VIDEO: 2014 Oscar Nominations: Snubs and Surprises

What a day! I got up a 1:30 a.m., hit the Academy at 3 a.m., enjoyed the surprises of the Oscar nominations and then wrote articles, edited a video and did seven radio hits about what happened today. A long, but gratifying day!

Take a look at the video for Starpulse where I got insider opinions on the nominations from film critic Leonard Maltin and Deadline.com's Pete Hammond. They both brought interesting perspective on what this year's nominations had to offer.

 With camerawoman Courtney Walden

Of course, the other big reveal was the dress! Congratulations to Lisa Kay for picking out a really cute Eliza J. dress. Major bonus goes to the fact that the dress had unexpected pockets. Total score! It was the perfect place to hide my iPhone. Even Leonard complimented me on the outfit. I call that a win! Lisa gets a $25 gift card to the store of her choice.

You might recognize this face if you watch SYTYCD on AfterBuzz TV. Chloé West was our production assistant for the day. 

Oscar Nominations Dress Challenge: The Finalists!

I'm so sorry…I am a day late announcing the finalists. It's been a busy week with my trip to Vegas and I've been reeling from the news about my friend in New York.

However, it's time to announce the finalists. I couldn't decide on two, so I have three finalists to show you. There were so many great choices and Laura even created a Pinterest board for me! There were a few other dresses that I loved, but some were no longer available or sold out in my size. I wound up picking two dresses from the same designer and one dress from a online store that I absolutely love.

Which dress will I pick? Find out next Thursday on Oscar Nominations morning!
What dress should I wear? Let me know what dress you love the best in the comments below.

Submitted by Kristin Hope:
This Eliza J dress is so feminine. The color will look great on camera and it is a great silhouette for my petite frame.

Submitted by Lisa Kay:
I love this Eliza J dress because of the print. It has a splash of color and it is fitted at the waist.

Submitted by Donette:
I had no plans to pick a dress in black, but this ModCloth dress is adorable. Other buyers even posted photos of themselves in the dress and I think this is a great contender. Last year's winner also came from ModCloth.

Oscar Nominations Dress Challenge 2014

Red Carpet Closet because it is so much fun! I need help finding a dress for Oscar Nominations morning on January 16, 2014.  It's early again this year and we are going to have to do this over the Christmas break. Remember though, the winner gets a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice. For those of you that are new to this challenge, YOU get to chose the dress that I wear for a one of Hollywood's biggest events. 

Can you believe it's that time of year again?  This is one of my favorite events that I run over here on

Here are some guidelines:

1.  It is not a red carpet event.  So, I am looking for a dress that is simple, classic and understated.  Think of a DVF wrap dress or a Jackie O. sheath.  I am short (5'3"), so I want to show off my legs versus lots of cleavage (which I don't have anyway) to give the illusion of height.  I love shoes, so I want to pick something hot and sassy from my shoe wardrobe.  One note:  Even though I want a dress to show off my legs, please no so-short-I-can-see-your-hoo-ha dresses.  The Oscar Nominations are a very conservative event, so I'd like to keep it that way.

2.  I will be working at 5AM PT that day.  I want a dress that is easy, comfortable, and not fussy.  I hate pulling and tugging at my dress while I am working.

3.  I like color.  It looks great on camera and adds brightness to my face.  Please avoid red or crazy patterns because they have a tendency to moray on camera. I've done blue and two purples, so maybe a green, pink or yellow this year?

4.  The budget is important.  Let's keep the dress under $250 and it has to be available online in sizes  2 or 4.

Here are the winners from 2011-2013 to give you an idea of what has won in the past:

For more information on the winning dresses from 2011-2013, click here, here and here.

2011:  Dress by Banana Republic

2012:  Dress by Aqua

2013: Dress by ModCloth

Are you up for the challenge?

The Rules:

1. Find me a dress by Monday, January 6 at 11:59 p.m. PST. It must be available online. So post the link in the comments below with your contact info.

2.  The dress must be available in the U.S., but international contestants are welcome to join us for this contest.

3.  Two finalists will be announced on Thursday, January 9 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, January 16.

4.  Winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice.


If you have any questions, post in the comments below.  Ready, get set, shop!

TRAILER: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Awards season has already kicked into high gear and I am completely immersed in screeners and nominees. I will be back working for Starpulse for Oscars season starting with nominations on Jan. 16, 2014. I will be posting about my annual Oscar Nomination Dress Challenge next week, so stay tuned for details.

In the meantime, here's a film that I cannot wait to see: The Grand Budapest Hotel. The film is directed by one of my favorite filmmakers, Wes Anderson. I couldn't get enough of Moonrise Kingdom in 2012, so I expect the same in 2014 when this film is released. With whimsy and wacky characters, this is a sure bet for those of you with a quirky sense of humor.

Fox Searchlight Pictures sent me a fun interactive holiday card that I thought I would share with you. Check it out and be sure to watch the trailer below with Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman. The movies opens March 7, 2014.