Archive for the ‘Red Carpet’ Category

1 Golden Globe, 2 Golden Globes, 3 Golden Globes, 4…

January 17, 2011

The Golden Globes 2011 were a tad underwhelming for me. No one person really stood out, no picture of a dress really made me excited. There was an overuse of black and some definite misjudgements so not a great year. I’m crossing my fingers for the Oscars.

Starting with the most successful,  Amy Adams in Marchesa, picture below. First off it wins for me on colour alone, teal is one of my favourite shades ever. The lovely laser cut ‘puffs’ on the shoulder and opposing hip are not too extreme but add a flourish to an otherwise classical shape.

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace. Lovely to see her in some colour and the bead work gives such a sparkle to this. The hair is a little too un-done for me and a couple of cocktails rings would have really finished this off beautifully.  However, she has come to have such a weary, bored look at red carpet events that it’s hard to feel the wow factor.

January Jones in Versace. Wow, this is a whole lotta look, but I like it. She’s done her Mad Men hair which for me is how she looks best but added some major cleavage which makes it super sexy. It’s somewhat ‘in your face’ but because she has that ice-queen super high maintance feel I think it looks great.

Emma Stone in Calvin Klein. This so shouldn’t work yet it so does.  Totally simple and grown-up, sexily understated and kept clean with simple hair and accessories. I have no idea who she is but top marks.

Mila Kunis in Vera Wang. She’s playing it pretty safe with the one shoulder dress which was a prevalent look on the red carpet, but it’s a stunning colour and I like the texture changes all over the dress. I think some amazing gold earrings would make it slightly younger and more modern.


Leighton Meester in Burberry Prorsum. It’s different, I’ll give her that, and I commend her for always picking something slightly unexpected. I like the pattern in the beige, the long sleeves and the tassle bag. She managed to make it look not too old with fresh make-up and tousled hair.

Olivia Wilde in Marchesa. Why oh why ruin it with those shoes?? Lovely fifties shape, relaxed hair and beautiful subtle sparkle….why would anyone add brittle gold spiky platform Louboutins? They look cheap and totally out of place, though clearly she’s thrilled with them.

Tilda Swinton in Jil Sander. Well, she sticks to her style and I like it. It’s suprisingly feminine for her and a good choice from a rather limited Jil Sander collection this year. I like the brushed back hair and slick white shirt, it looks British, cool and in control.

Hailey Steinfeld in Prabal Gurung. I think dressing a new young starlet for awards is a tough job: you don’t want them looking like mutton dressed as lamb (Miley Cyrus anyone??) but also you need to find something that doesn’t make them look like their mother chose it. This is perfect. It’s not too figure-hugging and still creates a nice shape, it’s not too loud and yet the white makes her look angelic, the hair’s not too done but frames her face. Lovely.

Anne Hathaway in Giorgio Armani. It’s quite different from what she normally goes for and  perhaps a little too grown up for someone so fresh faced but I like the beading, it’s got a lot of texture and of course the scoop back gives it a nice sexiness. Good hair too.

Now for the so-so’s:

Sandra Bullock in Jenny Packham. Whoever did that to her hair should be ashamed! It looks SO bad. It’s very top heavy, as if she’s got a toupee in a darker colour just on the crown of her head which is such a shame because the dress is so pretty with its intricate beading and lovely understated colour.  Disappointing because I love her!

Heidi Klum in Marc Jacobs. Because it’s Mark Jacobs my first thought is to rebel but I’m trying to be open-minded and she does stand out from the crowd and it does make a statement…but she does need her roots done.

And the bad:

Eva Longoria in Zac Posen. A Spanish widow in mourning? No? An opera singer in mourning? No? A Jackie Collins heroine in mourning? Still no? Well then I have no idea what this look was going for. Her breasts are bizarrely pushed up and apart and she looks like the base of a lamp waiting for its shade.

Halle Berry in Nina Ricci and Halle, it’s bad! It makes her breasts look massive (not in a good way) and her legs super short. It looks as if someone draped a little bit of black chiffon around a Victoria Secrets nightie, topped off with two Wonder Woman diamond cuffs which totally don’t work. Surely dating a Frenchman should give her more style that this? Non??

Michelle Williams in Valentino. This is probably the biggest offender of the evening. For Cannes and the premieres for her film she’s been looking great, what went wrong here? It looks as though she’s just had a baby and retired to a mountain retreat to recover. Daisies are an absolute no no for any red carpet event and the hideous straps just top off a totally matronly and frankly offensive outfit. Fire the stylist.

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta. Do you think people will notice me if I wear a huge pink dress? Do you think people will forget I was a total b**** for snubbing poor little True Grit’s Hailey? Do you think if I smile super big people will think I look like Penelope Cruz? What was she thinking? She’s young and massively popular right now because of Glee, why step out in something like this?

Julianne Moore in Lanvin. Ouch. Did no one tell her she’d have to sit in a car and therefore scrumple the dress before the photos? Did no one tell her that fluorescent pink really doesn’t work for her? Did no one tell her that the gold half necklace thing looks as though it’s strangling her? Isn’t this what children are for? To say, mummy, you look totally ridiculous, like a used napkin from a 5 year old’s princess  party.

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad. She is way too hot for this outfit. She looks like a winter bride. Totally not her typical fashion outlook. She has come along way from Jenny from the Block so why go back to mail order fashion?

Scarlett Johansson in Elie Saab. If you’re young, newly single and world renowned for your hotness, would you pick this dress? I didn’t think so. It makes her look shorter than necessary, gives her quarterback shoulders and surely the sleeves are more typical of middle-aged women who don’t want to show their arms. Also, what colour is her hair? Is she between blonde and brown? A wasted opportunity but perhaps she doesn’t mind.

Natalie Portman in Victor&Rolf. One of my favourite designers and it’s hard to bash a pregnant woman but I’ll give it a go. Again, it’s just so middle-aged. This is a random look of pink satin all bunched up together with a too bright red rose, accessorised with a diamond necklace which really doesn’t go and makes her lose her neck and that space between neck and cleavage which adds much needed height. It just doesn’t suit a fresh-faced, young expectant mother.

Source: Zimbio

The Skinny on the Emmys

September 4, 2010

So I’m a little late in the game on the Primetime Emmys this year but better late than never. Not a bad showing, in fact I was pretty impressed with the styling this year.

Rose Byrne in Gucci to start with: unfortunately she looks as if she’s about to break down in tears in the photo below. I love the metallic strips almost like scaffolding holding up the dress, a harder edge to a beautifully draped white dress. The back also doesn’t disappoint with the lovely cowl at the base of the spine.

Maria Menounos in a Ralph&Russo custom made dress with 15,000 swarovski crystals is beautiful. It’s the muted grey tones that make this dress seem adult and sophisticated ….. imagine it in purple, disaster! The lips are a not too trampy red and I like the combination of cut out and the high neck, subtle sexy.

Lauren Graham in Yigal Azrouel. I have a major soft stop for Lauren after coming to Gilmore Girls late in the game and I know this dress could go either way, but it works… I think. I love the black and white contrast and the different shapes across the shoulders. The messy up-do looks nice and relaxed but I have to say the multiple rings and bracelets bizarrely in gold bring it down a little.  Great subtle slit as well, Liz Hurley take note!

I have to admit I had no idea who Kristin Wiig was but thanks to the wonder of the internet and  a quick IMDB search I find she is a comedian on SNL. Don’t know who she’s wearing but I like it. It makes her look nice and tall and the black feathers are a nice nod to the military trend that has been all over the runways.

Jane Krakowski in Escada, lovely lovely lovely. Grown up and chic,  I love the water like pattern running throughout in heavenly navy. A little heavy on the side hip but then it’s balanced with the opposing shoulder.

A quick shout out to Kiernan Shipka, one of my favourite characters in Mad Men. Often young stars looks so inappropriate on the runway but how cute does she look? I’m only sorry about the Suri Cruise heels. Great smile.

Kelly Osbourne in Tony Ward. This is how to wear black.  The great draping highlights all her best features, her figure looks stunning and the young simple make-up and classic pair of earrings are just right. Top marks.

Jayma Mays in Burberry in another great navy dress.  I love the texture and the gold accessories, however I don’t love  the over-tousled and backcombed hair. It looks too like the teased fabric of the dress and something sleeker would have been much better.  Great little clutch as well bringing the perfect amount of subtle sparkle.

Elizabeth Moss looking amazing in Donna Karan, I think this is the best I’ve ever seen her look. Great beige grey colour against her skin tone and just enough 40′s film siren about her hair. Perfect draping as always from Donna Karan, who does it better?

Claire Danes in Armani Prive, simple and stunning. The dress does all the work, looking great on her body with simple hair and bare accessories.  If anything the eye make-up is a litle harsh with the very blond hair but overall this works for me.

Carrie Preston in Makoto Takada. When I first saw this dress I thought it looked like an Erdem pattern. I really like this, great colours with her red hair and nicely wrapped around the bodice. I want to crop off the bottom and wear it as a summer dress.

Anna Paquin in Alexander McQueen…and I don’t like it, which saddens me greatly. The armour style breast plates are nice but then the bottom is such a distraction and makes me wonder if she has it caught in her under garments. It makes her look about four foot short and the clunky shoes  really don’t  help lengthen her out. The black satin also looks bizarrely cheap.

The Glee girls seem to have shared a stylist because they all looked awful. First Dianna Agron in Carolina Herrera looking like a net curtain, a lovely dust pink net curtain but still. It’s bizarrely childlike and yet Russian doll frumpy.

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta, this is how not to wear black. She looks like a widowed flamenco dancer. Oddly parted fringe and a neck shortening choker. Very bottom heavy and generally a horrible mix of taffeta and tulle.

Naya Rivera in Simin looking, well, bizarre. Nasty nasty hair and again so bottom heavy, she looks as if she’s off to Prom. It is a lovely colour but honestly this is awful.

January Jones inVersace. It’s different but it’s also odd. Strange shell-like cups with a definite hint of mermaid meets peacock with some food dye thrown in. I like the simple make up and dark nails but she could do better.

Heidi Klum in Marchesa. Is big hair+big necklace+big dress the equation for a hot husband? Not sure that’s how it works, at least they definitely didn’t teach me that in maths. The dress is just a little over-embellished and would 5 cms longer have been a bad thing? The necklace is also too much with a busy neckline, it’s quite Dallas which then doesn’t go well with the black spiked Louboutins.

Emily Blunt wearing Christian Dior and I’m on the fence! I don’t like the hair but I like the colour of the dress but I do think it’s abit bridesmaid but then I really like the swirl of beading but then I don’t like the odd lip colour…so in conclusion I still don’t know!

I really don’t know anything about this girl Nina Dobrev in Zuhair Murad but I will say two things. One, this dress is hideous, like a barbie dress mixed with sofa fabric and two, she’s way  too thin. 

And last but not least, a true example that even if it has a designer label runway outfits can go horrible wrong. This is Rita Wilson in Prada. We’ve seen this crystal overdress  thing all over editorials including on a British Vogue cover where it worked but it is so so wrong here, and I think Tom Hanks agrees. He has a total look of disbelief on this face. This is  not flattering on her figure and the tight hair and those matching shoes just don’t work. Prada for Prada’s sake is not how it should be done.

Source: Zimbio.com

Meet you at the MET

May 4, 2010

It was the MET ball last night, full name The Costume Institute Gala Benefit and this year celebrating the opening of the “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity” exhibition in New York.  All the guests are dressed by designers and it’s a real chance for the actresses and models to push the fashion boundaries and wear the most interesting and stunning clothes.  Some succeed and some bomb…

Kate Bosworth in Valentino. I love the water patterns in beautiful peaches and pinks, the shape is classic and classy and the hair is old Hollywood.

Naomi Watts in Lanvin, stunning colour and I like the slight clash in the lip colour. The gold accessories look great too.

Emma Watson in Burberry looks sassy and totally age appropriate. The angelic white looks simple and modern.

Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior. It’s a shame that it has full length sleeves as it is now May and warm in NYC but I love the sequins and the silvery colour, so scaley and stunning on the body.

Joy Bryant in Marchesa looked different and fresh. I like the tattooed quality of the flower details with the peachy overlay.

Thandi Newton in Vivienne Westwood: an amazing British designer on a stunning British actress. I love the purple and the texture of the fabric, so different.  The folds on the chest are typical Westwood and give a sharp silhouette.

Camille Belle in Jason Wu looking elegant and glamorous. The hint of pink lace around the bust in stunning.

Gwen Stefani in her own label L.A.M.B. I like the ethereal quailty, almost as though the fabric has drifted onto her body but then the black underwear gives it a harder more typically Gwen style quirk.

Lilly Donaldson looking simple and classic.  Simple make-up, simple dress but pulled together well.

Kerry Washington in Thakoon. I love the colour and the way the texture changes over the body with the smooth panel at the hip and the way the bodice is half-draped and half-corseted.  The sexy slit looks great, as do the dark eyes.

Changing tack here……..

Diana Kruger in Calvin Klein. Firstly it’s just too basic and it really doesn’t do anything for her amazing body. This is a winter white with the high neckline and long sleeves. It’s not flattering to her skin tone and it needs at least some  statement earrings or a necklace.

Elizabeth Banks in Gucci. Talk about killing a look! Now there isn’t a sentence I like more than ‘Gucci, gucci, gucci’, but this does not apply here. I like the dress but the tights and heavy shoes completely ruin it and I hate the curtains of hair. Just too heavy and maybe because I don’t really know who she is, it’s just too random.

Kristin Stewart in Chanel and it totally swamps her. Her shoulders are disappearing into the dress and the bizarre length of the see-through material is awful with the heavy shoes. It looks like two different dresses, neither of them good.

Gisele in Alexander Wang is the first of the model offenders. Now she looked so amazing last year this is a major disappointment. It’s tacky and looks like a raffia placemat and I hate the shoes!

Model offender number two, Bar Refaeli in Rag & Bone and it’s another tacky one. This is the MET ball, it’s high fashion and this looks like a dress you’d wear to a rom com premiere. She’s breaking the god given rule that if you go short on your hemline you need a more demure bust line and vice versa.

Claire Danes in Burberry, it looks like a cheap throw and the cups don’t seem to fit her properly. The necklace seems totally at odds with the slightly rockier make-up. It’s also a very harsh metallic against her skin.

Alexa Chung in Phillip Lim and I’m seriously unimpressed.  I love the make-up but wearing trousers  in a Diane Keaton throwback really doesn’t work for me. The jacket draped over the shoulders is so contrived. The Ball is a moment to go into fairy tale and be sexy and feminine.

January Jones inYSL. Mad Men has just finished in the UK so I’ve got withdrawal symptoms and I was tempted to go easy on the beautiful Betty Draper but I just can’t. She looks like a wrought iron gate fixed onto hot pink satin. The above the elbow gloves seem bizarre here and what’s with the star trek make-up? It looks like blue eye shadow and I don’t understand how that references anything she’s trying to do with her look. Awful, truly awful!

Maggie Gyllenhaal in Louis Vuitton and I can’t bear it.  I love her and this just doesn’t work! It just looks a little too goth bride and that’s before you get to the bin bag that appears to be attached to the skirt. I bet she would float in that dress, it definitely looks inflatable. I like the quiff in the hair though.

Malin Akerman in Temperley London is a perfect example of one thing completely throwing out the rest of your look. From the waist down the dress isn’t too bad but the thing that ruins the whole look is the hair. So messy, such a cheap blonde, the hair is pretty shameful.

Lastly, I really like these perspective photos from the event.

Source: Zimbio.com

Vanity Fair Oscars Party 2010

March 9, 2010

People seemed to have dressed even better for the after parties this year. Lots of looks I like and I think it’s also great when people change up their red carpet looks for something different. More work for the stylists!

Olivia Wilde old Hollywood in pale yellow, loving the hint of red.

Katy Perry looking glamorous and showing off her awards!

Angie Harmon in feminine pinks with a gossamer edge.

Salma Hayek with sassy hair looking great in reptilian short.

Gabrielle Union rocking a colour that looks amazing with her skin tone.

Kate Bosworth in floating peach fabric.

Heidi Klum is Bardot, sassy and leggy.

Diane Kruger in petticoat chic.

Source: Zimbio.com

Oscars 2010

March 8, 2010

Starting positive, in the middle some sensitive criticism, then ending back on a good note, how all lit crit should be written…

As she actually won an Oscar, let’s start with Sandra Bullock in Marchesa, a double picture because I really like the rose pink lips and slick hair. Perhaps I would have gone for a colour since she wears them so well but it’s simple and its flattering to her body. I love the embroidery and the nude underlay, she looks comfortable and classic.

Cameron Diaz in Oscar de la Renta, styled by Rachel Zoe, and I can’t quite believe she pulled this off. I’m so used to seeing her looking a bit of a mess, untidy hair etc but this year she looks elegant and as a film star should. The hair is similar to Sandra’s above, it looks groomed and sophisticated. The dress is absolutely beautiful, an Oscar for Oscar.

Tina Fey in Michael Kors, also looking good, the dress is elongating and stands out against the red carpet in a way that some black dresses don’t. I’m just not crazy about the hair, it’s a little high at the front and I would have liked a brighter coloured lip.

Kristin Stewart in Monique Lhuillier, looking beautiful in navy blue. Now she’s a teenager and the slight slouch doesn’t show the dress to its best but I love the layers and the folds of fabric around the bodice.  She wears her dress as her only accessory and for her it works. She doesn’t have much of a waist and the band at that point creates a more womanly shape. Definitely one of the best I’ve ever seen her look and I’m not even a Twilight fan!

Reluctantly on to the unsuccessful:

Charlize Theron in contractual Dior, but my word she needs to break that contract.  This has to be one of the worst dresses I’ve seen in a long time and for once it’s not the overall styling or the person not being able to carry it off, this is simply a horrible dress. Why would any woman want a rosette on each breast? It’s not flattering, it doesn’t highlight in a good way, it just looks bizarre. I really don’t like the contrasting tones of the train and the dress and the whole thing is just bridesmaid with Wonderwoman breast plates!

SJP in Chanel Couture and I’m putting two photos so everyone can see the bizarre nature of this dress. Was she feeling particularly bloated last night?? It hangs off the front in the most unattractive manner and the back view is no better. It flattens her bottom rather than creating a shape around it. I think it’s poor that you can see a seam or a fold down the front of the dress, I can’t work out which. In a weird way it’s almost mother of the bride. I don’t like the diamond ‘friendship’ bracelets either. Carrie who?

Carey Mulligan in Prada. She’s a Brit so obviously I’m a tad biased but it’s not what I would have picked. She’s a new face with a great look though and has huge fashion potential. I am generally not a fan of high hems at the front and I think on someone of 24 with lovely porcelain skin shouldn’t be in heavy black. Also for me with the intense beading around the bodice she needed different earrings, something more chunky and young. I want to style her!

Amanda Seyfried in Armani Prive: this looks like quilting or the fabric you need for moving day. It’s been well documented that she’s got a great figure, why engulf it in polywrap? And I really don’t like the one muted heavy cuff , much better to go with a coloured accessory…you can’t tell me that rubies, emerald or saphires in a fabulous modern setting wouldn’t have improved this outfit by miles! The hair is also not great, it’s so severe on her little head.

Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent and unlike Sandra Bullock, she’s getting a double picture for all the wrong reasons. When has a corset top over a skirt ever been acceptable outside of prom? This ages her by about 10 years and washes her out completely. She could have at least painted her nails! She also looks vaguely manly to me and for someone who can look so feminine and incredible, I’d like to give her an award for that!

Zoe Saldana in Givenchy. What a hot mess of a dress! I love this photo below because everyone’s laughing that she’s wearing about four different dresses in one. There is just too much going on here and for her small frame it totally swamps her. I like the bottom for its colouration although it’s a tad cancan, then the middle is like a pair of high waisted trousers with a diamond bodice appearing from the top. Moderation, you know the Coco Chanel quote: “before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off” … note to Ricardo Tisci.

Jennifer Lopez in Armani Prive.  She’s a whole lotta woman isn’t she?! If you are as curvy as she is, sticking a massive wave on one hip doesn’t exactly scream slimming, but I salute her for bravery. Her face looks Elizabeth I zinc white and I do think the dress is the wrong colour for her. I don’t love the fabric and I’ve seen her look so much better.

Some in the average/I’m not sure category:

Diane Kruger in Chanel; well it looks like Chanel and I’m sure it smells like Chanel, but I’m not convinced. Overly fussy with the whole dress looking as if it’s dripping wet and dragging to the floor. The black colour diagonals really aren’t attractive and just overloads with detail. But one does expect something different from her so points for that.

Penolope Cruz wore Donna Karen and it’s great to see a dress from this designer on the red carpet but I’m a little ambivalent. It’s a great colour and it fits her and it’s elegant, but I’m just not blown away. Is it just a little safe? I am however highly concerned about the girl in the pink gloves behind her..what was she thinking??

Anna Kendrick in Elie Saab, I like it, I do, but it just totally drains her. And it’s a tad old. I don’t like the slip with the lace peeping through but the details across the shoulders is very flattering but I’m struggling to find her against that wall.

And my highlight to end on as promised:

Maggie Gyllenhaal in Dries Van Noten, one of my favourite actresses, one of my favourite designers. Looking fresh and colourful, simple and sophisticated with a great bubble gum pink lip. Love the pattern on the dress and the drop earrings. I always expect quality from her and she hasn’t failed me.

The end. What made the  Oscars for me is that no one I care about wore Victoria Beckham…yay.

Source: Zimbio.com

The Grammys….Ouch

February 2, 2010

Well, I was really hoping to write a positive review of the clothes at the Grammys but people appear to want to be abused and ridiculed. So here goes…

Beyonce in Stephane Rolland:  I’m sorry but I expect curves and gold and sheen and pure foxiness, but this looks thick and heavy and the sleeves don’t flatter her at all, exaggerated by this pose I know. I don’t like the make-up either, the heavy black on the lid doesn’t work and from the close ups why, oh why does she have bits of glitter in her hair? I did that for my 12th birthday, not making history at the Grammys. Also, being really picky, but silver zip…gold earrings?!

Britney Spears in D&G and I have to say I saw this and laughed. I just think if you have people who allow you go out like this, then let the fun and games begin. She looks so conservative with the dark hair and make-up and then you realise she’s missing a dress!

Now I know it’s Coco Rocha and I have no idea who the other two are but they are definite offenders too and just because I don’t know your names does not excuse this threesome! I also know that Coco made this for her new clothing line ROCOCO…..but it looks home-made with the cheap material and poor finish on the gold underskirt, or possibly a costume for an amateur pantomime.

Just going to say this is Lady Gaga in Armani Prive…you decide.

Heidi, Heidi, Heidi, please, I don’t want to write bad things about you but you need to get a waist in this Emilio Pucci dress! A butterfly ring is so Mariah Carey and you are everything she wishes she was, so please sort it out. Also your hair is not acceptable, it just makes your head look small! BUT I love your shoes….yum.

Jennifer Hudson in…. I can’t say it….you can’t make me…..fine….Victoria Beckham. It actually physically pained me to write that. Firstly the tights, which have nothing to do with VB but I’m going to blame her anyway. They look like control pants in shiny black. The dress is so Dynasty and old school – this isn’t modern fashion. And matching bracelets and bubblegum pink lips complete one of my least favourite looks.

Jennifer Lopez in Versace: now I loved some of this collection when I saw it, but what does J-Lo do but pick the nastiest piece from the whole thing! It looks as though she ripped one side when she stepped out of her car. Also I’m so over mid partings with big hair around the ears…it’s so SJP and I expect to see it even more after Sex in the City 2 comes out, but I hate it.

Katy Perry in Zac Posen. I have some problems with this outfit and also kind of with Zac Posen…is it me or has he lost his way a little bit? I don’t like flowery dresses on the red carpet and this really doesn’t flatter her amazing cleavage!  Also not loving the colour and I know she was channelling India with a bindi but the clutch, even if it is an elephant, doesn’t go.

Shailia Durcal…surely this is why friends, boyfriends, mothers and stylists exist, to avoid this kind of painful disaster. It actually hurts my eyes. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.

And finally on to greener pastures….Sheryl Crow looked mature, sexy and stylish. I approve.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the Oscars and Met ball because I’m running out of ways to say I hate that!

Source: Zimbio.com

SAG Awards

January 26, 2010

A few highlights from the Screen Actors Guild Awards from an otherwise poor and badly dressed show. Going through the photos I didn’t even know who half of the actresses were, so I’m just going to do three positives and then leave the rest of the badly dressed women alone…for now!

Starting with Diana Kruger in Jason Wu doing a ‘Michelle Williams’. This colour really does work on the red carpet, it shines against the background and looks so good on her pale skin. The jewellery is simple and makeup classic with a  great red lip.

Then on to Marion Cotillard in Elie Saab; now can someone tell Kate Hudson this is how you wear white. It’s short and sparkly…always a good thing . Love the simple side swept hair and the asymmetry of material across the shoulder and bodice. A typical well crafted and architectural dress that we have come to expect from this designer.

And finally Anna Paquin in Alexander McQueen. Young, fresh and the way to wear McQueen if you’re not Daphne Guinness. This collection was one of the most highly praised from last year and it’s great to see it getting onto the red carpet.  The strong pattern doesn’t overwhelm her and the simple flicks of hair work well.

Source: Zimbio.com

Hold my Golden Globes

January 19, 2010

The Golden Globes took place on Sunday and as always there was a mix of the good and the bad and some which I am ambivalent about. Let’s discuss:

Maggie Gyllenhaal in RM by Roland Mouret and I think she looks delightful. A lovely peachy colour on her skin and great structuring and tailoring as we expect of Mouret’s designs. It’s lengthening and so flattering around the torso. It’s like origami all over the front. Great simple hair and make-up.

Next on the list is another highlight, Emily Blunt in Dolce & Gabbana, albeit looking a little bizarre in this picture with the hunched shoulders. The dress is a lovely pink and looks as though it’s been wrapped around her body with a delicate touch. I like the matching bracelets and the loose but not too long hair.

Then to mix it up a little, I’m going to go with a major miss, actually more like a group of misses…the Mad Men girls. I’ve never known them fail en masse, usually one of them keeps the standard high. First Christina Hendricks in Christian Siriano: so not the right colour for her skin tone or hair, which is a mess but not in a good tousled ‘done’ way. The red on her lips doesn’t match either. It just looks like a bridesmaid dress designed on Project Runway…oh wait…!

Then January Jones looking like a rich widow in Lanvin. I put a hair band on to work out or when my hair’s dirty, not for a red carpet. The dress shrouds her body and gives her no form. What part of her body does this dress highlight and flatter? And the bizarre collar is horrible.

And then Elizabeth Moss in Amsale, oh dear, this girl gets it wrong quite regularly on the red carpet and I feel for her but how can a stylist do this?? The hair is all wrong, it’s got to be sharper or ‘done’ or something! It looks as if she’s got no makeup on. The dress makes her look like a 14 year old trying on prom dresses but also it’s really ageing. Which I know is totally contradictory but it so does.

Ok, to right all that wrong, on to a goodie: Olivia Wilde in Gucci and I think it’s one of my favourites.  Although I’m not a fan of the hard make-up and the hair piece for a ponytail I really really love the dress, so I’m covering her head and just admiring the texture, the draping and the simplicity.

Diane Kruger in Christian Lacroix. I’m a bit confused by this, it is a little pink, well ok, really pink, and the white bow seems a tad misplaced. I’m used to her being in modern, fashion-forward clothes and I think this looks a little dated and rather ageing. But I like the swirl around the neckline and if you’ve got Joshua Jackson aka Pacey holding your umbrella, who can complain?!

Glenn Close….please, a round of applause. She looks absolutely amazing. This is how I want to look at 62! It’s so understated and simple and yet she really stands out. Standing ovation all round.

Penelope Cruz in Armani Prive and I so nearly thought it was Sophia Loren. She looks old.  After seeing ‘Nine’ last week in which she looks so sexy throughout, this outfit is a miss. She looks as if she knows she doesn’t look her best. I always think she does red carpet well because she has such class but really, with three different horizontal bands in three different materials, this is neither classic nor fashion-forward.

Kate Hudson in Marchesa. Love the hair, love the make-up but the rest… It’s like a wedding dress with a bird’s nest stuffed in it, but also trying to be modern with the draped corset and horrible white shoes. It just doesn’t seem very Kate Hudson to me (of course, I know her so well). I want something abit more fun and relaxed, maybe next year.

Toni Collette in Elie Saab looking goood. Super flattering swirls around the hips and waist. The hair is maybe a little too much like the colour of the dress, but overall I like it.

This disappoints me….Heidi Klum in Roberto Cavalli. I love Heidi Klum and I hate when she misses on the fashion front. She looks exhausted for one thing, her hair looks neglected, the dress is ageing and needs to be hoiked up (technical term!!). It’s channelling mermaid, an over-worked-didn’t-have-time-to-wash-the-salt-out-of-my-hair mermaid. And the bag looks really cheap too.

Sandra Bullock in Bottega Venetta: I am so pleased she wore a colour and that her hair is up but I think the material looks a little cheap? But then she is in colour and she wore her hair up! Maybe it’s because the dress is a bit see-through or a bit shiny? I dont know, but she did wear colour and her hair up, so who’s to complain?

Jennifer Morrison from House in Luis Antonio. Not really acquainted with this lady but I laughed out loud when I saw the dress so I had to post on it. The dress honestly looks like used tissues  and unravelled toilet paper in a very questionable colour. I really don’t need to say anymore, just gaze upon it and be amused.

And to end on a high, Drew Barrymore in Atelier Versace, looking delightful. Young, fresh ….. I love the visible corset and the beaded curve over one hip and shoulder. It’s got some sparkle to it, it fits her body beautifully, it’s classic and yet sexy. She has a great big cocktail ring and simple styling everywhere else. Love it.

And a quick hats off to Courtney Cox and whoever did her make-up for the the best ‘face’ of the night. She looks amazing.

Source: Zimbio.com

Fashion Awards? Really?

December 11, 2009

I saw these pictures and I just couldn’t let them by. They hurt my eyes in every which way. The British Fashion Awards took place on Wednesday night and some of the guests appeared to have got dressed in the dark.

Let’s start with the main offender…Kate Moss. Firstly a pet hate of mine is a hemline that is high at the front, long at the back. Is it even a dress? It looks like she’s wrapped it around her, leaving exposed bits of flesh. To then put a blazer on top of it all is just seems bizarre and the belt very much looks like an afterthought. The make-up also is bad, it completely wipes her out. If you’re going to do all black, what about a strong lip? Or a coloured eye shadow? Painful, really painful.

Next in line for cross examination is Victoria Beckham. More black, and striking that natural pose.  She looks like Morticia Adams. I don’t really understand the bizarre blue ring either.

Next Jerry Hall, THE Jerry Hall. You deserve better than this, we deserve better than this. This two piece looks cheap, dowdy and not figure flattering. The purse and the sheer tights are again poor styling. Georgia, her daughter, looks pretty good, which makes Jerry’s even worse.

Daisy Lowe, model/personality/who knows, seems to have had a fight with her cat on the way out the door. Her hair is a mess and the missing pieces on the dress aren’t sexy, more distracting. It also seems to me a tiny bit too short and more black is just such a shame.

Model Eva Herzigova also went for black…do you see a pattern emerging? There is just way too much going on in this dress, cut out pieces, the shoulders of an American football player, asymetrical draping and a hobbled bottom. Again, I can’t stress this too much, what about a coloured shoe or clutch? Is it also too much to ask for painted toenails?

Karen Elson and Erin O’Connor, a serious double whammy of top model and the over all feeling is disappointment. Love Erin’s hair but she’s in black AGAIN and she does look so amazing in colour. All the netting on the skirt gives it too much extra fabric. As for Karen, it’s nice but it’s safe and I do expect more from her.

Nearly there…Natalia Vodianova, I so appreciate the colour, you have no idea. But the odd half off the shoulder and hitched up at one side of the front is not pretty. Not sure the jewellery, clutch or shoes go either, sorry.

Claudia, you are model royalty and I think you could have done better. I like it but I don’t love it and I think as it’s the Fashion Awards, something more daring would have been nice. If she can’t carry high end fashion off, then who can?

PS. Peter Pilotto won Emerging Talent award. YAY, I love their clothes and I was lucky enough to see their amazing S/S10 show.

Take me to the Ball

May 6, 2009

I just want to talk a little bit about the the Met Gala in New York which happened on Monday 4th. Its full title is Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the theme this year was “Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion”. Now I don’t really want to write too much about celebrity on this blog but having surveyed the damage from last night I feel the need to speak. For the last couple of years I think the gala has been a real highlight of the fashion calendar. Designers have the opportunity to fit the celebrity/model etc of their choice which should result in something close to perfection. There have been some sensational dresses and I always look forward to seeing the pictures.

But this year I am pretty shocked at the standard (why so many trousers? when was a gala that casual?). I think it should be a chance  really to show fashion at its best. It should be interesting and inspiring, classic or edgy but something! This after all is not the Oscars, you do not need to play it safe. Anna Wintour holds court over the guest  list (she’s clearly loving Chanel at the moment, I’ve seen her all over the place in the black and white themed collection) and you would hope under her watchful eye that people would put on a show.  How did most of the Gossip Girl cast get invited??

So, breaking down this year briefly ….
Madonna in Louis Vuitton. Now tell me if that walked in front of you on the street what would be your first reaction?….

madonna-2009-met-costume-gala-012

Anne Hathaway in Marc Jacobs; who knew she was just cast in Dallas? Hair like that is not acceptable and the earrings just finish off the dated look. I do think the colour is beautiful on her skin tone though. I think it is a shame when someone so classically beautiful is clearly struggling to find her style. I know Rachel Zoe has been involved with some of her styling (don’t know if she did this) and I really don’t think it’s helped her direction.

anne-hathaway-met-costume-institute-gala-2009-021

Lots of people went short this year which I think is a shame, specially with dark tights (Jessica Alba, Winona Ryder). It’s May and a costume ball, with a theme none the less, so how can you ruin it with opaque tights and heavy black shoes. Short dresses have a time and a place but this is not it in my opinion, unless you’re Jasmin Le Bon who looked stunning in Christoper Kane.

Rachel Wiesz, one of the women I really rate beauty wise, looked awful. The make up is so exhausting on her and the tight choker really doesn’t look right with the dress. Would you have recognised it as Vera Wang?? It’s not good when the designer looks better than you. Another example is Alberta Ferretti, looking absolutely stunning.

224mxx1

004maz1

One person who at least pushed the boat out this year was Leighton Meester (Louis Vuitton).  Although leggings are my bete noir, I think she looks pretty fashion forward and interesting; it makes you want to touch it and I think that is a great sign. It’s also a lovely colour and great make-up which is young and fresh.

leighton-meester-met-costume-institute-gala-2009-121

Three people I thought looked good were Claire Danes in Armani Prive, Claudia Schiffer in Atelier Versace (I think the hair lets it down abit) and Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior.

052m2

048mw2

114m1

Deep breath in, long breath out. No more celebrity for me!


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 92 other followers