Fashion
Fresh Talk Explores Women’s Agency and Sustainability in Fashion
Satin Doll
• June 29, 2012
Photo Credit:
Photographer, Digital Touch Ups Yvonne Taylor
www.yvonnetaylorphoto.com
Makeup Lauretta J. McCoy
www.laurettajmccoy.com
Stylist Ope Majek
www.opestyle.com
Hair Leah Watson
Model Fola NYC
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Historic DC Weddings
•
Imagine your wedding day as national headline news, read from DC to Des Moines. You, your groom and your guest list are the subject of Washington’s biggest event of the year, and anyone who’s anyone is going to be there.
Marjorie Merriweather Post became accustomed to this tradition, as the bride in four of her own weddings, and the unofficial wedding planner for each of her three daughters. As the daughter of Charles William Postum, the founder of Postum Cereal Company (now Post and General Mills cereal) Mrs. Post was a distinguished socialite, with an eye for putting on spectacular events.
A regular host of Washington socialite dinner parties, Mrs. Post had a remarkable list of contacts, including Washington’s elite. Pulling from these contacts, Mrs. Post created the guest lists for each of the weddings she planned. These traditional white weddings stood apart from the rest because both the bride and her guests were all Washington socialites, and the events they attended were guaranteed to be grand.
Both as a bride and a planner, Marjorie Post had an extraordinary ability to envision an event from start to finish, scrupulously putting every last detail in place. In her second wedding to E.F. Hutton, Mrs. Post coordinated everything from her dress and flowers down to the color of the icing on the cake.
Very interested in fashion, Mrs. Post’s wedding dresses reflected the most prominent styles of the time. The first dress she wore to her 1905 wedding to Edward Close was very traditional, featuring a high collar and more fitted bodice. This changed drastically by her 1935 wedding to Joseph E. Davies, when she wore a dress of true Hollywood glam made of velvet with a seven-foot train. By her fourth wedding in 1958, she chose to embrace the popularity of the shorter gown, despite being nearly 70 years old.
Besides having an incredible eye for design, it was the way in which Mrs. Post carried out these events that made them a cut above the rest. By sending out reminders before the event occurred and thank-you notes in appreciation of all those attended, Marjorie Post had perfected the role of a socialite in gaining the respect of all who knew her.
Although Mrs. Post’s gatherings had a reputation for extravagance, and her guest list filled with Washington’s most powerful names, many of the traditions were no different than weddings of today. As a bride herself, Marjorie Post certainly had her bridal opinion, picking the color, style, fabric and design of her bridesmaids’ dresses. As the mother of three young brides, Mrs. Post had a strong hand in navigating their weddings as well, using her contacts to secure an amazing event.
Just as today, historic Washington socialite weddings were a monumental moment in the bride’s life, the planning as much of an event as the wedding itself. In observing the traditional ways weddings have been done in the past we can all gain a greater appreciation for the traditions we still carry out today.
For more information on Marjorie Merriweather Post visit the Hillwood Museum’s upcoming exhibit featuring all four of Mrs. Post’s wedding dresses and many other wedding artifacts. [gallery ids="99594,105020,105009,105016,105013" nav="thumbs"]
Dive Into Summer: Make a Splash with Summer
• June 18, 2012
Swimsuit season has officially arrived. Be a vibrant vision in bright, bold colors, while lounging by the pool, as seen here at the Penthouse Pool and Lounge on U St.
Jodi King – Photographer and Wardrobe Stylist
Sarah Mattis – Photo Assistant
Tyler Larish – Hair
Richard Bernal – Makeup
Model: Sherita DeHonney of Stomp Model Management
Model: Gabby Downing of CIMA Talent Management
Location: Penthouse Pool and Lounge located on U St. [gallery ids="100858,126834,126823,126829" nav="thumbs"]
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
• May 17, 2012
Spring in to the season with the latest styles inspired by the Cherry Blossom Festival’s
centennial celebrations
Photographer: Yvonne Taylor
Stylist: Stara Pezeshkian (STARA GLAM), affiliated with
T.H.E Artist Agency.
Stylist Assistant: Bridget Thompson
Hair: Darrell Thompson
Make–up: Kim Reyes
PR: John Paul Hamilton
Manicurist:Titilayo Bankole
Model: Leslie Wilcox [gallery ids="100747,121712,121708,121702" nav="thumbs"]
Bardot
• May 3, 2012
Yvonne Taylor
Fashion Editor
www.yvonnetaylorphoto.com
Lauretta McCoy
Creative Director for Fashion
www.laurettajmccoy.com
Photographer/Post Digital
Yvonne Taylor
Makeup & Styling
Lauretta McCoy
Model Nicoline for Stomp Management Artist
Hair
Isabel Azocar Senior Stylist
for Hela Salon and Spa Chevy Chase
Nails
Titilayo Bankole The Manicurist
Photographers Assistant
Michael Taylor
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Holiday Preview
•
Photography Yvonne Taylor
yvonnetaylorphoto.com
Designer Tsyndyma
www.tsyndymaonline.com
To purchase the styles you see click here.
Makeup and Hair Lorena Arellano
Model Casandra Tressler [gallery ids="100388,111332,111340,111337" nav="thumbs"]
Nuptial Bliss
•
The latest wedding fashion shot at The Goodstone Inn & Estate located at 36205 Snake Hill Road, Middleburg Virginia 20117
Photographer: Yvonne Taylor
Stylist: Liana Vassila
Hair: Kenny West from Hela Salon
Makeup: Carl Ray from The Four Seasons
Flowers: Barbara Von Elm from Growing Wild Floral Co.
Model: Allyn Rose, Miss Maryland 2011
Cherry Fever
•
Bloom with these cherry-picked items inspired by the colors of spring. On location at Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown.
Photographer: Jodi King
Stylist: Adra Williams
Stylist Assistant and Make Up- Samantha Boyce
Hair: Devin Rice
Production Assistant: Emma Watters
Location: Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown
Models: Casandra Tressler of T.H.E. Artist Agency
Sherita DeHonney of Stomp Model Management
Spring Orange Fever
Left:
Earrings: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Necklace: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Dress: Everard’s Clothing
Bracelets: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Shoes: Model’s own
Right:
Earrings: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Blazer: Everard’s Clothing, Insight
Blouse: Everard’s Clothing
Necklace: Belonging to crew
Bracelets: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Pants: Helia’s
Shoes: Steve Madden
Spring Black & White Fever
LEFT:
HAT: Everard’s Clothing, by Anthony
from The Hattery in Washington, DC
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt
BLAZER: Everard’s Clothing, Insight
RIGHT:
BLOUSE: Everard’s Clothing, Byron
Lars Beauty Mark
SHORTS: Urban Chic, Alice + Olivia
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
Spring White Fever
16 March 21, 2012 GMG, INC.
RIGHT:
DRESS: Urban Chic, Shoshanna
NECKLACE: Helia’s
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt
LEFT:
DRESS: Urban Chic, Beyond Vintage
EARRINGS: Helia’s
NECKLACE: Everard’s Clothing
SHOES: Steve Madden
Spring Green & Red Fever
LEFT:
DRESS: Helia’s
NECKLACE: Dalton Pratt
RIGHT:
DRESS: Everard’s Clothing, Insight
NECKLACE: Helia’s
EARRINGS: Dalton Pratt, Lisa Cotten
BRACELETS: Dalton Pratt, Kara Ross
IPHONE CASE WITH SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL: Dalton Pratt [gallery ids="100604,100605,100606,100607" nav="thumbs"]
Wedding Celebration Album
• March 7, 2012
When it comes to your wedding day, there is more to consider than you can shake a bouquet at. That’s why it can be helpful to talk to friends and family who have already been through the conjugal ringer. So, to get some firsthand words of wisdom, The Georgetowner spoke with a few friends who have recently tied the knot, and asked them about special wedding day tips, how to keep from getting overwhelmed, standout memories and more. Here’s what they said:
Chandra Anderson
——
Take time to absorb the moments of the day—it flies by so quickly. You’ve already done everything you can do to prepare by that point, so try not to worry about the little things you’ve been fretting about, like the caterers or the floral arrangements. If you don’t step back and focus on enjoying the moment you’re in, you wedding day will fly by you before you realize it had even arrived.
Alexandra and Kristopher Powell
——
On a logistical level, limit yourself to researching only three to five vendors for each element of your wedding (bands, caterers, etc…). Any more than that and the choices start to become overwhelming. On an emotional level, take a moment with your new spouse to step back and take it all in on your wedding day. It will fly by so fast, it’s worth taking a mental picture so you both can always remember how the day felt.
Rina and Keith Lippert
——
We each wrote down five things we love about the other. On the day of the wedding, we put it in a “love note” and read them to one another. It put the focus on what the day is truly about. It’s easy to get lost in focusing on things that don’t matter, but the bigger picture is what’s important here.
David and Ashley Murray
——
If you don’t have a plan for your wedding cake already, consider doing something creative. We ordered a customized cake from Creative Cakes in Silver Spring, and it was one wedding expense that we had no regrets about. Our guests were raving!
Ours was also the last wedding to be held at Halcyon House. My father, Chris Murray, having opened Govinda Gallery around 1975, held his first Govinda party there. So we are deeply connected to Halcyon House and were really honored to close it out with our wedding. John Dreyfuss is a pillar of Georgetown for us, he’s invested more than three decades of energy into taking care of that house—and his sculpture studio in the basement is just amazing. We wouldn’t have been able to have such a wonderful wedding if it wasn’t for John. He’s been such a good friend. I can’t think of a more elegant house in Georgetown, or a better wedding venue in the city, than Halcyon House.
Yvonne Taylor, photographer
——
We only had three months to plan my daughter Noelle’s wedding from the time she told me she was getting married. I’m in the business, which makes things a little easier, but it was still daunting. We went to a wedding planner, but realized that we could do a lot of this ourselves. So we made it a community effort among friends and family. I’ve been a part of some pretty expensive weddings, but my daughter’s ended up being very organic and real, and it was actually one of the most enjoyable weddings I’ve ever been to. I catered it myself, we held the party in my home. It became less about the event and the spectacle, and we were able to focus more on what the day is really about: love, family, friends and the moment. Bottom line is don’t let the money scare you, because there are ways around spending $80,000 on your big day. I know people who have waited for years to get married just because of how much it costs. Remember, a wedding is ultimately about love and family, not a flashy reception.
Aaro Keipi, Wedding Photographer
——
As a photographer, take advantage of unique situations. An overcast day like the one in my photo actually added a nice atmosphere and light to the photo ops for this outdoor wedding.
Liji George
——
It’s great to incorporate traditions from both sides of the family. We had a cross-cultural wedding, and it really brought everyone together in a unique but familiar atmosphere. [gallery ids="100490,117506,117498,117465,117490,117473,117484" nav="thumbs"]
Remembering Alexander McQueen
• November 3, 2011
The world has been hit by one tragedy after another in recent times, some so immeasurable they leave you reeling: Haiti, Michael Jackson, Lee McQueen. These disasters ask us to pause and evaluate the beautiful, fragile gifts of life. Certainly, they focus attention on the gift that cultural icons give to the world. Lee McQueen, founder and designer of Alexander McQueen Brand, was fashion royalty, but more important, a cultural maverick. His artistic expression was free-spirited yet articulate. Not many artists can tread the waters of the avant-garde movement and achieve critical success. We might not know about his design process. Some say his corsets and shoes are un-wearable and for all we know he could have white-knuckled his way through pre-season. But the result on the runway was beautiful and pure genius. I believe he was successful because he had the trappings and skills of the exquisite tailor coupled with the very elusive uncensored imaginative eye. He could push the envelope, think
outside the box.
McQueen is a metaphor for life. He was fearless in his approach and forward thinking. I see him as a rebel and a magician, uncompromising in his exploration and delivery of transformational work even when industry watchers were sometimes displeased with what he did. Fashionistas and socialites welcome his courage and have been photographed in his garments. His A-list of admirers is long and includes Naomi Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Zoe Saldana, Beyonce, Liv Tyler, Nicole Kidman, Rihanna, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and, of course, Lady Gaga and heiress Daphne Guinness, both of whom have defied the odds and gone out in his 10-inch heels despite nay-sayings of it being insane or at the very least, bone breaking. Since his death there has been a rush to get even the smallest memento of his collection, such as his skull-tattooed scarves. The skull is truly representative of the special energy flowing through McQueen’s work — graphic, defiant, natural, repulsive, yet appealing.
As an artist myself, I love the silhouette of his clothes. There is always something in his collection for me to applaud.
A woman could wear one of his pieces and feel like a lady yet a biker chick could keep her identity and be just as comfortable in the same ensemble. He was adopted by the youth but equally loved by the more mature, who would be appropriately dressed yet still feel youthful, even fanciful in his designs.
When I look back over his many collections, I see he truly understands the complexity and depth of the woman’s psyche and how that defines her desire to dress. McQueen’s designs were accessible and relevant but still on the edge. Take his jackets in his most recent collection, “Plato’s Atlantis,” tailored for business though clearly exposing the soft curves on the women’s body, constructed out of suit fabric that holds it shape and goes effortlessly from business to evening. But McQueen put his stamp on the shoulders, making the shoulder pads a little extreme, powerful, but not enough to take away from the feminine contour of the jacket. Yet there is just enough padding to allow the woman to secretly live the rebelliousness of his runway collection.
“Plato’s Atlantis,” his spring 2010 collection, is an undersea carnival, stirring the innate love of story within us all. He made it a priority to create the fairytale experience, to bring out the inner rebel without sacrificing the charm of his designs. He created the means for people to depart from their everyday reality and into fantasy and make believe. McQueen’s death is a sad loss. I can’t imagine the catwalk without him.
Lauretta McCoy is the Georgetown Media Group’s creative director for fashion.
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