Who Are You Wearing?: 4th Annual Thirst Project Gala

While many of you have seen the photos from last week's Thirst Project Gala, I received a lot of questions about my outfit. Here's the inside scoop on my wardrobe from that evening.

Dress: Ted Baker-London
Shoes/Clutch: EMMETT (See more photos of my gorgeous custom-made shoes and clutch here.)
Necklace: Jessica Matrasko
Ring: Rachel Zoe for QVC
Hair: BLO
Makeup: Blushington

Dress Details: 2013 IAWTV Awards

It's always fun to have an excuse to wear a dress, so last night at the IAWTV Awards at CES in Las Vegas was the perfect excuse.  My co-host, AJ Gibson, and I were nominated for AfterBuzz TV's So You Think You Can Dance in two categories.  It was a thrill to be on a list with incredible talent like Leo Laporte, Beth Hoyt, Shira Lazar, Mark Keizer, and Wade Major.  While we didn't win this year, AJ and I knew our big "win" was the nomination.  It's the little show that could and we were proud to represent the network and our boss, Maria Menounos.

Now, on to the important details on my dress.

                  With fellow host, Misty Kingma, from Clevver Music.

Dress:  Aqua (Yep, worn this brand before and I really like their designs.) $188

Shoes:  Stuart Weitzman, Winter 2007 collection.....these were a great investment. $325 (Worn here)

Necklace:  Shop The Look  (I bought this necklace in 2010.  Finally found a dress to wear it with.) $16

Ring:  Rachel Zoe for QVC (Bought in 2010, this was another great find from a home shopping network.) $35

A HUGE thanks to my Las Vegas hair and makeup team.  They did a great job two years in a row.
Makeup: Aurora Nerone
Hair:  Candace Campbell

The Fashion Hits and Misses at the 2012 Met Ball

I feel like the last two weeks have been a fashion bonanza with the Correspondents Dinner and now the 2012 Met Ball.  The Met Ball is its own beast because people take serious fashion risks that sometimes are successful and other times, they are huge disasters.  Let's start out with the pretty first:

PRETTY:

1.  Amy Adams:  I cannot believe this lady is two-for-two with beautiful gowns.  She's still with the same stylist, but they are dressing her like the goddess she deserves to look like.   Dress by Giambasttista Valli. Jewels by Fred Leighton.  

2.  Cameron Diaz:  I have always loved the collaboration between Cameron and Rachel Zoe.  They work very successfully together and tonight was no different.  Dress by Stella McCartney.

3.  Dianna Agron:  Oh, we've seen our Glee star looking a little undressed in photos like these, but she's turning into quite the red carpet fashionista.  She looks young, fresh, but in command.  Dress by Carolina Herrara.

4. Diane Kruger:  I think the hair is a little messy for such a formal affair, but I couldn't resist this royal purple dress with the feathered train.  It is flowy and comfortable for such a stuffy night.  Dress and Clutch by Prada. 

5. Emma Stone:  Hollywood's It Girl looks great in this color and she wore it to the Oscars too.  She definitely took a risk with a shorter dress at the Met Ball and it pays off.  Dress by Lanvin.

6.  Gwyneth Paltrow: Her body looks flawless in The Avengers, it looked flawless at the Oscars, and it looks flawless here.  Enough said.  Dress by Prada.

7.  Nina Dobrev:  There is just nothing wrong with this photo:  beautiful dress, sublime train pooling behind her, and a complete red carpet look.  Dress by Donna Karan. (Kind of an unexpected look from Donna, no?  Love it.)

Now for the fun part, the really, really ugly that crossed that red carpet tonight at the Met Ball and, kids, there was a lot of ugly this year.  I didn't pick any of the models that attended.  Instead, I looked for celebs because seriously.....they know better to wear such ugliness on camera.  Let's take a look:

UGLY:
1.  Chloe Sevigny:  What was she thinking?  It doesn't even look like she tried. I think she just rolled out of bed and stumbled into the Met Ball.  Dress and clutch by Miu Miu.

 2.  Christina Ricci: This girl is so tiny in real life and she is so overwhelmed by the ugliness wrapping her body. Why? Why? Why?  Dress by Thakoon.

3. Florence Welch:  She wore a color similar to this to the 2010 Academy Awards.  This time around she has a ton of fabric and accoutrement on the dress to distract the eye from her Heidi braid on top of her head.  I know she's a musician and she wants to be edgy, but this wasn't it.  Dress by Alexander McQueen.

4.  Eva Mendes:  She is one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood and she comes dressed in this?  Was Rachel Zoe too busy dressing Cameron Diaz and Karolina Kurkova to pay attention to her other client?  What is up with that skirt of fabric covering her hips?  Dress and Clutch by Prada.  Jewelry by Fred Leighton.

5.  Elizabeth Banks: She's not known for fashion, so I think she should have stuck with a more safe gown.  What mirror did she look in and think "I look good"?  Shame on the stylist who put her in this.  Dress by Mary Katrantzou.  
       

 6.  Kristen Stewart:  She's always so miserable.  Why is she even there?  Dress by Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere.

7.  Sarah Jessica Parker:  What happened to our fashion icon from SATC?  She looks like my childhood bedroom drapes.  Dress by Valentino and Shoes by Manolo Blahnik.

8.  Julianne Hough:  She is going to be a huge star once Rock of Ages comes out, but this is not what a star wears to the Met Ball.  This is what a girl wears to her prom.  Dress by Carolina Herrara.

9.  January Jones:  Our girl is back from maternity leave and she is still dressing herself.  A worst-dressed list isn't complete without January.  Dress by Versace.  Jewelry by Cartier.

10.  Mary-Kate Olsen:  Ummmm, if you are wearing a dress from your fashion line, don't you want to look your best?  I guess not. She looks straight out of Tim Burton's Dark Shadows flick opening this weekend.  Dress by The Row. Jewels by Fred Leighton.

Do you agree with my fashion picks?  I would love to hear from you, so join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, or Google Plus.

Make sure to see my 2012 Stylist List so you are in the know about Hollywood stylists and who they dress.

All Photos by Getty Images.

Flawless Fashion: Reese Witherspoon

Photo Credit:  Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Updated With Dress Designers:
Reese Witherspoon in Monique Lhuillier with Irene Neuwirth earrings.
Kate Hudson in Jenny Packham (My favorite designer of late.) with an Edie Parker clutch.
Leslie Mann in Naemm Khan


Can you say flawless?  Reese Witherspoon is in her second trimester and she looks glowing and beautiful as she arrives at the White House Correspondents Dinner as a guest of Newsweek/Daily Beast.  As I mentioned before in this post, Reese is dressed by Leslie Fremar who ranked number two this year on The Hollywood Reporter's Top Stylist List.  I don't have information yet on who the designer of the dress and jewels are, but stay tuned for a breaking update as soon as I have the inside scoop.  By the way, the top to this dress reminds me of another famous Nicole Kidman dress the year she won the Oscar for The Hours. The year was 2003 and the designer was Jean-Paul Gaultier.  Take a look at the similarities.  Nicole always leads the fashion way for the younger generation.

Here are my two runner-up choices:

Kate Hudson, who is styled by Rachel Zoe,  in a stunning sequined purple gown.  Uh, she had a baby 9 months ago.  Impressive.

Finally, one of my favorite actresses to interview, Leslie Mann.  She's just a gal you would like to kick back and have cocktails with because she's darn funny.  Her dress choice is a bit unexpected for the White House Correspondents Dinner, but I think it's the perfect spring gown-fresh, floral, and colorful.  

  

Who do you think looked best at this weekend's White House Correspondents Dinner?  Chime in here, on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus.

My Top 3 Posts of 2011

I am a total nerd, but I've known this since elementary school.  I love analyzing numbers and seeing what is working and what isn't.  I love looking into the psychology of what makes people stop and pay attention.  That is why I love analytics for my blog.  It is fun to see what makes you come here and read my posts, whether you are a regular reader or you came through a Google search.  So, here are my Top 3 posts of 2011.  They aren't necessarily my favorites, but they are your favorites.  For my regular readers, one of the Top 3's popularity may surprise you, it sure surprised me.

Simone Harouche, one of my favorite stylists on the list. 

1.  The Stylist Edition:  This article was the number one most trafficked post this year.  I compiled the list of top stylists for the celebrities from a Hollywood Reporter article.  I loved it because it gave us insight into who is consistently setting trends as a stylist for their clients (Rachel Zoe and Anne Hathaway with that amazing tuxedo at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.) and it also made me note who needs to change stylists. (e.g. Amy Adams) This is also a fun one to read because Brad Goreski made an appearance on the list at number 22 while his former mentor, Rachel Zoe, was listed at number 1.  Will that change with this awards season and the premiere of his reality show?  Only time will tell.

2.  Saturn Awards, EZ Curler, and Interviews, Oh My!:  This one was a bit of shock to me as it was just a quick "here's what I've been up to" post, but I sure covered my bases on popular internet searches:  Anna Torv from Fringe, anything related to The Bachelor, and an infomercial sensation called the EZ Curler.  Really, there is something for everyone in this post.  Enjoy the photos and video because I'm sure Google sent you here for this one.

3.  The Oscar Looks of Elizabeth Taylor:  We lost the divine Elizabeth Taylor this year, but there are stunning photographs of her that will live on and endure the test of time.  Following her death, I compiled a series of photos from some of the Academy Awards ceremonies she attended.  I will let the photos speak for themselves.

So, there you have it, the Top 3 Posts of 2011.  Did your favorites make it into the Top 3?  If not, tell me what was your favorite article from Red Carpet Closet this year?

Scenes from a NY Weekend

Although it was a holiday weekend, I had to work.  So, my weekend was filled with a little work, a little play, a little shopping, and a whole lot of eating.  Here are some fun scenes from my Easter weekend in the Big Apple.

We kicked off the weekend with our annual trip to Burgers & Cupcakes.  Yep, you know what's on the menu.

For all of you flea market enthusiasts, The Garage Antique Flea Market (112 West 25th St, 10001) is a must on your next NYC visit.  It is filled with vast treasures with a strong focus on vintage clothing, jewelry, and housewares.  

When you go to visit the flea market, be sure to visit Lulu of Lulu's Vintage Lovelies.  Her eye for style is impeccable and if you want quality designer vintage clothing, she is the woman to meet.  We hunted through vintage Valentino to fox stoles to stunning chandelier earrings.  It's the type of inventory that would make Rachel Zoe's head spin.  I managed to grab a gorgeous white trench coat and a fitted gray military jacket.  (Photos to come...) 

Some of Lulu's treasures that are calling out to me.  I promise, I will be back!  Make sure to stop by and say "hi" to Lulu.  Be sure to tell her that KB sent you.

I do believe the myth is true that NY water makes bagels, pizza, and cupcakes taste better than anywhere in the world.  This slice was heaven.  The right amount of cheese blended together with tangy sauce and a crispy crust. 

A view of our Toyota Live stage from the 4th floor.  It's fun to watch the audience from up above catch our show.  I think it is the best view in the house.  Next time, I have to send someone up there to take a photo when I am on stage.

Thanks to our crew, they posted some of our best shots from our Peter Luger Steakhouse night on the Toyota Live monitors.

I do like my steak!

What's your favorite thing to do in New York?  Let me know in the comments since I have another week left in the big city.

The Stylist Edition

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Update:  To read the 2012 Stylist edition, click here.  

During Awards Season, I was commenting about the importance of a stylist and how they were critical in organizing an overall look for the celebrity based on their shape, personality, coloring, etc.  While some stylists are uber-high profile like Rachel Zoe, other stylists remain in the background doing all of the legwork for the big march down the red carpet.  It can be challenging to find out who is dressing the stars.  Well, my questions were answered by this week's shiny new Hollywood Reporter magazine that came in the mail.  Remember when I was questioning Amy Adams stylist?  Well, I am going to share some of the highlights from The Hollywood Reporter's Top 25 Stylists and I think some of the stylist/celeb pairings are going to surprise you.  (Because there are 25 stylists to go through, I will comment on certain ones and the others I will just list who they dress.)

Photo Courtesy of Amanda Lyons

1. Rachel Zoe:  Duh, of course. She put together 8 divine outfits for Anne Hathaway at The 83rd Annual Academy Awards.  That tux was the piece de resistance, in my opinion.  Also dresses: Jennifer Garner, Eva Mendes, Liv Tyler, Demi Moore (Although recent rumors have her defecting to former Zoe assistant, Brad Goreski.)

2. Kate Young:  Natalie Portman's stylist all season long.  I am not sure I agree with this because of the misguided Golden Globes dress, but the Rodarte dress at the Oscars was a winner.  Also dresses:  Alicia Keyes.

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

3. Petra Flannery:  Petra would have been number 2 in my book because made Mila Kunis into a red carpet movie star this year.  Mila did not have a single fashion misstep all season. Her other client, Hailee Steinfeld, was dressed age appropriately and simply looked fresh and lovely at the Oscars in Marchesa. Also dresses:  Zoe Saldana.

4. Jen Rade:  Another controversial one in my book because she has big hits like Angelina Jolie, but big misses like The Office's Jenna Fischer.  I love Jenna, but she never looks styled at any red carpet.  In fact, I was surprised to hear she used a stylist, that's how ill-fitting her dresses look.  I think this stylist/celeb pairing needs rethinking because Jenna deserves to shine like the beauty that she is.  Also dresses:  Pink, Cher.

5. Anna Bingemann:  Dresses Claire Danes, Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Tina Fey.

6. Cristina Ehrlich:  Okay, we finally have the answer!!  This is who dresses Amy Adams. This is another pairing that isn't working. Amy is stunning and I always feel like her dresses miss the mark or they are styled with the wrong jewelry like at the Oscars this year.  Also dresses:  Penelope Cruz, Julianne Hough, Kyra Sedgwick, Ashley Green, Julianna Margulies.

7. Deborah Waknin:  Dresses Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock.  (That's some A-list star wattage!)

8. Elizabeth Stewart:  This one may be controversial for some of you, but Cate Blanchett looked amazing in person.  The fault of the stylist on the Givenchy Couture dress is that it did not photograph well. That is also a part of their job to make sure it translates well live and on camera.  Also dresses:  Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried, Kristin Davis, Viola Davis.

9. Leslie Fremar: Dresses Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, Charlize Theron.

10. Jeanne Yang:  Dresses Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise, Christian Bale, and Melissa Leo (That Marc Bower dress at the Oscars was terrible and she will forever be the 2011 Oscar winner in that dress!)

11. Leith Clark:  Dresses Michelle Williams, Keira Knightley.

12. Estee Stanley:  Dresses Jessica Biel, Lea Michele.  This is a good stylist for young Hollywood as she has done a great job with putting Lea on the fashion map.

Nicole Kidman at the 2011 Grammys.

13. L'Wren Scott:  She's a designer and a stylist, but whoa--she was all over the map with her client, Nicole Kidman, this season.  Nicole has always been a fashion icon, but I don't think her fashion choices this year hit the mark except for the dress she wore to the Grammys.

14. Jessica Paster:  She used to be THE stylist to go to before the Top 10 crop of stylists came forward and made their fashion mark.  Dresses:  Annette Bening, Emily Blunt.

15. Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn:  Dresses Jennifer Lopez, Rachel McAdams, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Rihanna.  They've done a great job with J Lo's "comeback" on American Idol and giving her short dresses to showcase those Venus razor sponsored legs.  She looks fabulous.

16. Maryam Malakpour:  Dresses Heidi Klum, Courtney Cox, The Rolling Stones. (Yep, even old rock stars have a stylist.)

17.  Tanya Gill:  I was surprised to see Tanya this far down the list.  She dressed a very polished Hillary Swank this year.  Hillary's looks at the Oscars and the SAG Awards really hit the mark.  They weren't fashion game changers, but they offered up a softer side of the perennially buff Swank.  Also dresses:  Jane Fonda, Kate Winslet.

18. Tiina Laakonen:  Dresses Carey Mulligan.  I think we will all be hearing more from this stylist in the next few years with a high profile client like Carey.  She's definitely one to watch.

19. George Kotsiopoulos: You know him from E!'s Fashion Police.  He dresses Freida Pinto, Kristen Stewart, Kerry Washington, Katy Perry, and Kathryn Bigelow.  I expect him to be more of a TV personality versus a stylist with his new found TV fame.

20. Nicole Chavez:  Yikes, she dressed Scarlett Johansson this year.  That outfit was on trend with the lace, but it fit snugly in all of the wrong places.  I was about two feet away from Scarlett on the red carpet at the Oscars and this beautiful actress with an incredible body did not look her best.  Also dresses:  Rachel Bilson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Katherine Heigel.

21. Annabel Tollman:  Dresses Jessica Simpson, Cynthia Nixon, and formerly, Scarlett Johansson. (Go back to her, Scarlett!)

22. Brad Goreski:  One of my personal faves from Bravo's The Rachel Zoe Project, but he's now on his own dressing Jessica Alba.  Truth be told,  I want the real skinny:  Did Demi Moore defect to Brad?

23. June Ambrose:  Dresses Diddy, Jay Z, Kelly Ripa, and Mariah Carey.  (Eh.  Do any of these celebs make an impressive fashion mark?)

24. Samantha McMillen:  Dresses Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Nicole Richie at the 2010 Oscars.

25. Simone Harouche:  I cannot believe she is only number 25.  She is one of my favorites for creating Nicole Richie's current look after Nicole parted ways with Rachel Zoe.  On the flip side, she is also dressed Christina Aguilera and Miley Cyrus, so maybe that is why she is stuck in the number 25 position.

Well, there you have it, a fashion stylist bible all thanks to The Hollywood Reporter and a few added comments from me.  I also tried to link as many of the stylists' websites for you to peruse, it is surprising how many stylists hide behind their agency's websites versus becoming a brand like Rachel Zoe. (But that is another topic for another day!) The Style Issue is dated March 18, 2011 if you want to pick up a copy of this week's edition with Rachel Zoe on the cover.  I am keeping this one handy because we are going to need it with the next award season beginning in only 5 months.  Yep, Emmys season is just around the corner.  Be sure to comment below because I would love to hear your thoughts on some of these stylists and see if you agree with me or not.

To view my 2012 Top 25 Stylists article, click here.

Reminding Me Why I Love The Princess Diaries...

When The 83rd Annual Academy Award hosts were announced, I was initially lukewarm to the idea of having Anne Hathaway and James Franco lead the evening's events.  Yes, the Academy wants ratings, they want younger viewers, but most importantly, they need to shake the formulaic formula up.  A good way to do that is to change up the expected idea of a host.  We expect comedians, but it is a night that the entertainment industry takes very seriously.  What we saw Ricky Gervais do at The Golden Globes this year would never be done at the Oscars.  So, often times, comedians can't be funny in the way we expect/want them to be.  So, enter James Franco and Anne Hathaway and the new promos for the upcoming show.  The first piece is my favorite, but watch Anne's outfits in the promos, they scream Rachel Zoe all the way.  I am "bananas" waiting to see Anne's entrance on the red carpet on February 27th as I'm sure a pregnant Rachel Zoe will hold off on childbirth just to see her client's big moment.   Either way, the promos are well-produced which I think is a good sign for this year's Academy Awards. (And I reminder that The Princess Diaries is a classic to watch on TBS over and over again. Long Live, Princess Mia of Genovia!)

What do you think of this year's hosts?





Photo Used with Permission from AMPAS.
Photo Credit:  Bob D'Amico / ABC

November: Monthly Wrap-Up

This has become one of my favorite segments of my blog each month.  I love to see what you have been reading and what Google searches bring people to Red Carpet Closet.  It adds a lot of comedy and hilarity to my day.  So, let's catch up on the Top 5 Most Absurd Searches for November 2010:


1.  "Are there camps like Stagedoor Manor cheaper?":  In one simple word:  Nope.  I attended Stagedoor Manor two decades ago and it is an experience that can only be replicated at Stagedoor Manor.  It was expensive then and it is expensive now.  Check into financial aid or scholarships because you are one lucky kid if you get to attend even one Stagedoor camp session.  Don't believe me? Here's what I have to say about the musical theatre camp twenty years later.


2.  "How tall is Olga Kay?":  Okay, I get it.  You like Olga Kay.  I do too. She's petite.  Maybe 5'4"?  Olga, help me out here.  Your fans want to know A LOT about you.  Here's another Olga piece I wrote.  **Update**:  Olga is 5'1".  Phew, so glad I could bring you that breaking news.  Thanks, Olga!


3.  "Term for free goodies given to celeb winners":  Um, that would be free goodies or gift baskets or gifting suites.  I guess you want to see my Emmy gifting suite coverage for Mingle Media TV?  It's here, here, here, and here.  


4.  "What would Rachel Zoe use instead of a strapless bra for support?":  Wow,WWJD has been replaced by WWRZD?  Jesus needs a reality TV show because obviously RZ is hot.  Here are some great tips for your undergarments on the red carpet, ladies.  


5.  "Old Stiletto Dick Van Patten":  I cannot even begin to fathom what you were looking for here.  Dick Van Patten is the dad from Eight is Enough.  I doubt he wears stilettos, especially old ones, but thanks for the laugh.  Here are some of my favorite stilettos for your shoe viewing pleasure.  


Well, that's it for this month.  I cannot wait to do my favorite searches for 2010.  I am sure there are a few winners in there.  Keep up the Google searching because it keeps up the laughter on my end.