Met Gala | The Red Carpet Dresses Review

The latest Costume Institute's Annual Ball has yet again wowed us with their Red Carpet Dresses. This year The Costume Institute curated the exhibition "Impossible Conversations" honoring Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli. I will delve more into the forgotten Elsa Schiaparelli in Fashion 101 post after I visit the exhibit but for now let us see who wore what to the Met Gala on this glamorous Red Carpet night!

The Huffington Post was a reliable shutterbug to quickly post the glam from the Met Gala Red Carpet. There were a couple shorter dresses to last night's gala, and although I'm a firm believer in full length gowns for galas, these were fun to see.

 Carey Mulligan in Prada. How sequins do ombre! 

Christina Ricci in Thakoon. I don't totally love the sprouting ruffle top of the dress but I do love how the skirt is a fitted pencil with an attached train. The Costume Institute's Annual Ball always promises pieces that are a bit more avant garde.

Jessica Biel in Prada and JT in Tom Ford. He's always smashing on the glamorous red carpet.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada. I can't say I'm always her biggest fan, but I did like her frock for tonight. Something about the structure yet the peek-a-boo factor that usually is found on slinkier dresses.

Now for the shine factor, my favorite! Many gowns were dripping in liquid metallic right to the red carpeted floor they graced. I really wish I could wear some of these to an event. 

 Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren. That is well played sheer my dear. Well played.

 Rooney Mara in Givenchy. Love how it evaporates to lace.

 Nina Dobrev in Donna Karan. Now THIS would be my gown, it literally takes my breath away as it melts into the floor. Simply stunning.

Rihanna in Tom Ford. Perfect blend of elegance and rocker...I love it. And the edge is great for the Costume Institute's Annual Ball.

Karolina Kurkova in Rachel Zoe. Although the headpiece is a bit much when the dress is already a lot of sparkle, it is the Costume Ball after all. What's a Met Gala without some other the top red carpet dresses n'est-ce pas? You may be aware I have an obsession with backless dresses, in which case you are not surprised why this is a favorite of mine. 

Dependable as usual, plenty of the Red Carpet Dresses can sweep you away by the timeless elegance of their hourglass figure. Classically woman. 

 Amber Heard in Zac Posen.

 Hillary Swank in Michael Kors. The man is Midas, everything he touches is gold...even when its scarlet red like the glamorous Red Carpet. 

Diana Kruger in Prada. I was stunned by this dress. If ever there was a time for me to happily wear a trapeze dress, this would be it. And embellished with feathers? It's like Prada read my mind!

Alas, not all Met Gala dresses are created equal...even when you are Prada or Elsa Schiaparelli. Here are my worst dressed list. *Note: not all of these dresses are bad, some just don't belong on their wearers. 

 Maybe for a disco themed anniversary you can rock this Prada frock. But Chloe Sevigny has not convinced me it is a good choice for the Met Gala. 

Lily Collins in Valentino. I am fully on board the long sleeve dress train, but not when it makes you look like Whistler's Mother on her wedding day. Somehow grandma made it to the Red Carpet. 

 Vera Wang in Vera Wang. She makes beautiful things but forgets to eat. Everytime I see her she looks more wasted away, and her skin is now revealing her lack of health as well. I'm not along on this am I?

 Rachel Zoe in Rachel Zoe. I always love seeing Rachel Zoe's streetwear, she always inspires me to think out of the box (into a hippier chic place) but I would've hoped her formal wear would have translated a little more appropriately. She looks like a girl at prom in 1975.

 Anja Rubik in Anthony Vaccarello. Nothing about this screams sexy to me.

 Eva Mendez in Prada. If that peplum was 3 inches shorter and that skirt pulled in, super fitted. This would be a smashing look for the curvy Mendez, but  as is...old and wide. 

 Leighton Meester in Marchesa. I love me some Leighton, but she should have laid off the tanning, 

orange clashes with Red Carpets. 

 Cameron Diaz in Stella McCartney. Beautiful dress, beautiful woman, but not together. *Note: Play close attention darlings, you must always work your body's assets. Even as a celebrity, if you don't have curves you don't magically turn into Sofia Vergara when you put on a curvy Red Carpet dress. 

DRESS FOR YOUR BODY TYPE! 

What was your favorite 

Met Gala Red Carpet Dress?

The Hunger Games | Jennifer Lawrence Style

May the odds be ever in your favor as I hope you have already read The Hunger Games and have become as obsessed as I have. Are you ready for the movie? Well Katniss, Gale, and Peeta will grace the silver screen this Friday and Panem waits with breath that's baited. But I'll tell you what else I can't get over, the Jennifer Lawrence style that is gracing every magazine lately! I spy a new fashion muse on the horizon, watch out Blake Lively!

Source: justjaredjr.com via Dee on Pinterest

 

As I was flipping through this month's Glamour magazine, my jaw dropped when I got to this page. The Jennifer Lawrence feature for The Hunger Games. Doesn't every woman want a picture of herself...this powerful and sexy all in one? I am loving the black jumpsuit.

Source: redcarpet-fashionawards.com via Adriana on Pinterest

 

The Jennifer Lawrence style so far has been very guilded, maybe a tip to some upcoming awards n'est-ce pas? Regardless, I'm loving the funky twist on the Old Hollywood glamour dress she rocked at The Hunger Games movie premiere. And look at that hairstyle! I will be trying that in the VERY near future.

Source: google.com via Morgan on Pinterest

 

Source: fabsugar.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Natalie on Pinterest

 

Source: msrowling.tumblr.com via Victoria on Pinterest

Her co-stars Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are certainly hotties. I have a feeling I will be just as torn between this love triangle in the movie as I was in the book. For those of you who have yet to read it...you have no idea! You must read The Hunger Games as soon as possible and then go see the film. Be sure to rock your best guilded Jennifer Lawrence style to the theatre and send me a picture!

Source: Uploaded by user via Sophia on Pinterest

Oh...and a little movie tidbit. The Hunger Games was filmed in Charlotte, NC. My hometown! I was so excited when I heard this, I cannot wait (even more) to see the movie!

Happy Hunger Games!

May the odds be ever in your favor!

What I Did This Weekend: The Oscars, The Artist, The Lower East Side

This was the most jam packed weekend I have had since New Year's, mainly because New York Fashion Week does tend to demand 100% of your social life. So apparently I managed to fit 2 months of social events into 2 days. What I did this weekend started with a band in the Lower East Side and lots of catch up with good friends, followed by seeing The Artist in an iconic NYC theatre, and ended (very late) with a viewing of the 84th Annual Academy Awards! And I found that The Oscars did not disappoint!

The dresses from The Oscar's Red Carpet this year were pretty (I have a few of my favs below, in no particular order) but I must say I was far more excited (and impressed) with the movie round-up for this year's Academy Awards.

Source: stylebistro.com via Dawn on Pinterest

Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji

Source: stylebistro.com via Dawn on Pinterest

J Lo in Zuhair Murad

Source: zimbio.com via Dawn on Pinterest

Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton

Well one movie at The Oscars that blew me away, The Artist, a classic silent film, was beautiful, enrapturing, and truly unique. A marvelous tribute to the magic of the movies and how you should feel when you experience a film. I walked across Central Park to the NYC icon The Paris Theatre (the French theatre Carrie visits in Sex and the City) and was transported into movie magic by the ambience and the incredible film that was The Artist! Here's a snippet in case you are behind...



I also ventured to the Lower East Side, the grunge hip Manhattan neighborhood known for vintage shopping, tattoo parlors, and lots 'o bars, and met up with a few friends to hear a new band. (I love New York). Stephie Coplan and the Pedestrians ended up being really fun. Catchy songs with a less hateful Lily Allen sense of humor, these guys put on a fun show! Please be sure to give their single Jerk a listen! The Lower East Side is so great for diving into a bar and discovering musicians. We happened to be invited to The Living Room for a listen and I'm glad we did!



Oh and I almost forgot to mention...did anyone miss Angelina Jolie's Barbizon leg at The Oscars? I was already laughing the second she stood still. But in case you missed it...there is a twitter account created in her honor...@AngiesRightLeg. I died laughing when I saw this tweet. In 10 minutes it had 1,600 followers by the end of the night it had accrued 6,500 followers and counting. I'm so glad someone finally called her out on her bullshhh...well you know. But in all seriousness...she really needs to eat a burger, the girl looks terrible.

What did you do this weekend?

Behind the Runway: Red Dress Heart Truth 2012

Every New York Fashion Week Diet Coke sponsors the Red Dress Heart Truth fashion show, where designers donate dresses and celebrities walk the runway to raise awareness for heart health with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). It is always a fun show, and Fall/Winter 2012 was no exception.

 The director helping the celebs with their walk for the show while we set up. This New York Fashion Week the celebs included Christie Brinkley, Minka Kelly, Gloria Estafan, Chaka Khan, Jenna Elfman and more.

 The red carpet outside got a surprise snow flurry before the show, I stopped for a second to glimpse through the window and was shocked it was snowing!

 Diet Coke supports this heart health cause whole heartedly and they make it fun for the guests in the process. Every guest went home with a cute Diet Coke bag filled with goodies. Diet Coke also always parks in the New York Fashion Week tents at Lincoln Center providing drinks and Heart Truth facts for visitors.

The lights from the runway always make it difficult to snap decent photos so here are some from the Heart Truth Facebook Page. Be sure to stop over and LIKE them! Spread awareness for heart health!

 Minka Kelly in Diane von Furstenburg

(all runway photos from Red Dress Heart Truth Facebook Page)

 Christie Brinkley in Pamella Roland

 Jenna Elfman in Alberta Feretti

Jennifer Nettles in David Meister 

(She's in one of my favorite bands Sugarland)

Rebecca Romijn in Marchesa

The Red Dress Heart Truth show was a fun New York Fashion Week show to work, there was a huge crowd that came and everyone really enjoyed themselves. What was your favorite dress? Be sure to visit the Heart Truth Facebook page and let me know!

Keep that heart healthy!

Fashion Rule: Stay True to Who You Are

In fashion, I'm a pretty big advocate for the school of thought, "When you find a rule, break it." Style is too personal to have every fad that graces the glossies apply to everyone. Generally, style is painting a portrait of who you are inside, for the world to see outside...and that may not always be the same picture. Some days I play the girly Sex and the City New Yorker, some days I subscribe to my laid back, music loving, Chuck wearing, weekender psyche. Fashion not only changes person to person, but within the varied moods and needs of each individual as well. 

{merci LookBooks}

The one deviation from this principle is quite possibly the crux of why I'm so passionate about fashion. You must stay true to who you are. Fashion exists to be a personalized, wearable art. To find something that makes you feel good in your skin and shine as the unique individual you are. Whether that calls for wearing white after Labor Day, black with brown, or even socks with sandals (!!!) you. be. you. I once read, "Just be yourself, everyone else is already taken." I really feel it is as simple as that. 

Lately I've seen many of the fashion elite running around New York in silk scarves....but I just can't do it. I think I just have internalized that as a Mom Jean marker rather than the classic stigma I'm fully aware they carry. 

Here is the silk scarf in the current (and classic) fashion :

{merci Pinterest}

I can completely agree this is a beautiful scarf, but every top I wear is generally low cut, so I have a hard time wearing things with a lot of fabric around the chest and neck without feeling frumpy. I do not know why...it just feels constricting. 

Here is how I wear a silk scarf:

It is still a classic silk scarf, Dolce & Gabbana no less, just with some added funk and flair...like me!

Fashion Rule: Stay True to Who You Are.

Interior Inspiration: The Art of Gossip Girl

Lately I've indulged my baser instincts and pulled out the fundamental Gossip Girl seasons 1 & 2 from the DVD rack for some fashion inspiration and beautiful boys to stare at while eating dinner. I find the sets are such great interior inspiration that I must indulge in a bit of artist background. The powers that be in Gossip Girl land are always looking to bring in local factoids of New York City and especially to highlight hip NYC artists that are noteworthy for the Bass, Humphrey, Van der Woodsen clans.

Here are some of the sets where some interior inspiration may just jump directly on to the walls of my living room.

To begin there is debatably my favorite, the Richard Phillips "Spectrum" print that hangs over the staircase of the Van der Woodsen apartment. It is a statement piece that sets the mod chic elegance of the whole art-filled home.

My other favorite (they constantly tie for first) is the Richard Phillips "Scout" print hanging in Chuck Bass's bedroom. I had no idea these two prints were the same artist so it is funny, although I suppose not surprising, that they are both equally my favorite.

The entryway also showcases some other great pieces that I love, but that don't quite hypnotize me the same.

 The Prada sign print by Elgmreen and Dragset may be the most prominent artwork among Lily's collection as it is a bold piece directing any guests straight into the drama of their home.

{Thank you Sogni e Sorrisi for your  artists finds}

This Jessica Craig Martin print is actually quite good. I like the color choice, the appropriate modern feel of the fashion world as well as the interesting crop in the composition that has taken place. The dramatic crop makes you wonder about the lives of the portrait's subjects...I like art that makes me wonder.

What art is your interior 

inspiration of the moment?