Tales from the Background

Getting your name up in lights is no easy task. While I did not grow up dreaming of being a world famous thespian, somewhere in college I lost my head to the acting bug. If you would like to read some of my thoughts on working as a background actor, check out my interview on Gala Darling. Since Gala is my blogging hero, I am super excited that she featured me in her "I Want to Be..." series.

Me as a CoffeeBucks girl on Scrubs.

(Do not be fooled by the bright eyes. This picture was taken after pulling an all-nighter on another set.)

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.

"Until Breakfast at Tiffany's, glamorous women of the movies occupied strata available only to the mind-blowingly chic. satin-wrapped, ermine-lined ladies of the boulevard, whom no one but a true movie star could ever become. But Holly was different. She wore simple things. They weren't that expensive. And they looked stunning."

-Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.

Reading Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson is the next best thing to being on set. From Capote's shocking novel and Audrey's reluctance to play a call girl to Hubert de Givenchy's iconic black dress and the writing of "Moon River", Wasson's book delves into the behind the scenes drama of the movie as well as into American culture before the sexual revolution. My only complaint about this book is that it's too short!

The Year 2010

Trends I loved

Mint green nail polish
Black Swan/ballet inspired fashion
Geek chic eyewear
Mad Men vintage dressing
Velvet

Blogs that inspired

Cafe Fashionista

vvb32Reads
Gala Darling
Piewacket
yes and yes
PinkBow
Hyperbole and a Half

Beauty products I discovered

MAC Mineralize Foundation SPF15

Smashbox Photo Finish Correcting Primer
Tarte The Jewelry Box

Sites I shopped

Shabby Apple

Amazon.com
Spotted Moth
Sephora
delias
J. Crew
Beauty.com

Movies I saw

Inception
Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Alice in Wonderland
Tron Legacy

Books I read

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel by Lisa See

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Marvel Classics) by Shanower, Baum, and Young

Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman

Murder at Mansfield Park: A Novel by Lynn Shepherd

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Songs that rocked my year

"Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry

"Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars
"Secrets" by One Republic
"Cooler Than Me" by Mike Posner
"Raise Your Glass" by Pink
"Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem ft. Rihanna
"Firework" by Katy Perry
"Your Love is My Drug" by Ke$ha
"You've Got the Love" by Florence + The Machine
"Only Girl (In The World)" by Rihanna

Have a Happy New Year!

Happy December!

Woke up this morning to find snowflakes twirling through the air. Since it's the first day of December, I am happy to have snow, although it will be a different story come January. Right now I want to curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and my MacBook and browse all the wonderful winter clothing online. I'm loving the Snowball Mittens and Big Apple Owl Earmuffs from Kate Spade.

Eat Pray Love

I admit I haven't seen the movie Eat Pray Love, but I read Elizabeth Gilbert's book and loved it. Her journey made me want to learn Italian, eat gelato, practice yoga, and travel the world.

If you could take a personal journey anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do?

Persuasion (1995 movie)

I took a break from reading for the Everything Austen II challenge and decided to watch the 1995 version of Persuasion starring Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds. I saw this version once several years ago and only remembered that I'd liked it. Watching this adaptation again, I appreciated how closely the movie followed the book and the maturity that Root and Hinds bring to their roles. I love the naval scenes at the beginning and ending of the movie and wish that the 2007 adaptation had ended this way. If you haven't seen this film, I highly recommend that you do so.

Inception

I cannot recommend this movie enough. It blew my mind... and that was just the first 15 minutes.

Wardrobe Remix: (500) Days of Summer

I am completely smitten with Zooey Deschanel's wardrobe in (500) Days of Summer. Here is a brief but fabulous interview with the movie's costume designer. To get the look, stick to blue tops and dresses and accent with neutral colors. Don't forget to raid the nearest vintage store!

(500) Days of Summer 2010 by Icedivastar featuring Betsey Johnson shoes

A Little Movie Inspiration

Period movies always inspire me to dress better. I recently watched Chocolat and An Education and fell in love with the costumes. Both movies are set within a few years of each other, but the looks are very different. Chocolat takes place in a small French village in 1959. The look is very romantic with circle skirts and cardigans in soft, muted colors, and the makeup is clean and matte with a dark red lip. Louis Vuitton's Fall 2010 collection reminded me of some of the looks in this film.

Chocolat - France, 1959

Chocolat by Icedivastar featuring Me Too shoes

An Education is set in England in 1961 and features looks that pull from both the 1950's and the 1960's. The movie is about a girl in transition, so it makes sense that the clothes in the film are evolving, too. Shift dresses, pillbox hats, and liquid eyeliner become staples as the story progresses. Luella's Spring 2010 collection offers a modern take on the early 1960's look.

An Education - England, 1961

An Education by Icedivastar featuring Bottega Veneta coats

Alice in Wonderland

I went to see Alice in Wonderland in 3-D this weekend and really enjoyed it. I am not a big fan of the Disney cartoon, so I was surprised by how much I liked Time Burton's version. Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter is genius. His accent changes in almost every scene. He is crazy and sane and still appealing despite the clown makeup (a big plus since I hate clowns). Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen is, also, quite brilliant. She takes this cartoonish character and makes her human and very entertaining. I, also, enjoyed Anne Hathaway's White Queen, who overacted like any good Disney princess should. Colleen Atwood designed the gorgeous costumes, and you can check The Costumer's Guide for costume breakdowns. The soundtrack is by Danny Elfman and sounds so magical. I am kind of surprised by the PG rating. I really don't think this movie is for young kids because there are some scary/disturbing images. If you haven't seen the movie yet, I definitely recommend it, but this one will still be good when it comes out on DVD.

Get the look of Alice in Wonderland:

Alice

Alice in Wonderland by Icedivastar featuring Disney Couture jewelry

Red Queen

Red Queen by Icedivastar featuring Disney Couture jewelry

Mad Hatter

Mad Hatter by Icedivastar featuring Lanvin shoes

Avatar

Yesterday, I went to see James Cameron's Avatar and was blown away by how visually stunning the film is. This is a movie made to be seen in 3-D on the big screen. The details that went into Pandora are spectacular - the colors, the textures, the scenery - make the planet feel like an actual location.

Story-wise I would describe the movie as FernGully meets Star Wars (my brother describes it as "The Last of the Mohicans... in space!"). A corporation from Earth wants the Unobtainium found underneath the home of the Na'vi. When a Marine's Avatar is accepted into the tribe, his loyalties are tested, and he must ultimately decide who his people are.

The movie is really long, almost three hours, but every scene in Pandora is worth it. The soundtrack is great, too, but is reminiscent of Titanic, which isn't surprising since they were both composed by James Horner. I would love to see the movie again, but first I want to get my hands on The Art of Avatar and learn how they did it all.

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Fashion Shorts

I love short films and would be thrilled to make a fashion short.  Here's my inspiration:

Liz Claiborne

 

Lady Dior: The Lady Noire Affair

Stay tuned for later posts about Chanel and Erin Fetherston short films.

Inspiration: Alice in Wonderland

Photos from comingsoon.net

View the trailer here!

Gwen Stefani's take in "What Are You Waiting For?"  

Weekend Links

A weekly trip around the blogosphere and other online places.

• What to Wear: Stylist on Duty - comfy clothes are important on shoot day, brought to you by Jazzi.
• TWiNKie CHAN! - amazingly creative scarves!
• Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2009 
• The September Issue - documentary of Anna Wintour & the making of Vogue
• Rice and Beans Vintage - love this military inspired coat!
• Mink Shoes - chic vegan shoes
• Beauty Snob makes a $4 scrub
• YouTube web sensation - if you haven't seen this yet, do it!

Romeo & Juliet

I must confess I have never read Romeo and Juliet or even seen a movie version, but I love these photos from the 1968 movie.  The elaborate costumes and the somber look of the actors really capture the essence of the way I see the story in my mind.

Pictures from the 1968 movie of Romeo and Juliet.    

Fall Style Inspiration: Chanel

Coco Chanel is the subject of a new Audrey Tautou film, Coco Avant Chanel, which depicts Coco's rise to fame.  

The House, now headed by Karl Lagerfeld, still creates fashion frenzies with its classic looks and infamous accessories.  The Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear maintains the iconic Coco style, which is still fresh and exciting, and playful reinvents it for a new generation.

Chanel Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear from style.com