Jekael Gallery: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

EDITORIAL INFATUATION: UK HARPERS BAAZAR February 2011

GOTTA LOVE ALL the greats and now designers featured in one editorial. (PICTURES VIA Fashioncopious).

Sunday, February 27, 2011

We'd like to thank the academy.. .for inspiring us to write this post. While we couldn't do live blogging during the event, we can't simply let the Academy Awards pass us by without a comment (or seven) on the fabulous apparel that adorned the red carpet. It was easy to spot the trends this year, from the color red, to loose wavy hair, to shimmering dresses, etc. etc. Walking the red carpet with all eyes on you can be stressful, but some of these celebs make it look effortless. Here's a look at some of our Oscar night favorite's:

Swan Queen and "Best Actress" winner Natalie Portman looks super pregnant and super stunning in this elegant, plum colored dress by Rodarte. We might consider leaving those tassel earrings at home though. (Photo Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty)

It's no surprised that the ballerinas took center stage. Mila Kunis looks absolutely gorgeous in this lacy lilac dress by Elie Saab. (Photo Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty)

Glowing Gwyneth Paltrow looks as radiant as "Oscar" himself in this metallic dress by Calvin Klein.

(Photo Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

Red was certainly the popular color this year and Jennifer Lawrence wore it best as she showed off her curves in this simple and chic dress by Calvin Klein. (Photo Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

Saying that Michelle Williams looks amazing is an understatement. Her figure alone deserves an award but the elegant Chanel dress and perfectly polished hair show she's come a long way since Dawson's Creek. (Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty)

Reese Witherspoon takes classic black and white to a new level with this retro look. This Armani dress is simple and elegant and we especially love her very mod ponytail. (Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty)

And, finally, Amy Adams looked beautiful in a navy sequined dress by L'Wren Scott. Although she sparkles like a jewel we do think the necklace was a little much and she could have looked even more elegant had she gone without it. And we think an updo would have worked better with that high neckline, but that's just us! (Photo Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty)

Loving James Franco's grandma.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Minimalist Wedding

Minimalism is a way of life, philosophy, art, and fashion that strips everything down to its most fundamental features. We know a lot of brides who find wedding planning overwhelming, and not exactly their cup of tea. So why not get rid of the clutter and opt for a more simple, discrete style? We're not talking about renting a blank white room and adding no decor (although that's always an option!) A minimalist wedding can be modern, chic, and elegant without going over the top. Take a look!

Gold brocade, textured linen, ornate florals... are we turning you off? Announcing "Somebody's getting married!" doesn't have to be elaborate. In fact, it can be as simple as you like. Rather than covering your invite with patterns and designs, just stick to text only, like this minimalist letterpress design. It includes all the important information, and creates a very modern and clean look.

Many wedding venues come with brocade curtains, giant chandeliers, and hideously patterned carpets (Can we say visual overload?). Instead, choose a wedding venue that will provide you with a lot of wide open space. While not exactly a blank canvas, an art gallery can be a wonderful venue for a minimalist couple, as it usually involves bright white walls, smooth floors, and built in decor. Don't add too much of your own decor (just some candles and well placed flowers) and you'll have a very modern, edgy space to work with.

Elaborate table settings can be beautiful, but they can also take up too much space! Unclutter your wedding with a simple vase of flowers, maybe few candles, and cut back on the number of cutlery and wine glasses. This will provide for an aesthetically pleasing table that is straight to the point and, did we mention, budget friendly?

Speaking of budget friendly decor, how about the place card table? Make your place card table look sleek and modern by keeping it totally natural and simplistic. We love this arrangement of small pebbles and plain white cards. It may seem plain but it packs a punch as the pebbles and clean straight lines make it striking.

When we say minimalist, we don't mean dull. You can have a colorful, vibrant wedding bouquet, but still stick to the basics. Personally, we think a bouquet of just tulips or orchids creates a very fresh, modern look for a wedding that can still be upbeat and colorful. Tulips are also perfect for spring weddings, and taking out the filler flower just brings the focus on the long, elegant stems.

Okay, so maybe a "true" minimalist wedding wouldn't have wedding cake... but let's just ignore that tiny detail. A simple wedding cake can mean different things, such as less layers or less floral decor. Add subtle decor, such as colored ribbon and a simple topper to create a very chic and elegant dessert.

Choosing bridesmaids dresses can be overwhelming. Will everyone like the style you choose? Will they all fit? Will your best friends look absolutely ridiculous in the photos? One of the best ways to play it safe is to keep it simple. A very simple dress, such as the strapless satin pieces pictured above by Lynn Lugo, are wonderfully low maintenance and classy. Of course, depending on your bridesmaids you may need to go with a different cut, but the basic idea still works.

Looking for an elegant dress with a no frills kind of look? A cotton dress like this would be perfect for the minimalist bride with its crisp white and clean lines! Ditch the lace, beads, and taffeta and opt for something a little more suited to your style and overall tone of your wedding. This dress is casual but sophisticated and features just a tiny bit of pleating to make it interesting but not distracting.

XOXO

Jen + Saira

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Color Day: J'Adore Paris

Bonjour, dolls! Let's take a little vacation from all this snow and think of springtime. When it comes to spring, few places compare to the allure of Paris. The romance (and the food) never fail to make us swoon. When you think French, you think sophisticated, elegant, sexy, and very cool. A Parisian inspired wedding can be very literal (stripes and berets), delicious (crepes, fondu, and steak frites), glamorous (ruffles and Chanel everything), or kitschy (mini Eiffel towers, anyone?). Lucky for you today's board has a little bit of everything so let's explore!

Paris in the Spring Time Wedding Inspiration Board

Images from: Martha Stewart Weddings, Dessy, Bloomingdale's, deanpennandpaper, Powder Blue Bijoux, Kawaii Goodies, Signs of Vintage, The Knot, BHLDN, Green Wedding Shoes, Elizabeth Ann Designs, couturemakeup, Green Weddings California, A Subtle Revelry, Andrea Bricco, Dark Black Dress

Au Revior!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

RUNWAY2YOURWAY: RACHEL ZOE

I'm LITERALLY gasping for air as fashion week in NEW YORK has kicked off and one of my heros, Rachel Zoe, has finally debuted her own collection. The look for her collection is very much based on menswear and separates. Even though the menswear suiting is something that you wouldn't instantly associate with Ms. Zoe's boho style, it definitely has touches of her aesthetic from her style with the wide leg high waisted detail to the fur details. Might I say the styling for the presentation is oh-so on point. Below are some of my favorite looks from her presentation. (PICTURES VIA STYLE.com)