Emmys Viewing Party: Dress Details

These are always some of my most popular articles on my site, the "who are you wearing" posts.  Well, here are all of the details for my outfit from the Emmy Awards 100 Stars Night Out Viewing Party:

Dress:  Gifted by Deborah Viereck.  You have seen me wear a lot of her dresses here and here.  They are so comfortable to wear and I have one striped dress that I wear over and over again. Another good thing to know is that the clothes are created right here in LA.

Shoes:  Bandolino, Spring 2003 collection

Belt, Ring, Earrings:  Roni B

Bracelets:  Target

Stylist:  Roni B.

Makeup:  Carolina Groppa

Carolina and Roni helped coordinate my look for the Oscars last February, so you know I trust them implicitly with all of my red carpet looks.  I told Carolina I am moving her into my house because I want to look like this every day. (See photo below.)

The Deets on the Dress

I've received so many kind emails, comments, and questions about the dress I wore to the 2nd Annual Thirst Project Gala.  Thank you!  This look was originally assembled for another event last fall, but I never got a chance to wear it.  The outfit finally made its debut on Tuesday. So, here is everything you need to know:

Stylist:  Roni B.
Makeup:  Carolina Groppa
Dress:  Daisy, $72
Shoes:  Stuart Weitzman (Winter 2007 Collection)
Jewelry:  Roni B and Target

I wanted to give you a close up of the detailing on the Stuart Weitzman shoes.  Roni and I went through every gold shoe in my closet because Purple and Gold has a tendency to make me look like a Lakers Girl.  It had to be just the right shade of gold to enhance the eggplant-colored dress.

One other wonderful detail added by Roni was the brooch in the middle of the vertical bow.  It made a very simple dress look elegant and sophisticated.  A perfect compliment to the rest of the look.

Take a look at a few other outfits Roni has pulled together for me here, here, and here.

Top photo courtesy of Leilani Gushiken.

Holiday Musings

Where have I been?  What have I been doing?  What I am musing over?  Well, here's a quick list of what I have been up to this holiday season:

1. Apple & Bee Beauty Bag:  On my birthday, I was thrilled to learn that I won a gift from Your Daily Thread, which is a "free daily email on the latest in green living and social good".  They feature everything from fashion to beauty to giveaways, so it was exciting to win this snappy travel bag from Apple & Bee.  It is perfect for the eco-geek in me and for the 200 days I am out on the road with plenty of room for my makeup and toiletries.  I chose the Japanese Red print to add a splash of color to my luggage, but there were a variety of trendy prints to choose from.  The bag is made from all certified organic cotton, bamboo silk, hemp, and burlap/calico and is made in Australia.  A portion of Apple & Bees' profits go to environmental organizations, so be sure to check out their cute designs in totes and travel gear.

From left:  Helenna Santos, me, Stephanie Thorpe, Julie Tyler, Cooper Harris. 

2. The Red Carpet Premiere of the web series, Asylum:  Yes, you have seen this dress before here and here.  I think it is time to retire it from the public event rotation.  Or do you think I can get one more wear out of this DVF dress?  I love it so!  By the way, this photo showcases some inspiring female movers and shakers on/off camera here in LA.  I was honored to even stand beside them on the red carpet.  Finally, a big "congratulations" to Scott Brown who directed the Asylum series. He is another one to watch on the director scene.

3.  Nashville Barbeque:  I'm working in Nashville this week and there is nothing better than a day on set that begins with watching Loretta Lynn singing Coal Miner's Daughter on the soundstage next to you and ends with fall-off-of-the-bone pork ribs. I am a total foodie and barbeque is a must when I am working in this region of the US.  We went to a place called Jack's and the food was so good, I stopped back by the kitchen to thank the chef.  My tummy was happy and full of ribs, mac and cheese, corn bread, sweet tea, and creamed corn.  Yum!

Me, Streamy Award winning writer, Bernie Su, and Diane Beck.

4.  IAWTV Holiday Party:  For those of you outside of NY and Los Angeles, IAWTV stands for the International Academy of Web Television.  Earlier this year, there was lots of strife and growing pains amongst the community after the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards.  It was so nice to see that by the end of 2010, we were able to come together with a common goal and truly enjoy the holiday season together.  It was nice to see not only familiar faces in the crowd, but some fantastic new producers and content creators in the mix. Welcome!

5.  Arm Socks:  Finally, I can't get enough of Arm Socks.  I first saw them during my trip to China in 2005, the ladies wore them everywhere because they kept their arms warm while they biked to work, to lunch, and back home. I didn't pick up a pair then, but I saw a pair at Roni B's and I cannot stop wearing them.  They are cute to wear under a sweater and peeking out below the sleeve to add a dash of color to any outfit. Or, they are awesome in a pinch on set when I am dressed in short sleeves and I want to keep warm.  I am picking up a few for my favorite fashionistas as holiday gifts because they are under $20 and they are sure to brighten any drab winter wardrobe. (For those of you that are crafty, I bet you can make a pair from the awesome print socks that Target sells for even less.)

PS  Don't forget to enter my Makeup Holiday Giveaway!  Entries are due in by Monday, December 20th at 11:59 PM PST!

Photos 1, 2: Courtesy of Apple & Bee.
Photo 3:  Courtesy of Brenda White
Photo 5:  Courtesy of Bernie Su

How to be Red Carpet Ready: The Undergarments Edition

Ladies, we have to discuss something delicate today, your undergarments.  Please watch the 13 second video above to see what I am talking about.  The days of Madonna with her cone bra, Britney with her thong above her jeans, and Carrie Bradshaw with her black bra under her white tank are over.  I want you all to look classy and elegant from the moment you walk out the door; whether you are going to Whole Foods or hitting the red carpet.  Here are a couple of amazing and affordable tools to keep your undergarments in check:

Tape it up!  From L to R:  Fashion Forms, Hollywood Fashion Tape, TOPSTICK.

1.  Tape:  Whether it is the classic men's toupée tape called TOPSTICK (A favorite of Rachel Zoe.), Hollywood Fashion Tape, or Style Solutions by Fashion Forms (Dress Tape), it is time to tape it all up!  Use the double-sided tape on your DVF wrap dress close to the top of the slit so you aren't flashing your undies coming in and out of the car or tape that shirt to your bra, so we don't have to look at the lace on the latest Victoria's Secret fashion.  It's easy to use, easy to remove, and it's affordable at less than $10 for any of the three products mentioned above.  As an avid user of tape every time I am on-camera, I prefer TOPSTICK or Fashion Forms because their adhesive won't let you down.  For those of you who are SAG members, Naimie's sells TOPSTICK for a 30% discount with your membership card.

The absolute MUST-HAVE in your wardrobe:  Fashion Forms NuBra Ultralite.

2.  Adhesive Bras:  Oh, it sounds really weird, but once I discovered this genius invention, I haven't looked back.  Think of it as cups with adhesive, no straps, but they attach together at the center for additional support.  These bras are amazing with strapless, backless, or red carpet dresses.  They offer the support that pasties lack and they gently stick to your skin without a worry.  They are easy to wash, the adhesive lasts a long time, and I don't fuss with the adhesive bra the way I do with a regular strapless bra.    The best part?  They also work with chicken cutlets if you smaller-chested ladies (Like Moi!) want some additional cleavage.  Also, Fashion Forms has taken the chicken cutlet/adhesive bra one step further and combined it them into one amazing product.  Target carries Fashion Forms beginning at $24.99.

This little piece of plastic is all you need.  From L to R:  Strap Perfect in clear, black, and nude, and Fashion Forms in black.

3.  Strap Perfect: Okay, it's time to seriously put those bra straps away.  You've seen those commercials on TV.  Strap Perfect is affordable and a terrific solution to hiding those straps when you are wearing a tank top or a racer back shirt.  The pack includes clear, nude, and black pieces to accommodate the most common colors in your undergarment wardrobe.  It will pull and tighten those straps so you aren't pushing them up as they slide off of your shoulders and the ad is true, they give you a nice lift.  The ads on TV charge you $18.95 plus $7.95 shipping.  Skip that route and head to Bed, Bath, and Beyond armed with one of their 20% off coupons and get a smaller pack for under $10.

Okay, those are just a few quick and affordable solutions to pulling yourself together for a big night out without pulling a Britney.  I just want you to look your best and I prefer not to know the color of your underwear.  If you don't believe me, check out my interview with lovely CEO and founder of Fashion Forms, Ann Deal, at the Reality Cares gifting suite.  Not only is she a hoot, but she understands the importance of dressing from the inside out:


Finally, we have to announce our winner of the Emmys Weekend Gift Bag Giveaway.  Using Random.org, our winner was selected and it is Lisa Cafiero!  Congratulations!  Please make sure to contact me (Contact Tab is at the top of the page.) so I can make sure you get your gift bag this week.

See you all tomorrow at Red Carpet Closet!

Dance Channel TV and Woody Allen's Whatever Works

Good Afternoon!
This is a two for one special on this day. I had two shoots pretty close together in time, so one outfit would have to suffice. I knew that I could go for a more casual dress so, I chose my favorite Mossimo eggplant-colored dress and changed it up in a variety of ways for two different looks. The dress is a super-comfy cotton dress with pockets in front and a rounded neckline with capped sleeves. I started out by wearing the dress with the fabric sash it comes with and my favorite Target gold costume jewelry. Again, my shoes were my most expensive thing on my body...fantastic Carlos Santana black and eggplant strappy sandals with green and yellow beaded accents. I know this sounds like a rainbow puked all over my shoes, but I promise they are hot with 4" heels. And yes, Carlos makes some good music, and some darn good stilettos.

My first shoot of the day was the first edition of the "Can't Miss List" for Dance Channel TV. We will be shooting the gossip and dance news every two weeks and it is a fantastic project that I look forward to each and every time. You can check out the first episode here: Can't Miss List

I then had to dash from the Valley and over the hill to the Pacific Design Center for the premiere of Woody Allen's "Whatever Works" for Focus Hollywood. I was excited to cover this premiere because of the cast: Larry David, Ed Begley Jr., Evan Rachel Wood, and Patricia Clarkson. I knew I had to dress the outfit up a bit for the red carpet, so I grabbed my gold Express belt that I wore from the Heroes Among Us red carpet. I LOVE this belt, it's gold, sparkly, and stretchy. That's right, stretchy....you can make it an empire waist belt or wear it low slung over your hips. It is GENIUS and it is still on sale at Express. Check it out here: Express Gold Belt I kept my Carlos Santana shoes and removed the gold necklace so it wouldn't clutter the effect of the belt. Simple......two outfits in one! Oh, and check out the footage here: Whatever Works

Thanks for all of your feedback. I want to show that it is easy and affordable to dress for the red carpet or everyday life. Keep your comments coming and follow me on Kristyn Burtt!

Reporting Live from Los Angeles!
kb

The Wayans Brothers' Dance Flick Premiere

Good Morning, Fashionistas!

Since I have thrown a lot of these photos up on Facebook and Twitter, here are a couple of my outfits that hit the red carpet in the past few months. Let's go back to a May 20, 2009 and the recycling of wardrobe from seasons long gone by. I had only an hour to get ready for this premiere since it was a last minute call to cover it.

I took my royal blue Guess shirt that I bought for a trip to Mexico in 2007 and paired it with an Ann Taylor Loft sequined skirt from last summer. They work perfectly together, but I needed a good heel for the skirt. I found my sparkly silver Guess stilettos to accompany the ensemble. The shoes were bought for New Year's Eve 2006/2007 and I doubt this will be the last time you see them! While they are not the shoe to go walking all over LA in because of their 4" heel, they are perfect for the red carpet. In fact, I even wore them to the 2007 Academy Awards. Now, the all important accessories: the earrings were a find from Target or "Tar-jeeeh", my favorite store for costume jewelry, and the ring (which is hard to see in this photo) was designed by Alexander Kalifano, a vendor from my days as a host at ShopNBC. If you are ever in Las Vegas, his stores are all over the Paris and Bally's properties.

The red carpet was fantastic and fun. The night included interviews with Keenan Ivory Wayans, Damien Dante Wayans, and Heather McDonald who told me all of the Wayans Brothers smelled good. And you know what? She was right! I was the recipient of many hugs that night from the Wayans Brothers after mentioning Heather's observation. Also, the cast from the remake of Fame joined the gang on the red carpet. The movie debuts on September 25, 2009 and I cannot wait to see it. The trailer is amazing and I already put the word in to the MGM publicity department that I have to be there to cover the premiere. In the meantime, feel free to check out the footage here on Focus Hollywood's website: http://tiny.cc/OBy4V

Reporting live from Los Angeles,

KB

PS Don't forget to follow all of my adventures in 140 characters or less: www.twitter.com/KristynBurtt