Noteable & Quotable: George Balanchine

"There are no new steps, only new combinations."

- George Balanchine, co-founder of New York City Ballet

Carolina Herrera's 10 Style Rules

Carolina Herrera is basically the classiest woman on the planet.  Please pay attention and take notes.  

1.  A full-length mirror is the most important accessory a woman can own.

2.  Do not be afraid to wear color.  A woman who walks into a room full of black dresses wearing red, pink or orange is stunning and everyone turns to look.

3.  Trends make everyone look as though they are wearing a uniform. It is best to wear what is most individually flattering and appropriate for the occasion.

4.  A crisp white shirt looks wonderful for the day or evening; every woman should have one they love in their closet.

5.  It’s important to dress for your age. What looked good at 15 will not look good at 40.

6.  Don’t forget to be feminine. Glamour and elegance are always something that attracts attention.

7.  Dress according to your personality.

8.  Your hair and makeup are very important. Women over 40 should maintain short hair.

9.  If you don’t have taste, you will never be stylish. Style is a state of mind. It is how you live, how you wear your clothes, what you read and what you love. It has nothing to do with money.

10.  Be mysterious. Mystery is the most important quality for a woman. Elegance is an attitude.

Image and text courtesy of SaksPOV.com

Notable & Quotable: Diane von Furstenberg

From a wonderful interview in November's Elle Decor, DVF spills on the reality of the runway.  She is absolutely one of my favorite people on Earth (and fantasy dinner party guest), and such an inspiration to all women.  This little excerpt was my favorite part and could not be more on point.

Elle Decor: What is the difference between how men and women design clothes?

DVF: Christian Lacroix once told me that women designers make clothes and men designers make costumes.  I think that's true.

Elle Decor: There's plenty of design on runways that's not functional.  When you see those clothes, what do you think?

DVF:  It's their problem, not mine.

For the entire interview along with 4 other sit-downs with influential women in design, check out Elle Decor's November issue.

One Half of Vena Cava on Grocery Store Style

"My dad buys all of his clothes from Costco and the way he wears them makes you think he's in head-to-toe Margiela. Army green military button-ups and black jeans can look designer and can be bought at a grocery store. It's all about what you pick and how you wear it. True basics always look classier than overadorned, expensive things." — Sophie Buhai, Vena Cava

Image courtesy of Elle.com

Wise Words from Joan Rivers--the Original Kathy Griffin

Joan Rivers on real friendships from a great article in New York Magazine. 

"All I want you to do, if we are sitting down and it's after 6 p.m., is tell me the truth.  Because we've all lied to each other all day long in business and we've all had these lunches and we've all ass-kissed to the point where I carry Chapstick.  If I am going to sit down and eat with you, just tell me the truth and let me say to you, "Things are lousy and I'm sad.'"

Another gem:  When at a cocktail party a great conversation starter with someone you don't know is to ask, "So, tell me who you hate."  Pure Joan.  Love it.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work opens June 11th.  This is going to be a must-see for documentary lovers like myself!

Fur vs. Leather: Truth by Greeting Card

"Fur is protested more than leather because it is easier to harass rich women than biker gangs!"

Inside: "May you be pelted with Joy! Happy Birthday!"

I almost died laughing when I found this birthday card. I want to plan the first annual Shitty-Chic "Suck it PETA" day where we unite and wear anything fur, leather shoes, and go eat hamburgers. Who's with me??!!

I know you have a friend whom this card is perfect for. Click here to buy.

Jamie Drake's Tips for Decorating in a Dash

Weekend guests? Hot date on Friday you hope to be bringing back to your place? Waiting for your $5 million dollar condo to finish construction while you count the days until you can leave your "luxury rental" purgatory? The New York Times online spills Jamie Drake's best kept decorating in a dash secret.....

"“Shop at home — and extend your concept of home to include that of old boyfriends and storage units.”

So really, what does this mean? Switch up furniture or art from different rooms, if you have a friend who is redecorating go "shopping" at their place, and remember anything you may have hidden under the bed or in the back of the closet.

Black: The Anti Magic

"When you're young, you think that clothes are almost magical, and that if you wear the right thing--to school, to the prom, on the date, etc.--something's going to happen. Black, it's the anti-magical thing. It comes from the recognition that it is not going to be the dress. It's sad, but it's also a breakthrough into some higher plane of knowledge. Because your biggest clothing mistakes always involve colors....they involve prints."

- Nora Ephron in New York Magazine

Tom Ford Prefers You Naked

"It may sound strange, but I've always found people more beautiful naked than when dressed. There is only one way of being naked whereas there are thousands of ways of dressing badly."

Spoken straight from Tom Ford, a man who oozes sexiness.

You Said It, Sister!

"A limited purse is not a valid excuse to dress poorly."

- Beatrice Cutter

Truism of the Day #1

I can't remember where I heard this, but it is something I think about whenever I leave the house, contemplate throwing on something that would end up in US Weekly's "They're Just Like Us" (i.e. dressed horribly and looking like a mess at Starbucks), or feel like I have a closet of clothes and nothing to wear:

"It takes just as much time to put on something that looks fabulous as something that looks horrible."

When you think about it, at the end of the day it is simple: top + bottom or dress. It takes the exact same amount of time to pull on sweats as it does jeans...or trousers. The exact same amount of time to pull a wife beater over your head as a gorgeous shirt. The key is to fill your closet with things that look great and work with a million other things in your wardrobe. This way, when that Juicy Couture velour track suit is singing its siren's song you can hold strong and go for the skinny jeans, ballet flats and fabu top.

- babs

True NYC Shitty-Chic Mentality

"Candace Bushnell (author of the original "Sex and the City" newspaper column in the New York Observer) always said she had no furniture; she had nothing in her apartment. No one ever saw that apartment. She spent every last nickel on clothes and shoes. And what she didn't buy, she borrowed. And what she didn't borrow, she held on to with the tag and exchanged."

- Sarah Jessica Parker in Vogue June 2008

Uncle Karl Speaks

"I'm not intellectual; I'm just informed."

- Karl Lagerfeld interviewed for Vogue Oct 2008