Met Ball 2013

Wow! Is really my first reaction to going through the Met Ball photos. Was the dress code on the invitation not written clearly enough or do people not understand what Punk means, opting instead for either the dullest dresses of all time, or even more bizarrely, gothic-Renaissance. I am usually so excited for the fashion at this event; all the designers get to be as creative as they want, models and actresses are prepared to push the boat out, because it’s a themed gala for goodness sake!!! I will just post a couple of pictures of punk for reference and if you honestly think that anyone got close to this era/ethos/movement/ let me know, because for me this was an EPIC fail. We will start off with the few good looks and then fade into the plain wrong.

Anja Rubik in Anthony Vaccarello, below, looks a little Michael Jackson Thriller/Beat It in this outfit but at least there is an edge and I love the messy hair.

Anne Hathaway in Valentino. I actually think she looks amazing in this dress: the blonde hair really works and the excessive amount of flattened side boob doesn’t take away from the fact that she looks sexy which is something she hasn’t rocked before. Although just because it’s black and see-through DOES NOT MAKE IT PUNK! And no punk would be seen dead with feather sleeves.

Cameron Diaz in Stella McCartney. Another blonde rocking a very different look from their normal style. I think this works as a look but, and I really am going to be repeating myself over and over again in this post, just because you have a token couple of spikes on your belt DOES NOT MAKE IT PUNK.

Allison Williams in Altuzarra. This had the lace, see through and black components that seem to be the fashion industry/stylists limited understanding of punk. As I said in the opening paragraph, this is more gothic but I think she looks good in a Miss Haversham sort of way.

Hailee Stein in Donna Karen. I love this! Love love love. It is a touch angelic but with the safety pins made to looks like a flower pattern this is what I hoped designers would be clever enough to do, take a reference, even if it is the obvious ripped fabric, fishnets, spikes and studs but run with it in a modern way. Well played!

Taylor Tomasi Hill, fashion editor, in Mr Browne. I love this too. Again, simple touches that don’t involve the cliches of black or lace can still make something punk. This dress has an uneven torn and frayed hem which is cool, as are the spikes that go round the shoulder and cup under the cleavage. I really wasn’t looking for someone to be in torn denim and a mohawk, just a designer being clever with the theme and this is a perfect example of that.

Sienna Miller in Burberry. I know people liked this but a studded jacket over a white dress, is that really the best Burberry can do? Really?! A British label and the whole outfit hinges on a jacket? I don’t like her hair either, just because it looks dirty DOES NOT MAKE IT PUNK!

Beyonce in Givenchy Haute Couture. This is so awful, especially as she was co-hosting the event. She is someone who could have carried off something super edgy, super sexy and super punk. The dress does not flatter her at all and looks like a Pucci throwback and the horrible matching boots really didn’t work either. Why didn’t she wear black lipstick or do something crazy with her hair? Another trend of the evening was over the elbow gloves, which DOES NOT MAKE IT PUNK!

Gwyneth Paltrow in Valentino. I almost can’t bear to even comment on this horror. Why did she wear this? She’s had a disaster with breast flattening pink before. This manages to be both odd and dull. And the casually ‘just put my hair in a ponytail in the car on the way over’ is totally wrong. I have seen her look so much cooler and it’s a disgrace anyone could turn up to an exhibition entitled Punk: Chaos to Couture in this.  She has the fashion world at her beck and call, for heaven’s sake.

Jennifer Lawrence in Dior. Another person who completely missed the boat. Just because you are the face of the company does not mean you have to wear their dullest option. Why, oh why, does she have a wisp of a veil over her face? How is that a punk look ever? No, really, EVER? So disappointing of Christian Dior I have to say, it’s like they sent the most average dress they could find.

Karlie Kloss in Louis Vuitton. This probably is the worst look of the evening for me (thanks Marc Jacobs) purely because she is a stunning 20year old top model and this looks like she’s breast feeding her third child and used some curtains to make the dress! Truly horrible. I can’t believe she looked in the mirror and thought this was ok. It’s so unflattering in both shape and colour and has no reference to punk whatsoever. I loathe it.

Katy Perry in Dolce & Gabbana, one of the many examples of Byzantine references.  What’s with the crown? What’s with the saint? This is not punk at all and frankly pretty random.

Linda Evangelista in Marchesa. Ouch! This is one of the top super models of all time, all short slicked hair smouldering in a white shirt and this makes her look like they have just found the Russian Princess Anastasia.

Sarah Jessica Parker in Giles. She thought she was being so clever in the Philip Treacy headpiece that looked like a mohawk but the effect is more Roman soldier. As this also has weird Maria Antoinette overtones, I just don’t understand the look at all.

Other people to quickly name and shame: Michelle Williams, who made no effort in a plain black dress and tiara, Gwen Stefani who really should have done better and was an embarrassment to her No Doubt punk persona, Jennifer Lopez in predictable animal print, Uma Thurman channeling Poison Ivy in Zac Posen, Diane Kruger who decided her contribution would be to dip dye her hair pink tut tut tut, Carey Mulligan who added ONE safety pin to make her otherwise dull black dress ‘punk’, Blake Lively in a prom dress, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for finding a dress that doesn’t flatter her amazing body at all, Karolina K looking like a cheap stall-bought scarf, Solange who seemed to think the theme was 60’s Motown, Madonna for all of it, Heidi Klum for wearing a wedding dress and Kristen Stewart for highlighting the important rule that jumpsuits don’t suit everyone.  At least Anna Wintour wasn’t disappointed with the turnout for her party: her upbeat floral Chanel couture dress was resolutely everything Punk does not represent.

Source: Zimbio.com

Oscars 2013

Did no one care about the Oscars this year? Is that why so many stars stayed away? Someone was clearly told to scrape the celebrity bucket quickly and invite Olivia Munn and Chris Tucker.  It was all so underwhelmingly ‘meh’.  Where was the colour? Too many stylists went down the grey/gunmetal/pewter/ route. And that’s true for the jewellery too – where were the stunning for-one-night-only pieces? Nothing was standout interesting, nor even horrific and I have had to take looks from the Vanity Fair after party in order to find something to write about.

Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior Haute Couture. How much nicer is her Calvin Klein dress at the Vanity Fair party? It’s interesting and young, sexy and modern. Her Oscar dress is bridal, doesn’t highlight her great figure and it desperately needed some large jewellery to make it cooler and more wow. I only found out recently that she had moved on from a stylist she’d been working with for a while to work with Rachel Zoe; that explains a lot as I used to like how she dressed but really haven’t enjoyed anything of her’s during this award season. Just because it’s Dior doesn’t make it right.

Anne Hathaway in Prada. This comes dangerously close to Gwyneth Paltrow’s pink satin disaster all those years ago. It’s doing a bizarre thing of making her look old and young at the same time. It’s matronly and yet also little girl shiny. I didn’t like the backwards necklace with the strap detail at the back, and if Rachel Zoe styled her as she normally does, then that’s two backwards necklaces on two different clients (see Jennifer Lawrence above) which is SO poor. Also I know she got a lot of heat about the nipple situation but actually I think it’s much more about the darts creating a bag shape more than anything else. I would have loved to have seen her in a colour, perhaps teal, maroon or even dark green.

Naomi Watts in Giorgio Armani. I really like this look, hoorah. It’s modern and sophisticated. I like the slightly messy hair. Her Emilio Pucci number for VF looked great too so Top Marks for not only getting one look right but two. Impressive.

Sandra Bullock in Elie Saab. Having reviewed the Elie Saab collection for my blog I know it was full of lovely colours that would have looked stunning on her and I really don’t like the hair, it’s too straight and too heavily one sided.

Halle Berry in Versace. This is rather art deco but I quite like it. It’s an interesting shape and so much better than her tacky look from the Globes.

Charlize Theron in Christian Dior Haute Couture. You have to worry when one of the best dressed people at the ceremony is not even a nominee. I love her short hair and this is a perfect example of how to be simple but sexy, please take note Anne Hathaway. She looks amazing.  Although I would have styled coloured studs on  this.

Reese Witherspoon in Louis Vuitton. This is simple and effective and finally a colour, made just that bit more interesting with the clever contrast panelling although you wouldn’t call it high fashion. She always does great old Hollywood hair and generally pulls off looking dressed up but relaxed on the red carpet.

Marisa Tomei in Valentino.  This is my best dressed, shock horror. I love this jumpsuit and I don’t even like jumpsuits, certainly not Sarah Jessica Parker’s at the Baftas! But this is a stunning colour with gorgeous bead work and a great fit.  And note that her hair looks relaxed but done, unlike Jennifer Aniston’s which barely even looked washed and combed.

Miranda Kerr in Valentino. Unlike the suprise of the jumpsuit above this is the typical disappointment I have come to expect from the design duo at Valentino. It’s an unflattering colour and shape, it looks cheap and a real departure from her normal chic style.

Zoe Saldana in Givenchy. This is horrible too! I hate with a passion skirts that have a deep frill on the bottom, it is almost never flattering and frankly has too much of the Little House on the Prairies home dressmakers about it. The cheap looking negligee-teddy top with the shiny lining material skirt should just never be worn on a red carpet.

Helen Hunt in H&M Conscious Fashion. I support the idea of ‘green’ clothes but this does nothing for her figure. The bodice needs to be much more up lifting, if you catch my drift, which would then lengthen and make a waist, and would flatter and enhance her curves rather than hanging off her. The material also hasn’t passed the sitting-in-a car-on-the-way test. I don’t like the necklace either, it’s far too boring for such a simple dress, which could have taken something more eye-catching. Also, give this woman some coloured lipgloss, please, it would do wonders! Pretty hair though.

Amy Adams in Oscar de la Renta. I haven’t even bothered with her Oscars dress because it was huge and frilly and a flat grey and that’s all I have to say about it. But this is gorgeous. Flapperesque and really figure flattering, it’s interesting and I would imagine all that beading would move beautifully.

Jane Fonda in Reem Acra. She certainly did colour for the Oscars, wearing a very loud yellow dress for the ceremony, well done her, but I  much prefer her after party wear. She looks stunning in this patterned dress. Showing the younger ladies how it’s done!

Jennifer Aniston in Valentino. I was watching a Friends last night and honestly her hair was exactly like this! I understand she’s a California girl who’s found a style that works for her but really, could she not have done something to it? Even though it’s a classic Valentino red dress she somehow manages to make it look casual and unflattering. Why she was there I don’t know, but she could have at least made an effort, specially as she won’t be winning an Oscar any time soon….

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Valentino . I didn’t know Vanity Fair had a Wild West barmaid theme? Or maybe only RHW was told. Far too many ruffles, frills and swathes in an old-fashioned half-mourning colour and the black choker is very distracting. Top marks for make up though.

Jessica Chastain in Armani Prive. I’m a tad bored of her trying and failing to play the Hollywood siren. I don’t like the colour of this dress with her hair tone and the fact that her nails were a similar shade is a major no no for me.

Source: Zimbio.com

Golden Globes 2013

I have not posted for a loooooooong time and for that I apologise. The usual ‘life’ excuses I’m afraid. So I thought I would start my first 2013 post with a red carpet review. The Golden Globes were held last Sunday and as always it was all about the dresses. Once again I was disappointed that there were so few truly stunning looks. Below are the limited hits and the multiple misses.

Emily Blunt in Michael Kors. I love this look and I confess I also love her. I’m not a massive lace fan but in this lovely yellow gold colour with the great pink jewellery highlights which are so unexpected, this is a great look and she pulls it off perfectly.

Debra Messing in Donna Karan is a huge miss. I was never much of a Will & Grace fan but I have enjoyed watching Debra in Smash, especially all the great jewellery her character wears, but this is just so unflattering. It’s as if she’s brought the stage curtain with her. It makes her look several dress sizes bigger and gives her no height or definition anywhere. And then all the bracelets make you wonder if she really is channelling flamenco.

Emily Mortimer in who knows, but they should be ashamed. I love West Wing and was so looking forward to the Newsroom when I heard that Aaron Sorkin was writing it, but Emily’s character MacKenzie makes me want to pull my hair out and her LK Bennett adverts aren’t much better. So I do come to this with a pretty weighted agenda but even so, it really is that bad. Very unflattering to her figure in both cut and fabric, it also seems poorly made and the make up makes her look totally washed out. I’m embarrassed she’s a Brit and she should change her stylist.

Halle Berry in Versace. It’s nice to see Halle going for classy at this year’s Globes…! I suppose after the beautiful winning-the-Oscar dress it was only downhill from there, but this is horrendous. This woman is nearly 50. And yes, she has a stunning figure and yes, she is beautiful but you do not need a slash to the thigh on one side and half your hip hanging out on the other. This is so tacky, wow….

Helen Mirren in Badgley Mischka. Please stand up and give a round of applause for Ms Mirren. How amazing does she look? Elegant, chic, sexy. The whole package.

Heidi Klum in Alexandre Vauthier. I really don’t like this. The heavily padded shoulder supposedly balances out the slit on the opposite leg but it just feels heavy and contrived and she can do so much better.

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad. I think she looks amazing in this outfit. She’s not giving great face in this photo but the dress fits her like a glove and I like the nude layer giving hints of skin without over-exposing, which is so much better than the short slips we keep seeing under sheer dresses (Kerry Washington, Julianna Margulies, take note). And you know, she’s Jennifer Lopez, she can pull this stuff off.

Kate Hudson in Alexander McQueen. This looks so perfect on her, with its sophisticated colour and simple, clean lines. The bold gold beading is stunning and adds a harder edge to the soft drape.   Her simple make up, hair and accessories make this a chic and effortless ‘Best Dressed’.

Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior Haute Couture. I want to cry into my pillow over this outfit. I normally really like what Marion wears; she has a different and refreshing taste but this not good at all. I really REALLY don’t like asymmetric hems at all and then the uber tacky orange heels are awful and I don’t think the slicked down hair and odd nudey orange lip gloss are doing her any favours either.

Morena Baccarin in Valentino. The moment I saw this I knew it had to be Valentino; who else does theatrical nun/funeral/mother of the bride this well? I think she is so pretty and I can’t believe she looked in the mirror and honestly thought this is the best she could look. I can’t believe and I won’t believe it. I’m putting it down to the shock of seeing Brody’s suicide video really throwing her off her game.

Nicole Kidman in Alexander McQueen. I haven’t been a fan of her choices lately but minus the glazed botoxed-into-oblivion face I think this is a great look. Making her even more statuesque than normal this is so flattering to her tall frame and even though black can be a bit hard on very pale skin, this really works for her.

Rachel Weisz in Louis Vuitton. I really dislike this dress a lot, A LOT. Again, I don’t understand these beautiful women picking dresses that are so unflattering. I think she is lovely but this is a teenager’s gothic prom dress not a British movie star’s dress. If you were going to an event with James Bond as your date I really hope you’d do better than this, though he did wear his shades for most of it, muppet.

Rosie Huntington Whatsit… in Yves Saint Laurent and yes, I am still using the full name because Saint Laurent just sounds so wrong. How can you possible re-brand YSL…but that argument’s for another day. As a model you would really hope that you knew the tricks of the trade, how to lengthen the silhouette etc. This makes her look short and her whole body out of proportion, not helped by the highwayman ruffles or the ankle strap. She should also know better than to risk the Angelina Jolie leg throw.  I also dislike the too basic hair.

Seinna Miller in Erdem. I love Erdem but wow, this is awful though I do have to thank Sienna Miller for continuing to wear clothes that help me confirm her as one of the worst dressed people out there. I’m sure someone would use this for a christening dress or a four year old’s birthday princess dress but for a grown woman with alleged style credentials, if you believe the magazines, this is spectacularly bad.

And finally Tina Fey in L’Wren Scott. I think Tina Fey looked amazing in the dresses she wore during the show but this one isn’t good. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post I don’t like lace and this a perfect example of how inexpensive it can look. Interestingly L’Wren Scott is 6′ 4″ and should know how to dress a woman to look long and lean, which this dress certainly does not. It makes her look shorter than necessary and then the heavy shoes double the effect. Mirrors, ladies, MIRRORS….

Source: Zimbio

Cover Try

These two covers below are, for me, a perfect example of a great cover versus an awful cover. The September issue, as I’m sure people are aware after the documentary of the same name, is the most important edition in a magazine’s year, so the cover tends to be a striking one. Let’s start with the good: Tatler’s cover has the legendary supermodel Cindy Crawford shot by Ruven Afanador. It’s like the slickest of make-up or shampoo adverts, not the most high fashion, but she looks fresh and relaxed and the atmosphere created is appealing. I really don’t like it when the September covers go straight into winter mode (more of that later!) because the edition comes out in August and most people are still trying to hold on to the last weeks of summer.  I really like that the lettering in Cindy goes under her hand – simple details.

The bad cover belongs to Harper’s Bazaar, ‘starring’ Keira Knightley, shot by Ellen Von Unwerth. Starting with her hair, which looks straggly and not totally clean. I don’t think the make-up works either and is far too heavy for a September cover. Yes, I understand it’s meant to run alongside the promotion of Anna Karenina, but does she have to look so Russian? It’s such an obvious concept. You get no impression of the outfit she is in, which is what it should be all about, and the rose in the foreground just makes it more autumnal and melancholic. Nice teeth, but what’s with the open mouth?  I really don’t think it’s a photo worthy of a cover.

Source: TelegraphFashion

Thames Star

I have been updating my portfolio and work files recently and came across this shoot I did with Gemma Arterton for Nylon, which I haven’t posted before.  It was on a houseboat on the Thames in central London, with another boat beside it as the wardrobe and make-up area. It was shot by Julian Marshall and styled by Karen Clarkson. No one got sea sick as far as I can remember and it was a very cool location to shoot an editorial.

Source: www.julianmarshall.com

MET Gala 2012 The Bad……

It can only start with Anja Rubik in Anthony Vaccarello. If you haven’t seen coverage of that hip bone then you must have been hiding under a rock. For me it’s totally awful and tasteless. It’s not sexy milky curves, it’s an incredibly thin model whose hip bone probably comes under Unicef protection for abuse against humanity. This isn’t clever draping that looks as if it’s defying gravity holding onto the  body, this piece of fabric is holding on for dear life!

Sarah Jessica Parker in Valentino. I commented on this during Fashion Week season and let it be known again that current Valentino hurts my soul! This dress is matronly, sugary, shiny and frankly downright ugly. The two gold cuffs are bizarre extras that seem to have no place with the virginal nightgown. And is that a matching shoe???

Kristen Stewart in Balenciaga. Do you think she got out of her car and thought ‘Doh, I thought I was turning up to some edgy premiere, not Anna Wintour’s fashion castle’ and the shoes look like bandaged Egyptian mummy feet. Considering people are claiming her a No 1 best dressed on numerous magazine lists, for me this is a major backwards step.

Diane Kruger in Prada. I expect so much more from her; even if I don’t always like her fashion choices, they are at least high quality choices. This is a hippy slip dress with a big feather boa crawling round the hem. If you put your hand over the bottom half it looks like a perfectly average strappy top with a boho necklace and if you put your hand over the top half you have an over-played Ginger Rogers’ night dress. Together this does not work. Lovely colour though.

Jessica Chastain in Louis Vuitton. I don’t know why Jessica seems to like to dress like a much older version of herself. She looks like a trussed up bird in this dress and it’s not at all flattering to her figure with the line across the hip causing it to bulge. I do like the super sexy bodice and if only it was tailored onto a really tight skirt in much better quality fabric it would look so much less wagon trail.  Also this is the perfect example of where Hollywood hair doesn’t work and ages the look.

Emma Stone in Lanvin. This was custom made, CUSTOM MADE, and this is what they came up with? Her face says it all, it’s a grin-and-bear-it dress and the fact that there are paparazzi pictures floating around of this dress ripping in the car highlights even further that it was not fit for purpose. It’s far too girly and frilly and winsome and the hair is also very prom. Awful.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada. How unflattering is this on her legs? Surely no one does Tracy Anderson as religiously as she does in order to make her legs look bad in a dress? The side boob is not sexy and frankly isn’t necessary;  she’s just trying too hard. With the dipping hem, the frill and the racer front, this all looks as if it’s been cobbled together with no clear design direction.

Coco Rocha in vintage Givenchy. Yes, I know it was Elizabeth Taylor’s but that doesn’t mean it works for you, Coco. The dipped dyed hair is an affront to the house of Givenchy, Liz Taylor and the MET ball. This look is so mainstream now; as a top model you really should be ahead of the game not going with a trend that’s on the high street. I also think the pink top and pink ballet style shoes are so wrong and practically make a mockery of it. A black skirt would have looked so much cooler and some edgy shoes would have made this auction piece the real deal.

Jessica Alba in Michael Kors. Little to say on this bar that I expect so much more from her and putting hair on the opposite shoulder to the one shouldered dress is so lame.

Lily Collins in….. one guess, its dowdy, floral…. and yup, it’s Valentino. How any young girl would pick this off the rack as the perfect dress is beyond me. How any stylist would call in this dress for a young actress is beyond me too, and the fact that no one said that this is old, dull, fussy and prim is the final straw!

Claire Danes in J Mendel. I don’t want to Danes bash because, like everyone else, I think she’s amazing in Homeland.  Aside from the fact that she seems to like wearing white on the red carpet, this dress does not work for her proportionally. She is pretty short and this low wrap makes her look unnecessarily dumpy and heavy around the thigh. The dark roots in the hair really shouldn’t be there and I also think the whole look needs coloured jewellery to lift it. Can’t wait for season 2 though!

And finally Marc Jacobs in.. .. oh, who cares. I find this incredibly try-hard-to-be-noticed, unimaginative and frankly pretty childish.  And it doesn’t even look good. Yawn.

Source: Zimbio

MET Gala 2012 The Good….

I apologise for the lack of posts recently but I have been incredibly busy prepping for shoots, shooting, editing and crediting! So a good comeback post is the MET Gala which took place on Monday in New York. This event is often called the East Coast Oscars and I definitely get more excited about them because people can really flex their fashion muscles without needing to please the middle road. That said, this year wasn’t a great example of this: the out of the ordinary looks were rarely exciting and lots of people played in safe. The theme this year was Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations, and was chaired by Anna Wintour, Muccia Prada and, bizarrely, Carey Mulligan. This post focuses on the good and tomorrow I’ll post on the bad, and yes, I mean you, SJP!

January Jones in Versace. This yellow is so vibrant and I love the geometric accents of darker colour and all the tailoring is so flattering to her body. The turquoise necklace is a nice touch; I wouldn’t necessarily have thought a strong-ish necklace would have worked but because her hair and make up is so simple I think it looks great.

Ginnifer Goodwin in Monique Lhuillier. Another bold choice with its strong orange colour, in this case softened by the draping, the lace and the sheer sections.  The only downside for me are the shoes, which needed to be strappy and either same colour, nude or black.  And still just loving her short hair!

Jessica Stam in John Galliano for Dior.  This for me is what the MET ball is about. Yes, it’s a tad Star Trek with a healthy dose of the orient but it’s also beautiful and intricate and high fashion. I love the vertical flick of the blush eye liner that echoes the shoulder profile and the arm full of bracelets. It’s all just so classic Galliano, which is why he is much missed.

Diane Von Furstenburg in Diane Von Furstenburg. I love this woman, she dresses so well and always looks intereting, smart and elegant. I love the bright colour with the whimsical puzzle pieces and the long gloves make this more gala.  I think the chunky necklace works but I would have ditched the earrings.

Marion Cotillard in Dior. It’s elegant and timeless, beginning with the demure neckline and then getting edgier as it goes down. It’s not crazily fashion forward but not quite classic either, which is clever. I don’t like the watch though, it’s a major no-no; if you’re going to a ball like this one you don’t need to check the time.

Constance Jablonski in Haider Ackermann. Everyone knows my love for this man’s work and it’s so good to see him represented by a model I also admire. It’s not necessarily the best of his lovely colour combos – I would have chosen his burnt oranges and maroons – but none the less it’s striking and beautiful.

Beyonce in Givenchy. Only Beyonce can do this, so you’ve been warned! But seriously, wow! She looks all woman and so much more, hence my inclusion of a behind shot. This is dramatic and theatrical, her make-up is perfection and she’s glowing. I just wish the body underneath was slightly closer to her skin tone so it looked even more nude.

Milla Jovovich in Prada. The first and only Prada look I’ve included in the positive column.  I love the loose drape of the bodice, the gladiatorial panels on the skirt, the slightly twenties look with the side swept hair, but what is with those yellow/orange nails?! Horrible.

Doutzen Kroes in Roland Mouret. In an evening that featured quite a lot of black and white, this look stood out the most. It’s geometric with a light and humourous touch, almost a court jester quality (am I reading into it too much?!), and great old Hollywood hair to set a chic tone.

And finally Rihanna in Tom Ford. I dread to think how much this dress would cost but it has massive impact. It looks like hangbag material, as hard and shell-like as an armadillo and yet magically is also seductive and effortless. I think the claw nails take the theme too far and it’s a shame about the hair, I’m sure that Mr Ford would not have passed off on that!

I don’t know who these girls are but I like the composition of the architectural looks.

Source: Zimbio

Kate Winslet Cover plus

I have been waiting for April’s Elle China to come out for  a long time. I worked on this shoot before Christmas, assisting the stylist, Miranda Almond; Giles Bensimon was the photographer.  It was a great experience and I specially love the orange sequin Elie Saab dress, which was sent from Paris for this shoot.

Source: ArtWorkCity

Suite Views

We had a beautiful day of weather on Monday and I was lucky enough to be able to see the whole of London bleached in spring sunlight from the top of a hotel. I was on a shoot for a European publication, sorry for the elusiveness on names, places etc, but as ever, it’s all hush hush pre publication. Amazing location in a penthouse, incredible weather, some Alaia shoes I would die for and Valentino straight from Paris. Not bad for a day’s work!

Oscars Overview 2012

Because of the Oscars last night I have taken a break from Fashion Week write ups (now in Milan) to do Fashion Red Carpet write ups instead. In fact some of the best looks came from the Vanity Fair after party, which is a shame and a wasted opportunity. Anyway, in no particular order, the good and then the bad. Some stylists have clientele who have hit the jackpot and some others are being taken for a ride.

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad. This shows off her curves in all the right places and yet she manages to look suprisingly demure. I would have preferred a bright nail colour to make this a bit younger; in fact there was a trend for nude nails which I find a boring option at a time when nail varnishes are really current and come in an incredible range of great colours.

Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab. In my opinion this couture collection could have provided many more dresses for the red carpet this season; this is a great example of the beautiful beadwork and body sculpting shaping that Elie Saab brings to his occasion  dresses. The white is a little wedding and there were some lovely blue and pale yellow options from this collection which would perhaps have worked better.

Sandra Bullock in Marchesa. I love the concept of this dress and the beading wrapped around the waist is really artistic, like frosty fingers. I think the top would be better a little more fitted and slightly looser hair would have made this softer but I love her so she gets a free pass.

Glenn Close in Zac Posen. Perhaps not the best pose for this dress but she does look amazing. The pleating around the bodice, the sharply cut jacket, the great colour make it a really flattering and youthful look for her, nice relaxed hair too to contrast with the formal column of the dress.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford. I want to love this because it’s Tom Ford and I do like it. It’s cool in its simplicity and the cape/cloak is new to the A-list red carpet. She looks long and lean and statuesque but perhaps it works the Ice Queen thing a bit much.

January Jones in Wes Gordon. I hadn’t heard of this designer before and I really appreciate how different this is. I’m not quite sure about the brown material but the mix of colours works beautifully and I love the soft green top with her wavey hair. Also, I’m so excited about the return of Mad Men that it’s probably clouding my judgement.

Elizabeth Banks in Chadwick Bell. I’m going to criticise spots later in this post but here is the perfect example of how they can work. This is sophisticated and the softness from the navy feathers is lovely. She looks grown up and beautiful.

Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen. The intricate pattern detail on this dress is absolutely stunning and combines soft and hard edges into a great look. The gold suits her colouring perfectly and I really like the softer hair. It’s a statement dress with a lot going on so it’s good that accessories are kept simple.

Rose Bryne in Vivienne Westwood. Firstly she is way too thin, but that said, this dress is amazing. It manages to look like liquid but also like armour and it works really nicely with the simple haircut. A great look, made even better by being by a British designer. I just hope she’s wearing both earrings.

Kate Beckinsale in Roberto Cavalli. I cannot believe I am putting Kate Beckinsale in the good column because usually her look is more contrived than this and overtly sexpot. Obviously this is still super sexy but I really love the pale yellow colour, the random patterning and the subtle see-through sections. A pleasant suprise.

Kate Bosworth in Prabal Gurung. I love this! It’s so pretty but edgy too, a flowery pattern but in hard jet beads.  I’m just not sure I love the shoes, they are a bit corporate.

Another Kate, this time Hudson, in vintage Versace. I don’t love the hair but she does look amazing in this red number. The fringe is so on trend and gave movement to the posed carpet shots.  It’s very low cut at the back and altogether really  flattering to her slim frame.

Natalie Portman in Christian Dior Couture. I don’t like this at all, principally because it makes her look old. Polka dots for me rarely work as an Oscar look, certainly not here.  Her hair is ageing and almost suggests a receding hairline. The jewellery is all wrong for this dress too, for me something more modern and chunky, perhaps in black jet, would have been better.

Penelope Cruz in Armani Prive. This is such a disappointment; the Armani Prive collection produces really stunning dresses and this is so bland. There is nothing exciting or eye catching about this 50s debutante look: the matching purse doesn’t make it any cooler and the ageing hair and dull diamond jewellery again give you an impression of her at 70! Sophia Loren look out.

Shailene Woodley  in Valentino. This illustrates my main issue with the fashion house since Valentino left, it has lost its sex appeal. This is matronly but also virgin bride; the girl is 20, why is she in something so covered up and boring? It’s disappointing that a stylist isn’t giving her young, fresh options like when Hailee Steinfeld hit the red carpet last year. I know ultimately it comes down to what the client likes but none of Shailene’s previous looks have been anything this conservative.

Viola Davis in Vera Wang.  This  is a Project Runway disaster. The frill swathed around the bottom of this looks like an afterthought hurriedly tacked on, the colour is unsubtle and the cleavage is overkill when there is so much else going on.

Berenice Bejo in Elie Saab. This doesn’t work for me. She is so charming and flirty in The Artist but this is an older woman’s dress with the covered arms and safe colour.  It doesn’t flatter her figure and as someone who knew she would probably have to be on stage to accept an award of some kind, I really think she could have worn something much more chic, stand-out and frankly French.

Colin Firth’s wife Livia in God knows what. This is so awful! Horrible frilly cups on the bodice, the bow on the high waist line and on the babyish bag, and what looks to be a train of some kind at the back. It’s such a mess and a mix of a christening gown and a costume for an Elizabethan drama. I’ve just found out this was Valentino too…I rest my case!

Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli. This has no neck, a severe parting in the hair and very little make up: this isn’t young or sexy or modern and as other people have pointed out, it’s very similar to the Nicole Kidman dress she wore back in 2007.

Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton. Although I quite like the colour, I don’t like the straight across neckline which needs to be pulled down in the middle to make a V frame. The bow brooch and pink bag are silly girlish touches which are not needed becaase she is so feminine already. It’s also a little heavy on her small frame. and the back of the bodice is a nude colour which looks really odd and almost unfinished.

And surely the joke of the night is Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace. Why is she standing like this? Why in every picture is she standing like this? And why did she present from the stage in this exact same position? It’s so contrived: yes, we know there is a slit in your dress but you don’t have to keep sticking out your boney knee to remind us, it looks so awkward.

Source: Zimbio