Tempting Thursday- A Nod To The Oscars

Even though it seems like the Oscars were just here; we are actually getting ready for the 2011 Oscars which are set for Feb. 27th.

Here’s a look at my top 10 best dressed actresses of the Oscars.

 

Penélope Cruz (2007)
 
Cruz's gorgeous Atelier Versace gown with its elaborately feathered train shown above the endless sea of black and slinky.

 

Nicole Kidman (1996)
 
It would take quite a dress to upstage Tom Cruise, circa Mission: Impossible. But this chartreuse John Galliano for Dior gown did just that.

 

Halle Berry (2002)
 
Berry's gown proved the star-making power of Oscar's red carpet  and not just for the actress. Barry not only garnered a few gasps for her win for Monster's Ball turn but also for Elie Saab whose demurely revealing design earned him a spot on the fashion map.

 

Grace Kelly (1955)
 
Her chic yet understated ice blue satin gown has since positioned the Best Actress winner as the fashion icon to beat.

 

Catherine Zeta-Jones (1999)
 
Picking another perfect hue, this fire-red Versace certified the Zorro star is siren.

 

Cate Blanchett (1999)
 
The Best Actress nominee (Elizabeth) netted the fashion accolades in this effortlessly slinky, dramatically embroidered John Galliano gown.

 

Audrey Hepburn (1954)
 
You can't have a conversation about Hollywood icons without mentioning the original gamine, whose classic Givenchy gown made the night of her Roman Holiday win even more spectacular.

 

Winona Ryder (2000)
 
Ryder turning up in this '40s-era Pauline Trigere vintage gown took the actress from grunge to glamour.

 

Helen Mirren (2007)
 
In a decadent bodice-skimming Christian Lacroix, the Best Actress winner (The Queen) gave new life to the term ''silver fox.''

 

Uma Thurman (1995)
 
Can you remember when no one, not even the devil, wore Prada? It was the Pulp Fiction star's lavender gown that launched the Italian label into the mainstream.

Stimulation Saturday

The little black dress.

The LBD is the one essential every woman should own.


Ever since Coco Chanel first introduced this iconic timeless fashion 75 years ago fashion designers everywhere agree that all women need a little black dress. 
Simple to complex; the LBD can take you from morning to night with a slight of hand.


When I slip into one of my LBD's I change. I become more confident and self assured.
My legs get longer, my bosom gets bigger, and my butt gets smaller. lol
I can discuss anything with anyone.
Add my vintage pearls and some sexy heels and I am a force to be recognized.


The history of the LBD is interesting in it's timeless appeal and staying power.
In the beginning black was considered acceptable for mourning and was not even allowed outside the home. 
Coco Chanel made the LBD famous in 1926. Called "Chanel's Ford" by Vogue magazine, it was a basic slash-necked, short silk dress with only diagonal pin-tucks as decoration. 

Audrey Hepburn's legendary role as Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany's brought us  dressed in Givenchy. Voted as the all time best female screen outfit-the original sold for $800,000.00 at auction.

Hepburn's classic black sheath dress, accented by pearls and black kitten heels was as Coco Chanel envisioned.


The LBD then evolved into sexy eye candy when draped over such figures as Marilyn Monroe and Jane Mansfield. Women all over the world fell in love with this simple but elegant dress.

In the 1960's a revolution was taking place over love, war, and the LBD. Women wanted shorter hemlines and sleeker styles. Dresses were featuring cut outs, designs and the material was getting sheerer. 






The LBD has survived the the passage of time and has emerged as an ever changing but constant theme. The wildly popular cast of SATC-Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte even posed in LBDs on the cover of season one's DVD proving just that.











I think Wallis Warfield Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, summed it up best when she said.. "When a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place."