Showing posts with label Frock Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Frock Me. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 March 2016

Oscars Frocks 2016 - Arachnophobia, Amputees and the Emperor's New Clothes

If you've been following this blog for a while you'll be aware that I am the living embodiment of style - somewhere between Kate Moss and Iris Apfel - and am therefore totally qualified to make judgements about other women's clothes. I read fashion blogs and magazines whilst eating quavers and wearing pyjama bottoms from BHS. When awards season rolls round I like nothing more than a good fashion police session on Facebook with my equally sarcastic chic enablers and I'm always looking for more squad members, so do let me know your thoughts.

Here is the very gorgeous Alicia Vikander, winner of Best Supporting Actress for The Danish Girl, and according to several news outlets 'channelling' Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Presumably they're referring to the fact she has long brown hair and is wearing a yellow swooshy dress, not the fact that she is dating Michael Fassbender.



My first thought, aside from "bitch can act AND suits yellow, is there no justice?" was "where the hell is her other leg?'' I mean seriously, that's not photoshopped. Her right leg has disappeared. She's like the anti-Angelina. Possibly she really is the android she played in Ex-Machina and can remove body parts. As my friend Rachel remarked, anything to lose a few pounds for the cameras. Of course, putting aside the missing limb, another pressing problem is that the hem of her dress looks like my duvet cover when it comes out of the washing machine full of socks. But she has an oscar, she doesn't care.

The Leg of Doom™ 2012 Academy Awards

You know who else has an oscar? Brie Larson for Room. I absolutely love the colour of her gown and thought it looked amazing in motion.



That said, I wasn't keen on her school-girl hair (she and Alicia both look like they were expecting to do the Head Girl's talk to prospective parents at secondary school) and the sheer layer of fabric on the bodice makes me feel that an emergency trip to the optician is necessary. Last time my eyes felt this out of focus tequila was involved. 

Don't look at my chest or you'll go blind


Frida Pinto also went for blue at the Vanity Fair Oscars party. She is lovely, but the dress is less so. That evil looking belt buckle is just waiting to stab her in the abs when  she sits down. Her boyfriend is a hottie, although he seems to have left his slippers on with his tux.




Next we have Heidi Klum, who despite neither being an actor nor married to one, always gets to go to the Oscars. She is of course a very successful model, who wears weird clothes for her job and sees nothing wrong in a busman's holiday. I vaguely remember some TV programme where aspiring designers have to make an outfit out of tinfoil/100 copies of The Sun/remaindered Jedward CDs or similar, and this looks like they were given 30 yards of pale mauve tulle and one of those Chinese dressmakers that make 'designer ball gown' copies.


Left arm = Daenerys from Game of Thrones
Right arm = Margot from The Good Life

Lady Gaga has been toning down her look recently, and frankly I miss those innocent days where she'd rock up to an awards show wearing 6lbs of Serrano ham. Instead she decided to make two outfits out of ready to roll fondant icing left over from doing her Christmas cake. This one is a sort of trouser/dress combo with the worst elements of each - badly fitting round the boobs and creating camel toe. "When you're trying to keep a towel around you but need your hands. Clench the pelvic floor in as a last resort" said Lucy.

Admittedly it looked a lot better when she was standing differently but I don't get this fatwa against the bra that appears to be to be going on in Hollywood.



I guess at least she didn't wear a wedding dress and washing up gloves like she did last year.



Anyway, later on she put on a top and trousers combo that fitted far better (aside from the hem length for someone two feet taller) and accessorized with a tablecloth bustle which made her look strangely like a centaur. I just wish that if that was the look she was going for she'd gone all out, you know? The Gaga of old would have worn hoof shoes and a 3 foot unicorn horn headpiece and been all the better for it!


Born this...Neigh


And how about Emma Roberts? Floaty and sheer? Tick. Flattering cut and drape? Tick. Covered in freaking spiders?? Aargh! I saw this dress and as well as being immediately itchy I just thought of this video. If you look closely at her face it's clear she's actually frozen in terror and/or auditioning for a remake of Arachnophobia.


'Follow the spiders' said Hagrid


What does everyone make of this one worn by Liz Hernandez from Access Hollywood? [no, I don't know who she is either] I think she was right to not go Princessy with the hair and not to wear a necklace - although a stack of bangles on the other arm might have been nice - but she does look rather as though she's wearing a silhouette of Olive Oyl. Or possibly that she's been painted by Picasso.


A whole new meaning to 'side boob' 


We've had to suffer several years now of 'dresses' that are so sheer they're not actually there, presumably so celebs can show off the reults of their diet and exercise regimes and the prowess of their waxer. Why wait for a hacker to steal your nude photos when you can show the world what you look like naked by making a dress out of pantyhose and the odd sequin? (I'm looking at you Beyonce, Kim K and Rihanna, amongst others). Perhaps things weren't quite as nude as they have been, there was no actual nipple or butt cheek on display, but still plenty to make me wonder whether I maybe shouldn't have eaten 5 salted caramel Muller Rice already this week.  This year's Vanity Fair party gave us two ladies in sheer red - Gwen Stefani and Diane Kruger - plus the girl from that dreadful Blurred Lines video, Emily 'look at my tatas' Ratajowski.

Diane Kruger is generally known as a fashion risk taker. She is an ex-model and has the figure for this bordello lampshade lace and tassels affair. She looks like she's holding her breath and is going to do so all night though, which can't be comfortable, right?

Diane wished she'd said no to that kebab. In 1991

Gwen Stefani is another funky dresser and has relatively recently split with cheating husband Gavin Rossdale and started another high profile romance with Blake Shelton. Her dress gives me slight 'Ha! look what you're missing' vibes, but that's understandable. I like the flamey-leafy bottom of the dress (a bit more of this and a bit less leg would look better) but what's less forgivable is red mesh on the shoulders, which gives a 'two weeks in Benidorm with no suncream' look. Hannah and I decided that her dress was being censored by 'the red hand of modesty', which could become a feature in Heat magazine. Plus she's accessorised with a man who clearly thinks dressing up means putting on his best jeans. 


Girl on fire. Bloke nipping out to buy fags

Here's Emily Ratatatas. It's some feat of engineering keeping those Jessica Rabbit boobs up and in that 'dress'. [Does attaching a bit of sheer fabric to a bustier make it a dress? I guess so]



We all thought Olivia Munn looked gorgeous in orange and of course Cate Blanchett looks like a goddess always, although Sara was less taken with the 'pritt sticked bits' on her sea foam frock and I'm inclined to agree, although I think they work on the top half I wouldn't want them on my bum.



Looking over the photos I'm left wondering how any of them walk, as I can't see anyone's feet - or rather foot - aside from Alicia Vikander's and those dresses are super long. Anyway, I'm off to bed to order slacks from a Sunday supplement - tell me your hits and misses in the comments.

Lakota x

Edited to add this link suggested by Kezzie - a little girl who makes her own versions of the Oscar frocks out of paper. Very cute!

Friday, 31 May 2013

Frock on a Friday - cheongsam

Hilariously, while I was away I found out I'd been shortlisted for a BiB award. I don't quite know how this happened, as it wasn't in the 'Mildly humorous Drivel' category, but 'Fashion'. Supposedly once you're nominated someone on the panel takes a look at your blog, so I'm not really sure how no-one twigged I'm not a fashion blogger. I mean, I love clothes and all, but hate having my photo taken, so it's not really a match made in heaven. And if you look back through my archive, there's only a handful of posts featuring me [although I have stopped cutting my head off. And my profile picture is now me. That's progress, people!]. Anyway, I didn't bother confirming my blog and getting a badge because it just seemed a bit weird and frankly made me think less of their selection process anyway. It would make about as much sense as Rihanna being voted Miss Modesty. However, I did figure it was time for another awkward outfit post.

So, on to the dress. I found it in a charity shop for £4. It looks hardly worn. And it's purple! Yay! I had a cheongsam years ago but it met with an accident so I'm really pleased to finally find a replacement. [It only took a couple of decades]. Possibly it needs removal of another rib/5lbs to be completely flattering - shiny satin not being the worlds most photograph friendly material, but  I swear that is just wrinkles in the fabric, not flab. Mostly. Possibly it would look better inside, in the gloom. [Gosh,I'm really working this fashion blogger angle].


Breathe in! Grin! Stick your elbow out in an unnatural fashion

I got the straighteners out - big hair wasn't working

Cheongsams are possibly the world's most impractical clothing - you can't really sit down, or eat, or um, breathe - but hey, respiration is overrated!

And finally, here's my contribution to the 'chronic Bitchface' archives:

Yup, nailed it.

Lakota x

Linking up to Magpie Monday over at Liz's

Friday, 27 July 2012

Frock on a Friday - Hell Bunny Asuka

Due to popular demand - cough, cough Sarah Misfit - here is my new dress. And me in it. Yes indeed, expect rivers of blood and plagues of locusts and all that soon. I won it in a blog giveaway from the delightful Betty Bee, and the dress was supplied by Soho's, who stock all kinds of rockabilly/alternative/goth type gear. Nice isn't it? It has a massive twirly skirt and the print has koi carp, skulls and scary geishas with sewn up mouths. Also rather fabulously, the dress I'm wearing is available in sizes 6 to 20. The sizing comes up large due to the shirred elastic at the back - I'm in a 10 which still has plenty of room in, rather than the 12 I sent back for being way too big. Bear this in mind if you buy, although it makes a pleasant change! Hell Bunny do lots of other 50s shaped dresses with amazing prints, I may well add some more to my wardrobe now I know about the label. Thank you very much for a brilliant prize Betty.

This is the one half decent picture. And I still had to crop a Thomas the Tank Engine tent out to my right. I need Sarah's photoshop skills to put me atop a unicorn or something.



Trying to get one photo which didn't make me want to rip off my own arm so I had something to beat the camera with was traumatising enough, so don't be expecting outfit posts too often. It doesn't help that Mr FHCS - the one with a decent camera  - smirks the whole time and only takes about 9 pictures before admitting defeat. I have pointed out that if he was a wildlife photographer he'd be lying on his stomach in a hide for 17 hours waiting for a rodent to scurry past, but he claims this would be preferable.

Dress - Hell Bunny - Asuka Print
Felt flower - homemade
Petticoat - eBay
Sunnies - Guess via TK Maxx
shoes - not on my feet

Like The Grudge, only with her hair up

Have a lovely weekend y'all. I'm off to my nephew's Christening. At the last one I attended boy2 was confused by the priest's robes and kept bellowing 'Is that the King? Where is the King going?'. That's when he wasn't chanting 'Evil, evil, evil' through the rest of the ceremony, having heard the Godparents being told to renounce it. Sigh. He always makes an impression.

Lakota x

I hope you've all been and entered my giveaway. You can win lovely jewellery from Gemmipop Designs.

Monday, 13 June 2011

Rainbows...almost an outfit post

So, Saturday's Ebay post has taught me that most of you are as willing as I am to do very bad things with Lenny Kravitz - but that at least one person was offended by the butt enhancing jeans! I guess you don't see that kind of thing in the Cath K catalogue. Anyway, I shall keep it clean today, and as it's been pouring with rain since I got back, I thought I'd share a rainbow dress I picked up at the Frock Me Vintage Fashion Fair.



Darn it, my head's come off again. 


Strapless Marion Donaldson floral dress £15
orange wedges -  Faith - won voucher in online comp


Another rainbow photo to show you is my bargain flowers I grabbed in Tesco on Friday. Sweet williams, reduced from £3.00 to a yellow stickered 39p! I'm not sure what they thought was wrong with them, most of the buds were closed and they were just in need of some water. [Makes up for all the daffodils I've bought from supermarkets which refuse to open]. I have plenty of proper vases, but rather like them in this cleaned up tin can left over from our dinner that night!



Rainbow glass table mats Joseph Joseph via TK Maxx

Happy Monday all. And if I have an excuse for gratuitous pictures of semi-naked men, I'm always gonna take it! [Probably in the next Ebay post. I saved the best til last -heheh]

Lakota x

Linking up as usual to Magpie Monday
and

Thursday, 17 February 2011

Frock Me! Vintage Fashion Fair

I made a quick escape from the kids this Sunday and went to Frock Me! on the King's Road. This vintage fashion fair is one of my favourite places to shop and is a gorgeous way to spend a few hours (and pounds).

The Town Hall where it is held is stunning inside - we are in Chelsea after all - look at the friezes and chandeliers:



but though it's a perfect setting the real stars of the show are stall after stall of gorgeous clothes and accessories. Here are a few things which caught my eye.

 1950s Roses Dress


 Immaculate beaded cardigan


Vibrant Christian Lacroix (sweetie) mini  

Of course, some of the items are pricier than others. Sadly my budget doesn't stretch to Ossie Clark or Hardy Amies (though at £100, the gorgeous evening dress I saw was probably cheaper than something similar in Whistles down the road), but there was plenty at the £15 - £25 mark. Ok, that's not car boot sale prices - but all these clothes have been handpicked by dealers who really know their stuff. Also, all the stall holders are friendly and happy to let you take things to the ladies and try them on in front of the big mirrors in there. In the end I came home with two dresses:



The red 50s party dress is just slightly too big, but can be taken in down the side seams. It was priced at £35, but the lovely stall holder Janet knocked £10 off when I wavered over the fit. My local dry-cleaners has altered things for me before, but I could possibly even attempt this myself - doesn't look like the seams will even need opening, just pinning and restitching by a half centimetre. I'm not sure if it shows in the picture, but the trim around the hem is fringing - I love a bit of tassel!


The blue cotton day-dress is 1950s too, and in amazing condition considering its age and the fact that it would have been worn more regularly than the fancier frock. Against a Summer dress from say, Topshop, there's just no comparison. The fabric has a proper weight to it, and just hangs better (and isn't see-through). The hem is turned up a good few inches as well - no way you'd get that with modern clothes unless they're a designer label. 

Here's some more eye candy:

Stunning handbags on Deborah Bouain's stall.
The only vintage trader appearing at London Fashion Weekend



                                                                                                        

Look at this incredible telephone bag from the 70s - it comes with a jack to plug into a land-line socket. Isn't it gorgeous? This one had never been used and still had the original tags. Eat your heart out Lady Gaga.



Various pretties to satisfy the magpie instinct. I bought the snowdrop brooch above left for my Gran. Being 'vintage' herself I hope she'll like it! We'd had a phone conversation the day before about snowdrops and how she wished she had some in her garden.


Jewellery from Pru's stall

As I only had a couple of hours to browse  (had to get back to accompany the boys to a party) I didn't have a chance to take a break, but if you have time then definitely take the weight off your feet at the vintage tearoom. I usually like to compare purchases and eat cake from pretty china whilst the gramophone warbles away in the background.
The next London Frock Me! is on April 10th, and in Brighton on 6th March. Go - I defy you not to be tempted by something!