Posts tagged Beyonce
The Top Seven Looks to Know from the Grammys
Feb 11th
Best dressed and worst dressed are fairly subjective. So this Grammys, we’re giving you a look at the seven red carpet appearances that you should know.
1. Taylor Swift in J.Mendel - A mixed bag on this one from critics, personally we like the grecian-dominatrix look, but admittedly it’s not her best.
2. Florence Welch in Givenchy - The reviews with this were all over the place, but either way it’s worth seeing this surely Jurassic Park-inspired ensemble. (And it’s worth noting that emerald green is the color of 2013.)
3. Kelly Rowland in Georges Chakra Couture - It seems like the halftime show wasn’t the only boost to this former Destiny’s Child member’s career. This dress has elevated her to style stardom by critics and fans alike.
4. Rihanna in Azzedine Alaia - This was probably the biggest red carpet surprise of the night, with her pure elegance blowing the disco ball-wearing attendees straight out of the water. People are dying over this more classic look, and we are right there with them.
5. Beyonce in OSMAN by Osman Yousefzada - Bey can do no wrong, so basically everyone should know what she’s wearing. This pants option is a pseudo-fashion risk, yet not as buzz-worthy as some of the others.
6. Adele in Valentino - Yet another look that ran the spectrum of the critics’ picks. Some love this look, while others thought it was a bit dowdy and overrun with the floral print. We’re somewhere in the middle, but she definitely stood out.
7. Katy Perry in Gucci - This one is universally not liked, between the cleavage and the in-your-face spring green color. We’re right on board with that.
Stay tuned for our Oscars coverage in two weeks!
Photo credit: latimes.com
Inauguration 2013: Favorite Fashion Moments
Jan 22nd
As I tuned into the Inauguration festivities, I couldn’t help but intently focus on what the key players were wearing. From the FLOTUS outfit changes to Beyoncé’s tune-belting ensemble, this ceremony only proved that politics and fashion are no longer mutually exclusive. Here are our top five style moments from the ceremonies:
5. Michelle Obama at the Inaugural Reception in Michael Kors - A repeat outfit from 2009, this black sequin dress is further proof that the First Lady is a woman of the people. How many of us go to a little black sparkly dress for a black tie event and try to economize their closets?
4. Sasha and Malia Obama on Inauguration Day in J. Crew and Kate Spade - Wearing shades of purple, theFirst Kids (Disney throwback anyone?) proudly donned American designers and looked adorably chic. There’s nothing I love more than sisters who wear matching outfits or who have the foresight to alter a look just by changing buttons on a coat.
3. Michelle Obama at the Inaugural Ball in Jason Wu - Since Michelle really only had three color choices, I love that she went with a twisted halter neckline and a flowing shape. This really shows that women of all ages can wear bold colors without looking matronly. Plus is it just me or does this remind you of a modern take on Motown’s full-length, red sequin dresses?
2. Beyoncé and Jay-Z on Inauguration Day - Let’s be honest, we care about what Jay-Z wore to the point where he looked presentable next to the former Sasha Fierce. B’s intricate Pucci gown was understatedly ah-mazing, and I’m so glad that someone new has become the ambassador to emerald jewelry.
1. Michelle Obama on Inauguration Day in custom Thom Browne - This whole look just works. From the impeccable tailoring to the accented jewel belt to the gloves that matched her daughters’ outfits, Mrs. O did everything right with this. She directed enough attention to herself without taking over the event and she balanced the line between fashion-forward and conservative perfectly. And if I had the chance to go custom-made, I would jump at it.
Tell us what was your favorite look on our Facebook or reach out to us on Twitter!
~Ashley, FashioniSTA
Photo credits: Glamour.com, Philly.com, Bellastyles.com, Newswhip.com, HuffingtonPost.com
Met Gala Trends, Who Wore Them Best?
May 8th
The Met Gala is arguably the most high-fashion red carpet event of the year, where the style risks are lauded and the boring are never invited again (if only). This is a great night for the avant garde to sneak in with the red carpet glamour, giving us great pieces that are sure to inspire (or give us a sneak peek at) upcoming runway collections. Here are the top four trends of the night, and who wore them best!
1. Dripping in Metal
Gold has continued to earn its weight worth, at least in the style arena, and it was definitely a key power player last night. Between Anna Wintour’s gold detailed Prada, Karolina Kurkova in a full-on Arabian-inspired Rachel Zoe ensemble, and Jessica Pare’s square neckline/cap sleeve dark golden L’Wren Scott gown, there was enough sparkle to go around. Not only was all of this glitz great to watch on the red carpet, but it inspires the rest of us to break out the bold metallics when we have our less-formal (but still fabulous) events to attend.
Who wore it best? We’re torn between Lana del Rey’s flawless sweetheart Altuzarra and Camilla Belle’s plunging Ralph Lauren. Both style stars donned the dark gothic makeup to accentuate their dresses’ lighter metallic shades, but Camilla Belle’s flawless accents with her hair/makeup/earrings put her in the lead.
2. Embellished Mermaids
Instead of body-hugging silhouettes or outrageous ball gowns, the biggest shape contender last night was hands-down the mermaid silhouette. And since we’re pretty sure that these ladies weren’t trying to hide oversized calves, we can only speculate that the mermaid trend is stationed to take to new heights in the near future. From the tame - like Julianne Hough, to the outrageous - Beyonce in a lace and feather concoction - these ladies added appliques, feathers, tulle and pretty much every other material on the planet to create dramatic volume below the knees.
Who wore it best? While it seems a demure choice, Reneé Zellweger gave us all a shock when she decided against wearing her signature Carolina Herrera. However, dressed in Pucci (left), she rocked the long sleeves, sheer details, and an embellished mermaid train without looking like a trend wreck.
3. Feather Intensity
A flock of feathers covered the red carpet last night. This trend popped up everywhere from Donna Karan’s clutch to Kate Bosworth’s backless full-on feather Prada dress. Amy Poehler looked shockingly chic in a Fontini black peplum gown with a mermaid train of black feathers, and Diane Kruger’s purple Prada gown swept the carpet with the trim and train drenched in feathers. The red carpet had it’s grand finale when Beyonce arrived in a jaw-dropping Givenchy Haute Couture embroidered gown with a purple ombré train of feathers, proving to us that she properly holds the title of World’s Most Beautiful Woman. I guess stylish birds of a feather really do flock together.
Who wore it best? We have to go with Cate Blanchett in Alexander McQueen. Don’t let the black dissuade you from far away, the actress brought the glamour by marrying intricate feather detailing from the bodice to the train with impeccable fit.
4. Sculpturesque
One of the biggest trends on the Fall 2012 runways was the architectural shapes and details, and it carried over onto the red carpet last night. While January Jones stepped out in a Versace hip-action number that we feel like we’ve seen her in a million times, stars like Elizabeth Banks (in a somewhat bizarre Mary Katrantzou dress) and Jessica Stam (in a pale blue, ornate Christian Dior Couture design) brought over-exaggerated sculpted details to the event.
Who wore it best? Ok, don’t judge us, but for some reason Thakoon-dressed Christina Ricci’s oversized bow and architectural neckline really spoke to us (right). Maybe it was the risk or maybe we’re having a Casper flashback. Don’t ask, we really can’t explain it.
Do you think someone else wore it better? Tell us in the comments, post on our Facebook wall or Tweet us!
~Ashley and Lisa, FashioniSTAs
Ring Leader: The FashioniSTA Guide to Engagement Bling
Jun 7th
Even if you couldn’t care less about celebrity nuptials, everyone cares about the engagement ring. I know I’m not the only one who Facebook-stalks for ring photos as soon as I see someone’s status change to “Engaged.” But other than the ability to distinguish Tiffany from Crack Jack, sometimes the diamond details can allude even the best fashioniSTA. So we’re breaking down the dish on the left-handed bling.
Color
Unless your ring is a J. Lo-inspired pink diamond or a canary stone, the color difference is generally unnoticeable to the untrained eye. The general rule is the clearer, the better, with the whitest stone reflecting the most light. Diamonds are rated on an alphabetical scale from D through Z, with D being colorless and Z having a light yellow hue. However, unless you have a trained eye, a single spectrum difference – like that between a D rating and an E rating – will not make a big impact.
Cut
Although the diamond experts refer to cut as how someone cuts the stone to reflect the light, I think I speak for us all when I say that the cut we all care about is the shape. I don’t have a light reflector instrument on me at all times, but I have eyes, so you can guess what I’m focusing on. The eleven general shapes you have to choose from are: round, princess (square), emerald, radiant, oval, pear, marquise, heart, trilliant, cushion and asscher. Round is the most popular, making up more than half of all engagement ring selections, with the newer princess cut coming in second. Going for a solitaire is always a classic choice, and many engagement rings now consist of a solitaire with a pave band. Should you be a more ornate bride, you can also go with a floral theme, constructing a diamond flower from a center stone with a ring of smaller diamonds around it.
Clarity
Much like color, clarity is something you can only distinguish when there is a vast difference. Diamonds are rated on a scale from Flawless (FI), to Internally Flawless (IF), to Very, Very Small Inclusions (VVS), to Very Small Inclusions (VS), to Small Inclusions (SI), to Imperfect (I). While it’s great to go flawless, it will exponentially increase the price of the ring. You can always pass off the imperfections as a trendy “leopard” diamond.
Carat
This is the biggie. Let’s be honest, the clarity of Kim Kardashian’s ring never made headlines, it was the fact that it was 20.5 carats and covered her entire lower finger. Rings that big are even expensive at Forever 21. While all categories increase the price as you get fancier, upping the carat weight is the quickest way to drain your future children’s college fund on a piece of jewelry. Worth it? Probably, but the average size of an engagement ring is 1.18 carats, worth anywhere from around $1,500 and up depending on other bling factors. So don’t be afraid to be understated, you don’t want people to think your ring is fake.
Engagement Ring Hall of Fame
When you live the life of the rich and fabulous, some men ask their significant others to marry them in the most extravagant way possible.
Jennifer Lopez – cleaning up in both of her high-profile (recent) engagements, J. Lo first scored a $1.2 million, 6.1-carat pink diamond from Ben Affleck in 2002, then received an 8.5-carat, $1 million sparkler from hubby Marc Anthony.
Kim Kardashian – in true keeping-up form, Kim was able to outshine her sister’s impressive Cartier engagement ring with a $2 million, 20.5-carat emerald shape stunner (photo above).
Beyonce – this diva turned up the heat when she received an 18-carat emerald-cut flawless diamond set in platinum from Jay-Z, coming in at an astounding $5 million.
Kate Middleton – making her the envy of every young woman on the planet, Kate sealed the deal with her prince with Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring.
Heidi Klum – the woman who has it all also struck gold (literally) with her engagement ring from Seal: a 12-carat canary yellow diamond from Lorraine Schwartz.
~Ashley, FashioniSTA