2013 Oscar Recap: The Tailors Steal the Show!

Seth MacFarlane's sense of humour isn't really my cup of tea.  Family Guy?  I can't watch it.  Ted?  Stopped it half way through.  Still...I kinda had high hopes that he'd find a way to be truly hilarious at the Oscars.  Was he?  Not even close.  But at least the only person he really offended was Chris Brown, and anyone willing to diss that guy to a billion people on live tv still gets props from me.

On to the fashion...I can't say I saw a bad dress.  Anne Hathaway's unnecessary nipple-exaggerators aside, I think everyone looked really lovely.  The thing that stood out to me the most - especially when looking back at previous award seasons - is how WELL everyone's dresses FIT.  Many people will gush about the designers, who certainly deserve much of the credit, but I think the true stars of this year's Oscar red carpet were the TAILORS.   Look at Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, Charlize Theron, Jessica Chastain...the list is endless really.  All those dresses fit PERFECTLY.  It's quite amazing to make such works of art hug every curve of a woman's body, but WOW did they ever!

If you have trouble imagining how important FIT is, just think back to Gwyneth Paltrow's pink Ralph Lauren dress when she won.  Whoever tailored that dress dramatically overestimated the size of her boobs.  I have no idea what happened there, but there was truly an opportunity for better tailoring.

Imagine how much better she would have looked if the neckline was just an inch higher, and the darting was better suited to her body.   The dress, the hair, the makeup was all stunning otherwise.  But when a tailoring mishap like that happens, it becomes the narrative - it takes over the discussion - and it overshadows the rest of the story. 

All we should have been talking about was how wonderful it was to see a young ingenue win an Oscar for a great performance.  What many people ended up talking about was the lack of ideal fit in her dress.  Case closed.

As for my pick for best dressed?  Zoe Saldana really wowed me.  The embellishment was risky in that it walks the line of being too much around the waist, but the unique colours, the fit, the scale on her frame - it was all gorgeous. 

Special mention goes to the excellent craftsmanship and artistry in Stacey Keilber's gown.  I'm a total sucker for anything with an art deco influence.  While it helps to have an accessory as hot as George Clooney, she rocked this look all on her own and truly stepped into the realm of the well-dressed.  Will anyone remember her days wrestling in the WWE after this?  Doubtful.  So lovely, elegant and classy.  

Memorable Shopping Bargains in NYC!

I've been to New York City a handful of times, and each time I had an agenda that made ample space for shopping.  I had goals around what I wanted to buy (ex: designer shoes) and what Stores I wanted to see (ex: Macy's).  Looking back, I see this left little time to really enjoy the rest of the city, and made the trips seem rather rushed.

Last week I visited NYC again, but this time the days were left completely open - no agenda - no timeline.  We let the city unfold before us, and with sunshine and 9-degree temps, we were able to walk around to our hearts' content.

We agreed to two guidelines for shopping on this trip:
1. We wouldn't set foot in any store that we could also shop at here at home.
2. We wouldn't seek out any store - only popping into stores we happened to walk past naturally that caught our eye.

What a delight it ended up being!  The most shocking part of all was that even though I made three purchases, I spent less than $60!  Mind-boggling, but true.

First purchase: $18 Concert Tee from the awesome Heavy & Light concert event we attended our first night.  Among great bands like Now Now, (Switchfoot-singer) Jon Foreman, and amazing spoken-word poet Anis Mojgani, we enjoyed up and coming band The Lone Bellow, who I enjoyed so much I grabbed one of their supersoft tees.  When I wear it, I'll be pleased knowing that it will not be a recently-coined-term: "Lie Shirt" (#cougartown) because I actually DID see them in concert.

Second purchase: $16.50 for this stunning necklace and earrings.  Once the sun comes out here again in the Great White North, I plan on blinging up my jeans and white tees with these fun pieces (not together fyi - that would be overkill).  I don't think it's going to be possible to wear these without smiling!

With my pink DL1961 jeans and a white tee?  Check!

With my yellow Banana Republic cropped pants and a white tee?  Check!

With my orange Old Navy dress?  Check!

I see now how much colour I actually have in my wardrobe...

Third purchase: $24.50 for this adorable dress from a second-hand clothing shop called Buffalo Exchange near our hotel on 26th street.  The store was packed full of people scouring through labels like DVF, Steve Madden, BCBG and the like.  This dress is by "no label I've ever heard of", but I'm thinking with my Brave Nida Belt from Joelle's it will become a fast fave!

My gorgeous shopping buddy got similarly great steals on jewelry and vintage clothing, spending similarly little money for her great pieces (I'll post those later tonight when she sends me the pics)! 

Lesson learned?  Let the shopping come to you while in NYC and you'll be pleasantly surprised what hidden gems you'll find!

Update: here are the gems my friend picked up from the same great shop on 6th Ave.  Steals at under $20 each!

3-Word 2013 Grammy Fashion Reviews

Coughing kid last night...little sleep...therefore you get my concise 3-word Grammy Fashion Review for some of the most memorable looks of the night.  By the way, in the vein of "what came first - the chicken or the egg?" ...tell me who stole who's moves: Justin Timberlake or Bruno Mars?  I can't decide.  I'm leaning towards Bruno Mars being the first to really swing it retro style and JT is playing catch-up...even if my lovely friend Saskia disagrees, LOL.

Enjoy!

ADORABLE. AND "fun."

BEST-DRESSED. WORST DATE.

WORLDWIDE BOOB ENVY.

STILL SMOKIN HOT.

SURPRISINGLY LOW KEY

TAKE THAT BEYONCE

WAY TOO MATCHY-MATCHY

BEST PROVOCATIVE SIDE-EYE

WOW!  ANGELINA WHO?

How To Wear Red Lipstick

Is the thought of properly putting on red lipstick not honestly one of the most intimidating tasks in a woman's life?  I mean, I think I might rank the level of difficulty up there with rock climbing and calculus.

If you've always wanted to, but you know you need help, then here's a great local solution: head over to Saltridges Boutique in Burlington this coming Saturday (Feb 9) and you'll get everything you need!  Speaking from personal experience, you'll love the products and you'll be totally prepared to try it at home once you leave.

Just imagine how fabulous you'll look next week on Valentine's Day once you've got this mastered!

glamjulz Valentines Open House Sale! Feb 7 2013

This Thursday, February 7th from noon to 7pm, head over to the glamjulz Open House at 5100 South Service Road in Burlington (unit 23 - near the back left hand side) and score gorgeous jewelry from previous seasons marked down 50-75% and no tax on her current collection!

You can also get grab bags with items like bracelets, earrings and necklaces for just $3 each.  Stock up on birthday gifts, hostess gifts, and Mothers Day gifts too!

Plus, it's always lovely to meet the designer & owner herself in her studio: Monica!   Grab a guy you know and help him do a little easy Valentine's shopping too.  SO worth going!