Oscars Red Carpet Round-Up

I won't even go into the trainwreck that was the Oscars last night.  Let's just talk about the pretty clothes.  There wasn't a lot of high drama or risk taking on the red carpet, but there were some lovely, lovely gowns that deserve to be shown off (and some less than lovely gowns).

Anne Hathaway in Valentino, Natalie Portman in Rodarte: From the neck up--yes.  Gorgeous.  But that dress makes her looks like she has weird growths on the bottom half of her body, and that is generally not a good thing.  Also the material just looks cheap, no?  Natalie Portman, on the other hand, looks absolutely radiant.  I like that she went with something simple and flattering, but not boring, and that color is wonderful on her.

Givenchy Haute Couture, Versace: Now, Anne wore like 15 gowns throughout the ceremony as one of the main hosts.  Some of them were prettier than others.  For instance, this white Givenchy looks odd on her.  The way it hits her hips is not flattering, and while I like the concept of the dress I don't think it works for her body at all.  Look how much smaller she looks in this gorgeous Versace that she wore later in the show.  I love this dress.  It's venue appropriate and flattering but it's still a little edgy and sassy. 

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab, Michelle Williams in Chanel: Mila has my favorite dress of the night.  The pale lilac is very flattering, as is the cut of the dress, but what really makes it is all that deconstructed lace paneling.  I'm sure it's over a nude base layer, otherwise that would be a little too scandalous, but it manages to walk that line between sexy and elegant so, so well.  As for Michelle Williams, I really wanted to like this, but it feels so boring and sad.  Also not fancy enough for the event, no?  And it's not very flattering.  Girl needs a new stylist because clearly she's gorgeous and doesn't deserve to be stuck in such duds of gowns (see her Golden Globes dress)

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa, Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein: What I really love about Hailee's ensemble is that it's age appropriate.  She's not showing a ton of skin for a young teen, but she still looks cute and fun, plus she manages to pull off an awkward skirt length and a top knot very well.  Props to her.  I like the simple makeup and styling against the full volume of the skirt.  Well played.  Jennifer Lawrence made a risky choice going with such a simple dress, but I think she pulled it off.  Dresses like this really make your body the center of attention, and when you have a body like she does you can definitely work it out.  I wish there was a little more bling, but overall she looks fantastic.

Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott, Jennifer Hudson in Versace: Is it just me or do these two girls look much thinner than normal.  Amy Adams practically disappears here!  The dress is a pretty color and the shape is relatively flattering, but I wish she'd traded the necklace for a statement cuff or some earrings, because that neckline looks pretty busy.  Now, Jennifer Hudson's body looks AMAZING, but that dress...it's like a bad '80s prom dress.  The color is lovely, but it's doing some very odd things to her chest, and the skirt is swallowing her whole.

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Couture, Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana: I have mixed feelings about this dress on Cate Blanchett.  On the one hand I like it because she can pull it off and it's on-trend, and on the other hand it feels a bit awkward.  But it's Cate Blanchett, so she gets a pass.  ScarJo, on the other hand...I really wanted to like this.  But I can't.  I like the shape on her, but the fabric reminds me of the carpet in a run-down Victorian brothel in Paris.  Maybe a different color?  Also what on earth is going on with her eyeshadow?  Ayayay.

Reese Witherspoon in Armani, Penelope Cruz in L'Wren Scott: What makes me dislike this look on Reese is that we all know how well she can do the Oscars red carpet (see that little yellow Nina Ricci dress from a few years ago).  This just feels muted and a little aging on her.  The black/white combo reminds me of a cocktail waiter, and it all just feels a little flat.  I want there to be more jewelry, more sparkle, more something.  Penelope Cruz, on the other hand, is working it for having just had a baby literally weeks ago.  That dress is very flattering, the embellishment is both sassy and event appropriate, and she and Javier are just SO CUTE.  I hope I look that good after just having a baby.  Yikes.

Hillary Swank in Gucci, Halle Berry in Marchesa: I love one of these and hate the other.  Guess which is which.  They both have similar mermaid shapes and muted color palettes, but the difference here is in the detailing the skirt.  The feathers on Hillary Swank's Gucci just elegantly appear out of nowhere and then take the skirt for a gorgeous Black Swin spin, whereas the tulle on Halle Berry's Marchesa looks like it was randomly stapled on.  Hm.

Images via nymag.com.

SAG Awards Red Carpet Photos: Natalie Portman Flaunts Her Bump

Natalie Portman did a great job choosing a dress that accentuates her baby bump and her hotness. She picked up an award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for Black Swan. How gorgeous did she look?
I love that she's turning into a balloon and she has yet to walk down the aisle to marry fiance Benjamin Millepied. All signs indicate that Natalie will win an Oscar. The timing couldn't possibly be any better. After her win, then she can get married and all news outlets will preface her name with "Academy Award winning actress."

Golden Globes Red Carpet 2011: The Good

Without further ado, it's time for the Golden Globes 2011 Red Carpet: the good.

Ryan Kwanten, Olivia Wilde in Marchesa: Ryan Kwanten is SMOKIN'.  Usually guys on the red carpet are pretty boring, so I like that Ryan spiced it up with the red velvet bow tie.  It ties in with the carpet without clashing with it.  Olivia Wilde had one of my favorite dresses of the night.  It's so fabulously Glinda the Good Witch gone a little naughty--it looks like the night sky!  It would have been over the top if she'd done a lot of jewelry, but she kept it simple, just doing a spiky pair of Louboutins and simple hair, so it works.  Some people said her hair was too flat, but I think if she'd done a lot more volume it would have been a little too in-your-face princessy.

Amber Riley in Oliver Tolentino, Hailee Steinfeld in Prabal Gurung: How cute is Amber Riley?!  Her sequined dress is fun, it's red carpet appropriate, it's flattering, and it's young.  I don't think I've seen her look better.  I really like that Hailee Steinfeld actually looks her age (14).  She didn't pull a Miley and go for something insane and leather and strapless.  This Prabal Gurung dress is light and fresh, simple, age appropriate, and lets her natural beauty shine through without being boring.

Jayma Mays in Alberta Ferretti, Kevin McHale: Jayma Mays is working a fab retro look.  I wish her dress wasn't black, but the cut is very flattering, with just the right amount of glitz and detail, and her Veronica Lake curls keep with the Old Hollywood feel of the dress without making her look stuck in the past.  Nicely done.  Kevin McHale is another great example of a guy having a little fun on the red carpet.  That studded jacket is so on-trend and so fabulous, and it fits his personality.

Emma Stone in Calvin Klein, Leighton Meester in Burberry Prorsum: Okay.  I still don't love Emma Stone's hair color, but she does look pretty amazing here.  The color of this Calvin Klein dress is very flattering, the perfect nude that doesn't make you look naked, and the deep back keeps it from being staid.  I love that she kept it simple and let the fact that she has an amazing body do all the talking.  This dress on Leighton Meester has grown on me.  At first I was all "new trendy wife from Big Love?" but seeing how sheer it is and the giant slit up the side makes me think it's more fabulously on trend than outdated and drab.  On anyone else I'd hate this, but she's so pretty and has such a great body that she really pulls it off.  I wish she'd done a little more bling, maybe a shimmery belt, but overall, nicely done.

Mila Kunis in Vera Wang, Catherine Zeta Jones in Monique Lhuillier: Emerald green is the new pink (Josie and the Pussycats, anyone?).  This makes me very happy, because it's one of my favorite colors and it's so flattering on a wide range of skin tones.  This Vera Wang dress would be boring in a nude, but in deep emearld the pleating and intricate detailing really shine through.  The shape is very flattering on her, and it's high glamour without being too over the top.  I hope someone would wear this Monique Lhuillier dress!  Catherine Zeta Jones could really wear anything.  She seriously does not age.  This dress works because she kept the styling simple and because it fits her perfectly.  The pick-ups in the skirt and the opulent fabric are very baroque glamour, which really works for CZJ.

Megan Fox in Armani, Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuillier:  I like this dress.  And Megan Fox looks great in anything.  But this dress doesn't seem very her.  Don't get me wrong, it's feminine while still being insanely bombshell sexy, and flattering while sweetly retro, and her hair looks FANTASTIC, but isn't it a little girly for her?  Interesting choice.  I loved Mandy Moore in Tangled, and she looks so cute here.  This Monique Lhuillier dress is very flattering on her, the tulle skirt balances out the slim bodice nicely, and the illusion neckline adds a fun, modern twist.  Nicely done, Mandy.

Anne Hathaway in Armani, Angelina Jolie in Versace: Hello, shoulder pads.  Anne's dress works because while it's very sparkley, the nude hue keeps it from being too glitzy, and the long sleeves and high neckline are balanced by the low back and form-fitting silhouette.  Girl is like a tall drink of water.  And Angelina Jolie wore a color!  Crazy.  She was on-trend with the emerald, the slight shimmer adds a hint of glam, and the shoulder pads highlight her tiny waist very nicely.  Long sleeves are back!

Images from nymag.com.

Golden Globes Gowns

The Golden Globes red carpet is always a bit of a mystery.  It's not as formal or as weighty as the red carpet at the Oscars, celebrities often take more style risks or go much more casual.  I'm no Rachel Zoe, but I picked out a few gowns I'd love to see on the red carpet this weekend from the 2011 Pre-Fall collections.


Reem Acra, Monique Lhuillier: Black on the red carpet can be risky--half the time you end up with people saying you look like you're going to a high fashion funeral.  I like this black gown because it escapes that stereotype by having a young, slightly deconstructed hemline and cascading gold detailing down the skirt and bodice that really lightens up the overall look.  This purple gown is so statuesque!  The cut is very flattering, as is the jewel tone purple, and the richness of the fabric makes up for the simplicity of the cut.  You could do this with a statement cuff or pair of earrings and look timelessly chic.

Monique Lhuillier: This first gown absolutely kills me.  The cut alone is perfect--the balance of the sweetheart neckline against the corseted bodice and the pleating at the hip strikes the perfect note between sexy and sweet.  But when you add in the gorgeous, rich color palette and then the ombre pattern...it's so unexpected, but it feels so spot on.  That dress with some hardcore vintage diamonds...I might actually die.  This second Monique Lhuillier isn't as much of a statement, but it would be such a lovely dress on an older actress.  It's figure flattering, it's modern but not too edgy, classic but not boring, and it's easy to style in different ways.

Oscar de la Renta: Oh, Oscar.  Wow.  That fuchsia dress.  Wow.  The color is so bright and sassy that it wouldn't work if the fabric wasn't so light and airy, and the cut so simple but unique.  The thigh-high slit is very sexy, but the modest neckline keeps it all from being too exposed, and the hint of bling at the waist gives it a much needed bit of glamour.  This red gown is so classic screen siren.  I'd love to see it on Christina Hendricks.  She could totally rock it.  The red hue makes a statement all in itself, but the classic fishtail silhouette is so va-va-voom and flattering that it doesn't feel retro or stuck in the past.

Pucci, J. Mendel: I would love to see a pregnant celeb in this Pucci dress.  It's the kind of silhouette you can't wear unless you are pregnant or mind having people think you're pregnant.  The cut is so easy and light, the fabric drapes perfectly, and the print isn't too crazy for the red carpet, but has an interestingly earthy, almost tribal vibe that we don't see often.  This J. Mendel dress hits on a recurring trend, the half-gown, but in a much more subtle, chic way.  The asymmetrical hemline in the front makes it a fresh take on the look, and the sliced and pleated chiffon gives it an organic but modern and minimalist feel that would work really nicely on a young starlet (and you need to be a young starlet to have the legs for this dress).

All images via style.com.

Emma Stone's New Look

So.  Emma Stone dyed her hair blonde.  Just as a refresher, this is what she normally looks like.


And this is what she looks like now.  Apparently it's for her new role in the Spiderman remake (really?  another one?), but I kind of makes me sad to see someone with such a unique (albeit dyed) hair color go plain old Hollywood blonde.  She pulls it off nicely and her eyes look fab her, but it just doesn't feel as special as the red hair did.

Image from glamour.com.

Black Swan

This is Natalie Portman at the Black Swan premiere/a Black Swan press event--it's a little ambiguous.  Either way, girl looks fab.  


I love the loose, bombshell hair with the vampy red lip, and how all of that works because she keep the eyes pretty bare.  I love the (Rodarte?) dress with it's partially sheer neckline and interesting bodice detailing, and I really, REALLY love the clutch that's made to look like Lolita.  On first glance you're all, did she bring a book to the premiere of her own movie?  Did she think it would be that boring?  And then you're like, WAIT, it has a clasp.  Omg.  It's a clutch.  It's a little offbeat, but she's a little offbeat, so I think it works.  What do you all think?

Image from glamour.com.

Loving the Look: Leighton Meester

Here's Leighton Meester at an Herbal Essences event (it still surprises me that of all the Gossip Girl actresses they didn't pick Blake Lively.  Girl has HAIR).  Her hair looks suitably fabulous, I'm loving the soft smokey eye, but what I really want to talk about is her Versus dress.

HOW ADORABLE IS IT?!  The bodice is modest, but in an interesting and fresh way, the mixture of textures keeps the black from feeling staid, and the kicky short skirt gives it all a young and fun twist.  I'm even willing to forgive the shoes, as long as that dress makes its way into my closet while I'm sleeping tonight.  

Image from gofugyourself.com.

Inspired by: Rachel Zoe

So in honor of the return of The Rachel Zoe Project, aka the most awesomely hilarious show of all time, I rounded up a few pieces that reminded me of Rachel's style.  They're a little more affordable than what Rachel wears, but still not cheap.  Her signature style is crazy intense platforms, big, bold jewelry, and voluminous maxi dresses.

Dar-Ti Dawn Long Dress, $300 at shopbop.com, Torn by Ronny Kobo Vanessa Twist Cosmic Long Dress, $319 at shopbop.com, Burberry Prorsum Knotted Leather Sandals, $795 at net-a-porter.com: I think Rachel wears floor-length, long-sleeved maxi dress like 80% of the time on the show, so I picked a more neutral and a louder, more festive incarnation of that look.  The white dress is a silky jersey, and has a deep-v in the back for that pop of drama.  I could see Rachel wearing this with a giant pendant necklace and a thin gold belt.  The vintage-inspired print on this second dress is so RZP.  It's over the top and totally dramatic, but she could definitely pull it off, and so could you.  Since the dress speaks for itself, I'd pair it with a long, delicate pendant necklace and maybe a statement cuff bracelet.  You never seen Rachel without a pair of insane platform heels.  I love these Burberry platforms because the structure of the heels balances out the organic, ropey straps, and they're in a versatile, neutral hue, but at the same time they make such a statement.

Miu Miu Patent-Leather Peep Toe Pumps, $670 at net-a-porter.com, YSL Arty Ring, $195 at net-a-porter.com, House of Harlow 1960 Cabochon Bangle, $150 at shopbop.com: These Miu Miu heels KILL ME.  I DIE.  They're super girly, have an almost 6 inch heel, and have this awesome, girly twist on the traditional Oxford.  All that style is tempered nicely by the neutral color palette.  Rachel always goes crazy with the jewelry, piling on vintage-inspired, dramatic pieces.  This YSL ring is perfect, because it has a pop of retro color, and has an organic feel that RZP really goes for.  As for bracelets, we always see her piling on at least three bangles, and I think she'd love her old BFF's (Nicole Richie's) Mad Men-esque bangles.  The simplicity of the bangle works really nicely with the high impact of all those different sizes of black stones.

Image Sources:
Dar-Ti dress: shopbop.com, Ronny Kobo dress: shopbop.com, Burberry heels: net-a-porter.com, Miu Miu heels: net-a-porter.com, YSL ring: net-a-porter.com, House of Harlow bangle: shopbop.com.

Monday Ramble

It's Monday.  My brain is still adjusting to that evil fact.  So here's a ramble of the things that caught my attention today.

Megan Fox at the Teen Choice Awards: Megan Fox in the new Rihanna video?  Odd.  Megan Fox in this Balenciaga-inspired outfit on the red carpet?  Awesome.  I really like how she toned down the usual bombshell look she goes for and instead went for something casual and elegant.  The draped, high-waisted skirt is very Balenciaga 2009, and the short hemline contrasts well with the high-neckline.  Overall, it's a really flattering, refreshing ensemble, and those shoes...omnomnom.

Marc Jacobs Paradise Rio Bowler, $995 at barneys.com: I'm not generally a fan of Marc Jacobs bags.  Often they're so trend-driven and even (gasp) tacky.  But this bag totally hits the mark.  The shape is very classic, just a standard satchel/doctor's bag, and the black makes it quite versatile, but the subtle details add a bit of a modern edge.  The rings at the ends of the handles, the tiny lock, and the side zippers liven this basic bag up to make it the sort of wardrobe staple that you're always excited to wear, because it livens up any outfit.  If you're got some cash to burn and are looking for a great workhouse bag, this one's for you.

Joie Claude Dress, $298 at shopbop.com: As much as I admire the kind of girls that can pile on piece after piece and instead of looking bulky, look insanely elegant and chic (see Mary-Kate Olsen), that's not a look that really works for me, or one that I have the patience for.  My favorite outfits are often composed of just a few, simple pieces that work perfectly together.  This dress is one of those kinds of pieces.  It's also the perfect weekend dress.  The silk/jersey fabric is nice and light, both comfy and great for summertime.  The blousiness of the cut is flattering and balanced out nicely by the short hemline, and the clean lines of the dress are softened by the cascade of ruffles down the bodice.  You could throw on this, a nice menswearish belt, and a structured sweater or jacket, and you have a fantastic outfit with the bare minimum number of pieces.

Images from: glamour.com, talkabouthandbags.com, shopbop.com.