2014 VMAs - Fashion Review

We almost missed the VMA's!!  I almost forgot they were on until my daughter reminded me.  The fashion is so tamed these last few years!  I kind of miss the crazy outfits of the '90s.  People might wonder why I didn't include Katy Perry's Britney throw-back dress - but I actually kind of liked it.  Although, you can't out Britney Britney...it was a cute homage.

Here are my 5 favorite:

# 5 - Demi Lovato in Lanvin

This color looks amazing on Demi.  I think she is showing waaaaay too much chest - that if it wasn't quite so open it would have looked much better - but she is rockin' this dress!

# 4 - Lucy Hale in Sachin + Babi skirt and a Zimmermann skirt

Cute and age appropriate.  I think she looks great.

# 3 - Iggy Azalea in Versace

Iggy looks great...but miserable!  Smile girl!!

# 2 - Jordin Sparks in Simply Intricate

Wow.  Jordin looks great! 

# 1 - Jennifer Lopez in Charbel Zoe

Unbelievable!  I could only wish to look that good someday.  She is shutting it down!

Now...for my 5 worst.

# 5 - Nina Dobrev in Zuhair Murad

A lot of people were liking this dress but I didn't.  She is a gorgeous woman and I don't think this dress is doing her justice at all.  I'm not loving the draping on her hips and the red is a little orange-y for me.

# 4 - Solange Knowles in H&M

I saw numerous sites praise this outfit but I don't like this at all.  It's just sloppy and baggy and ill-fitting.

# 3 - Amber Rose in Laura Dewitt

People would probably expect this to be # 1 - but I just kind of expected something wildly inappropriate from Ms. Rose.  This is just bad.

# 2 - Kim Kardashian in Balmain

This is just ugly.  Way too much boob and it looks like a quilt you'd grab off the back of the couch when you're cold while watching a movie.

# 1 - Taylor Swift in Mary Katrantzou

Taylor normally looks so polished and put together.  This just looks like a joke.

2014 Emmys ~ Fashion Review

I can't believe that award season is starting already!  Can this mean that summer is ending??  Say it isn't so!

As far as the 2014 Emmys go, I wasn't blown away by the fashion.  Sure, there were a lot of beautiful women there but I found many of the dresses to be just so-so.  Nice - but not amazing.  I like a dress to make me say, "Wow, she looks great!"

Here are the 10 that did just that...

# 10 - Anna Gunn in Jenny Packham

I thought the Breaking Bad star (and Emmy winner!) looked amazing!  I just finished a binge watch of the entire series it's great to see her all glammed up and so different from her character.

# 9 - Sarah Hyland in Christian Siriano

The Modern Family actress looks beautiful and age appropriate in her gown.

 # 8 - Danielle Brooks in Nathaniel Paul

The Orange is the New Black actress looks so different from her character, Taystee, I almost didn't recognize her.  Beautiful!

# 7 - Julia Roberts in Elie Saab Couture

One word...gorgeous!

# 6 - Camila Alves in Zuhair Murad

Mrs. McConaughey looks amazing!

# 5 - Sofia Vergara in Roberto Cavalli

I'm sure most people would put the Modern Family actress at the top of their list - and she does look beautiful (which is why I've included her), but I still think this silhouette has been played out a bit.  I think it's time for her to change things up a bit.

# 4 - Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting in Monique Lhuillier

The Big Bang actress looks gorgeous in her red and pink gown.  I've heard numerous references to it looking like a Valentine's Day dress - but who cares...it's beautiful.

# 3 - Viola Davis in Escada

The How To Get Away With Murder actress looks unbelievable in her gown.  That color is amazing on her.  It's a little much boob for me - but it's still classy.  And...I'm really looking forward to her new show.

# 2 - Lizzy Caplan in Donna Karan Atelier

Lizzy looks beautiful in her gown.  Really, she is pure perfection.  If the next entry had not been there - this would have definitely been the best dressed.

# 1 - Halle Berry in Elie Saab

Ahhhh-mazing.  Ms. Berry shuts it down again.  My daughter and I were talking last night and we both agreed that she never makes a mis-step with her style.  She knows her body and she knows what looks good on her.  Fabulous!

Then...comes the worst.  Although I must say, I had to really nit-pick to find 10 to match my 10 best dressed.  I really only had 6 or 7 that I thought were really unfortunate and they weren't necessarily the first 6 or 7 on the list.

 # 10 - Sarah Paulson in Armani Prive

A lot of people are putting the American Horror Story actress at the top of their lists...not me.  Yes, the dress is a little much - but look at her!  She is loving her dress.  Every picture I've seen of her, she has an amazing smile on her face.  It might be a little high-fashion for the Emmy's but she loves it...and I love her on AHS - so # 10 she is.

# 9 - Mindy Kaling in Kenzo

The color on Mindy's dress is beautiful on her.  The fit...not so much.  She seems to be very short waisted so this style isn't doing her justice.

# 8 - Keke Palmer in Rubin Singer

Again, with Keke's gown, the color is amazing but the top is waaaay too revealing and doesn't seem to fit well.  I understand that she is wanting to show that she is an adult now and not just another Nickelodeon kid - but this is too much.

# 7 - Madeline Brewer in Theia

The Orange is the New Black actress had an unfortunate mis-step with this gown.  This is probably her first Emmy awards, so I can understand, but this gown is too "prom" and not enough "Emmy".

# 6 - Betsy Brandt in Alice + Olivia

Although I loved her on Breaking Bad - I don't love this dress.  It is too garden party and it is a strange length.  It kind of reminds me of one of the tea cups in my mother's collection.

 # 5 - Christina Hendricks in Marchesa

Just about everything Marchesa designs, that I've seen, reminds me of a figure skater somewhat.  This dress just does nothing for me.  Plus, it doesn't look like she bothered to do her hair at all.

# 4 - Laura Prepon in Gustavo Cadile

Love her in OITNB but this is a little Star Trek for me.  I'm not really wild about structured half collars.  It's just not working.

#3 - January Jones in Prabal Gurung

I don't like this at all.  I don't like the dress, I don't like the shoes, I don't like her hair.  It just all looks weird to me.

 # 2 - Taryn Manning in Azarro

Repeat after me...Lamé is so 1970.  Please...no one ever wear a gold lamé dress again.  It is not pretty...ever.

 # 1 - Lena Dunham in Giambattista Valli

Why - oh why - does she dress like this?  This is just not pretty.  It is so dumpy looking.  I have to believe that she dresses like on purpose!  No one can make this many errors on accident!  She just looks miserable.

2014 Oscars ~ Fashion Review

Last night was the 86th Annual Academy Awards...also known as the Oscars.  I was mildly surprised at the fashion.  No one was dressed that bad!  There were definitely gowns I liked more than others, but I wasn't thinking ewwww at any of them.  But, seriously, enough with the nude gowns already!!  They are over-over-overdone.  I am so tired of them.  Come on ladies, be different!!  Wear color!  Nude gowns just don't look that great on very many women.  They tend to wash you out and look blah.  Take a cue from Lupita - color is your friend.  Color is wonderful!

I know a lot of you will disagree with my choices - and that's ok.  You will even argue that Cate Blanchett should have made it to the best dressed list...and that's ok too.  If you feel that she should - make your own list.  This is my list of best and worst and you will see that there aren't any nude gowns on my best dressed list.

Best Dressed

#7 - Julia Roberts in Givenchy

She has had an awkward award season so far.  Many of her choices were close - but not quite.  I think this is beautiful on her.  One critic bashed the fact that the top was not tight enough.  Um...not everyone wants to be stuffed in their dress.  Not every dress is designed to be skin tight.  I think this is classy and beautiful.

Jordan Strauss/Invision

#6 - Lupita Nyong'o in Prada
She looked beautiful and airy in this gown.  I did not love it as much as some of her other choices this award season though.  The rich jewel tones just glow on her skin but the powder blue here is lovely also.  The headband is a no though.  It looked ok from the front but silly from the side where you could see that she had no hair.  Other than that...this is a win.

Jordan Strauss/Invision.

#5 - Idina Menzel in Vera Wang
This dress was gorgeous.  The deep emerald shade was luxurious.  Paired with the Chimento jewels - beautiful.

ABC/Rick Rowell

#4 - Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Couture
She has worn Dior all season and it has all built up to this beautiful dress.  The peplum details on the side are just enough.  Her tall frame is just striking in this column design.

Jordan Strauss/Invision

#3 - Kristen Bell in Roberto Cavalli
Kristen looked like she stepped right off the Frozen movie screen in this Cavalli gown.  The silver/gray color is as close to a nude as you will probably ever see on one of my lists, but it is definitely darker than her skin, so it's a win.  Gorgeous.  I've never seen her look this good.

Jordan Strauss/Invision

#2 - Charlize Theron in Dior
In a sea of nude and white gowns, Charlize stood out in this elegant black gown.  Always one to stand out in the crowd, she looks amazing.

Jordan Strauss/Invision

#1 - Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen
Bullock has nailed it time after time in the Gravity press tour and this award season but this is her best by far.  She looks amazing in this navy gown.  Her hair curled to one side offsetting the detailing on the other side is just beautiful.

Jordan Strauss/Invision

Worst Dressed
I really had to work to find seven dresses that I didn't like.  It would have been a cop-out to just put 7 nude dresses in this list.  Plus, just because I don't like the nude dresses, doesn't necessarily mean they are ugly gowns.
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#7 - Viola Davis in Escada
This gown feels very prom to me.  The material is just so shiny!  Her stance is not really helping this feel very feminine to me either.  On the other hand, her make up is flawless and the color is great on her.

Jordan Strauss/Invision

#6 - Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab
Ugh...I saw so many web sites gushing over this dress.  Honestly though, if this dress was on anyone other than Angelina Jolie, they would have hated it.  This dress is soooo matronly looking.  Very mother-of-the-bride.  She has looked so much better.  But, her leg isn't sticking out like a weird appendage that has a mind of its own - so that's a plus.

Jordan Strauss/Invision

#5 - Lady Gaga in Versace
I'm sure she went with a "I need to look classy"-look but I'm just not feeling this.  The dress fits her like a glove, which is nice, but it just has a dated look to me.  The severe blond hair pulled back is not helping at all. I'm sure she was going for a retro vibe but it's just not working here.

Jason Merritt/Getty

#4 - Anna Kendrick in J. Mendel
There is just too much going on with this dress.  The asymmetrical top, the high slit, the sheer middle, the pleating on the skirt...just too much!  

Jason Merritt/Getty

#3 - Elsa Pataky in Elie Saab
First, let me say, Mrs. Hemsworth looks radiant from the neck up.  Her make-up is flawless.  But, that dress is awful.  No one should have let her go out in that.  I'm not sure if her baby belly dropped since her last fitting or what - but it is just not flattering.  The nude lining is not helping either.  It's just not a flattering style to hug under her baby belly.  And I understand that she is carrying twins - but there is more flattering styles than this.  The side-boob is doing her no favors either.

Jason Merritt/Getty

#2 - Pharrell Williams in Lanvin
Shorts.  At the Oscars.  Enough said.
(At least he isn't ashy.)

Jordan Strauss/Invision

#1 - Liza Minnelli in Halston
Oh Ms. Minnelli...no, no, a thousand times no.  If I overlook the amount of electric blue...if I overlook the fact that it looks like you are wearing pajamas, I cannot overlook the loafers and the fact that you obviously aren't wearing a bra!!  The blue streak in your hair though?...Love it!

Jordan Strauss/Invision

96 Minutes:::Movie Review

96 Minutes

Can I just say how much I love Netflix??  I really love it.  Although I have watched my share of truly awful movies (*cough...A Haunting in Salem...*cough) available on their Watch Instantly service, I've also been fortunate enough to watch some really great ones.

This movie was nothing like I expected it to be.  A bunch of people I'd never heard of (other than Brittany Snow) in a concept that could end up tired and overdone.

This was really good.  Snow - who I'd only seen in fluff roles or comedies such as in The Pacifier, was really strong in this.  Evan Ross (who plays Andre) was amazing.  I'd never heard of him and, looking at his IMBD account, it doesn't look like he's been in a lot of high-profile stuff.  His performance was fantastic.  Directors and producers should be clamoring to work with him.  

Retracing the steps that led four young people down a fateful path of decision-making, this indie thriller tells the story of a violent carjacking from the perspective of both the perpetrators and their unsuspecting victims.