fashion for faith in four colors: red carpet
Showing posts with label red carpet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red carpet. Show all posts

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Then & Now ~ Dove Grey

     

Then


1870s  The Indianapolis Museum of Art

Now

Hayden Panettiere


Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Comic Con Outifts ~ What the A List Wore

     
Comic Con must be a terribly difficult event for stylists to select appropriate outfits. Imagine the thought process in a sorority Rachel Zoe-type's head . . .

My star is going where?
A gathering of what kind of person?
What should she wear? How the heck should I know what she should wear?
What does one wear to a massive comic book convention? 
*Insert panicky blur of designer clothing flying everywhere.*


I suspect most stylists are tempted to opt for the standard press junket outfits, then they veer in some new and odd directions. I find them worthy of analysis. Because, Fashionable Reader, I am basically a nice person but when outfits come into play I do love getting down with my catty college self. (I've put my best guess as to the reason said A-lister was at Comic Con under the photo in brackets.)

Lady Like

 Stylists thought process: let's go with ladylike, after all it's a good way to stand out.
(This hypothetical stylist is of the Gail Carriger frame of mind.)

Ginnifer Goodwin,Valentino (Once Upon A Time?); Lyndsy Fonseca, Hellers (Nikita); Michelle Williams, Giulietta (Oz the Great and Powerful)

Gail's thoughts:
  • I adore the red dress but wouldn't have gone with matched shoes, it's too bridesmaid. 
  • I enjoy the summery colors and pattern change on Lyndsy (really!? "Lyndsy"? Are we back in the 1980's corrupting perfectly decent names with erroneous "i"s and "y"s?) but I don't think showing belly is ever appropriate outside of the pool. However, this is San Diego and there isn't much belly. 
  • I like that Michelle's mod dress goes with her mod hair, but a large print on a white trapeze cut will make even a size 2 look bigger.


Middi Pencil Skirts

Stylists thought process: let's go with body conscious but not too sexy, doesn't do to torture geeks unduly.

 Ashley Greene, Michael-Kors (Twilight); Jessica Biel, Mugler (Total-Recall)

Naya Rivera, Alazzouni (Glee) ~ sigh, Glee at Comic Con?; Nikki Reed, Rodriguez (Twilight)

Gail's thoughts:
  • I love Ashley's cream dress with brown, although I worry about whites on the red carpet. I think she looks great, hair and make-up spot on, but her shoes should have been a little more delicate. On the other hand, she could be wearing these because they are comfy and sensible for Comic Con, for which I can not fault her. 
  • Jessica's choice is odd and architectural, perhaps better worn for a music award show, but I applaud a risk and this is a comic convention so . . . I even like the neon shoe. I hate the bangs in her eyes though.
  • Naya's blue skirt is fab, but the boxy top is bad, and her neon shoe is an off-match choice. Green, perhaps, instead of yellow? I do like that she drew her hair back and went with a subtle summer make up.
  • I tend to like black and white and leather, so Nikki's is OK. The shoes and hair scream 1990s to me, though, and that's never a good thing in my world.
As pencil skirts go, I would have liked to see something a little more hip and edgy from the stars, like this:


Boxy Tops

Stylists thought process: I secretly hate my client for being a skinny beeich so I'm going to stick her in something unflattering.
(You all know how I feel about boxy tops.)

 See above.

 Kristen Stewart, BCBG (Twilight); Rachael Taylor, Suno (666-Park-Avenue)

Gail's thoughts:
  • Boxy and horizontal stripes? Have mercy.
  • Boxy and cropped? Have classy?
  • Poor Kristen, she just hates events. I guess this is trendy?
  • And Rachel chose to pair pajama bottoms with a galaxy T-shirt and pointed shoes? Really? Cute hair and make up, one wonders where her sleep-over pillow is.

White Shorts

 Stylists thought process: Comic Con, is that a gathering kind of like a music festival?

 Nina Dobrev, Kidd (Vampire-Diaries); Elizabeth Reaser, Louboutin (Twilight)

Gail's thoughts:
  • Call me prudish but I just think Nina's look is too casual. It's cute enough and she carries it off but I feel like she should be on a beach somewhere.
  • Words fail to describe how much I dislike Elizabeth's outfit. I await the Fug with baited breath. Her shoes are cute though. 


Just Confusing

 Stylists thought process: Comic Con, so she should wear something comic book-ish or . . . what's that, a line of coke? Gimme!

 Jenna Ushkowitz, Blaque (Glee); Lea Michele, Stella (Glee)

 Kristin Kreuk, French-Connection (Smallville); Karen Gillan, 3 (Dr. Who)

Gail's thoughts:
  • Jenna, girl, I wore that, in the 80s, when I was 8 years old! What are you doing? Speaking of, what is Glee doing AT COMIC CON at all?
  • Lea, love the . . . shoes. But the suit? Shopping at Goodwill again, are we? And Glee at Comic Con, really, go away.
  • Kristin looks OK, but I'm confused by the choice of dress and shoes. It's just boring.
  • Karen is adorable, always, but here she also appears to have forgotten her trousers. And the sweater feels a little like its trying too hard, in a "look at me I'm down with the geeks" kind of way.

I'm So Edgy

Stylists thought process: All clients are rock stars, but we don't want her to look like she's trying too hard. Comic Con can't seem actually important to her.


 Kate Beckinsale, Rag Bone (Total-Recal); Mila Kunis, Rag Bone (Oz the Great and Powerful)



Gail's thoughts:
  • I don't know why but this look just seems like a cop out, it's so safe. But ladies both look great, from head to toe, hair make up, everything, but it feel like the thought process was: I'm just out for the evening in San Diego . . . Oh, is it Comic Con? Well, I'll just top by then, shall I?


Gail's Winners!


Emily Blunt, Dior (Looper); Tricia Helfer presenting the Eisners

Gail's thoughts:
  • I love Emily's look, ladylike without being too buttoned up, formal but still fresh enough for San Diego, and a trendy pop of neon (nod to comics?). She's tan but not too tan, her hair is off her face (although it could use a die job) and her make up is classic. Delicate little necklace. I think she looks awesomely approachable.
  • I also loved Tricia's draped a-symmetrical jersey dress. It looked comfortable and pretty and her silver shoes were stellar. Also a nice clean pony tale and simple makeup kept it chic.

I do love me some draped jersey.

Other interesting trends:
  • A general lack of jewelry, perhaps because of the perceived casualness of the event?
  • Longer hem lines, to keep rabid fanboys under control?
  • Loose hair, to hide behind?

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Then & Now ~ Cream

     

Then


1890  The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Something Primrose might wear in the Parasol Protectorate Abroad series.

Now


Eva-Longoria-Marchesa-lace-dress-Cannes-2012
 Retro Rack has been featured on Be In Style's Best of the Web. 

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

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.

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.