Fashion Muse: Emma Stone

Lately I have been coveting the style of actress Emma Stone. She always seems to nail red carpet dressing on the head, and her off-duty look is also always on the mark. Her look can be credited to stylist Petra Flannery. Ms. Stone favors red carpet dresses by Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Lanvin, Pucci, and Valentino and shoes by Christian Louboutin and Brian Atwood. Here are a few of my favorite looks on the starlet.




In Lanvin at the  2012 Golden Globes.
 I love the dark plum-y colour with her red hair. The gathered tulle is done so exquisitely, the gown seems to float over her body. I love the shoulder details and I would die for that eagle belt. DIE!

In Calvin Klein at the 2011 Golden Globes.
I definitely prefer her with red hair, but this peachy perfection of a gown perfectly compliments her blonde locks. I love the contrast of the soft-coloured gown with the silver clutch. The cutout in the back of the dress is a perfect finishing touch. This is minimalism done right.

In Elie Saab at the Spiderman premiere in London 2012 .
This is not a look that anyone with a large pair of girls can pull off. See? So, there are some pluses to being small-boobed. I love a good jumpsuit, and this is a great one. Minimal accessories and impeccable tailoring make this one a win in my books. I would totally wear this.


In Pucci at the 2010 MTV Music Video Awards.
This is how you wear leather in a non-bondage way. The simple shape of the LBD plays down the leather, as does her simple black pumps. I like that she added a touch of colour with her blue clutch.


In Pucci at the Easy A premiere in 2010.
I love a sequined dress, and this one is definitely not run-of-the-mill. I love the combination of blue and gold and the unique pattern. The neutral shoes are a perfect accompaniment to such an embellished dress.


In Lanvin at the 2010 BAFTAs.
I love how there is almost something casual about this gown. It is so effortless, and this shade of red is definitely Emma's colour.



In Giambattista Valli Couture at the 2012 Academy Awards.
I am sure that all you fashinoistas will note the similarity between this gown and the Balenciaga one worn by Nicole Kidman to the 2007 Oscars. It is a shame that all this look will incite is comparisons, because I think Ms. Stone looks amazing.

In Gucci at the Spiderman premiere in Paris 2012.
I must start by saying that I hate her lipstick. This particular shade of red is just too dark for a blonde, especially a blonde as pale as she is. It might have looked better when she had her red hair. However, I love love love her dress. She loves a belted gown, and she always looks great in them. I love the floral applique and the tulle layer. I just really wish she had gone for a slightly softer lip colour.

In Tom Ford at the Crazy, Stupid, Love Premiere.
It takes a real fashionista to pull off those crazy pointed hips. Of course, being tall and think helps, too. See? The dark red lip totally works better with the dark red hair. I love the beautiful lace of this dress, and the length is perfect. I also really like how she styled her hair.


So, which Emma Stone look is your favorite?

Toronto International Film Festival 2012

Once a year the stars descend upon Canada for the Toronto Internation Film Festival. Though Toronto is hardly a fashion capital, the celebs brought their fashionable best to the Great White North. And as always, they also brought their unfashionable worst. There really wasn't much that wowed me in either a good or a bad way, so I only have two picks in each category.


The Best:

Kristen Stewart in Zuhair Murad. For once, she doesn't look completely miserable! Really, though, how could she not be happy wearing that dress? I appreciate how she kept her hair and shoes simple, and left off the jewellery. With a dress like this, over-styling would ruin the whole effect.





Penelope Cruz in Gianni Versace.
Oh, Penelope, how well you do a red carpet. This particular shade of pink could very easily go into Miss America territory, but on Penelope it looks super sophisticated.


 
Kate Hudson in Alexander McQueen.
This reminds me of the Tom Ford cape that Gwenyth Paltrow wore to the Oscars. I love the exaggerated shoulder and the little bit of sparkle on the chest. The slit is exactly the right height, so many stars take it too high, and then things get trampy. Kate is white hot!


Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior.
While I do like the print, I hate pretty much everything else. Jennifer Lawrence is so pretty, and this look totally drags her down. It's way too old for her, the hem is all wrong (it needs to be either longer or shorter), and the neckline is unflattering. And her hair! Ugh, she needs to go back to blonde.





Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab.
This dress is a pretty colour, but I hate the turtleneck, the one long sleeve and all the bunching fabric on the bodice. The dress is pulling over her hips, and really does nothing to flatter her body. ICK.

The Cannes Film Festival

I know this post is extremely late, so please forgive me. I just couldn't resist doing a post about the fashion (or lack thereof) at the Cannes Film Festival, which was way back in June. Anyway, here it is:

Best Dressed:

 Number 5

 Cheryl Cole in David Morris. I think that Ms. Cole is one of the most beautiful people ever, and I love her style for the most part. This gown is no exception, and she would have been higher up on my list if she had either been on a carpet that was not red, or the feathered bottom portion of her gown had been a different colour. The red on red does not do this beautiful piece of fashion justice! That aside, she looks stunning. I love the matching red clutch and nails, but I appreciate the fact that she did not take things too far and go for a red lip as well (overkill!). Overall, she looks amazing, it's just too bad the carpet wasn't blue or something.

 Number 4
 



















 

Jessica Chastain in Gucci Premiere. I love everything about this. The peachy nude shade looks so nice against her pale skin and red hair, and I love the smattering of gold sequins. I would totally wear this.

 Number 3

 
 Diane Kruger in Giambattista Valli. I love how this mint green (very on trend for spring) confection has so much flow and movement. Ms. Kruger appears to be channeling another famous blonde, Grace Kelly, to great affect. Simply gorgeous.

Number 2

Diane Kruger in Vivienne Westwood. This bitch is one lucky lady to be on my best dressed list twice! I love how this sequined gown is so structured, but the draping keeps it from being too severe. I also think that going with very minimal jewellery was a smart choice, and I love her hairstyle.

Number 1

























Eva Longoria in Alexander McQueen. This lady knows how to do red carpet properly! This dress is just stunning, and on many people it would be overwhelming, but here Ms. Longoria is clearly wearing the gown, not the other way around. Especially impressive considering she is only about 5 foot 2 inches, or so.Overall an A-plus. I want to wear this.


And now...the worst. Sorry gals, tough luck.


Worst Dressed:
 

Number 5

Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen. If you ever wondered how it is possible to end up on a worst dressed list wearing McQueen, here is your answer. The darts are terrible, they are accentuating her nipples in a very unflattering manner, the skirt is wrinkled, and the overall shape of the dress is frumpy. I feel like I want to add a belt to this dress, although that still wouldn't solve the wrinkle and nipple issues previously mentioned. Also, bad hair. I cannot believe that the same stylist who got her onto my best dressed list also caused this fashion catastrophe.

Number 4

Kate Upton in Louis Vuitton. Ew, this is just so, so bad. The poufy tiers remind me of a Disney princess-type gown, and not in a good way. It seems like she is being just totally swallowed up by the sheer size of this monstrosity, and maybe it would look a bit better if she was taller. Her hair makes me think of scary Texas beauty queens. I give this look a miss.
Number 3

Freida Pinto in Michael Angel. This is hideous. The "abstract" sequin design on the bodice just looks like a mess, somehow the belt manages to make her waist appear wider, and the giant fold of fabric right on her crotch area is a little too labia-like for my taste. Almost worst than her heinous dress are the prom shoes she thought were a good idea. She was wrong. Prom-type shoes are never a good idea; no matter how expensive they are they still look like prom shoes, which means they also look cheap. Just say no.
Number 2


Diane Kruger in Christian Dior. She is wearing a table cloth. Or perhaps your grandmother's couch. This is just so ugly. Why? Why would she want to wear this? I can't even say anything more...it's that bad.


Number 1

Jada Pinkett Smith in Paco Rabanne. Ahhhhh, this is so terrible! It's like some kind of  Star Trek costume, but gone horribly wrong. The lacing up the front is super-trashy, not to mention that it's so low-cut that her ribs are in full view. And the pointy shoulders? Come on. Also, somehow I feel like her shoes are totally wrong with this dress. That being said I really don't have any recommendations for what type of shoes would be appropriate here. I think appropriate went out the window the minute that it was decided that this dress was fit to be worn in public.

The Diamond Jubilee

In London this year there were massive celebrations in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's 60 year reign. The weekend long party included a flotilla on the Thames and a rock concert on the roof of Buckingham Palace featuring Elton John, Kylie Minogue, and Paul McCartney. The royal family really brought out the big guns when it comes to fashion. Take a look!

The Queen wearing her personal dresser, Angela Kelly at the Palace at Buckingham Palace

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wearing Alexander McQueen with a matching fascinator on flotilla day.

Camilla on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral, Man can this bitch rock a hat! also, I like the Hottie Harry in the foreground.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wearing lace Alexander McQueen.

The Queen Lizzie in shocking pink with Catherine Duchess of Cambridge in forest green peplum.

Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. Ugh, not the ugly stepsisters again!

The Costume Institure Gala at the Met - 2012 Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations

This year's gala at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute was a study in the influence of Elsa Schiaparelli and the house of Prada. As the most important red carpet in the fashion world, this is the time to push the envelope, and wear something daring. Many of the ladies who had the privilege to walk the red carpet on May 7 went this route. Unfortunately, not everyone got this right. Read on to see my choices for best and worst dressed!

Number 5
Christina Ricci in Thakoon

Now, I know that this look has also been on many worst dressed lists, but I beg to differ. I would like this more without the train, but in general I find it quite stunning.

Number 4
Ginnifer Goodwin in Monique Lhuillier















I love the beautiful draping of this gown, and the detail at the neckline. The gorgeous coral shade is right on trend for spring. I also appreciate the fact that she did NOT match her shoes (hello prom).

Number 3
Carey Mulligan in Prada


Paying homage to the theme of the evening, this look is just so fashion-forward, but it is not too over-the-top, and it is still extremely flattering. I am glad that she wore no jewellery and kept her shoes simple. Her hair also looks super-cute.

Number 2
January Jones in Versace
















Something about this makes me think of a superhero, and I kind of love it. The lemony yellow shade is so flattering on almost every skin tone, and it looks smashing on Ms. Jones's porcelain complexion.

Number 1
Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren

Stunning! I love this. The twenties reference, which we saw so much of on the spring runways, works so well here without being at all costume-y. I love the beautiful swirly pattern and the sheer panels modernize the shimmering gown perfectly. I love the dark lacquered lip and the simple hair. To die for! P.S. does anyone know what Camilla Belle actually does? Or why she was here?

And now, for the worst...



Number 5
Coco Rocha in vintage Givenchy

Now, I cannot totally hate this outfit because it once belonged to the legendary Elizabeth Taylor. However, Coco Rocha has a history of terrible style choices, and this is yet another one. How come even supermodels can't get it right? There is no shame in hiring a stylist, although I don't know how you could be a model and not manage to pick up an ounce of style along the way. And the pink hair is very high school, as in, "I'm mad at my mummy."

Number 4
Anja Rubik in Anthony Vaccarello
 
Well, if she was aiming to look like a starved Russian hooker, then she hit the nail on the head. This is so trashy, and the hip bone is really terrifying. I think the dead look in her eyes comes from malnourishment.

Number 3
Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte

She looks like an eighties power woman. This is terrible. And way too informal for the occasion. The shade of red is awful and it totally clashes with the carpet.
Number 2
Kristen Stewart in Balenciaga

Another eighties nightmare! If Kirsten Dunst is the eighties power woman, then Kristen Stewart is the eighties slut. This dress is so tacky and those are some of the ugliest shoes I have ever seen. Also, she appears to have forgot to get her hair done.
Number 1
Mary Kate Olsen in the Row


While this ensemble is not the worst of the bunch, Mary Kate took the top spot because she just looks so terrifying. Something about her eyes and her hair sends chills down my spine. She looks deranged. I think that after the party she might be heading home to eat puppies.

Musical Inspiration

Music and fashion are inextricably linked, and I think that everyone can agree that generally musicians have pretty fabulous style. Taking style cues from rock stars adds a bit of edge or cool-factor to an outfit. Sadly, when I was younger my musical tastes did not lead to great style. I was a fashion victim of the Spice Girls. I had it all: a lime green pleather jacket, giant foam platforms, and babydoll dresses. It was not my best look. Today, though, I feel that by looking back a little further in musical history my style icons are more likely to inspire a look that I won't be embarrassed of in ten years. Here are a few of my favorite rock star style icons.


Debbie Harry






 The original bottle-blonde rock star, Blondie front woman Debbie Harry was the only woman in an all-male band. As the queen of new-wave punk in the 1970s, Ms. Harry's style was so cool. The tousled blonde hair, skin-tight denim, and tank tops combined with a good dose of attitude equals a style that endures. The rock star attitude really is what makes this all work, though. Remember that!

Tina Turner









Tina Turner, the Queen of Rock and Roll. She started out as one half of Ike and Tina, divorced the abusive Ike, and went on to have a solo career that far eclipsed his. There really are no words to descibe how epic Tina truely is. I mean, the hair, the short, sparkly dresses, the LEGS! And this woman can sing! Even well into her 60s, Tina gave Beyonce a run for her money at the Grammys in skin-tight silver pants, belting out Proud Mary. Go Tina!


Bruce Springsteen







I don't want to leave the boys out, so for all the gents out there who read my blog, take a cue from the Boss and try tight jeans and leather, accessorized with a guitar. Bruce Springsteen's all-American look is always in style!