Crimes of Fashion – 2011 Red Carpet Faux Pas

The E! Fashion Police headed by the always irreverent Joan Rivers have released their top ‘Fashion Felons of  2011’ and I have to say I can’t agree more. For crimes of fashion so severe it will take a  phone call  from the governor to be pardoned, these  women have 12 months to reclaim their fashion status and endless walks down the red carpet to erase the memory of their 2011 faux pas.  Without further adieu, the envelope please:

7. Jennifer Lopez consistently makes the best dressed list but, not in this white beaded cape getup. The problem is that there is no reason for this cape. The beads make the sheer fabric look heavy and begs the question, “Why would anyone would wear a sheer tablecloth with heavy beading?”

6. Rihanna choice for the Grammys this year was Jean Paul Gaultier. Gaultier is best known for his bustier look and outfitting Madonna so, I’m not sure at what point this gown seemed like a good idea. I sincerely doubt if event he Material Girl herself would attempt to pull off this ruffled tragedy. But, I’m talking about it so I guess that is the whole point.

 

 

5. Nicole Kidman  wore a gown to the Oscars that was out of this world… and not in a good way. Futuristic, yet reminiscent of a bad 1980’s  gown, this Christian Dior peplum gown was not red carpet worthy. Someone please explain to me why she wore red shoes.

4. Cierra Wilson wore an Emilio Pucci to the VMAs. In addition to wearing the wrong shoes, this gown is probably the worst representation of an iconic design house that I have ever seen.

3. Nicki Minaj showed up to the Grammys in a head-to-toe leopard outfit she described as “a masterpiece by Givenchy, a miraculous piece of lioness meets her cub meets fierce-ocity meets fabulosity meets fashionista meets everything.” She was dead wrong.

2.  Helena Bonham Carter loves to dress up, or is it play dress up? Her appearance at the Golden Globes in a Vivenne Westwood tulle, print, draped bodice monstrosity was nothing compared to her mismatched shoes. Interestingly enough she has another pair at home just like them.

1. Princess Beatrice wore a fairly ordinary outfit to her cousin, Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton last April. What was not ordinary was her fascinator (hat) created by milliner-to the stars Phillip Treacy.  Compared to everything from a part of the female anatomy to an octopus, this hat even launched it’s own facebook page. The outcome- someone paid $131,648  when the hat was auctioned on eBay, all proceeds going to UNICEF. It seems she redeemed herself in the end.

Who were your choices for the worst offenders of 2011?

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

 

Oscars 2011 – Worst Dressed

Sometimes you’re just feeling bold and you want to mix it up and take chances. I can assure you there are two times in your life that this is not the time to take a serious fashion risk. One is your wedding day and the other is if you have the honor to attend the Academy Awards. These are the times to let your individuality shine but, use good sense and listen to those around you. On that note, lets go over my picks for the WORST Oscar Fashions from the 2011 awards show.

Cate Blanchett – I don’t even know where to begin. Cate took a bold fashion risk, I’ll give her that.  But, this apron-fronted Givenchy gown had just about everything wrong with it. The fit was flawless but the rest of it should have been left on the proverbial ‘cutting room floor’. By far the most confused look  of the night.

Nicole Kidman – Many years from now, Nicole is going to look back on this gown and ask herself  “What was I thinking?” I am already asking. In her Dior Haute Couture beaded peplum gown, she reminded me of a futuristic meter maid.

Penelope Cruz –  The L’Wren Scott gown accented her  figure beautifully, her hair, make-up and accessories were all beautiful. Unfortunately there was no real style to the gown and I felt like I could have seen the same thing in the Miss Universe pageant.

Helena Bonham Carter – A great actress really immerses herself in her character. However, after the film is released to DVD you can stop dressing like the the Mad Hatter, or whatever she had in mind when she picked out this  Colleen Atwood disaster. On a bright note,  at least she had time to stop in Chinatown and pick up a little plastic fan in case she broke out in a sweat.

Scarlett Johansson – We get it …you have a rockin’ bod and gorgeous hair. This Dolce & Gabanna gown, however, was too heavy looking and did not have any elements that fit your tiny frame. I also don’t think the Oscars is a good  time to have “bed head”.

Amy Adams – I have never been a huge fan of turtleneck sleeveless gowns. This navy blue, beaded, L’Wren Scott gown is no exception. Paired with the fact that the hair is too casual for this look and the necklace was too matronly, this entire look fell short for me.

Michelle Williams – When you have a gorgeous face and adorable figure, it is easy to look great in anything. Michelle’s ivory, pearl encrusted, Chanel gown is the exception. This  silhouette is designed for a very small busted, less curvy woman. It was too heavy looking and the lack of color made  this petite pixie beauty look like a faded photo of herself.

Marisa Tomei – She opted for a vintage gown circa 1950’s by Charles James,  which is a difficult choice – obviously. The truth is that women today are not built the same way the were 60 years ago. If you decide to wear vintage you have to fill out the dress completely and have it fitted to your frame. This means you have to bring your ‘A’ game and your ‘C’ cup. The  beauty of the gown was lost while we sat and tried to figure out where her boobs were.

Agree or disagree? Let me know! In the meantime, you can see the hottest couture bridal designer fashions by clicking below:

https://www.bridalshowexpo.com/fos_video_bride.html?PHPSESSID=823d669ebc3c999e7ad29cad873bbc56

Tomorrow we tackle the Tuxes in our ‘Menswear Review’!

– Penny for Bridal Expo Chicago

The Oscars 2011 – Best Dressed

No, it wasn’t just you, the Oscars were little odd this year. It was as if there was a huge inside joke that everyone knew and as everyone waited for the punch line with great anticipation ……. it never came. However, this years fashions did not disappoint. 

 I loved seeing Tim Gunn on the red carpet. This is exactly where he belongs. He asks all the right questions  and he saves the acting talk for the interviewers with bigger chops.  I have been tuning in since I was a small girl merely to see what the stars will be wearing so,  the red carpet is my favorite part of the show!

Penny’s Picks for  best dressed:

Mila Kunis – The biggest shocker of the night for me was how much I loved this Elie Saab couture gown. The only reason so many design elements (lace, ruffles, draped chiffon, blouson top) work on this gown is because it was constructed impeccably, like a work of art. Every fold, every drape, every small lace ruffle is sewn to perfection.  Mila made every one’s top ten list in this designer gown, and the top of my top ten list. Surprised? Me, too!

Natalie Portman – Although I feel she lost it in the accessory department (hello, beaded tassels?), the purple Rodarte gown looked magnificent and comfortable enough for the mom-to-be to carry home a  small statuette and a  bun in the oven. 

Anne Hathaway – Most critics were all over her red Valentino gown, accusing the star of wearing her window treatments, etc. I disagree for two reasons – the fit was perfect and it was pure Valentino couture.  In addition, each and every gown that she wore during her multiple costume changes was A+ with the exception of the midnight blue Versace. I thought it fell flat.

Gyyneth Paltrow – Again, I disagree with most critics. Her gown was sleek, cool and totally retro. She was not nominated and was there to look good. She did!

Sharon Stone – Carried off  the Black Swan theme to perfection in this one-shouldered Christian Dior gown, regardless off how the critics slammed her smoky eyes. I thought she looked magnificent for a woman of any age.

Jennifer Hudson -Was a vision in Versace. The tangerine color looked marvelous with her skintone and the fit was unbelievable. The side drape and fitted bodice showed off her stunning slim physique.  In all fairness, she was stunning when she won her own Oscar and was much heavier. *Memo to her stylist – “make sure the cleavage is the same color as the chest.”

Mandy Moore – Her Monique Lhullier gown was breathtaking. The fit and the detail  of this champagne/nude gown reminds us that this little girl is all grown up and also that Monique Lhullier can do no wrong. Her bridal gowns are equally as impressive.

Hailee Stanfield – Also wow’d the crowd in her champagne/ nude creation by Marchesa. She opted for a fuller, ballerina-length skirt which is extremely flattering and appropriate for a young woman at the age of 14.

Sandra Bullock – America’s sweetheart proves once again that she can  look red hot on the red carpet with this  amazing red Vera Wang gown. But, we already knew that. Her makeup and accessories were  toned down leading me to believe that she and her stylist agreed -when you look this good in this gown, you don’t need any extra help.

 Hilary Swank – This Gucci Premiere couture gown is pure Hollywood glamour. Hand sewn crystals,  ostrich feathers – who knew this much detail could be so sexy?  Grey is not an easy color to wear but,  Ms. Swank pulls it off effortlessly.

Celine Dion – She had twins? In this simple, fitted Armani Prive gown it is hard to imagine she has given birth to one child, much less three.  The slim fitting gown had an absolutely perfect fit for her, the horizontal darts accentuated her toned physique and the only detail on the gown (other than the silk shantung fabric) was a small band that seemed to help the gown curve perfectly over her bust-line.  Was it just me or did this necklace remind anyone else of the gargantuan blue diamond stunner she wore when she sang the theme from Titanic?

Tune in tomorrow for my picks for the Worst Dressed at the 2011 Oscars. In the mean time, you can click  on this link  to view Bridal Expo’s very own red carpet couture runway show!  https://www.bridalshowexpo.com/fos_video_bride.html?PHPSESSID=c2893cac5707631701337f218a200fd2

 – Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago