Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, has only been in the spotlight for a short time; but she is already an international fashion sensation. 

Always simple and elegant, Kate creates new fashion trends every time she leaves the house. Whether being married at Westminster Abbey,  grocery shopping or touring North America, she seems fresh, sophisticated and comfortable. Her fashion choices definitely portray a confident young woman ready for public life.

I look forward to many more decades of Kate’s wardrobe choices; and I haven’t been disappointed yet!

Lady Diana Spencer won our hearts as she married Charles, Prince of Wales on July 29, 1981. Even though the fairytale turned out to be more of a nightmare, Diana will forever be remembered for her outstanding charity work and amazing style.

Diana was transformed from a shy, preschool teacher into an international fashion icon during her years as the Princess of Wales. As a 19 year old princess, she began her public life always wearing awkward coordinating clothing. But as her fashion was severely scrutinized by the press, she quickly learned how to dress appropriately.

Continuously analyzing her appearance, Diana learned what to wear for each occasion; but she became famous for her ability to look comfortable and elegant in the simplest attire.

However, after her divorce, Diana became more independent and her fashion reflected her new life change. She took sophistication to a whole new level.

“Over the last two years of her life, the Princess style transformed her into the international style icon. She started wearing clothes from foreign designers, including Versace, Valentino, John Galliano, Ungaro, Lacroix, Ferraud and Moschino. Her new image was young and confident. Her sense of style was finally about to shine out.”

It really didn’t matter what she wore, she was adored around the world and used her image to help others.

Today’s blog posting is dedicated to my favorite fashion icon (of all time) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. 

We all know her as the First Lady of the United States and the wife of Aristotle Socrates Onassis; but she might be best known for her style.

Mrs. Onassis was always simple and elegant with a touch of old Hollywood glamour. She was class all the way! Her famous wardrobe consisted of sleeveless sheath dresses and fitted suits from Chanel; and was always accompanied with the perfect accessories such as white gloves, pillbox hats and pearls. Also, during weekends at Hyannis Port or the Greek Isles, Mrs. Onassis would be comfortable in a turtleneck, cashmere sweater and of course, the signature oversized black sunglasses.

When dressing for an evening affair, Mrs. Onassis would be seen often with backless or off-the shoulder gowns. And when dining with foreign dignitaries, her outfit would reflect that visiting or hosting nation’s customs. She had such grace.

Throughout each decade, the clothing may have changed, but her style remained the same. Jackie O’s classic looks can be worn yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Today’s fashion icon is Gabrielle Chanel, best known as fashion designer, Coco Chanel.

Forty years after her death, Coco Chanel’s sophisticated, timeless designs are still being worn throughout the world. Her trademark tweed suits and long strands of layered pearls are worn and recreated with every generation of women. And her creation of the “little black dress” is a staple in every fashionista’s closet.

Born on August 19, 1883 in Saumur, France, she was raised by nuns in an orphanage and learned to sew. After leaving the orphanage, she became a night club singer and was called “Coco”.

“Some say that the name comes from one of the songs she used to sing, and Chanel herself said that it was a ‘shortened version of cocotte, the French word for ‘kept woman’.”

Keeping company with wealthy men allowed Chanel to start her first fashion shop on Paris’s Rue Cambon in 1910. And by the 1920′s, the thriving designer launched her first perfume, Chanel No. 5.  Believing in women’s comfort, Chanel then introduced clothing that no longer needed corsets such as the “fitted suit” and the “little black dress”.

“Chanel once said, ‘luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury’.”

During World War II, Chanel became involved with a German military officer.  After the war, she was seen a traitor and fled to Switzerland. As her golden years came upon her, Chanel made a fashion comeback with harsh critic reviews; but consumers were fascinated and bought her designs. She died on January 10,1971.

“A little more than a decade after her death, designer Karl Lagerfeld took the reins at her company to continue the Chanel legacy. Today, her namesake company continues to thrive and is believed to generate hundreds of millions in sales each year.”

In honor of New York’s Fashion Week, beginning today, I will dedicate one blog posting each day this week to a fashion icon. Today’s blog is dedicated to Queen Victoria of England.

Do you ever wonder why brides wear white? The answer is, “Because Queen Victoria did”. Before Victoria, a woman on her wedding day would wear fashionable hues of the time.

Victoria reigned from 1837 to her death in 1901. On February 10, 1840, she married her cousin Price Albert of Saxe-Coburg (a love marriage); but she was no ordinary bride. She was a Queen and decided on a dress (designed by her)  that as head of state would make a political statement. She chose a dress “that put her duty to her kingdom on display, rather than her wealth or beauty”.

In the late 1830′s, the English Industrial Revolution was having a negative effect on the original textile industries. The invention of machine laces was forcing the extinction of handmade lace which was causing unemployment and poverty.

“In order to stimulate and support the lace industry, Victoria chose for her wedding dress a large piece of handmade Honiton lace. The rest of the dress then became of vehicle to showcase the lace, and white was chosen as the most suitable color to do this. In the case of Victoria’s dress, white symbolized practicality and patriotism, rather than purity.”

Queen Victoria was a much respected leader and her legacy of a white wedding dress still lives on today. “Less than a decade after Victoria married her Albert, the Godey’s Lady’s Book wrote: ‘Custom has decided, from the earliest ages, that white is the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material. It is an emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one’.”