Southern Protocol

The Kitten Heel. A shoe making a huge comeback for the fall, a huge controversy splash here at Southern Protocol headquarters. Why? Because contrary to what the style editors at Marie Claire, Harpers Bazaar and Vogue think, a kitten heel is NOT a 3.5 inch shoe.

An abridged definition of “kitten heel”, courtesy of google dictionary: “a short, slender heel, usually from 1.5 – 2 inches high with a slight curve setting the heel in from the edge of the shoe.” Notice the max height of two inches. Notice the curved heel. Neither of which are found on the lace and zippered Louboutins featured in Harper’s article about the trend.

Now before you get all preachy on me, I realize that Fall 2010’s kitten heels are a modernized version of the shoe that Audrey Hepburn made famous in the ’50s. But you’re throwing off people all over the country! Why not just say that LOWER heels are now rising up against the 6 inch platform stilettos of the past few seasons? I’m sure women would love that, and wouldn’t abhor the trend from the get-go because you wouldn’t have scared them off with the term “kitten heel” – which let’s be honest, has become synonomous with dowdy.

Or modernize it by combining the traditional kitten heel with the chunky, strappy styles that are also popular right now.

I am now exiting my soap box – continue on your Thursday

When I saw the combination of 2 of my 3 favorite cities in an article from The City Paper the other day, I squealed with delight! (Do you seriously need to ask the 3rd favorite city? Sweet home Athens, Georgia!)

While people may not immediately think of St. Louis, Missouri as any kind of fashion capital, there’s a lot that goes on in that sweet Midwestern city. Case in point: the ever-growing St. Louis Fashion Week, taking place this year from September 7 – 11. Similar to Charleston Fashion Week, St. Louis’ version offers a an up-and-coming designer competition dubbed Project: Design!.

Event sponsor and St. Louis based Alive Magazine chose Charleston’s very own Julie Wheat, of the beloved Cavortress, as a semi-finalist, then opened voting to online visitors… YAY for Julie who was voted as one of the six finalists! The only girlfriend representing any of the Southern states.

Julie and the other five contestants will face a panel of judges next week, each vying to win the grand prize of a website and fashion spread in Alive Magazine. To win would be pretty huge for obvious reasons, but also because two past winners have made it to Project Runway.

GOOD LUCK JULIE!

I’ve really been into accessories lately. All forms – jewelry, shoes, purses, etc – are such an easy way to make a tried and true outfit feel brand new again! And while I’m all about the low cost costume jewelry from places like Forever 21 or So Good on King Street, a girl has GOT to have some quality, enviable pieces in her collection, too. Enter David Yurman, Tiffany & Co., John Hardy… and MiJa!

The MiJa jewelry collections, based in DC, actually started off originally just as fine jewelry for children; after making bracelets for her nieces using a gold chain and loose pearls from a broken necklace, the designer realized she just may be on to something. After a few successful lines for the kiddies, she decided the mommies could use something, too – and enter the first full women’s collection.

The pieces are absolutely stunning and fresh…I love the layered look of  stacked bracelets and rings, and MiJa’s elegantly thin versions of both have just enough pizazz to make a statement, but are simple enough to plop on top of each other, too.

Of course what really piqued my attention was the recently released MiJa bridal collection! We love that all of our brides are fashion-conscious, and truly care about their entire look on their wedding day; but just because they care doesn’t mean it’s easy to find that perfect piece! MiJa’s bridal line is SO flawless; gorgeous without being the showstopper, it’s really there to enhance the rest of your look.I’m in love with these sterling silver and white sapphire drop earrings! The current line also includes necklaces, hair pieces, cocktail rings, and bracelets (so your right hand can be jazzed up, too!), with the full collection debuting this month.

Whether you need a gift for a little one – First Communion, a flower girl, etc – or you’d like to spoil yourself (wedding day or not!), definitely check out MiJa jewelry… she’s bound to become real big real fast.

Once again, I wasn’t overly enthused with any of the Emmys red carpet frocks. Is it just me, or did half of the women there look like they were headed to a Christmas fete? It IS August, is it not? I don’t want to see what looks like maroon velvet, I don’t want to see so much navy, I don’t want to see heavy and stiff draping.

I watch the red carpet to remind myself of why I love fashion – and also to be bitter that I don’t have frequent opportunities to don ball gowns and fabulous vintage couture dazzlers. And two leading ladies that reminded me? January Jones and Anna Paquin. Two leading ladies that are on half the best dressed lists and half the worst dressed lists? January Jones and Anna Paquin.

I loved the “mullet” that was January’s electric blue Versace dress. Perhaps it’s because we’re such huge fans of the crinoline look, I don’t know. It was so flattering on her, and she seriously stood out. I wasn’t entirely wild about the cocktail umbrellas that were covering her girls, but all-in-all the detailing was fantastic.

I also loved the sleek Egyptian hardware at the top of Anna’s McQueen dress. Who needs millions of dollars worth of accessories when you have THAT built in?! She looked modern and simply elegant all at the same time. My one tweak to her: as much as I loved the mullet of January’s dress, I very much disliked it on Anna’s. It just looked the tailor forgot to take out some pins.

One hugely best dressed candidate that I DO agree with was Heather Morris. She took the head to toe sparkle look that’s so popular right now and twisted it with a big dose of Old Hollywood Glamour. A style that’s right up my alley… She looked gorgeous! It was fun seeing her dolled up in something other than a cheerleader’s skirt and ponytail, a la her Glee character, Brittany.

Notables that made me screech in horror when they debuted on the screen: first and foremost Christina Hendricks. Oh my GOD it was such a hot mess of lavender, low-cut and feathers. Yikes. Accentuate your curves, don’t strangle them! Holly Burrell also literally made me choke on my popcorn – I mean it was just God awful!

Quite a few big time fashion trends have stemmed from leading ladies’ roles in movies. We were just talking about Audrey Hepburn and her LBD in Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Diane Keaton’s menswear debut as Annie Hall; Katherine Hepburn defying all popular culture and showing pants could be feminine… the list goes on and on.

There were also those one-time ensembles that were so “iconic” that while they didn’t make it to mass production, they are forever seared in cinema (and wardrobe) greatness. Marie Claire decided to put together a list honoring those fashion leaders – and the list includes everything from the rebellious Scarlett O’Hara’s dress-of-drapes to Alex Owen’s off-the-shoulder grey dancin’ sweatshirt.

Take a trip down movie memory lane and marvel in the fabulous costume designer choices. My personal favorite? Cher from Clueless – gotta love those knee socks and plaid miniskirts!

Seriously, could Cynthia Rowley BE anymore all over the place lately? She’s taken fashion to every possible corner of industry in the past year – bridesmaids, surfers, vintage bicycles – and now she’s taken it one step further. To help you and your loved ones cover up ghastly paper cuts and shaving knicks in style.

That’s right, Cynthia Rowley has partnered with Band-Aids in one unprecedented fashion-meets-function alliance. The 14 designs run the range of Cynthia’s go-to “downtown” trademarks: lace, sparkle, sequin, gemstones, and all kinds of intricate patterns.

Also true to any kind of recent collaboration, by purchasing the Band-Aids you donate to a good cause: one dollar from each sale will go to Design Ignites Change, “an organization that engages high school and college students in multidisciplinary design and architecture projects that adress pressing social issues in their own communities” (glam.com) What a mouthful – but it IS a great cause.

Just the other night I was chatting with a group of friends about the fabulous little fashion documentaries that always sprout up right before or around fashion week. Then here we are, a mere 2 weeks before the tents debut at the Lincoln Center, and what do I hear about? A film by documentarian Loic Prigent called “The Day Before”, set to premiere on The Sundance Channel on Fashion Week Eve (September 8th).

The much anticipated four-part documentary follows six design houses in the chaotic 36 hours prior to the lights dimming on the runway. It’s been reviewed as a refreshing glimpse behind the scenes as 4 big name designers scramble to make everything come together! Set your DVRs to catch Sonia Rykiel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Proenza Schouler, and (the one and only) Karl Lagerfeld.

The tell-all documentary starts Wednesday, September 8th at 5:00 pm eastern, and runs every night at the same time through Saturday.

Lizz and I always lament the over casualness of modern dressing. Like really, would it kill you to take off your sweatpants before you left your house? There’s actually a great little page in September’s Marie Claire where Tim Gunn – in his Tim Gunny voice that makes me so giggly and happy…because yes I can hear his voice even in print – said that he’s so tired of people complaining about not being as “comfortable” in tailored clothes, because you’re not SUPPOSED to be as comfortable. You’re supposed to be presenting yourself to the world, and not wanting to lounge in bed. Touche, Tim, you win again.

Anyhoo, someone we can always count on to never, ever dress down is Karl Lagerfeld. I stumbled across this picture of the elusive mastermind vacationing in St Tropez – did he ditch the Victorian suit? The gloves? The heavy shoes? Never! The tight suit and all its accoutrements stayed. The only difference? Tan fabric of course, because that makes it look so summery in the tropical heat! I actually originally found a picture of him hilariously lounging on a swing, in his traditional super stiff demeanor, but I can’t remember where I saw it… so this pic will have to do.

Gotta love Uncle Karl!

Audrey Hepburn would be so proud: her iconic dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s sparked the phrase “LBD” (little black dress…obvi), and now the term has officially been added to the Oxford Dictionary of English!

I’m not entirely sure what the purpose of that is, as in why would anyone ever look up “LBD” out of curiosity as to what it meant, but it does make me happy. Perhaps happy enough to buy myself a new LBD! A necessary celebratory purchase, of course.

I am not at all embarrassed to say how much I love any of the shows on E! that center on the Kardashian family. They are so hilarious, dramatic and all over the place, and I simply cannot wait until Keeping Up With the Kardashians starts a new season on August 22. 17 days.

What I absolutely can NOT believe is that Kim Kardashian – the resident businesswoman extraordinare in the family – is now expanding her empire of perfumes, clothing and tweeting to jewelry. More specifically, to earrings. Even more specifically, luxury earrings that cost a whopping $10,000 – $40,000. She has done jewelry before, both with her sisters and an LA label, but this is her first stab at a line with her name. Naturally it was necessary to spell collection with a “k”.

I’ll let that price tag sink in for a second. Because it is so laughable to me that Kim, who does have great style, thinks that she can sell EARRINGS for 5-6 figures. Who in their right mind would think, “Yes, I love those David Yurman earrings, but why splurge for those when I can splurge even more for something Kim Kardashian designed!” It’s not happening.

Granted the preview look book for the earrings shows the accessories are anything but classic and tame. In true Kardashian fashion they are over the top, bejeweled and extremely large. I will say that I do like the earrings, I just can’t personally wear accessories that are as large as my face. The earrings pictured above are 38.62 carat blue-and-white diamond. Aaand there’s why we have that large price tag.

The collection will be sold at Loren Jewels starting September 1… you can take a peek at a few designs on their website. Just because I like to be a cheerleader for this cuh-razy family, I hope that the line does well when it debuts. Time will tell!

…in a BREATHTAKING Vera Wang gown on Saturday. I realize I’m a day or two behind, as most websites had up images of the dress about .2 seconds after daddy dearest gave her away, but I couldn’t NOT write about it.

I hear she changed for the reception, and have yet to see pictures of that, but I can’t imagine wanting to only wear this gorgeous organza creation for only a ceremony!! I would never take it off! I’d still be wearing it, sweating through all the fine craftsmanship on whatever fabulous honeymoon you have when you’re a former First Daughter.

I’d actually never noticed how teeny tiny Chelsea Clinton Mezvinsky was, and this Vera gown only accentuated that. To say that the bodice was beautifully draped is an understatement. The gentle criss-cross on top gave way to an intricately beautiful beaded waistline band. Absolutely stunning, and just enough of that “something special” for a wedding gown without being glitzy.

But the bottom is what really made the statement. Yards and yards of ivory tulle were gathered into huge, swirling layers that had immense volume… I absolutely loved it. Supposedly the reception dress (also Vera Wang) was more of a Grecian feel, with a low cut back and black grosgain ribbon. Eh, I suppose it was better for dancing. But I’ll be dreaming of Chelsea’s ceremony dress for weeks!

This week I interviewed Katherine McDonald, owner of LulaKate, to find out about her successes as an entrepreneur here in Charleston. With a major in Psychology, it is amazing to see the line of work she has come into. Katherine is an amazingly talented designer with a fabulous boutique at 324 King Street. I was excited to chat with her about how she started and what her inspirations were over a little coffee at Caviar and Bananas.

Q: How did you get started and what inspired you?

A: Katherine had always wanted her own clothing line and was always making her own clothes. In 2003, she was layed off from a job and started some intensive sewing. Almost heading to New York, she found a great job here in Charleston at Blackbaud. Wearing her adorable a-line skirts to work got her friends talking. Before she knew it she was doing trunk shows for friends and friends of friends from Maryland to Florida. The skirts were adorable cotton poplins and fun prints. It was history from there and began selling wholesale to boutiques like Copper Penny and even one of my favorite boutiques in Lexington – AJ’s! “So many of my customers were starting to get married and wanted me to design their bridesmaid dresses,” but Katherine was a bit hesitant. With the economy in a sudden downturn Ready-to-Wear was deeply affected, but not the bridal industry. She made the transition into bridal and she is now one of the most well known bridal gown and bridesmaid designers in Charleston. You can find her amazing custom dresses at her boutique and also at Bella Bridesmaid locations across the country!

Q: How do you incorporate your Southern roots into your business?

A: “The name LulaKate is very Southern in itself. Lula was my great grandmother’s name.” Everything sold in the store is very classic and sophisticated. “Southern women know how to dress and just have class. They know that a simple silhouette will look good at any age.” There is no doubt that Southern women ooze classic elegance.

Q: What is your favorite Southern staple food? Favorite restaurant in Charleston?

A: Without a blink of an eye Katherine replied, “macaroni & cheese – and sweet potatoes with marshmallows!” She adores Al Di La in West Ashley.

Q: Is it difficult to be a female entrepreneur in Charleston?

A: “In Charleston, no. The city is so supportive of women.” There are still stereotypes of what women should be and then what women are doing these days. There is a definite sense of empowerment. “It is a small city and there aren’t many industries so that is why there are so many female entrepreneurs.”

Q: Any advice for other female entrepreneurs?

A: “A very smart and very successful person once told me:  ‘Pick one thing and do it well and if you are seriously passionate about something do not quit!’” Katherine also said that this is not a business for someone who is faint of heart and it has been 8 years in the making for her successes.

I loved chatting with Katherine and found her absolutely intriguing because of how successful she is and how she has never given up. It is definitely a huge encouragement for me personally. A little passion and hard work go a long way.

Posted by Quinn

The hit AMC series Mad Men continues to have an enviable stronghold on current popular fashion! January Jones and Christina Hendricks have easily replaced Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall, turning sexy on-screen fashions from the 1960s into highly coveted pieces for the modern wardrobe.

Now that Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant has already paired with QVC for a clothing line inspired by the hot movers and shakers of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, it only makes sense that she’d move on to another hot commodity: nail polish.

The line, which will be through sassy retailer Nailtini (flawless pairing choice for a show with everyone drinking all the time, huh?), will consist of four colors: Bourbon Satin (brown), French 75 (gold), Deauville (platinum), and Stinger (iridescent). Don’t those colors just scream Mad Men? The colors that dance across the screen during that entire show are rich browns, creams and jewel tones. What a perfect decision to keep the nail polishes in those families – I’m sure they’ll be a big hit come fall!

The polish will be available at CVS Beauty 360 and Duane Reade’s Look stores this fall for $14 a piece. Slather some on, slip into a corseted dress, grab a martini, and hit the town!

Now that Betty White has outlasted all of her Golden Girls co-stars, and has had quite possibly the most random comeback of all time, there’s only one obvious thing left to do: a clothing line with Jerry Leigh Apparel, of course!

I am absolutely dying laughing that 88-year-old Betty White has an upcoming clothing line. The best part is, she has SUCH a strong following – from her actual Golden Girls days as well as her new, younger fans – that this line will no doubt be uber-successful. I actually bet it will be more successful than some of the younger actress-turned-designers (you know how I normally feel about that prototype!) that have churned out collections recently…

Set to launch in August, the collection consists mostly of hoodies and t-shirts featuring Betty herself, and range from $28-48. As if having a shirt with Betty’s deceivingly sweet-as-sugar face on the front isn’t enough, part of the proceeds will benefit the Morris Animal Foundation.

How could you possibly resist?!

Unfortunately summer is coming to an end and I’m sure everyone has had a fair share of the sun. I personally love basking in the sun whether it is at the beach or at the pool, but sometimes I get worried that my skin is really suffering. There are so many products out there to reverse the signs of skin damage from the sun these days! My mom swears by a simple product called Bio Oil that you can find at any drugstore. She had a very visible line on her arm from sun damage and the Bio Oil has almost completely made it disappear. There are products made by Oil of Olay, Clinique, and Garnier. Olay’s product is called Definity Color Recapture that you can also find in most stores. Clinique’s product is the Clinical Dark Spot Corrector that many people rave about because of its awesome results. And the last product available over the counter with great reviews is the Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Sun-Damage.

All of these products are the top picks by many experts to protect and correct. So keep your skin looking young and radiant with these awesome over-the-counter products even after the summer is over!

Posted by Quinn