When celebrities and fashion people combine…you get one ultra red carpet, meaning multiple posts on ChiCityFashion. With that said, part 2 just happened. Read that. Done? Okay here’s part 3…
Heidi Klum in Escada
May 8, 2012
February 28, 2011
Red Carpet Fashion: 2011 Oscars (Part 2)
If you haven’t yet, I’d suggest reading Part 1 of my red carpet coverage for the 2011 Oscars. If you have, we can just move right along…
Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuillier
As I tweeted last night, Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuillier is just as surprising as Ryan Seacrest in Burberry. It’s hard for me to take Mandy seriously when I just think of her as the girl who sang “Candy” that I jammed out to a number of years ago, but regardless…she really does look beautiful. I love the pop of color in the lips. My only comment is that the color of the dress washes her out a bit. But overall, she looks great.
Melissa Leo in Marc Bower
Remember how awkward her acceptance speech was? It kind of reminds me of this dress. She tried, but it just didn’t work. It could be worse. It could be better. She could have worn something a little more cool and modern. I guess that’s all I can really say about this…
Michelle Williams in Chanel Spring 2011 (modified)
Thank you Michelle Williams for not wearing a floral pattern (see daisy disaster). I actually really wanted her to wear Chanel because it fits her look and many of the pieces from the most recent Spring 2011 collection would work for her. I’m glad she went with this modified version and not the original (would have given her no shape). It’s simple yet interesting. This dress fits her perfectly and I just love it. Michelle, you have redeemed yourself!
Mila Kunis Elie Saab Spring 2011 Couture
I recognized this dress immediately when she walked down the red carpet. You can’t go wrong with Elie Saab Couture on the RC. Mila looks STUNNING in this dress. This color is amazing on her. The boob pieces are a little weird but I kind of love them. I really don’t find anything wrong with this look whatsoever…PERFECT. One of my favorites from the night!
Natalie Portman in Rodarte
The BEST she has looked on the red carpet since being pregnant. I especially appreciate the ode to Rodarte. This color looks beautiful on her and the silhouette is perfect for her “bumped” shape. But why did she have to wear matchy earrings? AND shoes? You are better than that Natalie. I know it.
Nicole Kidman in Christian Dior Spring 2009 Couture
I really love this dress on the original model, but when I see it on Nicole all I can say is…Ummmm no. Too much going on here–the structure of the dress, with the embroidered detail throughout, plus a chunky necklace AND orange shoes? Oh, and side bangs? Sorry Nicole…this just is not working for me (or for you).
Reese Witherspoon in Giorgio Armani
I love Reese Witherspoon which is why I hate to bash on her…but how can you not? I wore a Jessica McClintock dress very similar to this to my homecoming dance freshman year of high school. The clip-in ponytail is something I wore for cheerleading competitions in high school. Now I know you’re totally judging my high school experience but let’s get back to judging Reese. This is just beneath her. Get her some Oscar de la Renta ASAP…
Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang
Oh Sandy, remember when you wore that stunning Marchesa gown to the Oscars last year? What’s with the down grade? First of all, I can’t even handle another red dress on this damn red carpet. Second of all, especially one that isn’t anything special. Then pair with an awkward off-color red clutch? I love you Sandy but you have disappointed me here.
Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana
I am torn with this one. Let’s start at the top…I actually kind of love the hair. The “undoneness” of it is pretty cool. The color of the dress is ok. The dark patches over the floral lace confuse me a bit. But what confuses me the most is the exposed bra. Is that really her bra or just part of the dress? The world may never know…
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So overall my best dressed picks for the night are: Mila Kunis in Elie Saab Spring 2011 Couture, Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Spring 2011 Couture, Gwyneth Paltrow in Clavin Klein (minus the brooch), and Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein. Who were yours?
Photos from Popsugar
February 28, 2011
Red Carpet Fashion: 2011 Oscars (Part 1)
The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (or the Oscars if you will) were held last night at the Kodak Theatre. I thought Anne Hathaway and James Franco made a great team hosting the event (they definitely made it “hip” as intended). People won, people lost, but most importantly…there was a lot of red carpet coverage.
Let’s see who got it right, who almost got it, and who I just didn’t get…
Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Spring 2011 Couture
At first, the circular detail in the front confused me, but it’s one of those dresses that the more I look at it, the more I love it. She has that simple look to her where she could pull something off like this. And I think it’s perfection. A Givenchy Couture dress can be a risk in itself but she definitely pulled it off. One of my favorites from the night!
Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott Fall 2011
This is the best she has looked on the red carpet in a long time. I guess when you’re nominated for best supporting actress at the Oscars, you gotta step up your game. I love the color, the silhouette is perfection, the slit adds a little sexiness, and I think the hair and makeup is great. My only problem is the necklace…it’s just not necessary, but otherwise it’s amazing!
Anne Hathaway in Valentino Fall 2002 Couture
I love Anne Hathaway. She rarely makes a red carpet mistake (maybe because her stylist is the super fabulous celeb stylist, Rachel Zoe). I was very surprised to see an archived gown (that wasn’t technically vintage) from her, but she definitely pulled it off. Anne looks even better than the original model who wore this dress, and I think it works. I’m never a fan of red on the red carpet but it’s Anne and she can do no wrong.
Florence Welch in Valentino Spring 2011 Couture
This is her look and I wouldn’t want her to dress is anything that wasn’t “her,” but she could have chosen something that wasn’t this matronly. This look would be perfect for a woman age 60+ but not for a young celeb like Florence. Even in her Givenchy Couture dress she wore to the Grammys, the sheerness of the bottom and in the sleeves gave it some sex appeal but this Valentino dress is just way too covered up.
Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein
When I first saw her on the red carpet, I wasn’t 100% sold…but about one minute later I was completely hooked. It’s an interesting neckline, the liquid effect of this dress looks amazing on her, and I think the stick-straight hair is perfect for this dress. I saw a close up of the earrings and they were huge, looked like some kind of animal, but I kind of loved them. My only comment is that the brooch at the hips is not doing anything for me.
Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa
First of all, I thought it was so cute she helped design this dress. I heard she was wearing Marchesa before I saw her on the red carpet and I wasn’t sure if the choice would be age appropriate for her, but this is so perfect for Hailee. She looks like a little princess and I just love it. I think she’s adorable but I cannot get past the headband! If she had a cute little jeweled Jennifer Behr piece, she would be one of my best dressed picks. But that headband looks like she picked it up at Walgreens in a 3-pack on the way to the awards!
Halle Berry in Marchesa
Can you look at Halle Berry and say she looks bad? Just try to look at her and say “ew.” You can’t. She look stunning. This dress is beautiful. It looks a little disheveled at the bottom but I’m not totally hating that aspect. It’s Halle Berry. That is all you need to know.
Hillary Swank in Gucci
This one is difficult for me to judge, because I think Hillary looks beautiful, I am in love with this dress (I live for feathers) but I don’t like them together. I just don’t think a metallic beaded dress with feathers is very Hillary Swank. I would have loved this dress on someone like Anne Hathaway but it just doesn’t feel Swanky to me.
Jennifer Hudson in Atelier Versace Spring 2008 Couture
Remember when I said I don’t like red on the red carpet? Well this is orange/red. And I still don’t like it. She looks gorgeous and confident, which is always important, but I know she can do better than this. And pairing this with purple shoes? That is something I just don’t understand.
Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein
As I’ve mentioned before, I normally do not like red on the red carpet (or ever…red dresses can easily look tacky). I am also not one for minimalism. When it comes to accessorizing, I live by “the more, the merrier.” But you know what? Surprisingly, I love this look. Maybe because this dress fits her PERFECTLY. Maybe because the hair and makeup is stunning. Maybe both? Just gorgeous.
Keep checking back for PART 2 coming soon!
Photos from Popsugar
September 29, 2010
Christina Fan of C/FAN Designs
On Monday, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chicago’s own, Christina Fan, of C/FAN designs. She truly is one of my favorite designers in Chicago and if you look at her collections, you’ll see why. She describes her aesthetic as effortless, luxurious and sexy. What more could you ask for? It’s perfection. Her designs are very wearable yet quite unique. She takes wardrobe staples and designs them her way, to create a beautiful C/FAN garment.
I had the pleasure of meeting Christina at the Chicago Fashion Incubator Meet and Greet this past summer. She is part of this year’s CFI group along with 5 other designers. I had to ask her how her experience with the CFI has been going so far. She said it’s absolutely wonderful and it’s great to have a foundation for business (like financing, accounting, etc….all those things fashion people try to avoid). Because she was the only designer who already had her line going before she joined the CFI, she claims it has really helped her from a business standpoint.
Speaking of business, one of the most interesting things about Christina is that she has no formal training in design….she actually graduated with a degree in History from Northwestern University and had plans to go to law school. She even had a full ride to Chicago Kent. She traveled a lot and kept putting off law school, and that’s when she finally realized that she wanted to be a fashion designer.
What’s so interesting about C/FAN is that because of Christina’s business/professional background, she wanted to design practical clothing. It’s difficult for a designer to go this route because sometimes it can be too practical where it’s boring. Christina has found that perfect balance of practicality and individuality.
When I asked Christina, “who is the one celebrity you would love to see wear one of your designs?” she immediately responded, “Cate Blanchett.” Christina loves her style and her aesthetic and thinks Cate and C/FAN would be a great match.
Christina has come a long way in the past few years. Starting C/FAN in 2008 with a line of outerwear sold at Akira, she is now in Sofia Vintage, Cerato, SHE Boutique and more. She is very happy where she is right now because she feels like her collection is being sold at places that fit her aesthetic.
What’s next for C/FAN? Christina is showing her Spring 2011 collection at Chicago Fashion Focus next month. She also hopes to one day dabble in accessories, specifically handbags.
And of course the infamous ChiCityFashion question… “Why Chicago?” Christina was born and raised here so she knew it was at least a good place to start. Also, the Chicago Fashion Incubator program has provided her with a lot of support. Christina says, “If your product is good, you can be based anywhere.” So true….
For more C/FAN visit www.cfan-designs.com