I am neither an art director nor in the business of public relations, but if I was…does it get any better than this?

A Lanvin dress (from Spring 2012) with snake-effect embellishment.

Sunday February 10th marks the start of the Chinese New Year…capturing the feel of Chinese New Year in your wardrobe is simple: stick to a colour palette of black, red, gold and orange. An all black ensemble with a shot of gold and a red lip and nail is a subtle approach. The more daring can incorporate Eastern influences like a mandarin collar, clean lines and capped sleeves or sleeveless uppers(calling to mind the style of a classic cheongsam).

Anna Dello Russo in Piers Atkinson’s “Cherry” hat, Gaga’s “meat” dress and Katy Perry’s “cupcake” bra: surreal style.

Elsa Schiaparelli’s shoe hat really pioneered the spirit of the trend. It’s not for everyone, especially not for those who prefer to fly under the radar. If it had to have a spokesmodel these days, Anna Dello Russo and her Piers Atkinson cherry fascinator would merit my vote, with Gaga (meat dress) or Katy Perry (cupcake bra) coming in a close second. Surrealism in fashion. It’s bold, cheeky and almost always rated over-the-top. This season both garments and accessories appeared with surreal connections. The brash and striking points of reference are perfectly suited to fall/winter fashion. Success usually comes with one touch and for those of us not comfortable in a feathered frock like Bjork’s 2001 Oscar’s “swan dress”, that nudge is best kept light and subtle.

EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW…
…I LEARNED AT THE SAG AWARDS!
1. Navy is a lot easier to wear than black. It photographs beautifully. Matte navy absorbs flash in a most flattering way. Fab on women, men and even those expecting. It’s a clever color.

The Golden Globes 2013 are officially done. Despite accusations that this awards season is suffering from a bit of the “meh” syndrome, there were definitely some high and low notes on the red carpet. To that end, we present our takes on best and worst while incorporating songs, albums and artists nominated for Grammys this year. Focus and you should be able to follow along…

AND THEY’RE OFF!
It’s well underway and what a great start to our favorite time of year…Awards Season. The People’s Choice Awards showed us that Hermione is certainly no wallflower in a fabulous Peter Pilatto while the Critic’s Choice Awards’ silver lining seemed to be a former archer in a Prabal Gurung cutout. It’s all too exciting and, much like Ann Hathaway’s reaction to her Oscar nomination has us crying and laughing and then doing both at the same time.
TOO MUCH TWEAKING?

Hot tomatoes: (clockwise from top left) Emily Blunt in Roksanda Ilincic, Kate Upton in Narciso Rodriguez, Taylor Swift in her latest cd’s namesake “RED”, and Clemence Poesy in Valentino.

Move over little black, step aside ruby, imperial, crimson and fire engine red, the current way to do a dress is the tomato. A little red with a burst of orange and a pop of techno, the color of the moment when it comes to dress dressing is Campbell’s tomato soupy mmm mmm good. Skip the predictable black shoes and instead pair with a neutral one to really lengthen the leg. This color is a brilliant way to banish winter blues and is very forgiving to February pasty skin pallor. It’s a shade that looks just as great on blondes, raven haired maidens or the gingery set. 

Leather Lovers:(from left) Giovanna Battaglia in a leather dress at A/W Paris Fashion Week 2012, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Elizabeth and James leather leggings, Sophia Vargara in a leather jacket and Gwyneth Paltrow in a Hugo Boss leather dress.

‘Tis the season for leather. Even in climate-centric zones like L.A., Dallas and Miami, leather will pop its soft little head out of the closet at some point between November and January. Sourcing the skin is easy, but wearing it well, that’s a cow of a different color.Rule #1: Distressed leather only works for black and white Bruce Weber photos. It doesn’t cut it in the real world. No matter how much of a steal it is in that vintage boutique, step away from the rack.Rule #2: Hard to deliver this one but…leather is for thin people. If you have piled on a few pounds, it’s best to go another route. This stands for jackets, tops, dresses, skirts and even boots. A chubby calf or ankle popping out from the top of the coolest leather bootie is never pretty. Opt instead for leather accents like bags and gloves.Rule #3: As your age increases, the weight of your leather should decrease. Also consider a color softer than basic black. A lightweight navy leather jacket is much more flattering than the traditional Brando Biker special.

Short stars: (from left) Kate Bosworth, Paris Vogue’s Geraldine Saglio and Kate Moss do the short thing: tucked, belted and (for Saglio and Moss) blazered.

“A man should never wear shorts in the city. Flip-flops and shorts in the city are never appropriate. Shorts should only be worn on the tennis court or on the beach.” Tom Ford toAnOther Magazine, March 2011