Red Carpet Flashback - 2007 Academy Awards

Originally posted 2/26/07

Okay, it’s the Monday afternoon after the Oscars and I have already been asked a dozen times what I thought of the last night's Oscar fashions. 
 

It’s not as fun as it used to be to bash the stars on the red carpet thanks to Joan Rivers. But we can all still have our faves and least faves. There were a lot of beautiful dresses out there and very few horrible ones (thankfully!)

Onto the Oscar Night Fashions!

 

The Awful Dress Awards:

 

1) Penelope Cruz – just too much going on here. I also had a feeling, true or not, that this Versace dress would shed like a hairy dog. 

2) Beyonce looked like she was attending a cotillion. I have never seen her use the “less is more” adage. Maybe she should.

3) Best Supporting Actress winner Jennifer Hudson in Oscar de la Renta. I think she was nervous and putting her hands in the pockets wasn’t the best way to show off the lines of the dress. The color didn’t pop on her and what was up with that wacky jacket? It looked like an afterthought because she didn’t want to show her shoulders.

4) I hated this Chanel dress Kirsten Dunst wore. I hated the bangs and the dark red vampy lipstick. A loser all around.

5) Anne Hathaway’s giant bow distracted from how beautiful she is, and the antique lace of the gown was really dated. Felt to me like an Oscar dress from the 70’s. Not something a bright young star should be wearing.

6) While the dress Jennifer Lopez wore was gorgeous, I’m not sure it was the best choice for her. Graciously curvy, the draping and flowing fabric made her seem larger than she is, and threatens to start more pregnancy rumors. It would have better flattered one of those stick-thin actresses.

7) Jada Pinkett-Smith – usually one of my red carpet favorites, this dress reminded me of an Oscar itself, and also of that golden torso shield choreographer Debbie Allen wore many years ago. Jada knows her body, knows what makes her look great, and this was a rare misstep. But, her son was super cute, so that (slightly) redeems her.

 

The Best of the Best:

1) Perennial favorite Nicole Kidman – Helen Mirren may be The Queen, but Nicole is the undisputed queen of the red carpet. Never a misstep, and this gown didn’t disappoint. Wow! (It also doesn’t hurt that she has the perfect body to show off her clothes to the maximum advantage.

2) Cate Blanchett is one of my favorite actresses and is coming into her own as a style icon. She seems to have an innate sense of what looks good and more importantly, what looks good on her. She favors understated looks with a little bit of bling. This pewter dress was a bit of a risk, but looked spectacular.

3) The midnight blue of this gown beautifully balanced Maggie Gyllenhaal’s alabaster skin and dark hair. The lines were perfect. Can you believe she just had a baby?

4) Kate Winset’s mint green Grecian dress was a winner. After 5 nominations, she better know how to dress for the Oscars! One of the finest actresses today, I’m sure her award is coming!

The Better Bad than Boring Awards go to….

1) Reese! The dress is pretty enough, but YAWN!

2) Rachel Weisz – Yes, pretty, but completely expected on the red carpet.

3) Naomi Watts – a version of what we’ve seen her in a number of times. We get it, Naomi, you like feminine and flowy! Give us something a little different next time.

And now, the Just Yucky Awards!

 

1) What was Meryl wearing around her neck? Didn’t she learn anything by playing the editor of a fashion magazine?

 

2) Elisabeth Shue’s big hair was too much for that high, cluttered neckline.

3) Please be blonde again, Cameron!!!

And finally,

The two dresses I absolutely loved. They were contemporary and still appropriate for the Academy Awards. They weren’t in the traditional Oscar mold, but they were equally fabulous.

Jessica Biel (lt.) and Celine Dion

 

Cleveland Fashionista: An Oxymoron?

From my blog archive. Originally published 2/11/07.

To people in my circle, I’m known as the fashionista or style maven. I’ve even been called such in a few articles. I think it’s hilarious. We should all remember that Cleveland is a very small world and to be a fashionista here does not equate to being one in the rest of the galaxy. If I had attended Fashion Week, I would have undoubtedly dressed in a trendier version of my own style, but I still would have looked small-time compared to the REAL fashionistas of the world. 

So I started thinking - what does it mean to be a Cleveland Fashionista? Is there such a thing? And if there is, how do you define one? Here is my attempt!

1) She bases her wardrobe choices on common sense, more than anything else. She wishes to stand out NOT because she is dressed like she’s right off a runway at Bryant Park, but because she knows how to pull together a creative yet sensible outfit flawlessly. Other women can look to her for style inspiration.

2) She is aware that Cleveland is not New York, Paris or Milan. She stays up on what’s happening in the world of fashion, but doesn’t feel the need to emulate it directly, for fear of looking completely out of place. She picks and chooses the trends she wears, based on her own personal aesthetic. She knows what looks good on her. And she avoids the things that don’t.

3) She dresses for the weather. Sense wins out every time in a climate like Cleveland’s. She may buy a sexy little jacket, but it may be velvet or even fine-wale corduroy because those have a better chance of keeping her warm! She knows that while turtlenecks are going to be big for Fall ’07, they are always big in Cleveland. Brrrr!

(Still, winter after winter, this Cleveland Fashionista doesn’t learn and still wears high heel boots when the sidewalks are icy. She chalks it up to bravery. She risks life and limb because she WILL NOT be seen in a pair of Uggs. )

4) She knows that those who are consciously mega-trendy are the real fashion victims. They attempt to follow a pack they can’t compete with – the celebs and socialites of the world. A Cleveland Fashionista understands her place in the fashion universe. She knows that being stylish is of primary importance. She realizes that trends spice things up and make life fun – but she doesn’t base every purchase on what the New York glitterati or celebrities in Hollywood are wearing.

5) She has a blue-collar style ethic. She spends her clothing dollars wisely. She invests in the classics and cautiously follows trends. She doesn’t feel guilty for the occasional splurge on an item she absolutely loves. After all, fashion is a guilty pleasure. She is not shy about sometimes shopping at off-price retailers and even brags about the deals she gets.

Her style may be on the conservative side, but with a definite edge, whether it is sexy, artsy, or even a little over-the top. She is not into labels so much as what makes her look and feel her best.

***

While “Cleveland Fashionista” may be an oxymoron, there is no dichotomy in being a “Stylish Clevelander”. There is a lot of style in Cleveland! Get out there and be inspired!!

Kristen Kaleal is a professional wardrobe stylist who helps men and women create a unique personal style which inspires confidence and helps them achieve their goals. She also really like olives and Joey from Friends. Both remind her of pizza.