Screen sirens heed the call of 1950s glamour at the Oscars. March 3, 2014 01:12

I wouldn't trade my fabulous Pantone Bone China cup in Emerald for many of the Oscar gowns this year. They were that dull. Stars, buy a vintage pattern and find a good dressmaker. OK? Really. Get with the style program. I do love  – indeed lust  – for Amy Adams' Gucci. It's a good thing I don't have offspring, because I would so be up for trading. I also have a strong attraction for J-Law's Dior. But then, she is my girl crush and she can do no wrong. She and Meryl are my fantasy BFFs. Unless, of course, they suddenly shoot someone for texting in the theater or playing loud music at the gas station. Then, babes, the romance is over. Kaput. The train leaves the station without you. What did you think of Whoopi's rehash of Julia Robert's Dolce & Gabbana look at the Golden Globes? I think Whoopi really kicked up the style quotient. I know that's the unpopular choice. But. There ya go. I think I may have to put my own spin on this look. I am on the fence about Viola Davis's Escada. The color is my favorite. The bodice is delicious. But there's something about the skirt that seems just plain wrong. Love her hair, though. I would have liked to see a more colorful lip. I really want to read your thoughts on this, but we are having a slight malfunction on the blog comments. Hope to have it fixed ASAP. Bear with us, please, dear readers.  

She really has it all. February 12, 2012 17:57 1 Comment

Yeah. So. I'm besotted with Adele. Totally. Didn't she look amazing at the Grammys? Didn't she sound sublime? Loved the monastic lines of the Armani she wore.
Of course, there were other women there. Yeah, one or two. And though none have ensnared my musical heart like Adele, some of them stunned in the fashion department. Truly.

For instance, Katy Perry, whose music leaves me lukewarm, looked breathtaking in her Elie Saab and her blue coiffure.

Taraji P. Henson looked luscious in her Brian Rennie for Basler sparkling gown. Marvelous and unexpected color combo.

And Kelly Osbourne looked quite sophisticated and oh-so-grown up in her Tony Ward gown. Love the hair! Glam color. Sexy style.

I'm being so nice tonight. I am. (And it has nothing to do with the fact that I am eager to  snuggle in bed with His Bertness and a good book. Absolutely not.)

So. What did y'all think? Any favorites?

Screen Actors Guild gowns left my spirits sagging. January 29, 2012 16:00 2 Comments

Ho hum. That's how the fashion — or lack thereof — made me feel while watching the Screen Actors Guild award show. Sigh.

Sure. There were women who looked quite pretty. Viola Davis for one. She glowed. Her Marchesa dress does indeed have an elegant 1960s vibe — and I like that — but it's more Lilli Ann than Lanvin.

And Juliana Margulies wore another dress that left me yawning. Certainly, it looks too good to wear while mucking out the stalls. But the Calvin Klein design looks readymade for Stepford.

There were a few gowns that lifted my blah de dah mood.

I love Kyra Sedgwick's Pucci. And how. The tomato shade looks as irresistible and cool as a bowl of gazpacho on a sweat-inducing summer day in the southern Louisiana. And the cutouts are sexy. Quite. I do think it's time for Kyra to stop channeling Farrah with her hairstyle, though. Be brave, woman. Try something new.

Love Natalie Portman's Valli Giambattista Couture. Love it. Love it. Love it. Absolutely. Talk about stunning. Especially the color. Anyone know a nail polish in that shade? It's perfect.

I'm also more than a little fond of the L'Wren Scott frock donned by the lovely Gretchen Mol. It's beautiful. It's comfortable. Those are two qualities I find most desirable in clothing. I do.

 

 

 

Ms. Longoria, Ms. Hargitay, go to the head of the class. August 29, 2010 18:46 5 Comments

Dearest readers, I let you down. I did. I apologize. I went to see Inception this afternoon, and I missed half of the Emmy show. Will you forgive me? Please do.

But. Because of the wonderful web, I caught up. It took hours, of course. I clicked and I clicked and I clicked. And then I clicked some more. Ever so much more. My neck aches. Really. I worked hard.  I did. So. I'm tired. I'm sleepy. But before pulling back the covers, I'll share my judgment calls about the gowns. I will. Because I know you hang on my every word. I know you do. (And if you don't, please, keep it to yourselves. Promise?)

My favorite gown: The elegant dress designed by Robert Rodriguez for Eva Longoria. Little black dress? I don't think so. And the vintage-look earrings are perfect. Absolutely.

I am also smitten with the Vera Wang dress worn by Mariska Hargitay. The color is sexy. Pale skin. Love it. The hip detail highlights Ms. Hargitay's womanly figure. She is, after all, Jayne Manfield's daughter.

I would wear either of these gowns. Happily. Absolutely. Of course, the checker at the Safeway might look askance at my attire. Or perhaps be fooled into thinking I lead a very glamorous life. Or I could be the best dressed female at the farmers market. Mmmmmm . . . the possibilities abound.

January Jones' Versace proved controversial in our living room. Quite. I was rather taken with the sculptural New Look shape and the rich color. Royal blue is a favorite of mine. But His Bertness found this dress hideous. If I wore this dress, though, he would say I looked beautiful. He would. And the sweet thing is that he'd most likely mean it.

And the less I say about Christina Hendricks' attire, the better. So. I'll simply say it was designed by Zac Posen, who so often excels at dressing women. And I will add that Ms. Hendricks has luscious skin. And quite a lot of it was on display. There. That's it. No more. My pillow beckons.

Shameless plug: Release your inner Liz. Right now. February 24, 2010 12:16 2 Comments

You've missed me, haven't you? Admit it. I know you have.

But today, here I am. Back at the computer screen to tell you about the smashing — and I do mean smashing — patterns just added at The Blue Gardenia. As always, I will tell you about a few of my favorites. Just a few. 

Perhaps my absolute favorite is Prominent Designer M130. Sexy. Sleek. And it has a bow up top, if you are into that sort of thing. Courtesy of Luis Estevez. This is the perfect dress for your Mad Men moments. You'll have a line of Don Drapers begging for your favors. They might be drooling, though, so have plenty of hankies at the ready.

Have you been watching the Olympic games? You have, haven't you? And now you're having fantasies of executing triple axels and Mohawk turns and taking home the gold.

But not for you those tacky sequins and shiny spandex. No. No. A thousand times no. You want something retro. Something feminine. Something with a skirt that swirls all the way to the North Pole. For you, McCall 3433 from 1939. The judges will stand up and applaud your choice. They will. Trust me. That gold medal is yours. Do with it what you will. Door stop? Framed as wall art? Mmmmm . . .

And for those days when you want to dish with the girls over lemon sole and lettuce, may I suggest Vogue 6169? This dress quietly yet firmly speaks sophistication. It's got it all: double peplum. Dart tucks. A frill at the sleeve. Of course, they'll want to know where you got it. Neiman Marcus? Saks? Barney's? Will you tell? The choice is yours.

And now for those pesky details, new additions always go at the beginning of each category. And we take Mastercard, Visa, Discover and Amex, as well as Paypal to make it easier for you. And, of course, checks, money orders and cold hard cash. Actually, we take warm soft cash, too. We are so agreeable.