Category — Annie Ladino: Chief Stylist

It was certainly a star-studded affair when Brooklyn Decker hit the red carpet last night with co-stars Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks and Anna Kendrick for the premiere of “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

Chief Stylist Annie Ladino dressed Brooklyn for the event, which capped her worldwide press tour promoting “Battleship” and “What to Expect”, both of which open Friday.

Photo via JustJared.com – click to see more photos from event

We asked Annie for the inside story on the amazing Giambattista Valli Spring 2012 gown that she selected for the final night of Brooklyn’s whirlwind series of events.

Annie and Brooklyn began collaborating in March to plan the tour wardrobe. They agreed that they wanted something gorgeous and girly for “What to Expect.”  Both prefer bright colors on the red carpet – Annie says it sets off Brooklyn’s all-American blonde look — and rarely do black.

The drop-waist Giambattista Valli was actually one of the first dresses Annie selected for the tour, but she and Brooklyn loved it so much, they decided to save it for last. Its lemony yellow is one of Annie’s favorite colors for Brooklyn, because it goes so well with her skin tone. (Brooklyn really likes it, too!)

In fact, Annie loves the new yellow this season because it’s refreshing and youthful.  But she cautions that it’s tricky to do color combinations with yellow, so it’s best to keep accessories and other pieces neutral.

Here are some of her fave yellow items that you can easily snap up on Shop It To Me right now.

From left: Thakoon dress, was $785 NOW $314 | Kate Spade bangle, was $58 NOW $40.60 | Pour La Victoire sandals, was $230 NOW $161 | T-Bags maxi dress, was $195 NOW $78 | Helmut Lang skirt, was $265 NOW $159 | BCBG gown, was $298 NOW $178

Chief stylist Annie Ladino’s life was a blur this past Monday as she readied celebs like Brooklyn Decker for fashion’s biggest night: the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

We followed Annie (or at least tried to!) as she flew back and forth across town and ran from pillar to post prepping Brooklyn for the red carpet event of the year.

Annie actually started working with Brooklyn and designer Tory Burch months ago to collaborate on the perfect dress for the occasion. This included several in-person meetings about cut, fabric and color, among other details. That was followed by multiple fittings of the exquisite knife-pleated, slate blue silk tulle and crepe gown – with a final fitting on Saturday to choose Brooklyn’s jewelry, shoes and clutch so everything would be ready for Monday evening.

Here’s how Annie’s Monday (day of the Met Ball) unfolded:

(10:00 am)   Up until Monday morning  Annie had only seen a sketch of a dress another celeb friend had chosen. So, she was up early to meet that star at her hotel for a fitting. It was clear alterations were needed, so a tailor was called in while Annie and her client reviewed jewelry and accessories.

Accessories selections for Brooklyn Decker

(2:00 pm)   With the tailor off to alter the gown, Annie headed to Brooklyn’s to get her hair and makeup started. (Thank goodness for that Saturday fitting!)

(3:30 pm)   She then rushed back to the first friend’s when the dress was ready for a final fitting and make decisions on jewelry, shoes (which were too big and needed padding) and a clutch.

(5:00 pm)   With everything finalized, Annie left her friend in the hands of a capable assistant and dashed back to Brooklyn’s for finishing touches, then accompanied Brooklyn to Tory Burch’s home for pre-event cocktails. Among the very intimate crowd were Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Liya Kabede, Kanye West, Rick Ross and Stefano Tonchi. When everyone else headed to the Met, our exhausted Annie returned to her office and used any remaining adrenaline to meet friends for dinner at Lure Fish Bar in Soho.

Brooklyn Decker, Annie Ladino, and Esther Song (Tory Burch PR)

(10:00 pm)   Too tired for the after-party, Annie headed home and crashed on her couch.

(The aftermath)   As Annie and her assistants worked on returns Tuesday/Wednesday, she shared her thoughts on the evening’s fashions, pointing to Lana del Ray in Joseph Altuzarra, Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada and Anna Wintour, also in Prada, as some of her faves. She also went crazy for Lily Collins, Sarah Jessica Parker and Brit Marling in Valentino.

Annie told us: “What I love about the Met Ball is that people go all out; they take a lot of risks. It’s so different from the Oscars.”

We’re long-time fans of the fabulous Mercedes Sanchez and her lifestyle site, BeChicMag. Not only does Mercedes cover the best of what’s happening in fashion, beauty and entertainment, but she also creates awesome videos where she’ll interview notable folks, share fun DIY’s and more.

Her latest edition just so happens to be a focused on Shop It To Me, and features our very own Chief Stylist, Annie Ladino. They’re chatting about what to buy in February…so check it out below, then hurry to get your shop on. There are still a few days left!

Like what you see? Be sure to swing by BeChic TV for a library of style-focused entertainment. Enjoy!

We were so excited when our Chief Stylist’s Impress for Less advice was featured in the November issue of InStyle, we figured it was high time she help solve your holiday clothing crises too.

In this new video, Annie shows Shop It To Me members Nicole, Jessi and Liz, how to rock the same Hi Lo skirt by Pencey at the holiday party, to the office or on the weekend.

And, just in case you needed an incentive to watch, the Pencey skirt Annie’s loving has been marked down to $44.00 at Shopbop.

In honor of our inaugural Treat Yourself Tuesday, our intrepid Chief Stylist surprised a few of her fashionable friends with very special hand-picked prezzies. With her ne’er do well assistant Mark by her side, things didn’t go off exactly as planned. Nonetheless, we thought you’d get a kick out of seeing Annie’s personalized “Treatings Greetings” for veteran stylist Sasha Charnin Morrison and Manrepeller Leandra Medine.

Want to see the real treats that Annie Sent along? Click HERE for Sasha’s and HERE for Leandra’s.

As  you may have seen, today we are kicking off our first Treat Yourself Tuesday with curated picks by our Chief Stylist, Annie Ladino, and a rad boot giveaway! But the fun doesn’t stop there. We’ll also be hosting a twitter chat with Annie at 12pm PST/3pm EST TODAY (Tuesday, 11/29).

Here’s your opportunity to pick Annie’s brain on all things fashion/style-related. She’s dressed fabulous celebs like Brooklyn Decker, Becki Newton, and many more — now you can take advantage of her expert styling services for free! Find out what you should be treating yourself to this holiday season…

Here’s how it works:

• Follow @AnnieLadino and @ShopItToMe on Twitter
• Tune in at 12pm PST/ 3pm EST on Tuesday, Nov. 29th
• Annie will be asking and responding to fashion/shopping-related tweets. Just include “#TreatYourselfSITM” in your tweets
• Tip: To follow the entire conversation, visit search.twitter.com and enter #TreatYourselfSITM

We look forward to tweeting up a storm with you!

Thanks to Jenn Falik for the Shop It To Me shout-out on her TODAY show segment featuring where to find great coats for under $100.  You can check it out here.

We love that Jenn’s choices align with Shop It To Me Style Director Annie Ladino’s top outwear picks for fall.  Annie called out seven trends for the season, and here are 14 of our favorite bloggers who rock these looks.

Capes

A cape is a great way to stay warm and toasty without compromising style.  An effortless style choice, a cape can refine denim to give you a polished look.

Chiara of The Blonde Salad and Liz of Late Afternoon

Utilitarian/Military

A jacket with military detailing should be a staple in everyone’s wardrobe. Give flirty sweet looks a touch of ruggedness with this transitional piece.

Tieka of Selective Potential and Taylor of Sterling Style

Biker

Choose a leather motorcycle jacket as the core piece and use it to create an unexpected look by layering it over a flirty dress or feminine skirt and blouse.  The contrast makes it exciting.

Jennie of Going West and Jen of Jen Loves Kev

Shearling

A shearling jacket can update any look.  Paired with a sexy dress or mini skirt, it’s a piece that strikes just the right note.

Whitney from Britt + Whit and Blair from Atlantic-Pacific

Houndstooth/Tweed

Give an otherwise neutral look an element of excitement with texture.  A tweed jacket is the perfect partner to colored denim.

Anh of 9 to 5 Chic and Britt of Britt + Whit

Parkas

To make a statement, partner a parka with unexpected pieces.  Ditch the denim and wear a pencil skirt or a trouser. The combination was hot in the F/W runway collections.

Helena of Brooklyn Blonde and Annabel of Blushing Ambition

Faux Fur

Opt for a glamorous cover up while saving the world.  (Ahem, one stilleto at a time)

Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly and Lindsey of Saucy Glossie

While October and November aren’t the best months to find great deals on outwear, if you keep an eye out for “friends and family” sales, you just might be able to score your trend of choice at a great price in time to stay warm this season.

As the sign moved to Libra this week, I’m continuing to shed light on astrological style, this time sharing what the Libra woman is all about. Gals born between September 23rd and October 23rd, listen up!

Leave it to a Libra, child of Venus, to make anything look chic and sexy, from a silk ball gown to jeans and a beautifully cut tee. Libra will never cross the line into questionable taste.

Libras are a sign of beauty and elegance. They have extremely lavish tastes and value quality and price over trendiness.

Theory pastel dress, Rag & Bone lace-up pants, Brian Atwood open-toe boots, Tory Burch link waist belt, Sonia Rykiel faux fur

top

Planet: Venus

Venus, Libra’s ruler, gives the Libra woman an appreciation for pretty things that have a sensuous appeal. Although looking current is important to her, she is brave enough to go against the grain when her heart tells her to.

Fendi platform booties, Burberry Prorsum blouse, Marni ruffled bracelet

Symbol:  The scales

Signifying balance, equilibrium and order

Birthstone: Opal

Symbolizing fidelity

Metal: Copper

Stephen Webster astro necklace, Judy Gieb opal earrings, Gap chain bag

Color:

Libra colors, ruled by graceful Venus, are the soft pastels found in the Rococo Period, particularly the pale blues, pinks and rose, considered shades of social refinement.

UO tassel earrings, Stella McCartney dress, LOFT knotted necklace 

Animals ruled by Libra:  Snakes and Lizards

The Libra puts a personal spin on whatever she wears, and it always looks effortless.

MICHAEL Michael Kors clutch, Kate Spade pumps

The Libra is one of the most up-to-the-minute and “in the know” signs when it comes to fashion, books music or other indicators of popular culture. Libras are the arbiters of taste and they are very much on the vanguard of what is new and hot. It’s true that if the rest of us are searching for the best newest boutique, the trendiest restaurant, and the hot new band –we soon learn to simply ask a Libra. Libra has an uncanny ability to pick up on trends before they fully manifest by the masses.

Classic Style Icons:

Bridgette Bardot – September 28, 1934

Rita Hayworth – October 17, 1918

Catherine Deneuve – October 22, 1943

Famous Stylish Libras:

Serena Williams – September 26, 1981

Gwyneth Paltrow – September 27, 1972

Naomi Watts – September 28, 1968

Marion Cotillard – September 30

Gwen Stefani – October 3, 1969

Mia Wasikowska – October 4, 1989

Kate Winslet – October 5,1975

Rachel McAdams – Ocober 7, 1976

The crowd around Beyonce and Jay Z

The one and only Jay-Z with Annie’s friend Steve Gold, model and real estate agent

Annie’s favorite looks from the Tory Burch Spring/Summer 2012 runway show

I made a mad dash out the door to J.Crew to see my friend Somsack Sikhounmuong, the Women’s head designer.   I caught a quick peek of one of my favorite retailers’ collection until the crowd went wild.  Beyonce and Solange Knowles had entered the building.

Friend and J.Crew Designer Somsack Sikhounmuong

J.Crew Spring/Summer 2012 Collection