Da Fashionista.com

The Scene
For the last few years, Mr. Diabolina has done pro bono work for Clothes Off Our Back, a charity founded by Jane Kaczmarek ("Malcolm In The Middle") and Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing”) that hosts charity auctions of celebrity attire with proceeds going to benefit children's charities worldwide. In addition to the karmic benefits of all this do-gooding, we get invited to ab fab events like tonight's Pink Plastic Party at the Tarina Tarantino store. Yum!

It's hilarious going to these fashiony events with Mr. Diabolina instead of seasoned vets like Little Miss MBA or Jean Bean. For example, when he got the save the date, he emailed me "Who is Tarino Tarantino?" F. What a boy.



But I guess if he did know how to say her name and who she is I might be a bit worried. After all, TarinA Tarantino is a girl's girlie girl. She stole my heart when I first peeped her Hello Kitty-licious designs at my local Bloomie's. The 8 year-old in me still squeals whenever I see her unabashedly pretty princess jewelry.

I was also fascinated by a network news piece that detailed the impact of Cameron Diaz wearing her Hello Kitty necklace when she was first photographed with Justin Timberlake at an MTV event.




That photo was used over and over again in the context of their romantic entanglement and generated a PR windfall. The vagaries of the fashion and entertainment industries enthrall me. So much is right time, right place.


Tonight our (fashionably late) timing was impeccable. Arrived just as the delish designer did. I ran over to the paparazzi pit and snapped this shot of her on the pink carpet. LOVE her whole 1940s pin-up-girl-meets-anime-superhero look. Very Barbie 2008. She makes that shock of hot pink hair seem so wearable, no? I'd love to do that once in my life. Also blue ala Marc Jacobs runway Fall 2007. The blond highlights are just getting old. Or maybe I am getting old ;)



When we got up to the door, Mr. Diabolina let out his fashion party novice once again. As he gave his name to the PR girl with the guest list, he nervously added "I'm counsel to tonight's charity hosts." I almost died laughing inside.

The barely legal blond just looked at him vacuously and asked him for his name again. His FIRST name. Yep, they organized the list by first name. I wish I could say it's the first time I've seen that but alas it's not.


As we walked around the store, I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. Pepto-Bismal-Girls-Just-Want-to-Have-Fun heaven. Mr. Diabolina looked pretty uncomf pretty fast since he doesn't have a womb. Adorable jewelry and Barbie dolls and frou frou abounded.



It was also crawling with sparkly people in retro makeup, manic panic hair, bold prints, bejeweled Mickey Mouse ears and delectable feathers- lots of feathers. The fashion was - dare I say - better than last month's Chanel party. Tonight wasn't about expensive designer frocks. It was about self expression and individuality and irreverence and a little thing called fun. It felt like the difference between the fashion I observed in Paris versus Japan. It was less about blending and more about standing out.




This guy won my best male outfit of the night. Love the lone plume. Love that he didn't wear his look like a costume. Wore it with panache and ease.



Though I still think my friend K to the B wore the top hat best back in January. Kept thinking about him all night. He would have eaten up every bit of this scene.





As we made our way through the store, we realized the real party was in the parking lot in the back. It had been transformed into Barbie Tarina's Dream House. The single most adorable party set up I have ever seen. Ever. Ever.

But OF COURSE, as I snapped this picture my new camera's battery died. No warning, no nothing. FFFFFFFFFFF! So much fashion I wanted to capture.


Thankfully the beautiful lady that got my best female look of the night for her splendid plumage headpiece is a blogger. Phew! You HAVE to see the delish fashion round up on her blog, La Vie en Rose.


Two hours after arriving as we made our way to the door, my pulse began to race. I saw the sight that always makes my heart go pitter patter. A sea of goodie bags. Hot pink ones no less. Mr. Diabolina got a bit awkward at the concept of walking out of a store with something for free but I told him to GET OVER IT. Cuz - duh - I wanted two ;)



The contents were like a 3rd grade birthday gift bag. Remember those??? Key chains and pins and t-shirts and cds and Barbie brochures. Heaven for a little girlie girl.




Magical fashion night all thanks to Mr. Diabolina's bleeding heart lawyering. Who says a JD can't be fabulous?

The Outfit
Fashion District dress

The Accessories
Marc Jacobs peep toe sandals and airliner clutch
Hello Kitty stamp ring
Faux Chanel pink earrings

The Grade
C+ in the Tarina Tarantino world/A- in the real world



The Commentary
I knew the event tonight would be all about frilly femininity so I selected this newish blue dress with fluttery flower detail at the neckline and a swishy skirt. $50 in the fashion district. Thought the retro cut of it while not uber flattering on my mid-section definitely makes a statement. And it's pretty killer with a tan.


Added the dusty pink earrings as a nod to Barbie/Tarina's signature color. Think they played off the blue surprisingly well.





Choose the new Marc Jacobs peep toe ruched sandals to enhance the slightly retro shape of the dress. Plus they added more pink to the ensemble.

The turquoise blue clutch was a last minute choice. Not sure it worked. Even Mr. Diabolina asked me if I had a pink bag to wear instead. Do you think I should be worried that he picked up on the whole look's weakest link ;)



Oh and the last touch I added was this little Hello Kitty on my hand to make me smile. And possibly stamp people I liked.



Think the outfit was pretty memorable in a world where most people don't make much of an effort i.e. the real world. But in a magical world where everyone wears feathers in their hair pink hair and top hats - not so much. Felt utterly forgettable. Boo. F.

A big part of the equation was that my hair and makeup were a mess after a long week. And not a hot mess. Definitely needed a more glam hairDID - maybe even a hair piece - and bolder makeup. Must take that makeup bootcamp.

But I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself. I've actually been wearing feathers in my hair since January. Remember the Forever 21 headband I premiered for my Art LA night with K to the B
and wore again on a Barney-licious mommy sunday in March? Gawd I love that headband.

Plus I just bought that other feather head band at Urban last weekend after wishing I had some plumage to mix in with my flower hair accessories in Mexico.

Perhaps this old girl's still got some sass in her. It's just a little more subtle these days as I approach the big 3-1.


p.s. Check out more pink party coverage on Racked LA.

And more here at Hollywood.com.