WEEKLY STYLE REVIEW

Check out this past week's most stylish!

COVER STYLE: JENNIFER HUDSON + ESSENCE

Jennifer Hudson is having one heck of a year! We are barely through the first quarter and the Dreamgirls star has already graced countless magazines, notably Vogue --my favorite, but I wont speak of that garish Jezebel cover pic! She has also been nominated for --and won--numerous awards and accolades for her portrayal of Effie. Check her out on the cover of March's Essence magazine!

This cover picture is amazing, Jennifer's beauty shines through minimal make-up and soft romantic curls... but let's be real, it's nothing without that purple necklace! I've scoured the internet for days, but was unable to find it, perhaps it's becuase the designer, Iradj Moini*, only makes one-of-a kind pieces...this one must be tucked away somewhere in Essence's "closet"!

The necklace, below--the closest thing that I found**, is another Iradj original. I found it on vintage couture jewelry website, domontjewelry.com. There was no mention of price (which speaks volumes about the cost)!

Meanwhile, I'm in love with this Iradj Moini Moghul bracelet!

Fluorite beads with green onyx and quartz bracelet - $1,875.00 on vivre.com!

*Iradj is Oscar de la Renta's couture jeweler, she was recently featured in the Trop exhibit at the Louvre. Her unique designs are all handmade (brass and copper wire) and hand set (imported glass and stones)!

** Judi McCormick's less expensive alternative:

HOT NEW HUE: YELLOW

Recently, Reese Witherspoon donned this beautiful yellow dress with red satin shoes. She looked fabulous! Initially, I was intimidated by this new trend of color. I frequently associated this hue with a well known bird from Sesame Street. But, I have come to appreciate yellow. If you also think that yellow from head to toe may be difficult to wear, try the color on a smaller scale.

Here are some fun accessories and make-up choices.

Balu Headband, $50, Lip gloss, Creamease, Highlighter and Eye Shadow, by Giella Custom Blend Cosmetics, http://www.giella.com.$22–$25/, Armani Exchange Dress, $88, Target clutch, $15, www.jenniferkaufman.com, $225, www.zappos.com, $251.

Below is my favorite dress is yellow from BCBG Max Azria

EVERYTHING IS COMING UP ROSES!

Spring 2007 will be all about flowers!

Silver and Gold Flowers by Zac Posen

Almost every designer incorporated flowers, specifically rosettes, into their show. None more so than Marchesa. Check out Marchesa's entire flower themed collection here.

Various designers' Spring 2007 ready-to-wear ...

Get into the spirit of the season, my flower themed picks are below:

From left to right: Dolce & Gabbana- $536.00 on bluefly; rose ring -17.16 pounds on asos.com; Phillip Lim high waisted rosette skirt -$364.00 on ronherman.com; Hella Jongerius bowl- $695.00 on mossonline.com; rose purse-$2.99 on wetseal.com; Sergio Rossi sandals-$513.19 on bluefly.com.

WEEKLY STYLE REVIEW

Check out this past week's most stylish celebs!

SEEING DOUBLE

This Luca Luca outfit looks drab on the runway:

Petra spices it up with this season's must-have 3/4 sleeve jacket!

A model wear's Luella:

Sienna Miller wears the same cruise dress, but manages to make it look so much better!


Catherine Malandrino one-shouldered dress on the runway:


Here it is on the red carpet:

Kerry Washington at the Golden Globes

Check out vintage Seeing Double posts here!

NYC SAMPLE SALES!

What: Aero
Why: Up to 75 percent off Aero, Thomas O’Brien, and vintage furniture, bedding, tabletop, and other home accessories.
When: Thru Feb. 24. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 419 Broome St., b/t Crosby & Lafayette Sts. (212-966-1500).

What: Intermix Warehouse Sale
Why: Chloé, Stella, Missoni, Vince, DVF, and Ella Moss are up to 90 percent off.
When: Feb. 28-Mar. 2. Wed.-Fri., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Where: The Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St., b/t Sixth & Seventh Aves.

What: Luca Luca
Why: More than 75 percent off spring, summer, fall, and winter collections.
When: Feb. 23-27. Fri., Mon., Tues., 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 19 W. 36th St., b/t Fifth & Sixth Aves., 4th flr.

What: Barneys Warehouse Sale
Why: The usual — men’s and women’s clothes, accessories, baby stuff, and housewares are 50-75 percent off.
When: Feb. 15-Mar. 4. Thurs. & Fri. (Feb. 15 & 16), 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 255 W. 17th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves. (212-450-8400).

What: Showroom Seven
Why: Issa dresses, were $450, now $220; Elisa Atheniense clutches, were $750, now $329; Charlotte bomber jackets, were $600, now $250.
When: Thru Feb. 16. Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 498 Seventh Ave., b/t 36th & 37th Sts., 24th flr. (212-643-4810).

What: Emmett McCarthy (from Project Runway!)
Why: Project Runway alum’s dresses, blouses, and coats are up to 60 percent off.
When: Thru Feb. 19. Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun., noon-7 p.m.
Where: EMC², 240 Elizabeth St., b/t Prince & Houston Sts. (212-431-4134).

COVER STYLE: BEYONCE + SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Guess who's the cover girl of the coveted Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition?

Bey appears in a musically themed issue (rocking House of Dereon of course), which features models posing with Kanye, Aerosmith, Kenny Chesney, Gnarls Barkley and Panic! At the Disco.

Check out pics from the shoot below:

THE OCCASION IS: A BABY SHOWER

A baby shower is one of the many life events that we may attend. The ever dreaded question is what will I wear? My answer to that depends on the role one is playing, i.e. hosts, guest of honor, or guest. Once your role is decided the choice of attire and theme of venue then comes into play.

Recently I attended a baby shower and was pleased with the attire chosen by the guest of honor, host and guests. The theme was A Baby in Bloom.
The guest of honor went with a color palette that was favorable for her skin tone, shape, season and event. This teal green dress by ECI was not only flattering, but easy to move in and trendy. This dress will also look great post pregnancy!

The first thing to consider when attending a shower is comfort. You want to be comfortable if you will not be sitting all night. If you will be working the room, sharing well wishes, giving hugs and kisses, you may want to feel to move. Stay away from any clothes that are restrictive, where the simple task of sharing a greeting becomes a major chore.

Anyone that knows me can tell you that I am all for color, so be fun and adventurous. Be sure that the tones you choose are appropriate for the event and your complexion. You don’t want to offend or blind family members in hot pink leather.

HOT NEW HUE: GUNMETAL

Vanessa Minnillo shines in one of the season's most popular colors. Natasha Bedingfield, Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce and Fergie followed suit in gunmetal greys and golds at tonight's Grammy Award Show.

Add sparkle with pailletes or sequins...or opt for understated glam with a muted satin or silk fabric. If you're not attending the Grammys, or any such similar event, pair a gunmetal tank with a suit for work, or wear with jeans and metallic stilletos for after-work fun.

This color looks great on all complexions! Get some gunmetal make-up too...try Chanel's Lumiere d'Artifices eyeshadow for gunmetal lids...this looks best with nude lips.

See below for celebrity style inspiration...




See vintage Hot New Hue posts here!

POLITICS OF FASHION: HAIL TO THE CHIEF

I attended a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton on Friday night. The event was held at Cipriani mid-town and was both politically and fashionably inspiring! The only thing that would be better than having a woman (Hillary) in the White House, is having an African American in the White House...Clinton-Obama '08!

Hillary looked, simply put, Presidential. But doesn't she always? I do think that she should stay away from nude colored shirts though...I knew that she was wearing a tank underneath her jacket, but I couldn't help thinking...you know...anyway, you wont find me dispariging the next president of the United States :) Moving on...Chelsea literally walked through the door with me, but I didn't want to stare so I missed her outfit.

The crowd was equally as impressive as the speaker. Check out these fashionable young-professional-politicos below:

I loved this dress (Ralph Lauren)! Her lace-up boots were super cute too.

This woman looked NYC- chic in all-black:

These guys were distinguished in dark suits:


This Texan fits right in (politically & fashionably) with us New Yorkers:

Jacket by J. Crew

FUR REAL?

Be a Trooper...jump onto the fashion bandwagon with this trend! I generally choose form over function, but it's always great when the two meld together beautifully. You will be chic and very warm in these.

Fur hats have been all the rage, especially at New York City's fashion week.

The gentleman caller wears a Trooper in NYC's freezing weather outside of the Fashion Week tents; Vogue's Andre Leon Talley with Kimora and Britney behind the scenes at the Baby Phat show; Melania Trump channels Anna Karenina at Michael Kors' show; Gwenyth Paltrow wears a Trooper at Sundance; Milan Fashion week model dons a fur hat for Elisabetta Villa show; model sashays in fur at the Marc Jacobs show; and Baby Phat model struts her stuff.

The Trooper hat is pretty popular right now, but other variations are just as fab (see Andre Leon Talley, Melania Trump, Elisabetta Villa and Marc Jacobs' models above)! Specialty Furs has the best selection; most are reasonably priced at $170.00. If you're more socially conscious than me, faux will do...

This young man was kind enough to pose for me, in the belly of NYC's subway system, he bought his Trooper hat from a vendor on Canal Street. Sweet!

WEEKLY STYLE REVIEW

Check out these stylish celebs!

PANTY RAID!

Knock his pants off! Just in time for Valentine's Day... Enjoy ;)

From left to right. Top: Urban Outfitter's eyelet thong - $8.00; Pussy Glamore for TopShop-50.00 pounds; Frederick's of Hollywood's butterfly crotchless panty 3-pack - $28.00. Middle: Hanky Panky low rise lace thongs- $25.00 on BlueFly; Honeydew Intimates "Racey Lacey" -$14.00 at Nordstrom's; Antonia Ghazlan for TopShop's silk and lace thong knicker- 22.00 pounds. Bottom: Lingerie bag & panty set- $59.00 at Bebe; Frilly bikini-5 for $25.00 at Victoria's Secret; Mary Green's cotton days of the week boyshorts-$88.00 on figleaves.com!

Agent Provacateur's Maitresse is a musky scent with nuanced hints of white lotus petals, ylang ylang, osmanthus core and jasmin sambac.



I'm not sure what osmanthus core is, but I'm sure it smells delish!

Agent Provacateur Parfum- $80.00

This is, hands down, my favorite candle! If you're 'gonna buy an epensive candle, you might as well make it Bendel! I fell in love with this black currant fragrance after someone gave me Diptyque's Baies, but it's 'kinda hard to justify spending $48.00 on Diptyque's version when you can get Bendel for half the price!

Henri Bendel Black Currant Candle - $26.00 at Bath & Body Works!





Add sparkle and shine with Victoria's Secret shimmering body Powder.


Your body will literally bling after a few dabs of "Give me the Shimmers"...


$28.00 on victoriassecret.com!

Let him anoint you with Agent Provacateur's intoxicating massage oil.

It's made of rose oil, which is traditionally used to purify the body and the senses...

$115.00 (100 ml) on agentprovacateur.com

HBO SHOP

The PR coordinator for HBO sent me the following. Check it out…super cute stuff!

The HBO Shop offers unique merchandise based on many of HBO’s most popular shows while serving as a mini-museum for props (see Carrie's shoes and clutch above).

The store is located at Bryant Park (1100 Avenue of the Americas at 42nd street, 212.512.SHOP), right next to the Fashion Week tents! Speaking of Fashion Week... you will receive a free Sex and the City Essentials DVD with any purchase of $50 or more of Sex and the City merchandise. Tell 'em I sent 'ya!

STYLESTAR: COUP D'ETAT BROOKLYN

Coup d’etat Brooklyn, a fashion forward and consciously progressive t-shirt line, was launched in fall 2004 by Daoud Abeid, Rasu Jilani, and Suhail Smith. It serves as an artistic fusion of expression and life philosophy merged into attention-grabbing designs that everyone, no matter his or her creed, can fully embrace. In an exclusive interview with StyleChile, founding members, Rasu Jilani (personal and trusted friend) and Daoud Abeid, disclose their passion for fashion and success!

StyleChile: So why the name coup d'etat and what does it mean exactly; what inspired you to choose that name for your clothing line?

Rasu: coup d'etat means "a sudden blow or change of state", in French. Daoud initially came up with the name, because at the time we were tired of the state of fashion choices out there. We decided to create an alternative, while staging a takeover that better represents our style and aesthetic. Coup d'etat seemed to fit perfectly. Brooklyn was then added, because it is where the concept was born.

StyleChile: I have watched you grow in many ways from our college days at Syracuse University. What in particular has affected your style and how does that reflect in your work as an artist?

Rasu: I don’t think I am an artist, nor do I consider myself to be one. I wear many hats, but an artist is not one of them. I would have to say my partners Daoud, and Suhail are the artists of the brand. I consider myself a business mind. I take coup d'etat as a concept, and then get it out to the world. A salesman, if you will. As for my style, it is nothing other than an expression of myself. I don't follow trends, nor am I inspired by what someone else is wearing, or what someone "says" is "Hot". I am a moody person, so my "style" changes with my mood.

Daoud: Life inspires me. I mean my experiences and life; my art is fueled by my reaction to life and the state of the World. There is so much going on and so little said about it. So, instead of taking a soap-box or sitting back and saying nothing, reactions and opinions are expressed through the art. Light travels faster than sound, so you can reach more people with visuals than you can with the spoken word.
StyleChile: Who are your fashion influences?

Rasu: The world. There are so many things happening around us, and this in itself is art. I pay attention and use what I see fit. It can be my immediate environment (the hood), something I

see outside of my Hood, or something I see in a movie. And No, I am not influenced by rap videos (laughs). I think sometimes it's important for us to look outside of our immediate environments, it can add to our development in style.

Daoud: My hood, and my social group. We influence the world and the world influences us. My style is the style that has come from the heart of NYC, and is in reaction to

NYC. Like sneakers were a necessity that became fashion, we copy and take things that are supposed to be for a higher tax bracket, aspirational life style, and incorporate it into our daily life then make it our own. Examples are Ralph Lauren, Gucci, and Prada. And in turn, some of these brands became affected by us.


StyleChile: How do you manage to stay fashionable?

Daoud: It comes naturally. It’s no brainer. It’s just how we do!

Rasu: If I see something I like, I incorporate it in my style. But to be honest, I am bit of a sneaker head, so most of my gear is centered on what kicks I’ve got on, and a t-shirt that represents what I am about. Everything else is an accessory. I don't really think about it too hard.

StyleChile: Do you have any tips or words of advice for your fashionable consumers?

Rasu: Be yourself. We all can agree it can be a challenge to step outside of the box. But, try it sometime; you may like not being a clone.

Daoud: Yep! Don’t be afraid to step out the box.

StyleChile: How do you stay inspired?

Daoud: The youth are my salvation.



Rasu: The Babies! *smiles* and there are always fools to show you what not to do or look like (laughs). You can learn from everyone.

StyleChile: Where can we find your clothing line?

Rasu: Oh that is easy, go to our website or our myspace page to see a list of all our affiliates (shameless plug)

www.cdtbk.com or www.myspace.com/cdtbk