The Requisite Oscar Fashion Review

Well, it's about time that I comment on the Oscar fashion:

The Good:

First of all, Best Actress winner Helen Mirren looked amazing in a glittering champagne dress - if I look half as good when I'm her age, I'll be happy. Reese Witherspoon looked radiant in a strapless violet number by Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci, and her hair and makeup complimented the dress wonderfully - being single clearly agrees with her. Cate Blanchett was stunning in her asymmetrical gunmetal Armani Prive gown.

Forgotten Dreamgirl Anika Noni Rose (there were three of them in the movie) gave us a reason to notice her in a backless metallic gown - personally, I love this silhouette. It's just incredibly elegant. Naomi Watts glowed in lemon yellow chiffon and her 40s movie star hair is just perfect, and Emily Blunt must have picked up some fashion sense on the set of Devil Wears Prada, because her strapless royal blue dress rocked.

Celine Dion's draped vintage Galanos gown was the perfect shade of green for her complexion, and her loose waves softened her features (something that is definitely needed). I loved the rich navy blue and the fringey skirt on Portia de Rossi's gown. Eva Green's Givenchy couture dress may be a controversial pick for a "good" look, but I think the etheral but gothic vibe suits her, in a haute couture vampire kind of way.

The Bad:

I wanted to like Gwyneth's Zac Posen gown, but I can't get past her scraggly hair. Cut about six inches off and get back to me. Same goes for you, Kidman - the stick straight hair thrown over one shoulder doesn't make you look like Veronica Lake, it makes you look like your curling iron broke. I did love Nicole's red Balenciaga, however, even with the massive neck-bow. Anne Hathaway's hair and makeup were gorgeous, but unlike Nicole, her massive bow didn't work.

Isla Fischer's strapless number would have gorgeous if the neckline was just an inch higher - there was a little too much cleavage, but the color was stunning with her skin and hair. Kate Winslet, take note: mint green is not your color. Stick with the jewel tones and brights and you won't look so washed out. Rachel Weisz is another beautiful woman wearing an unflattering color, but the cut of the dress was great.

The Ugly:

Beyonce appeared much, much wider than she actually is in her mint green Armani Prive, which resembled nothing so much as a nightgown. She looked much better in her sexy red number she wore during her performance. Jessica Biel looked matronly in hot pink Oscar de Renta - since her main claim to fame is having an enviable figure, she should have shown it off a little more. A softer hairstyle would have helped as well. Cameron Diaz's white Valentino dress was ill-fitting and looked uncomfortable - perhaps she needs to put down the joint and hire a stylist.

Kelly Preston looked like Mob wife in leopard (I usually love leopard, but not for formal events). Penelope Cruz looked like a giant pink cupcake (her hair and makeup were gorgeous, though, I'll give her that) and I really have no words for Kirsten Dunst. Feathers and sheerness and sequins and a peter pan collar - c'mon, Kirsten, not even Karl Lagerfield can make that combination work.

All pictures from Style.com.

The World's Most Perfect Shoe

I have found it.

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Milan Fashion Week

Check out Second City Style's coverage of Milan fashion week - some of the reviews are by yours truly!

Also, my favorite dress from the Versace show:

Donatella's really gotten her act together.

Shoe Lust in Milan

I'm seriously loving some of the shoes in Milan (and the two shows I'm looking forward to the most, Pucci and Versace, haven't even happened yet!).

Here's some favorites (courtesy of style.com):

The mary jane is definitely still going to be around for fall, so don't be afraid to invest in your favorite styles. The rust-colored crocodile and the black tasseled versions are both by Roberto Cavalli, and the gray scrollwork number is from Alberta Feretti (this one would be a perfect bit of texture with all the gray clothes that were shown for fall).

The little black ankle boots are Gucci (this shape is huge for next fall), as well as the cordovan knee boots (how amazing are those?). The lemon and lavendar satin and wood pumps are Marni, which is not normally a label I like, but there's something playful and appealing about these shoes. I think they would be excellent with gray, navy, or chocolate brown.

All three of these fabulous pieces of footwear are Burberry Prorsum. The patent lace-up ankle boot is my favorite version of the style thus far, and the studded sandals are a bit over the top but I think they could work with a simple little dress and black tights. The thigh high patent boots are probably something best left to the runways and editorials, but I couldn't resist including them.

The Bottega Veneta strappy sandals are similar to the Burberry ones, but without all the metal - however, they're not exactly subdued. These toughened up versions of the gladiator sandal are no doubt inspired by Carine Roitfeld and all her skyscraping Helmut Lang and Alaia shoes. The chunky pumps are by Jil Sander, and they would be great with wide leg pants come fall (that thick heel would be difficult to pull off with a skirt unless you've got legs just like a runway model). Finally, I had to include these zippered patent Burberry gloves - they're just too badass to overlook.

Madonna for H&M

First of all, you can view the collection here: M By Madonna, thanks to the fabulous nitro:licious.

H&M is known for their collaborations, and although they’ve stuck to fashion designers in the past, they recently let everyone’s favorite pseudo-British aging pop star create a collection. It’s actually significantly better than I expected, with plenty of basic pieces that could be worn in tons of different ways.

Daytime dresses are the staple of the collection, with several different shapes and styles. The overall silhouette is long and lean, and the necklines, as well as the at-the-knee-hemlines, are low. Ruched dresses with deeply V-ed necklines and shirtdresses stand out as potential great buys, because they could work for so many situations. For instance, you could wear them to the office (maybe with a cami underneath the more low-cut styles), over jeans or leggings, or dressed up with patterned tights and plenty of jewelry for night.

I think that the black, white, beige, and pale pink color palette is a good call for this collection, mainly because it’s easier to make less expensive pieces seem luxurious in neutral colors (seriously, go to H&M, Forever 21, or another cheap chic store – everything looks better in black). The accessories are done in the same color palette, with the addition of a seriously shiny silver clutch. There are actually a good number of handbags, mostly of the slouchy, boxy sort. The shapes are cute, but I’m withholding judgment until I know if they’re leather or not. Other accessories include some strappy sandals in silver or black, and chunky heeled patent pumps. There is also some kind of knotted turban that would probably only work as part of a costume, but I’m sure that I’ll see some fabulous fashionista chick rocking it.

Belts are also a major component – the tightly defined waistline is the focus of most of the looks. Almost everything was either cinched with a belt or otherwise detailed at the waist, so do your crunches, girls. The wide, multi-buckled corset belt – what a surprise from Madge – is paired with crisp blouses and pencil skirts for a sexy secretary look, but those belts could be styled in a variety of ways (layered over a fitted turtleneck dress, for example).

The overall vibe of the collection is tailored, sleek, and of course, sexy. It’s got a bit of a tough-chic feel to it – it’s definitely more city girl than country mouse. In generally, my favorites were the crisp white trench (there is something so decadent about white coats), the slinky black dresses, and the tailored shirtdress with the leg-of-mutton sleeves; actually, I’d looking forward to seeing all the dresses. I’m also interested in the black and white patent pumps – if they’re actually comfortable, they would be great with slim pants for spring.

Grammy Fashion 2007

Another Grammy Awards Show has come and gone, and although I congratulate the winners, I really only watch for the fashion. This year had few major missteps, with some of the key looks being column dresses and goddess gowns in a variety of metallics. In fact, sparkle in general was a major theme of the evening.

The Good: Mary J. Blige looked stunning in all her outfits, especially the champagne colored Grecian dress she wore on the red carpet – it was the perfect color for her. Jennifer Hudson looked sexy but still elegant in her cherry red Roberto Cavalli halter dress (she's been hitting it out of the park at all the awards shows so far this season, actually), and Corrine Bailey Rae was adorable in her beaded black strapless number. One surprise was Vanessa Minillo in a liquid metal mini dress paired with sleek, simple hair - I wasn't really expecting much from her. Carrie Underwood also worked the silver look well in her long, glittering column.

The Bad: Shakira looked pretty, but her red dress could have come from the juniors at Macy’s – it looked like more like a prom dress than a red carpet dress. Another one in the "safe but pretty category" was Leann Rimes. There was nothing wrong with her plunging black dress, but it wasn't exactly memorable. Christina Aguilera’s look was fabulous except for the seriously bad extensions – there really shouldn’t be such a clear demarcation between one’s real hair and the fake pieces. The Dixie Chicks looked great on the red carpet and in the audience, but Natalie Maines's (the lead singer) big puffy white dress during their performance looked like a wedding gown gone horribly wrong.

The Ugly: Queen Latifah really shouldn’t do strapless – any other neckline (or even just putting on a necklace) would have done wonders, because she can look much better. Fergie looked like a gothic cheerleader in her pewter Badgley Mischka minidress. Beyonce was beautiful from the neck up, but her dress looked like she wrapped a satin sheet around her body and secured it with a few sparkly pins - the low-rent version of the boudoir look.

The Men: Justin looked good in his gray suit (a nice change from the black that men usually wear to awards shows), and Terrence Howard is one sharp dressed man. However, John Mayer looked the same as he always does - in need of a shower and shave.

NYC Fashion Week Wrapup

If you're looking for a fantastic round-up of all the fabulousness that was NYC fashion week, look no further than the Second City Style Fashion Blog - there are show reviews (some of which were contributed by yours truly) and general commentary that will have you wishing it was already fall again.

Second City Style Fashion Blog

Do Great Minds Think Alike?

Two different friends of mine sent me this Michael Kors runway shot because "it looks like something I'd love".

They are right. The whole show was fabulous, as a matter of fact. Mr. Kors, you have redeemed yourself for your schtick on Project Runway.