The wonderings, ponderings and other 'ings' of me. Lifestyle, review, news and opinion posts. Chic with a hint of sarcasm... hopefully!

Monday 25 February 2013

The Red carpet

So seems lots of not brides to be wanted to be brides as there were TONS of wedding inspired attires at the Oscars last night.  It’s strange that for Hollywood it’s all over by end of February, however for the red carpet of the whole year the stars really stepped up their game.  Even my worst dressed isn’t that bad.  here we go...

Jennifer Lawrence: Dior Haute Couture

She’s lovely and it works that she’s friends with Emma Stone (coolest girl in Hollywood) and that she wanted to say Fuck when she fell collecting her award.  A bit weddingy but the hair, jewellery and face were all pretty outstanding.

Sandra Bullock:  Ellie Saab

Sexy, straight hair, amazing beading, very close to being my best dressed Sandra can do no wrong.

Salma Hayek:Alexander McQueen

Can you say neck brace? No doubting she is gorgeous and it fits so well but not one of my favourite looks for her, I feel like this McQueen style has been done a thousand times over, kinda blergh...

Kerry Washington: Miu Miu

Great cheekbones but hate the clashed coloured bag and it really doesn't look like an Oscars dress.  So not my kinda thing.   WORST DRESSED

Helen Hunt H & M:


Right so I have been to H & M and have never seen a dress like this and the $700,000 broach at the back is definitely not from the high street.  While it looked great you'd have thought she had someone to iron it for her!

Anne Hathaway: Prada

So she picked this 3 hours before the ceremony.  And it shows.  Seriously she needed to give this more thought the whole pointy nipple part apron look doesn’t work for her.  The growing out hair is not doing it for me either and the necklace was all wrong.  Should have stuck with Valentino (who she was supposed to be wearing!)

Naomi Watts: Armani Prive:

Very 3013 and she wears it so well.  It fits like a glove and was a risk which not many other people could (or would) take.

Amanda Seyfried Alexander McQueen:




















So weddingy but her hair and make-up is To. Die. For. Really gives her some edge would have been best dressed if I hadn’t seen…..

Jessica Chastain Armani Prive:

So at first I thought this was not good, colour to close to her skin tone but the hair and make-up were so 1930’s old Hollywood glamour and the more I looked at the dress the more I came round to it, definitely My BEST DRESSED.

Kristen Stewart Reem Acra :

ANOTHER wedding dress but this time accessorised with crutches (well its unique at least).  For her it’s a real good look but I just wish she had bothered to wash or brush her hair.



So there you have it, I geniunely don't have that much to bitch blog about this time round.  I mean there was Jane Fonda, but for God's sake the woman's 137 yrs old, she can wear whatever colour she wants.

If you disagree feel free to let me know though!
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Sunday 17 February 2013

A VAL-iant Career - Valentino


 In lieu of a Grammy’s run down (we all know, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Rowland’s knocked it out of the park, Taylor Swift looked amazing if a little on the skinny side, Florence Welch actually looked pretty darn good showing us her lizard impression and Jennifer Lopez looked like a tit – literally, with a nipple on her head) I’ve decided to dedicate my next blog to a fabulous day visiting my capital and hanging out with the master of couture.

The first spring like weather I have encountered this year started with (of course) a trip to the mother ship with my Partner in Style and some full on lusting after Mrs Beckham’s, Mr Choo’s and High Priest Louboutin’s creations).  The difference between Oxford street’s hustle and bustle with its cramped roads and pointy elbows and the tranquil serenity of slowing wandering around looking a pressurised forms of carbon displayed in ornate cages is stark.  We managed to bask in this relaxing state of being for quite a while, not even the site of a £15,000 bottle of whiskey could shock us out of our mind-set. 

After we had regrouped and dropped a wedge of cash on macaroons we headed to Somerset House.  This we knew to be the sight of London Fashion Week and obviously expected to see a few crazy’s wandering around.  The view of Mercedes week tents and sheer numbers of yeti coats, movie-star make up and bloggers in sleeping bag outfits being papped was dazzling.  Giddy as school girls at a 1D gig, we made our exit towards the exhibition of Valentino.


Though we had to queue (which everyone with prepaid tickets also had to do, though the ‘buy on the door’ line was empty?) and though some codgers skipped in front of us all cos they ‘couldn’t stand that long’ - I’m looking forward to trying that one in a few years) when it comes to exhibits, Somerset House know how to display their wares. 

Now, while I didn’t see anyone taking pictures (though a quick scan of the internet shows that some people have disobeyed this request) in a truly bizarre co-incidence, some images of the exhibit did appear in my inbox this morning.  So I have no choice but to show you these shots which were received completely anonymously and without trace so I am not able to question the person that sent them.   I imagine this individual to be a wholly fabulous creature that I could count on to be great company and a total giggle to be around, y’know, should have I any idea who they are, which I don’t so stop asking…




But I digress, the Outfits from 1968 – 2012 lined the reverse catwalk, with the punters walking down the runway while the artistry that are the Valentino gowns were displayed in the seating area.

There were some obvious mishaps, a Scarlet o’ Hara meets action man ballgown, one where Valentino obviously had a bit of a star trek fetish period and some serious maternity inspired get ups.  But anyone can have an off year and these hiccups in his career were more than mollified with the intense beauty of his finer pieces. 




Casual elegance and eternal romanticism were both achieved with equal finesse.  Dresses worn by Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy – at her wedding to Mr Onassis no less! - and Julia Roberts (when she won her Oscar for Erin Brockovich) were literally within touching distance.

The piece de resistance of a wedding gown to end all wedding gowns (which my secretive snapper captured like a pro) was sheer beauty.  While Valentino sold his business several years ago, has dyed his skin a bizarre choice of mahogany and whose perfume bottles proved to malfunction under duress, there’s no denying the man can cut a gown.

The finishing touch to a truly fabulous day was a visit to the cutest independent book store Persephone Books, which offers readers the choice of 100 previously out of print books to peruse. 

Culture, supporting independent retailers, fashion and fine weather, sometimes it’s good to be in London.




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Tuesday 5 February 2013

Sad Effort Awards?

It's almost as if the stars of screen and stage knew I was away on holiday for this red carpet as it seems their efforts were a little lack luster for SAG Awards (or maybe it's because they also know a better, more glamorous red carpet is just around the corner).  No matter how disappointing the offering a carpet has been walked and therefore opinions will be formed.  Shall we?

Nicole Kidman, Vivienne Westwood

The dress itself is rather lovely however the scary ironed smooth hair and face is all a bit too stepford wife for me.  Not her greatest look.

Sofia Vergara, Donna Karan Atelier

I honestly think she was fooling around with her finance in the limo and forgetting they had reached their destination scrambled to put her dress back on correctly.  And failed.  Far too prom dress-esk for a woman of her physique.

Jennifer Lawrence, Dior Haute Couture

DHC it may be but that didn't stop it looking like it had fallen apart when she got up for her award.  I'd have expected better from Dior but maybe the wonder web they used was out of date or something.  Lawrence has since advised it was a tiered dressed and this was just a small hiccup.  Up until that point it was a fabulous look though, Thee Middle sister thinks that midnight blue was the colour of the night.

Anne Hathaway, Giambattista Vali Couture

You know I love her right?  so it pains me to admit this is a real miss for her.  While her face is stunning the dress is all too kids party frock that has had the bottom half caught in the car door for me.

Jamie Alexander, Marc Bouwer

Can you say attention seeker? I can't decide if I like this one or not though.  It manages to be wildly plunging without showing any real cleavage but my fashion monitor swings from tacky to edgy and wont settle on either side.  I'll have to let you lot decide on this one. 

Michelle Dockery, Vintage Chade Ralph Rucci

On first glance this is nice but a tad dull.  However the addition of a serious amount of side boob-age ups the ante somewhat.  Also her face is flawless so this is another nod for the British invasion.  And one who should be taking notes is...

Naya Rivera, Donna Karan

This look only works from a real distance.  True the bottom half of the dress is worthy of the Hollywood set, but up close the top half is more working girl looking for a punter than young actress looking her best.

Morena Baccarin, Basil Soda

One word springs to mind here: Oddity.  The skirt, the sheer sided panel its all a bit strange.  Not bad per say but honestly while her hair is that short she'll never look as good as she did when she played a high class intergalactic hooker in FireFly.


BEST DRESSED - Amada Seyfried, Zac Posen 

Now here's a girl that gave her all (even if it was only the SAG's).  Props go to Mandy for the hair, make up and finding that ever elusive strapless gown that doesn't cut your boobs in half.  AS's stylist has a lot to teach the other ladies of the night.

TIED - WORST DRESSED Julianne Moore, Chanel

We'll always clash the Moore and I but just once I'd like to see her in a dress that fits her!  You may be getting on a tad but there's no need to advertise the fact by wearing a badly cut gown with a saggy chest area.

TIED - WORST DRESSED Kaley Cuoco, Romona Kevara


The dress itself isn't that bad and if the hair had been shorter it may have worked.  But honestly something MUST have gone wrong here.  Did she get alopecia the night before the award show and then throw on the first helmet styled wig she found.  And I don't know if it's the make up or what but this image has me shouting at the screen 'Kaley, Put the Botox Syringe down and step away from the plastic surgeon.  Lest you want to end up looking like Nicole Kidman'!

Images from Huffington post with the exception of Moore and Dockery which are from Tomandlorenzo.com and Popsugar.com respectively.
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