AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 2015: BEST & WORST DRESSED

AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 2015: BEST & WORST DRESSED

JLo danced like everybody were watching, Celine Dion paid homage to Paris, Demi went Chicago and Megan Trainor made out with Charlie Puth: do you really want to know what happeded at the 2015 American Music Awards?

Last night Los Angeles was all about the music, thanks to the 2015 AMAs. 

The host for the night was the iconic Jennifer Lopez, who set the stage on fire dancing to a medley of the year best hits, like Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk, Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda, Beyoncé’s 7/11, The Weeknd’s Can’t Feel My Face, Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood, Drake’s Hotline Bling and Rihanna's BBHMM. On one side the performance looked more like a Dsquared2 commercial, (since everyone was wearing the fall winter 2015 collection), but on the other side it was good to watch JLo giving dance classes to today's artists. 

Another highlight of the evening was provided by Celine Dion: the Canedian singer performed Edith Piaf's L'Hymne à L'Amour as a tribute to the victims of November 13.

Somehow the show ended with Justin Bieber performing a medley of its latest singles and One Direction winning Artist of the year.

I believe it is better to move to the fashion.

Let's start with Jennifer Lopez, who found the time to change 9 times during the show (Dsquared2 's performance bodysuit excluded). The star showcased a series of styles that I would describe as following: 

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT?

Charbel Zoe Couture

THE PREDICATABLE NUDES 

Look 2: Charbel Zoe Couture / Look 3: Zuhair Murad Fall 2015 Couture /Look 4: Balmain Spring 2016 ;

I DON'T MIND

Look 5: Julien Macdonald Fall 2015 / Look 6: Zuhair Murad Spring 2016 / Look 7: Zuhair Murad Fall 2015

CLASSY & COLORFUL 

Look 8: Michael Cino Spring 2016 / Look 9: Michael Costello Spring 2016

Moving to the other guests...

It was a night to remember for these ex Disney/Nickelodeon stars, who showed their different personalities on and off the stage...

DAZZLING & SEXY

Selena Gomez in Givenchy Spring 2014

 The best she ever looked and one of my favourite looks of the night.

RETRO GLAM

Demi Lovato in Lorena Sarbu

I am not completely sold on this look, but since the alternative might have been revealing minidresses and wet hair, I will give this ensamble my nulla osta. 

THANK GOD YOU CHANGED YOUR STYLIST

Ariana Grande in Giambattista Valli couture

The hair might look a bit messy, but it is a cute look all togheter: please Ariana stick to this!

Among my favourite red carpet looks: 

SWEET LIKE A CANDY

Zendaya in Emanuel Ungaro Spring 2016

Picking her ensamble straight from the latest Paris Fashion week, Zendaya looked effortlessly beautiful.

THE FEMALE BOSS

Ashley Benson in Max Azria

The Pretty Little Liars star proved to most of the guests that sometimes you do not have to be naked to look sexy.

ELEGANT TO THE BONE

Nina Dobrev in Zuhair Murad Resort 2016; Megan Trainor in Michael Costello

Outfits like these make me love my job a litte more: thank you girls! 

Short break: focus on the social media stars...

LEGS OR BOOBS? BOTH

Gigi Hadid in Bao Tranchi

Relax the short do is just temporary and she actually did not cut her beautiful hair.

Moving to the dress (or what is left of it) there is nothing I could possibly like: as seen on the VS Pink carpet, these super sexy outfit only turn out to look cheap on the red carpet. 

Dear Gigi, less is more, but in your case I would love to se more taste, more originality and more fabric.

TRY HARD & TRY HARDER

Kendall Jenner in Oriett Domenech ; Kylie Jenner in custom Bryan Hearns

So Kendall was easily my favourite here...but it not difficult to look better than your 18 year old sister who desperately tries to look like a dominatrix at a public event. 

Back to the music, with the "girlband vs boyband" section:

WHERE IS THE HARMONY?

Fifth Harmony vs One Direction

Fifth Harmony managed to leave me speachless one more time (and not in a good way), while One Direction proved to me that clearly Harry Styles does not want to look like one of the group when it comes to fashion.

And speaking of the boys...

WILD CHILD vs 50 SHADES OF GREY

Justin Bieber in Fear of God (shirt), Amiri (jeans) and Vans (shoes); Nick Jonas in Topman

Can you imagine them switching their outfits?

Do you know what Fashion-mess means? Take a look: 

DID YOU SEE MY PANTIES?

Gwen Stefani in Yousef Al-Jasmi Spring 2016; Ciara in Reem Acra Fall 2015

I am serious: this type of dresses are starting to look dated!

I am done.  

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME

Ellie Goulding in Alexandre Vauthier couture ; Tove Lo

...

written by: Stella

Animal Prints - A Timeless fashion print

Animal Prints - A Timeless fashion print

A TIMELESS CLASSIC THAT NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE

When someone says ‘animal print’ the first thing that comes to our mind is the leopard and when worn in a classic silhouette, it adds a visual interest and a bit of glamour to your look.  Even though it seems as if animal print comes in and out of style every couple of years, it's always in and always highly glamorous.

Earlier animal prints were born out of the skin and fur of select animals, they were used by men and women as it offered protection from the elements. Throughout history, kings and other high-ranking people have worn animal skin and use animal rugs as a sign of status and power. In the 20th century, fashion designers, high-ranking people, Hollywood stars, and celebrities turned it into a fashion trend. Nowadays, many famous brands, like Prada, Betsey Johnson, Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior are big supporters of animal print. Supermodels, Hollywood stars, and celebrities are also big fans of animal print.

Animal print is a fashion style that is made to resemble the pattern of the skin and fur of an animal such as leopard, cheetah, zebra, tiger, and giraffe.  Animal prints are similar to a neutral—they’re made up of brown, beige, and black, after all.  They’re seasonless, and you can wear them with almost anything, plus, they add a little edge to your wardrobe.

These wild prints can create attention anywhere you go. So going overboard won't make you more fashionable. Remember, It is always a good idea to start small and keep it simple, less is more when it comes to animal prints. Simply adding animal-print inspired jewellery, a key accessory (scarf, shoes or handbag) or one wardrobe piece (blouse or jacket) is all you need to spice up your look.

Add bright spots of colour with animal print to make a bold statement. When used in moderation this pattern is an exotic and elegant addition to our wardrobe and an edgy, yet classic, addition to our outfit.

These days animal print dresses are worn with chunky earrings are perfect for a night out. You can also opt in for cardigans with animal prints rocked with a shirt and a dark coloured trouser or a jean or a scarf to keep it stylish and subtle.

Animal print can really look great on anyone, It’s one of those timeless patterns that can work for any season.  Here are a few chic animal print pieces that will ensure you are on trend this season.

BY MALENE BIRGER Animal Print Knit Cardigan

Balmain Animal Print Skirt 

MARC BY MARC JACOBS Animal Print Pullover

BLACKCHERRY Bag Ladies Fashion Clutch Bag Animal Print

LILY & ROSE Ladies Animal Skin Detail Wallet Blue

ALEXIS BITTAR Animal Print Lucite Earrings

For a little more inspiration, take a look at how these fashion bloggers are styling their animal prints this season.

I hope these animal print style tips have given you some inspiration! Till' next time xo

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Editors notes:  This post was originally posted in July 2015 and has been updated

SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss USA 2017: Top 10 Preliminary Gowns

SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss USA 2017: Top 10 Preliminary Gowns

Best In Gown: Miss USA 2017 contestants during the Evening Gown portion of the Miss USA 2017 Preliminary Competition--Mandalay Bay Events Center Las Vegas

Last night was the Miss USA 2017 Preliminaries, which occurred at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The Preliminary Competition is very important because it's when the Top 10 Semifinalists are decided that will go on to compete in Sunday night's Final Miss USA 2017 pageant. 51 contestants representing the 50 states plus District of Columbia competed in Swimsuit and Evening Gown. Naturally here on my Sashes and Tiaras blog, I'm interested in the EVENING GOWNS!

Satin and Sequins: Miss USA 2017 contestants during the Evening Gown portion of the Miss USA 2017 Preliminary Competition--Mandalay Bay Events Center Las Vegas

The Preliminaries give pageant fans a "glimpse" into what the contestants will wear for the Evening Gown portion and their taste level and more importantly, who went the "Pageant Betty" route or tried to be at least more Fashion Runway Fab. As a fashion designer--and beauty pageant fan--when commenting on the Evening Gowns, there are several things I'm looking for...

Exhibit A, B, C, D & E: Fashion-forward, Red Carpet Fab and...Pageant Gown Gorgeous--Miss South Dakota USA 2016 Madison McKeown at last year's Miss USA 2016 Finals

My criteria for judging a gown is based on my desire to see an element of Fashion-forward/Fashion risk-taking designs combined with the understanding that these dresses are primarily for stage and have to somehow be "Pageant Appropriate"--which inherently has their own set of "Dress Criteria". A perfect example of how one can bridge Fashion & Pageant/Stage Impact would be last year's Miss South Dakota USA  Madison McKeown who wore this cape-fab gown from Lebanese designer Tony Ward and his Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2015 Collection seen in above photo. With that said...



Here are my TOP 10 Best Gowns of the Miss USA 2017 Preliminaries--in order of Highest to Lowest:

Miss Massachusetts USA Julia Scaparotti: Julia's black gown was probably my favorite of the night. She wore this black halter neck gown featuring gorgeous sequined lace applique in a smooth fit-and-flare "mermaid"-like silhouette with Open Back. The gown fit her perfectly, defined her figure and best features and was the correct length (hiding those tacky nude platform pumps!). This is a nice example of a fashionable style that was Pageant Perfect as well--and notice lack of HOOCHIE-licious too-high slits and no breast-a-licious cleavage (Thank You Julia!). I also liked her modern hair and the earrings. I hope, though, she lightens up on the too-heavy makeup. Score: 9.9

Miss North Carolina USA Katie Coble: LOVED this gold gown worn by Miss North Carolina USA. It was my second favorite. The gown featured gold lame pleated fabrication and great criss-cross torso draping detail. The style gave me a definite "Old Hollywood" vibe, harking back to the 1930s and 1940's days of Lauren Bacall, Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich with a nod to Cleopatra. The look was unique and stood out, for all the right reasons. Score: 9.89

Miss Kansas USA Catherine Carmichael: Catherine was a STUNNER last night during the Miss USA 2017 Preliminary Evening Gown Competition. When she came out in this coral colored gown, I was like "OK, NOW we're talking!". The crepe gown--which fit her perfectly playing up her 6' 1" tall statuesque beauty--featured a multicolored sequined bodice and DIVA-like dramatic chiffon back cape which she modeled as if THE RENT WAS DUE! Every pageant girl worth her sash needs to watch her modeling this to learn and take a lesson on how to work a gown with a chiffon cape. ASAP! She looked like a QUEEN. Score: 9.8

Miss Louisiana USA Bethany Trahan: Miss Louisina USA Bethany Brehan comes in fourth position of my Favorite Gowns of the Miss USA 2017 Preliminaries. She made quite a fashion statement with this black sequin applique-over-nude gown with iridescent organza back overskirt. The base gown was GORGEOUS: The sequin work was outstanding and it fit her to a 1/4" of her life! To be honest, I would have done without that back overskirt. I understand why it's there (drama, stage presence, etc.) but it needed to be re-thought. It did not seem organic with the beauty of the dress. Score: 9.65

Miss Nevada USA Lauren York: Lauren--who is one of the favorites to win the top crown (according to many pageant followers/missosologists on the internet) didn't disappoint in her choice of evening gown for last night's Preliminaries. She wore this very pretty column-style gown featuring a side nude illusion panel, white crepe base and unique geometric sequins and pearls. It was from Venezuelan fashion designer Dheymid Galaviz who has created many a sequined-and-crepe gown for many Miss Venezuela contestants and last year's Miss World Venezuela. Sometimes they can look similar to one of his design compatriots Gionni Straccia and at first I thought it was an Straccia gown because the sequin work looked like this: Score: 9.6

Mariam Habach Miss Lara (and eventual Miss Venezuela) at the Miss Venezuela 2016 Pageant wearing Gionni  Straccia

Miss Ohio USA 2017 Dinaleigh Baxter: One of my other Top Ten favorite gowns from the Miss USA 2017 Preliminaries was this black and fuchsia dress worn by Miss Ohio USA 2017. One of my all-time favorite color combinations are black and fuchsia mainly because Cristobal Balenciaga utilized this combination in a lot of his super stunning Haute Couture creations back in the day (Lower Photo above). So when Dinaleigh came out, I was like "You Go Girl!". Her gown had a very fitted black velvet base gown with plunging sweetheart neckline and a GORGEOUS satin cape that was precariously knotted and twisted into these tiny shoulder straps. It was dramatic, entrance-making and yes, VERY fashionable and Cristobal Balenciaga-like. Score: 9.55

Miss New Hampshire USA Sarah Mousseau: Nice gown. BAAAD shoes. Let's discuss the dress first (please!). I liked this gown so much that yes, I included it here in my Top 10. I thought the style was impacting, suited her well...I admired the unique silver sequin work and I even liked the back overskirt. Here, in this gown it seemed a bit more natural to the rest of the gown. I also thought her hair and styling were on-point. But then, she wore those nude platform pumps!!! One question: WHY??? Where there no silver strappy shoes available? I just don't get it. It baffles the mind. NO ONE would be caught wearing these type of shoes with this type of a gown on the red carpet, black-tie gala, Haute Couture fashion show...ANYWHERE! Score: 9.3

Miss Montana USA Brooke Bezanson: I included Miss Montana USA's gown here because of its elegant simplicity and chic style. It was giving a little bit of a nod to what Miss South Dakota USA wore last year in the Finals (go to the top of this post). It was also a nice breath of fresh (Gown) air to see NO SEQUINS, NO SLIT and NO tacky platform pumps (she still made a wrong color choice in wearing NUDE shoes!). The white satin crepe gown featured a column shape highlighted by a dramatic hi-lo cape. While I liked this gown, I'm not so sure it was the right gown for Miss Montana USA. Brook is a lovely looking woman but I think this might have been more effective and had more "Diva" stage effect if it was worn by an olive-skinned or darker skin toned contestant...a "Miss Venezuela" or "Miss Curacao"-type.  It also needed to be just 1" longer. Score: 9.25

Miss Tennessee USA Allee-Sutton Hethcoat: In 9th place of my Top Ten Favorite Gowns was this golden/Blush-colored sequined gown worn by Miss Tennesse USA Allee-Sutton Hethcoat. In terms of style or silhouette, there was nothing really Earth-shattering Fashion Diva about it, but it looked beautiful nonetheless. The halter-style gown fit her well and the sequin-over-nude fabric looked expensive and nice. From head to toe, this was a perfect Miss USA look. Score: 9.2

Miss Washington USA Alex Carlson-Helo: Finally, I want to give MAJOR props to Miss Washington USA Alex Carlson-Helo. While I liked her black sequined gown and thought it was impacting, I just about FELL OFF MY COUCH when I saw that she was NOT wearing those tacky nude platform pumps that EVERY OTHER contestant wore: She wore the PERFECT strappy black heels! Who knew that these women actually had other choices?? And for her perfect shoe choice, Miss Washington USA belonged in my Top Ten list! Score: 9.2



**UP NEXT: The UH OH/Oh No She Didn't/Could Have Been Better...of Miss USA 2017 Preliminary Evening Gowns