Red carpet roundup: The Oscars

I've been remiss on blogging the red carpet this awards season, but so long as we don't leave out the most important night of the year, then all is forgiven, no?  I was pleased to see so much colour on the carpet this year. Thanks to Boch, and Simmo for bantering back and forth on this one.  In the words of Simmo:

"Let 'em have it - they're stars, they know the world is watching, they have stylists, they have money, they have designers throwing free stuff at them - they deserve and can handle a critique and have no excuse to look bad!"

xx

All photo credits: hollywoodreporter.com and Red Carpet Fashion Awards

Gwyneth in Tom Ford.  You win.  As the Boch said - so many points for that divine cape.  Simmo's future wedding dress perhaps?

Michelle, oh Michelle you have redeemed yourself!  The more I look at this the more I love it.  Louis Vuitton.  She looks as radiant as she did in that yellow number with Heath.

Stone, you do no wrong in our eyes.   Commentators have blasted the excess of material, the big bow, but I can't find fault in this.  Giambattista Valli Couture.

Glenn Close rocking Zac Posen.  This rocks my world.  The tuxedo blazer cover up?  Genius.

Gary Oldman, I LOVE YOU.

Oh Meryl, I love you because by go you can ACT woman, because you have wrinkles, because you wear glasses at the Oscars at the same time as you're wearing Lanvin, and because you look FEROSH in gold.

Rose Byrne, why do you look so sad with such bangin' bangs and a killer Vivienne Westwood dress?  Particularly when you looked so much better than Anna Faris.

So I want to dislike this because of the material.  But Keibler gave this Marchesa a good shot for the last night of plus one stardom.  We can't wait to see who George makes over next season.

I know everyone is sick of Ange in black. Same, same, same is all I'm hearing.  But i have to say I'm am digging the drama of this one.  Close up her makeup and hair are killer.

I want to love this JChas; it's McQueen and it's embroidered.  But it looks just like what Blair Waldorf wore to prom, and she looked better.

Viola Davis loves to make a splash with colour.  I can't talk about how i feel about this Vera Wang, because I love her and want to be supportive.  I give her props for going without the weave.

I want to, but I can't - it's sort of darling, but I just can't abide by wearing polka dots to the Academy Awards.  It's the OSCARS.  You're dripping in diamonds and POLKA DOTS?  No.

Loving Cameron's dress and normally I like a good bob but she's looking a little like Ellen Barkin in Ocean's 13 at this point.

So I want to dislike this on principle because KWig needs to learn that this colourless trend of hers just will not do.  BUT it's J Mendel, and it's actually a pretty gorgeous dress.

In the words of Amy Winehouse, I said JNo, No, No.  They tried to make me wear a real dress and I said JNo, No, No.  JLo - you ain't an art deco building (thanks Boch), nor are you a fan, or a Venetian blind.

But for the hair, this might have been cute.  She's meant to be the Fashion Police and then she rocks that hair do?  The lilac was fun when it was chic, but put a comb through it sweetheart.

I know many a lady who likes the Milla, but I'm just a bit bored by this.

Like she's a present from Tiffanys.

Judy Greer, this is not the Emmys.

 I don't even know who this woman is, but she looks like a canary in lace brocade.

Someone said this made Penelope Cruz look like a Disney Princess.  A very well dressed Disney Princess. We've seen it all before.

Oh Princess Charlene, you still look as sad as you did on your wedding day.  And like you may be off to play tennis, though your dress is a little long.

Rooney, you started so well, but I feel like you peaked early during the Dragon Tattoo press tour.   This just doesn't do it for me.

There is nothing good about this.  How can such a beautiful woman, sometimes get it so right and sometimes get it so wrong.  The cut is just all wrong.  Why does Marchesa make women look so old?

Valentino aside, a little matronly no Shailene?

Stylish to cover up sexy

So a number of you have heard me waxing lyrical about the pure sex that is my new iPad - I'm reading the Steve Jobs biography at the moment, and decided that with my love of all things Apple, design and tech I couldn't bear to be left out of this part of history.  Now that I have this delicious new toy, I need something stylin' to keep it safe.  (I have a penchant for scratching new, expensive toys within the first week of acquiring them.)  I've been lusting after this DVF design in a laptop case for months now - lo and behold I found it also comes as an iPad cover - you can check it out/buy it for me here. 

Rediscovering Coltrane

I love this picture of Coltrane. Smooth. Treat yourself this weekend and put Moment's Notice on in the background (link below).

Birds flying high, you know how I feel

More Wonderland

Wonderland

Kicking ass

You know you can.

Red carpet faves: Golden Globes (...and some not so beautiful things)

So, I understand that this blog is about "beautiful things" and it's within that ethos that I aim to never post anything negative.  But with Red Carpet season hitting the ground running with the Golden Globes on Monday, I feel it would be remiss not to post all my thoughts on it.  And with that I had to bucket these up...photos via IMDB.com and smh.com.au.  Thanks to Kel for her ever amusing correspondence on the topic. 

1.  Girl, you deserve a Golden Globe just for this dress

Only Tilda could pull this off

Laura Dern - you deserve that statuette

Hi my name is Helen Mirren and I'm just being my normal awesome self

ERW, keep up that winning streak.  On the runway side of mermaid.

I sort of want to be Emma Stone, not just because she got to kiss Ryan Gosling but because when she gets it right, she gets it riiiiiiiiight.  Side note: in close up I can't approve the eye shadow she's got going on.

In vain I have struggled with my feelings about this dress.  Partly because it looks wrapped around her like a sari, partly because it feels a little boring.  But the colour is amazing and she looks pretty stunning.  Also she kicked Mila Kunis's butt - swan sister had a spectacular fall from grace (see below).

Also on the cusp. More like the time they gave Denzel the Oscar for training day instead of Russell Crowe - it's a category one because of all the other great outfits she's worn to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo premieres recently.  Also - I like how her hair is growing out.

You know I'm partial to the Mediterranean sea.

Ok, so it's a very simple dress but I'll give her statuette for the back. 
 

 Also I'm going to give Diane Lane a shout for being a hot mama who just consistently performs.

 2.  I don't like you, but I respect your dress choice

Nicole, we struggle with you.  But we like the dress. 

 

3.  Yes, you're very pretty.  But I need a little more from you

I can't be derisive about this, but it's just not quite there for me.  Especially when she has reached the heights of that mustard yellow a few years back.

George's side project is looking pretty awesome, but safe.  So safe.

Seen it all before Vegara.

4. I can see what you're trying to do, but no

It's hard to knock Prada, but the cut on Zooey doesn't quite gel...

Nicole Richie have you been spending too much time with JLo??

So much colour for the Ange, yet so Vampire Queen. 

I say this to you Jessica, to Kate Beckinsale and to Elle MacPherson - this is not your wedding day.  Not to mention Charlize, who has done that big bow before (yawn).  Also note how I said nothing about Jessica's penchant for the floaty lately?

5.  You have all these designer dresses at your disposal and this is what you came up with?

Lea Michelle.  This is not Dancing with the Stars.  Nor it is the Tonys and you are not Liza Minelli. 

Oh Mila, I really expected more from you after last year.  Performance anxiety?  Surely Dior had something better than this.   

Kristen Wiig, I want to like you but this is not even as good as what you wore last year, and even then I wasn't sure. Let's start with the colour.  And stop there, because none of it works.

Year 10 formal much?

6.  Your stylist hates you (or you fired her the day before the Globes)

Heavy draping.  SMG has morphed into her characted from Ringer.  Repeat after me:  "I must not wear the habadashery, I must not wear the habadashery (especially after I washed my whites with blue jeans."

 

Look at the seams! Did someone from Project Runway sew this?  I feel like Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia and Michael Kors looking at this - Naya did not make this work.

Oh Reese, I have so many words.  And they are all synonyms for "disappointed".

Also curtains, or table cloth.

Oh Connie, you're not on Friday Night Lights anymore.

Red doiley?  Orient Express?  Dianna Agron will you ever wear anything age approps?

I have no words Julie Bowen.  Also - I have no idea how you went from last year to this.

Acquisition: another big bag that is ridiculously disproportionate to me

Bay St Messenger in white canvas and black leather by Rachael Ruddick.

Bring it on, 2012

via Observando

A little early for winter, but warranted

via 00oo00

Dear all my dashing male friends,

This Burberry trench is a must-purchase for winter 2012.   You can find it here.  

Love, Nish

I could drink a case of you, darling

A stunning video to say Happy New Year from Devour Beauty.  Thanks to Dangerously Debonair for the heads up on this soulful cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" and its accompanying beautiful video.  PS: this is what real lyrics are about.