Oscars 2015

I waited rather impatiently to peek at what celebrities would be strutting on the red carpet of the Oscars this year - the wait was definitely worth it as for the most part, I was blown away by the amazing ensembles! 

Here is a collage of some of my favourite looks of the evening

 

(from top row moving on to the bottom)

 

Emma Stone in Elie Saab. Have a look at my Instagram post of my favourite Emma Stone looks - this woman is perfection!  She very rarely gets it wrong and is one of the front runners of style and elegance in Hollywood.

Jamie Chung in Yanina Couture 

Anna Kendrick in custom Thakoon

Guiliana Rancic in Mireille Dagher

Jennifer Lopez in Elie Saab

Rosamund Pike in Givenchy

Rita Ora in Marchesa

Jenna Dewan-Tatum in Zuhair Murad

Scarlett Johannsen in Versace

More of my stand-out looks at the Academy Awards this year include -

Reese Witherspoon in Tom Ford

 

 

Gwyneth Paltrow in Ralph & Russo Couture

Dakota Johnson in Saint Laurent

Jennifer Lopez ~ Love the ensemble, not so much the look

JLo made it on my list of favorites due to her gorgeous Elie Saab gowm, but I have to say I was not crazy about her entire look. The hair was boring and make-up did not compliment the outfit. Whenever JLo makes an appearance on a red carpet, we see her either sporting a straight ponytail or a head full of bouncy waves. I am bored of continuosly seeing JLo in one of these two hairstyles and would love to see her become a bit more adventurous.

 

The pink lip definitely for me did not go well with her gown and I definitely was not crazy about the eyeshadow (as opposed to the fabulous peach toned makeup which was what was exhibited originally with the gown on the runway) I think that with a more appropriate hair and makeup look, JLo would have dominated the red carpet this year for me.

Oscars 2015 - favourite hair do's

I am such a fan of updo's - they can transform an entire outfit and add such a sophisticated and elegant feel to a look. I love Emma Stones updo pictured below. A new twist on the half up half down do, the front stays down whilst the back is pinned up. Have a look at the style I had done for my cousins wedding recently, inspired by the new twist on the half up half down do.

 

 

On the other hand, when the dress and makeup make a statement the hair will have to play second fiddle. Straight and sleek hair has been seen on both runways and red carpets - if you're going to wear your hair this way, be sure to wear a stand out colour or style to compliment the look (but for me personally, you can never go wrong with an elegant up-do)

Makeup Trends

As the makeup moguls Too Faced predicted on their Instagram page - "We're predicting chiseled cheekbones & nude lips at the Oscars tonight." They could not have been more correct! Nudes and shades of peach dominated the red carpet and I am obsessed with the looks! The occasional red lip popped up here and there too. On my page next week will be a peach make-up look using some new products including a gorgeous shade of new peach lippie.

 

 

Of course, not everyone gets it right. Pictured below are some of the worst dressed at the Oscars this year. Proof that money does not buy style, I do not even bother to mention what the label on the dresses were, they were simply tasteless!

 

 

That's a wrap on Oscars 2015!

 

Positive vibes & The Mandatoy xoxo

Hali 

Spring 2015 Couture Round Up

Designers have showcased their Spring 2015 Couture Collections - they're all over Instagram and setting google alight so a trend report seemed fitting!

Colour palette 

Pastel colours were everything this season with designers such as Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad (two of my favourites!) Showcasing pastel hues of blues, purples and nudes. On the flip side Dolce & Gabbana and Chanel showed a bit of red, oranges as well as black. I can interpret this as anything goes this season in terms of colour palettes, but pastels are definitely a front-runner. Black has been seen on every runway show as well as the red carpet - black always oozes elegance and never goes out of fashion, so a few black looks are expected on every catwalk. Translating onto the red carpet, we saw loads of black dresses as well as red at the Golden Globes 2015 - watch the carpet for the outbreak of pastels which should arrive soon.

Sheer Genius 

As seen at the Golden Globes, sheer-bottom skirts and dresses are everywhere this season. From the runways of Valentino to Ralph & Russo as well as Elie Saab to Armani Privé, sheer dressed are rocking the runways and red carpets. I love the look, but it is very easy for this look to go from fabulous to frumpy - keep the outfit simple, and keep the sheer-ness to a minimum (enough to be noticable, but not too much to look trashy)

Feathers

Elie Saab amongst other designers has been flaunting feathers in the Haute Couture range and it seems as if they're here to stay! Feathers are not for everyone and too much could end up looking like a chicken gone wrong! However, the right amount with the right details could provide a wow factor. If it's good enough for Zuhair Murad, it's good enough for us!

Cape dress

The cape dress has been seen on most runways and seems as if its here to stay for a while.When worn correctly, this style oozes elegance.

New York Fashion Week 2015 has commenced and designers are showcasing their AW 15 collections - keep your eyes on my Instagram page for my favourite looks from my favourite designers. 

Positive Vibes & The Mandatory xoxo

Hali

Trend Alert

Hello 2015! It's been a while since I've blogged as I've been away on holiday and recovering from jet lag this week. There's no better post to begin with other than a look at some trend alerts. Some of these trends we've seen in previous seasons which take a huge lift this season and some are back from the 1970's (Hello Palazzo!)

1. Fringed & Fabulous

We saw fringes pop up last season on skirts, kimonos and shirts; this season we're seeing them everywhere! It's a good idea to invest in one great fringed piece whether it be a bag, shoe or even one or two statement fringe clothing pieces as it seems here to stay for a good few more months.

Designers Steve Madden and Michael Kors amongst other designers have jumped on the fringe wagon by releasing fringed shoes and bags in various styles and colours. If you're going to be rocking the fringed look this season,  it's a good idea to wear one or at the most two statement fringed items and not three or more together - you do not want to look like you've just stepped out of a western movie!  (a bag and shoe with a simple outfit or a shirt and a shoe could work) Needless to say I won't be packing away my fringed kimonos just yet!

2.  Sling Bags 

Also known as crossover bags, these take me back to younger days when these bags were everything! Recently I've seen an increase in these bags and I love them because they add a hip edge to any outfit. Celebrities have been rocking them and the street circuit is no different. Every designers range of handbags included a few small sling bags & their bigger bags came together with a sling too! Sling it over a casual outfit or whilst out and about, makes for a great mommy handbag too (hands-free!) 

3. Hello, Palazzo

Palazzo pants are everything this season and if you haven't already been wearing them yet, best get a pair or two soon! I love that they can be dressed up or down and that they look great with tight-fitting as well as loose-fitting tops. Pair it with a great belt and heels and you're good to go! Pleated palazzo pants are all the rage ~ take a look at some celebrities and street style looks of both regular and pleated palazzo's 

 

4. Colour of the season - LIME Lovin'

The colour of the season for me has got to be lime. I saw this colour EVERYWHERE. From shoes to bags to blazers designers were definitely not lime-shy this season. It is a bright colour so it's a good idea to wear one statement piece of lime at a time to keep it simple and classy. Other colours huge for this season are tan, white and peach. 

Keep an eye on my blog for more trend alerts, mommy tales as well as destination reviews, coming soon!

Positive vibes & The Mandatory xoxo
Hali