Tag Archives: January Jones

Red Carpet Rundown: Screen Actors Guild Awards 2011, Part I

Posted on February 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

You know it’s not been a vintage red carpet when Tina Fey is amongst the best-dressed at 2011’s Screen Actors Guild Awards…

The Yays

Tina Fey in Oscar de la Renta – The days of the Great Jumpsuit Disaster of 2010, or the Great Southern Belle/Mary Poppins/Tiki Mask Boobs Disaster of 2010, are long gone. This can only mean she has a new stylist. With great taste. This intricate red lacy number is so stunning it would probably be a knock-out even on someone like Snooki, but thankfully the time when Snooki gets an invite to the SAGs hasn’t come (yet!) and Tina is knocking it out the park. The detail on this dress is A-MAZ-ING (yes, I just had a Craig Revel Horwood moment). She looks fab.

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta – Yes, she’s giving us diva face but with a dress like this, it’s totally deserved. A shimmering sheath of loveliness, classic but with a touch of modernity thanks to the thin gold belt. Her red carpet run since she shot to fame (have a quick perusal via the ever-fabulous Red Carpet Fashion Awards) shows she has good taste in gowns (if not always in make-up and hair styles) and this is one to file in the ‘mightily impressive’ section. Will she ever top last year’s turquoise Malandrino, though?!

January Jones in Carolina Herrera – When I first saw this, I was ready to dismiss it as another ‘Look at me! I’m not Betty Draper!’ choice, but it’s grown on me to the extent that this is actually my favourite outfit from the show. The lace-like print is unusual but beautiful, the black and gold colour combo is outstanding, the fit is flattering and feminine and Jones carries it off with an old-school grace and elegance. Joan, you just got pwned.

Heather Morris in Romona Keveza – Heather is just going from strength to strength red carpet-wise. Following her dazzling turn at this year’s Golden Globes, she continues to mine the neutral palette but with spectacular results. In the wrong hands, this could turn a bit Swan Princess wannabe, yet Morris pulls it off with charm to spare. She just looks so… pretty. Really pretty. Really REALLY pretty. I think I love her.

Julia Stiles in Monique Lhuillier – Julia turned up at the Golden Globes in an outfit that made her look like a dumpy saloon girl and looked almost as pissed about it as I was. The less than overjoyed expression is still with us yet the moonlighting as a Wild West extra is over, as this sweeping lavender cascade is just gorgeous.

Jayma Mays in Jenny Packham – Welcome back to the Jayma we all know and love, as opposed to the period-attired skeleton who showed for the Golden Globes. Gone is the spider’s snot make-up, replaced with a light fresh and peachy look, which just feels so much more right. I’m not quite sure how she’s making the red hair work with the burnt orange colour, but it looks all sorts of lovely floaty and yummy. Surely the L’Oreal contract courtesy of those lust-worthy locks is in the bad? Not sure why she’s only been allowed one angel’s wing as a sleeve though.

Kyra Sedgwick in vintage Thierry Mugler Couture – Mrs Kevin Bacon was unlucky to not be included in my Golden Globes write-up, as her mustard-coloured gown followed the time-honoured tradition of rather gorgeous mustard-coloured gowns, a code created by Michelle Williams and upheld by Diane Kruger. This dress is much less interesting but, in my opinion, even more effortlessly gorgeous. It oozes class, sass and sophistication, her figure is to die for and I want her hair. Another L’Oreal contract in the making.

Harry Shum Jr – A man! Again! Harry is included to show (yet again) how to be different and continue to get it so so right. I’m not sure many people could carry off a metallic suit, pink shirt and navy tie but he makes it look downright easy. The key? The cut is perfect (it’s amazing how many actors wander round treading on their hems, their tailors having used the height on their CVs rather than reality to measure things), the fit is perfect and the little details are all just so – the matching pocket square, the hint of shirt showing at the cuff. Good work, young sire.

Susan Sarandon in Nicole Miller – As some of you may know by now, I’m a sucker for purple (see Katy Perry, Sandra Bullock, many nail varnishes). This dress proves why. Again, it’s simple, sexy and sophisticated and there’s not much more to say than that.

In all honesty, this is a bit of a blah year, especially when you compare it with last year’s stellar showing. But just wait ‘til you see ‘The Nays’…

Red Carpet Rundown: Golden Globes 2011, Part I

Posted on January 23, 2011 | 1 comment

You know awards show season is starting to hot up when there isn’t a Kardashian in sight.

The Golden Globes is usually one of my favourite red carpets of the year because of the intriguing intermingle between movie stars and TV actors. The former still have more prestigious ceremonies to come, often opting for more unusual, less safe outfits this time round but for the latter, it’s the glitziest and most glamorous awards show of their year and probably the pinnacle of their red carpet season. They tend to grab their moment in the international spotlight with big ballgowns, statement dresses and demeanour set to dazzle, especially given the unpredictable nature of American television networks, which means they might not be around to enjoy it the year after.

Having said that, I was a little disappointed with 2011’s Golden Globes. There was a little too much beige and blah happening, some of my usual favourites have seemingly lost their red carpet marbles and finding nine unmitigated favourites to write for this first post was tricky. Here goes anyway…

Green Goddesses

The most noteworthy trend for this red carpet was green, a bright bold choice for stars who definitely didn’t want to go under the radar. Thank God.

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace – I was beginning to wonder if the world’s most famous vampire found wearing colour as scary as wooden stakes and garlic. Had Angie’s clothes all gone in the wash with a rogue black sock of Brad’s? Thankfully, this stunning emerald green number proved this wasn’t the case. It’s sparkly, it’s flattering, it’s elegant and it takes absolutely years off her. A simple (even dowdy) shape made stunning through a bold colour choice. Angelina looks positively invigorated and this is the best she’s looked in ages. Can you guess that I approve?

Catherine Zeta-Jones in Monique Lhullier – This sweeping ballgown has had a Marmite effect across the Interwebz but I love it. I love the classic shape, the kind of dress CZJ was surely born to wear. I love the colour, a deep forest green that complements CZJ’s porcelain skin and dark hair perfectly. And I love the attitude, the big ostentatious chandelier earrings, which just totally work with this big ostentatious dress, which just totally works with CZJ’s diva persona. The brocade-style texture is a bit much – making the dress sit somewhere between a roll of turf and Scarlett O Hara’s curtains – but I’m willing to let it slide for the overall effect. She looks like the star she’s never quite lived up to being.

Mila Kunis in Vera Wang – After watching Kunis in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I was all ready to elevate her to coveted ‘girl crush’ status, alongside my all-time fave, Rachel Bilson. Unfortunately, unlike Bilson, who looks absolutely adorable both on and off red carpets, Kunis has racked up appearance after appearance of screen-smashing mediocrity for her promo tour of Black Swan. Seems someone had read one too many Angie vs Jen style showdowns, as she was either clad in boring blacks or even more boring beiges (see here for exhaustive evidence). Thankfully, just as Jolie woke up to the world of Technicolour, so did Kunis – alas, the pair of them picking the exact same shade of the rainbow. Jolie steals Kunis’ thunder but there’s still plenty to recommend this dress. There’s something a little crepe paper-esque about the texture but it gives the whole thing a lovely fluidity and the emerald green complements Kunis’ colouring perfectly. More of the same please, Mila!

Other Loves

Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive – Just when you thought there wasn’t a princess dress Annie would turn down, she does a style 180 on us all. A modern shape (well, if by modern, we mean Dynasty rather than Regency inspired), an edgy colour (bronze rather than gold) and even a little bit of sex (unlike Jolie’s similar style, this had a cutout back, albeit with severely unsexy nude material covering the back). She looks stunning – from the front anyway.

Olivia Wilde in Marchesa – Wilde is still scrambling up the tv to film transitional wall, which I think explains her all-out double-or-nothing bling-tastic ballgown, in a year where these big pouffs of romanticism were mostly left on the stylists’ racks. She looks like a princess. I genuinely wouldn’t be surprised if someone told me the gown was magical – it’s the kind of dress that makes you believe. It’s like someone draped the night sky (you know, when it still had stars in it) over Wilde’s body, fluffed it up, then sprinkled some additional fairy dust for good measure. And let’s just have a moment for her bewitching Louboutins, presented in all their gold glittering glory below.

* Dramatic pause, longing sigh * OK, on we go…

Jennifer Lawrence in Louis Vuitton – The first time I saw this dress, I loved it a lot more than I do now. It’s flamenco flouncy, it’s romantic ruffly and it has those wide straps that I loved so much from that whole 50s-inspired Vuitton collection (see Rachel Bilson and Maggie Gyllenhaal). However, it is essentially pretty papier-mâché and as such, reminds me of this dress on Veronica Mars, whilst also looking like something Dolly Parton might have worn in The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. Oh well, we’ll always have my love at first sight to remember, Jennifer…

Some Slightly Half-Hearted Love

January Jones in Versace – This is doing the reverse Jennifer Lawrence on me. I’m sure that at least half of the population aren’t even aware she’s wearing a dress at all but I think this is one of those times that January’s edgy ‘I’m not Betty really!’ style has really worked. The fascinating cut-out details of the top makes it look like someone turned a superhero outfit into a red carpet dress, the fringing of the bottom suggests it was at the height of the 1920s that they decided to do so and the scintillating vermillion suggests they were going for the pure sex jugular in the process. We’ve seen January channel her inner bizarre superhero before with disastrous results but this a super-sexy superhero I could get on board with. Hell, it’s more convincing than her look in the new X-Men movie. Her classic hair and make-up, meanwhile, is flawless.

Amy Adams in Marchesa – That this gown was a Marchesa was a no-brainer. Interesting structure, highly romantic, hugely flattering – all the typical trademarks of the best Marchesa gowns. Alas, it’s all a bit Marchesa by numbers, meaning I feel like I’ve seen it all before even if I haven’t. I do still like the gown, certainly wouldn’t kick it out my wardrobe given the chance and there’s no doubt that these rich jewel tones complement Amy’s colouring nicely (they match her eyes perfectly!) but it’s just lacking a bit of spark and dynamism. Which is how I feel about Amy Adams in general recently. She needs a trip back to Andalasia stat. Here’s hoping the Muppets fix her red carpet mojo.

Leighton Meester in Burberry Prorsum – This is growing on me, in the manner of some murky fungus rather than a pretty flower. I feel that filming Country Strong may have infected B’s mind, as this does have a hint of country pilgrim feel to it. Like she should be in Big Love. That being said, it’s striking just because it’s so different from everything else that night and she’s still blinging it up via sandals, earrings and gold inkpot-looking bag. The beautiful hair, soft make-up and Leighton’s dreamy expression also make the whole look feel fresh and rather lovely, as opposed to Mormon and dowdy. Queen B’s selling it and I’m just about buying.

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Tagged Amy Adams, Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, best dressed, Catherine Zeta-Jones, fashion, Golden Globes 2011, January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Leighton Meester, Mila Kunis, Olivia Wilde, photos, red carpet, Style

Red Carpet Rundown: Met Ball 2010, Part III

Posted on May 15, 2010 | 3 comments

So far we’ve had my favourites, my err… other favourites and Tina Fey. I guess it’s about time we gave Tina’s sacked stylist some company at the job centre.

Vera Farmiga in Sophie Theallet – Ugliest dress of the night that wasn’t actively trying to be ugly. The bottom half, which finds ever-increasing ways to zig-zag Farmiga’s body in as unflattering a way as possible, is particularly nasty. Get back to your saloon in the Wild West, Vera!

Christina Hendricks in L’Wren Scott – It wasn’t a good night for baby blue, was it? It was nice of Christina to bring her baby falcon with her for company. Of course, no one is looking at the baby falcon or the strange orange make-up or the oddly frizzy up-do. They’re looking at her breasts. It’s for looks like this that the fact ‘breasts’ is only one letter away from ‘beasts’ seems so appropriate.

January Jones in YSL – Hendricks’ eye make-up clearly has nothing on that of her Mad Men co-star. There’s so much of it, it actually looks like a superhero mask. Aided with the concrete quiff, cat burglar gloves and garish colour contrast between shiny 80s prom dress pink and black iron balcony railings, she could definitely be a superhero of some sort. One of those self-made ones out of Kick-Ass maybe. I can only presume Jones is rebelling against being sooooo pretty as Betty by looking freakish in real-life. In which case, result!

Katy Perry in CuteCircuit – I’m loath to put a picture of Perry in because by doing so, that’s giving her the attention she wants. And attention-seeking is the only reason anyone would choose to wear this gown. It’s not a gown, it’s a party trick. It lights up! In neon colours! That’s like so cool… if you’re six years old and they’re glow-in-the-dark stickers you put on your ceiling to look like space. The light display would be by-the-by if it was actually a nice dress. But it isn’t. It’s cheap-looking, shapeless and looks like it was made from scrunched-up nappies. Thankfully unsoiled. Small mercies.

Kristen Stewart in Chanel – Unlike so many fashion critics, I have so much goodwill towards Kristen. I find her awkwardness endearing, even when it means outfits don’t look as nice as they should because she’s standing like Quasmido with the facial expression of someone about to have their photo taken… oh no, what, you took it just now?! But I wasn’t ready! But I can’t muster up much goodwill towards this dress. Remember the old saying about people so attractive that they’d look good in a bin bag? Well, here Chanel put that to the test and um… let’s put that saying to bed, shall we? But that’s not the main issue – what is going on at the bottom? It looks like it’s from a different (also not very nice) dress. The only consolation is that it looked equally horrid on the runway.

Carey Mulligan in Miu Miu – Since Mulligan is British and fairly new to the red carpet, I imagine she also had no idea what or who the Met Ball was. You thought Rachel Bilson wasn’t ‘event-appropriate’? Well, you’ll be weeping into your lace hankies at this. I actually like this dress a lot – it’s very cute, the floral embroidery is just lovely and it really works with the whole fresh-as-a-daisy charm Carey oozes – but it looks so out of place, and Carey knows it. Hands dug in pockets (they look like oven mitts), facial expression of ‘Woah… how come all these photographers are here? I thought this was just a casual little shindig?’, black opaque tights meaning (the Brit in her) that she was sure she would be spending extended periods of time outside… your stylist screwed you over, Carey. I’m sorry. I bet she knew what the Met Ball was all along, the bitch.

Diane Kruger and Zoe Saldana in Calvin Klein; Jessica Biel in Ralph Lauren – I’m not going to pretend these gowns are ugly because they’re not. However, look at what you’ve seen so far and admit, these are a little boring, aren’t they? Oh I know, fashionistas are supposed to worship the ground that Diane’s teutonic little feet walk on and yes, she does look stunning but this minimalist dress is just a little too minimalist for me. It is literally a bit of a blank. Zoe is the best of the lot – her gown fits her like a glove and it actually has some interesting texture and shimmer, plus the one-shoulder and the sparkle in her eye, saving it from being too yawnworthy. And after that shag-pile rug inspired Oscars look, I think she’s allowed a bit of a breather. I actually like Biel’s dress the most – it’s signature Ralph Lauren, fluid effortless drapey grace – but Biel herself is so boring. She can’t afford to wear a boring dress or else she drowns in a sea of vanilla.