Monday, February 23, 2009

2009 Academy Awards: Best Dressed

Below are some images of actresses who I thought looked great last night. The theme of the night seemed to be nude and pale tones (Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood), statement jewelry (Taraji Henson, Amy Adams), and belted waists (SJP and Miley Cyrus). Although I wish there were brighter colors on the red carpet, I was happy with the variance in evening dresses. From pretty in pink to avant garde drama, the actresses did quite well in the styling department!


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
Taraji P. Henson knows how to do it right! The Best-Supporting actress nominee looked stunning in this cream-colored Roberto Cavalli dress, her Fred Leighton necklace, and her red clutch. Her bob is really youthful and worked with the entire outfit. She was one of my favorites the entire night!

[Image Source: Fabsugar]
So here is Sarah Jessica Parker in a "barely mint" Christian Dior haute couture gown. I loved this dress and how she accessorized it with a belt. The bodice was very ornate and I loved the princess-like voluminous bottom. However, the bust killed me; it looked like she was going to pop out of it any moment, and I wish it fit her better. I couldn't stop staring at her cleavage (not in a good way), but the dress itself was very beautiful. I wish Miley Cyrus took this approach, instead of her all sparkly gown (see post below).


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
When Reese Witherspoon came out on stage to present an award, I literally gasped. I am used to seeing Reese in elegant gowns, but I found this Rodarte gown to be very different from what she's used to wearing--rather avant garde. I'm really glad she took a risk..and I think it really worked for her. The color, the bodice, the straps on the dress (everything!) was beautiful and dramatic and I couldn't get enough of it!


[Image Source: Fabugar]
Penelope Cruz looked like (and was!) an Academy Award winning actress last night. This 60-year old vintage cream-colored Balmain gown was stunning and made a statement. The lace, chiffon and ruching bottom was incredible and Penelope Cruz owned the look without making it look like a wedding dress. She is definitely one of my picks for top 3 best dressed!


[Image Source: Fabugar]
Natalie Portman was one of the few that showed bright color on the red carpet. I loved that she chose this pink Rodarte grecian-inspired gown. The fit was perfect and the ruched bodice was subtle, but definitely made a statement.


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
Meryl Streep knows how to dress to her age and body type (Whoopi should take some notes!). She looks simply fabulous in Alberta Ferretti. I loved the neckline and how she showed some skin, but it wasn't too much.


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
Marisa Tomei knocked it out of the park with this Versace gown. The train and the pleating all throughout the dress was amazing. She made the right choice with keeping her hair and jewelry simple because the dress was a statement enough!


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
Although I wish Oscar winner Kate Winslet chose a more dramatic gown for the Oscars (think Penelope Cruz), I was really happy with her Yves Saint Laurent two toned "gun-metal gray" and black dress. It was dramatic in its own right. I loved the one shoulder strap and the different textures of the dress, especially the black embroidered tulle. Her hair was very "old Hollywood" glamour and it worked with the entire outfit.


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
I didn't like Evan Rachel Wood's makeup or hair. It was vintage Hollywood glam, but I didn't think it was very age appropriate. Her neutral Elie Saab gown is pretty simple, but the bodice is so intricate that it creates an understated elegance.


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
Some people (including my mother) didn't like this dress, but I beg to differ. Slumdog's Millionaire's Freida Pinto looked radiant in this blue John Galliano gown. The neckline is unique, with the one strap over the shoulder and the one shoulder lace sleeve. I especially liked that it had a Bollywood feel and reflected her culture.


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
Upon first seeing Anne Hathaway's Armani Prive gown, I sighed because it looked so boring and plain. However, I quickly changed my mind when I took a closer look. I really liked the scaly pailettes on the bottom of her dress and exquisite beading. Lovely!


[Image Source: Fabsugar]
I've read some things about Amy Adams's red Carolina Herrera dress, and I was quite surprised about how some people didn't like it. Was it because it was red? I don't see a problem with wearing red on the red carpet. The bodice had beautiful black piping detailing and her multi-colored Fred Leighton bib necklace was a showstopper.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

2009 Academy Awards: Worst Dressed

I have been sitting in front of the TV for the past 10 hours (yes, 10 hours straight), watching the Academy Awards and taking notice of what the celebs were wearing. Don't worry, I'll talk about my favorite gowns of the nights, but I thought it would be easier to talk about my picks for the worst dressed first. I'm surprised there weren't that many red carpet disasters, but there were a few that I just didn't like. Here they are in no particular order:


[photo: Fabsugar]
Amanda Seyfried from the movie Mama Mia! in a Valentino gown. I don't think this dress does justice for her body shape and it didn't work for her. The hem is cut out weird, and her shoes don't go with the dress. I think this dress belongs to someone who is older, and I wish she went with a different outfit.


[photo: Fabsugar]
Well, I give it to Beyonce for not wearing any jewelry with this fishtail dress, because that would have made it even worse. I really didn't like it...maybe it was the silhouette of the dress and the gold print, or a combination of both? Beyonce has a beautiful and curvy body, and I don't think this dress flattered her at all. If anything, it made her appear bigger than she really is.


[photo: Fabsugar]
I am so disappointed that Heidi Klum's outfit is on my "worst dressed" list. I love her, and I usually love what she wears, but I don't know what happened! Heidi wore a dress by Roland Mouret and I admit, I like the unique neckline and her stacked bracelets, but that's about it. Her red shoes were too "matchy matchy" for me, and I think the dramatic slit killed the outfit.


[photo: Fabsugar]
Oh Sophia Loren...she is so beautiful and elegant, but I have to mention her tan. She looks like Valentino--orange! It looks really leathery and unhealthy (it was really obvious on the television)! I don't like the color of her Armani dress, it didn't match her skin tone, and I wish she stuck to darker colors. I didn't like how there were puffy sleeves and arm sleeves--yes, there were two different types of sleeves on the dress.


[photo: Fabsugar]
I am really iffy on this Zuhair Murad dress on Miley Cyrus. I loved the detailing of the dress--it looks really intricate, but I think it is borderline too much. The dress itself is beautiful, but I wish there was less beading, etc on the petals of the dress. Miley's hair and makeup is good (youthful and age appropriate), but that was my only complaint about the dress--to have less beading on the petals. I know it's not enough to be "worst dressed" but it wasn't my favorite and I had to talk about it!


[photo: Fabsugar]
I don't know why a lot of people have commended Tilda Swinton for being "fashion forward" because every award show that I've seen her in, she fails to impress me. Both her top and bottom are Lanvin, and although I loved her top and bottom separately, I wouldn't put them together. Her blouse has that beautiful draping effect and the skirt is adorned with beautiful ruffles, but when styled together, it's lost in translation for me. I can't stand her hair color--it matches her top too much, and I wish her hair was a dark brown. She's already pale, and having that hair color really washes her out and makes her look tired.


[photo: Fabsugar]
Although I'm a fan of Prada, I'm not a fan of Jessica Biel in this Prada dress. I think her makeup and earrings were appropriate, but when I saw her hair on tv, I honestly thought that the wind must have put her hair out of place. It was messy, and it looked like she literally rolled out of bed. The dress didn't do anything to her body, but made it look bulky. She had no shape whatsoever and this look didn't work for her.

[photo: Getty Images]
Whoopi Goldberg has never really been the type to care about her wardrobe, and it definitely is reflected here. It's a full length animal print dress with long sleeves. Need I say more?

Jeweled Clutches

This Michael Kors jeweled clutch is gorgeous, but it will set you back about $800! I recently went through my mom's closet, and found so many plain clutches. She didn't want to give them all away, because clutches never go out of style, and you never know when you need them! I also found these great brooches in her closet and started pinning them on the clutches...and BAM! These plain bags have now been transformed into an updated and fashionable clutch! Depending on the brooch you choose, it can be an evening clutch or you can wear it with basic jeans and top. The best thing about it is you can change brooches and create a different look each time. Not only is it fashionable, but also it allows you to reuse your bags and brooches without burning a hole in your pocket! Just make sure you are willing to create some holes into your clutches, since you'll be pinning different brooches onto it. My mom had a red envelope clutch that was made of a fabric material, and we found it was easiest to work with. Below are some great, inexpensive clutches and brooches I found online and where you can purchase them!

Clutches
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