Shoe Time: Valentino Crystal-Embellished Pumps

 Glimmering crystals cover the entire outer surface of these black suede Valentino pumps (including the perfect 4 inch heel).  These beauties are the ultimate jewel for any true shoe lover. Fantastic!
Click here to see much more from the Valentino collection for Fall 2012 (including a different color variation of these gorgeous pumps).
Click below to see more images.

Valentino, Fall 2012

The creative force behind the Valentino label continues to impress and inspire, even though the master himself is no longer among us. I have always admired the sophisticated elegance and unforced femininity of the designs - delicate yet powerful images of nostalgia for the ladylike style

Click below to see many more designs from the Fall 2012 collection, including runway details, backstage moments and makeup.

{One Moment of Bliss}

Valentino, Spring/Summer 2009. So lovely!

Image via here.

Shoe Time: Studded Valentino ankle boots

One word goes here - perfect!

 

Valentino, Fall 2011

Soft beige neutrals, navy blues and browns from Valentino for Fall 2011 (see Valentino couture). From leather boots and coats to sheer fabrics, embroideries and lace dresses - it's all there. Call me boring, I really love the combination of neutral on neutral for an outfit this season.

 

Valentino Haute Couture, Fall 2011

Valentino Haute Couture for Fall 2011 enchants with simplicity and sheer elegance rather than theatrical drama, but it's lovely non the less. I love the combination of sheen fabrics and embellishments, lace and tulle.

Trendy Accessories Spring/Summer 2010

What are some of the leading trends in accessories for Spring/Summer 2010?

Big necklaces, bracelets, bangles, colorful handbags and clutch bags, belts, hats, brooches, ruffles, flowers, embroidery and lace.

If you're one of those gals who love to accessorize, you'll be happy to hear that this is the season when fashion gurus say: Go for it! Accessorize all you want, ladies, as it has never been more fashionable to do so. No color is a taboo, and bold color and pattern combinations are encouraged. Ruffles are to be found everywhere; on dresses, jackets, belts, handbags, shoes and even gloves. Flowers are also dominating the fashion runways, as jewelry, prints in fabrics, embroideries and, of course, in shoes. Hats are a trendy accessory, prescribed by many leading designers. Belt are a must have accessory for virtually any outfit.

See for yourself ...

Hats

Many designers had hats to complete their ladylike look, but we saw a variety of styles, textures and colors.

Bags

Bright and ornate clutches were not an isolated event of the fashion runways. Many of the handbags and clutches had a metallic element, chains, buckles and/or cuffs. In some cases, the clutch was also a beautiful piece of jewelry.

(Above: 1. Nina Ricci 2. Versace 3. Oscar de la Renta 4. Alexander McQueen)

(Above: 1. Chanel 2. Versace 3. Oscar de la Renta 4. Prada)

We also saw that ruffles, bows, embroidery and intricate embellishments look gorgeous on bags.

Belts

This season belts come in all shapes, colors and sizes. And who said you shouldn't wear a bright blue belt on top of a green-and-purple dress? It's the perfect time to be color-creative!

(Above: 1. Yves Saint Laurent 2. Alberta Ferretti 3. Oscar de la Renta 4. Ruffian 5. Tommy Hilfiger)

Bracelets and Bangles

Bracelets and bangles are a very trendy accessory this season. Oversized ones are especially in style. Floral elements were preferred by many designers, while others went for a more abstract designs. In my opinion, they are are all gorgeous.

(Above: 1. Yves Saint Laurent 2. Proenza Schouler 3. Chanel 4. Oscar de la Renta 5. Vera Wang 6. Valentino 7. Alexander McQueen)

Necklaces

Super bold and artsy necklaces are all the buzz.

(Above: 1. Zac Posen 2. Vera Wang 3. Roland Mouret 4. Oscar de la Renta)

Brooches

These are the ultimate ladylike accessory.

Photographs: style.com

Runway Shoes Spring/Summer 2010

What the models wore on the fashion runway? Fabulous designer shoes!

The creations of some of the leading designer names really took my breath away! From the outrageous shoe-beasts and dragon-heels of Alexander McQueen (RIP) to the romantic, beyond-beautiful Valentino shoes - it is all good!

The high heels rocked the runway! Almost all designers incorporated the sky-high heel as a finishing touch to their models. Versace, in particular, had some of the highest heels and some of the shortest minis in intricate prints and patterns.

Yves Saint Laurent also showed some impressive heels. Flowers and floral elements were often incorporated in the velour upper. The color pallet was diverse, but entirely in solid colors, without prints or patterns.

Another designer name that had blossoming shoes was Chanel. The whole collection was a fairy-tale and explicitly romantic. The shoes made no exception.

Nina Ricci opted for a ladylike silhouette with a lot of ruffles, lace and flower-appliques. The colors were very soft and subdued, with almost no brights. The heels were, again, high, but without platforms.

Zac Posen showed beautiful shoes in all colors of the rainbow, where heels had less of a heights, but still elongated the leg beautifully (not that the models really need any tricks to have a longer-looking gams).

Gucci had more simplistic and futuristic shoes to show. The white shoes had sky-high heels and platforms.

Talking of futuristic, let's see what Alexander McQueen envisioned - a collection that doesn't need much introduction. You will probably recognize these shoes from Lady Gaga's video 'Bad Romance'. He had some of the most outrageous, yet beautiful outfits. I find no words to describe the patterns and colors that he use (expect future posts about this collection).

My personal favorite in runway shoes is Valentino. The slim high heel and intricate lace and ruffle were out-of-this-world-gorgeous! I'll say no more - a picture's worth a thousand words.

Photographs: style.com