Archive | dresses
The results of the recent Academy Awards were arguably predictable, with “The King’s Speech” bagging Best Picture and Colin Firth and Natalie Portman walking away with the Best Actor and Best Actress trophies, respectively. One of the new things spectators watched out for was the hosting stint of Anne Hathaway and James Franco, who, many claim, was not all that stellar.
As in any awards event as big as this, there are winners and there are losers. While fans eagerly waited to know how their favorite films, actors, directors, and writers fared, there were awards of a different sort being given out, albeit unofficially. After all, what is the Oscars without its famed red carpet and the gowns that sweep across it? Let’s take a look at the lovely ladies who emerged as winners on the walkway, as they succeeded in capturing the attention and admiration of both fans and fashionistas all over the world.
Captivating Cygnets
Both Black Swan ladies made an entrance worthy of an encore. Natalie Portman, with her lovely baby bump, didn’t walk — she glided along in her purple off-shoulder Rodarte gown and Jimmy Choo heels. Truly a picture of understated elegance, she emerged as a winner on all fronts. What a memorable night for her and her little one!
Mila Kunis came in a lighter hue but was just as stunning. She wore a lavender Ellie Saab Couture gown with just enough lace detail to make her look every bit the ethereal yet striking beauty that she is. The gown did not look quite the same as it did while it was being modelled on the runway. I daresay though, that it looked much better on her. It was the perfect choice.
Timeless Elegance
For many actresses, their time on the red carpet is an excellent opportunity to make a statement about their personal style, as well as secure a spot in the international imagination. An image of perfect dress on the right body and with the right face can be stamped in the minds of both the media and fans worldwide. As such, a lot of thought goes into picking out the dress, shoes, and accessories. Unfortunately, some celebrities fall prey to trends and tend to overdo things. Others seem to forget their age and go for overly revealing or outlandish outfits, which often makes for an unnatural and even ridiculous appearance.
There are, however, others who get it right. Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in True Grit, showed teenage actresses how it’s done with her lovely crystal-studded Marchesa gown. The sweet 14-year old was such a refreshing sight with her barely made-up face. She hardly wore accessories, aside from a cute jeweled headband that didn’t come across as juvenile at all. It didn’t hurt that she was wearing a pair of champagne Ferragamo pumps with her outfit, either. Perhaps other young actresses should take their cue from her. She may be new, but she certainly knows how to shine!
On the other hand, Helen Mirren could give us all a lesson or two on ageing gracefully. Completely natural, with no signs of Botox or anything similar, she looked ageless in a dark yet subdued Vivienne Westwood creation. In her case, both wisdom and beauty do come with age. Very classy.
Hollywood Staples
While many of the usual red carpet queens were a bit underwhelming this year, there were a few who did not disappoint. Reese Witherspoon, for instance, looked like a life-sized Barbie doll in her minimalist, black and white Giorgio Armani Privé dress. She appeared both clean and regal, which made her a definite red carpet head-turner.
Michelle Williams awed us a few years ago with her canary yellow Vera Wang gown. This year, she chose a much more subdued color, and she looked both lovely and fresh in a jeweled Chanel Haute Couture dress. Cap sleeves are not very easy to pull off, but on her, they were quite elegant. Understated chic, indeed.
Amy Adams, on the other hand, brought a rich burst of color onto the walkway in a deep blue-violet L’Wren Scott gown and Cartier emerald jewelry. She may not have shown a lot of skin, but she did come across as elegantly bold.
One of the most consistent of the stars when it comes to being absolutely stunning on the red carpet, Halle Berry came in a nude yet crystal-studded Marchesa gown. It flowed along her curves perfectly as her Neil Lane jewels provided a subtle accent to her look. When it comes to dressing for awards ceremonies, it seems as though this woman can do no wrong.
Stellar Songbirds
It wasn’t just the actors and actresses who made an effort to look amazing. Some of the loveliest attendees were the performers of the night. Celine Dion’s Armani Privé gown was the perfect combination of structure and style. Now Celine has always been an impeccable dresser, but this particular look was distinctly classy as her streamlined metallic gown was accented with jewelry from Bulgari. An added bonus is that she’s been able to get back in to shape quite quickly, so it was pretty difficult to imagine that she had just given birth to twins a few months ago.
Another beautiful sight to behold was Mandy Moore, in a glittering Monique Lhuillier creation. With her hair swept up elegantly and her chic red lipstick, she was quite an apparition on the red carpet. Many media personalities and fans had to do a double (and even triple) take, scarcely believing that this former teeny-bopper songstress could transform into a perfect model of elegance. Mandy Moore certainly proved herself to be one of the top contenders for the best-dressed award, even though she was only there to perform.
While the Academy Awards for this year proved to be a bit predictable, the red carpet remained as interesting and lovely as ever. This is just the beginning, though. Here’s to more fabulous red carpet moments in 2011!
Photos via harpersbazaar.com and msn.com
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Venus Williams sure made a lot of eyebrows raise with the tennis outfit she already wore two times (last Sunday and Wednesday) during the French Open. The black lace corset with red trimmings did not look at all like it belonged on the court. Seriously, I’m all for fashion and looking sexy when you want to but I have to agree that her outfit just looks inappropriate. When I watch her tennis matches I want to see her play and not have to wonder what in the world she was thinking!
Apparently though what she was thinking is that lace should be a staple in tennis fashion. According to Venus, “Lace has never been done before in tennis, and I’ve been wanting to do it for a long time.” Ok. I have nothing against lace but don’t she shouldn’t be surprised if they rip as she dives for the ball. Furthermore it wasn’t just that it was lace but it was a corset and looking at her picture it is no wonder she won the match because Arantxa Parra Santonja would have been totally distracted by what looked like her butt. As for that all Venus actually did decide to go for that effect. In her press conference she also said, “”It’s really all about the illusion. What’s the point of wearing lace when there’s just black under? The illusion of just having bare skin is definitely, for me, a lot more beautiful.”
Oh Venus. You are indeed beautiful like the goddess that shares your name and I can only wish my muscles were as toned as yours, but please you can be beautiful, fashionable and appropriate at the same time. Let’s just hope for her competitions’ sake that she dresses better next time. At least we know that as a strategy, it works!
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By now, you’ve probably heard of this thing called the Infinity Dress – sometimes called Infinite Dress by others. I heard about it last year and even saw some friend wearing the dress at parties but for the life of me, I didn’t really pay that much attention. I was into other things and I thought that there was too much hype surrounding it.
Last week, though, a colleague brought several of these dresses to work and we decided to have a little bit of fun and tried them on. Well let me tell you – I got hooked!
They didn’t name this baby Infinity Dress for nothing! Indeed, there are so many things that you can do with it that you can practically say there is an infinite number of possibilities. When you buy the dress, you’ll even get instructions on how to use various styles. Of course, your imagination is the limit really. We had a contest going as to who could come up with the most number of styles…and guess who won? 
Anyhow, there are many designers and shops that sell the Infinity Dress now. You can even have one made if you wish. The dresses vary in color, length, and material. I think that this can be a perfect spring or summer dress (beach wrap!) given that the material is cotton. For something more glamorous – for when you go to a party, for example – then a different kind of cloth will be more suitable. Bottom line – this kind of dress will go a long long way. I think every girl should have at least one!
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Those who live in Lynchburg, Virginia or anywhere near the area, LISTEN UP! There will be a BIG sale this Saturday – something that you just cannot miss out on. From 10 AM to 4 PM, the YWCA of Central Virginia’s Prom Dress Super Sale will be held in several locations.
If you’re thinking that this is “just another dress sale,” think again. The shops will be offering formal wear from some of the biggest names in the fashion industry. How does Vera Wang sound? Badgley Mischka? Melissa Sweet?
And if you are salivating but shaking your head at the same time because of the astronomical prices that these designers usually charge, stop it! The YWCA is holding this sale to benefit programs such as Domestic Violence Prevention Center and the Y Gyrl Leaders Mentoring Program for Teens; and they are making sure that the average person can afford to buy the gowns.
The gowns that will be on sale normally fetch anywhere from hundreds of dollars to thousands. On Saturday, however, you can bring your weekly allowance and spend as low as $5! I am not kidding! Of course, those pieces will probably sell out as soon as the sale opens, but organizers say that the most you would have to pay is probably less than $100. For clothes made by these designers, that is such a steal!
Even if you do not need any formal wear right now, we all know that you will find yourself needing something somewhere down the road. If you’re anywhere near the area, do make it a point to pay them a visit! For more information, click here.
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I, for one, am NOT surprised at all. Anyone who takes just one look at David Beckham will know that this guy has more fashion sense than a lot of average people (men or women) put together. Heck, I probably do not even have ¼ of his fashion sense!
According to wifey Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice to fans), her husband is a great fan of dresses and that she consults him all the time. But wait – I am not even talking about what Victoria is supposed to wear for dinner. She consults Beckham about her dress designs for her own fashion range, which has met huge success. Celebrities like Danii Minogue, Elle Macpherson, and even Heidi Klum are said to be big fans of Victoria’s designs!
So is being a fan of sexy dresses enough to make David Beckham his wife’s (informal) fashion consultant? Maybe. After all, women want to wear these dresses to look good and make heads – men’s heads – turn; and if someone like David Beckham appreciates those designs, then I am sure other men will as well!
On another note, have you seen Victoria’s Fall Collection? There are 23 pieces – the dresses are there of course. The clothes have been described as stylish and sexy but demure at the same time. Colors range from cobalt blue to magenta. For more of her designs, visit her web site here. I might not be able to afford them, but looking and wishing will not hurt one bit!
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Women in Jamaica who are not model-slim are having a grand time, thanks to Tracey Woods. Her story is that she got tired of having to go to a dressmaker each time she wanted new clothes. Instead of having someone else make clothes that would fit her, she decided to start her own clothing line that would cater to full-figured women like herself. Hence the birth of Curvy Lady.
Woods started up her business with her sister, and they began with lingerie. Soon, their clients asked for more – dresses, pants, etc. Now, their line has expanded to carry all sorts of outfits from the casual to the semi-formal outfits.
One unique thing about Curvy Lady clothing is that they are not the basic blacks which are usually suggested for plus size women. Instead, Woods believes in the idea that plus size women should experiment with various colors as well. As a result, her clothing line is a mix of all colors. She says that the important thing is that her clothes accentuate the positive points that each woman has. More so, she says that she prioritizes her clients’ comfort, and that comfort leads to confidence, which in turn leads to a stunning look.
Her customers seem to agree with her, as her business has grown over the years.
What I am thinking is that I wish there would be more people like her in other parts of the world. While we have plus size clothing in many major stores, I think that we could use more of them, don’t you think?
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Do you watch a lot of TV? I really don’t watch much, but when I do, I often come across cooking shows with some of the most popular celebrity chefs out there. That’s how I came to know about Nigella Lawson.
More than being a genius in the kitchen – as critics and fans say – Nigella has also gained fame and renown for being one of the most attractive celebrity chefs. Me thinks that if she were to go for another career, Ms. Lawson might very well go into fashion.
I don’t know if you have heard about it – or seen it – but Nigella has been sporting a very fashionable look lately. Dubbed the “hourglass look,” the chef’s chosen style is H-O-T. It is not really new. The hourglass look has been sported by many before her, but somehow, she has made this look her own.
Nigella has Vivienne Westwood to thank for this new look, in part at least. She started her transformation from the kitchen’s Wonder Woman to a flaming bombshell with some really well chosen pieces from Westwood’s Anglomania collection. She did not stop there, though. Soon, she picked up a piece from Katya Wildman, and this is what did the trick, I think.
This dress has, in fact, become a best seller for The Dispensary, a Notting Hill boutique. I am pretty sure that you want this dress for yourself as well. If you want to take a look, visit the web site of The Dispensary. Just be ready to shell out ₤160 to ₤180.
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Tired of your old collection of dresses? Maybe you’re looking for something to perk up your wardrobe? One thing is for sure, whether you’re going out for a night with friends or an exciting date, a short cocktail dress will be perfect for you. Here are some ideas for that perfect little outfit that will give you some of the best nights of your life.
Calvin Klein Ruffle Jersey Dress
This jersey dress is made of blue silk and is embellished with ruffles. The hue of the blue is on the metallic side, and will certainly make you stand out. Take a look for yourself at Nordstrom. At $98, I am pretty sure that you will not hesitate to get it.
Maggy London Silk One-Shoulder Chiffon Dress
If you’re feeling like exposing a little more skin and attracting more attention, check out this one-shoulder chiffon dress. Macy’s has it on sale. Get ready for this – its normal price is $168 and now, the price is at $116.90! If that’s not enough to convince you, one glance at it certainly will. Oh, and did I mention that the dress is also blue?
Women’s Eyelet-Trim Sundresses
For a more casual look, this cotton dress fits the bill. Old Navy carries this dress in three colors – watermelon, white, and black – and is very comfortable. The eyelets and ruffles do add a feminine appeal to the dress. Here’s the best part – you only have to spend $17.99 on the black dress and $24.99 on the other two colors.
One of these three choices should be a welcome addition to your wardrobe.
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4. March 2011
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