The quickest route to a kick ass outfit is ridiculously outstanding accessories. The right statement necklace can instantly and magically transform ye olde LBD into an eye popping show stopper. While clothes, hair and makeup are the first aspects of fashion that come to mind when I think about Fashion Week, accessories are a key component of every designer’s presentation.

Check out ThisThatBeauty’s rundown of the sickest accessories to hit the runway for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week AW/2010.

BCBG

Carolina Herrera

Halston

Jason Wu

Jill Stuart

John Bartlett

Ports 1961

Zac Posen

#NYFW

Hey folks — I’m back from Robert Verdi’s too cool for school Valentine’s Day Gift Idea Twitter party. If you’re anything like me and completely void of crazy, sexy, cool, freakum V-Day ideas, fret not. My Jersey broham, Robert Verdi has you covered [and when I say "Jersey" I do not mean it in the "Jersey Shore" kind of way...Oy, I think I just contracted rabies!].

If times are rough and tough like leather, and you have about 50 bones in your pocket, Robert suggests:

If you’re rolling with Ben Franklin and have $100 to spend, Robert suggests:

If you’re “In the Ferrari or jaguar, switchin’ four lanes Wit’ the top down screaming out Money ain’t a thang“…and have $500 to make rain, Robert suggests:

Other great ideas from Robert Verdi include:

Make Valentine’s Day special with a fun Fragoli Passion Cocktail. During Robert’s event we enjoyed delectable Fragoli and Prosecco libations. YUM!

Don’t forget to bring the creativity. Give a coupon book filled with fun redeemable surprises!

Try a unique way of giving flowers with Rebecca Cole Grows candy dish filled with amazing blooms. It’s a modern take on the traditional gift of flowers.

Instead of a humongous box of chocolates, try:

Or give chocolates with a purpose: Godiva and the Elton John AIDS Foundation have partnered to create a new Limited Edition True Love Gold Heart Assortment. Show how much you care by giving this thoughtful heart shaped box filled with a heavenly assorted caramels, pralines, dark, while, and milk chocolate.

Don’t have enough vacation days for a long romantic getaway? Plan a short jaunt and whisk her away! This hip Eenamaria travel tote holds everything for an overnight stay and wont cost you an arm and a leg.

Here’s a great way to re-invent dinner at home:

For the bella who favors baubles: Swarovski Crystalized Charm Bracelet

R.J. Graziano clear marble-style large lucite beads makes a great statement necklace gift. Show her you’re in the know with this stylish piece!

And she’s going to need a place to keep her baubles….Now her jewelry can travel in style with this patent leather jewelry case from Cole Haan.

The simplest of gifts still say I “LOVE YOU”:

Forget a bicycle made for two, try this: Combine “dress” and “sport” with this modern His/Hers offering from AK Anne Klein.

Throw shade, but in a good way! Now here’s a shameless plug for a gift that would make Ms ThisThatBeauty’s heart melt. The DIANE von Furstenberg eyewear collection has my name written all over it! Mimicking the same geometric patterns and eye catching prints found on DVF frocks, the DIANE von Furstenberg eyewear collection includes shades of colors of Black Merlot, Brown Teal, Teal Gold, and Hot Pink. The vintage cat eye frame is the cat’s meow!

Show your man what time it is! This Kenneth Cole watch is a timeless choice that’s sure to remind him of his boo every time he checks his wrist!

I hope this Robert Verdi approved Valentine’s Day Gift Guide helps to spark inspiration, kindle the home fires, and ignite an evening of fireworks!

xo,

Felicia

Despite the fact the I own enough fancy frocks and scrumptious skirts to fill two closets and a small storage facility in glamorous Edison, New Jersey, my “core wardrobe” consists of a few well appointed pieces. And by “core wardrobe” I mean carefully edited articles that I rely on regularly.

En route to a recent style event, my dear friend and stylista  Adriana Nova complimented me on my ensemble of vintage whiskey mink jacket, satin lapel blazer, flouncy mini, and knee skimming flat boots. I quickly replied something to the effect of “Chile, I’m sure I’ve worn this blazer the last couple of times we’ve seen one another…of course paired differently…but still“. Adrianna flatteringly volleyed back “Your personal style is very French“.

Oui oui! Adri is absolutely right. My personal aesthetic is quite French indeed. Contrary to popular opinion, French women are not slaves to fashion and haute couture. From an early age French women are taught to find the style that suits them and rock it for dear life. I have subscribed to this doctrine for many years. French women also tend to invest in a few high quality pieces rather than stock up on hoards of cheap clothing from haunts like Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe. Now don’t get me wrong. It’s perfectly fine to cop an odd or an end from F21, I often do (hello “jeggings“), but don’t ball outta control and make it rain up in that piece!

My quick little tete e tete with Adriana inspired her to drop some serious fashion gems via Twitter. So as Denzel Washington asserted to Ethan Hawke in the movie “Training Day, “Listen. You are in a privileged position to learn“. With that said, read on as Adriana Nova strikes Twitter gold with her rant on the French style of dressing!

• So, today’s thoughts are on “French” dressing, which my pal @thisthatbeauty and I discussed yesterday. I love the philosophy behind it. 10:18 AM Jan 22nd
• Buy good quality (notice I didn’t say “expensive”–but they often are), well-made pieces that are timeless, and go well w/ other staples 10:20 AM Jan 22nd
• in your wardrobe. Now, my definition of timeless is more flexible than others’. I think a sequin jacket or a gold tunic can be timeless.
• Not to say you didn’t need your basic good black skirt, LBD, and black blazer. But perhaps go for a tuxedo blazer with satin lapels and 10:21 AM Jan 22nd
• ruched sleeves rather than your basic Ann Taylor boxcar with two arms that you’ll look at in a few years and go “meh.” 10:22 AM Jan 22nd
• Plus, what I love with items you keep around long-term is building a history with them. “This is the dress I took to Tuscany,” etc. 10:23 AM Jan 22nd
• And I’m actually quite comfortable w/ people knowing me for signature pieces. My gold Chanel clip-ons have become my signature jewelry piece 10:23 AM Jan 22nd
• that people now always know me by. Maybe some people think, “this chick stay in them Chanel earrings” but I like to imagine that it conveys 10:24 AM Jan 22nd
• more of a “I love those earrings every time I see them.” @ least that’s been the feedback. And if it isn’t, well, as @bevysmith said 10:25 AM Jan 22nd
• yesterday: fu*kem.com! 10:26 AM Jan 22nd
• Building a wardrobe around good pieces is like building a career: it takes time and strategy. 10:26 AM Jan 22nd
• But the end results, a well-curated, quality collection of pieces that speak to your personal style, are invaluable. 10:28 AM Jan 22nd
• The way I see it is this: once I put something on for the day I don’t want to think about it again: no tugging, fixing, checking hems, etc. 10:29 AM Jan 22nd
• With finely tailored, well-made clothing, 99.9% of the time you do not need to do that. And I want to re-emphasize that well-made & quality 10:30 AM Jan 22nd
• Doesn’t always mean “expensive.” Some of my timeless pieces are H&M, TopShop, & Old Navy. You just have to know how to look & what works. 10:31 AM Jan 22nd
• @ThisThatBeauty You inspired today’s fashion trant (Twitter rant). Gold star! 10:40 AM Jan 22nd

For more Twitter bug golden nuggets from the Amazing Adriana, follow her on twitter @realcurbappeal. Also check for Adriana via Essence, Honey, StyleHive, and RealCurbAppeal.

More on Adriana:Stylin’ and profilin’ since the days of Buster Browns, Adriana Nova picked up her first Vogue at age 8 and never looked back. A regular contributor to several of the Web’s top fashion sites, she’s also appeared in the New York Post, as well as on New York’s CBS2News and WWD.com. CURB APPEAL sizes up Style from Adri’s stoop on Fashion Avenue, glancing occasionally up the street at the stalled bus known as Pop Culture.

Don’t you just love how the holidays immediately roll from one to the next? As soon as you’ve paid down your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus debt, its time to turn your attention to the holiday d’amore, Valentine’s Day. If you’re anything like moi, year to year you struggle to flex your  creative side and conjure up a gift/experience to blow your boo’s mind.

Well this year I give up, give in, and I’m leaving the Valentine’s Day creativity to my good pal (Jersey stand up!) Taste Maker Extraordinaire, Robert Verdi. Join me tonight as I tweet live (@ThisThatBeauty) from Robert Verdi’s Luxe Laboratory. From 6:30 – 8:30 Robert will dish on this year’s hottest Valentines Day gifts.

Follow all of the excitement, great tips, AND giveaways!

Robert Verdi @RobertVerdi

ThisThatBeauty @ThisThatBeauty

Use event hashtag – #rvtips

Halle Berry recently appeared on NBC’s Nightly news rocking one hella gorg neck piece. The Fiona Paxton 42″ stunner known as “Sylvie” is hawt hawt hawt! While Halle sported the hand beaded metal patterned necklace in Dark Oxidized Silver, if Ms ThisThatBeauty had an extra $300 to drop I’d definitely be all over Sylvie in Gold.

Ready to drool? Check out the Fiona Paxton eye candy below:

During Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week I had the pleasure of attending many lovely events where I was introduced to wonderful new collections, fashions, brands, etc.

While at Robert Verdi’s Luxe Laboratory I was introduced to a designer whose earrings have made me the belle of the ball everywhere I go! Naturally I am inclined to share with my ThisThatBeauty Babes so that you too can turn heads at your next soiree:)

Tarina Tarantino Skull Lucite Earrings

Seriously, you need these! My cutesy little skull earrings get the conversation started everywhere I go. They’re the perfect little dose of rocker chic . These adorable darling skulls with crystal eyes come in 12 pretty shades. I own them in black and nude. I should also add that Tarina Tarantino’s skull earrings are Recessionista friendly, priced at only 20 smackeroos. And from now through Nov 2, Tarina Tarantino is offering 25% off.

Well what are you waiting for?…

Ohhh, you wanna see me rockin the skulls, don’t you?! OK, get your skull eye candy fix below:)

Earlier this year I reported on the “bib necklace” as one of Spring/Summer’s hottest trends. In the post I mentioned that I got my first taste of the bib necklace about a year prior to the official trendspotting for Spring/Summer 2009.

Leave a comment