Help Me Understand

Can we please talk about Lululemon?

In my search for the perfect post-surgery compression wear, I've been researching leggings.  They seem like the most sensible option for me- and let's be honest, I wear leggings almost every day, anyway.

I came across a review that mentioned how extra snug the Lululemon leggings are.  This sounded dreamy to me, because right now, extra tight feels extra good.

I decided to hop over to the Lululemon website to check out my options.

Tight Stuff Tight from lululemon.com

HOLY. SHIT.

Guys, I've reached the point in my life, financially, where I'm willing to pay a little bit more for a higher quality product.  And by this, I mean I buy Bounty paper towels instead of the Target brand.  I do not mean that I'm willing to spend $148 on a pair of leggings!

What type of voodoo magic do these leggings contain?  Are there diamonds sewn into the fancy pocket somewhere?  Are they hemmed with the golden thread that Rumplestiltskin spun from straw?  I can't fathom paying that much for a pair of pants otherwise.

Who out there owns these pants, and what makes them so superior to my Old Navy leggings that are about a quarter of the cost?  I NEED TO KNOW!    

Emmy 2012 Fashion Wrap Up

Award show season is here yet again!

The 2012 Emmy Awards were handed out Sunday night.  Oh, how I love to see all of the fashion come down the red carpet!  I've never seen so much yellow walk into one awards show- and I liked it!  Lots of other deep fall colors, as well, like oranges and burgandys.  Reminds me that there is a nip in the air, and the sweltering days of summer are behind us.

I had too much trouble narrowing down my picks to the best and worst three- so here are my best and worst five!  And a few question marks...

The Best

Ginnifer Goodwin in Monique Lhuillier.  I adore the orange color and vintage feel of this gown.  Not just anyone could pull this look off, but I think she did it with so much class.  And those shoes?  Perfection.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Vera Wang.  Talk about class.  This gown 's deep burgandy color  goes so well with her sleek, dark hair.  The sheer shoulders give just enough sex appeal without looking too "young."  Well done, Julia.

Kat Dennings in J Mendel.  Although this is a bit too much cleavage for my liking, the gown is still stunning.  I love the pulling and draping of the fabric- it creates such a gorgeous silhouette.   

Kelly Osborne in Zac Posen.  Okay, so it's a bit odd that her hair matches her dress.  But this dress is  just gorgeous!  I love the detailing at the shoulder and the gather at the hem.  And this color is just not one you see too often!  It looks stunning with her alabaster skin.

Padma Lakshmi in Monique Lhuillier.  Oh, the orange!  As a redhead, I have a soft spot for this color.   The fit of this gown is lovely.  Padma looks gorgeous, as usual.  

The Worst

Julianne Moore, my favorite ginger celebrity, in Zac Posen.  Why the long sleeves???

Ariel Winter in Katherine Kidd.  What is the deal with this print?  And those clunky shoes?  

January Jones in Zac Posen.  I'm all for a structural gown, but the skirt on this one is taking it just a titch too far.

Lena Dunham in Prada.  I always thought the idea was to find a gown that is figure flattering.  This one makes her look double wide.

Zosia Mamet in Bibhu Mohapatra.  I am not digging the matador shoulders, and don't get me started on the skirt- because I can't even tell what I'm looking at.

The Question Marks

Claire Danes in Lanvin.  I am one who thinks it looks better to embrace the bump.  She is clearly trying to hide hers, and I think it comes off a little sloppy.  Maybe without the baby belly this dress would lay better?

Julie Bowen in Monique Lhuillier.  I love the cut and style of this dress, I really do.  I just can't quite get past the color.  I've heard it described as citrine?  A little too neon for me, I think.

Project Runway All Stars!

You all know I am a fan of the original.  Sadly, I was a late starter to the series, but I have watched every episode of no less than five seasons of this fashion design gem.  I love to watch the process, I love to see the beautiful clothes, I love to hear the critiques from some of fashion's biggest names.  It's fun.

So can you even imagine my glee at the news that there would be an ALL STAR season?  Some jilted past contestants getting another shot at a grand prize?  Um, yes.  Excellent.

When I fired up our DVR-ish system to watch the first episode a few months ago, I was surprised to see a new cast of supporting players.  A new host, new mentor, and new judges.  Let me break it down for you.

Host- Angela Lindvall. 

She is no Heidi Klum.  I must say that I'm not a fan.  I enjoy Heidi's blunt commentary much more than Angela's seemingly watered down thoughts.  Also, she is apparently a supermodel, yet I don't so much recognize her.  Anyone?  Anyone?

Mentor- Joanna Coles. 

I appreciate her genuinely supportive, yet constructive, criticism of the designers' work.  I appreciate her important position in the world of fashion.  But she is most certainly no Tim Gunn, who is undoubtedly the brightest spot on the original PR.  I miss Tim.

Judges- Georgina Chapman (of Marchesa) and Isaac Mizrahi (along with the host). 

I enjoyed these two.  Georgina is very sweet, but very real with the contestants.  And Isaac is just funny and fabulous.  No holds barred.  Love.  The guest judges were also wonderful, ranging from huge names in fashion (like Diane von Furstenberg and Tommy Hilfiger) to huge names in entertainment (um, Miss Piggy?).  Delightful.

I was a little behind as far as contestants are concerned, since I missed a few of the earlier seasons, but by the time we got to the end, I was up to speed.

The final three were really something else.

Austin Scarlett could not possibly be more dramatic. 

His wardrobe (the sequins!), his hair (omg- he sleeps in curlers!), and even his speech (who says farewell instead of goodbye?) are completely over-the-top at all times.  Fun to watch.  But his final collection was equally over-the-top, and I got lost in his explanation.  A 300-year-old vampire borrowing clothes from his modern day Hasidic friends in Colonial Williamsburg?  I swear to you, I am not making this up.  It was a bit much.  He gets big points from me for his wedding gown, however.  Incredible.

Michael Costello- ugh. 

I remember Michael from his original season, and I hated him there, as well.  I feel like he is completely fake with his emotions, and that is something that I cannot abide.  When someone was sent home instead of him, he cried fake "it should have been me" tears every time.  Ugh.  And since he made it to the finale, I guess he must have talent.  I will admit that several of the pieces he created over the season were really quite beautiful.  But why do I feel like he just kind of got lucky with every win?  His final collection was nice, but that's all.  Just nice.  (And had so much animal print that I thought I was in the jungle, but whatev.  I guess that's what he was going for.)

Mondo Guerra. 

I love me some Mondo.  I was so sad for him on his original season that he lost out to that bitch Gretchen.  I was so excited to see him get a chance for redemption.  Although his designs are not something that I would wear, I can appreciate it for its artistry, and the skill that goes into creating it.  He truly is a creative genius.  And although he got a titch overdramatic towards the end, it worked for him.  His "Therapy" collection was inspired. 

And if you couldn't tell from my contestant descriptions, Mondo was my clear favorite...AND THE WINNER!  Huzzah.  The good guy wins in the end.  All is right with the world.  Team Mondo 4-eva. 

Loved this show.

Oscars Fashion Wrap-Up

J rigged the TV yesterday so that I wouldn't miss the Academy Awards...my Superbowl.  Seriously, my biggest TV event of the year.  I LOVE IT.  I got to see the stars walk the red carpet live!  Yay!

Let me start by declaring the ladies from "The Help" the winners of the red carpet.  No matter what happened once they entered the Kodak Theater, they certainly deserve kudos for their amazing fashions on Oscar night.

Viola Davis in Vera Wang.  I adore this gorgeous emerald color, the beaded bust, and the flowy bottom. 

Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen.  The gold beading on the black background is a stunning contrast, and you know I'm a sucker for her flowing ginger locks.  Well done.

Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji.  This lady has never. looked. better.  The ruching is in all the right places, the color and beading are exquisite.  She looks like a million bucks.  And I'm so glad she got to take home a trophy.

And then let me move onto the ladies of the 80's.  Did I miss a memo stating that gold lame and over-sized shoulders are back in style?  Because last time I checked, they were a relic from my childhood.

Oh, Meryl.  I am so sad for you.  Sad that you had to give an unexpected acceptance speech in front of a billion people while wearing this travesty from Lanvin.  Funny, it looks so similar to the gown you were wearing when you accepted your last Oscar...in 1983.

Thank God Stacy Keibler had George Clooney as an accessory.  He almost makes up for the fact that she has a GIANT GOLD ROSE on her hip.  This Marchesa gown missed the mark for me.

Mila Jovovich in Elie Saab.  Shoulder pad?  Really?  I think that's all I need to say about that.

Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli.  This would have been lovely, if not for the GIANT BOW threatening to swallow her head.  I wanted to like this, I really did.  But I just cannot get on board with that crazy bow.

Worst dressed of the night?  Definitely this girl.

Shailene Woodley in Valentino.  Somebody get this girl a stylist, stat.  One who knows that SHE'S 20 YEARS OLD!  This dress couldn't possibly be more matronly.  Luckily for her, she also probably got to stand near her costar George Clooney at some point during the evening.

Best dressed?  I know I already mentioned her above, but I cannot get over the beauty of Viola.

The jewel tone against her skin, the earrings, the natural hair...it all just works so beautifully.  Just stunning.

And just to end on a catty note...

The fashion world seems to be in love with Jennifer Lopez's Zuhair Murad dress.  I was not a fan.  JLo quoted Edith Head in her presentation, saying "A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman, but loose enough to show you're a lady."  HA!  Nothing ladylike here!  I can all but see her nipples peeking out of this gown.  As a matter of fact, the Interwebs are abuzz with the possibility that a wardrobe malfunction did, in fact, occur.  Awkward!

Ick.

Also, Angelina Jolie is one big bore.  She apparently felt that she had to stick her leg out of her way too high slit in order to awaken us from this snooze fest.  Yawn.

This Versace dress is a bore, just like every other dress Angelina has worn lately.

Grammy Fashion Wrap-Up

The Grammy awards are a laid back, fun evening to celebrate the music industry.  I'm afraid that the death of Whitney Houston cast such a pall on the night that people left their hotel rooms without checking a mirror first.  Yikes.  I was uninspired by the evening's fashion, so I did not bother to look up designers- nonetheless, here is a rundown of some of the hits and misses!

ICK:

Alicia Keys.  I hate it when someone ruins a look with bad accessorizing.  This LBD is fantastic, but that necklace looks like a warrior's breastplate.  No, thank you.

Alison Krauss.  Is that an oversized lace doily draped over her shoulders, concealing the top half of a dress that was clearly caught in a shredder?

Robyn.  I don't know who this person is, but I do know that those shoes are the worst thing to hit the red carpet since Lady Gaga's egg last year.

Taraji P. Henson.  Shiny animal print?  Baby pink halter top?  Ick.

Nicki Minaj.  Why, Nicki?  Why?

Rebecca Black.  REBECCA BLACK?  WHY is she there?  Her Internet crap was SO 2011.  Also, she looks stupid.

HUZZAH!:

Giuliana Rancic looks smokin' hot.  For a woman who just recently underwent a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, she sure does look confident and glamorous on the red carpet.  I salute you, Giuliana. 

Julianne Hough.  The detailing on this gown gives it the edge that it needs for Grammy night.

Kate Beckinsdale.  Love the ponytail, love the creamy color, love the draping, love the length.  Well done.

Kathy Griffin.  For once, I do believe that she won't end up on a  "Worst Dressed" list.

Paris Hilton.  Why she is even AT the Grammy's, I have no idea.  But I love the gold detailing and cap sleeves on this gown.

WINNER WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER.  Adele did it right.  Simple, elegant, classy.  I adore her signature red lips and big hair.  This look may be a touch matronly on someone else, but I think its perfect for this Grammy darling.  Incidentally, I haven't been able to get "Someone Like You" out of my head since Sunday night.

Question Marks:

Fergie.  I don't inherently hate this see-through dress.  I'm just not sure I love the bright orange/black combo.  Too Halloweenish?

Katy Perry.  This dress had great potential.  I don't mind all of the blueness.  I DO mind the lack of a good bra.  For shame, Katy.

SAG Awards Fashion Wrap-Up

I'm afraid that for me, the red carpet for the SAG awards was filled with more misses than hits.  There were a few bright spots, but I had to narrow down my worst dressed list to five.  (Believe me, I'm sure I could have included at least ten!)

All of these determined via Internet research, of course.  Missing my cable TV...

On with the list!

BEST DRESSED:

Ashlee Simpson in Jenny Packham.  I just adore the ornate beading and the sheer overlay on this gown.  Her simply parted hair completes the beauty of this flapper-style look.

Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen.  The SAG awards being a little more laid back, a tea length gown was a perfect choice.  The peep toe shoes complete this cute as a button (yet incredibly high fashion) look.

Michelle Williams in Valentino.  What an improvement from the Golden Globes!  This red is amazing, and the lace cap sleeves are nothing short of perfection. 

WORST DRESSED:

Busy Phillips in Simone.  I believe she was going for the "Boho Chic" look, but she ended up looking like she was wearing an ill fitting bag.  Even if she were headed to the beach, this look would be unacceptable.  She is just a mess. 

Kaley Cuoco in Romona Keveza.  Yikes.  I'm not sure what is the worst part of this look- the mint color, the overly frilly skirt, the matchy-matchy bag, or the Heidi-style braid. 

Kristen Wiig in Balenciaga.  She almost had it here.  The gown, albeit in a boring color, fits her very well, and even has some style.  But pairing a halter neck gown with that HUGE choker completely ruined the look.  (I mean, seriously?  Who wears chokers anymore?)

Shailene Woodley in L'Wren Scott.  Where do I begin?  Oh, wait, I know exactly where to begin.  With that absolutely HORRID print.  I can't think of any occasion, anywhere, EVER, where this would be considered a fashionable choice. 

And because I love to pick on Angelina Jolie, whom I do not enjoy- this dress is no bueno.  Is it just me, or does it look like it's made of thin, cheap, pleather?  I guess it's supposed to look metallic, but it's just not quite coming off that way.  Also?  The cut is BORING. 

QUESTION MARKS:

I may love these looks, but I may hate them.  I can't tell.  Opinions, anyone?

Lea Michele, one of my usual favorites, in Versace.  I really love the bodice of this gown, but the color isn't great, and that slit might just be a little ridiculous.

Rose Byrne in Elis Saab.  Yes, folks, that's a jumpsuit she's wearing.  Love or hate?  I can't decide!