Met Gala 2012 Rundown

The Met Gala is a red carpet event known for dramatic entrances and extreme ballgowns.  But this year, it seemed the overall tone was “less is more.”  Which is usually a great thing, but not at a costume ball!  It’s the one time of year when glamor girls can wear high-fashion other than on a runway!  It seemed many stars were in simple and steam-lined frocks.  Our favorite was Camilla Belle (pictured, top right) in head-to-toe Ralph Lauren, swept-back hair, delicate accessories and dark lipstick.  She was both sexy and oozed old-world sophistication.  Neon was definitely the trend of the night – one of our favorite girls, Emily Blunt wore hot pink Calvin Klein, and husband John Krasinski also sported the same designer.  (We can’t believe that this was the first outfit we’ve ever featured of hers… especially since she’s on our inspiration page!)  Ginnifer Goodwin, Kristen Wiig, Eva Mendes, Katherine McPhee, and Kristen Bell (pictured, bottom left in Tommy Hilfiger) all sported bright orange; La La Anthony wore electric blue; Beyonce’s baby sis, Solange Knowles, January Jones, and Emma Roberts all wore extreme yellow; Allison Williams had neon purple Ralph Lauren on; and Coco Rocha had a bright yellow Givenchy pantsuit on with a hot pink top and matching highlights in her hair!  There was one trend we definitely did not love: see-through skirts. Beyonce, Rooney Mara, Heidi Klum, Leighton Meester, and Marion Cotillard all managed to make their sexy gams look strange through sheer bottoms…  A couple of young girls we love were sporting some ill-fitting frocks, including Shailene Woodley, Kristen Stewart, Lena Dunham, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Jessica Biel.  And finally, cutie-pie Carey Mulligan, Jessica Alba, Mad Men star Jessica Pare, and Victoria’s Secret model Karolina Kurkova wore some strange shades of gold that did not shine… Our other favorites were Hilary Swank in a sweeping, scarlet Michael Kors gown (pictured, above), and Ashley Greene (pictured, bottom left) in a draped, white Donna Karan creation.  (Although we hate the lackluster hair…)  Looks we liked and disliked, most of these ladies played it safe.  Next year girls, bring on the drama!

Look-of-the-Day

The ever-lovely Keira Knightley wore a particularly elegant Burberry Prorsum gown last winter at the London premiere of A Dangerous Method.  The conservative burgundy dress features a black bow at the waist and cap sleeves, yet reveals a much sexier side from another angle… Much like the twisted psychological tale Knightley was promoting.  She accessorized it perfectly with a simple black clutch, cocktail ring, a swept-back bun, with dramatic dark eyes and a perfect pink pout.  She is perfection.

Little Black List: Suri’s Top 10

“Suri” means pickpocket in Japanese, which makes sense, because we’d love to steal her style!  Miss Cruise turned 6 today, and we’re counting down her Top 10 Looks – which, despite only being alive for a few years, was pretty hard to narrow down.  No wonder she has her own blog…

1. Black & White & Cute All Over: This editor’s two favorite shades on a girl with her favorite coloring (brown hair, blue eyes, pale skin).  This silk dress was made for her by Holmes & Yang (her mother’s design label).  Suri looks like a china-doll with edge.2. Burberry Baby: This is probably Suri’s most famous outfit.  She wore this classic Burberry plaid dress and bob haircut in 2007 that made her a style phenomenon.  All of a sudden, toddlers everywhere were sporting this adorable ‘do.3. Lady in Red: Suri sported a similar dress to the NYC Ballet, but this one is by Helena & Harry.  She paired it was a great pair of silver Bonpoint ballet flats and pigtails!4. Anchors Away: We featured this look last spring.  This black and white Ralph Lauren nautical dress is perfect for the summer!  We wish it came in our size!5. Bold Navy: There’s two things Suri seems to love – a great fashion moment, and a good cupcake.  Here, she has both!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Oh, Canada: Here is an older Suri last year in Vancouver, sporting an adorable Burberry princess coat.  She had on sneakers and a dress from H&M, too – the horror!

7. Disney Princess: All little girls play dress-up, but some get to do it for magazines.  Here, Suri sports a Cinderella gown at the famous theme park in Florida. 8. 1980s Chic: The true mark of a trendsetter is pulling off something that wouldn’t normally look good – Suri does it all the time.  Our editors hate both Juicy Couture and leggings, but here, Suri is pulling off both.  College cardigan by Juicy, flats by Manolo Blahnik, leggings by American Apparel, and princess umbrella by Disney.

9. Boots Made for Walking: Our editors also happen to hate rain boots (mainly because they’re meant for children under 10, but college girls seem to think that’s their age group…), but Suri makes them look good, once again!  Dress by mother’s label Holmes & Yang, accessories by Kidorable.

10. Tiny Dancer: Here, Suri is sporting the classic ballet look: soft pink tights, leotard, and ballet slippers.  She even stays in character by having her hair French-braided.  Love. ❤

Wednesday’s Shoe

In celebration of Suri Cruise, it only makes sense we feature a pair of her infamous high heels.  She wore these adorable silver T-strap peep-toe heels while her mother, Katie Holmes, was filming The Romantics on Long Island.  The shoes are called “Marina Girls” from the dancing company Freed of London.  They cost $72.00 and come sizes children’s 7 to an adult 5.  Probably best only to dress up and dance in, but of course, they still look cute!

Look-of-the-Day

Today, Suri Cruise (the daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise) turned six!  Her wardrobe is supposedly worth two million dollars (which makes sense, since she’s usually better-dressed than we are), she wears controversial heels, and the mystery that surrounded her “silent birth” has always made her one of the most interesting celebrity babies.  For “Pink Wednesday” we picked one of her more “ethnic” looks – that of a flamenco dancer while on a walk with her parents in Spain.  It was custom-made for her by El Taller de Lina.  Suri even topped off the dress with red and white ballroom dancing shoes for kids – great commitment to a look!  Happy Birthday little girl!

A Tribute to The Hunger Games

“As long as you can find yourself, you’ll never starve.”  Katniss Everdeen is the iconic heroine of The Hunger Games, both a wildly popular and groundbreaking book and movie.  Author Suzanne Collins seamlessly weaves politics, history, philosophy and social commentary into a young adult action-adventure novel about a dystopian society, so it’s no surprise she also has a lot to say about the role of appearance in this horrifying future. Oscar-nominated costume designer Judianna Makovsky (for her stunning work in Pleasantville and Seabiscuit) was given the herculean task of bringing the style of The Hunger Games to the silver screen.  For the past week, we’ve highlighted some of the film’s most memorable moments, looks and costumes.  The Hunger Games begins in the home of Katniss (played by Jennifer Lawrence) in District 12 – a depressed mining area in former North America.  Katniss spends most of her time hunting with her best friend, Gale (played by Liam Hemsworth, pictured, above left) and providing sustenance for their families, since their fathers were killed in the mine.  Makovsky told Vogue, “We looked at a lot of photographs of coal mining districts from the turn of the century to the 1950s, because we wanted it to have a very American feel.”  The people of Katniss’s district are starving and struggling to survive, so they’re not very worried about looking good.  Makovsky continues, “We wanted to make a very serious impact, and color was very important – to keep it mostly gray or blue… very cold because coal leaves a black dust everywhere.”  The lack of color throughout District 12 certainly gives it a bone-chilling look, and makes the over-the-top publicist Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks, pictured, above right) stick out even more when she comes to collect the male and female tributes for the games.  While the children of District 12 appear in fifty shades of grey, like Katniss’s sister, Primrose (pictured, above left), Effie appears in bright magenta, crazy makeup and a powdered wig.  Makovsky was inspired by the Elizabethan era, John Galliano, and Alexander McQueen, to create the frivolous and frightening citizens of the Capitol.  She told Vogue, “I just thought it would be funny if these people, who have such a vicious streak in them, are sort of covered in flowers and ruffles.”  When Katniss sacrifices herself by volunteering to take the place of Prim, she and the male tribute of District 12, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), leave for the capital city of Panem.  They make their first impression on the Capitol by arriving in a glorious chariot ride, hand in hand (pictured, above).  Along with Effie, Katniss and Peeta are accompanied into hell by the only living victor from District 12, Haymitch Abernathy (played by the fantastic Woody Harrelson).  Haymitch (pictured, below left) is a drunk, and is living proof happiness doesn’t always come with winning… Makovsky told EW, “He had won the game, he had money… We didn’t want him to be the cliché filthy, dirty drunk. There’s a bit of a dandy about him. He puts on a bit of a front so you don’t really know who he is… he knows how to play the games. He’s done it before. And we thought he would dress for the capital. So he has a little bit of Edwardian cut to his clothes.”  In the days before entering the arena, Katniss and Peeta have to show off to the Capitol, too, to gain sponsors, who can pay for items, like food and medicine when they’re in the arena.  They also face several days of “training,” which might as well just being a showing-off session to their competitors… Each tribute wears a black tracksuit with grey and red piping and their district number adorned on their sleeves (pictured, above).  Following this physical training, they also take part in televised interviews with TV host Caesar Flickerman (played by Stanley Tucci).  Waiting to meet with him, the future killers are lined up in different shades of pastels, like lethal Easter eggs.  Katniss and Peeta stand out, once again, in a coordinating gown of flames and a dark suit – just like coal and fire.  But it turns out, there is a burning passion inside of Peeta Mellark, too.  Sexy duo Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson weren’t the only men who got to wear significant costumes.  Katniss’s stylist, Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) makes her come alive through clothing, but he dresses pretty simply, himself, in a black Lurex Prada sweater and his famous gold eyeliner.  Stanley Tucci is completely redone as TV host Caesar Flickerman (pictured, below left), with false teeth, bright blue hair and a sparkly suit to match.  And according to the Washington Post, even President Snow (played by the highly under-appreciated Donald Sutherland, pictured, below right) had costumes with deep secrets.  If you notice, he wears a white clergy shirt underneath his suit made of sharkskin – it’s obvious why he’s wearing clothing made of a vicious animal, but that’s certainly saying something about religious oppression/manipulation by putting him in a clergy collar…  When Katniss and Peeta are finally thrust into the Games, it seems their getups match, once again.  In the book, all of the tributes wear identical outfits in the arena, but that didn’t work on film.  Makovsky told EW, “It was my problem to find a look that looked good on boys and girls, and from kids that are age 12 to age 18… All the jackets were specifically dyed – that took forever just to find colors that would read in the woods.”  Apparently, the jackets read quite well – because they’re now available to purchase online!  Between Katniss’s bow-and-arrow skills, and the upcoming Pixar film, Brave, we’re sure archery lessons are going to go through the roof, but that isn’t the only thing from The Hunger Games that is catching fire… Not only are the arena jackets for sale, so are the training uniforms, backpacks, makeup, and numerous mockingjay accessories on Amazon, Etsy and Cafe Press, among many other outlets.  Despite the fictional novel’s futuristic element, Suzanne Collins has created one of the most realistic female characters of all-time.  This is a strong girl who knows herself, and isn’t ashamed of who she is – a rarity among many “heroines” that Hollywood and publishers seem to churn out.  Katniss Everdeen is a hunter, sister, daughter, tribute, rebel, friend, soldier, symbol, survivor – she IS the mockingjay.  And this bird isn’t going to stop singing any time soon…

Look-of-the-Day

“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction.”  It seems the color of the sun will forever play an interesting role in Katniss Everdeen’s life… Here she is with fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) in The Hunger Games.  The two make quite an attractive pair in a bright blue suit, and a soft, non-threatening yellow dress – nothing like what Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) has worn prior to this moment in her young life.  Without revealing too much about the series or the film, this seemingly happy moment will only be short-lived… Let the countdown to Catching Fire begin!

To Have and To Hold: Hunger Games-Inspired Weddings

“Let’s get Katniss Everdeen to her wedding in style.“  The Hunger Games is a novel about survival, starvation, torture and fighting to the death, yet apparently some people seem to find that very romantic!  Several Hunger Games-themed bridal photo-shoots popped up before the premiere of the film last month, earmarking a huge trend to come surrounding the famous series.  The Wedding Event Institute announced a contest called “The Wedding Games,” where 12 planners and stylists will compete to create the best Katniss-inspired wedding.  (You think anyone notices the irony about turning a dystopian horror story into part of a competition that feeds the completely corporate and over-the-top billion-dollar wedding industry…?)  Hmm, well irony aside, some of the elements could translate pretty well: table numbers by District number, incorporating the herbs rue and katniss, as well as dandelions and primroses into a bouquet (you could even use the wilted dandelions to blow the spores onto the couple, instead of throwing rice!), and, of course, putting the bride’s hair into a long braid.  (Fun Fact: Traditional Irish brides wore braids, as they were a symbol of feminine power and luck. Hmm… you think Suzanne Collins did that intentionally?)  You could also easily come up with an entire menu, based on the absence and abundance of food Collins describes in the series – you could serve Katniss’s favorite lamb stew with plums, “sugar berry” jam, fresh-baked bread (or even bread for each district, like the seaweed kind from District 4 that Peeta describes), Mellark bakery’s cheese and apple tarts, hot chocolate from the train, Primrose’s basil-wrapped goat cheese, pudding the color of honey, and, of course, a beautifully detailed wedding cake adorned with handcrafted sugar flowers – just like the ones Peeta Mellark made while working in his father’s bakery.  (Damn, you could start a whole restaurant out of the delicious treats Suzanne Collins describes!  Those were just the dishes we could remember!)  All of the shoots incorporated the forest setting, which makes sense since that’s where Katniss hunts in District 12 and fights in when she’s in the arena.  Each of bridal models carried Katniss’s signature bow-and-arrow (considering that’s cupid’s weapon, that actually makes a lot of sense to incorporate that element).  Green Wedding Shoes featured an adorable table setting with tree stumps for seats (pictured, above), and a bouquet of arrows in place of flowers (pictured, above left).  We loved the stunning bright wildflowers and gorgeous table settings by Courtney Clarke Photography (pictured, below).  Our favorite shoot was done by Stacie Shea Events (pictured, top and bottom).  We found their use of berries, bread and bows-and-arrows to be the simplest, yet classiest.  Their idea of having mini berry jams and tiny baker loaves as parting favors was particularly adorable (pictured, below), as well as recreating the Katniss and Peeta suicide pact (pictured, top left) that feels reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet (not that we’re encouraging it!)  Each shoot included gorgeous wedding cakes decorated with mockingjays, but we’re surprised no one went with the descriptive passages Collins had written about Peeta’s beautiful floral handiwork on desserts.  (We’re also surprised they didn’t include any gorgeous blonde grooms – guess these stylists and photographers were all Team Gale?  Hehe. Although, a traditional wedding ceremony in District 12 features the bride and groom toasting bread – if the “girl on fire” and “the boy with the bread” marry, one would get toast…)  Rustic wedding settings full of birch trees, evergreens and wildflowers do provide a naturally stunning venue, so it makes sense people might be drawn to creating a Hunger Games-esque wedding, but considering the amount of death and destruction that takes place over the series, we don’t think that was the message Suzanne Collins was trying to send… Katniss Everdeen is not a girl just trying to get a ring on it.  Although, it’s not really fair for us to assume what the author would like, since all she ever wanted for her characters was happiness, and the prospect of hope. ❤

Look-of-the-Day

“Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to…to show the Capitol they don’t own me. That I’m more than just a piece in their Games.”  Peeta Mellark is the other tribute from District 12 that has to enter the arena with Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.  For the film, he’s played by Josh Hutcherson, who it’s hard to believe, is only 19-years-old.  He carried the entire movie Little Manhattan as a young boy, made us cry in Bridge to Terabithia, and really showed his acting skills as the son of a lesbian couple in the Oscar-nominated film The Kids are All Right.  After auditioning for the role, author Suzanne Collins and director Gary Ross high-fived each other without saying a word when he left the room, because they knew they had found their Peeta.  We usually don’t feature too many male outfits on theSkinnyStiletto, but Peeta is such an integral part of the story, we didn’t want to leave him out!  Here, he’s wearing the matching outfit to Katniss’s arena digs – leather boots, a plain black t-shirt, and drab olive utilitarian pants (he has an identical jacket, as well, which is not pictured.)  Costume design Judianna Makovsky told EW, “In the book, [the Tributes] all wear exactly the same thing in exactly the same color… For film, that wasn’t gonna work well. You couldn’t tell who is who. Gary was very specific. He wanted each district to have their own color jacket and then they would all have the same color trousers.”  With all the hidden meanings of the characters’ names, it seems Peeta’s has stumped many of the readers… Our mother picked up that his surname, Mellark, probably comes from the word “malarkey,” which is slang for meaningless talk, or rubbish (hmm, just like the way he manipulates everyone with his words?)  Most assume “Peeta” is derived from pita bread, since his father is a baker, which makes sense, but it also happens to be Scandinavian for “rock” – the perfect word to sum up “the boy with the bread.”

Titanic: A Film to Remember

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the day the Titanic fell to the bottom of the Atlantic, and we wanted to honor the vessel and her passengers, by discussing costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott’s intricate and beautiful early 20th-century Edwardian dresses that Kate Winslet wore in the film that was made fifteen years ago.  In order for this editor to write this piece, and do it justice, I decided to watch it for the Nth time.  (Our other editor got to see it in 3D last week, and said it was truly spectacular.)  Having been just shy of my eleventh birthday, when I first saw the film, all I knew was Leonardo was incredibly handsome; I hated Kate Winslet, because she was making out with my future husband; and I adored all of the dresses Kate’s character, Rose DeWitt Bukater, got to wear.  I no longer hate Kate – I have actually grown to appreciate her as a phenomenal actress, but I am still in love with all of the designs that earned Deborah Lynn Scott her Academy Award for Best Costume Design.  Scott’s resume is as diverse as it is magnificent.  She was the head costume designer for mega blockbusters like Back to the Future, all three Transformers movies, and the hugely popular, Avatar, but aside from the action-packed films she’s done, including others like Minority Report and The Patriot, you won’t be shocked to find out that she’s best known for her beautiful craftsmanship on this James Cameron creation.  Scott has been quoted as saying that she likes to design for all different time periods because they give her, “an incredible opportunity to delve into history, which is a real educational experience,” and she has proven her ability to tell stories through her variation of designs.  Scott studied theater at California State University at Northridge and ended up catching a big break working as a costumer on the set of E.T.  She was eventually promoted to costume designer and has been expanding her extraordinary range ever since.  While watching the feature, I noticed the beautiful subtleties of Rose’s transformation that is partially aided through her costuming.  Rose is first seen in a frock we’re fanatics about (we featured it in one of our first posts) – she appears in a fitted, pinstriped, high-collared suit and a major statement of a hat, but the dress that Rose is wearing at the end of the film, though equally stunning, has a completely different meaning to its presence in the movie.  Rose’s gowns that she wears to dinner are extremely formal, adorned in painstakingly, perfected bead-work complemented by satin and lace, in dark hues of scarlet and maroon.  For Rose’s daytime outfits, they are similar in style as well as color, gold and lime, with long, white sleeves, empire-waists, satin trains, and lace embroidered collars.  For the dress that withstands that most action and longest screen time, Scott created nearly two-dozen copies of the multi-layered, flowing, pastel sheath Rose wears, because she goes through the most physical scenes in it (pictured, above left).  It made sense that this pink and lavender dress was looser than the others in terms of fit and material, but it was also softer and uninhibited, showing the changes Rose was preparing to make with her life once she departed the Titanic.  (Note: Today’s Look-of-the-Day honors a character who is born to survive, just like Rose was.)  In the scene where Rose and Jack are running through the engine room, the dress could easily resemble the paintings that she loves so much.  The movement of the dress alone is filmed in its own shot to show the beauty and existence of Rose’s new found freedoms; freedom to do whatever she wants and the freedom to experience them with the love of her life.