Sunday market the 2010 Emmy Awards with plenty of glamour and topics of conversation on the red carpet.

Love it!

Tina Fey in Oscar de la Renta. Frazer Harrison/Getty

Tina Fey rocks the house in her elegant and glamorous Oscar de la Renta gown.  Modest yet fabulous.  Hot mama!

Claire Danes in Giorgio Armani Prive. Frazer Harrison/Getty

Claire Danes looks radiant in her Armani gown embellished with Swarovski crystals and beading.  In a complimentary color to her skin tone, the look is instantly harmonious.  Gorgeous.

Jenna Fischer. Frazer Harrison/Getty

Jenna Fischer’s gown nicely incorporates structural design in the bodice with a flowy persimmon chiffon gown.

Kelly Osborne wearing Tony Ward Couture. Jason Merritt/Getty

Wow, look at how lithe Kelly Osborne is!  While not my favorite dress on the red carpet, the texture in the gown gives it great visual interest.

Maria Menounos in custom Ralph & Russo gown. Jason Merritt/Getty

This stunning chocolate brown bejeweled gown is even more alluring with the cut-out.

Emily Deschanel in Max Azria Atelier. Mathew Imaging/Getty

Emily shines in this purple tiered ruffle gown.  She does right to keep her hair and accessories simple so the dress remains the focal point.

The Verdict is Still Out…

January Jones in Etelier Versace. Frazer Harrison/Getty

The color is divine.  The texture gives visual interest.  Perhaps if the gown went all the way to the floor.  And it sort of looks like she forgot to do her hair…

Keri Russell. Frazer Harrison/Getty

Keri Russell can nearly do no wrong, but this Marilyn-reminiscent gown seems too big in the bust and too long in the legs.

Rutina Wesley

I’ll give it to her, it’s certainly abstract.

Side note: Something else we noticed was how ultra-slim so many of the red carpet starlets looked, like they had starved themselves for weeks to fit into their gowns.  Don’t forget to eat!

That’s our round-up.

Who do you think wore it best at the 2010 Emmys?

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.

Photo c/o mybabyconnection.com

Recently I was speaking with a new mother about her fit and clothing challenges with her changing body.  One thing she said was particularly noteworthy.  After giving birth, none of her clothes fit anymore so when she went clothing shopping, instead of getting the typical jeans and t-shirts, she got nice blouses and pants instead.  Because she knew there was going to have less time everyday for hair and make-up, she knew these nice clothes would help her feel good.

Your clothing affects the way you think, the way you feel, the way you act, and the way that others react to you.

(source: Judith Rasband).  This new mother had come to that conclusion all on her own.

Particularly for work-at-home moms, it’s easy to get into a rut with your clothing when wearing jeans, t-shirt and sweats all the time which can lead to feelings of indifference, lack of motivation, and depression.

The solution?

The quickest way to feel better about yourself is to wear something nice.  Nice doesn’t have to be an evening gown or business blazer.  Nice can be a pretty cardigan or a fun headband, or a pair of pants that elongate your legs.  Take a few minutes everyday to select clothes you feel good wearing and apply a little make-up.  See if it makes a difference in how you feel.

So what type of clothes make you feel good?

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.

Who says Friday is just for jeans and T-shirts?

This is Tracey.  A few weeks ago, I saw him dressed sharp in a crisp black button-down shirt, a matching tie, and black dress pants and shoes.  When I asked him if he was going anywhere special that night, he simply replied, “It’s un-casual Friday.”

Un-Casual Friday? I was floored. Brilliant!

Now that it’s Friday again, I’m inspired to do the same.

Are you willing to go against the norm and participate in un-casual Friday?  Or will you be donning your T-shirt and jeans instead?

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.

One of the pieces of menwear that often gets a bad wrap is the tie.  With the recent trend of casualization in America, the tie has come off and most don’t miss them because men don’t understand the benefits of wearing one.

Benefits of Wearing a Tie

1. Ties Frames the Face. The tie is like an arrow to the face, drawing attention upwards for improved communication.
2. Ties are Slimming.  The tie brings attention into the middle for a slimming effect.
3. Ties are a Focal Point.  Each outfit needs a focal point, somewhere for the eye to rest.  Particularly when in a color, the tie becomes a focal point.
4. Ties are Perceived as Professional.  With case studies that have been conducted, we have found that men perceive the tie as most business-like.
5. Women Love A Man in a Tie.  ‘Nuff said.

Here are a few samples of different ways that ties can be worn:

With a vest as worn by Shia LaBeaof for GQ

With a matched suit as worn by Patrick Dempsey for a Versace ad.

With a leather jacket and jeans a la Justin Timberlake for GQ

When you don a tie, one important thing to remember is to make sure it comes to the right length.  At the ideal length, the tie should hit the top of your belt buckle.

Your Two Cents

Men, when do you wear a tie?  Business?  Pleasure?  Special occasions?  Never?

Women — what are your thoughts of men wearing ties?

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.

One thing I’m excited to report is that I am not a columnist for a national women’s online magazine, CraziBeautiful.  Recently I wrote a post for them called “Nude is Now” that highlights some of the exciting nude trends in the fashion industry.  Here’s a snippet:

Fashion Trends for 2010: Nude is Now

When worn with a dress or skirt, nude shoes will beautifully elongate the leg, causing the wearer to appear taller.  Who wouldn’t want that?  Plus, they’re sure to get lots of wear since their neutral nature makes them easy to coordinate with.  (Photo: Destime Nude Shoes from Aldo)

Read the whole article on nude fashion trends for 2010 here at CraziBeautiful!

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.

Recently while speaking to a group in Vancouver, Canada, Peter Post from the Emily Post Institute had this to say about etiquette:

“[Etiquette is about] building better, more successful relationships in your life.  It’s not telling you what to do, it’s not about rules, it’s about giving you strategies to be more successful as you interact with other people.”

Etiquette may manifest itself in your life as you turn off your phone ringer when  visiting with a friend, wear nice clothes to a friend’s wedding, send a thank you note, or even simply chew with your mouth closed.  While these social niceties may not be clearly evident at the time, if you showed up to your best friend’s wedding wearing your pajamas, the lack of respect would become quite glaringly obvious.

Ultimately, etiquette communicates your respect for other people.  Practicing good etiquette in your life will help you to be comfortable in your surroundings, confident in your interactions, and have a positive impact your relationships.

How has etiquette had an impact on your life?

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.

Jeans and Blazer by My Style Pill on Flickr

Over the last several decades, the business casual revolution has been brewing.  In today’s relaxed work climate, business casual can be confusing without a properly defined dress code and often leads to questions like this:

Are Jeans Work Appropriate?

Determining whether jeans are work appropriate will depend on your work environment.  If you work in a creative or technical field with a business casual atmosphere, you’ll be more likely to be able to wear jeans at the office than if you work in an executive law firm, for example.

That said, not all jeans are created equal.  Consider the various styles of jeans on the marketplace that may not bode so well with HR due to their distracting nature…

Acid Wash Jeans

Acid Wash Jeans

Distressed Jeans

Distressed Jeans with Whiskers

Destroyed Jeans

Destroyed Denim

Recommendations for Jeans in the Workplace (more…)

Jersey Shore is a popular new reality TV show in which people dress in clothes that are far too small for while showcasing extreme cleavage.

To set the record straight on their dress code, a bar in New Orleans, Republic, says, “If it’s on Jersey Shore, it’s not coming through the door.”  That sounds good to me!

Would you agree?

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.

In honor of Canada’s 143rd birthday, here are some great clothing lines that come to us from the true north, strong and free.

Tessa Virtue, Canadian Gold Medalist, wearing Roots

1. Clothes from Canada: Roots

   Roots is known for providing quality leather and active sporting wear since 1973.  Their products are known for their integrity, longevity, and quality and have had the privilege of outfitting Team Canada in past Olympics.  They are committed to protecting the environment and have green clothing while material made from natural fibers such as bamboo, hemp, soy, and organic cotton.  Visit them online at http://usa.roots.com/.

   

   Lululemon Manifesto

2. Clothes from Canada: Lululemon Athletica

   Lululemon Athletica makes technical active wear that is ideal for exercise, yoga, and dance.  Founded in 1998 in Vancouver, Canada, they have strong ties with the community, hosting healthy and productive workshops at their location related to self defense, yoga, and goal-setting.  Their trendy athletic wear can be found in over 100 stores and in yoga and dance studios across the world.  Visit them online at http://www.lululemon.com.

Club Monaco

1. Clothes from Canada: Club Monaco

   Club Monaco was founded in 1985 in Toronto and is best known for their classic black and white palette and their European influenced clothing.   In 1999, it was purchased by Polo Ralph Lauren and now has stores all over the world.  They have great perks for their customers including personal shoppers, free in-store pant hemming, extended shopping hours for busy customers, and 20% student discounts within North America.  Visit them online at http://www.clubmonaco.com/.

In addition to Roots, Lululemon, and Club Monaco, there are hundreds more Canadian designers that have brought comfortable, artistic, and quality clothing to the marketplace.  If you ever shop in the major metropolitan Canadian cities like Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver, you’ll notice how current, classic, and trendy the clothing is.  These cities also have numerous boutiques which will give you a distinct flavor all their own.

Happy Canada Day to our Canadian friends!  Do you have any Canadian stories to share?

Copyright 2010 Cable Car Couture. All Rights Reserved.