Week 3: Cleopatra. The Egyptian Queen's Fashion Legacy

I apologize for being absent for few days, but I had a very good reason for that. Ben and I were in Los Angeles and then drove to his hometown, Santa Barbara, where on 21st of March WE GOT MARRIED! Our secret ceremony was beautiful and I cannot wait to show you all the photographs and share our story. Also I am already starting to plan our Big Wedding that will take place next summer.

As the last week got a little bit interrupted, I wanted to continue The Cleopatra Week. I still have interesting posts to share with you!

The image of Cleopatra has not only been exciting minds of artists, writers and filmmakers. The Egyptian Queen has an incredibly recognisable fashion legacy. Designers and women all over the world draw an inspiration from the legendary female pharaoh. Today, I decided to share the best of Cleopatra inspired looks with you, with some bonuses including Top 10 Cleopatra Halloween Looks and my Cleopatra party look.

TOP 20 Cleopatra Inspired Celebrity Looks

20. Sofia Vergara 19. Hayden Panettiere 18. Nicole Kidman 17. Beyonce 16. Olivia Palermo 15. Irina Shayk

14.Carrie Underwood 13.Laura Dern 12. Rose Byrne 11. Naomi Watts 10.Shriya Saran

9. Kim Kardashian 8. Jennifer Lopez 7. Kylie Jenner 6. Nicole Scherzinger 5. Katy Perry

4. Taylor Swift 3. Nicki Minaj 2.Giuliana Rancic 1. Bar Rafaeli

TOP 10 Halloween & Photoshoot Cleopatra Looks

It was hard to choose the best Cleopatra looks as so many celebrities channeled their inner Egyptian Queen in the music videos, the photoshoots and at the Halloween parties. But it is not a surprise that the winner of the best Cleopatra Halloween Look goes to Heidi Klum, who is famous for her amazingly detailed, unique Halloween costumes.

10. Rihana 9. Nicki Minaj 8. Marylin Monroe 7. Kim Kardashian

6. Anne Hathaway 5. Petra Nemcova 4. Angelina Jolie 3. Kristin Kreuk 2. Katy Perry 1. Heidi Klum

My Party Look:

The McKitrick Hotel from time to time hosts amazing SuperCinema dress up parties. Last month it was a Romeo+Juliet Film themed party, and one of the characters you could "play" was Cleopatra, and my husband (so strange to call him like that! :)) picked her role for me. I have already shared my Cleopatra Look in one of the previous posts, but for the party I had more costumey head-piece and more dramatic make up.

Here are some photos:

I hope you enjoyed this post and do not forget to check our Cleopatra Themed Shop that I am updating regularly!

Week 3: Cleopatra. My Egyptian Queen Look

I am very excited to share my modernised version of Cleopatra look with you that was shot at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by my fellow blogger Julia Fashionista. We started the shoot at the famous Sackler Wing (part of the Egyptian part of the MET) with its Temple of Dendur, surrounded by the pool that represents the Nile river.

Almost immediately after we started shooting, I was surrounded by tourists asking to take photographs with me. There were big families, couples, students, kids. All of different nationalities and all wanted to take a picture with "Cleopatra" and not with ancient priceless treasures of history around them. I felt bad refusing them as everyone was so nice and friendly, so I posed and posed for 20 minutes until... we were asked by the MET representative to be anywhere, BUT the Egyptian room as we cause distraction! 

Cleopatra sculpture by William Wetmore.

Initially I was upset by the whole incident, but luckily we found another beautiful naturally lit room at the MET and took wonderful images. It is, quite interesting, that the statue I am posing next to is The Libyan Sibyl created by William Wetmore.

I remember posing next to it and thinking how it reminds me of Cleopatra. So imagine my surprise when I during my research on images of Cleopatra in art, I found out that William Wetmore also created almost identical to The Libyan Sibyl, sculpture of Cleopatra! 

Enjoy and let me know what do you think about the look! 

Oufit: Herve Leger dress, Black Wig and bracelet NYC Costume, Ring Kenzo, Heels Christian Louboutin

SHOP MY LOOK:

Week 2: War & Peace. Regency Era White Dress

I am very excited to share this 'Regency Era' inspired look with you. I found this beautiful white dress in Walter Baker's new Spring/Summer collection and immediately thought I could use it for the War & Peace Week. It is a perfect modern version of a classic Regency Era day dress you have seen so many times in Tolstoy's War & Peace screen adaptations and of course in all films based on Jane Austen's books.

The Regency Fashion Era (1800-1820s) was heavily influenced by the democratic ideals of the French Republic (French fashion was always à la mode in Europe), and drew inspiration from classical Greece and ancient Rome. Simplicity, purity and elegance were highly praised opposed to multiple layers, complicated styles and heavily decorated fabrics of preceding fashion era during Marie Antoinette's reign.

The most popular style was a high waisted, lightweight, 'columnal' shaped dress called the Empire dress. Inspired by magnificence of white Greco-Roman sculptures, clothes were primarily of the white colour. Pastel dresses and even bold colours later became fashionable in the Empire style as well.

It is interesting to note that despite the fact films often show the Regency Era heroines wearing dresses that reveal arms and bosom during the day time, historically it was proper only in the evenings!

Have a look at the inspiration board for this look, and let me know what do you think about my outfit and my 'Regency hairdo' I managed to create in two minutes.

THE REGENCy Era FASHION in art and films:

SHOP MY 'REGENCY ERA' LOOK: 

Week 2: War & Peace. Russian Winter Fairytale

I have created several War & Peace inspired fashion looks, especially the ones that I could imagine Natasha Rostova wearing if she would magically appear in our era.

Here is my first look, the one I call 'Russian Winter Fairytale'. It has a very soft, feminine touch to it. The outfit is a little bit peasant-y, but still very rich in fabric and somehow noble; something Natasha would wear when she and other Rostovs visited her uncle in the village of Mihkaylovka. There, in his wooden hut, surrounded by peasants and dancing to a Balalaika, Natasha wonderfully connects with the spirit of simple Russian men and women. 

Of course such open shoulders are a little bit more risky than what women usually wore during the beginning of the 19th century. Additionally, women of the aristocracy during that era would wear their hair up. However, films often disregard historical facts, and I wanted to show more of Natasha's closeness to simple folk by braiding my hair in this look.

Braid-spiration:

Regency Era Fashion:

Outfit by Walter Baker.

The screens from the series taken from another wonderful blog Frock&Flicks

I hope you enjoyed my first pastiche of Natasha Rostova's character. Stay tuned for more looks this week!

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Week 1: NYC 'View of Manhattan' Look

I wanted to show you how beautiful the Manhattan skyline looks, so my friend and fellow blogger Julia Fashionista took a train to New Jersey (Exchange Place station) to take photographs from the other side of the Hudson River.

Check out the amazing view of NYC's Financial District while I pose in my casual winter wear.

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