Royal Fashion Minute: Wedding of Zara Phillips and English Rugby Player Mike Tindall

A (Somewhat) Subdued Royal Wedding:

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall Wed in Edinburgh Scotland

Yesterday afternoon, the nuptials of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall took place at Canongate Kirk in the Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Scotland. Zara happens to be the only daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips. She's thirteenth in the line of succession--to the British Royal Crown. Her new husband, Mike Tindall is an English Rugby star and world rugby champion. He also looks straight out of "Central Casting" for a Guy Ritchie film--with his broken nose and one-too-many pints of beer body frame!

The Kiss: Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips

There was a bit of a "scandal" early on before the wedding took place in that it was said that Zara and Mike wanted to sell the exclusive rights to the Wedding Photos to Hello Magazine (you know the way all those top US celebs get their wedding on the cover of Us Weekly, OK, People Magazines). Well, the Queen, yes, THAT Queen, put the kibosh on that one, saying A.) How tacky that was and B.) That it was going to be a "private family affair".

But back to the Wedding:

The Invitation, Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall Wedding

Bride with Father: Zara Phillips entering Canongate Kirk with her father , Captain Mark Phillips

The Bride wore an ivory silk taffeta gown from Stewart Parvin, a London-based designer who is a favorite with the British Royals--so much so he even has the "By Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II" Royal Stamp of "approval". The tiara Zara wore was lent to her by her mother, Princess Anne:

Zara Phillips (Left) and Princess Anne (Right) wearing the "Princess Andrew of Greece's Meander Tiara"

It is the Princess Andrew of Greece's Meander Tiara, which was originally given to then Princess Elizabeth on her wedding by her mother-in-law, Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark.

Princes Anne recently wore it during the May 2011 State Visit to the US by the British Royals as seen from the photo above.

The Guest List:

Royal Guests included the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, naturally. As usual, all eyes were on Kate for what she would wear. Well, kids she did some Fashion-Recycling (she's very "Recessionista" like that!).

Catherine wore a muted gold brocade coat which she had actually already worn before--at least TWO TIMES!!!Alas, her fab chapeau was new.

First at the 2006 wedding of Laura Parker Bowles at St. Cyriac's Church in Lacock, Wiltshire...

And then, last year, at the wedding of Mel Nicholson and Oli Baker at St. Andrews (above photo).

Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall: The Prince of Wales and Heir to the Throne, was ever-so-dashing in a silver-grey "Morning Suit" with tails, pocket scarf and a boutonniere (Love his pinky ring! Soooo "old school"!). Camilla wore a mint green silk shantung coat with side pleats and a great head-framing flower fascinator.

Princess Beatrice: Beatrice, did not disappoint in her turquoise-blue ensemble featuring a heavily embroidered skirt and once again, a fun sassy "Plate" hat.

Princess Eugenie and Prince Andrew Duke of York: Eugenie, seen above with her father, also brought the "Fashion Quota" up to this wedding, wearing a chocolate brown pencil skirt with a creme jacket with back detail and yes, a FAB hat! Love the stacked nude-colored pumps on both sisters as well (Beatrice's are in the background).

Princess Anne: Mother of the Bride Princess Anne, wore a Portrait-Collar flower-printed creme and coral red cropped jacket with a matching coral fan-pleated flared dress, gloves and metallic nude pumps. Her iconic up-do bouffant perfectly coiffed of course.

Naturally, I have to take this time to remind everyone of HER fabulous 1973 Wedding and THAT "Lady Macbeth"-sleeved gown she wore--as well as to how handsome her husband, Captain Mark Phillips was.

Finally, HRH Queen Elizabeth II: Queen Elizabeth II attended her granddaughter Zara's wedding, in a dusty rose coat, matching hat and her famous gloves and purse. Looking every inch a Queen.

Happy Honeymoon Zara!!!

Project Runway Season 9--Episode 1--Nick Verreos MyLifetime.com Recap!!!

A Crotch KRAZEE Pajama Party!

This:

Equals This:

Dress from designer/contestant Bert Keeter, Project Runway Season 9--First Challenge

Last night was the Season 9 Premiere of Project Runway on Lifetime. It featured the MOST EVER contestants EVAAAH (!!) on any Project Runway season: Twenty. But then, after a "Showdown of Designer Musical Chairs Judging" by Miss Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Miss Nina Garcia and Michael Kors, 4 were sent home (or back to their "Hotel Hiding Place" to wait it out and be sequestered for a month of doing nothing).

Then the official 16 Designers got off-and-running very early the next morning with a 5AM Wake Up from Gunn. The Challenge was to create a look using what they slept in plus a bed sheet from their Atlas digs. The results of the Project Runway Pajama Party were lots of KRAZEE Crotch pant ensembles (somehow they all drank the Bad Crotch Pant Kool-Aid!) and yes, some decent looks. But, nothing extraordinary. Huney, give me a bed sheet and silk pajamas from China Town and I'll give you a one shoulder Grecian-Goddess draped gown!!!! Besides my favorite from the winner Bert Keeter--here were some that I also liked:

Fallene Wells: Such a cute, fun quirky dress. And so well made! Nice side invisible zipper darling and LOVE the drawstring hem!

Becky Ross: Well made, well fitted one shoulder dress. Love the baby blue color (I'm sure it was "too pastel-y" for the judges) and the details and styling (Gosh this model is GA-GA-Gorgeous!).

Olivier Green: I LOVED the suiting he showed in the "Road To Runway Special"! Incredible. And this jacket and skirt look were consistent with that. This look is very Alexander Wang-meets-Calvin Klein. Very New York City! The only thing I fear is the all-gray-all-monochromatic-simple chic aesthetic might end up "Too One Note" for the show and the judges. Time will tell...

But, now, let's go back to those CRAZY CROTCHES:

Designer Julie Tierney's outfit of a printed & color-blocked top with "Parachute"-looking wide-legged pants was a bad look strewn together from a Goodwill Store. The pants were a MESS. Julie showed some AMAZING outerwear during the "Casting Special" and so I assumed she would have done a FAB Cocoon coat out of all that poly-cotton bed sheet fabric...but nope, she did some FUGLY pants!

Next up on the Bad Crotch Alert: Joshua Christensen. Huney, those shorts were three sizes too small. Exhibits A and B: Notice the pulling "whiskers" on the crotch and the side pulling opening up the pockets and rising the outseam of the short. Classic Pant 101 signs that it is TOO DAMN TIGHT.

Someone who called in sick during "Pant Making Week" of Fashion College, was Laura Kathleen. Boy oh boy oh boy! First off, those pants are a NASTY shade of "Day After a Nuclear Explosion Gray". And then, again, we have a KRAZEE Crotch and too-tight waist. When you can make a size 2 model look "hippy" you know you've done something wrong! Notice the pulling of the darts and upper hip area. I'm getting the feeling that I may need to give a Fit Class to incoming Project Runway contestants. For a BIG fee!

Just-learned-how-to-sew Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2008 Anya Ayoung Chee's look, which was one of the judges faves (still don't know why), also was a victim of amateur pattern-and-fit education. Michael, Nina, Heidi--they all LOVED her pants but look above: I want to grab about FOUR inches off that saggy crotch!

Finally, skirts were not immune to fit problems last night. How designer Cecilia Motwani slipped past the judges "Worst List" is beyond me. If that model took one more step, we would have seen her BRITNEY! Not cute.

But the Worst Offender was Rafael Cox, who became the first official Season 9 Casualty (technically the FIFTH!). His was pretty BAAAD. Just for the plain fact that those gray leggings made the model look like a homeless Tranny going to the liquor store at 1:58am is enough to get the Auf Wiedersehen !!

Here's the "Intro" to My Recap of the First "Premiere" Episode:


Fashion Grand-Daddy Is BACK!

Gather your friends, uncork the red wine, get some crudités and put your best skinny jeans on. Why? HELLO: Season 9 of "Project Runway" is finally upon us! (Gosh, we missed you, Tim!) When we last left the "Grand-daddy" of Fashion Reality Shows, there was MAJAH drama: In case you forgot, the favorite of last season, Mondo Guerra, didn't win and instead the crown went to Gretchen Jones, who quickly gained the moniker of “America's Most Despised Woman on Reality TV."

Before you knew it, there were rioters with pattern shears demonstrating in front of Parsons and the Lifetime headquarters. OK, not so much. (I love to exaggerate!) Cut to nine months later, and the anger has subsided, and now, we're moving forward. New season and (I'm sure) new "characters" to love and hate. Oh, and yeah, there's the FASHION!

To Read my entire Recap--Click HERE on MyLifetime.com "Project Runway Blogs" and of course, PLEASE let me know your "Two Cents"!!! I LOVE reading all the comments!

Blog Postcard from Europe 2011--Mykonos Greece!!!

Yasas Mykonos!!!

Paradise Nick: Nick Verreos, Paradise Beach Mykonos Greece (in my Brian Lichtenberg tank top, Andrew Christian swim shorts and Zara sandals)

Continuing with my "Europe Summer 2011" Blog Postcards, after our lightening-speed two day London visit (Click HERE for London)...David and I decided to have some much-deserved R & R in the Greek Island of Mykonos. Two years in a row, we had spent our "Summer Holiday" in the Amalfi Coast in the heavenly cliff-side resort town of Positano but this time, we wanted to try something "different". So, why not Mykonos? My dad is Greek so I thought it would be like going back to my "people's homeland" (kind of) and well, neither David nor I had been there (I'd been to the Greek mainland of course and enjoyed plenty of fun times in Athens-- Kolonaki, Glyfada, Vouliagmeni--and the city of Ioannina in North-West Greece). After a 2 hour flight via EasyJet from London (filled with my UK Gays naturally!!!), we arrived in the tiny Mykonos Airport. The runway is so tiny that the A300 made a very quick landing and Oh Dear-that's-the-end-of-the-Runway stop.

Theoxenia Hotel Mykonons, Lobby area

Quick disembarking and then we were on our way to our FAB Theoxenia Hotel, located right behind those iconic Mykonos Town Windmills. The hotel was AMAZING! So chic, very post-modern Retro and "Boutique-y". We were greeted with a Smoothie and our bags were whisked away until our room was ready.

After checking out our "Deluxe" accommodations, and seeing our very nice "Welcome to Theoxenia Hotel" wine and fruit plate (above photo)...

I went to the balcony of our room, and soaked in the Mykonos ocean air and then I headed straight to the pool:

We had four entire days of relaxation in Mykonos before our NIKOLAKI Florence Italy Fashion Show, so the Theoxenia Hotel pool was a great beginning (photo above). The next day, we promptly headed out into Mykonos Town, sightseeing, and well, enjoying the island.

Mykonos Windmills

The Crowds: Lots. There are LOTS of 19-22 Italian and Australian kids!!!! (Gosh, we felt OLD!) The island was--and I'm not kidding--an Italian "outpost"! Granted it is the Summer and the height of Euro Holidays but seriously, I didn't realize it was such a popular destination with the Italianos--and Australians. They love themselves a vacation as much as we do I guess-- Good for them!

The Scenery: Gorgeous. Of course: What part of Mykonos did you not understand? The chapels, those windmills, the roads, the winding Mykonos Town streets, the ABSOLUTELY stunning orange sunset (there's a "Sunset Show" where people clap when it happens!).

Niko's Wine--Niko's Taverna Mykonos Greece

The Food: Delicious. But again, it was a bit of a challenge finding Greek-food places in that every other restaurant catered to that HUGE Italian influx of visitors and everywhere we looked it was Spaghetti Carbonara, Pizza and Caprese Salads. We were going to be in Italy in less than a week so we wanted to wait to eat Italian food...until we were in Italy.

Pastitsio, Niko's Taverna Mykonos Greece

But... we did find some good Greek places after a process of Italian Restaurant elimination, I had the most DELICIOUS Pastitsio (a Greek baked pasta dish--similar Lasagna--including tubular pasta ground beef, cinnamon, nutmeg and béchamel sauce) and Greek Salad on my final night!

Scooter David: David Paul on scooter, Mykonos Greece

Scooter Nick: Nick Verreos, on a scooter Mykonos Greece

Of course, we also hit the beaches! After all, when in Mykonos...We did Paradise, Super Paradise and Elia...One day we even rented scooters and took a ride to the beach and back (taking side-trips through the island). This was one of my favorite memories for sure. Loved the scooters and seeing the island like this. Now, speaking of the beaches...

Mykonos Beach View

They were beautiful and serene. But, just a warning for anyone over 30: Post 4 PM, Paradise and Super Paradise Beaches (a couple of the beaches we were at) become a 19-22 year-old Italian-Australian drinking-and-Lord-Knows-What-Else Fest with an Italian DJ playing loud thumping music and Champagne-bottle swigging kids. If you think I'm kidding, click HERE.

Welcome To Tropicana: Nick Verreos, Paradise Beach Mykonos

I just wished I would have known this back when I was 22!!!! I missed the "Mykonos Boat" I guess "back in the day". But we still had a BLAST! All in all, David and I had a wonderful time in Mykonos: It was GORGEOUS and a nice way to take a respite from our very hectic lives.

Postcard from Mykonos: Nick Verreos and David Paul pose in front of a HUGE Cruise Ship!, Mykonos Town

*For More Photos, Click HERE on my Facebook Photo Album page and click on "Mykonos Greece Summer 2011"--and yes, go make fun of my shorty-shorts!!!

Runway Report: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

Monastic Tsarina Fairytale: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011:

Tsarina Entrance: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

During the Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011 Fashion Week several weeks back, along with the usual Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture designers, the House of Valentino ( a Corresponding--i.e. foreign--Member of the Chambre) showed its most recent offering of those rarefied $100,000+ hand-made clothes to editors (Project Runway's Nina Garcia was there in the front row!) bloggers, a Hollywood actress or two (Valentino "muse" Anne Hathaway) and...

Elena Permineva (disguising a slight baby bump), model and wife of Russian Billionaire Alexander Lebedev and Marie Claire Fashion Director Nina Garcia in the background--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

Yes, some of the multi-millionaire clients who might actually buy! House designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's collection-held at The Hotel Salomon de Rothschild-- had hints of a Fairytale Princess (I believe that had a Tsarina in mind) but also what I noticed from looking at the photos and runway video (below) was also a Monastic tone as well.

Take a Look:

Monastic Couture: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

A Night at The Opera: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

The Cape Coat of The Season: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

A Modern Wedding: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

Renaissance Charmeuse: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

Can I Order This with a Lining? Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

Valentino Red: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011

All in all, another beautiful collection from designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli who have brilliantly transformed the House of Valentino into something modern without abandoning the legacy of the Master.

Click Below for Full Runway Video of Valentino Fall/Winter 2011: