Fashion Week: Berlin/ New York
• May 3, 2012

FALL 2012 COLLECTIONS: MERCEDES- BENZ FASHION WEEK BERLIN IN FRONT OF THE BRANDENBURG GATE JANUARY 17-22; MERCEDES- BENZ FASHION WEEK NEW YORK AT LINCOLN CENTER’S DAMROSCH PARK FEBRUARY 9-16 [gallery ids="100507,118371,118378,118385,118391,118398,118405,118413,118419,118425,118432,118439,118445,118453,118460,118365,118358,118351,118494,118282,118487,118289,118480,118297,118475,118305,118312,118319,118325,118333,118339,118345,118468" nav="thumbs"]

Last-Minute Gifts & Stocking Stuffers
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Attention last-minute shoppers: this is the gift guide for you! Stocking stuffers are usually the last gifts that we remember to buy and they usually consist of things like nail polish, socks and, if you’re lucky, a piece of cheap jewelry. Make it fun for your friends and family to un-stuff their stockings this year with this gift guide. With presents this clever, they’ll never know you bought them the day before.
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Wedding Registry
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For your wedding wishes this season, you’ll want to go for a traditional interior style, mixed with exotic details. Think creamy white and strong colors, like coral, turquoise and yellow. We also love contemporary pieces in materials such as steel and glass. The bride and groom will want to be prepared for romantic dinners and fabulous dinner parties. Even more importantly, to be perfectly equipped for long, snuggly mornings in bed.

1. These classic Athena bed linens in luxe egyptian cotton are offered with monograms. YvesDelorme, $160-$590 a piece.

2. Diane von Furstenberg decorative pillow brightens up your bedroom or living room. Bloomingdales, $360.

3. Rivulets Bedding provides a romantic feel in the bedroom. Anthropologie, $68-$368 a piece.

4. Madeira Court four-piece set dinnerware, classic and fun for your everyday dinners, fancy enough for special occasions. KateSpade, $80 a set.

5. Vera Wang for Wedgewood “Love Knot” napkin rings for elegant table settings. Bloomingdales, $50 for 4.

6. Coral napkin rings put a fun twist to your classic dinnerware for fun summer parties. Amano, $125 for 4.

7. Voluspa Maison Blanc “Pink Citron” candle provides an intoxicating scent that really fills up a room. Bloomingdales, $22.50

8. Michael Aram candle fills a room with a delicious scent. Bloomingdales, $60

9. iPad 2 for reading the newspaper in bed on those lazy mornings. Apple, $499

10. Hartland bowls will make the plainest green salad look exciting. Amano, $155-$295 each.

11. Nespresso CitiZ and milk espresso machine lets you indulge in gourmet coffee every morning. Surlatable.com, $349

12. Occa nesting tables are elegant, yet cool, for the bedroom or living room. BoConcept, $529

13. Kitchenaid holds every function you could dream of, including looking super stylish on the kitchen bench. SaksFifthAvenue, $349

14. The Bose speaker system can fill your home with your favorite tunes. SaksFifthAvenue, $99

15. This citrus squeezer is a little piece of art for the kitchen that also makes juice. Alessi, $100 [gallery ids="100484,117197,117191,117185,117179,117173,117167,117161,117210,117153,117216,117221,117146,117226,117204" nav="thumbs"]

Graphic, Totemic Fashion
• March 22, 2012

From Aztec to Navajo, spring fashion is witnessing the return of tribal
patterns. Look for these bold, graphic prints and the loud colors that compliment.
As cold weather gives way to warmth, these exotic looks remind
us that it’s time to enjoy the outdoors. Here’s how to wear them this season. [gallery ids="100597,100598,100599,100600" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetown Gathers Fashionistas
• November 3, 2011

Georgetown fashionistas packed into Wink boutique yesterday for an afternoon filled with girls’ best necessities- cocktails, shopping and a Troubadour trunk show.

The designer, Lindsay Carter, was on site and I was pleasantly (very very pleasantly actually) surprised she took time out of her busy schedule to show me her favorite pieces, (The Minetta dress and Poe skirt are obvious best sellers!). After viewing her collections, it is a no brainer that Women’s Wear Daily named her Designer to Watch in 2009.

“I like to push the edge, yet stay within the boundaries,” said Carter.

Sticking to her southern roots, Carter looks to the South, the City and the Sea when creating her vision of Troubadour.

“For me, each collection is a mood rather than an inspiration.”

She must have been in love when deciding on clean lines and romantic ruffles for her fall collection, and sipping daiquiris on the beach when choosing bright (and fantastic!) colors for her summer pieces.

When stopping in for some retail therapy myself, I was not shocked to find many shoppers trying on the Sophia Romper in deep pool from her summer collection.

Next season, Carter will be expanding her line to add knit tops and other knockouts but will continue to produce great dresses fans love.

“Their easy. Throw it on, style it and walk out the door.”

In these tough economic times, Carter recommends one thing- Vintage!

“Cut and manipulate pieces to make them your own. Or go into your husbands or boyfriends closet.”

Or we can just go to Wink. Located on M Street below Steve Madden, Wink offers a variety of chic and eclectic clothes for all price ranges.

For more information or for your shopping pleasure, check out what Carter calls “southern goth sheik, yet reckless preppy,” at troubadourclothing.com

BEHIND THE LENS AT FASHION WEEK NYC
• October 19, 2011

At last season’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, I was fortunate to get a photo of Vogue’s big three: Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington and Tonne Goodman as they looked down the runway at Carolina Herrera’s show. This season, I thought I would try and get Project Runway’s big three: Michael Kors, Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum. So I took the Amtrak train at four in the morning from D.C. to New York hoping to catch the runway show at 9 a.m. I would have left the night before, but I was hosting an event with CUSP in Georgetown for FNO.

As tired as I was from not getting any sleep, I hoped the excitement would carry me through the day. After picking up my press credentials, I stood in line to get in for Project Runway. A few minutes before the show, the producers announced that only certain people would get inside. I wasn’t one of them. It marked only the second time that I didn’t get in a show that I wanted to see.

The next three days proved to be more successful. The highlight would have to be when Valentino walked in before DVF’s show. He stood a few feet away from me and for a moment, I froze. You spend hundreds of hours standing and waiting at the press pit hoping to get a good photo. There are photographers literally sitting on your feet. It is far from glamorous. But when you have the opportunity to photograph Valentino, Anna Wintour, or Diane von Furstenberg as she passes out American flags on 9/11 after her show, you realize that it’s all worth it.

Since 2007, Walter Grio has raised over $77,000 through his philanthropy photo project, Shoot for Change, which has benefited numerous nonprofit organizations. Additionally, he is a regular attendee at the world renowned Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York and Miami. Four of his photographs were selected by Vogue Italia as part of their PhotoVogue collection. Walter resides in Arlington, Va.
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Knock Out Abuse A Night For Fashion
• July 26, 2011

Description of Pictures in order of appearance:

All that Glitters is Gold
Caroline Horrigan, a committee member for the Knock Out Abuse event Thursday night, was gorgeous in gold. Her strapless Aidan Maddox dress was the perfect cocktail party dress. Holidays, here we come.

One of a Kind
The ultra-stylish Sisy Lates looked stunning in her silver Halston dress with crystal neckline at the Ritz on Thursday night. The peep-toe Christian Louboutin shoes and sparkle drop earrings added to the elegance. This is style at its best.

Green Goddess
Denyse Aaron had the ladylike look down to perfection in her green jeweled-tone Dolce & Gabbana dress. Top that with her super cool Vera Wang strappy heels and you have sheer sophistication. Mad Man, here she comes

Timeless Beauty
There are super models and then there are legends — Lauren Hutton is both. She was a standout Thursday night at the Knock Out Abuse dinner in her vintage Georgio Armani navy pinstripe suit and 1930s Joseph of Hollywood statement pin. Now, if the only rest of us could take beauty lessons from her.

Rock & Roll
Sharon Bradley knows how to spice up the, sometimes, dull little black dress. She rocked her edgy Herv’e Leger cut- out black dress and sexy black Prada heels. No color needed here.

Mix and Match
Sometimes dresses can miss as a fashion statement. This dress is one of these times — a shirt with a skirt, turned into a dress whose patterns do not match. If in doubt, please stay simple — it is always best.
Into the Wild
I love animal prints, but a little goes a long way. This glitzy Zebra jacket/ dress over powers this woman. Maybe a much shorter jacket and a cute red bag would suit her better.
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