by Kirsten Lea from Benjamin Kanarek Blog
While some are recovering from the New Year festivities, the beautiful belles of Hollywood are in fashion overdrive as the start of the year marks the most important period on any fashionista calendar, Awards Season.
From the People’s Choice Awards, Critic’s Choice Awards, SAG Awards, Golden Globes and ultimately, the Academy Awards; these ceremonies pepper my calendar like a battle stratagem. Each Red Carpet is a crusade and it is expected of one to enter the fashion fray wearing armor in the form of the perfect floor length dress.
Awards season is about originality. For this reason we must turn our focus from ready-to-wear to one-of-a-kind dresses designed to make you, and only you, look outstanding. Simply put, that means Couture. Armani, Valentino, Chanel and Dior are classic Haute Couture choices but newer designers such as Lloyd Klein and Ralph & Russo are also making headlines with their inspired dresses, which fit their inhabitants like a second skin.
Designers play an important role on the red carpet. More than simply a fancy name, they are a representation of an actor’s brand.
Most people consider that it is only the nominees and presenters who have to concern themselves with getting the right dress, but in fact there are several hundred other guests invited to most of the Awards ceremonies all of whom are just as concerned about finding their perfect look as the people who end up in the magazines.
Different designers enjoy dressing different body types, so it is essential that we understand what best suits our shape and features. We must pay close attention to which colors and metals suit our skin tone. Once you have a color in mind, consider which of your features you’d like to highlight.
To accentuate a bigger bust and a small waste, a corseted bodice is a classic choice. For those with note-worthy décolletage, consider a playful dress by Baracci. Baracci designs the crème de la crème of playmate wear, making corseted dresses, specifically designed for busty girls.
If you plan on wearing dazzling jewels by Harry Winston or Cartier you can let them shine against a minimalistic dress instead of diffusing the focus with too much sparkle.
When borrowing from a designer, which is usually arranged through a stylist, always have a back-up plan in mind, or you might find yourself in a sticky situation. Dresses can be revoked at the last minute if a higher-profile celebrity decides that it is meant to be hers. In unfortunate situations such as these, nobody wants to be left wearing Van Cleef & Arpels with nothing but a birthday suit.
As each ceremony passes, the fashion pages are filled with who won and who failed to win, not only the awards, but also the public approval. I regularly observe the most talked about outfits and often disagree with general consensus. Last year at the Emmy Awards, I was on the red carpet just behind Mad Men lead actress January Jones and I thought she looked stunning in her royal blue Versace creation, yet critics were not kind.
From my own experience, I know that you can never please everyone, so the most important choice you can make is to please yourself by ensuring you are comfortable, coordinated and looking the best you believe you can look. I think it’s fun to give the starlets a run for their money. And after all, there really aren’t too many occasions when a diamond-encrusted gown is the most suitable attire. Carpe Diem.
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