And who are you wearing?

Last night's 2011 Met Gala must have been a feast for the eyes. Scrolling through photos is like walking through a gallery - each garment a work of art and every person worthy of a portrait. I can only image what it all looked like with movement!

Ginnifer Goodwin struck gold. The color, the lines, the necklace, the makeup and the hair all leave me swooning. And who was she wearing? Topshop! (Making the whole thing that much more wonderful and down-to-earth.)

Timeless style + panache

I had the privilege of meeting Barbara Louis and visiting her amazing apartment many moons ago. In the video below, she gives Stylelikeu a tour of her closets. Along the way, she bestows some great wisdom - Mix old with new, high-end with Zara! Dress for your mood and imagination! Highlight your best assets! And don't forget the long-term effects of very large, heavy earrings!

Barbara Louis for Stylelikeu.com from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

YSL gold necklace and skirt, Zara Sweater

Blouse from Zara, Bob Mackie Skirt,

YSL necklace, done in the designer's favorite colors and presented to Barbara by Yves Saint Laurent himself.

I love this desk.

Top Image: Skirt by Betty & Joseph, friends of Barbara's Uncle, Yves Saint Laurent Sweater, Aerosoles Heels

(via BS) Buy the Stylelikeu book!

Collective fashion consciousness

In need of some fashion inspiration? A dare to try something different, funk it up or feel young this Spring?

Check out LOOKBOOK.nu. It's a fashion show of sorts. Young, beautiful people from around the world strike poses and post their outfits. It's style experimentation at its finest. A great source for inspiration and the courage to try something new...

I need to credit all these ladies, but that may have to wait until tomorrow. (It's quite late.) For now, see if you like outfits from a particular country or region more than others. I learned a lot and gravitated towards fashionistas like this!

(c/o MJ)

Age & Beauty : Advanced Style

"Young women, you're going to be an old woman some day. Don't worry about it. Don't sweat it. Don't worry about getting older. Every era, it builds character!"

Real wisdom on style and being true to yourself in a colorful, courageous way. What I wouldn't give to join these ladies for drinks or play dress up in their closets!

Images from Advanced Style. Video: Advanced Style: Age and Beauty on Nowness.com.

Bill Cunningham New York

I've been looking forward to seeing "Bill Cunningham New York" since January, and this weekend I saw it! I won't spoil a thing for those who haven't seen it yet, but I will say this - GO SEE IT. Then comment, email or call so that we can discuss it...

Playing at E Street Cinema in DC and in NYC.

Thanks A for the James Bond ticket pick up. You know I like to get to movies early!

Bill Cunningham New York Trailer from Gavin McWait on Vimeo.

Nashville Fashion Finds

It's true. I do the majority of my shopping in Nashville, despite living in DC and visiting NYC frequently.

Nashville has an emerging style all its own. There's a reverence for craft, tradition and storytelling that shines through in its music, food and fashion. Blend that with its love of rock-and-roll and honky tonk glitz, and you've got a pretty fantastic aesthetic.

I love all my hometown boutiques and the people that run them. It's such a pleasure to visit with friends, watch their businesses grow and learn about the distinct brands and local designers they've discovered.

As usual, my bag was a little heavier coming back to DC on Sunday ...

By Malen Birger Tapered Cropped Jacket

Why? Because I need more Gaga shoulder padding in my life.

Bought at H. Audrey, $130 on sale (originally $525)

Smythe Box Jacket in Mohair/Alpaca blend with leather trim

Why? Because it's wild and Kourtney Kardashian rocks it.

Bought at H.Audrey, $160 on sale (originally $570). Thanks, Mom.

Olive Leather Wedge

Why? Because I can wear them to work and out on the town.

Bought at The Perfect Pair, $118

Zac Posen Envelope Clutch

Why? Because simple design + electric turquoise = magic

Gifted from my favorite hometown fashion source, my mother's closet!

(originally purchased on Gilt)

DV Pali Leather Wedge

Why? Because they're a budget-friendly version of the Dolce Vita Pela Brown Wedges that I adore. Comfortable and lightweight height.

Bought online at Dolce Vita, $83.

Needless to say that I won't be shopping for awhile. Best to wait until Spring is in full swing, and I have a sense of the one or two basic wardrobe pieces I'm missing. Until then, I'll be enjoying all my new treasures and missing all my fashionable friends in the Guitar Town ...

Nashville: Wedding Wear

What's better than a fantastically fun wedding? I was lucky enough to attend one this weekend in Nashville. A dear friend married an equally wonderful man, and we all celebrated in style!

I wish that I'd had a real camera to capture all the beautiful smiles and fashions. *sigh* I had my cellphone and lots of inspiration, however. Everywhere I looked were women in gorgeous dresses! Gorgeous dresses that looked incredible from the back!

The Rehearsal Dinner

Unfortunately, my cellphone pictures from the reception simply don't do the women or their dresses justice. Needless to say, there was bridal draping to die for. The mother of the bride wore a recreated vintage Chanel that stopped me in my tracks. And young women wore bright colors and single straps. It was all a striking reminder that southern women have a certain "je ne sais quoi" all their own...

(Love and best wishes to L & R, their families and friends old and new.)

Peachy keen

It's chilly here in D.C. but there's been an important development for those of us anxiously awaiting warmer weather - Spring sun light. It shows up earlier and stays later. It's kind of peachy and warms the skin. Most importantly, it's arrived. I promise.

So at the risk of getting a bit ahead of ourselves, here are some reminders of Spring. It will be here before we know it ...

Wrap Swatch watch in honey melon, $50.

It's much easier to get out of bed when it's light and warm.

West Elm Flower Bunches Drinkware, $25-$34.

Happy hours outside.

Enjoy beautiful sunsets after work.

Zara Peeptoe Dress Shoes, $79.

Open toe shoes sans tights. Can't wait.

Essie Sand of a Beach, $4.25.

Manicures and pedicures worth showing off. Fancy.

MadeWell straight jeans in white wash, $95.

Find the perfect pair of white jeans and wear them non-stop.

West Elm Kite Kilim rug, $39-$649.

Hanging out bare foot.

(Swatch watch via Line A Journal. Sunset picture by David's Images of Nature.)

It's Friday. Turn up the funk.

As is my weekly custom, I'm blasting 70's funk this afternoon in anticipation of the weekend. I'm pretty happy that all things 70's seem to be coming back in style ...

Still, there's nothing quite like originals. Case in point: The music, fashion and dancing in this Soul Train Line Dance clip. So fun.

(Top image by Terry Richardson. Both images via this is glamorous)

Bags by Jack

Jack Germain Spring/Summer 2011 handbags are now available for individual purchase! As some of you may know, I've blogged about these bags before and have made it my personal mission to get them in D.C. and Nashville boutiques. They are, simply put, bags that make you do a double-take.

ALL HANDS. Lambskin clutch with gold hardware, $375

FIRST MATE. Pebbled lambskin cross-body shopper with silver hardware, $525.

FLARE. Laser cut lambskin convertible shoulder bag/clutch, $440.

CAPSIZE. Leather bucket bag with silver hardware and studded strap, $465.

CANNON. Leather clutch with bullet hole embellishment. Also available in sand, $395.

And it's always nice to know the person behind the product. In this case, let me assure you she's one of the coolest and nicest girls around. [INSERT YOUR NAME], meet Jack. Jack, meet [INSERT YOUR NAME]. Good. Now you know each other ...

(Photography by Nate Boguszewski)

More romance

Yesterday, Anthropologie launched its wedding line BLHDN. The name (which I find really hard to remember) is inspired by the Dutch word for "to keep." And not surprisingly, BLHDN's website and designs draw inspiration from antique dresses, old photographs and family heirlooms.

There's a quiz to pinpoint your bridal style and recommendations, and I will say that mine was fairly spot-on (although, given my single status, I quickly navigated towards the lovely, $200 bridesmaid/guest of the wedding dresses).

It's clear that there's a growing market for wedding gowns in the $1,000 - $3,000 price range. On the heels of J.Crew's wedding line popularity, the rise of DIY wedding blogs and more engagement rings that are not diamonds, BLHDN will be a go-to source for brides and bridesmaids.

Pleated Fantasy Gown, $3,600

Trumpeted Pavot Gown, $4,000

Sweeping Taffeta Ball Gown, $1,600

Izmir Necklace, $850

Bow-Topped Slingbacks, $310

Petal Panes Bolero, $180

On a final geeky note, I hope that the folks of BLHDN can make their website a little easier to find. Google "Anthropologie bridal" today, and you'll have a tough time finding the site among all the pre-launch hype.

I also hope that they'll bolster their focus on "bride as individual" with some user content. It would be so interesting to see how women make these fairly stylized dresses their own!

Dresses for less

A wedding is just more fun when you've got a new dress to wear. A friend recently asked me where to find a dress for less, and I was a little stumped.

The sale sections of Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus and Saks can be underwhelming, offering the same two trendy designs over and over again in different bright colors. Not really my thing. I set out to find an alternative and found some nice options on ModCloth. Affordable and chic. Customer reviews. Free return shipping. What more could a girl ask for?

Enjoy these dresses, and let me know if you have a favorite spot for affordable dresses!

Icicle Dance Dress, $57.99

Holding Court Maxi Dress, $85.99

Ready to Rendezvous Dress, $57

Purely Marvelous Dress, $64.99

Calm Over the Sandstorm Dress, $69.99

Here are a few more ModCloth things that caught my eye - Galaxy Girl Dress for work, Let's be Buds Dress for play, Celebrity Daywear Top for channeling Tina Turner, Time to Unwind Tank and 'Loominate Top for the beach.

***Note: Check out ModCloth's return policies (policies for sale and vintage vary).