Met Gala: Best Dressed

Jennifer Lawrence (who did not make the list) and Sarah Jessica Parker (who did)

Punk was the name of the game last night in New York for the annual Met Gala. Despite the fact that some chose to dress to fit the occasion instead of having fun with the theme there were still enough outlandish, brash, in-your-face outfits to keep tongues wagging and cameras flashing. Several attendees chose to express the punk theme with dramatic make-up (think, Siouxsie Soux), faux-hawks and edgy ‘dos, or spiky, studded accessories but that’s not what this list is about. Spots here are reserved for those who dressed to impress, embraced their inner (or outer) punk, and let their ‘black flag’ fly.

Future Met Gala Themes

Debbie Harry (left), Sky Ferreira (right)

The theme of tonight’s Met Gala is Punk. This got us thinking; ten, twenty, or thirty years from now could ‘hipster’ be a theme for fashion’s most prestigious event?

(from left to right) Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons (1982); Vivienne Westwood bondage pants and jacket (1976); Isabel Marant (spring ’12); Kenzo (fall ’13)

While this might seem repugnant to some, comparing the idea of being a “punk” to being a “hipster” is easier than it may first appear. There is no doubt that ‘hipster’ is an identifiable style that can be applied to music, fashion, and general life philosophy – just as punk was in the late 70s and early 80s. Being punk is rooted in subverting convention and being untethered, defiant, and in-your-face. Being hipster is rooted in educated apathy and being ironic, sarcastic, and in-the-know. Both have achieved widespread mainstream recognition and adoption, which has allowed the masses to appropriate the label, the look, and the lifestyle much to the chagrin of its early adopters.

If one can look past the negative connotations associated with the word ‘hipster’ it seems only appropriate that, several years down the line, this popularized style could become a theme to be celebrated. Designers such as Hedi Slimane, Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez (of Proenza Schouler), Christopher Kane, Christophe Decarnin and now Olivier Rousteing at Balmain, Jeremy Laing, Olivier Theyskens  and brands like ACNE, Comme des Garçons, The Row, A.P.C., Rag&Bone and many others have successfully embodied and championed an aesthetic that is now referred to as hipster. Just like Vivienne Westwood, and Jean Paul Gaultier before them; these talented designers have helped to define an identifiable style that captures the look and mood of a generation. Obviously, as these designers and brands continue to grow they will explore different areas and move away from this moment in fashion and like many eras before it hipsterdom will come to pass, only to be referenced and reinterpreted somewhere down the line until eventually it becomes a fitting theme for a night out at the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute.

Best Dressed At The Oscars

It was a night of strapless dresses with long trains. Many ladies stuck to this style like a life-affirming mantra on Sunday night and while some were rewarded, it’s safe to say that others… not so much. Alas, this was actually the first year we thought the stage at the Dolby Theatre outshone the fashion. There were, however, a few beauties who didn’t disappoint our sartorial senses. WIthout further ado, we present the ladies who we thought stood out in the best way on Oscar night.

Zoe Saldana‘s tousled mane and elegant drop earrings perfectly complimented the intricately detailed bodice, metallic belt, modest slit, and layered train of this white and grey dress from Givenchy‘s resort collection.

You listened! We’re just joking because obviously we did not have a hand in dressing Sally Field in the diaphanous, red, long-sleeved Valentino gown. We did, however, suggest that Field would looks stunning in one of the Italian house’s haute couture creations, and we were right.

We love Kerry Washington. We wish that Vogue would add her to their short list of women of colour whom they will allow on their cover. Washingon, usually a fashion risk-taker, went for a strapless Miu Miu dress with (what else) a train but the salmon-red hue and the bejeweled bodice add a stunning twist to this classic shape.

We want to thank Naomi Watts for eschewing straplessness and a long train in favour of this strong-shouldered, metallic Armani Privé gown that is regal yet rock n roll and fit the Best Actress nominee like a glove. Watts can usually be counted on to wear something dynamic on the red carpet and she didn’t disappoint on Sunday.

There was a lot of white going on at many of this season’s the haute couture collections. No one wore this colour trend better than Charlize Theron in Dior. Theron looked luminous in this Raf Simons creation. The sculptural bodice, diamond accessories and smokey eye make-up made for a clean and modern look that was like a breath of fresh air on the red carpet. Also, how amazing was her dance sequence with Channing Tatum to open the show, loved it.

Honourable Mention:

Reese Witherspoon (in Louis Vuitton) and Helen Hunt (in H&M’s eco-conscious line) went for dresses that while lovely were too safe (read: boring) to make our best dressed list. Both ladies rocked similar, glamorous, old school Hollywood looks with equal success.

What are you wearing? Why are you wearing that?

We were rooting for you:

Jennifer Lawrence looked uncomfortable in her voluminous pink Dior gown. To make matters worse, she fell on her face while trying to walk up the stairs to accept her Best Actress statue. The black dress with pink floral cut-outs would have been a wise choice.

What in pink satin, 90′s hell?! Anne Hathaway, who had up until Sunday been hitting it out of the park with her red carpet outfits, was serving up some prom-reject realness in Prada.

We loved Amanada Seyfried‘s custom Alexander McQueen. The elegant high neck with keyhole cutout and the jaw-dropping embroidery made this a drool-worthy dress. However, the alabaster hue did not compliment Seyfried’s pale complexion so we had to rate this outfit a miss instead of a hit.

Melissa McCarthy, step away from the hairspray. The Peggy Bundy ‘do and the oddly draped, grey David Meister sack did not do the funny lady any favours.

photo source

Academy Award-worthy Couture

It’s Awards season! This means that a bevy of beautiful ladies have been gracing red carpets from Los Angeles to London in jaw-dropping ensembles in the lead up to the preeminent awards ceremony of the year, the Oscars.

We decided to look at all the Spring 2013 couture shows and select an outfit (or a few) for each Best Actress (leading and supporting) nominee to wear on February 24th. When selecting these Academy Award-worthy couture creations we tried to take a few things into account, including: each lady’s personal style, brand loyalties, what is considered appropriate red carpet attire, and our own desire to see a few fashion risks. We’ve tried to spread our selections out among all the designers who showed during Couture Week (but there’s still a lot of Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad), as such, this list is a cross between what we think each woman will wear and how we’d ideally like to see them dress.

Best Actress (leading role)

H&M Spring 2013

H&M Spring 2013 (coat/dress $149)

Spring is here! Well, not yet actually but true to fashionable form retailers are gearing up for next season. We were lucky enough to attend the press event for H&M’s Spring 2013 collection where the focus was on the 21st century bohemian women (who said boho chic was dead?). We fell in love with an oversized black silk smock coat/dress, a silver metal and turquoise bolo necktie, and a gauzy French-seamed tee in a deep burnt orange (H&M calls it a “fiery Spanish red”). We didn’t see the embroidered cropped vest (pictured above) but we can imagine it as part of our closet when the new season starts.

H&M Spring 2013 (Printed shirt $79.95 & matching shorts $49.95)

We foresee the appearance of the patchwork brocade Mongolian-inspired jacket and the fiery orange tassel skirt with elaborately beaded waistline in many upcoming Spring editorials. A pair of black stud and texture embellished leggings are sure to be hot sellers and the matching sleeveless LBD will definitely be popular with club-goers. We would have loved to see a floor-length version of that dress to pair with the loosely knitted, long-sleeve, sunset-coloured sweater the leggings were hanging beside. An over-sized white silk lounge suit (also comes in that same reoccurring shade of orange) caught our eye, but unless you’re built like a runway model it might be a tricky outfit to pull off. A white leather studded vest and a sheer floral print blouse with contrast pattern sleeves and matching drawstring shorts rounded out our top picks.

H&M is usually overrun with great products and Spring 2013 looks to be no exception. What we saw was a meer drop in the ocean of what they have in store for shoppers next season. We look forward to seeing more, but first there’s that Margiela collaboration we need to get our hands on.

Picking The Perfect Perfume

Selecting the right scent can be a challenge. Many fragrances smell wonderful in the bottle but add a spritz to your wrist and over a few minutes or hours it can transform into something else entirely. Are you a signature scent kind of guy or gal, or do you like a diversified perfume portfolio that allows for fragrances to match a mood or the season? Do you like sensual woodsy musks, sweet fruity florals, ocean-evoking air, clean herbal greens, Oriental spices, or some kind of mix-and-match combination? Are you attracted to celebrity scents, high-end designer eau, mall-rat standbys, or carefully crafted boutique bouquets? So many questions, so many perfumes, so little time – it’s enough to make your head spin. What it comes down to is that selecting the perfect perfume(s) is a lot of trial and error, so, here are a few tips to help you on your hunt.

2012 Emmy Awards: Best Dressed

Claire Danes

The incandescent Claire Danes looked picture perfect as she took home a golden statue last night for her role on the much-lauded , 2012 Emmy Award winning drama series, Homeland. A visibly pregnant Danes looked radiant in a vibrant yellow, strapless gown from Lanvin, which she accessorized simply with a few gold bangles. Edie Falco amped-up the sex appeal in a navy and white, figure-flattering Stella McCartney dress with a gold-metallic, waist-cinching belt. While Modern Family (the night’s other big winner) star Sarah Hyland was the picture of elegant, bohemian beauty in a pale grey column dress with glittering embellishments from Notte by Marchesa.

(left to right) Sofia Vergara, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emilia Clarke, Sarah Hyland, Edie Falco