Rag Trade Sisters : February 2015

I need to begin by saying that I was very nervous for the Oscars red carpet this year. The previous awards shows this season proved to be completely underwhelming and sometimes even frightening! But, I am happy to announce that I was very pleased by the fashion presented last night! Obviously everyone was saving the best for last! There were a few, exciting and unusual gowns, and overall a lot of beautiful, elegant choices. Here are my favorites, followed by a few crazy gowns that I somehow still loved.

My Top Four: (I couldn't narrow it down any further)

Kiera Knightly in Valentino (my favorite). She looks so elegant and timeless!

It took me a minute of observation before deciding on this one. It's so different and unique. I finally decided it is amazing, especially on Emma Stone. I also decided she had the best hairdo of the evening. I just know someday we're going to be BFF's.

Georgina Chapman was flawless! Normally I would think that the matching jewelry would be overkill, but it somehow finished the outfit off flawlessly!

If I had to choose, I would say that I liked Felicity Jones' dress from the Golden Globes better than this one (see previous post). BUT, I still love this gown! The color was amazing and I loved the crazy detail on the bodice. Well done Felicity!

My Other Favorites:

I wish I could have seen this dress close up. From what I saw, it was simple and stunning. But obviously this dress is all about the necklace, and the necklace is breathtaking. I just love that soft teal against the black. Definitely the best jewelry of the evening! Cate never disappoints.

Not everyone could pull off this color. On Anna Kendrick I thought it looked just right. And it fit her like a glove.

I think this gown looked better in movement. The color is AMAZING, an almost champaign/yellow/white. The dress would be nothing without the belt. I could probably do without the slit, but I still loved it!

Marion Cotillard looked sensational in this white beauty. That back is kind of funky, but it looked amazing on her!

If the fit had been off on this, Zoe Saldana would have looked horrendous. But it fit her to perfection, and it kind of reminded me of old hollywood. I think I might have preferred it in a different color (maybe a blue or red).

Chloe Grace Moretz looked perfect! I love how the gown wan't too grown up for her, yet it was still very elegant. Plus, it had pockets!

Crazy but Great:

This dress did not photograph well, I don't think this picture does it justice. When I saw her walking the red carpet, my jaw actually dropped. All of the beading and detailing was a little crazy, but it was love at first sight for me.

I actually heard Lupita say that this dress, covered completely in pearls, was actually comfortable. It was such a daring and unusual gown, and she pulled it off 100%. She is so amazingly beautiful!

I kept wanting to hate this: Her hair was almost punk looking, That crazy color of green, That weird waterfall necklace. But somehow, three wrongs make a right. The dress fit her so perfectly that it almost looked like a second skin. She has never looked so good!

If you look past the crazy, rubber gloves, this dress is so beautiful. I love the unusual silhouette and sleeves. Plus her hair was also SO spectacular. Lady Gaga did a great job of looking respectable while still retaining her nutty status. PS - I kind of like the gloves. PPS - Her performance was spot-on.

Lets Not Forget the Handsome Fellows:

Before I talk about Eddie Redmayne, I want to add his wife's dress to the top of the list. It's grecian in all the right ways, plus it has feathers!!! One of my favorites. He was probably my favorite dressed man of the evening too. Just look at that blue tux!

Wow! A red tux! It looks so good on David Oyelowo!

Jeff Goldblum and Adrien Brody. YUM!!!

Common looked so great! And I loved his performance and speech as well!

Jared Leto. The dude is wearing a light blue tux, weird white shoes and Jesus hair. How is it that he looks so good? I have a feeling many of you might disagree with me, but I can't help it. This is the male equivalent of Lupita's pearl gown.

Last but not least, Idris Elba. You're welcome!

Just for the sake of completing the list, I give you my short list of worst dressed:

I kept wanting to like this dress, but ultimately that solid black band just looked like a sports bra, making the front look more like a bib than a gown.

I actually just saw this dress on a best list and about puked. Every time I saw her all I could think was: beaded spanks with a jersey train. This to me is the worst of the worst. Jennifer Aniston FAIL!

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought it might be fun to post some photos of lovely, romantic dresses. In my mind, a romantic dress is usually flowey, lacy, pastel or other soft colors. They tend to evoke a certain dreamlike, princess quality.

Early 1900's through the 1920's

My favorite style of dress from the 1920's. Sooooo romantic!

The 1930's

I am in love with this giant ruff! I couldn't choose between these two wonderfully romantic gowns on Carole Lombard, so I used both.

You don't get much more romantic than Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Here is her iconic feather dress she wore when dancing to "Heaven."

For some reason I have a vivid idea in my head of what makes a dress seem and feel romantic. I believe a truly romantic dress instills confidence in the wearer. It can be sexy, but not too much so. Some eras catered to this better than others. The 50's, for instance, had more structured, designed looks which tended to be either cute (in a girly sort of way) or dramatic (in a femme fatale sort of way). I found it hard to find a dress from the 50's that fit my idea of "romantic." The 30's, on the other had, had countless examples at my fingertips.

The 1950's and 1960's