Although I’d definitely classify myself as a ‘newbie’ to the country music world, listening to the rhythm and rhyme of a country song almost always curls my toes. Twang and southern soul mixed with a heartfelt, adventurous, and passionate story line presents a refreshing and entirely enjoyable musical escape. And while I certainly love the current country cuties, Carrie, Miranda, and Taylor..I’m sure there’s room for more rising country starlets – that’s why they call it southern hospitality, after all! Nineteen year-old, Kaitlyn Michelle Armiger, AKA Katie, is on her way to joining the ranks of some of country’s tallest talents. Hailing from Sugar Land, Texas, Katie is a young artist with a maturity and confidence that compliments her HUGE voice. And while her success is largely credited to her amazing voice, songwriting skills, and resulting album sales, Katie possesses a humility and genuineness that commands tremendous respect and admiration from her fans. Her next album, due for release by Cold River Records on October 5th of this year, was actually co-titled by her fans. After teaming up with GACTV.com, Katie posed an ever-important challenge to her fans to help name her third album. Two weeks of continual voting yielded the fan-favorite choice, Confessions of a Nice Girl. This process seems mutually beneficial – reassured Katie of her strong fan following and allowed fans to take part in a creative process usually only reserved for the artist herself. The album is sure to piggyback on the success of Katie’s Billboard topping hit, ‘Kiss Me Now.’ And with a creative process, comes more creative collaboration..Katie’s album cover will feature the star in a Sherri Hill original fun and flirty party dress that illustrates the femininity and delicacy of the album name perfectly. A southern girl herself (from Oklahoma), Sherri works with a philosophy and design direction that really connects and resonates with country music artists. Sherri, Katie, and her savvy styling team work together in beautiful harmony.

Although it pains me to say it..I was fast asleep approximately an hour and half into the awards show that I was anxiously looking forward to for the last few weeks. Yes, as Bryan Cranston giddily galloped on stage to accept the Emmy for ‘Leading Actor in a Drama Series,’ I was fighting back the urge to rest my head on an uncomfortable couch pillow and ungracefully pass out. Now, believe me, this had nothing to do with the quality of the program – although I would have liked to see GLEE reclaim a few more of their well-deserved nominations – the hosting was largely funny, the presenters were witty (yet, helped out by their insane attractiveness), and the acceptances were hard-earned. But my favorite portion of the evening was, of course, the red carpet. To the majority of award-watching aficionados, the red carpet show commands the same respect and admiration as the night’s main event. If the actor or actress is honorably succeeded by one of his or her fellow esteemed nominees, then there’s always hope for an equally special ‘best dressed’ nod. Let’s be honest, every female actress enters a beautification routine/ritual months before the awards show in hopes to secure coveted recognition in Joan Rivers’ notorious red carpet replay. And in my opinion, this year’s Primetime Emmy fashion was certainly interesting and definitely a conversation piece. I was going to write about the 2010 ‘sequin and sparkle factor’ this week, but it would be remiss on my part not to weave the trend into the Emmy red carpet. So many of the night’s leading ladies were clad in sequins and metallics including Reality Mom, Kate Gosselin, GLEE’s Heather Morris, Dexter’s Jennifer Carpenter, and Temple Grandin’s Emmy-Winner Claire Danes (both Carpenter and Danes generated beauteous ‘best dressed’ buzz)! There was also tons of draping and Grecian-inspired garb a la Kim Kardashian and our favorite GLEEk Amber Riley, and a sleek selection of evening gowns that showcased each woman’s award-beaming beauty perfectly. So many of the gowns were mirror images of ones in Sherri Hill’s collection – each with style and sophistication in-the-running for red carpet success!! Check out Sarah Hyland (ABC’s Modern Family), Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls and Parenthood) and Amber Riley next to Sherri Hill original designs – and for more award-winning looks, view the full collection at www.sherrihill.com

We’re only 3 days away from the 62nd annual Primetime Emmy Award show, and, needless to say, I couldn’t be more excited!!! This highly anticipated night will celebrate the most prized actors and actresses from the most intelligent, humorous, and dramatic television programs on air today. Since September of last year, I’ve been one of ‘Glee’s’ most dedicated fans – and I couldn’t be happier that this show is up for a whopping 19 nominations. I’m also EXTREMELY excited about ‘Modern Family’s’ nods. I’ve watched the ‘Trip to Hawaii’ episode over three times, and if it was up to me, I’d gladly put it on a continuous loop – adding a comical and spontaneous background soundtrack to my life!!  Along with a host of other brilliantly talented celebs and Jimmy Fallon as the night’s emcee, the 2010 Emmy awards are set to be a night worth watching!!! And like every other obsessed female fan, I’ll be tuned in and glued to the red carpet unveiling before the show.  Can’t wait to see what the evening’s most talked about starlets and studs will be wearing!!!!!!

Tomorrow, August 26th, the best of the BEST prom, pageant, and special occasion dress designers will convene to launch this year’s five-day long Atlanta Apparel Mart. Recognized as the largest market for men and women’s fashion on the East Coast, the Atlanta Apparel Mart is THE event to show off a new and highly anticipated 2011 collection. A sort of real-life demonstration of the popular adage ‘to separate the men from the boys…’ You get what I mean. To showcase your collection at the AAM basically qualifies you for the title of ‘Pretty Big Deal.’ A true visionary of all things pageant and prom, Sherri Hill will absolutely be in attendance. That’s not all though..obviously a testament to her skill, creativity, and innovation, Sherri plans on bucking the traditional and ‘ordinary’ conventions of the mart. Instead of participating in the likely boring and overplayed Mart-organized fashion shows, she will host five of her OWN runway shows. Models and Sherri Hill-loving pageant beauties will strut the runway for hours as buyers and other AAM attendees drop by and take glimpses of the runway stunners (the models AND the dresses). I can almost liken this picture to a digital picture frame. How we’re watching art, in this case ‘wearable art,’ fade in and out with anxious anticipation of what will pop up next!! And Sherri’s showcase will be nothing short of legit, using two stages and setting up chairs to fit an overwhelming amount of distinguished guests. Headlined by model and former Miss Teen USA, Stormi Henley, the Sherri Hill Atlanta Apparel Mart showing is set up to be a fantastic success!!!! Now all I need is a ticket….

Toddlers in Tiaras…ALL GROWN UP. Last night marked the 59th annual ‘Miss Universe’ competition. And while many people would categorize the event as a glorified ‘beauty contest/pageant,’ I’ve learned that this night represents SO MUCH MORE for the contestants, as well as for those watching at home. Instead of simply parading girls around in the skimpiest bikinis (yes, swim wear was a major category, but NO these bikinis were tasteful and ADORABLE in my opinion), the competition challenged each contestant to answer a question that could only be fielded with intelligence and grace. This year, over 80 countries were represented by the brightest and, yes, prettiest group of young ladies. Even though the pageant circuit has grown to expect much more from the young cast of females (in terms of its use of talent and conversational excellence), it would be outlandish to think that beauty wasn’t a critical if not entirely VITAL component. Yet, what I like about Miss Universe, is that the beauty portion is not skin deep. More attention is paid to the beautiful display of dresses and body-flattering apparel that each girl chooses to wear. And this competition was swarming with GORGEOUS wardrobing!! Especially when it involved a designer whose reputation in ‘pageant beautifying’ always precedes her. Three of the night’s TOP TEN finalists (Miss Ireland, Miss Albania, and Miss Ukraine) were dolled up and ready to walk the stage in beautiful Sherri Hill evening gowns-one of which scored Anna Poslavska (Miss Ukraine) a highly sought after spot in the TOP FIVE!!!! And while Jimena Navarrete (Miss Mexic0) didn’t take the crown in a Sherri Hill, her chances were without a doubt doubled by her gorgeous and glamorous look in Sherri’s black bandage dress–hell, I’m thinking EVERY girl’s chances were upped by this killer production number ‘uniform.’ It was stellar night for both Miss Universe and Miss Sherri Hill!!!

RED has been and always will be a color that signals all things hot and racy! Take US Weekly’s latest issue..even though the three screen-stealing stars of HBO’s hit True Blood are covered in the show’s namesake toxin, that deep, scarlet color makes the shot undeniably sizzling hot (the fact that the three are baring naked bods only adds to the pic’s sex appeal). I don’t think there’s anyone who would disagree that, in the fashion world, red is reserved for the more adventurous, vivacious and brazen [in a good way] women among us. Now, that’s not to say that the timid and conservative can’t rock this spicy shade, but if they choose, they better be ready for an all-eyes-on-them kind of night. Glossing over the pages of Cosmopolitan, I was just drawn into the feature on ‘Fearless Fashion,’ and according to the style savvy editors, red is a certified killer color for fall. And for a magazine that is renowned for its bold, confident, and refreshingly provocative editorials, I am sensing fierce credibility in their call for crimson!! Done in short and [tastefully] shape-hugging mini dresses, preferably without much embellishment–maybe some subtle draping or pleating for a little bit of drama and edge- red is severely sexy and definitely a compliment to any red-hot occasion. Longer red gowns convey something a little different. Instead of pure sex appeal at first glance, the longer red gown radiates romance and elegance and unbridled confidence-definitely a look that rivals celebrity red-carpet stunners. I have to say, though, even with a softer and more feminine quality, red gowns definitely still exude LUST. Maybe understated, well-disguised sex appeal, but sex appeal nonetheless! Sherri Hill’s fall collection plays temptress with a wide variety of rich reds. Short, long, hot and hotter, these dresses are hot pink’s wilder and sassier counterpart!

Recycling, reinventing, reinvigorating – the convertible dress is SOOOOO up my alley. I’m definitely one of those girls who loves to buy new outfits (dresses particularly), but knows, instinctively, that once I debut my newest purchase there’s NO WAY I’ll wear it again for, hmm, AT LEAST 3 weeks to a month. There’s just a commonality in the nature of women–we are, without a doubt, the MOST judgment-conscious individuals that there ever was. It’s like we have internal radar that beeps increasingly louder and uncontrollably when other people (and let’s not kid ourselves, when I say other people I really mean to say other women) are evaluating us. That’s why these dresses are so key. It’s not to say that these dresses, when converted, instantly produce an unrecognizable and entirely new garment. Instead, they offer a different look and a different personality to match the pulse of the occasion – doing this really proves fashion credibility. Most of the convertibles I’ve been exposed to, make use of the straps to change the aesthetic of the dress like criss-crossed straps can be transformed into halters and halters into strapless. I’ve also seen strapless, tube top dresses segue into long, flowing skirts. Yet, I really haven’t seen anything removed or physically altered/taken away from the dress in order to convert the look (with the exception of taking off flimsy straps to make something strapless). That is, until now..Sherri Hill’s convertible dress collection builds off of a detachable tulle overskirt that wraps around the bodice of the dress and is held together by a silk taffeta sash and bow. The original dress is sassy and adorable on its own, but remove the skirt..and you have an equally sexy and streamlined look to accompany a night of dancing and painting the town red!

Simon Doonan’s column in today’s New York Observer poses the question of product unplacement.  A world where luxury brands send their competitors products to celebrities and trendsetters who they deem undesirable and who they do not want to be photographed donning their own brands but rather their competitors products.  A  sort of pro-active product slander.   Mr Doonan cleverly includes himself along with Jersey Shore’s Snooki in imaginative luxury brand snubs including Gucci who crafts Doonan’s fave designer shoe and who because he was forced to buy his latest pair retail must deem him an “undesirable”, and who according to Doonan must surely be sending him a box full of Crocs to win over his favor.  Right! I bet several pairs of those very expensive Gucci loafers are at this minute on their way to Mr. Doonan’s door via messenger thanking him for the great product plug!

Product placement is a craft and while aligining our clients brands with trendsters and celebrities whose image marry those of their brand are ultimate goals, resorting to “unplacing” product is not a trend I see caching on by publicists.  The ultimate goal in celebrity product placement is to make the product shine and become covetable by millions of consumers attaching the brand to someone in the news and yes someone they would like to see themselves like.   Our goal is to transcend whether the reality star, hollywood it girl, leading box-office sensation, sports star, etc.. is “in or out” and focus the spotlight on the client’s product — especially so since consumers opinions in our “instant messaging” world are switching in an instant!   Can bad product placement or the wrong product endorsement hurt a brand, driving their sales down?  If you asked me this several years ago, I would have vehemently said yes.  Should we attempt to place attention on our products with endorsements by people whose actions don’t coincide with our idea of appropriate behavior or who even share a similar preceived taste or style level?  I still say no.  But today’s consumers are hitching their wagons to “faces” not only for what they look like and how they act,  but because of deeper, emotional attachments — because they admire or are intrigued by something they did.   Ask a group of random women about Snooki and just as many will find her style deplorable as will find her sudden rise to fame admirable – for god’s sake she was featured in fashion spread in Harper’s Bazaar — and see themselves coveting the brands she covets as their own path to their own “15 minutes of fame”.  Coupled with the continuing decline in the economic environment , consumers are more discerning as to how and where they spend their precious dollars.  I steer my clients in focusing on what is working — not wasting valuable time and resources on trying to create publicity for their competition – because really its a 50-50 crap shoot as to what is  seen as “bad” or undesirable today and what will be the next best thing to covet tomorrow….

Gold. As a newly graduated college student, I would absolutely LOVE some myself. But, ask me if I’d wear it..my answer will almost always be a ‘NO.’ I guess it’s the orangey-yellow tone that just turns me off. I have the most porcelain skin..skin that would probably make Snow White blush..and metallic goldenrod just clashes with soft, pale and peachy skin in my mind. Take no offense, Teresa Guidice, with your dark Italian complexion..gold is positively perfect! HOWEVER, my slight scrolls over the latest fashion magazines (InStyle, particularly) have given me an entirely revamped perspective on gold. Gold as clothing might actually work for me. Though it pains me to say it, summer is quickly yielding to fall, ugh. Not totally enthused (as you can tell), but at least fall fashion is gold this year. Ironically, the color that oozes class and luxury has always looked cheap in my mind..but this season’s gold is anything but cheap. Whether in short minis or long gowns, metallics or mattes, embellished or minimal, gold can easily achieve ‘rich’ fashion sensibility. I was drawn to the more elegant, ethereal gold gowns that definitely pack the same sparkle, but are not too over-the-top dramatic – sort of the classic regal and sophisticated Nicole Kidman look. But for the more edgy among us, choosing streamlined gold matte jackets can pull together an androgynous, but super sexy look. And if opting to wear gold wasn’t flashy and attention-snatching enough, gold matched/accented with metallic sequins and/or crystals can be a perfect compliment to a night of dancing, flirting and fun-having. Sherri Hill’s collection offers a wealth of gold wardrobe options..perfect picks for the gold goddesses among us!

Maybe it was celebrities who started this trend or just some really really fickle brides, but quickly the two-wedding dress ‘trend’ is becoming the norm. I don’t know quite where I stand on the two dress dilemma. On the one hand, why would you want to put away the one dress you’ve thought about for the majority of your life. I don’t even think I’d want to take the dress off after my wedding, let alone during. Yet, on the other hand, if the day is about the bride, after all, why not wow the crowds of guests with another gorgeous white stunner. Thinking about the logistics, too, a shorter, more flexible dress with less bells and whistles may be a LOT more comfortable at the reception. Comfortable and FAR more conducive to a night of partying and dancing up a storm (at least the way I plan on it). I was reading someone else’s blog the other day and she made another very valid point. The traditional wedding gown is usually a lot more conservative, romantic, and almost always puts together an angelic, princess look, which is perfectly appropriate, as the wedding day (historically) brings out a woman’s quintessential femininity. But, a second dress, one that’s more comfortable and just a tad bit racier can reflect a woman’s fun, playful and sexy side. Thus, maybe two dresses can reconcile that delicate balance. It’s really a matter that depends on the bride herself, only she can decide…but IF a bride does decide to make a ‘change out,’ then there are PLENTY of options out there for her. Though she wouldn’t classify herself as a bridal designer, Sherri Hill has definitely jumped on board with the ‘change out’ trend. Her selection of shorter white and ivory dresses are so much fun. Not to mention, the varying silhouettes and embellishments (whether ruffles, bows, lace accenting, etc.) that she uses make each dress extremely unique and tailored to the bride’s individual and vibrant personality!