Oscars 2013 Red Carpet Report Card: Part Two

So this post is just to deal with the left-overs from last night's Oscar's 2013 Red Carpet. It doesn't necessarily mean I thought these actresses weren't worthy of the first edit, just that by 3am last night my brain had switched off and I was no longer able to type full sentences. Case in point: my notes next to Salma Hayek's name simply said "gack". I think that's the exact noise I made when I saw the dress and it still sums up my feelings pretty well, but never the less I wanted to offer my readers something slightly more profound. So here goes round two of my Oscars 2013 red carpet report. Let's go!

 
Yippee! Kerry Washington in awesome dress shocker. I was so pleasantly surprised she wore this Miu Miu number that I nearly fell off my chair. I love the colour on her, the shape is great, and the jewelled bodice is just the right about of embellishment without heading into Zoe Saldana-esque overkill. The dress was nicely accessorised with Christian Louboutin shoes, a Prada bag, Chopard earrings, and a Fred Leighton ring. She nailed it. I want to high five her.

At first I liked this dress on Skyfall star Naomie Harris but having slept on it I'm now not convinced I wasn't just over-tired and delirious. The floor sweeping number is from Ghana-born Michael Badger, the winner of the Red Carpet Green Dress Challenge. I like the bronze / gold colour on her and from up close I enjoy the bodice embellishment made from vintage glass beads, but from a distance (combined with the slightly strange peplum bits of fabric hanging off at the waist) it looks a bit like she has a worrying skin condition. The waist high split also caused me some concern - someone should explain to her that being Miss Moneypenny doesn't mean you're expected to flash your tuppence to everyone.

When your husband is head honcho of pretty much every luxury brand worth talking about on the planet right now ( Francois-Henri Pinault of PPR) and all you can hunt up to wear for the Oscars are some old blue velvet drapes and a bejewelled neck brace its time to start thinking about that pre-nup. For example what's the discount in Gucci post divorce? She's far more beautiful than that dress is giving her credit for and don't even get me started on the hair. I'm sticking to my original thought of 'gack'.

I like the use of blue and black together in this Louis Vuitton dress which is rarely seen on the red carpet, and I like the fact that the bow is off centre - very cute Reese Witherspoon. I'm not entirely convinced by the bottom half however - like so many trains this year it looks a bit sloppily done - but I'm going to let it slide because she's so god damn smiley and I love her.  

Bleurgh - this looks like someone ate a whole wedding cake made of tulle and then threw it up all over the bottom of an ill-fitting wedding dress. Just like Jennifer Garner's purple Gucci dress I feel like Kristen's gown by Reem Acra has been spoilt by some over-zealous use of tulle. Was there a sale on tulle in January or something? I have an image in my head now of people ass end up in the bargain bin at 80's thrift stores *shudder*. Let this be the end of it.

I feel like I've seen Sandra Bullock in this same dress at least 100 times now. Black, check, full length, check, all over embellishment, check. There's nothing wrong with the Elie Saab couture gown, I'm just not getting that WOW factor I want from an Oscar dress. I'm also getting a whiff of Eva (aka the widow Longoria) if it had more cleavage and a lot more leg that is - which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing in this case. I'd have LOVED it if she'd gone leg-bombing a la Angelina.

To see my Oscar 2013 Red Carpet Report Card Part 1 just click here and as per usual comments are welcome.

New Season Wish List from Avenue 32

When I stumbled across luxury fashion website Avenue 32 I couldn't resist creating my own fantasy wish list from all the new season stock currently on line. Not only is Avenue 32 one of my new favourite destinations for making fantasy wish-lists but its mix of brands (a mix of big names like Calvin Klein and Felder Felder and under-the-radar labels like Mother of Pearl, Calla and Mantu) is my idea of shopping heaven! 

In fact I found so many great pieces on Avenue 32 that instead of making my usual edit of the ten best pieces I broke up my choices into 'for work' and 'for play'. 

1. Stingray stripe pencil skirt, £455, Preen 2. Stripe blouse, £605, Preen 3. Leather skirt, £1,445, Marios Schwab 4. Earrings, £105, Gillian Steinhardt 5. Satchel, £850, 3.1 Phillip Lim 6. White crystal spot pouch, £450, 3.1 Phillip Lim  7. Heels, £630, Calvin Klein Collection.

 

 

My 'for work' edit features my everyday office staples: a slinky pencil skirt and button down blouse from of the moment label Preen, as well as heels and a handy sized clutch for after-work events. Meanwhile my 'for play' edit features python flats, wayfarer sunglasses, a breezy pyjama blouse and the perfect pair of distressed boyfriend jeans I've been endlessly searching for from hot denim label Current/Elliott. Those observant amongst you may notice I've included the same bag across both lists, a 3.1 Phillip Lim blush and snakeskin satchel, which is my number one buy for S/S 13 - simply because it would go with everything in my wardrobe.

 

1. Boyfriend jeans, £195, Current/Elliott 2. Pyjama blouse, £435, Mantu 3. Leopard trousers, £255, Thakoon Addition 4. Bracelet, £30, Felder Felder 5. Wayfarers, £300, Cutler and Gross 6. Satchel, £850, 3.1 Phillip Lim 7. Loafers, £390, Aperlai 

This is a guest post for www.avenue32.com. 

Red Carpet Report Card: Oscars 2013

The 2013 Academy Awards - the Oscars to you and me - are taking place as I type at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

My first reaction was surprise at how many of the dresses I actually liked - compared to my Golden Globe bitch-a-thon that is. Only a few stood out as not quite right, whilst the majority shone with effortless style. My favourite look of the night had to be Amanda Seyfried in McQueen. You can check out my full report card below for who triumphed and who could have tried harder.

My favourite look of the night was from Amanda Seyfried who wore a custom Alexander McQueen dress in a lilac/pink shade. On the red carpet she commented she could hardly breathe in the corset but it was so worth it to achieve the end result. Sometimes you have to suffer for fashion *she types whilst wearing leopard print pyjama's*.

 

 

I'm also so glad Amy Adams brought her A-game to the Oscars. OK so its not the strong shoulder, sexed up look I asked her for after the Golden Globes but it is a marked improvement and she gets points for trying in this frothy Oscar de la Renta gown.

 

I don't like this on Charlize Theron. I get that she'd want to do minimal to match her newly chopped off locks but for me this is too similar to the Chanel white column two-piece Anne Hathaway wore back at the Golden Globes In January. The top half isn't bad but the train at the back of the skirt makes it look far too bridal for my liking and the blindingly, almost shiny shade of white looks cheap not couture. For the record here Charlize is wearing a Christian Dior Haute Couture dress, Roger Vivier shoes, and some understated Harry Winston jewellery.

I'm going to say two words: Drag Queen. It's the shoulder pads. You can't wear huge 80's style shoulder pads and that many sequins without the associations Halle Berry. Obviously this dress is a Versace number, again its doing her no favours though I will say in her defence it is far better than that car crash dress from the Golden Globes. Does anyone else feel like Halle needs a Versace-cation? Maybe she should go to Armani-ville. I hear they have taste there.



 

Jennifer Garner wore a custom made strapless Gucci gown with some serious bling for the Oscars. What I appreciated most about her dress was the blast of colour after an endless parade of nude and white gowns. I'm not sold on the back of the dress though - is it must me or does she look like a giant sea creature with all that tulle going on? An anemone maybe? Also, don't even get me started on how she's colour matched her shoes to the dress. Whoever is selling this as a trend MUST BE STOPPED!

 

 

Effortless Jennifer Lawrence strikes again! Wearing a Dior Haute Couture dress, Chopard jewels, a Roger Vivier clutch, and Brian Atwood shoes she looks like the belle of the ball. I have nothing bad to say about this, in fact extra credit for wearing the necklace back to front and minimal make-up to show off her natural beauty. Jennifer has a very good stylist, that woman so deserves a raise for all her hard work this year!

Jessica Chastain was one of the first down the red carpet in this strapless Armani Prive dress, worn with Christian Louboutin heels, and Harry Winston jewels. I don't want to say I told you so, but I did tell her to wear Armani to the Oscars and not her usual Calvin Klein - giving her some much needed structure and shape. As a result she looks like sex on legs. I should like totally be her stylist already! Seriously I should be on her pay roll.

I feel like this is a version of Naomi Watts sent back from the future to show us what we'll be wearing when we enter into a galactic war in space. Kudos for trying something different to all the girly, frilly-ness around but its still thumbs down from me Watts.



Zoe Saldana's face is so strained in this picture I really do fear for the red carpet cleaner. Maybe she's just spotted Bradley Cooper looking like an absolute fox and realised that Alexis Mabille Couture dress is a mess. There is far too much going on here so let me break it down for you: A three tiered, three colour side train, a centre split, a corset, a belt, a bow, floral applique and sweetheart neckline. It was probably a perfectly happy dress and then some over-eager apprentice kept adding bits on like an episode of art attack. Not even the Neil Lane jewellery, Roger Vivier shoes, and Salvatore Ferragamo clutch can save it. She should break up with her stylist - I haven't seen her in anything great in a long time!



Lastly, not content with flashing us her lady parts a few months back, Anne Hathaway decided it was nipples ahoy at the Oscars. Maybe it was just colder than she'd anticipated, and yes the chest darts in the dress didn't help, but this silk Prada gown gave us a sight that we hadn't bargained for. Anne's dress, which she said was 'business at the front, party at the back' (beg to differ) was complimented by Tiffany jewellery which looked hastily added to somehow make it less boring. Most importantly this dress isn't screaming 'I'm a winner', instead I feel like I'm back to hitting the snooze button with Anne. I'm so curious to see the Valentino dress she rejected at the last minute - I bet it was way better than this. I also bet Valentino is so pissed off that they will no longer be exchanging Christmas cards.

I hope you enjoyed my edit, as ever let me know who you thought were the best dressed. Credit: All images from justjared.com.

Catwalk Report: Holly Fulton A/W 13

Holly Fulton's muse for the A/W 13 collection is inspired by guitar wielding, 70's art school rockers and seductive temptresses like Beatrice Dallas and a flame haired Poison Ivy. 

Slicing her signature geometric motifs across new shapes for the season, key pieces include collaged leather biker jackets worn slung over slim fit shirts and quilted leather skirts. Voluminous photocopy skirts take a different tact, featuring big cats, angry bears and venemous snakes. Other prints, including lipsticks like bullets feature on dungaree dresses and boyfriend shirts, whilst birds and lilies are screened behind a prison fence and an inky scrawl text. 

Key colours are ruby red across mohair fabrics and jet black across leathers and embossed pony skin, with key details include sequinned feathers and jewellery combining petrified wood, blue agate encrusted tops and natural pearls. 

Holly Fulton will next be on show at the London Showrooms in Paris at Le Loft from the 28th Feb - 7th March.

London Fashion Week: Day 2 Highlights

Day Two London fashion Week highlights included sitting front row at Daks before enjoying the Christopher Raeburn (pictures on instagram) salon show followed by the Jasper Conran catwalk. I finished up my day by exploring the exhibition at Somerset House, snapping some of the gorgeous collections, checking out the NEWGEN area, complete with pin badge machines, and finally heading to the Scandinavian showcase which housed a great array of Swedish and Danish designers.

Once again I got Sophie from La Fashion Folie to street style snap me. In case you were wondering everything is from Zara apart from the jacket which is Topshop - I am a high street girl after all! 

Accessory Alert: The Viktor & Rolf Bombette Bag

Viktor & Rolf is introducing the Bombette bag - the Maison’s new IT bag collection for the next season. The bag will be officially launched in late Spring but I'm allowed to give you a sneak peek of the new look now.

The Bombette range spans four different sizes - shaped in clutch, petite briefcase, tote and classic handbag - featuring the finest leathers including faux crock-quilting . Offered in black, Bordeaux, dark brown, red and forest green (I pretty much want one in every colour) all variations feature metal handle hardware with miniature Flowerbomb details - a signature of the brand in line with its perfume range.

Prices will range from 1,140 to 1,500 Euros and will be available from April onwards.

This Little Girl Loves: Wood Wood S/S 13

This season's Wood Wood collection is inspired by the "Summer of Love", that took place first in 1967’s San Francisco – centre of the Hippie movement, and the later “Second Summer of Love” in Great Britain around 1988-89, where rave culture and Acid House exploded. The collection pulls in elements from the two historic movements and is guided into modernity with a combination of tailoring and street inspired items as well as sports references. 

Subtle colourways like puce and brown tones provide the base, along with classic navy, antique whites, army colours and grey melanges. This toned down base is brought into life by blues and yellows and the unique prints: a distorted animal pattern, electric coloured floral's and an ethnic bead print.

Fabrics include two-toned suiting wools, crinkled nylon in block panels, printed denim, track suit jersey and printed transparent silk organza. Working with iconic styles such as trench coats, bomber jackets, wind-breakers and track-tops on both the men’s and the women’s lines all helps to emphasise the unisex look which is more apparent than ever this season.

All images from the Wood Wood S/S 13 look book. 

Catwalk Report: Jean Pierre Braganza

This season, Jean Pierre Braganza is inspired by geometry, tribes, sci-fi and fantasy, combining samurai silhouettes with utilitarian colour block paneling. 

Layers of nighttime colours like teal and black are punctured by pure white, peach and prints of intricate dragon scales forming a crest, a fantasy winterscape and an arrangement of circles and lines forming perfect geometry - a pattern in which every known shape appears. The print is also incorporated into luxe silk jacquard, in petrol blue and a black with silver weave, whilst silk and chiffons compliment the heavier winter fabrics like velvet boucle and laser-engraved white leather. 


Key pieces include a sculpted, belted wool and leather waistcoat, floor length chiffon print skirts, shirt dresses and an obi-belted jumpsuit with half skirt. Once again accessories label Bracher Emden have collaborated to create belts and clutch bags, hand crafted from Italian lambs leather. 

London Fashion Week: DAKS in depth

British heritage label DAKS kicked off the second day of London Fashion Week with a catwalk set in the courtyard show space at Somerset House. 

The collection was inspired by Charlotte Rampling's sophisticated and sometimes androgynous style with plenty of menswear references, and celebrated the art of the pattern cutter through plays on traditional shapes, proportions, and through folding, layering and draping. 

Heathered flannel, felted wool, mohair and suede fabrics were all in focus alongside some subtle metallic touches, a beautiful floral print, and of course the signature house check. The color palette meanwhile ran from grey to olive green, claret red, navy blue, rust tones and plenty of black, all inspired by the work of graphic designer Ashley Havinden. Accessories combned rigid angles with curved seams in wood, leather, suede, rubber and metal to create a contrast in texture. 

London Fashion Week: Day 1

London Fashion Week started today and I was up bright and early to view all the A/W 13 collections at Somerset House. 

I started off my day with Zoe Jordan and Bora Aksu (pictures to follow) at the BFC Courtyard Show Space, before moving along to the Savoy's ballroom for a presentation by Fyodor Golan. A Salon show by Jean Theo followed (pictures on instagram) and then it was back to the Savoy for new demi-couture label Gyunel. For lunch I met up with friend and fellow blogger Sophie from La Fashion Folie who kindly took the pictures for my first ever outfit post below - let me know what you think!

I finished my day off with catwalks from Jean-Pierre Braganza, where I had a great front row view of the action, followed by a celeb packed PPQ show. On my way out I managed to get stuck behind Caroline Flack so I'm expecting some paparazzi shots to surface soon with me looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights trying to dodge out of the way! Also spotted at PPQ were Dionne Bromfield, Laura Whitmore, Kate Nash and Jodie Kidd.