- Fashion Rules!
- Archives
What a difference a year makes. Last year at the Emmy’s, in the fall of 2008, Drew Barrymore wore an extremely sexy tight “louche” pale blue dress and that crazy giant “Happy Birthday Mr. President” style hair. She got a tough time for that hair from the press, and also because even at the HBO Emmy party last year – and HBO’s “Grey Gardens” was yet to debut – she seemed – well – a bit tipsy. Or at least, uncertain on her shoes.
This year was a very different picture. Nominated for a Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries category (she lost to “Grey Gardens” co-star Jessica Lange), Drew was a fairy princess: a ballerina chignon, red lips, very small jewelry (a pearl ring and pearl earrings by Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie), and that frothy pink strapless full-tulle-skirted Monique
L’hullier. That’s a lot of dress for a small person to carry, but she balanced it beautifully, and kept her jewelry and hair and makeup in check with the Dress. And it turned into one of her best visual presentations so far. And not only that – she didn’t do the fishtail sexy look almost every other actress was doing at the Emmy’s. Kudos to her for that, and for going “girly” in an autumn of tough and sexy.
Finally – some retail GOOD news! Melrose Place lost Sergio Rossi before Christmas, when the Italian leather goods company pulled up all its U.S. stores to continue to sell to department stores. But today a banner was outside the space next to Vince on Melrose Place, the north side of the street, just down from Monique L’hullier and Ports: SPORTMAX. This is an exclusive photo shot by Fashion Rules just moments ago!!! Sportmax is the sportswear end of Max Mara – and it’s not as sporty as it sounds – it includes dresses, pants, blouses, jackets, even long dresses – and the pieces are all very fashiony And not entirely inexpensive. A Sportmax dress can be $400 dollars. However, that particular corner of Melrose Place is now where the lower end stores seem to be residing and clustering – since Vince’s prices tend to top off at mostly $300 for a sweater or a dress. Welcome, Sportmax!
Designers from all over the world land in L.A. every season, often to be mentors at the Otis College of Art and Design’s Fashion Design Department – and while they’re in town working with students, they often lecture, do in-stores, trunk shows, etc.
Otis has a particularly good line up of visiting mentor designers for the 2008/2009 school year. They include Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders, Mark Badgley and James Mischka of Badgley Mischka, LA’s own Monique L’hullier, Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin (which used to be called Project Alabama), Liliana Casabel of Morgane LeFay and Max Azria of BCBG, who is based in L.A. These designers will work with the senior class. Todd Oldham, Patricia Marquis of Cosabella, David Meister, and top designers from Anthropologie and Hurley will work with the junior class. It’s all happening on a volunteer basis. The designers help the students go from beginning garment – to finished garment.
Just think of it as a real-life episode of “Project Runway.” When Otis students shows their designs on a real life runway in May or June, this is why they look so good.
Since Sarah Jessica Parker stopped going to the Emmys, the high fashion quotient of this particular red carpet has fallen off considerably. Watching the 60th annual Emmys on Sunday night, we wondered: where are the labels? Sure, true fashionista Heidi Klum was trend-spot-on in her metallic one shoulder tiered Armani Prive’ – but where was the Dior? (Rita Wilson WAS wearing Dior, but it was white, and didn’t fit her properly at all.) Where was the Chanel? Where was the Lanvin, the Nina Ricci, the Givenchy, the Balenciaga? The Valentino? There are so many fabulous dresses out there right now – Anna Hathaway’s Versace at the Venice Film Festival took our breath away – but the Emmy dresses were wildly typical.
True, Kyra Sedgwick DID wear L’Wren Scott, a very progressive designer – but a tight white cocktail sheath is not a huge fashion statement. The problem with the Emmys is that they hit between NY and London fashion weeks, and then Milan, which started today. Somehow, it ups the ante for Emmy visuals when fashionistas everywhere are checking out Style.com to look at the fresh looks for Europe every minute.
Since everyone is doing TOP TEN LISTS, here is Fashionrules.com’s TOP TEN LIST OF EMMY FASHION, in no particular order:
JANUARY JONES: We know a lot of critics were hoping to see Ms. Jones, a spittin’ image of Grace Kelly, channel her character Betty Draper from “Mad Men” – and we can undertand why: Betty is beyond chic in her Hermes riding looks and lovely skirts and sweaters. However, we love that January wore a white Dolce & Gabbana fishtail gown – she is one of the few women in the world who could look good in something like this. It was made for her. It’s daring, it’s tight, it’s sexy – and she rocked it. We also loved the Grecian headbands she wrapped around her, totally staying away from Betty Draper’s little wavy flip.
MARCIA CROSS: We’ve heard a lot of flack about Marcia’s pale lace and tulle couture cocktail dress by Elie Saab – but we LOVED it. So what if it’s the same color as her skin? There is no rule that says that’s a crime – as long as it looks good, and it did. (The red hair helped.) We loved the lace insets, which is a huge trend for fall –and the full tulle skirt, which is exactly what we saw on the spring runways of NY Fashion week. Nothing desperate or housewifey here at all.
HEIDI KLUM: Heidi knows how to work a look, and years of practice have taught this ex-super-model how to work it head to toe. Because her metallic one shoulder tiered Armani Prive gown was a stunner – and had a lot of fabric – she pulled back the hair, and worked a lowkey makeup look. With the wrong makeup and hair, this dress could have been a disaster – but Heidi knows the golden rule of flamboyant dresses: take everything else down a peg. It came off like a charm – and she made a major dress look almost simple – and chic. She actually looked comfortable in that dress – a hard thing to pull off. The dress NEVER wears Heidi – Heidi ALWAYS wears the dress.
MARISKA HARGITAY: There’s yellow – and then there’s marigold. Mariska’s Carolina Herrera asymmetrical gown was a bold choice, and went well with her skintone and her haircolor. We also loved her cute French twist, which was chic and made the dress look more high fashion – but not TOO high fashion. A perfect head to toe look – very now. Chic, high fashion – and a little bit casual, as her hair was loose and her makeup downplayed.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE: The light blue sari-like Reem Acra dress is pretty, and particularly pretty on a blonde. But there’s a lot of fabric here, and it kind of took over Applegate’s look – we really couldn’t see her fabulous figure. Also, the tight high up-do and deep red lips made this dress seem much more formal than it was. Applegate did not look like she was having fun. The dress was soft and flowy – and hair and makeup, very grown up and matronly. They simply didn’t well work together. We wanted to pull her hair looser, wipe off the lipstick, and take a scissor to half the dress. Then it would have been a winner.
PERREY REEVES: Reeves donned an Alice Temperley cream strapless dress with red and black detail – and Temperley’s dresses are floaty, beautifully designed, and unique – congrats for picking a great designer who’s underused on the red carpet. Her hair was soft and pretty, and we saw a whole other side of her from Entourage’s uptight anorexic Mrs. Ari.
OLIVIA WILDE: It doesn’t hurt that “House’s” Wilde is a true exotic beauty. But instead of going for a sexy Pussycat Dolls look, she chose a demure pearl grey Reem Acra Grecian chiffon gown with small cap sleeves – and it really highlighted her beauty. She looked better than anyone – and it wasn’t all about her dress. It was all about her.
SANDRA OH: We simply LOVE this black and neutral lace Oscar de la Renta gown with a bow belt – it hits all the right trends, and even with a skirt that bells into tiers of lace, it is still shaped to Sandra’s lithe body. A winner!!! This gown manages to grab attention while remaining a bit quiet – a hard combo to come by.
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS: “Mad Men’s” busty redhead busted out of the series in her first red carpet appearance in an emerald dress Grecian gown by Tadashi that accentuates her overflowing cleavage and her creamy skintone. Again, she chose to play away from Joan Holloway, her “Mad Men” sexy secretary – and show her modernity. We love a redhead in bright green. And in this age of the 90 pound actress, we love a voluptuous goddess.
DEBRA MESSING: Messing is a fashion pro – she simply gets it, and always has. Since “Will & Grace” has gone off the air, she’s had a tendency to play it down and play it safe – but her safe is everybody else’s risk. Her wavy hair and heavy lashes did her justice, and the black strapless Monique L’hullier gown with a big lacy skirt was both dramatic and subtle at the same time. Also, she was accompanying her husband, who was nominated for writing – and didn’t want to steal his thunder. But Ms. Messing always has a little fashion thunder clapping wherever she goes.
HONORABLE MENTION:
BROOKE SHIELDS: LOVE the color of this Badgley Mischka fuscia floral lace gown, and only a woman as tall and chic as Brooke could pull this off. It took some nerve – and she’s got it.
VANESSA WILLIAMS: She looked slinky and chic in this Kevan Hall white mermaid gown with black and pink floral detail. Williams was one of the very few women to brave wearing a print – and she carried it solidly. Wisely, she toned down the hair and makeup, and looked gorgeous. A tigress in the lipstick jungle.
TINA FEY: Her deep purple strapless David Meister was very sexy for this normally underdone comedienne. But she wore it well – keeping her hair messy so that she didn’t have to look like she was trying too hard. Tina – you’re nearly at bombshell status: don’t hold back!!! She needs to get that embarrassed, “Is this really ME?” look off her face, and own it.
AMERICA FERRERA: One of the few actresses who can pull off red lipstick, she waved her hair forties style to go with it, and donned a strapless vintage ruched dress that looked really old Hollywood, but modern at the same time. How is it ugly Betty is emerging as a real fashions star? Well, if you work at a fashion magazine . . .
And, as long as we’re doing the TOP TEN LIST, we might as well do a NOT QUITE GOOD ENOUGH list, too:
KATE WALSH: Oh, Kate! You look so hot and sexy in your scrubs – why didn’t you just wear those? We’re all in favor of actresses breaking out of their tv images – in her case, “Grey’s Anatomy’s” and “Private Practice’s” Addison Montgomery – but with a blunt bob and dark red lips and in a super tight Zuhair Murad HORIZONTAL STRIPED DRESS (the ultimate no no!!! Kate Walsh looking hippie?) was SO not Addison, she was barely recognizable. Kate – fire your stylist. It ain’t workin. You can do so much better.
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS: We live salmon color, and we liked it on Julia. We love Narciso Rodriguez. But this dress is WAY TOO TIGHT for JLD’s body. It belongs on a runway model, not a star this fleshy. How great it might have looked if Narciso had done it in a softer, more forgiving fabric – but then, that isn’t what he does. He does skintight. That’s why his clothes don’t usually make it to awards shows, unless they’re on Rachel Weisz, who somehow pulls it off. Perhaps she should lend her set of spanx to Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
EVA LONGORIA PARKER: The silver bow and fringe flapper dress by Marchesa is super cute for a movie premier or a cocktail party – but not the Emmys. It looks wildly undignified – although to Eva’s credit, it IS fashion forward. Cute, yes – chic, no. There’s too much bust showing AND too much leg – Eva never learned you have to chose just one. Also, the flat flat bob and the heavily contoured brown blush with no lip color and what looks like an entire cake of black liner is just SO eighties, we’re having a Joan Collins moment. Eva clearly thinks she has become Victoria Beckham – but she isn’t tall enough – nor bold enough – to pull off what Posh can pull off. Who is?’’
LAUREN CONRAD: Lauren Conrad designed Lauren Conrad’s navy strapless dress with the brooch – and quite honestly, she needs a better designer. LC does fine with simple prom styles for her 16 year old fans – but for the Emmys, she could have done a lot better. We know a marketing tool when we see one. Navy is nice – but what about a full short skirt with a tight bodice, and a tulle underskirt, a la Oscar de la Renta? Lauren didn’t get that lesson in sewing class ye t- she’s still on strapless prom dress 101. Next time, Lauren, wear Nina Ricci. Honey, leave it to the experts. You can sell your dresses at Target, but not with millions watching.
TERI HATCHER: Teri’s Monique L’hullier ruffled yellow gown was pretty – but better for a summer awards show than a fall one. Maybe L.A. WAS in the eighties on Emmy day – but nowhere else was. Yellow is the hardest color of all to wear, as we know – and while it works well on brunettes, the dress just took over – and Teri’s slightly fell-out-of-bed hair and makeup made it look like she threw on her nightgown, hailed a cab, and ran over.
HAYDEN PANETTIERE: The young star looks fresh with her hair simple and pulled back, but the dress looks like it’s her mothers – it’s too long and it’s too mature. With all those fresh ballerina looks out there, it’s a shame she had to look so dour.
HOLLY HUNTER: First of all, Hunter didn’t know that the “young L.A. designer Jenny Packham” is actually a British designer. Know your designers, people!! You got the dress for free, now memorize a few lines! We liked Hunter in the lavender color, but the dress has little shape, and was built for a twenty year old. Hunter’s got a great figure, but could have used more tailoring and shape – not a halter that just hangs there. Also, her frizzy over-dyed blonde hair didn’t help matters. This is the way teenagers go to awards shows: NOT Oscar winners. Holly, fire your stylist.
