The Return Of The Matching Shoes

I don't know if this really signifies the return of the matchy-matchy style, and as a child of the '80s I'm not sure how I would feel if that was to happen. But as my mom who grew up in a more ladylike era would tell you, there's something to be said for a pulled-together look.

Heidi Klum paired her Victoria Beckham dress with a matching pair of teal pumps. Her hairstyle also works beautifully here. I've combed through several photos of Emma Watson from her Today Show appearance- in some of them her Sergio Rossi peep-toes look more beige and only match her Burberry trench (want!). In others they are more grey, like her Carven sweater dress (I suspect one needs to be Emma's age to pull of this collar). In any case, it's interesting.

Now, let's just hope we'll never see matching scrunchies and socks, OK?

Photos: fashionpatrol.com

Heidi Klum In Mondo Guerra

Here's a little moment of sweet justice. In the Project Runway finale, Michael Kors challenged Heidi Klum to wear Mondo's polka dot dress, and here she is, making it work beautifully. I was deeply upset when Gretchen won- and not liking her personality (at least the way it was reflected in the show) had nothing to do with it- I hated the way some of her peers crucified her in the reunion. I just thought Mondo was a much better designer. Heidi, at least, agrees.

Photo: Dlisted

All kinds of beauty at the Fashion Week amfAR gala

This is going to be a sad and weird Fashion Week, but at least last night at the amFar annual gala (a benefit that raises money for HIV/Aids research) there was some real beauty on the red carpet. It was almost enough to make one forget about Lady Gaga and her skin disease pearls.

The first one who caught my eye was model Leigh Lezark (above). There's something special about her and the ring she's wearing almost makes me forgive the manicure.

Rufus Wainwright was there to show his support. He lost his mother earlier this month and there's something very fragile about him- he doesn't smile in any of the photos and his eyes speak volumes. I just want to give him a big hug.

Eliza Dushku and Heidi Klum show the many faces of classic beauty, while Meryl Streep, Vanessa Redgrave, Iman and Donna Karan are timeless and gorgeous.

All photos: Socialite Life

As Seen On Celebs: Distressed Denim

The trend that never completely goes away: by the time Stacy and Clinton manage to convince mall shoppers across the nation that distressed denim isn't doing them any favors, these jeans appear again on the legs of some celeb and we're back to square one. I probably had such a pair in every decade, but not going there again. How about you?

Photos: Socialite's Life, Faded Youth Blog, I'm Not Obsessed

Oscars 2009 Red Carpet Recap

So what did we have, other than the Tim Gunn alternative on ABC (I will never watch the E! red carpet show ever again)?

Red dresses:



Asymmetric necklines:



Belted dresses:


Godawful dresses:


When it came to hair, the formal updos are back, replacing the messy buns as they ought to for such a glamorous event. Those who opted to let their hair down have done it in long and pretty waves.

My favorite part was the attitude towards makeup. There was no one ruling trend and the stars went for individual looks and let their tastes (or that of their stylist) and their best features make a statement. Queen Latifah was radiant in the nude, natural look while Evan Rachel Wood was all glam. Angelina Jolie was all about her eyes (and earrings) while Tilda Swinton chose a bold red lipstick (I'm not sure that was the best choice ever, but at least she's never boring). Generally speaking, things were quite tasteful on the red carpet last night, and I think we can officially say that the overdone, too dark smoky eye is gone (and not a moment too soon).



All photos: A Socialite's Life

Emmys 2008 Dresses And Makeup Highlights

As always, watching the Red Carpet Shoe makes me wish the entire E! team would be fired and replaced. Preferably by mimes. But we're not here to discuss Giuliana Rancic and her vocabulary, are we?

It's always a bit weird: The stars are in full evening wear, all blinged and hair-sprayed out, but since the red carper arrivals are happening at 3-5 PM L.A. time, we see them in harsh daylight and it's probably a bit too hot for them to really feel comfortable. Sometimes it shows:


A more streamlined yellow dress was the one Mariska Hargitay was wearing. I love her, just not sure about the Sarah Palin hair:


Colorful dresses tend to steal the show and seem somehow more right at that time of the afternoon. There were several light aqua/sea foam colored dresses, as you can see on Jenna Fischer (Gustavo Cadile), Christina Applegate (Reem Acra) and Cynthia Nixon (Calvin Klein):




I like Brooke Shields too much to question the 80s glam of her dress (Badgley Mischka ):


Eva Longoria Parker was the most visible star who went with a short dress (Marchesa). Usually I dislike big bows on short women, but here it works, somehow:


I usually wait with the makeup recap until the day after, but since we're speaking of Eva I must comment on this so two years ago look, especially since I didn't like it in 2006, either. Too much black around the eyes, lips that are at least a shade too pale than healthy and the too-peachy blush that should have been named after J. Lo. I wish Eva would hire a new makeup artist, preferably of the Bobbi Brown school of thought.




Now, let's look at some black dresses, because you can't get more Hollywood than that. Debra Messing is gorgeous, but the dress (Monique Lhuillier), while pretty, seems a bit too much. It's a lot of goth drama for a hot L.A. night. And Kate Walsh is pulling off something most of us wouldn't (and shouldn't) attempt: horizontal stripes.

The next one isn't actually black, though it looked so in most photos and when I saw her briefly during the arrivals (I'm another one of those who didn't even consider watching the actual ceremony). I think Hayden Panetierre got it right with her midnight blue dress. Not many 18 year olds can look as polished and glamorous as this:


My favorite dress of the night- Heidi Klum in Armani Prive:


Next: The hair and makeup.


Photos: Faded Youth Blog, Just Jared

A Closeup On Oscar Looks

Today I'm almost happy that I haven't joined the HDTV crowd just yet.

My planned post for today was a more in-depth discussion of the Oscar hair and makeup looks. I did the red carpet live blogging last night based on what I could see on my modest sized regular TV screen. Today I have already gotten emails asking for specifics, how-tos and general advice about achieving a super glam look. To reply them and for my own post I started going through the closeup photos on Just Jared.

Short answer: Don't do it. Please.

You all know that there's often a big difference between gorgeous and elaborate makeup for a special night out or even a big event when you are face to face with people, and a camera-ready look. When it's "real", you don't want to appear caked-up and painted. You don't want to look artificial and you don't want to scare children and small animals. Notice the "you don't want" theme. What else you don't want? Cameron Diaz skin:


Except for serving as a warning for the hazards of smoking and sun exposure, I'm not sure what good is this picture.

Heidi Klum was the glamorous of them all, right? The most exuberant dress, the most done hair, the furriest creature that died for her eyelashes... She also wears way too much bronzer.


Something that I see in most of the pictures is the old trick of dabbing a very shimmery eye shadow in the inner corner of the eyes. This is a good highlighting technique as long as you don't abuse it. Nars have many colors that would work well here. I'd suggest to avoid real metallic silver. It's just too much and tends to look sci-fi.


If you're not playing up your eyes too much, consider a bold red lipstick. Katherine Heigl got it almost right. Except for the extra bronzer and the smoker's skin, that is.


I have full respect for Tilda Swinton's choice of wearing a dress that doesn't cling or reveal anything she doesn't want to show and not making it about her cleavage. I can also deal with a no-makeup look. I hesitated about even posting her picture, because I don't want this to be a discussion of her wrinkles. Ms. Swinton is 47 and opts not to do botox. It shows, but in my opinion (and I'm very pro-botox and surgery. In five to 10 years you'll find me at the doctor's office regularly), it's a better look than whatever taxidermy procedure that creates the face we've come to recognize as Renée Zellweger.
All this was just the escape clause for the following: Tilda still needs mascara.


To end on a positive note, Anne Hathaway looks perfect with a luminous and balanced makeup. Not too much on the eyes and not too little on the lips. Of course, she's also twenty five, so how hard is it to look great at that age (very, if my memory serves me right, but that's not really relevant)?

Instead, let's look at a few 30-something faces that actually got it right: a very black volumizing mascara (and probably some individually glued lashes), some highlight on the eye and a my-lips-only-better lip color:





All images except the ridiculous first one are from Just Jared, where you can try facing the real closeups at your own risk.

Emmy 2007: Colorful Dresses

Much more fun than black or navy:

Felicity Huffman in David Meister.

Mary Louise Parker in Dolce & Gabbana.

Kristen Bell

Kimora Lee Simmons

Kate Walsh in Pamela Dennis

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Narciso Rodriguez.

Heidi Klum in John Galliano.

America Ferrera in Monique Lhuillier.

Ali Larter in Reem Acra.


(Pictures courtesy of Just Jared and People.com)