Katie Couture Fashion Blog

It’s Oscar night!  I am VERY excited to see what the celebs are wearing this year.  These people have millions of dollars so they can afford to put on the show of a lifetime with just one dress.  So tonight I am blogging live as the Oscars unfold so we can discuss what everyone is wearing and who it’s by.  Can’t wait!!

8:05 Pre Show

• Tim Gunn - Looks positively flawless and as handsome as ever.  I LOVE this man!  <3
• Kate Winslet - Love the black and the detailing.  She looks stunning!  I am
• Diane Lane - LOVE HER!  I actually served her a soda once when I was waiting tables!!  Love the basic black, strapless is always good.  I miss her hair longer.
• Amy Adams - Beautiful necklace, I like her simple hair - I am liking red on her!  The necklace doesn’t flow that easily into the dress, but I get it.
• Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick - LOVEEEEEEEE her dress - so ethereal and beautiful.  Having her hair down is a good balance for this, and I like the color.  I love the accent of a casual belt around such an elegant dress
• Taraji P Henson - Her figure looks amazing in this!  I love the color on her and the diamonds are beautiful.  Cute bob, as well!
• Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - love her green earrings with the black dress.  I am loving green right now, so maybe I am biased ;]  Angelina looks flawless as usual, though I have yet to see the bottom of her dress.  Brad could lose the mustache but otherwise looks great.

>>  Tim is talking Valentino right now - this is not a surprise since Valentino produces some of the most timeless and perfect evening gowns I have ever seen.

• Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron - I hate Zac’s hair - blech.  Her dress is alright - not my favorite.  Her hair is beautiful, though
• Robert Downy Jr. - I like his tie as apposed to a bow tie.  Looks great!
• Viola Davis - I love gold on her - I would love it more if it was a shade or two lighter, but she looks beautiful.  I love the diamond bracelet as opposed to dramatic earrings.  Her hair was natural and gorgeous
• Miley Cyrus- Zohair Farad - I hate this dress - UGH.  She is young and can go more funky, but this is weird and I don’t like the scales or whatever they are.
• Anne Hathaway - She is gorgeous, as always.  Her Armani Prive gown is absolutely stunning and she looks statuesque. I am always impressed by her red carpet choices ;]  I have to find out how they got the fabric to look so much like liquid.
• Penelope Cruz - I love this dress!  A frothy vintage number - this is to die for!  The jewelry is perfect - understated so not to overshadow the dress.
• Marissa Tomei - Her hair is soft, which is nice.  It is a very architectural piece by Versace.  Architectural is hot right now- very hard dress to construct.  The color is okay - matches the theme.
• Seth Rogen - The sleeves on the jacket are too short, Seth!  The haircut and clean face look is nice - love the glasses!

8:30 - Show Opener

Hugh Jackman’s tux is great and fits him very well.  I need to find out who it is by.

Now that I can see the back of Kate Winslet’s dress, I am liking it even more.  The sheer fabric is beautiful!

Did Anne Hathaway pull a wardrobe change?  She is on stage performing with Hugh Jackman.  I like the concept of the dress but I would have preferred a different color other than gold.  Again we are seeing the sheer fabric on this dress.

Oooo - did you guys see Angie’s green ring?  I told you - green is hot!!  The pop of color with a simple, black dress is amazing!

The Oscars flashback reel is great - look at those dresses!  Some things are better off left in the past!

8:45

Goldie Hawn’s dress is definitely her - she goes for these colors often.  The bust is almost not there - you need a little more coverage, Goldie!!

Whoopi Goldbergs dress is a little off - I like the sillhouette but the print is a little weird for the Oscars.  She is a character, though!  ;]

Penelope just won for best actress in a supporting role!  Let me tell you - if I had found that dress before her, I would have worn it for my wedding!  I just want to feel the  frothy skirt and roll all in it!  hahah ;]

Tina Fey looks stunning and age appropriate in her gown.  I love the lines and the bodice on the dress.  Her hair is a good balance for the dress, and the gold is apprpriate for her personality.

9:00

Okay fashion lovers - I am leaving you to your own discussions for now.  I will probably post later in the show.  <33

After months of my clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories overtaking my room, I decided enough was enough.  Plus the grumbles from my husband were beginning to worry me – has anyone ever been pushed to divorcing their wife because they had to live in mountains of shoes?  This was something I wasn’t willing to risk, thus began my adventure in all things “closet organization.”

I wasn’t sure where to get started, so I started with asking my fellow fashion lovers about their closets.  I was surprised to find out that almost everyone had my same problem at one time or another.  Many were still in the same position as me – their clothes and shoes got more use out of their room than they did.  After gathering tips from friends, family, and the internet, I set forth to conquer my security blanket of clutter.

Standing on my bed to get a better vantage point of it all, I was truly astounded by what I saw.  A maze of cardigans, trousers, shoes, belts, and more lay entangled with one another all around the room.  The only carpet I could see was a tiny path to the master bath and one leading out of the room.  Before I let the feel of defeat creep over me (it is important not to let this happen), I decided to start with what was actually still hanging in the closet.

My friend Ashley gave me the most basic tip of all:  color coordination.  I had always heard to do this, but listening to her simple explanation of how she organized her closet (in a one bedroom house, no less!) made me realized it just might work.  Make sure your neutrals are the easiest to access since you will wear them most often.  By organizing by color you are less likely to forget about items that may find their way to the bottom of the pile.  It also lets you really see what you have color wise, which is great for future shopping.  For example, my closet is full of FPU (fashion person’s uniform), which is black. Now I know that I need to look for shot of color to add to my wardrobe. Read more…

Hello, All!  I apologize for the lack of activity the past few weeks.  I have been busy designing and such, but I promise there will be good things coming soon!  I am working on some ideas for the site, as well as getting ready to set up a boutique for the site.  Keep me posted on how well you all are doing!  I am getting great feedback from everyone, and it is greatly appreciated!  I love you all!

xoxo,

katie elise

Now that we have covered the basics of what to wear at a New Year’s Eve gathering at home, it is time to talk about going out. Going out on New Year’s Eve can be like competing in a fashion show. Everyone is dressed their best and in order to shine, you must put your best foot forward. New Year’s Eve is one of the few times a year that sparkly, shiny, and fun are key words in putting together an outfit. With that being said, what you wear depends solely on where you are going.

If you are hitting the club scene for New Year’s Eve, your theme is sexy with a side of sophistication. Sure, many girls take the word sexy to a grotesque level, but don’t worry. Because everyone else will be over doing it, it’s a perfect time to show off your best features. If you leave just enough to the imagination you are sure to stand out among the army of skanks and catch lots of attention. Think short, curve hugging dress with an interesting detail. A tiered dress is a fun way to show off your personality. Something sparkly around the neckline is also favorable because New Year’s Eve truly is a time to shine.  These same rules apply to most bars, as well.  The below dresses are from Express and Charlotte Russe, respectively.

The above dresses are good for almost any New Year’s Eve outing.  However, if you are going to be outside in the cold, think Times Square as the ball drops, it is important not to catch hypothermia.  Do not fret - dressing warm does not make you any less sexy.  So, please, I am begging you - wear a freaking coat!  Personally, I love coats.  I love the look a sophisticated coat can give a woman.  The right coat says sexy, sophisticated, and in charge.  The key in this outing is to layer, layer, layer!  Midnight is typically much cooler than 7 to 9 o’ clock at night, so you may not be able to guage just how cool it will get.  Plus, if you are going to a bar or party afterward, you still want to have something fabulous under the coat. Read more…

Whether you are excited or dreading the upcoming year, it is no doubt coming.  So, since it is inevitable, you may as well get off of your butt and go have some fun!  BUT - what are you going to wear??  That is the big question every New Year’s Eve for me.  I am here to help guide you through the “what to wear” chaos - from having a few people over to partying the night away at that cute new place in the city.  Oh, and everything in between those, too.  :]

First and foremost, lets start with the “at home” gathering.  These little gatherings can range from a few people and wine to a hundred people and a keg.  Luckily, I have the answer to your fashion dilemma for both of those and in between.

The first question for you is are you the host or just a guest?  The hostess should always set the tone for the evening, hopefully as the best dressed person there.  If you are having just a few friends over and are going to watch the festivities over a glass of wine, you may want to stick with something that is cute yet comfortable.  I am a lover of dresses, and there are many comfortable dresses out there.  I suggest something like this fab dress from Express.  It is made of pima cotton and is soft to the touch.  With the right accessories, this could be the perfect New Year’s Eve dress for your small gathering with friends.

Read more…

Tell me what you think. 

xoxo,

katie elise

It is that time of year again - light posts are decorated with lights shaped as candy canes and Starbucks is offering their holiday themed drinks.  Yes, it is almost Christmas.  Except, does it feel like Christmas and the holidays to anyone else?  I can hardly believe it is December 15th already.  It’s time for a Christmas and holiday spirit boost.  I think to get in the holiday spirit, everyone in the Atlanta area should attend the The Christmas Project at Bauder College!  It is a fashion show with live entertainment and fun, all with a Christmas theme.

The show will include two fashion shows, both of which are designed by the students of Bauder College.  A large collaboration collection was put together by Monique Bynoe, Anthony McGhee, Liz , Clinthque Thornton, and yours truly.  The preshow is a collection of various pieces entered by students at Bauder College as well as a guest designer.   Bauder’s own runway guru Thomas is producing the show, so expect a killer show on the runway.

As for entertainment, local band Projector will be providing live entertainment throughout the show.  The band has been amazing at rehearsals and I know they are going to rock at the show!  There will also be a DJ and live poetry.  A local dance group is also set to perform a few numbers as well.  All of this adds up to one amazing time!  The event is on December 17th from 3:30 to 5:30 PM and we invite all of you to come enjoy the show and celebrate the holidays with us!  The admission is $1 or a new, unopened toy that can be donated to Toys for Tots.  All proceeds are going to benefit the Toys for Tots Foundation.

There are rules in fashion that are made to be broken, then there are rules in fashion that should always be followed. One of those rules that should always be followed is the idea of dressing your body in thirds. Dressing in thirds goes back to the concept of thinking of your body in a series of thirds. You may be familiar with this from Tim Gunn, who is a strong advocate for this rule.

If you are having trouble thinking of your body in thirds, check out the graphic above to get an idea.  Basically, the first third is from the shoulders to the waist.  This is upper torso area.  The next third is from the waist to right above the knees. The last third is from the knees to the feet.

The rules of thirds is all about proportion.  There are certain proportions that are more pleasing to the human eyes than others.  The proportion of dressing in thirds is the ideal proportion for presenting ourselves clothing wise.  One of the worst ways to present your body is by cutting it in half.  Cutting the body in half is very unflattering, even if it is trendy.  Some may argue that it is trendy to cut yourself in half with longer shirts and so on.  Trends do not always follow the rule of thirds, so be advised of this while shopping. Generally speaking, the rule of thirds should be followed almost always.

Read more…

They are liars. Seriously. They stand there and deceive you with their inhuman measurements and rock hard bodies. Like, literally hard as a rock. The clothes lay so seamlessly and fluent on their bodies.  They look so good in fact, that you grab the exact outfit the mannequin has on, right down to the cute bag.  You frolick to the dressing room with high hopes of looking 6′ 1″ with legs for days.  You get the outfit on, and to your horror you look like a kid playing dress up compared to the mannequin.  The pants are a little long, and the color of the top is washing you out.  You are devastated.

That is how they get you.  Those sneaky mannequins have made you believe that you are not the beauty you really are.  The problem with this is that it is unfair and down right wrong to compare yourself to a mannequin in a store.  Yes, they are there as a guide to help you pick out a great new outfit for whatever the occasion.  They are not, however, a realistic representation of most women, if any at all.  This is why you must stop comparing yourself to the mannequin so you can move on to shopping bliss!

First of all, you should know that most clothes do not fit the mannequins at all.  Most clothes have to be altered to fit the mannequins oddly shaped body.  The outfitters use tools like safety pins and clothes clips.  Most shirts have to be gathered and pulled to create that smooth and seamless look you crave.  The same is usually true with trousers.  Dresses are always altered, especially styles that are difficult to fit. Read more…

I can see you now.  Why?  Because I have been there.  You are frantically searching your closet trying to find something to wear with your little black dress.  Sure, you could cop out and go for the black bag and shoes.  But I sure am glad you didn’t!  I am willing to bet based on your frantic search that you are NOT going to a funeral, therefore you shouldn’t depress the everyday people by looking like you are.  Nope, my guess is it is a night out with friends, family, or your special someone.  Even more reason not to look like Elvira’s Night Out.

So, now what?  Now you call in the accessories.  After all, an outfit is only a fabric swatch without the right accessories!  Since it is in the evening, it is best to set off your black dress with something bright and fun.  I am a strong advocate for a pop of color with black.  If you don’t want to go the bright color route, metallic accessories are for you.  Metallic accessories can bring just enough impact to make you dazzle without looking overdone.  Now that you know what type of accessory to wear, it is time to break it down so as not to look like a disco ball. Read more…