Lovestruck With Vera Vera Wang!

Over the years, Vera Wang has been the go to designer for a dream wedding dress. Her empire has expanded enormously. The latest Vera Wang product can be seen in the commercial for her new fragrance, "Lovestruck". The lucky lady in the Vera Wang gown is actress Leighton Meester. I've been anxiously awaiting for this advertisement for quite some time now. Back in the fall, pictures of Leighton filming the commercial appeared on JustJared. The gorgeous candids showed a promising outcome for an ad campaign.

Vera Wang described the fragrance as "A new definition of Romeo and Juliet". She was right. The commercial shows a modern day take on a fairytale romance. A man running through the streets of New York to get to to the woman on the fire escape. The passionate plot is the perfect way to exhibit the emotions of being "lovestruck".

Leighton Meester was a great choice to be the face of this fragrance. She already has experience in the fashion industry, thanks to her Gossip Girl background and bold wardrobe choices. Leighton is a fashion icon to teen consumers and has been well exposed to mature audiences. I love the Vera and Leighton pairing. Looking forward to seeing more from these two in the future!

"And what fashion designers did, what they created was greater than art because you live your life in it."

-The Devil Wears Prada   

Fashion Friday: Top Five Looks of the Week

5.

Hilary Duff in Beverly Hills

4.

Pippa Middleton at the French Open in Paris

3.

Shania Twain being honored at the Hollywood Walk of Fame

2.

Vanessa Minnillo wearing Monique Lhuillier at her wedding shower

1.

Salma Hayek wearing Gucci at the 'Ill Mondo Vi Appartlene' Dinner

Movie Review: Midnight In Paris

Midnight In Paris is an extravagant film that emphasizes on the importance of passion and creativity. Woody Allen's latest film takes audiences on a magical journey in the city of love. The plot centers around a struggling writer (Owen Wilson) who explores the differences of reality and fantasy. When Wilson roams the streets of Paris at night, he enters a whimsical world.  I don't want to reveal too much about the movie, because it really is better to experience for yourself. Instead, I'll just rave about some of the highlights.

Paris is the real main character in this film. Allen does a great job capturing the city's beauty. After leaving the movie theater, I felt like I was leaving a vacation. There was no better setting for this storyline. The scenery was breathtaking. 

The film had a diverse supporting cast. All of the actors were truly scene stealers. Rachel McAdams was surprisingly cruel as Wilson's narrow minded fiance. Meanwhile, Marion Cotillard played a more delightful character, as the charming muse. The movie reminded me why Marion is one of my favorite actresses. Her performances always leave such long-lasting impacts.

I would definitely recommend the film. Midnight In Paris is thought provoking, but light hearted. It's hard not to smile while watching the film. The movie was romantic, comical, and very enjoyable. For only $11.50 you get to travel through Paris, meet literary icons, and let your imagination run wild.

"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative."

-Woody Allen

Steve Madden, The Ultimate Soulmate

Steve Madden is one of my favorite designers. I began my relationship with Mr. Madden last year when my mom took me out for some retail therapy. However, my mom is extremely cheap so she treated me to a shopping trip at Nordstrom Rack. I went into that store expecting to be disappointed. Instead, I fell in love. With my mom's help, I found a black Steve Madden purse with purple ruffles. Affair to remember indeed. I couldn't wait to show the bag off at school and bring it with me on my vacation to LA. The bag lifted my moods. I was excited to strut down Rodeo with the purse, eat at BOA with the purse, date Zac Efron with the purse. Okay, so the last part didn't happen. But, Steve Madden has still made a pretty big impact in my life.

Last fall, I purchased another Steve Madden purse. My mom assisted me once again as we ventured into Off Broadway Shoes this time. While browsing through the bag section, we came across a large, grey bag. I looked inside and was surprised to see Steve's name. After my mom bitterly agreed that she would use the bag after me, I purchased my second Madden design. Shortly after, my sister introduced me to Steve Madden boots.

This past spring, my mom and I took a "mommy and me" trip to New York City. While walking around SoHo, we spotted a Steve Madden store. We gleefully ran into the store. By this time, we were very familiar and in love with Steve. My mom directed me towards the purses and that's when I spotted it. My current purse practically glowed in the lighting. It's beige color and soft ribbon had just the look I was searching for. Timeless. That's the only way to describe my latest purse.

My obsession may seem materialistic, but it's actually very logical. Mr. Madden is one of the more affordable designers out there. Sure, starlets can be spotted wearing his shoes on the red carpet or in candids. Steve Madden is a top designer, but has pretty reasonable prices. It's cheesy but Steve helped during a very low point. The least I can do is dedicate a post explaining why he's so amazing...and timeless.

“I like my money where I can see it, hanging in my closet.”

-Sex and the City

Spotted: Chanel

Today, I came across such an eye catching Chanel purse. I was trying to pass time at the nail salon by flipping through Allure magazine, when I spotted the handbag's advertisement titled, "Fashion Cult Object".  Usually I'm not a huge fan of Chanel purses. They're beautiful and classic, but I've never been too obsessed with needing a Chanel purse. That was until I saw this advertisement. Karl Lagerfeld's latest design is gorgeous. I love that the print is abstract yet still simple. After a little research, I was informed that the purse is from Chanel's Spring 2011 collection. My obsession with the purse had me hooked on Chanel's website a little longer than I'd like to admit. The vague advertisement started a huge infatuation. Now, I'm one of those girls who needs a Chanel purse.

"You're in desperate need of Chanel."

-The Devil Wears Prada

Oui oui, J’Adore Dior!

This Dior commercial with Charlize Theron is one of my favorite advertisements.  It always catches my attention.  The Oscar winning actress is the perfect spokeswoman for the high fashion clothing line. I love the message of this ad campaign. When someone like Charlize is the face of a product, the company’s strategy seems pretty obvious. Use the strong, sultry woman to make other women purchase the perfume. Well, props to Dior for executing this plan in the classiest manner.

At the beginning of the commercial, Charlize is dressed like a gorgeous supermodel. Charlize fiercely struts down the hallway while Marvin Gaye’s “A Funky Space Reincarnation” plays in the background. As the music progresses, Charlize disposes her glamorous façade. The dialogue is beautifully written, “Gold is cold, diamonds are dead, a limousine is a car, don’t pretend”. Dior used a very smart approach for this commercial. There’s no societal pressure to look a certain way. Instead of romanticizing the glamorous aspects in life, the fashion brand emphasizes on simplicity. Within 31 seconds, Dior has already appealed to me. Natural and confident…what’s not to j’adore?

“Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with.”

-Sex and the City

And so it begins...

Introductions are always a little awkward, but I thought it was a necessary step to starting this blog. First off, my name is Nicole. I’m a seventeen-year-old fashion addict. I obsess over red carpet looks, different fashion advertisements, and of course, Queen Anna Wintour. My favorite season is award season and New York City is my favorite place in the world. Recently, I just graduated from high school and will be attending Boston University in the fall. With college right around the corner, I decided it was time to make my dreams reality. I’ve always been slightly interested in starting a blog, but constantly shied away from the idea. Now that I’m older, I figured it’s a great way to get my feet wet. In “Fashionista In Training”, I will reflect on various styles, designers, ad campaigns, and much more. I look forward to sharing my ideas and broadening my views on fashion!

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

-Coco Chanel, fashion designer