V&A Exhibit (C) Luke MacGregor/Reuters

When I came across Suzy Menkes’ NYT review of the “serene beauty that was Grace Kelly’s” exhibit at London’s V&A, I was instantly reminded me of why I fell in love with fashion as a little girl. Even though I wasn’t around during the height of the Princess of Monaco’s glamour years, I still remember thinking Hitchcock had a serious unbelievability flaw in Rear Window when Jimmy Stewart’s Jeffries didn’t want to marry Lisa. It was the grace and untimely elegance of women like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Onassis and Princess Diana who have influenced the way so many of us define beauty years after they’re gone. And while no style icon’s life is perfect, it’s the way they handle themselves in the face of adversity with a poise reaching far beyond clothing that earns them that title. Princess Grace has been gone more than 20 years and yet her style is still, and will continue to be, emulated long after she first inspired women all over the world.

The Grace Kelly exhibition at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum runs from 17 April to 26 September, and features pieces from Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Yves St Laurent.

Grace Kelly in Rear Window, 1954

Hermes 'Kelly' Bag- named after the Princess

Matthew Williamson Resort 2010

©CW "Inglorious Basstards"

The British designer teamed up with “the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite” this week. Along with outfitting main Gossip Girl Blair Waldorf in a stunning Resort 2010 gown,  Williamson promoted the show with a flashy window display at his NYC boutique.

No matter what you think of the plot lines, you can’t argue that fashion is an integral part of the show. Along with NYC,  the grandiose wardrobe changes are as much a main character as Chuck, Serena, or (annoying) Jenny. I do wonder if this will open the door for more designer collaborations in the show’s future. And while it’s a creative way to promote brand awareness, I can’t help but wonder how many of their high school/college age viewers even have access to high fashion, let alone afford the designer items featured on the show. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have Blair Waldorf’s bank account. But I think it’s probably safe to assume there’s been a bit more consumer interest in a certain gold shimmer floor length Williamson gown with turquoise halter this week…

As someone who’s a bit lacking in the cleavage department myself, I’ve still never understood why so many women feel the need to surgically enhance their chests. Having a built in flotation device may come in handy if you fall overboard or dream of becoming a busty Hugh Hefner girlfriend, but according to the London Timesonline, fake is on its way out. Hell, even Disney seems to be going for au naturale pirates these days.

So in the name of celebration, pull out those pushup bras and plunging necklines and celebrate what you have! (Or, er, don’t have…)

But then, I saw a photo of the darling Miss Emma Watson at a recent London function donning one Kane’s fall creations. And I had a complete change of heart. I even went back to look through the RTW show, and decided perhaps there was something quite beautiful about his lady of the night meets Little Bo Peep collection. And that’s what I love about fashion. First impressions can be changed at the drop of a hat. Personality and unique style are what brings designer’s clothes to life, and can make all the difference in the world. After all, the woman should make the (already fabulous) dress, not the other way around. (Bit of a shame these funny ladies don’t agree…)

Christopher Kane A/W 2010

Emma Watson

Mark Fast A/W 2010

Designer Michael Kors vowed to the 1,000 audience members at the Harvard Business School Monday that he would no longer work with models under the age of 16. He told the crowd,

“The emphasis in fashion is shifting toward an emphasis on real women who are women, not girls. The reality is that women who buy designer clothes are 30-plus. The visual has to match the reality.”

Young teens have always been a poor representation of the typical high fashion buyer. Since Twiggy introduced waif, thin has been around, but has currently become the norm rather than the exception. Top models like Coco Rocha have admitted to severe dieting and use of diuretics to “look anorexic.” Others have developed such severe eating disorders they eventually died from organ failure. Even teenage models without disorders are not yet fully developed, and with metabolisms the rate of the speed of light they are not healthy body types for adult women to strive for. These past couple fashion week cycles have shown a few designers introducing a more positive body image by including curvier women on the runways and figure enhancing designs. Prada, Mark Fast, and Vivienne Westwood are a few houses breaking out of this dangerous mold.

Prada A/W 2010

While it’s too soon to tell if ‘healthy’ models are slowly becoming the norm or if this is just a fad, at least it’s a step in the right direction. Positive body image is a serious issue among women of all ages, and the fashion industry is one with enough power and visibility to make a real difference.

Read more: Anna Wintour, Michael Kors, and Natalia Vodianova Discussed Eating Disorders in Boston — The Cut http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/03/anna_wintour_michael_kors_and.html#ixzz0j78bRUky

Double Denim. I loathe it. I despise it. Which is really quite odd since I’m pretty sure most of 1993 was spent in my rhinestone studded denim jacked and elastic waisted jeans. Nonetheless, I think it is a horrid trend that 99.9% of the time is done incorrectly, making the wearer look like either a Madonna wannabe or Rodeo clown. The Guardian recently had an article including 6 steps on how to pull off double denim, which included smart tips such as NO cowboy boots, belts, or same head-to-toe hue. While perhaps Alexa Chung is the one of the closest I’ve seen to pulling the look off, to me it still suggests two decades of bad hair. But maybe I’m alone on this one? I sincerely hope not….

Photo: Danny Martindale/WireImage

Chloe- S/S 2010

I came across this article on Your Ultimate Guide To Spring Shoes and I realized as a 80′s/90′s child how I had a variation of almost every single one of these shoes. Saddle shoes, clogs, and floral sneakers filled my closet and the classrooms. And while I don’t necessarily want to go back to my school days, I just might go back to the shoes…

Spring 2010- The Two Tone Lace Up

Spring 2010- The Heeled Clog

Spring 2010- The Floral Lace Up

(c) PA

As a dressing yourself for the first time little girl who defiantly mixed red and pink despite my mother’s protests (I had a favorite studded pink top and red skirt that I just had to wear together), I was delighted to see Audrey Tautou’s daring frock at last night’s BAFTA awards. The stunning french star famous for her roles in Amélie and Coco Before Chanel paired a Lanvin off the shoulder dress with red pumps and clutch for the London event. Many of us have been told mixing the two hues breaks a cardinal fashion rule and makes for a walking Valentine, but as Audrey proves, sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

I loved Lady Gaga’s classy tribute during her performance on the Brit Awards, where she placed a white, somewhat skeletal figure on a pedestal donning McQueen’s Armadillo shoes from his S/S 2010 collection. After her Telephone intro/ “this is for Alexander McQueen” announcement, only someone who truly follows fashion would recognize those unspoken tributes, which seemed eerily fitting.