Bridal Expo

Please bear with me as I am still recovering from the Oscars. While I try to be concise with my fashion wrap-up, the best analogies and comparisons always come to me a couple of days later. So I thought I would share those with you, two days after the 2013 Academy awards…  in hopes that you might understand how my creative process works. Some people are more visual than others, we see things differently than most people, color is important to us.  We see repetition in shapes, designs, patterns and we can’t help comment. You want to take a visual person (like me) shopping with you because no matter how much it hurts, we will say to you, “Hey, Jennifer – don’t wear that purple gown with the ruffle thing in the back or you’ll wind up looking like Barney.”

Or in a kinder manner, delicatley let Nicole Kidman know that this dress is only a good idea if she plans on wearing it for Halloween as Cleopatra.  All she will need is a good headband. “Hello, Costume City?”

Or we may point out similarities bewteen fashion and architecture. In fact, it almost appears as if Stacy Keibler and Halle Berry were having a contest to see who could look  more like the Chrysler building. Or maybe the joke is on them and the designers planned this!

Even the sexiest mom alive is not immune to a little critique from a shopping pal like me. If I had gone in the fitting room with Heidi, I would have steered her more in this direction

and less in this direction. “No, Heidi, turn left  – that is the Forever 21 section”

Chubby, plump or (dare I say) fat women need to realize one thing: You are not a size 2 . A gown is not going to make you look any thinner or fatter than you already are. Lose weight or don’t – nobody cares…. we love your talent and charm.  It doesn’t have to be black but, it shouldn’t be this:

For the record, Melissa McCarthy ‘s hair and makeup – flawless.

If I were friends with Adele, I would tell her to do something about the creepy, pointy, vampira manicure and cut a smidge off her hair.  

Good vs. Not-so-much

For her dress, try to branch out a little because the 3/4 sleeve, black sparkly gown is starting to look like a uniform. Here is a clue: If drag queens can imitate all of your songs without a costume change, there might be a problem.

In the end, everyone needs a good friend to take shopping, someone to hold their purse and take a digital picture and to be the voice of reason. That person should be the most  discerning  person you know because they will make sure that your side-boob is not showing and that you do not look like a cartoon of  yourself (or anyone else).

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

There were very few surprises at the 85th Academy Awards –  including the red carpet appearances leading up to the show itself! The only surprise (for me) came from the lack of any real standout on the red carpet, with the exception of  Helena Bonham Carter. That’s not a compliment, by the way.

I thought Seth Macfarlane was a very good host and  his Lincoln joke was hilarious. Well, played, Seth. Maybe the boob song was a bit much for some – but not for me.  FYI it was a spoof  on how the Academy sent out a ‘side-boob’ memo asking everyone not to show too much of the body part made famous [in part] by the creator of “Side-boob hour with Peter Griffin”. I also knew he would not be deemed the worst host EVER since there are two words to prevent that from happening: James Franco.

Seth looked appropriately Oscar-worthy in his well fitted tuxedo that was neither too shiny or too tight to do a little dance.

Charlize Theron- For me, this Dior gown was probably the most understated and under rated gown of the evening. Perfect, flawless and I am not even a fan of peplums (hello? 1984 called) But, this one is sweet, slightly beaded and not overpowering. My favorite gown of the entire evening – hands down!

Amy Adams looked beautiful in this Oscar de la Renta gown but, her hair was way disheveled. Perhaps a pre-Oscar party? Or maybe she was trying to match her hair to the jagged, scrunchy effect on the tulle?

Jennifer Lawrence was considered (by everyone except me) to be  the best dressed at the 2013 Oscars in this beautiful gown by Dior Haute Couture. But, the fit is all wrong and frankly the brocade made the whole thing look even bigger than it was. Sorry, this didn’t do it for me. The dress needs some serious alteration and  the backward necklace was all wrong. Jennifer is darling and can wear anything but, this was not herbest look.

Jane Fonda continues to look amazing. She looked flawless. Her gown was brought to you by Sprint.

Anne Hathaway won for Best Actress in a supporting nipple:

“It doesn’t matter how you get knocked down in life, all that matters is that you’ve got to get up!” – Powerful words, Ben… really powerful words.

Best  Picture, Best Speech (ever), Worst tie – Ben Affleck.

But, seriously - where did you get this tie? It’s too square, it’s crooked, it’s awful.  Next time use a clip on – or have George or Bradley pick one out for you.

Jack Nickolson used to dress like this:

Now he dresses like this:

What is with the baggy, puffy suit that looks like it fit the ‘before’ picture of   weight watchers? You are super wealthy and super famous  so there is no excuse – get a stylist, and a decent suit…. now.

Did Reese Witherspoon’s gown come from the Prom Outlet?

Because  Helen Hunt’s gown came from H&M !

Of course, $700,000 worth of jewelry doesn’t hurt!

Overall, nothing for me was overwhelming. There was no standout, there was no showstopper and no one really made any kind of fashion statement other than the same lack of  ” Fabulous” we have seen over and over. For me – I think we may have jumped the shark with the pageant beading. Most of the women over 30 looked like they had just hopped off the plane from Atlantic City. Not mentioning any names. ( Catherine, Kristen, Heidi)

 …oops, looks like Heidi didn’t get the ‘booby’ memo!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Has anyone else noticed that no one seems to wear gloves anymore? I’m not talking about the First Lady, the Queen of England or debutantes, since women of that social stature always seem to be appropriately gloved.  I’m talking about bridal and semi-formal attire, Sunday best and special occasions. I know gloves are old school and seem kind of prissy to some but,  I couldn’t agree less! I think the right glove with the right outfit is a spectacular fashion statement.

Women have been wearing gloves for about 400 years. During Victorian times it was considered ‘improperly alluring’ for a woman to remove her gloves in public. In fact, it is completely impossible to overemphasize the importance of gloves in fashion prior to the middle of the 20th century. Which is why it is so surprising that they have been absent in mainstream fashion for so long.

In the 1980′s bridal gowns were almost always featured with gloves and bridesmaids often wore gloves that were dyed to match… just like the dye-able shoes. I can recall countless conversations with concerned brides about how to handle the ring portion of the ceremony when gloves are involved.  Now only the most formal weddings would require gloves and brides have almost forgotten that they were once a wedding wardrobe staple. So imagine my surprise yesterday when I was browsing through  several photos from  acclaimed bridal and formal wear designer, Yumi Katsura, and there they were…. the gloves! Of course she matched the short, organza gloves and the full length satin opera gloves to the appropriate gowns so they perfectly accented  the overall look of the ensemble. I was stunned at how perfect they looked and excited that maybe gloves are making a comeback. If you want to give gloves a try, there are some things to remember:

Short, wrist length gloves work best with tea-length or informal gowns

Opera Length gloves are designed for gowns with exposed arms; halter, strapless, one shoulder. They should not fit so tightly around the upper arm that they cause skin to roll over and look flabby. The glove should be fitted tightly up to the elbow and looser at the top.

Gauntlets are fingerless gloves. They can be straight around the wrist or come to a ‘V’ pointing to the ring finger, attached by a  loop of elastic to keep them in place.

Gloves are not recommended for gowns with long sleeves.

If you decide to go ‘Old School Glamorous” for your wedding and wear gloves, remember that you do NOT have to keep them on the entire night; definitely remove them before eating and at this point you can leave them off if you want.  Of course you might want to slip them back on for the first dance, for some truly romantic  photos.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

In today’s world of 24/7 media where everyone is plugged in, connected and online,  it seems like announcing your engagement would be a snap. However, there is some protocol involved and some surprisingly easy ways to breech etiquette.  In fact it is harder now than it was 50 years ago when the only outlet, other than word of mouth, was a formal engagement announcement in the newspaper. You know, those papers that show up on your door every day that have stories … just like the internet.

The first people you should tell are those closest to you ; your parents, siblings, grandparents and children if either of you have them. Telling them in person is nice if you’re able, otherwise a phone call is perfectly acceptable. but, it should be soon and very personal. Emailing is not personal, neither is having them find out by seeing your relationship status has changed on facebook. Make a list and keep track of who you have spoken to. Leave a message like, “I’ve got some great news” so they know that you called.

The next tier of communication goes to close friends and (non-immediate family) relatives. It is best to to call them if you can but, this may not be practical. It is perfectly acceptable to text or email but it must be a personal message and not a bulk one delivered to multiple addresses. Take the time to write each person a polite note letting them know you are engaged and you will keep them informed of further details if they wish.

After you have let all of the above people know, you are finally ready to announce to the world that you are engaged! 

Newspaper- Everyone is welcome to submit an engagement announcement in the newspaper. Generally, though, this type of announcement is used when the couple is of a certain social, celebrity, economic or  political status. Your newspaper should have guidelines to follow and you can also include the (formal) engagement photo.

Party - Having an engagement party is the most fun way to let a large group of people know at the same time. There are only a couple of points to ponder: do not invite anyone to the party that will not be invited to the wedding and try not to do it at another event,  (wedding, birthday, baby shower, etc) so you will not upstage someone else.

Internet- Posting a relationship status change on facebook will definitely garner some congratulations and other well wishes. You can also create a wedding website which can include stories from loved ones, photos and even a blog. Invited guests can use this site to get updates on the wedding.

Mail- Sending formal engagement announcements through the postal mail is the most traditional way of announcing an engagement but, keep in mind that no one (NO ONE) should get an engagement announcement unless they will definitely be invited to the wedding.  You can include the wedding date on the announcement which will serve as a save-the-date card. You can NOT include any information about where you are registered for gifts.

Whether you go high-tech or old school is entirely up to you, just remember no matter how great the temptation to run in the streets screaming or shout it from the rooftops, take your time and do things right - you won’t regret it.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago