Welcome To The Red Carpet…
Each Spring we get to witness the fabulous journey from red carpet to red carpet that the celebrities embark on that leads to the Oscars. Have I seen all the movies being nominated for & winning awards? Nope. Not even close. Do you know which gowns & frocks I love and which designers are killing it? Oh. Yes.
Here are some of the highlights of late!
{I like this because it’s a one-of-a-kind take on a standard Little Black Dress and the answer to what to wear to a cocktail party.}
{Cute. Eye-catching. Age appropriate. What more could you ask for from a young starlet?}
{I adore a man in a suit, but with an endless parade of red carpets during awards season black and grey suit after black and grey suit gets a bit… Dreary. Three cheers for a man who mixing things up and likes to try great colors & textures. Precisely as the face of Burberry should!}
{Flowy and white can frequently bomb on the red carpet. Too loose, too casual, too flower child… But this one is perfection. It’s all about the belt!}
{Another black & gold number that killed it on the red carpet. Dramatic. Unique. Flattering. Perfect!}
{Finding the perfect jewel toned gown isn’t easy and I can’t imagine a more beautifully colored dress than this one. And that silver collar? Swoon!}
{Prints & patterns are such a breath of fresh air on the red carpet in a sea of princess-y frocks and this metallic black & silver number was especially stunning. And she wisely left the statement jewelry at home.}
{Another fabulous white gown curtsey of Ralph Lauren. Lovely silhouette and a flattering hue, but those earrings were what really sold me. Just stunning!}
{I LOVE Kerry Washington and she’s had some killer looks during her Django Unchained press tour – But this Giles gown is one of my favorites. It’s totally unique while still looking like it was made for her. Brava!}
And finally… Some Golden Globe goodness:
{I love this dress! There was lots of back-and-forth on this one from the commentators, but I thought it was fun and a breath of fresh air!}
{Striking. Just striking.}
{I love the drama here – The deep oxblood color, the neckline, the train… There’s a lot going on, but it works for her.}
{I LOVE pants on the red carpet. And I love women in tuxedos. This is simple but totally chic and timeless. Well done Amy, well done.}
{Wow. It’s eye-catching and dramatic, but still age appropriate and utterly flattering. Gorgeous dress!, I love the gold embellishments.}
{This peach hue suits Miss Jessica to a T. It’s classic but the styling, jewelry & bag take it up a notch.}
{I love black & white on the red carpet. It’s sharp and eye-catching. And Julianne Moore knows JUST how to pull off this killer Tom Ford gown.}
{Flawless. The gown is a stunning color, suits her figure perfectly, and I adore the double straps, low back, and sheer stripe. Perfection!}
{Drama Drama Drama. When you want sophisticated, high fashion drama and glamour you know where to go – Alexander McQueen!}
{I’m not usually a fan of sheer hemlines but I just love this sparkly Miu Miu number. It really stood out last night – Both on the red carpet and on stage – And it looks great on her.}
{And she’s back! I used to love everything that Miss Kidman wore on the red carpet but all the white lately hasn’t been my favorite – This however is killer. It’s busy, but she’s just the woman to pull it off!}
{Such a standout dress last night – This is the definitely of an eye-catching look!}
In my humble opinion there was a winning tie here… Jessica Alba in Oscar de la Renta {styled by the fabulous Brad Goreski} and Taylor Swift in Donna Karan Atelier. Both looked utterly striking and were styled to perfection. Well done to everyone though, there were virtually no disasters at this stylish event.
My only complaint? Where was Keira Knightley??? Her Chanel gowns for the Anna Karenina red carpets have been divine – I was dying to see what she was going to wear to the Golden Globes. Sob!
{Images from TLo}
Curious about last year’s stand outs? Check out Golden Girls. And Boys. for the 2012 red carpet looks from the likes of Angelina Jolie, Evan Rachel Wood, Emma Stone, and Rooney Mara.
Which fabulous frock was your favorite?
Links You’ll Love
Fashion:
2012 MTV Movie Awards
Happy Wednesday!
Ready for some low-key and fun red carpet attire? You can always count on an MTV event to bring out the stars, and for those stars to bring out some interesting, eye-catching fashion.
Not sure how to wear a cocktail dress? Here’s an official How To. Follow it to the letter.
This is a great look for a summer show. Bright and fun!
I’m not sure if this is actually a dress or not, but I like the separates feel to the look. It’s summery and sweet, perfect for a Nickelodeon star!
Perhaps a slimmer fit would have shown off her killer figure better, but that doesn’t keep it from being a great, stand-out look. Her personal style has definitely been evolving over the last few months, exactly as it should be for her age!
Fresh, young, and perfect for the event. The mixing of colors and patterns and the zipper detailing make it a great choice. Also, love her haircut, very flattering.
Sort of space-age looking, but really cute. It’s fun and interesting, and suits her build really well.
With The Great Gatsby coming out soon I’m sure that these beautiful 20’s style dresses will continue to make the rounds. This is a great choice for her coloring, she looks beautiful.
Need some more 20’s glamour to get your day started? Harper’s Bazaar has the goods!
Check out Karl Lagerfeld’s photoshoot for Bazaar featuring Joan Smalls, Arizona Muse and Saskia de Brauw in this season’s Jazz Age inspired fashion from Marc Jacobs, Giorgio Armani, Alexander McQueen, Ralph Lauren, J.Mendel, Chanel, Valentino, Alberta Ferretti and Tom Ford – Cafe Society.
Or see how real ladies channel this trend in BAZAAR Boards: Gatsby’s Girls.
MET Madness
It’s that time again…
Time for my favorite fashion event of the year. It’s my version of prom! Last year’s event was held in honor the (then) recently deceased Alexander McQueen and the red carpet was amazing.
This year there were so many gorgeous women on the red carpet – fashion insiders, celebrities, models, actresses – that it was hard to narrow down my favorites.
Hollywood Dolls:
{Rooney stuck with what’s worked for her over the last few months of red carpet appearances. Dramatic. Bold. Givenchy! There was lots of white on the red carpet this year so her lacy black gown stood out all the more.}
{Bombshell alert! Amber Heard’s Zac Posen gown was striking and oozed with old school glamour. Love!}
{Elegant but eye-catching at the same time, that’s what Giambattista Valli does best!}
{Sleek & sexy. Gwyneth Paltrow put women half her age to shame in this fierce little Prada cocktail number. I love the embellishments here – the pocket on the dress, the low-cut back, and the jewel-encrusted stilettos.}
{This was a great choice for her. A beautifully cut dress in the perfect color, soft, sweet makeup, and loose curls framing her face. Just stunning.}
{Kirsten Dunst has long been a fan of Rodarte and they served her well again last night with this one-of-a-kind retro inspired dress. The look was definitely unique, but I think she looked phenomenal!}
{I’m always excited to see what Miss Cate will show up on the red carpet in, and she didn’t disappoint last night. Alexander McQueen with black feathers and a fishtail train? Only a few women in the world could pull this off.}
{Nina has been stepping up her game on the red carpet the last year or so, really making an impact, and this Donna Karen gown is another great choice.}
{Wow. Renée Zellweger usually wears Carolina Herrera but this Pucci gown is stunning! The low back and dramatic train are gorgeous.}
{Wow. Just. Wow. Love it all. Color, fit, fabric, accessories. Fierce!}
{Claire Danes’s sexy white wrap dress was perfectly complemented by her teal envelope clutch and sleek updo. Well done.}
{Bombshell! Camilla Belle was a vision in a sexy silver Ralph Lauren gown. Simple and elegant. I like that she went minimal on the accessorizing.}
Model Muses:
{When I think about the MET Gala this is what I picture. Daring fashion. Avant garde styles. Fashion with a capital F. Well done ladies, well done!}
{Drama Drama Drama. Chanel Iman and her sexy plus one were all about black & white drama.}
{Coco’s brightly colored vintage Givenchy and matching pink curls were definitely eye-catching. Are you a fan?}
{Veteran model Amber Valletta’s Prada gown was perfect, with both color blocking and pleats, it was right on trend for Spring!}
{I think Constance may have stolen Tilda’s dress, but that’s ok because she killed in it! Love the color and fabric combinations, the silky teal with the royal blue pleats are perfection!}
{Lace, asymmetrical silhouette, and brilliant pink – Jason Wu definitely wanted Miss Karlie Kloss to stand out this evening!}
{The face of Burberry Body rocked her long-sleeved, retro Burberry gown. Only Rosie could make sequined stripes look this good!}
{Victoria’s Secret stunner Candice Swanepoel positively glowed in her custom cobalt & black lace Rag & Bone gown. J’adore!}
And my favorite – Diane Kruger. I know she’s an actress but I always think of her a model. She’s got phenomenal taste and a flawless sense of style, something I usually associate with models who spend their time surrounded by fashion editors, photographers, and designers.
{DRAMA. Purple feathers, a train, and killer jewels? Miss Diane clearly wanted to make an entrance last night. I hate hate hate to find fault with her, but I think an updo would have been the perfect final touch to this.}
And what would I have worn?
I narrowed it down to these choices over the weekend. And these choices clearly show my multiple personalities. Part of me wants to go for old-school, golden age glamour, and the other part of me thinks that an event like this one calls for no holds barred, serious drama.
{This gown in Valentino red would be a fabulous choice – Bold but classic and flattering.}
Or something a little more dramatic and high-impact.
{I love the drama of Zac Posen gowns and this is a phenomenal color. If it had a keyhole or open back to offset the high neck and cap sleeves I’d be all over this!!!}
What was your favorite dress this year? What would you have picked for yourself?
The Little Black Dress
“You can never be over – or underdressed in a Little Black Dress.” – Karl Lagerfeld
As far as I’m concerned, truer words have never been spoken. When Coco Chanel invented the Little Black Dress (aka LBD) in the 1920’s she had no idea what she was opening the fashion world up to. And with that brilliant idea the color of mourning was transformed into the chicest color of them all and the cocktail dress became the epitome of style and elegance.
In the years since its origination the LBD has come in many guises – formal, informal, short, midi, strapless, long sleeves, cotton, velvet, silk, lace, satin…
Evening-Appropriate:
The original LBD was intended for an evening out on the town and that tradition definitely lives on in this day in age.
Short, sassy, chic.
Perfection! It's fun and sexy and one-of-a-kind. What more could you ask for in a cocktail dress?
Kristin's look is everything you want from a LBD - Fun and eye-catching. The fabric makes it unusual and catches your attention when she walks by and her accessories perfectly add that needed zing to the look. Also, the tights make it warm enough to wear year-around.
This is the perfect example of showing some skin in a LBD but keeping the look chic rather than tacky. She looks sexy as hell, but classy and tasteful.
And of course, we’ve got to discuss the 2012 red carpet It Girl who wore LBDs almost exclusively for her Girl With The Dragon Tattoo appearances and premieres…
If you want to up the drama for evening try cut outs, lace, or panels of sheer fabric. They give the illusion of showing more skin than you really are and give a dress a unique and one-of-a-kind feel. I love that despite the modernity of this Prabal Gurung dress, she still looks like Audrey Hepburn!
The quickest & easiest way to make a dress evening-ready is to add jewelry and killer heels! Just keep them in your day bag and pull then out when cocktail hour arrives.
Work-Appropriate:
Wearing a LBD for work is all about length and appropriateness. You’ll want to stick with a drama-free dress, something sleek and approaching knee-length would be ideal.
A slinky sheath dress is the ultimate LBD for the office. The clean lines and chic silhouette are perfect for work and depending on the neckline and sleeves all you may need is a blazer to be meeting-ready.
Obviously Cara's boots aren't the perfect office shoes, but this is a really cute dress that could easily fit into a business-casual office with the addition of tights and a pair of basic pumps in either black or a fun color.
A wrap or criss-cross front dress is a great option for the office. Depending on the formality of your dress code you may need to add a blazer, cardigan, or closed-toe shoes to this beautiful Bottega Veneta dress.
A LBD with sleeves is an easy choice if you're heading into work, virtually any hemline below mini skirt level will balance out with sleeves. And a dramatic shoulder like this gorgeous velvet Nina Ricci dress will make it stand out all the more!
And the best part of wearing a LBD to work? Take off your blazer or tights and switch up your shoes and you’re ready for a night out on the town!
Day-Appropriate:
Wearing a LBD during the day is a breeze, it’s all about picking one that suits your plans since they come in all shapes, sizes, and styles these days. Brunch, sight-seeing in a new city, traveling – You can easily add a little class to these activities with the perfect frock, dressed up or down.
You'll stand out in a crowd in a dress like this one! This type of dress could easily go from day to-night and she did a great job of keeping things casual by adding low-key accessories. Great platform t-straps and I like her decision to add the faux fur and leather jacket to stay warm. And that purse! 🙂
You can easily add a boho feel to your LBD with a cardigan or duster and layers and layers of funky jewelry. These boots are a great, unexpected way to finish this look off.
Adding brightly colored or patterned tights to a LBD is a great way to spice it up and make your look wholly original. I love love love the little white Peter Pan Collar on this Asos dress, it's definitely something I would wear with ballet flats!
Such a cute dress! The oversized pockets show you how little details can set a LBD apart from other dresses. And those shoes! Too cute - A fun, interesting alternative to ballet flats.
In my Real Girls Need Real Closets post I discussed the basics that a well-rounded wardrobe should contain – including the LBD. Similarly you can check out My Ten Essential Closet Pieces from Wendy’s Lookbook.
So what do you think? Are you ready to try adding a Little Black Dress to another part of your life?
Have a great weekend, I’ll be back from sunny Sea Ranch on Sunday with some great vacation clothes shots! If you’re interested in real-time updates, photos, and reading links that I’m loving, follow me on Twitter or Facebook.
And the Oscar goes to…
Did you watch the Oscars last night? Per usual, I skipped watching the show live and merely enjoyed the highlights online and via Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook after the fact. There were some gorgeous gowns and great tuxedos out there to enjoy though, I must say. What was your favorite look?
I absolutely adore Leslie Mann and was thrilled to see her on the red carpet. I think that this sleek Roberto Cavalli gown suits her slim frame perfectly and the color is very pretty against her pale skin.
The dramatic gold detailing and flowing train on Jessica Chastain's gown made it one of the highlights of the evening. She looked absolutely stunning.
Rose Byrne is someone who I'm really enjoying lately, she seems to be trying out a new look and its fun to watch. I loved this black sequined Vivienne Westwood gown with the drop earrings, she looks beautiful & statuesque.
Another sequined stunner was Ellie Kemper, who donned a gorgeous bronze sheath that was perfectly complimented by her dramatic gold earrings, cocktail ring and clutch.
Gwyneth's Tom Ford gown was one of a kind. I loved the floor-length cape - SO Katherine Hepburn - and the cuff was fantastic.
I wish more fashion insiders did red carpets... Wouldn't it be a kick to see all the magazine editors dressed to the nines instead of just judging everyone else's looks? Anyway, Nina Garcia knocked one out of the park in this Jean Paul Gaultier Couture sheath. Gorgeous.
Polka dot gown? LOVED IT!
Octavia Spencer has been choosing some great Tadashi Shoji gowns on the way to this red carpet and the designer worked incredibly well for her yet again. Gorgeous!
Yes, this dress was very busy - between the ruffles, the diamond bow broach, the tiers and the silhouette, there's a lot going on. But it suits her somehow. Well done!
When I saw this Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown in December I knew it would make its way to the Oscars. Emma Stone has been embracing brilliant jewel tones lately with great success (remember the emerald Gucci suit?) and this frock did the trick yet again.
Rooney Mara looked head turning in her favorite designers of late, Givenchy. I like the uniqueness of this dress, yes there were other white dresses, but with her hair & makeup, the train and the intricate back of the gown, she was in her own category.
Stacy Keibler looked like she was auditioning for the role of the Oscar itself, but in the best possible way. Her Marchesa gown was flattering and fashion-forward, perfect for the Oscars red carpet.
Viola Davis was a vision in Vera Wang. This color is just breathtaking on her.
Source, Source, Source & Source
My favorite looks? Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain and the two visions in white – Rooney Mara & Gwyenth Paltrow. I loved all of these looks for different reasons and couldn’t narrow it down any further if I had to. Emma brought the standout color, Jessica brought the drama and Rooney & Gwyneth both brough the unexpected – gowns that were unique, unusual, and totally head turning.
And don’t worry my loves, I’ll cover the Oscar tuxedos and afterparty dresses in my Looks of the Week post later on today.
Happy Fashion Monday!
Looks of the Week
Happy Valentine’s Day, I hope that you’re having a lovely Tuesday. Not always the easiest holiday to survive so here’s some pretty to help get you through.
I LOVE it when Diane has a movie coming out. Here she is in an interesting gown from the Giambattista Valli Haute Couture collection. The black sequins fading down to a subtle grey print is really beautiful and I absolutely love the metallic belt - a GV trademark.
Miss Diane stunned again in a 10 Crosby Derek Lam frock with bright yellow platform sandals. I absolutely adore the unexpected combination of green florals and black & white stripes. Another interesting and incredibly flattering number.
I am really really not sick of the 20's flapper looks yet. 🙂 Anja Rubik was an absolute vision in shimmery gold & black Gucci at the AMFAR Gala NYC.
I love the combination of the slightly hippie, flowy maxi with the rock n' roll inspired cropped jacket. A great mix.
Joan Smalls was a head-turner in Prabal Gurung at the Runway To Win Fundraiser for the Obama Victory.
What I love about Alexa Chung is that no matter who she's borrowing clothes from (Louis Vuitton here) she is always completely and utterly herself in an outfit. She never looks out-of-place or like someone else chose her clothes for her.
Such a great dress! The sturdy grey tweed makes it perfect for winter while the chic belt and double-breasted buttons keep it from being boring and the slight flaring of the pleats is the perfect finishing touch.
Miranda Kerr was ready for Spring in an adorable floral skirt by Willow at a promotion for her organic skin care line KORA. Chic but sweet.
I honestly can't decide what I like best about this blogger's look - But I've narrowed it down to the skirt, tights, strappy wedge combo. Adorable. Accessible. Real.
Not sure how to layer for colder weather boys? Here's a great example of an unusual way to layer and keep things interesting. Very low-key but still fashionable and fun.
Something about the simple, classic plaid dress and the thigh-high tights is just too cute here. Paired w/ a fun hat and platforms, it's a pretty unbeatable look.
Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
I considered just including a few looks from the show in my Looks of the Week post for next week, but then I decided that it deserved its own separate post. Why? Because this is nothing short of fabulous. No, it’s not high fashion. No, it’s mostly not wearable. But it is a fun and ridiculously high energy show.
Sit back and enjoy!
For the most part I wasn’t terribly impressed by the ladies as they made their way down the pink carpet after the show, so I’ll just focus on a couple of stand out dresses.
Jacqueline Jabolonski is a great red number by Tom Ford and Joan Smalls killing it in Balmain
Julia Stegner has great personal style and I was excited to see her choice here, its fun and funky enough for a VS event, but still uniquely her.
Still want more? Harper’s Bazaar has the accessories from the show listed here and their exclusive behind the scenes photos here. And if you want a sneak peek behind the pink curtain, the Telegraph has a behind the scenes video here.
Now tell me the truth, who’s your favorite Angel? Its Alessandra all the way for me!
Sources for the pictures: TLo, Telegraph & Harper’s Bazaar.
Moi Contre La Vie 
