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Whats More Ear-isistable Than Giant Earrings?

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One of the things I noticed immediately during the Oscars were Angelina Jolie‘s supersize-me emerald earrings. Even the hubby, who rarely notices these things, was like “Whoh! Those can’t be real!”

Apparently, Angelina took a lot of time hunting for the perfect pair to wear for Oscar night, wanting it to be a real show stopper. Well, she obviously did the job (with $2.5 mil beauties by jeweler-to-the-stars Lorraine Schwartz) and along with Kate Winslet, who also donned large chandelier earrings, now started a fashion trend because statement earrings are now officially HOT for 2009.

Why? Well, the economic downturn is to blame (again), because look-at-me earrings can revamp a look instantly, so you can recycle an outfit and freshen it up with bold accessories – the eighties also have a big influence here. Think bright, glam and bold…okay, not flawless gargantuan emeralds, but you get the idea.

Other statement earrings seen on the catwalk were Chanel‘s Mademoiselle offerings and Louis Vuitton‘s colorful beads.

The Oscars 2009 Reviews: The World Dissects The Outfits

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By now, nearly every publication in the world would have discussed the red carpet’s offerings on Sunday night, and perhaps as a nod to the state of the world economy, the consensus was that this was definitely a somber night for Hollywood fashion.

Blacks, white and neutrals were the prevailing tones of the evening, with very few eye-catching colours stealing the scene. Heidi Klum‘s Roland Mouret gown in a startling red had the colour, but was a dissapointing choice as it just looked like it was chopped off rather akwardly in all the wrong places. Her hair also looked like it was having a bad day, limp and greasy. Slumdog Millionaire‘s Frieda Pinto was another one of the few who dared more colour in a blue John Galliano dazzler paired with Jimmy Choos.  I’m not a huge of of one-armed designs, but I have to say the Freida looked very stylish.

Here’s the London Times 20 Best and Worst:

The Best

1. Marisa Tomei – She looked toned, tousled and terrific in her white Versace gown with more folds than an accordion. Its one-shoulder design showed off her perfectly refined deltoids, it clung sexily and its intricate pleats were interesting not fussy.

2. Viola Davis – While she didn’t win best supporting actress, the veteran actress channeled old Hollywood style and made sophistication look easy in a dusky gold Reem Acra.

3. Heidi Klum – The supermodel displayed her credentials with an architectural asymmetrical red gown, split to the thigh (she revealed on one pre-Oscar show that she’d had to ride over balanced on one bum cheek to accommodate her dress)

4. Taraji P Henson – Her strapless Roberto Cavalli off-white gown had irregular layers that gave it texture, set off brilliantly with a statement Fred Leighton necklace and a sleek hairdo.

5. Sarah Jessica Parker – We would expect no less from the era’s most high profile fashion plate: a Dior Haute Couture gown in “barely mint”. Plus, we had no idea her breasts were so big, or high.

6. Evan Rachel Wood – Her Art Deco-style gown in pale satin and chiffon was lovely and romantic, if a bit white-on-white against her pale skin and blonde hair.

7. Meryl Streep – With her bespoke Alberta Ferretti dress, the actress proves that you don’t need a hardbody and a skintight corset to look sexy. Just do way off the shoulder, upswept hair and a smile.

8. The Slumdog Millionaire children – The boys in dinner jackets, the girls in party dresses, all strike just the right note. Not too fancy, not too uncomfortable. And – it turns out – perfect for an appearance onstage.

The Worst

11. Beyonce Knowles – She was smokin’ once she changed into her red fringed and sequined leotard for her singing performance where she put Hugh Jackman to shame. But on the red carpet, her black gown with swathes of brassy gold flowers was off key.

12. Natalie Portman – Purple-pink Rodarte, with criss-crossing straps on the bodice interspersed with what looks like hundreds and thousands. Colourful yet somehow boring.

13. Melissa Leo – The actress, nominated for her role in Frozen River, wore a Badgley Mischka gown in a glum shade of brown and in a style that announced “my dad took me to prom”.

14. Marion Cotillard – Last year she won the Oscar for her role in La Vie en Rose and won accolades for her Jean Paul Gaultier “mermaid” dress. This year she looked ill at ease in her Dior dark blue and black gown – a mashup of sequins, tiered net and regret.

15. Angelica Huston – Angelica, why oh why? You have the cheekbones to pull off almost anything. Almost. But a grape gown with shoulder pads and something growing up from the hem? You deserve so much more.

16. Queen Latifah – A voice like honey, a dress like a Quality Street chocolate – shiny, unflattering and wrapped round with some kind of dark ribbon.

The Oscars 2009 Reviews: The Scary and The Saintly

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Oscar-winner, fashion-loser Kate
Oscar-winner, fashion-loser Kate

With the red carpet still warm after the biggest night in Hollywood (and gowns, after inaguration night) , the first reports by the fashion police have come in and the verdict has not been a good one for Hollywood glamour.

We can agree that it was Kate Winslet‘s big night, after the English rose won her first Oscar for Best Actress.  Her YSL off-the-shoulder gown and uptight hairstyle, however, failed to win awards, and she was dubbed the “dominatrix” of the night.

Angelina de Vil
Angelina de Vil

They were also spot-on, in my opinion, with describing Angelina as downright scary in her Cruella-esque Eli Saab.  What is it with Angelina these days? In spite of having the hottest boyfriend around, an assortment of lovely, healthy kids and a kicking career, the Changeling star is rarely ever seen smiling, and is definitely going south in terms of weight. Sorry to be cliched, but I have to compare to Jen Anniston, who, was overheard backstage whispering adoring words of love to her man, John Meyer, “I really love you, every part of you”

On the lighter side, other stars donned white, cream and other saintly shaded gowns, some hitting and others missing in terms of fashion wins.  Penelope Cruz was definitely a winner in my book in her gorgeously embellished Vintage Balmain, as was Anne Hathaway in her elegant shimmering dress by Armani Prive.

2008: The Year Of Stars and Stripes, Saint Laurent and Sales

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In 2008, the words that spoke out in the world of fashion were Stars and Stripes, Saint Laurent and Sales. Stars because the fashion trends of the year almost always kick off on the 16th of January, also known as Kate Moss‘ birthday, where the erstwhile 30something waif partied like there was no tomorrow (and indeed there wasn’t as the party lasted 3 days) in her star-studded Chanel jumpsuit, with matching makeup no less. Needless to say stars, Chanel and jumpsuits were deemed stellar sellers for the year.

June saw the low point in fashion, with the passing away of Yves Saint Laurent, age 71, style icon extraordinaire, who pioneered much of what we see in fashion today.

The Stars made their appearance again, with Stripes this time, in the form American politics, what with a new fashion star on the rise, the then democratic candidate’s wife, now First lady-elect, Michelle Obama, whose statuesque figure and flair for style were a breath of fresh air in Washington after the boring Bush wives. Through the primaries (that seemed to last forever) and the interview where she charmingly said she fancied online shopping at J Crew to election night when she wore THAT red Narciso Rodriguez dress, the words Jackie O were on everyone’s lips, which in my book is the ultimate compliment.

And finally, one can’t deny the new depression-era feeling that is hitting the world, given the current financial crisis everywhere. If the past decade saw the words “excess”, “IT” and “luxe”, it looks like 2009 will be quite the opposite. Recyle, be thrifty and make the most out of the sales!