Then & Now ~ Yellow Dress
Then
1836 The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Now
michelle-williams-yellow-oscar-dress
Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.
Showing posts with label oscar 2012 fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oscar 2012 fashion. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Oscars Wrap Up ~ Final Thoughts
This is coming a little late, but my goodness, Fashionable Reader, have I had a busy few weeks (with no sign of letting up). However, I did want to finish my thoughts on the Oscars. We are back to the treatment of the Rack, because, well that is the title of this blog after all.
Aside from being the wrong color (and it is) the cut of this dress is not flattering. It has nothing to do with her figure. Here, for example is a much better option.
A very similar cut but better for the following reasons: pleated volume on the top is better balanced with a fitted bottom, rater than more draping, which gets a little Greek for me. The color is millions of times better, although I think her shoes are a travesty. Long sleeves with cuts (if you must have them) are better than cuts sort of under the arm, as in the first dress. I think both would have been balanced better with an envelope clutch rather then the smaller ones they carry, but the embellishments are nice. I don't like the darker blue vanity panel at the front, the dress should have been re-cut to cross over for cleavage cover, not that sad little insert. Or at least, match the color, it doesn't do to draw attention in such a manner.
Sigh. If it looks like bra, acts like a bra, then you should hide it like a bra. I adore the cut of the dress and the color, but that strange bra thing in the middle is horrid. Here is a much better way to do it.
I'm not certain the leg is necessary, but the cut of this dress is even better ~ wide belt, a touch of sparkle, and the modesty panel (if you can call it that) is up at the top. This is a cut that would size up beautifully. I think this was one of the best dresses of the evening. The color is a little muted for most complexions but she wears it beautifully!
And I remind you of my favorite . . . this is how to wear it if you have a Rack.
Aside from being the wrong color (and it is) the cut of this dress is not flattering. It has nothing to do with her figure. Here, for example is a much better option.
A very similar cut but better for the following reasons: pleated volume on the top is better balanced with a fitted bottom, rater than more draping, which gets a little Greek for me. The color is millions of times better, although I think her shoes are a travesty. Long sleeves with cuts (if you must have them) are better than cuts sort of under the arm, as in the first dress. I think both would have been balanced better with an envelope clutch rather then the smaller ones they carry, but the embellishments are nice. I don't like the darker blue vanity panel at the front, the dress should have been re-cut to cross over for cleavage cover, not that sad little insert. Or at least, match the color, it doesn't do to draw attention in such a manner.
Sigh. If it looks like bra, acts like a bra, then you should hide it like a bra. I adore the cut of the dress and the color, but that strange bra thing in the middle is horrid. Here is a much better way to do it.
I'm not certain the leg is necessary, but the cut of this dress is even better ~ wide belt, a touch of sparkle, and the modesty panel (if you can call it that) is up at the top. This is a cut that would size up beautifully. I think this was one of the best dresses of the evening. The color is a little muted for most complexions but she wears it beautifully!
And I remind you of my favorite . . . this is how to wear it if you have a Rack.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Oscars Wrap Up ~ Retro on the Red Carpet
As I said before, my feelings on the Oscars this year were utterly ambivalent. There were a few Retro Looks, however, that I thought were OK. Here they are . . .
I actually really liked this dress. It is sheer done in the right way. It has a kind of old Hollywood glamor meets 1970s. I like the green and black, and some sparkle but not too much. It fits her beautifully, the design is body flattering, and she's nicely covered up. I even like her makeup.
But Girl, that hair!
I'm someone who loves candy-colored funky as much as the next goth chick, but this is not a good color ~ especially not with the green of the dress. Nor is a good style. If you must do a color with this dress, a nice vibrant purple, and put it all the way up like a real adult, not a child playing with her mother's bobby pins.
I love love love this dress, particularly with the skinny belt. I picture 1930s summers on the Italian Riviera. It's meant to go with a big straw hat, flat sandals, a raffia beach tote, and the smell of lemoncello spiked grenadas, Possibly it might be swanked up for an outside tea party. But for an Oscar event? Even an Oscars after party? I don't think so. But I still love it. In fact, I want it. Gimmie!!!!
Queen Dita looking like her usual refined retro self. I like this dress, and she wears it beautifully, but I want to love it. Why couldn't it be a vibrant pea green? Or periwinkle blue? It'd be so much better.
Speaking of green . . . I admit the forest is a little dated looking, but it's a good choice for the red carpet. And look at this woman. Just look at her! 65 years old? She is amazing. She looks about a million times better than the model who's probably 1/3 her age. And how sexy is she, yet almost completely covered up? That is how it is done. I don't love her hair, but hot flippin damn she looks good.
Again a little 1970's retro, but I adore this black dress. A safe choice, but the cut outs are chic, and it's elegant and sexy ~ rather than just sexy. It couldn't be worn by those of us with a Rack, but that doesn't stop me from admiring it.
My hands down winner for best dressed. A curvy girl in form fitting white? With sparkles on it? Hell yes! She's covered up, and you know she's got some serious foundation garments going on under there, yet she looks fan-flipping-tastic. Her jewelry is understated yet elegant. Her hair is up and off her face, as it should be. Her makeup is impeccably subtle. This woman is a goddess. Nuff said.
I actually really liked this dress. It is sheer done in the right way. It has a kind of old Hollywood glamor meets 1970s. I like the green and black, and some sparkle but not too much. It fits her beautifully, the design is body flattering, and she's nicely covered up. I even like her makeup.
But Girl, that hair!
I'm someone who loves candy-colored funky as much as the next goth chick, but this is not a good color ~ especially not with the green of the dress. Nor is a good style. If you must do a color with this dress, a nice vibrant purple, and put it all the way up like a real adult, not a child playing with her mother's bobby pins.
I love love love this dress, particularly with the skinny belt. I picture 1930s summers on the Italian Riviera. It's meant to go with a big straw hat, flat sandals, a raffia beach tote, and the smell of lemoncello spiked grenadas, Possibly it might be swanked up for an outside tea party. But for an Oscar event? Even an Oscars after party? I don't think so. But I still love it. In fact, I want it. Gimmie!!!!
Queen Dita looking like her usual refined retro self. I like this dress, and she wears it beautifully, but I want to love it. Why couldn't it be a vibrant pea green? Or periwinkle blue? It'd be so much better.
Speaking of green . . . I admit the forest is a little dated looking, but it's a good choice for the red carpet. And look at this woman. Just look at her! 65 years old? She is amazing. She looks about a million times better than the model who's probably 1/3 her age. And how sexy is she, yet almost completely covered up? That is how it is done. I don't love her hair, but hot flippin damn she looks good.
Again a little 1970's retro, but I adore this black dress. A safe choice, but the cut outs are chic, and it's elegant and sexy ~ rather than just sexy. It couldn't be worn by those of us with a Rack, but that doesn't stop me from admiring it.
My hands down winner for best dressed. A curvy girl in form fitting white? With sparkles on it? Hell yes! She's covered up, and you know she's got some serious foundation garments going on under there, yet she looks fan-flipping-tastic. Her jewelry is understated yet elegant. Her hair is up and off her face, as it should be. Her makeup is impeccably subtle. This woman is a goddess. Nuff said.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Oscars Wrap Up ~ Why So Weird
Attacked by alien snails! Beware the gold slime. Is she oozing? I think she might be oozing.
Where's her neck? Where? I mean you know me I love a pussy cat bow but this doesn't work. It's all too much, even on the runway. I am reminded of bygone years, and not in a good way.
Left is 1890 The Metropolitan Museum of Art
I discussed this one before. Why the chicken cutlet action over the boobs? Why white when you're so white? I'm distressed and I want my crayons.
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From sheer to worse. The weird flaps, the wrinkled satin tunic, and then the black sheer. It's time for this trend to be over.
I know Dallas is coming back on TV but . . . and honey, you're like, 12, why do you want to look 50?
Right is 1891-1892 The Metropolitan Museum of Art
OK brights are very in for Spring but this is not a good color. She looks like the child of a sausage and a traffic cone. The cut is also not flattering, I mean how can you make Cammy look chubby?
Gwyneth the caped crusader! Watch out, you red carpet daemons, she's got her eye on you.
And a few honorable mentions. I found both these dresses weird but also slightly appealing, despite the sheer.
First we have a kind of blue lace tattoo, and second a kind of disco target practice. I do like the blue hair.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Oscars Wrap Up ~ Sins Against the Rack
My general impressions of the Oscar dresses? Meh. I just wasn't really wowed by anything, Fashionable Reader. So in the end, I don't mind missing them for a signing at Borderlands. I liked a few of them, and some were nicely retro, but mostly . . . meh.
And then there were the other dresses. A rash of them. And what did they all have in common? Ill fitted, ill designed chestal regions. Let me explain . . .
Sin 1: Gone Swimming
So you know the two fingers thing, for putting a collar on a cat? So you don't do it too tight? The same does not apply to the bodice of a dress. If one is less fortunate up top, one needs to be fitted properly just as much as us over endowed. I can't decide if this dress was too tall in the torso for her, or just too big. In either case, I'm under the nerve raking impression anyone with a few inches on the girl could just look down and . . . jackpot.
Natalie nearly made my favorites list. You know, Fashionable Reader, how I love a 1950s silhouette and polka dots? And then she turned sideways. Sigh.
Why? Why? Why? Someone should have stopped her. Colin, please, make it go away.
Sin 2: Down Under
Are there boobs there at all? Where did they go? And how will they get back? They could be gone forever! Oh, no, save them! I'm panicking here.
Sin 3: Side Cleavage
Need I say more? OK, I will. Cleavage is good in moderation but only in a frontal central location, not the side, not the tush, and not the toes. It's just like perfume.
Sin 4: Absences Does Not Make the Breast Grow Fonder
Bad color choice, why would you want to look naked and fluffy? Both dresses look as if they need to be worn under something else, either that or there's some strange bird furry naked chicken fetich I don't know about.
I'm reminded of that famous saying.
Or something. Now where was I? Oh yes . . .
Sin 5: The Lovely Bones
Goes to dressmaker and says, "You know I really want it to look like my breastbones are on the outside. Tres chic!" Let's not even talk about the entire absence of cleavage. If you don't have it, showing your sternum doesn't make it magically appear. Modesty is required for either extreme.
And then there were the other dresses. A rash of them. And what did they all have in common? Ill fitted, ill designed chestal regions. Let me explain . . .
Sin 1: Gone Swimming
So you know the two fingers thing, for putting a collar on a cat? So you don't do it too tight? The same does not apply to the bodice of a dress. If one is less fortunate up top, one needs to be fitted properly just as much as us over endowed. I can't decide if this dress was too tall in the torso for her, or just too big. In either case, I'm under the nerve raking impression anyone with a few inches on the girl could just look down and . . . jackpot.
Natalie nearly made my favorites list. You know, Fashionable Reader, how I love a 1950s silhouette and polka dots? And then she turned sideways. Sigh.
Why? Why? Why? Someone should have stopped her. Colin, please, make it go away.
Sin 2: Down Under
Are there boobs there at all? Where did they go? And how will they get back? They could be gone forever! Oh, no, save them! I'm panicking here.
Sin 3: Side Cleavage
Need I say more? OK, I will. Cleavage is good in moderation but only in a frontal central location, not the side, not the tush, and not the toes. It's just like perfume.
Sin 4: Absences Does Not Make the Breast Grow Fonder
Bad color choice, why would you want to look naked and fluffy? Both dresses look as if they need to be worn under something else, either that or there's some strange bird furry naked chicken fetich I don't know about.
I'm reminded of that famous saying.
Sexy is running a feather down your lover's body,
Kinky is doing it was a rubber chicken,
Perverted is using a live roster.
Or something. Now where was I? Oh yes . . .
Sin 5: The Lovely Bones
Goes to dressmaker and says, "You know I really want it to look like my breastbones are on the outside. Tres chic!" Let's not even talk about the entire absence of cleavage. If you don't have it, showing your sternum doesn't make it magically appear. Modesty is required for either extreme.
