Oscar de la Renta: A Man with Elegance, Creativity, and Impeccable Taste

Tonight is a sad one. Oscar de la Renta, the man with the stunningly gorgeous creations, has passed away at the age of 82. He celebrated 50 years of designing last year,  just put out an exquisite collection, and only just made Amal Clooney's wedding dress, it seemed nothing was amiss. He made illustrious creations, hated the word "pretty", and broke into song during interviews.  He was a  man whose motto was : live,love, and laugh, and a man who adored women. He will sorely be missed by all.  I looked up to his views on women, adored everything he created, and aspired to one day be worthy enough to put on one of his iconic dresses. Just two months ago, I was lucky enough to see his designs in person at the George W. Bush Library in Dallas, Texas. Everything was even more impressive and spectacular than you would believe, and the room was silent with speechless women admiring his dresses.  Besides having won numerous accolades, it was his sense of respect for others, and the fact that he was just a man doing what he loved, who thought his wife was the world, that he will be remembered for long after tonight. Let's all be a little bit more like Oscar: live more, love more, and laugh more.

Let's pay homage to Oscar by looking at some of his awe-inspiring designs:

( Side note: I saw this dress in real life and it is breathtaking. It is one of my all time favorite Oscar de la Renta creations. The beautiful color, endless detail, and stunning silhouette are unbeatable.)

( Side note: I also saw this in real life and it was mesmerizing. The detail is unbelievable and was done flawlessly.)

(Photo Credit: Style.com, Buzzfeed, My Personal Photos)

Here's to you Oscar de la Renta. Thank you for the sensational, inspirational masterpieces.

Neon: Too Bright or Just Right?

Neon is a trend that does not seem to be going away anytime soon. There are numerous ways to wear neon: orange, pink, day-glow yellow, green and blue are the go to colors. Whether you wear a full on neon outfit such as a dress or add a pop of color with a purse, your nails or a blazer, please make sure you're doing it right. You don't want to blind anyone with your outfit!

Here are some celebrities who have done it right:

Millie Mackintosh (an unfairly gorgeous reality star from England) is rocking two trends in this photo although it's hard to tell. What appears at first glance to be a neon dress is actually yet another matching outfit. I love it. The mash up of prints helps tones down the different neon colors. Take note: When wearing a full on neon outfit make sure to pair it with subtle accessories like Millie. Her black sandals, barely there jewelry and clear clutch (pretend you didn't see that aspect) go perfectly.

Eva Longoria looks amazing in neon! Who doesn't love her?! I know some people balk at the thought of watching Desperate Housewives, but if you haven't watched it stop reading and go start right now. It should be everyone's guilty pleasure show. Eva has worn tons of neon over the years and judging from these outfits, pink is her favorite which is perfect because she looks fantastic in it!The pink looks great with her tan skin. All three looks here showcase the dress which all happen to be bright shades of pink. However, just like Millie, Eva softens the pink with simple heels in neutral tones and little to no accessories. Her makeup is also not too overdone which is always important. You want people to stare at your actual face, not just how much eyeliner you swiped on that day.

Here is the always classy Emma Stone (one of my style favorites!).  You may be thinking where is her neon? Take a glance at her shoes. This is the perfect way to add a pop of color ( in Emma's case, neon blue) to your outfit. She is wearing the Aquazzura Positano pumps. Her outfit is neutrals of grey and black which makes the shoes a nice surprise and an added bonus to a nice work or dinner outfit. Also, love the new hair cut Emma!

Here are some people who are just too bright to be out in the streets:

Jennifer Lopez, I love you but what is going on here?! I am a huge J- Lo fan and jealous of her aging backwards skills, but this is not a good look. While the color looks amazing on her, it's too much pink and it makes her look like a highlighter. If she was just wearing the top or maybe the pants ( not a huge fan but to each their own) the outfit would be considerably better. I do give her props for trying to tone it down with nude pumps and makeup. And how fantastic is that ponytail?! 

Don't worry, I still love you J-Lo.

Ahh! My eyes! Hopefully your eyes are also burning at this heinous outfit Kim Kardashian was once spotted in. From head to toe it is just too much. In my opinion, Kim tends to wear things that are too tight and look uncomfortable, so it is nice to see her in something flowy, I just wish it wasn't this. The yellow is okay but the waistline of the dress falls weird on her and no one, even Seinfeld should wear puffy sleeves anymore. In addition to her dress, Kim added some royal blue extremely chunky heels. We all know a chunky heel is easier to walk in but it should look like one. This shoe looks like a cross between a wedge and a chunky heel and it makes her legs look shorter because of its bulk. I think if Kim had worn her hair down and not so tightly pulled back and some neutral shoes, this outfit could be a teensy tiny bit better.

Rita Ora, this outfit is not suitable for public consumption. What were you thinking? First of all, sweatpants are not to be worn as part of an outfit unless you are going to and from the gym or pregnant( you are birthing a child, wear whatever!). This outfit could have been leagues better if she was wearing skinny jeans instead. I don't understand why there are weird patches where her knees are, what purpose do those serve? Those gorgeous studded Louboutin pumps were made for a fantastic outfit, not a sweat suit. Christian would be ashamed of what you are wearing with his shoes.Be better than this neon sweat suit Rita, you can do it.

Here are some ways you can incorporate neon into your life without blinding your friends and co-workers:

  

Essie: Chills and Thrills polish
Adorable and affordable Forever dresses: Dress 1  Dress 2


Cute little makeup bag that can be turned into a clutch. Thanks H&M!

The always classic Converse have even gotten into neon. These dove grey sneakers have a subtle yellow lining that can barely be seen but if you want, you can roll down the shoes to show it.
Bonus: They are only $34.97 on  Hautelook right now! They can also be found on the Converse site.


What do you think about neon? Do you like a full on outfit like Eva Longoria's? Or a subtle neon touch like Emma Stone's? Let me know in the comments!