Frocks That People Wore in Cannes That I Liked

Zoe Saldana in Armani Prive; Le Seydoux in Louis Vuitton; Sarah-Jessica Parker in Elie Saab; Milla Jovovich in custom-made Prada; Alexa Chung in vintage 60s Balenciaga; Fan Bing Bing in Oscar de la Renta and a custom-made evening gown from her own stylist (stunning!). What were some of your favourites from the Film Festival?

Inspiring Style

I just noticed this in the March issue of US Vogue: an exhibition has opened at the Phoenix Art Musuem in Arizona celebrating the life and style of Ann Bonfoey Taylor.

The remarkable Taylor, who lived and entertained in high style between Denver and Vail, was one of the first women to earn a pilot's license, played tennis at Wimbeldon, and was a champion shot, a dashing equestrienne, and a member of the US Women's Olympic Ski team.

Sounds like an amazing lady, hey? She was also a model and designer who launched her own range of ski wear in the 1940s. Even though I've never been skiing - I'm allergic to cold weather - I can imagine it isn't easy to look chic covered in snow. LOVE those crazy ski goggles and the pink lippie.

Taylor amassed an amazing collection of high fashion during her lifetime, which was bequeathed to the museum. Below is some Charles James, Balenciaga and Givenchy to drool over.

Imagining The Oscars

Only one more sleep until the Academy Awards! And what better way to while away a lazy Sunday afternoon when I'm not feeling well than to fantasise about what I would wear if the world went all topsy turvy and I got my own invite to the red-carpet event of the year.
Cate Blanchett is presenting this year Anne Hathaway is hosting and Nicole Kidman, Michelle Williams and Natalie Portman are all nominated for Best Actress, so I've got my fingers crossed for plenty of glamour. I'm sure Dior, Elie Saab and Versace will put in plenty of appearances, but some 1960s shocking pink Oscar de la Renta like the dress above, would make me very happy too.

Over at 1st dibs Stephanie LaCava has selected vintage frocks, jewellery and accessories for the five Best Actress nominees. It is a fun little fantasy, so to continue the trend, here are a few other gowns on the site.

The latest offerings over at Kerry Taylor Auctions includes some mid-century Givenchy, Lanvin-Castillo and Balenciaga. Pretty hard to go wrong with any of these methinks.

And The Frock still has one of the best selections of vintage designer duds I've seen on the web. With my invite in hand I could be pretty in pink in 70s Balenciaga, confounding the fashion critics in Norman Norell, making a nod to one of the grand dames of couture in Madame Gres, rocking classic Hollywood chic in Jacques Fath or swathed in pastels courtesy of Hattie Carnegie. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Meanwhile I'm looking forward to hosting my regular Oscars party at my place tomorrow night where, thanks to TIVO, we can fast forward through the boring bits. Its fun to banter over outfits and winners and losers and favourite films of the year with some of my dearest friends. So far it looks like we are all tipping The King's Speech to be the big winner.

Frock of the Week: Back to Her Best?

It has been a while since I've done a Frock of the Week post (maybe I should rename it The Occasional Frock?), but there were so many lovely at the Grammy's and BAFTA's this week (hooray for awards season), that I couldn't resist posting my favourite: Nicole Kidman in Jean Paul Gaultier.

Spectacular!

Remember when Nicole, in the late 90s and early noughties, was setting trends on the red-carpet and rarely put a foot wrong? This look harks back to those halcyon Nicole days for me. The woman has a figure made for drama, but lately she's been playing it quite samey and safe. I've got my fingers and toes crossed this is a sign she'll pull something amazing out Oscar night. Couture please?

And now for a little trip down memory lane ...

Nicole married Keith Urban in 2006 and her Balenciaga wedding gown totally brought the drama. I love, love, love this dress (although don't you agree Nicole looks better as a redhead than as a blonde?).

Nicole apparently pocketed $2 million to wear John Galliano for Dior couture throughout the awards season in 1997. The lucky lady was not only rolling in cash, but the alliance seriously upped her profile in the style stakes too. This chartreuse is still remembered as an Oscars fashion highlight 14 years later.

And for some Cinderella out there who has access to more credit than me, I just spied this John Galliano for Dior gown over at 1stDibs. From the same collection methinks? Regardless, it is lovely.

Ten more sleeps til Oscar night!

The Best Frocks of 2010

When I think about the most jaw-dropping celeb fashion moments of 2010, the first images that come to mind not unsurprisingly feature the forever perfect Cate Blanchett. Now that she's keeping a relatively low profile in Sydney (I was in Hunter's Hill the other week but I didn't see her, although the hubby caught sight of her a couple of weeks ago), she doesn't walk the red-carpet as much, but when she does, golly she's gorgeous. LOVED her in Alexander McQueen at Cannes this year and she was equally as lovely in vintage Lacroix in Japan.

Another highlight: Kristin Davis' efforts for the SATC 2 promo trail. She wore designer vintage from Decades for every event and looked spectacular each and every time. It's hard to pick a favourite, but the Balmain and Jean Desses were flawless.

(By the way I relented and finally watched the film in a hotel room one night while I was working. It was entertaining in parts but I thought it was culturally insensitive and the overt displays of wealth left me feeling queasy. Is it just me, or is Sex and the City not really Sex and the City if it isn't set in New York? And Stanford and Anthony hated each other. No way should they have got married).

The Costume Institute ball always brings me vicarious frock joy, even more so than the Oscars or the Globes I'd say. Particularly memorable in 2010 were Bee Schaffer's Balenciaga Edition (a copy of an original from 1948) and Dutch supermodel Doutzen Kroes in Zac Posen. I'm a sucker for periwinkle blue.

Though Diane Kruger looked very, very pretty in Lacroix at the Golden Globes.

Shoe designer Charlotte Dellal wore the wedding dress of the year back in May, in this custom designed Giambattista Valli. AMAZING.

And outside of these lovely ladies, my picks for the consistently best dressed celebs of the year go to Sarah-Jessica Parker, Anne Hathaway, Keira Knightley and Michelle Williams.

What were your favourite frocks?

Correction (and we all bow down to Christobal)

It turns out Bee Shaffer was not wearing Chanel at the Met the other night. Rather fittingly, considering the occasion, she was actually wearing Christobal Balenciaga. The dress is part of Nicholas Ghesquiere's 'Balenciaga Edition' collection, which sees him regularly mine Christobal's archives for classic designs which are then remade. I actually don't care who was responsible for this wonder, I love it no matter what. But its true origins certainly don't surprise me.

Apparently this is an original 1948 design so I've included another ballgown from the same year above. Christobal must have been in a dusky pink phase.

Below is another example of an Edition dress, and you can check out all the collections (the range began in 2006) on the Balenciaga site. If I had every item in this collection I think I would be the best dressed woman in the world. The man was the king of understated European elegance, and it is nice to think that his classic designs are being reinvigorated and celebrated.

It is amazing how thoroughly modern many of these classic designs from the haute couture greats can look. Just check out Kristin Davis in vintage Balmain at the White House correspondents dinner the other night. She looks like a 21st century version of Jackie Kennedy.