me is that when my pieces are out of sight, it's out of mind. I find that these jewelry stands make for efficient system for accessorizing a look and serve as visual reminder of my jewelry options. Top from left to right: Felicite Metal Jewelry/Scarf Stand with Mirror - Etsy, $59.90 | Bird Spoke Jewelry Stand - OU, $28 | Emmett Jewelry Tree - Pottery Barn, $69 | Dressform Jewelry Stand - Victorian Trading Co., $29.95 | Delia 3 Tier Tray Display - Etsy, $48.90 | Jewelry Tree of Life - VivaTerra, $69 | Nickel Finish Jewelry Stand - Pottery Barn, $39 | Cathy Bird Jewelry Tree Stand - Etsy, $32.90 | Fresh as a Daisy Jewelry Stand - Modcloth, $29.99.

Turn up the Volume

While tousled, air-dried waves has been the hairstyle choice for most especially this past summer, high volume hair has made a comeback during F/W 2010 runway shows and editorials. Similar to statement shoes or necklaces, these are undoubtedly statement hairstyles. These voluminous hairstyles certainly do the job of exuding sex appeal and glam. Although dramatic and eye-catching in print, it will be interesting how these bombshell Barbarella locks, brushed back poufs and bouffants will translate into everyday looks on the street...is there such thing as an understated pompadour?

Fall Knits

I witnessed the first glimpse of fall this past weekend with rustling of yellow and burnt orange leaves scattered on the ground and already felt the slight chills of the autumn breeze. With the temperatures dropping, my initial instinct is to throw on a chunky knit sweater. The sense of comfort, warmth and ease of knits make it one of my key fall essentials.

Androgynous Appeal

Who is this blonde beauty you might ask? His name is Andrej Pejic. Yes, Andrej is the latest "male" model sensation to emerge the fashion scene and has drawn quite a bit of buzz since appearing in the John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier shows earlier this year. Andrej, an 18 year old from Melbourne Australia, shares the exquisite features and bone structure of your typical male model while altering the conventional views of androgyny. As illustrated in his editorial and runway work, he bends the perception of beauty (masculine vs feminine) in fashion photography.

Star Power

With the Emmy Awards airing this past weekend, I thought it might be fitting to do a star studded post. Hollywood celebrities have made their mark on magazine covers, ad campaigns and editorials over the years. The shift to using A-listers in lieu of models was driven by the the cultural obsession with celebrities and they were identifiable to the general public, in effect driving magazine sales. I read today here that there may a gradual decline in using big stars...possible reasons: celebrities are overexposed these days, therefore have less of a sales impact as they used to, fashion houses and labels are more cost conscious leading them to reconsider booking a celebrity. Whatever the direction may be, these pics of our favorite celebrities are gorgeous nonetheless.