Jessica Simpson’s Fashionable Baby Shower

 

If you’re at all wondering, yes, she’s still pregnant!  What seems like a forever long wait in the arrival of the already famous “M” leaves us turning to a glimpse of the shower given for Jessica Simpson’s bun-to-be.

It was an elegant, upscale-casual affair complete with food galore, pint sized décor, and the ever anticipated gift opening moment with her finance Eric Johnson by her side.

And while I’m not typically the type to delve into the pregnant lives of fashion stars, I thought the video she posted of the event was cute, quaint, and rather sweet.  Maybe you do too?

Update:  As of May 1st, Jessica had her baby!  It's a girl!  Congratulations to the couple!

Posted by:  Spankie V.

(video: JessicaSimpson.com)

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Behind the Scenes: UrbanOG's Spring Lookbook

As you may have noticed, we recently launched our Spring Lookbook! The lookbook was all about the past meets the future and what better way to achieve this than collaborating with Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour. Farrell’s opened its doors in the 1960s and has returned for people to re-experience the delicious food, ice cream, and candy that made Farrell’s a legacy.

We were inspired by Farrell’s old fashion approach from its bar stools to the wood floors and of course to the patriotism displayed throughout the restaurant. The lookbook brought together Farrell’s classic look and UrbanOG’s modern twist with long sleeves, bow ties, candy stripes, and collars. Take a look below at our behind the scenes pictures!  

MAC’s Greatest Hits! Relaunched Collections!!!

Yes!  This is potentially some of the most exciting news in the world of makeup.  MAC has decided to launch a “Fashion Sets” makeup collection that is based on its best-selling colors.  Of.  All.  Time!

Yes my MAC lovers… those coveted colors that typically sell out and discontinue just when you’ve run out?  You can now wrap your hands around them again and apply liberally.  Remember Russian Red and tawny nude Myth?

The makeup sets are basically what a Greatest Hits album is to a music artist.  Each of the 7 color sets includes lipstick, gloss, and nail polish.  We’ve got photos of the sets…. Yay!

Posted by:  Spankie V.

Spice

Girl About Town

Rebel

Myth

Russian Red

Chestnut

(Photos: MAC)

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Wedding Dresses! Romona Keveza’s New Collection

Wedding season is in full swing, and last week we selected some of our favorite new looks from designers showing their collections in Bridal Fashion Week. 

This  week, we’d like to focus on the understated elegance that reads brilliantly in the new collection for Romona Keveza.

As if strolling down the French Riviera, romantic off the shoulder sleeves, pleates, intricate beadwork, and wispy one shoulder details lined the runway for Keveza.  Here are some of our most favorites.  Which one do you like?

A sexy one shoulder draped column dress, my personal favorite!

A sleek off the shoulder design with a lovely and vibrant splash of color.

This is an ultra fashion forward gown featuring peplum and an origami silhouette.  

And we finish with a classic princess look.  This gown shimmers from head to toe, featuring a belted waist which flatters all body types.

Posted by:  Spankie V.

(Photos: Romona Keveza)

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Look We Love: Pop of Color!

Who says you can't look fabulous while on the job?  With Spring in full bloom, and Summer on the near horizon, we are loving the bold color trend.  Especially neon colors!

This look features a more sophisticated and classic way to rock bold colors, as a pop of color to a neutral palette.  Since not everyone likes to wear head to toe color, I styled a look that adds just a touch of color in one bold piece.

 I wanted to create a black base to make the neon yellow skirt really pop, so I chose this lovely and delicate black semi-sheer blouse with neck bow detail.  For the sake of the lookbook, I punched it up with a bold yellow bra, but for a more conservative look, I would wear a black camisole under the shirt to create an opaque look.

Black Bow Blouse:  http://www.urbanog.com/On-The-Line-Top_128_20869.html 

I also added a feathered bird necklace to bring some color up closer to the face so the skirt doesn't steal all of the attention!

Bird Feathers Necklace:  http://www.urbanog.com/Bird-Of-The-Tropics-Necklace_123_20485.html

Black leggings complete the black palette, and next comes the neon yellow skirt.  What a pop!  I added a gold jeweled cuff to ground the yellow hues of the skirt a bit, and an ethnic designed beaded belt around the waist which gives a nice interesting element of color and pattern from the rear view!

Neon Yellow Skirt:  http://www.urbanog.com/Going-Neon-Skirt_159_20357.html

Gold Cuff:  Stepping-Stone-Bracelet_120_19586.html

And finally, some chunky lace up black booties.  These are perfect as they continue the black line of the leggings which helps make your legs look miles long, and the chunkiness of the heels helps to balance out the boldness of this entire look.

Black Tribal Bead Belt:  http://www.urbanog.com/Tribal-Tribute-Belt_119_20221.html

Black Lace Up Booties:  http://www.urbanog.com/Francheska-01-Lace-Up-Platform-Ankle-Bootie_116_20930.html

And there's the look!  What do you think?  Give you ideas of working with pops of color?

Posted by:  Spankie Valentine

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America’s Next Top Model: Judges Get Eliminated!

Do you guys still watch America’s Next Top Model?  For those desiring to be a model, or those who just like watching some drama unfold involving models, the show has been an addictive little secret.  And some huge news just arrived about massive changes!

For the past 18 cycles (yes, 18), it was only the model contestants who were on the chopping block each week.  Now, it’s the judges time.  Ahead of cycle 19, Tyra Banks refused to renew the contracts of her 3 judging co-stars, Nigel Barker, J. Alexander, and Jay Manuel.  What??

The executive producer has said, “They have been amazing assets to the show and will always be a part of the ‘Top Model’ family.  We will continue to actively work with each of them on future projects.” 

Hmmmm…. Do I smell spin-off’s?

It’s hard to believe the show has been on for 9 years, and perhaps change is a good thing.  It will be strange to see new faces picking and prodding at the models-to-be, but who knows, perhaps the switch will help the ratings which have been less than ideal the past few seasons.

And rumor has it, Bryanboy might be taking a judges seat...

Will you watch the new Top Model?  Are you over it?  Or never really your thing?

Posted by: Spankie V.

(Photos: America's Next Top Model)

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Preview! Anny Taylor Fall 2012 Collection

It was preview weekend for deliciously sophisticated designer Ann Taylor, and the new Fall 2012 collection looks to be quite fabulous.  With modernist silhouettes, punctuated details, and the signature animal prints, the collection took us on a ride to the 1960s, Parisian style.

“We were really inspired by the romance of vintage, early Sixties Parisian couture,”  stated Lisa Axelson, the senior vice president of design for Ann Taylor.

Gorgeous peplum tops were paired with bold pencil skirts, boxy pea coats made their presence known, and patterned pants made an exciting statement.  The animal patterns were a blend of leopard, done in black and white giving it a sort of abstract Dalmatian feel.  Adding bold pops of color like neon pink pants and jacket really made the prints a standout piece.

Take a look at some of the pics below!

What do you think of the new collection? 

Posted by:  Spankie V.

(Photos: Pretty Connected, Audrey Allure)

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Looks We Love: Bold Colors Lookbook!

Spring is now in full swing, and those of us who gush over new fashion trends, prepare to leap for joy (sorry, couldn't resist a cheesy pun) because your life just got a whole lot more colorful!

There are so many different ways to rock bold colors, whether it's a pop of color with one key piece (more on that in a future blog) or rocking head to toe color, choosing to pair vibrant hues brings attention getting style in a world of black, white and beige.

I started this luscious look off by taking a bold mint skinny jean (love) and pairing it with a semi sheer mint button down top.  The top is actually sleeveless which I love as it keeps the look cooler for Spring and Summer seasons.  I then added a bold punch of color with a solid tangerine (can we say color of the year) blazer.  I especially love the fold up cuffs as they have a pinstripe detail that keeps the look cool and fresh.

Get the mint jeans:  http://www.urbanog.com/product_160_20186.html  

Get the mint top:  http://www.urbanog.com/product_128_20194.html
Get the orange blazer:  http://www.urbanog.com/Sprung-On-Spring-Blazer_167_20935.html

Next come the accessories!  Layer a bunch of bangles on top of each other to make this a fashion forward look.  The nice thing about these bangles is they are actually only 2 items.  The bottom layer comes with a ton of bangles, so you're not having to grab several items to get this look.

Bangles:  http://www.urbanog.com/Aquamarine-Bangle-Set_120_20761.html
Teal Basket Bangle:  http://www.urbanog.com/Berry-Basket-Bangle_120_19583.html

Next I wanted to add another color element, so I grabbed a solid gold colored bag.  I absolutely love the delicate chain strap to this bag, and if worn as a cross body bag, the chain instantly creates the look of a long necklace to the outfit.  

Bag:  http://www.urbanog.com/Little-Bit-Bag_118_20375.html

These gorgeous sandals complimented the entire look so perfectly!  I went with a neutral beige as I didn't want the outfit to feel on color overload.  Rolled the jeans up to showcase the sexy ankle strap and good to go!

Heels:  http://www.urbanog.com/Anne-Michelle-Socialite-01-Snake-Open-Toe-Sandal_115_20718.html

And last but not least, I added this adorable gold wings necklace to really frame the face!

Necklace:  http://www.urbanog.com/index_123.html

And that's the complete look!  What do you think?  Tell us in the comments below... we'll be posting more bold color lookbooks soon!

Posted by:  Spankie Valentine

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New Trend We Love: Red Wedding Dresses!

As Bridal Fashion Week continues, I wanted to make sure to post another blog on all things fabulous for wedding season, and what better way then to gush over my newest obsession, red wedding dresses!

That’s right my loves, red wedding dresses were seen floating down the runway this week in New York for designers you may have heard of before (ahem!) Very Wang, Oscar de la Renta and Romona Keveza.

I have to say, this bold, look at me, out-of-the-box style for a wedding is just my thing.  I love the bold impression it leaves… a woman in charge who knows what she wants, and is about to seal the deal with a confident, look-at-me statement! 

This mermaid gown is just stunning with the criss-cross tulle neckline and hand rolled applique skirt.

A beautiful deep crimson hue, this strapless hand draped tulle bodice is complimented by a honeycomb tulle skirt, accented with floating Chantilly lace!  Gorgeous!

This scarlet mermaid gown just took my breath away at first sight!  I love the silhouette of a mermaid dress, and this one carries beautifully with an inverted flange skirt, accented up top with a delicate floral shoulder corsage.

What do you think of the dresses?  Will these have you seeing red on your wedding day?

Posted by:  Spankie V.

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Looks We Love! Bridal Fashion Week

Wedding season is about to be in full bloom, and while brides and bridesmaids everywhere are running amok to put the finishing details on their weddings, the fashion world is already looking ahead to Spring 2013 wedding gowns!  Talk about planning ahead!

Monique Lhuillier just showed 31 gowns and cocktail dresses for her Spring 2013 bridal collection during bridal fashion week, and we were drooling!  With names like Luxe and Champagne, each look oozed elegance and class, ranging in details from tulle ball gowns to lace columns.  Take a look at some of the dresses we loved most. 

Named "Forever" this has to be one of my top favs for it's gorgeous tulle trumpet silhouette and tiny hint of pale pink tones to create a unique hue.

"Escape" - a dress that reminds me of romance and the victorian era, with a strapless lace design and sheer tulle cape for added elegance.  

"Illusion" - this dress is so stunning!  Its a silk white and gold embroidered gown with gold flecking on the sheer neckline, and flirty feminine bow on the hip.

Will these have you saying “I Do” to a dress?

Posted by:  Spankie V.

Photos:  Monique Lhuillier

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Britney Spears’ $20,000 Sports Bra!

Ok ok… we’ve seen the million dollar bra stalk the runway a few times at a Victoria’s Secret show, and have heard myths of various other high priced braziers, but now a $20,000 sports bra??!

Britney Spears is out promoting a new game called Twister Dance, and she recently tweeted a photo of herself in a custom fitness bra called “Eternal Love Bra” by Body Rock.  First of all… the girl looks smoking!  Nice abs Brit!

Now, you may be scratching your head as to why the heck this bra costs so much!  Well here are the golden deets:  It has an 18K gold zipper.  Along with the zipper, it has an 18K gold removable tassel with diamond eyed skulls and hand cut Swarovski crystal hearts that you have the option of wearing long, double, or triple. 

The front and the back of the bra is encrusted with more silver diamond Swarovski crystals… oh, and don’t forget gold pyramid studs.  And to top it off… it’s made of silk.

Now I know exactly what you’re thinking:  Why the heck would I wear something like that to sweat in??  Well here’s your answer:  You don’t.  This bra isn’t made for working out, it’s more like your post workout attire for the athletically minded fashion gal who likes diamonds and gold on her décolletage. 

So what do you think?  Would you shell out $20,000 for a sports bra?  Apparently 5 women already have, so what do you think?

Posted by:  Spankie V.

Photo: Twister Dance, Body Rock

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Kate Moss for Mango Summer 2012 Collection

Kate Moss has done it again!  She has seriously irked me (in a good way!) with her flawless physique and ageless face!  Seriously now, how does the woman do it?

Mango just launched a look at their Summer 2012 campaign featuring the lovely Kate Moss, shot by the wonderful Terry Richardson.  Featuring simple looks with yellow, white, and pastel blue hues, the collection mixes a touch of athletic and effortlessly feminine for their new collection. 

Love this citrus hued silk halter dress!  Billowy details like this usually compliment a variety of body types.

A very playful coral dress with a white leather jacket.

I can definitely stand behind some more sporty fashion being featured, as you don't often see looks that mix chic with casual sport.

What do you think?

Posted by:  Spankie V.

Photos: Mango

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Victoria’s Secret for Major League Baseball!

Well my dears, baseball just got a whole lot more fun and fabulous as our favorite boudoir pal Victoria’s Secret just launched their Major League Baseball collection.

Featuring 30 different teams, the collection includes sports-inspired clothing and accessories fit for any fashionable jock, or in this case, sexy jock.  Zip up hoodies, V neck T Shirts, yoga pants and other designs feature super cute sayings like “I’m a Great Catch” and “Play Ball.”

The collection ranges from $11 to $68.  Will you be sporting the new collection?

Posted by:  Spankie V.

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