It's Time For a Makeover!

Do you prefer "fashion victim" or "ensembly-challenged"?

It's a well-known fact that all of the best chick-flicks include a serious makeover montage. It's probably not the most useful life lesson - a new haircut and a flattering dress won't actually solve life's biggest problems (believe me I've tried), but it's such a great moment when a sympathetic character emerges from a salon refreshed and ready to take on the world in totally impractical shoes.

Thus, I've decided that the blog I've neglected for the past year and a half deserves it's own makeover. It's losing the metaphorical flannel shirt and frizzy hair and embracing face-framing layers and some shiny new heels. I've changed the name (which I'm still unsure about - it may change again some time in the near future) and the color scheme. Now I just need to change my blog-neglecting ways!

Since we're on the subject of movie makeovers, here are a few of my faves (in no particular order):

Elton couldn't stick around for more pictures because he really needed to get his Cranberries CD from the Quad.

1. Clueless - A favorite since I was a preteen, this movie is the reason I replaced my childhood wardrobe with an embarrassing collection of platform shoes, plaid skirts, and ridiculous hats. As a fashion-obsessed adult, every time I read about Alaia I can't help thinking that he's the perfect designer to wear to a Val party. Also, I love that "Supermodel" song they play when they're making Tai over.

I can't say anything sarcastic about this. It's just too adorable.

2. Roman Holiday - This was Audrey Hepburn's first starring role, and I think it's my favorite movie of hers (a bold statement, given my obsession with Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady). When this sheltered princess chops off her hair, gorges on gelato, and rides bikes around Rome with Gregory Peck, we see her completely transformed. The last scene in this movie is one of my favorites of all time. If you haven't seen this classic, put it in your Netflix queue IMMEDIATELY.

Hipster Elle was colorblocking before it was cool.

3. Legally Blonde - Elle Woods was my hero when I was a peroxide-addicted teenager (I understand now that blonde is not my color), and I stand by my claim that she is a great role model. I love how the heroine in this movie doesn't have to play down her femininity to be smart and successful. There's a great montage after she leaves the "costume" party and gets serious about law school, but I guess this is really more of a make-under. Still, even in a black suit and tights, Elle looks fab. There's also that great moment near the end when she decides to be herself and marches into the courtroom in the loudest pink dress ever. Chutney never had a chance.

"That blonde wig I wore at the beginning of the movie? Big mistake. HUGE."

4. Pretty Woman - This year I had the opportunity to visit Rodeo Drive for the first time. I could write a book on that experience alone, but I digress. I really spent the whole afternoon hoping that a salesperson would be rude to me so I could go to another store, buy five bags of super-expensive clothes, and reprimand them. Maybe next time.

"You're like, really pretty. So... you agree? You do think you're pretty?"

5. Mean Girls - On Wednesdays they wear pink, only Regina George can wear hoop earrings, and you better not wear sweatpants more than once a week. Every time I watch this movie it makes me a little sad because Lindsay Lohan had such a promising career ahead of her. That's so NOT fetch.

I could go on forever, because while I can't find my way from neighborhood to my office without GPS, I can give you a comprehensive list of every movie makeover in a romantic comedy without even consulting IMDB.

Until next time, may the soundtrack to Clueless be stuck in your heads.

Another Blog Post About The Royal Wedding

You know you can’t get enough.

Grab your commemorative plates, gross traditional English wedding fruitcake, and feather-adorned hats, because it’s time to talk about WILL AND KATE!!

The day I’ve looked forward to for months was finally here on Friday. Prince William and Kate Middleton got married! They may officially be the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, but I’m still going to call her Princess Kate. With the exception of Grace Kelly and Princess Diana, has anyone been this perfect for the job?

In preparation for the big event, my best friend Maggie and I both took Friday off as a vacation day (she drove up all the way from NC). Thanks to a sweet Living Social deal, we pried ourselves out of bed at 4:30 and drove to Dupont Circle to celebrate in proper style at The Mansion on O Street (it’s pretty fab). As soon as I got there I regretted not planning a better outfit. I had put on the first pair of jeans and acceptable top I could find, while I was surrounded by girls in awesome hats and cute dresses. The ONLY time I will put comfort over fashion is 4:30 am.



Finally, at nearly 6:00, the world saw which dress Kate said yes to. I had my fingers crossed that it would be a tiny British designer that no one had ever heard of (whose career would then be launched in a Jason Wu/Michelle Obama way times a million). My second choice was Alexander McQueen, but I figured that was a long shot since McQueen tends to be pretty avant-garde and Kate’s style is more classic. Alas, Sarah Burton (for McQueen) came up with this AMAZING dress that will now cause me to go off on a tangent:

Women of America, THIS is how you should aspire to look on your wedding day. Not like a wedding-themed Bratz doll. If I see one more episode of Say Yes To The Dress about a Jersey girl with her heart set on a $15,000 Pnina Tornai with a bedazzled sheer corset and visible boning, I may scream. Your wedding dress shouldn’t look like the top half was purchased at Victoria’s Secret and the bottom was just fifty yards of tulle haphazardly attached. I hope we’ve all learned a valuable lesson from the Duchess. When the whole world is watching and the Queen of England is a few yards away, “classy” trumps “inappropriately racy” every time.

Here are a few examples, and further research on the subject:

Gross. But I digress.

I also breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her hair. Using the same stylist her family has gone to for nearly a decade, Kate opted for a simple half-up, half-down style. I know a lot of brides choose an updo, which is totally elegant, but Kate’s hair is so pretty! It would have been a shame not to show it off. Plus, her cheekbones could cut glass, so she would look great with any hairstyle.  

Of course, I realize that the wedding wasn’t all about fashion. William and Kate are adorable together. Unlike some royal couples of the past, they were friends first, dated for years, and both know what they’re getting themselves into. They are a relatively normal couple. Can you picture Diana and Charles shopping at Ikea together? Awkward. And while I picture Will and Kate as more of a Crate and Barrel kind of couple, it seems like they have fun together. If he would just cut his hair a bit shorter so his receeding hairline wasn’t SO obvious, they’d be perfect. (I know I wasn’t the only one thinking that during the ceremony. He’s still really good looking, but that hair is quite distracting.)

Kate and Will weren’t the only ones looking good on Friday. Prince Harry is officially England’s cutest ginger, and Pippa Middleton looked beyond classy wearing the same designer as her sister. That being said, what bride in her right mind would let Pippa wear a gorgeous white dress to her wedding? How was there no trace of sibling rivalry? Meanwhile, their brother James serves as proof that the Middletons have really good genes. In case you were wondering.

A few other highlights:

"We're just here to make everyone else look horrible in comparison."

The Queen wore yellow! She looked quite happy, which probably had a lot to do with her grandson getting married, but I have a theory that wearing bright yellow increases endorphins and makes you happy.

The cameras kept going back to Elton John throughout the service.  I couldn’t help but wonder how AWESOME it would be to sit right beside Elton during a wedding service. Listening to him singing along to the hymns would be great, but you’d also get to hear the snarky comments he makes about Chelsea Davies’ outfit.

Posh and Becks were there, too. Posh covered her preggo belly with a trapeze dress from her own line. As Joan Rivers pointed out, “She’s eating for one now.” She’s also wearing seven-inch Louboutins, so the next time I want to complain about walking around in four inch wedges, I’ll think of pregnant Victoria Beckham and hold my tongue.

Dresses!!!!!!! My humble opinion of who was Best-dressed at the Oscars

Gwyneth Paltrow

Oh, Gwyneth. You are a mystery wrapped in an enigma. You are also a liar, because no one who owns a deep fryer and a brick pizza oven (which you claim to use regularly) looks like this in shiny gold material. Perhaps this week’s GOOP will be about how to drop 2.5 pounds in a week by mixing cayenne pepper with three teaspoons of beet juice in lukewarm water. Nonetheless, this Calvin Klein Collection dress is perfection. 



Mandy Moore

 

First of all, Mandy could have mowed down the red carpet in the yellow Bug she fake-drove in the Candy video and I would have applauded her courage (it's difficult to see, but the license plate says HotChick1). I love Mandy Moore. I love how she transitioned from cheesy pop star to supercool actress/singer without going through the obligatory “get arrested, get prematurely married, get divorced, attempt to run over paparazzi in a drunken stupor” phase. Plus, if we ever hung out, I’m pretty sure we’d be best friends. My opinion on her general awesomeness aside, this Monique Lhuillier dress is SO pretty.

Hailey Stienfeld

As I watched her get it right again in this gorgeous Marchesa (which she helped design… can we say budding fashionista???), I couldn’t help asking myself: Is it just a matter of time before this adorbs teen goes Miley on us? Let’s hope not. Upon further reflection, I reassured myself that any 15 year old who can stand out in a Coen brother’s movie alongside Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, and Matt Damon is no Hannah Montana. Well played, Hailey. Keep showing 15-year-olds across America that one needn’t wear jeggings to be stylish.

Mila Kunis

Believe it or not, I was on the fence about this the first time I saw it. The Elie Saab dress itself is gorgeous, and it’s perfectly styled, but it’s just so…. lavender. Not that it isn’t a lovely color, but doesn’t pastel purple universally conjure up memories of prom? However, I was quickly won over by the amazing detail of the dress (which is actually more visible because of the light color). I’ve embraced the lavender. Mila has successfully navigated her first big awards season without a misstep. Yay for Mila!

Halle Berry



  

Halle gets the coveted “most improved” award. Ok, this was not the most adventurous choice for the Oscars. But after the sad trainwreck she wore at the Golden Globes, this explosion of tulle and sparkles is perfect. This dress practically screams Marchesa, and if I had the opportunity to steal it from her, I would wear it every day.

Reese Witherspoon

 

Cutest. Hair. Ever. I’m completely obsessed with this look, even though she does kind of look like a Barbie. The dress itself isn't that exciting, but Reese is more adorable now than she was ten years ago. Just ask Ken.

Hillary Swank

Feathers. Sparkles. More sparkles in the form of the fab brooch in her hair. When the employees of Dunder Mifflin where trying to decide if she was hot or not, they should have used this picture to judge. I’m pretty sure that Hillary Swank has made some kind of deal with the devil in which the blander she looks in a movie, the better she looks in real life.  She’s long been known for her amazing awards show looks, but this is probably my favorite dress she’s ever worn.  

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway always looks great, but for me the Lanvin tux was the evening’s standout. We all know Anne can pull off a red Valentino dress, and she looks awesome in sparkly goldish things. Menswear, however, is a tricky trend to pull off and usually looks forced and, well, stupid. Take note, Leighton Meester. This is how you do menswear.

Sidenote: I’m already bananas for the inevitable upcoming Rachel Zoe Project episode where Rachel and Brad run around town looking for dresses for “Annie”, complete with a zany montage of Rachel talking on her phone in the car while Rodger sits lifeless in the back seat. Meanwhile, back at the studio, Brad tries on her Lady Tux and almost breaks the heels off of her fab shoes.



The Many Faces of James Franco

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that last night's Academy Awards were co-hosted by one of Hollywood's most peculiar characters, James Franco. Although he lost Best Actor to Colin Firth, I felt it was fitting to celebrate one of the most random acting careers in recent history. Whether he just gets bored easily or is legitimately schizo, he should be applauded for his unwillingness to conform to Hollywood standards.

Like many stars, James started out on the small screen as Daniel Desario on the (unfortunately) short-lived Freaks and Geeks. Among an amazing young cast (including Jason Segal, Linda Cardelinni, Busy Phillips, and Seth Rogan), he stole most scenes he was in and made a potentially obnoxious character quite likable. If you’ve never seen this show, Netflix it immediately.



"I'm so good looking, I need to sit here and think about it for a while."

 Franco then made his jump to the big screen through the Spiderman Trilogy, playing Harry Osborn. This was a big step up, but relatively uninteresting. It was a superhero movie, he looks good in expensive suits, blah, blah, blah....





Celebrities- they're just like us!

 In the midst of his successful movie career, Franco decided to go back to school. I know everyone says that your college years are the best of your life, but if I was making huge movies, I doubt I’d trade in my SAG card for textbooks. He graduated from UCLA with a GPA over 3.5 and enrolled in Columbia's MFA writing program. He’s currently working on his PhD from Yale, naturally.



Franco put his MFA to use when he wrote Palo Alto, his collection of short stories. I would say this is the move of a totally self-indulgent actor, but he seems to take his writing pretty seriously. Alas, reviews are mixed. I cannot pass judgment as I have not read this masterpiece.

 



Notice how Milk James judges Nights in Rodanthe James. Give James a break, James. He just lost his father or something.

2008 was the year of Franco, with the eclectic actor appearing in Pineapple Express, Milk, and Nights and Rodanthe. So… he played a greasy-haired drug dealer in a Judd Apatow film, the boyfriend of Sean Penn’s Harvey Milk in a dramatic award-winner, and a small role in a painful Nicholas Sparks movie.

"Hey, have I told you guys the story of how Tom Hanks totally said hi to me at the Golden Globes last year? Not that it matters. I'm not 'Hollywood'. I'm a writer."

Naturally, when one has received massive amounts of critical praise for a meaningful role (that would be for Milk, not Nights in Rodanthe), the next step is obvious: sign on to film 41 episodes of General Hospital. Also, be sure to play a multimedia artist who has unfinished business with a mob enforcer. (FYI, I could have posted about a thousand pics of James on this show. I am sincerely sorry I was never able to catch an episode.)



"Let's move it along, people. I have to teach a writer's workshop in Brooklyn in an hour."

Perhaps it was method acting, but as General Hospital’s Franco (yes, that was his character’s name) was busy raising mafia suspicions and cultural awareness in Port Charles, James Franco put on his own art exhibit. I have no further commentary on that subject.





“I want what you have with Komiko-tan!”

To fully examine Franco’s career choices would be the work of a book rather than a blog entry (and that book would probably be longer than Palo Alto). Thus, a few other highlights worth mentioning include a TV movie in which he played James Dean (he was nominated for an Emmy and a SAG for the role), a guest spot on 30 Rock in which he plays himself fake-dating Jenna, a decent episode of SNL (do the Jammie Shuffle!), the lead role in Howl playing Allen Ginsberg, and a nearly unrecognizable small role in Date Night. Up next for Franco? He’s playing the Great and Powerful Oz, of course.




Yes, this photo is also from General Hospital. No, he will not return to the show playing his own evil twin who has a brian defect that can only be cured at the titular General Hospital. Or will he?

In the midst of quite a bit of criticism for his performance last night, I think we can all agree that the actor/student/artist/writer/director/producer/Oscar host deserves a vacation. Stay tuned for his Food Network show, denim line, and new social networking site, which will make Facebook obsolete.



I'd like to thank The Academy... I mean, the Screen Actor's Guild...

Ah, the SAG awards. The Golden Globes’ slightly less popular cousin, aired on TBS between bad movies. Ryan Seacrest didn't even show up for E!'s preshow. So why did I stay glued to my couch throughout the entire show with the vigilance that many Americans reserve for the Super bowl? Or at least the Oscars?

I have an embarrassing confession. I LOVE awards shows. The fashion, the interviews, the funny, unscripted moments… Yes, I am a huge nerd.

While I could go on forever about who was robbed (Mad Men) and what they got right (Colin Firth, one of the most brilliant and underrated actors in the industry), I’ll stick with sharing my opinion on the fashions of the night.

My Faves:

Mila Kunis- This red Alexander McQueen dress was STUNNING. Her laid-back hair, make up, and lack of jewelry pulled together one of the most dramatic and well-received looks of the evening.

Claire Danes- She’s always on point. This Louis Vuitton gown was a gorgeous choice. I want to hate her for being married to the gorgeous Hugh Dancy, but she’s just too darn likable.

Jennifer Lawrence- Lawrence’s hot pink Oscar de la Renta gown was one of the evenings more controversial choices, mainly because of the dramatic black belt cutting it in half. At first I was uncertain, but when I noticed the slit that showed off her gorgeous black shoes, I was convinced. It was a bright, fun, age-appropriate choice for the twenty-year-old Winter’s Bone actress.

Dianna Agron- The Glee star has consistently gotten it right so far- she always looks elegant and timeless. From the spectacular Carolina Herrera gown she rocked at the Emmys to this Chanel Haute Couture, she always seems to be channeling Grace Kelly. Or at least Claire Danes.

Amy Adams- How is it possible for a redhead with skin that fair to wear white??? Amy somehow pulled it off. Also, I love her “dressy ponytail.”

Nicole Kidman- I’m a huuuuuge fan of Nikki Kidman, especially now that her forehead is moving again. This dress is uber-classy, as is her jewelry, hair, and make up.

Also looking great: Hillary Swank, a very preggers Jane Krakowski, Sarah Hyland, and…. wait for it…. Tina Fey! Apparently The Great Liz Lemon has finally hired herself a stylist, and she looked better than ever in a bright red Oscar de la Renta with flawless hair.



Although you can only do so much with men's formalwear, a couple of actors did manage to stand out. One was John Krasinski in midnight blue Prada (While looking for pictures, I came across an article with the title,  "John Krasinski Wears a Suit So Well We Decided It's Newsworthy." I couldn't agree more.) Jon Hamm looked great in… well, I missed who he was wearing, but I think everyone agrees that he looks quite dapper.

Can't wait till the Oscars!