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

THE ONE SHOULDER FASHION TREND

THE ONE SHOULDER FASHION TREND

YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE WARDROBE PIECE

With 2016 being the year of the off-the-shoulder, 2017 is kicking off with a little more clavicle coverage in the form of the one-shoulder design. Showing off just the right amount of skin, the look took spring and summer by storm. One Shoulder is something that I always liked, it creates such a pretty silhouette, whether it's a dress or a top. 

Here are some tips on how to make this trend work for you:

Whether it's trendy magenta or classic black, choose a solid-coloured one-shoulder piece if you're feeling nervous about the style. You can still look for chic accents, such as beading or ruffles, to give your solid colour some punch, but don't be afraid to go basic at first.

Nothing looks classier than a one-shoulder top paired with straight leg or palazzo style pants.  Stick to matching neutral shades for a chic, understated look or go for contrasting colours to truly make an impact.

Celebrities have been rocking one-shoulder dresses with hot belts to showcase their waists and keep their styles far from frumpy.

A fabulous pair of shoes and a great bag are all you need with a one-shouldered dress. If you're going to wear jewellery, try a cocktail ring or glitzy earrings - you don't want a necklace competing with your neckline!

This is a style that is made to be seen, not layered over. Shoulders are pretty universally attractive, so show it off! If you need to keep warm, try an open blazer, cardigan, or bomber jacket so your cute threads can still be seen.

Like most items of clothing, all one-shoulder tops fit differently, so you're going to want to try on a variety of options before making your pick. Sometimes the necklines can hit at the wrong places or fit uncomfortably. There are lots of options within this look, from the traditional Grecian style to one full sleeve or even a solo spaghetti strap. Pick what speaks to you and go from there!

Pick your bra wisely! One-shoulder styles demand a strapless bra. Those colourful bandeau bras you might have in your closet from last spring also work well under one-shoulder tops. Your bare shoulder provides the beauty of this look - don't clutter it with a bra strap!

Here are a few chic one shoulder pieces that will ensure you are on trend this season.

PREEN One Shoulder Cocktail Dress

PattyBoutik Women's One Shoulder Cocktail Dress

SMUDJ One Shoulder Jumpsuit Black And White

Lunar One Shoulder Dress Black

STREET STYLE INSPIRATION

LILY ALDRIDGE

street style Milan fashion week 2017

Adriana Lima in a blush satin one-shoulder dress

Cushnie et Ochs Resort 2017 collection

David Koma Resort 2017 Fashion Show

Jasmine Tookes One Shoulder Dress

NYFW, Sarah Ellen via the cut

Ralph & Russo Spring 2017 Couture collection

Also, let me know if there any other trends you're wondering how to wear! I'm always looking for ideas for new articles and am happy to help solve your fashion dilemmas.




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

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Miss Universe Contestants Shattered the Pageant Dress Stereotype

Miss Universe Contestants Shattered the Pageant Dress Stereotype

Steve Harvey’s Miss Universe gaffe stole the show during the 2016 Miss Universe competition. Yet for this year’s scandal-free event, the gowns (and, of course, the women wearing them) were a focal point of the night — which was good news for Marquis Bias, the stylist for the Miss Universe Organization.

So what made this year’s pageant fashion, which is typically overlooked, different than in the past? Contestants shifting away from wearing typical “pageant” looks (think voluminous tulle skirts with jewel-encrusted bodices in bright colors) and opting for more typical red carpet ready stunners.

Bias, who is a fan of the trend, says that the change is being brought on by the participants themselves and that IMG, which bought the organization in late 2015, has also been a proponent of the shift.

“Of course there’s still girls that are tried and true pageant girls, and their gowns are very of that inspiration, but I feel that a lot of the girls that are more successful in the evening gown competition are girls that choose gowns that could easily be seen on any red carpet,” Bias tells Yahoo Style.

Case in point: the dresses worn by the competition’s top nine finalists, especially those of Miss Kenya, Miss Thailand, and Miss Haiti. Of course, no one’s fashion was more emblematic of this trend than that of the crowned winner herself, Miss France, Iris Mittenaere.

The dental surgery student, whose honesty during the Q&A section made her a shoo-in for the crown, dressed in a gold couture gown that reportedly took five months to make for the evening gown portion of the night. Yet, Bias admits that he “was just very excited to have a Miss France because it’s been 64 years, if I’m not mistaken, since Europe has had a winner.”

As a function of his role, Bias works with the crowned Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, and Miss Universe throughout their respective reigns. “We often have Latin winners, which is wonderful; we’ve had several winners from Asia; we’ve had quite a few American winners; we’ve had some African winners as well; but we haven’t had a European winner in quite some time.”

Miss Universe 2016, Pia Wurtzbach, who’s from the Philippines where the competition took place and also collaborated with Bias, crowned her successor in a blue custom-designed Michael Cinco couture gown.

Bypost: yahoo.com

Fashion Dresses 2016 - The Magic Slimming Dress Does Exactly As It Says!

Fashion Dresses 2016 - The Magic Slimming Dress Does Exactly As It Says!

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5 Affordable Online Stores You Probably Had No Idea Existed

5 Affordable Online Stores You Probably Had No Idea Existed

The only thing that makes me happier than a Friday is a good retail therapy! And as much as I love strolling around the first floor at Maison Ogilvy or browsing the carefully curated new arrivals at HoltRenfrew.com, my monthly budget simply doesn't allow me to indulge in high-fashion and luxury items every time. But as a fashion girl, I made it my mission to remain on top of my style-game at all costs… Or in this case, at practically no cost ;) 

Piqued your curiosity just yet ? Check out the five online boutiques I simply could have never done it without…

1) TOBI

featuring the I'm Yours Sweater Crop Top, $33 and East Side Printed Neck Scarf, $30

TOBI always carries the most exciting things online and I find their style to be very reminiscent of Nasty Gal's for often, a quarter of the price. Whether it's basics, intimates, swimwear, evening-wear, ROMPERS!.. TOBI has it all and even more. The 'Sale' feature is probably my favourite as it allows me to get all the pieces I missed out on at a fraction of the price. And every career girl knows that a good sale always makes the bank account happy. Sorta… ;)

tobi.com

2) MISSGUIDED

featuring the Velvet Choker Shift Dress, $49

Missguided is such a good party brand for twenty-something ladies like myself! Their overall aesthetic channels the perfect combination of femininity, sensuality and effortless style, offering a great variety of pieces fit for a queen. Warning! If, like myself, you have a soft spot for the cool fabrics and textures of the 90's (velvet, satin, crochet and mesh that is) you might end up spending most of your days scrolling down the new arrivals and back in stock options of the moment. Most. Of. Your. Days.

Psssst! There's also a 20% discount for students in the US… #unidays

missguidedus.com

3) GO JANE

featuring the Day Date Ruffled Chambray Romper, $29

With currently up to 70% sale off sitewide, Go Jane is one of my most affordable online fashion discovery of 2016. Every since my very first order with them (a gorgeous pair of denim chunky heels) I have been completely obsessed with their weekly arrivals and their footwear shop, curating over 900 pair of pumps, boots, sandals, sneakers, flats, catering to everybody's taste and budget.

gojane.com

4) LULU'S

featuring the Ring the Bell Dark Green Crop Top, $42

I like to think that I was quite early on discovering and integrating Lulu's best sellers into my wardrobe mostly because it caters so well to my ultra feminine style and aesthetic. For almost 10 years now, Lulu's has been my go-to web destination for all-things dresses and cute accessories. As for my favourite feature from their website: the 'Back in Stock' section where they bring back all of the styles that sold out too quickly, so you can never miss out on a great #outfitgoals ;)

lulus.com

5) PIXIE MARKET

featuring the Ribbon Open Back White Tee, $78

Pixie Market is my favourite online destination for statement tops and other original pieces. I've always loved a good stand-out outfit and Pixie's allows me to innovate and get extra creative with my fashion sense. They've got a wonderful collection of fun, fearless work-appropriate shirts and blouses that make it super easy to transition from the office to happy hour in a knack. Don't go unnoticed!

pixiemarket.com

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