VMA Madness

Naked is the new black...or so says Miley Cyrus. This is Miley's latest fashion forward moment at last night's  MTV VMA Awards. And this girl was the evening's host! Hard to believe that just 4 short years ago this girl was a bubble gum, tween queen Disney darling. I wonder if Walt is turning over in his grave?

Taylor Swift and Nicki Manaj show the world that there is no Bad Blood. Were they fighting? I must have slept through that one, but ok, seems they could make up long enough to perform together last night. I would venture to guess the whole thing was made up to sell some records. Amiright?

Since Nicki's not fighting with Taylor anymore, she decided to pick a fight with Miley Cyrus. When accepting her award last night for Best Hip-Hop-Video she ended her speech, throwing it back to Miley by saying "and now back to this bitch who had a lot to say about me in the press the other day." Again, relevance, records and dollars. You think the had a meeting before and staged it? I'd say that was the best "performance" of the night. I give her high marks on her dress, tho. I think she looks beautiful.

Ugggh, them again? And seated front and center last night. Question: Does Kim have a tailor? Because I have the name of someone and she could CLEARLY use one. The ill fitting garment does nothing for her except make her look sloppy. Anyway, her self absorbed husband decided to declare his run for the presidency in 2020 on stage. What the hell? If Donald Trump can run for President and lead the polls why not Kayne?

So not relevant anymore. Britney Spears presented an award last night and I know what all of you were thinking because I was too; washed up, tired and over. It's sad because it would seem that Britney finally has her life together. She's no dummy though. She reportedly made $30 million over the last two years for her Vegas show and just renegotiated a raise for her next run. Reports say she will take home close to $1 million a week. And although she has surpassed expectations selling tickets to her show, I'm not sure it's the MTV crowd that's buying her tickets. My money is on the Bingo junket playing crowd filling her seats.

Yup, she won a bunch of awards again..This lady has the Midas touch! And in a class move, she put to bed forever the Taylor/Kanye feud. Repeating his famous and controversial outburst at the VMA's a few years ago, she declared Kanye's career 'the greatest career of all time', then hugging it out with him for all to see. Class act, that Taylor.

#TheDress...

Evidently the dress is black and blue-but I saw gold and white. I guess that means my emotions are in check? Such a fuss....

But I don't want to talk about that dress. I wanna talk about this one:

Get this...

This dress that Lupita Nyong'o wore to the Oscars last Sunday was reportedly made completely with pearls; 6000 white Akoya pearls-estimating its worth at $150,000.00-was STOLEN right out of her hotel room!  Nyong'o reportedly told police that the dress was stolen out of her room at The London West Hollywood sometime Wednesday between 8am and 9 pm, while she was out. 

Holy Hollwood caper, bloggers! Have a great weekend and please try to lock up your valuables! 

UPDATE: The dress has been found! According to TMZ.com the thief who stole the dress returned it to the hotel after he learned that the dress-made of pearls-were fake! He contacted TMZ to inform them of "Hollywood's fake bullsh*t".

On Line Vs. On Body

I had an interesting experience yesterday that somewhat renewed my faith in the fact that "brick and mortar" shops are still a viable entity. Without getting too much into that debate, I'll tell you what happened first; I will be going away this week, to a warm destination and I needed a few things. You know, I need a new this and a new that, and because all I ever do is work, I thought "why not shop online?"

Yesterday at 7am I was clicking and clacking away, looking at bathing suits, tops and jeans, but I was having a hard time picturing myself in anything I saw on the computer. I was also having a hard time coming up with search terms for clothing items. How to you search "when I see it I will know" for cute spring fashions? Needless to say, my hour long internet shopping search turned up nothing...(so not like me)

It was then that I knew a trip to the mall was what I needed. I got into my car and headed to the mall on a rainy Sunday. Two hours later, I emerged somewhat victorious! I had covered two of my three major fashion categories and the third one I will handle today at another store where I can peruse the selections, touch the fabrics and try them on. Wow! Who knew it could be so convenient?

The online vs. brick and mortar shopping debate is one that I know only too well. Soon I will be launching my own online shopping store because I understand that I have to embrace the online shopping experience to keep my business relevant, but I think I just proved to myself that online shopping does not negate the in-store experience. It only enhances it! Yes, online shopping is the wave of the future, but what about when you aren't quite sure what you are looking for? What about inspiration? What about the smell of the leather, the feel of the fabric, the perfect pop of color on your lips or the way it sits perfectly on your shoulders? What about the 'cash and carry' effect? This was a learning experience in more ways than one.

I would be interested in what your shopping habits are when it comes to online and in store. Tell me how you like to shop.

Death Of A Superstar

News of L'Wren Scott's suicide comes after the 49 year old designer was found yesterday morning in her New York apartment by her assistant. L'Wren Scott, by all reports, was a fashion superstar. Her high end fashion line bearing her name was a red carpet staple amongst A-list celebs like Madonna, Nicole Kidman and Amy Adams. Her love life was A-list too. She was the long time girlfriend of the one and only Mick Jagger. Sources report that the two were very much together at the time of her death and Jagger is said to be "devestated" by the news.

On the surface, everything looked to be as if she was living a dream. A successful fashion house known in celebrity circles, a rock star boyfriend (some would argue the ULTIMATE rock star boyfriend) the perfect picture of success and someone who had achieved rank to the pinnacle of her profession. "Picture" being the operative word. What we now know is that that picture was a facade. Truth be told L'Wren Scott had been plagued with financial woes lately and her company was rumored to be at least $6 Million in debt.

I am touched by her death on so many levels:

• As a woman closer to her age than not
• As a business woman-trying to achieve that "brass ring" in my profession
• As a person who envied her life from the outside looking in

I wonder how deep and dark her personal issues got, to make her take her own life. Loosing face in an industry that she was so well respected had to be devastating, but not uncommon. She certainly was not the first to face financial trouble and unfortunately she won't be the last. The sad truth is the line between success and failure is all to close in many professions. How bad does it have to be? How does one get to that desperate point?  

My thoughts and prayers go out to her loved ones...yet she continues to dominate my thoughts. I'm sorry she felt that desperate and I wonder if something could have been done to prevent her death. I guess we will never know. 

Fashion Perfection

Last night's Golden Globes marks the beginning of Hollywood's 2014 Red Carpet Season which stretches all the way thru to the big finale at the Academy Awards in March. There were many high's and a few lows, so here's how I saw it!

Breathtaking, stunning and absolute red carpet fashion perfection is how I saw Lupita Nyong'os red Ralph Lauren creation. She took my breath away and I LOVE it when a fashion does that. This girl has the body of a fashion model and I cannot wait to see what her next red carpet number will be. Stunning....

Poor Lena. She looks like a young girl crammed into a grown woman's fashion that she really feels uncomfortable in. This Zac Posen might have been better served on another star, but on the upside, she looks the part of a Golden Globe nominee. Points for that, but where she misses is the fit and the color. This color is stunning-just not on her- and that's ok. They just should have told her. And while I prefer a tight fitting gown on Lena over a large silhouette, she is jammed in here so tight I'm not sure Lena thinks she will make it through the whole night securely. And it shows...

America's sweetheart took a trendy turn in a Prabal Gurung color blocking gown. The gown is lovely on her. Well fitting and fresh, but not very memorable. The thing about Sandra last night that puts her on my best dressed list was her face.. Her makeup and hair was flawless which sets the tone here. She looked so beautiful and soft, she actually belies her advanced age in Hollywood standards.

The youth of Hollywood speaks! And I love what they have to say. Fresh and different, yet stunning and sexy is how I would describe Emma Watson's Dior creation. From the front, it covers fully but sports a gorgeous slit, and from the back it really packs a punch. The House of Dior really know their stuff and I spot a  new fashion trend coming! 

Reece can do no red carpet wrong and last night was no exception! This aqua Calvin Klein design was like liquid paint on her, and her hair and makeup were right in line with the minimalistic beauty of her gown. Kudos to her.

It's a good thing Amy Adams is such a great actor, because this Valentino is just wrong...Naked. She looked naked from the side especially and it made me a bit uncomfortable. Didn't we see enough of this fashion on her on the big screen in American Hustle? I'm not sure why she felt the need to re-cycle the look for herself. It's just bad. Period. Note to Amy's Glam Squad: Her lipstick needed to be darker. I would have used Kevyn Aucoin's Blood Roses Lipstick which is a modern, fresh black cherry color that would have worked perfectly. 

Kate Blanchette-a gorgeous creature in general, this Armani Prive lace number just set her apart from the pack. Why? It's simple elegance showcased Kates own elegance in a way that made her look regal. Was she my choice for best dressed last night? No, but she's top 3 for sure.

Hmmmm. My first thought is why? Jennifer Lawrence wore white to last year's Academy Awards and why wear it again? This was not my favorite, but it was not altogether bad, just off for me. I would have expected more from her, Rachel Zoe and Dior. 

Who is this girl? She is BREATHTAKING. Margot Robbie is possibly one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Her Gucci creation is stunning and form fitting and perfect on this beauty. She's just perfection from head to toe. I think my girl crush is showing. 

A Sharon Stone moment this is NOT! Sharon Stone made a splash at the Oscars in 2009 when she paired her husbands white dress shirt with a Vera Wang skirt. This is not that. Ouch..Julia, this (pardon the expression) SUCKS. Bad. Not only is it terrible, ill fitting and WRONG, but that crystal belt? Oy Vey. What the hell is that? Dolce? Are you paying attention to what Gabbana is doing? Was anybody paying attention? Obviously not. 

And last but certainly not least, my favorite of the night! I may be wrong here but Diane Keaton stole the show. Diane came out to accept Woody Allen's Cecile B. Demille Award she was eloquent, reflective, endearing and stunning. I know that this gender bender suit is Diane's signature look, not anything we haven't seen before, but that particular suit with her stunning and perfectly sexy coiffed hair and glasses? She was gorgeous! I'm now looking for a suit like that for me. I LOVED IT!

Just one girl's fashion opinion here. What did you think?

Wednesday Whoa..

I'm um....

I think?

If I were sitting on the sofa with Joan Rivers and Kelly Osbourne, I would have to say that this:

Is possibly thisclose to a MAJOR  fashion moment. Almost, but not quite.

The Black Hole

So we have a dress code at work.

Our dress code is this: BLACK  (we mix it up with a few twists, like we can wear all white too, and we have "Funky Friday" when we can wear whatever we want)

But the majority of time spent at work is in all black. 

Having a dress code is new to me, and something I hadn't counted on until I made the decision to have a dress code. Leave it to me to impose a dress code that isn't necessarily essential to my current wardrobe.

It started out easily enough. I bought a few pairs of black pants and thought I was all set. What I didn't realize is that most of my black clothes are fancy-ier, dressy-ier, thank your everyday black for work. And now that it's spring/summer, it's getting harder to find black clothes among the clothes in my closet. I need a black shop day, where I go out and buy only black. But buying only black clothes for work somehow negates the idea of work entirely, doesn't it?

It's  like my wallet is the only thing that will soon become  the black hole.

Like I Died And Went To Heaven

Seriously, fellow fashionistas take note.

I'll be first in line, with my carrots and celery sticks.

My Brother Is Iron Man

Happy Friday Bloggers!

So, I told you a long time ago, that my brother was Iron Man, right? Today  I thought I'd post a little Iron Man T&A for the sexy people out there and ask you to go see my brother's new movie.

Iron Man 3 premiered last night and Gweneth KILLED it in this dress. She single handedly coined the new fashion term, "side ass". No wonder she is People Magazine's newly crowned "Most Beautiful Woman".

You go girl!

Have a great weekend bloggers and try to be the superhero in your loved one's lives this weekend!

Changing Course

I've got to change course and talk about something else....

So forgive me, but I thought I'd change it up quite a bit. Today I want to talk about the newest beauty craze-
Tit-tooing.

You heard me right, TIT-TOOING, and it's all the rage. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't read about it for myself. Now "tittooing" is nothing like the picture above. No, this latest beauty craze comes out of the UK and it's not about pictures on boobs."Tittooing" is about  the tattooing on or around the nipple to darken the areola or re-shape the nipple. And get this: some people think their nipples are too pink.?

"A lot of people want their nipples made darker. It’s the fashion," says Gail Proudman, a clinician who performs the procedure. "Some people think theirs are too pink or their boyfriends want them done. I think sometimes they are doing it because they are conscious of them being pale and they think it’s fashionable to have dark nipples."

Since when did nipples become "fashionable"?

The entire procedure takes about two hours to perform and touch ups are needed every 12-18 months to avoid fading. Prices have been quoted at 1,200 British Pounds for a full set, which according to today's calculations is about $1827.60 USD. A real bargain.

I have to wonder how safe it all is?

I guess it all comes down to the youth in our culture being obsessed with perfection. I'm all for doing a safe procedure if you can afford it and it makes you feel good. But the last time I checked, unless your job description listed "porn star" a woman's nipples were kept mostly under wraps. Or bras. Or shirts for that matter. I'm not sure what this says about the direction of the youth of our world.

One thing's for sure, I'd file this one under titty torture.

Today's Special:Check This Out!

I spot a new fashion trend rising, and I'm crazy for it.

Hello lover.... Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2013 Collection has me all in a tither!
The bold check of Vuitton's signature Damier Canvas pattern in delicious colors and rich fabrics literally took my breath away.

The simplistic styles have an eye catching, elegance that is truly Louis Vuitton.

This was the money shot for me. One lingering look at Kirsten Dunst in Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2013 and I was hooked. I needed to see more, so I took action. I Googled it.

It would seem that the fashion world agrees with me.

Classic silhouettes manage to appear sexy and bold. Retro drama is the key ingredient to this stunning collection.

Let's not forget the bags! Yes the bags are incredible.

Fellas, these are for you, but I suspect that more women will be snatching these up. You know how I feel about color...


So. I've resigned to the fact that I need to break the bank and own a piece of this amazing collection.
I'm thinking the one on the left has to be the one.

Marc Jacobs....I think I love you.

The Kohl Truth

Sorry about yesterday Bloggers! I left for NYC on Sunday for a buying trip and got back late last night.

Being in the city energizes my business sense and gives me lots of mojo to move forward with plans. I love the buzz of the industry. Being around vendors, craftsman and industry sales people is invigorating and optimistic for a business owner like myself. I met a woman there who forecasts industry trends and we talked a bit about keeping up with the curve in fashion. That whole idea of a "think tank" is soo interesting to me. What if they are wrong? Do they get fired? The fashion and beauty world is so fickle. Things can change in an instant.

The best thing about the trip was that Frick came with me! I LOVED showing her every little aspect of the business and she mopped it up like a Bounty paper towel on a kitchen counter. ( I told her that when I write my book, she will HAVE to star in the movie. Who else could it be??) So the plan was to stay at my best friend's apartment Sunday night and come home Monday. Frick (who is on Winter break until Jan26th) had to stop by her dorm on third to pick up something and while we were there the security guard asked us if we were, "spending the night?"

"We can do that?" I asked.
"You paid for it, didn't you?" her said.
"Yes, I did," I responded.
"You can do that anytime. Lots of parents do. The student just has to sign you in overnight."

So guess what we did?

We stayed overnight in her dorm! It was just her and I and it was a blast!! I would have never done it if school was in session and her roommates were there, but seeing as it was just me and Frick? Hell yes!

We were exhausted from a long day on Sunday, so we had dinner nearby and came back and watched the best, female bonding movie ever made. Bridesmaids.

This has to be our favorite scene:
This is Annie after a roofie, and you may want to keep the volume down a bit if you are at WORK. Kristen Wiig, you are a genius!!!

Candy Does NOT make a Dandy Swami

OK, so I'm new at this.

Remember back this year, on January 3rd, a mere 363 days ago, I made some predictions for the year 2012 here?

Well, boy did I SUCK at it. Out of the five predictions, only one and a half of them were on the money. That's pretty bad and if I were a betting woman, I would not bet on me.

Lets go over them point by point, shall we?

I predicted:

1. Mitt Romney will defeat Barak Obama for the Presidency of the United States. Yup, I just see it, like you know how you visualize winning a race or scoring a goal? I just see Mitt as our next leader of the free world. This is by no means an endorsement of any candidate or political party by Candy's Daily Dandy. This is just a feeling, a hunch and I could totally be wrong.

Boy was I wrong...BUT, I'll take solace in knowing that I'm not the only one who may have thought this to be true at that time. I had a 50-50 shot at it and I was wrong. OK, so I better not quit the day job. I get it.

Next up, I perdicted:

2. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will get married. This one's kind of a no brainer. I'm not the smartest or most incredible swami for making this prediction, I'm just a mother and a woman and right around, kind of, the same, not exactly but sort of the same age as the Hollywood power couple. Since they have 6 kids together and family is their number one priority, the next logical and romantic step is to make it legal. Really, who are they going to move onto? Both are the top of their demographic when it comes to picking a partner of the opposite sex, so it only makes sense. Plus, there is nothing more romantic or fulfilling. Again, just my opinion.

So this is the one that I got HALF right. Brad and Angie didn't get married this year, but they did get engaged. Brad put a ring on it and maybe next year we will see the wedding. Maybe not. Maybe they are already secretly married. Hmmm. Maybe the wedding will make it to next year's Daily Dandy predictions. I'll take the half here.

Then I predicted:

3. Over sized glasses will be all the rage. Take my advice here, and buy a pair of over sized sun glasses, but the real fire will spread with over sized reading and eye glasses. The bigger the better. Geek is chic and big, geeky, nerdy glasses will make a huge fashion statement in 2012. You know how I know? They are hot all over Europe in 2011 and we follow suit.

This is the ONE that I got right, which isn't much of a stretch seeing I consider myself to be somewhat of a fashion guru. Maybe I should stick to that instead of predicting the future., just sayin.

4. Robert DeNiro will make a huge Hollywood comeback as Bernie Madoff. DeNiro's Production company, Tribeca Films, will produce the film as HBO bought the rights to the Madoff Family's Book, "Truth and Consequences: Life Inside The Madoff Family". Written by Ruth Madoff, Andrew Madoff and Andrew's fiancee, Catherine Hooper. I venture to guess that there isn't a person out there who isn't curious about this story, and this predictions about DeNiro. It should be released by year's end, so DeNiro will have at Oscar in 2013.

Where the HELL did this come from? Now I'm not saying that this one may never come to fruition, and If it does, you all will be the first one's to hear about my prediction coming true, but Oscar? Really? I want some more of what I may have been smoking at that time, because that's just not even close. Unless someone knows someone, who knows a guy,  who knows that this deal is going on in Hollywood behind closed doors as we speak, please let me know. Otherwise I'll just sweep this prediction under the carpet and move on with my life. 

And speaking of sweeping predictions under the carpet. I said:

 5. Ok, so I'm going out on a limb here, but it's no fun otherwise. AND you know that I truly believe this: The New England Patriots will defeat The New Orleans Saints to win Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. Yup, they just may be on their way to peaking right now, and just in the nick of time. I may be off about the Super Bowl opponent, so if it's not the Saints, it's going to be the Packers. Even though the Pats have serious, serious issues on defense, and they can't afford to fall behind more than two scores with either of these teams in the beginning of the game, we have Tommy. He's the best in the business and he knows how to get it done. And he will. Also, My Tommy is the MVP of Super Bowl XLVI.

I'm such a homer. I really DON'T want to revisit this heartbreak again.,but:

On the positive side for Candy: I did predict that that Pats would be in the Superbowl, so, I think I get half a point there and the rest is just not worth discussing without HURLING. 

So, I'm gonna take the extra half a point and call my overall prediction score 2 for 5 and be done with it. Even so, I've decided that I'm going to do it again and make my predictions for 2013. It can't get any worse, right? Stay tuned. 

Happy New Year Bloggers. I PREDICT a healthy and happy 2013 for all my blogger buddies. 

I'm Surprised I Missed It

I like to pride myself on the fact that I am somewhat of a Fashion Diva/Expert/ Guru of sorts.





Safe to say that I live for fashion. It pumps through my veins and I'm always reading the fashion magazines, trolling the internet on the latest trends and staying informed on all things fashion and beauty.





So it was a shock to me when I missed it. I'm ashamed of myself.






I know I have been busy, but am I really that crazy that I missed the latest?





I'm horrified.






How did I not see it?




Now I need to rethink my entire fall wardrobe, which is some serious sh*t, and it's not going to be cheap, I tell ya. Shame on me for being a fashion junkie.





Ladies, why didn't you tell me?

Today's Special: Sheer Madness

So Katy Perry was spotted in this get-up recently and it got me to thinking...did she wear that because she thinks it's cute? Or did she wear that because she's Katy Perry and she's a big pop star and she thinks it's edgy and she can pull it off? Either way, it's not a good look for her. Edgy or not, its unflattering. Her boobs are too big and the Granny panties make her look fat, and we all know she is NOT fat.

The Daily Dandy says: FASHION FELONY.

Giiiirrrl......A few months after giving birth to baby girl Blue Ivy, Beyonce steps out in this sheer showstopper at the Met Gala Ball in NYC. While this Givenchy Haute Couture gown by Riccardo Tisci is not for the meek or the mild, Beyonce chooses the perfect venue to showcase this sheer creation. Where else but the Met Gala and who else but Beyonce? She is sheer perfection and what better way to show off her baby weight loss.

The Daily Dandy says: FASHION AT ITS FINEST.

I don't care what anyone says about this one; if I'm Sophia Vergara and I have an ass like that? I'm wearing sheer leggings too! Period. Amen. Even I think that's sexy and I like guys....Also, she gets mad style points because I'm lusting after the GORGEOUS Chanel bag she's carrying.

The Daily Dandy says: FASHION FORWARD.

Let me just preface this by saying, I love Fergie. I love everything she does and I think she is exquisite. The Fashion Police and the fashion bloggers lambasted Fergie for this dress but I. Loved. It!! She took my breath away. Let's start with the fact that it's a Haute Couture Jean Paul Gaultier, and I just love the black undergarments. Fashion insiders commented that the Granny panties should have been bikini, but I disagree. As illustrated above with Katy Perry, not everyone can pull off Granny panties and in this case, Fergie's Grannies looks classy and edgy.

The Daily Dandy says: FASHION ROYALTY.

Gaga just doesn't care...which is evident by her hand gestures in this photo taken at LAX on July 9, 2012. Well, ok, I support your right to wear whatever you choose, but walking around the airport in your underwear is just not wise. It invites a different sort of element, wouldn't you say?

And FYI, this is the back side of that outfit.

The Daily Dandy says: FASHION FREAK.

The words that come to mind are, what an ass....

Alpha Male

So I get a text message from my BFF on Thursday that reads,

"Giselle and her cronies are at it again-see photos of Tom Brady on Boston dot com-awful!!! This has got to stop NOW!!"

So you remember the last time Gi let her man go to the met ball with THIS bad salad, I couldn't get to the computer fast enough. I was outraged! What had she done to My Tommy now???

Then I pulled up these:

And I'm like.....

Ummm, wow...my blood was boiling alright...

My Tommy?  Oh my...Tom Ford styled him and interviewed him for the magazine. I should have known.

Dang...

These are HOT!

So shoot me.

I'm a sucker for that face.

Today's Special: Designer Boo Boo's

I'll admit it. I'm a label snob.

Yup, I will actually spend more on an item because the label's name constitutes a price increase. I also value great designs and high quality, but that's a post for another day. Today's post is about Band-aids.

So being the label snob that I am, imagine my delight when taking a band-aid out of my non-nondescript Band-aid box yesterday to find that it was not any regular Band-aid, but a colorful and cute Cynthia Rowley designer Band-aid. I had just given my finger the WORST paper cut, ever. Not really, but in a box filled with 70 Band-aid brand Band-aids what are the chances that I would pull out one of the 10 bonus Cynthia Rowley Designer Band-aids that were inside?

Pretty good, because that's exactly what I did and I gotta tell you, I love them! I wrapped the colorful, second from the left design above around my pointer finger on my right hand and everybody had a comment.

"Oh, is that a new ring?'

"What's that? It's so cool."

"What do you mean it's a Cynthia Rowley Band-Aid?"

Who knew that a designer Band-Aid could cause such a stir? I loved it too. I made for the perfect accessory with my fashion forward life and I was sorry to see it lying on the floor of my shower this morning, non-sticky and beaten down into submission.

I can report that my paper cut is healing quite nicely at this point which means that my designer friend did exactly what it was supposed to do. In the meantime, I think I will pick up a solo box of 20 Designer Band-aids for my next cut or gash emergency.

One can never underestimate the power of looking and feeling good, and one could also make an argument that some people just never grow up entirely. Either way, this box of designer delights ensures that I don't have to.