A/W Party Dresses - It's Got To Be Velvet

The wardrobe space in our new flat is pretty atrocious. So much so that I had to have a huge clothes clear out before we moved here. I donated around 6 large bin bags full of lovely dresses, tops, skirts, shoes and accessories to the local charity shops. It was painful, but also quite liberating.
What I realised whilst doing this was that there was a certain type of dress that, no matter how little I had the chance to wear it, I just couldn't throw away. It's the classic LVD - Little Velvet Dress.
Check them out - including my recent little red number. Ooh it's a beaut.

First up we have the classic. It's smooth velvet and fits like a dream. It's my 'go to' dress - I always end up wearing it because it's the most comfy thing in the world and it is VERY forgiving! It's also my most bargainous dress at just 99p from eBay. It was originally from Wallis.

Here's a view of the back. It's just a classic.

It's the kind of dress that needs absolutely no jewellery, but what it does need is a kick ass pair of shoes. My boyfriend picked these out in a sale - aren't they just wonderfully mad?

My second velvet dress is one that I used to have to wear for work uniform. I was glad I didn't have to give it back when I left - it's a great mixture between gothic and girly. When I said the previous dress was the cheapest - I lied - this one was free!

I call it my Dorothy dress. For some reason it gives me a Dorothy Gale vibe - no idea why. It fastens at the back with a gorgeous little velvet button attached to the lace.

I always wear this dress with red shoes, even if they are a bit scruffy!

My third velvet dress is my all time favourite. I saw it in Debenhams in the Henry Holland section about a year ago and fell in love with it. Unfortunately it was way out of my price range. A couple of months later I popped in to grab a free perfume sample and there it was, on sale for just £11! I tried it on and it was as if it was made for me. I almost cried with joy!
I like to call this ensemble my Zomsemble - it just goes with the whole zombie green really well!

I like to wear this bad boy with these wonderful zombie Iron Fist shoes which were a gift from my wonderful sister.

And of course the outfit wouldn't be complete without this necklace which was a valentines gift from The Boy. 

And finally, my latest addition to the velvet party dress family, the rather risque red crushed velvet number. I got this at a charity shop two days ago for just £5.50. It's a great fit and I LOVE the colour - but it's very short!

The long sleeves are ideal for the winter though, and I'd definitely wear tights with it. This is another 'no jewellery needed' number - just a simple pair of patent shoes will do.

Now all I need is a few party invitations and I'm good to go!

Wednesday Addams is Still in There Somewhere - Christina Ricci's Dress Blows My Mind!!!

Holy. Moly.
I literally cannot get over the beauty of this dress.
Christina Ricci brought this little bad boy out to play and the Met Gala the other night and I have to say, I have never been so blown away by a red carpet dress before in my LIFE. I want this dress so much!
The gothic web-like fabric teamed with that mahoosive fish tail skirt is just so gorgeous. She wears that dress so well too - others would have the dress wearing them but Christina's figure carries this off to perfection.
My only issue is with the boring hair, but that's probably just me wanting her to look like Wednesday Addams again!
Feast your eyes and enjoy. I am swooning!

The BAFTA's Red Carpet - Black and Midnight Blue Glamour!

Thank the gods for the BAFTA's. The Oscars seem like a lifetime away and I was beginning to crave some red carpet glamour!
I managed to watch the red carpet arrivals and the ceremony on TV last night which was delightful. The King's Speech did extremely well and everything was lovely and civilised; not a Ricky Gervais in sight!
But to be perfectly honest the thing I was most interested in was, of course, the dresses. The colours of the night were black and midnight blue. Let's get down to it, because well, there were a hell of a lot of good ones! Here are my favourites...

Of course the Bonham Carter awesomeness was in attendance. She wore Vivienne Westwood (again) and although this is wonderful it's pretty understated for her. I'm praying that she doesn't stay on this sliding scale or come the Oscars she'll be wearing something so boring that I'll cry. This is as normal as I will tolerate from her. She has been warned!! I LOVE the bag and I LOVE her hair and I LOVE her skin.

Julianne Moore looks delicious! I love a bit of crushed velvet, me. She just oozes elegance in this and the red lips give it an ultra glam edge. The midnight blue against her lovely pale skin is sublime. Top marks.

Olivia Grant has got it going on. This dress fits her perfectly - (there were so many instances of poorly fitting dresses last night that I can't even bring myself to blog about them) the length is right, the fit is right and it looks damn sexy. Her necklace is ideal; not too much and not too little. Gorgeous hair too!

Jennifer Lawrence - from the shoulders down you are an absolute glamour beast, but please do something with your hair next time! The dress is one of the most amazing corsetted wonders I have ever seen and yet you leave your hair looking like you just rolled out of bed in 1992. I would totally get married in a dress like this!

Again with the hair *sigh* I know it was raining but that's no excuse. Gemma Arterton had a gorgeous silhouette going on. At first I wasn't too sure about the big birthday present bow but it's totally grown on me. It gives her a lovely hourglass shape and the dress might be a tad boring without it. She's a safe 6/10. 

 Colin Firth (uber winner of the evening) and his wife, Livia just look so cute! She is stunning in that dress. The colour is spot on as is the fit. She outshone most of the women that people go there to see. Great hair (yay!), great make- up and a perfect dress. Colin Firth is a very lucky man!

This is my boob of the night. Sarah Harding from Girls Aloud went all Marilyn-esque on us and this dress so could have worked but she has let it down. In every picture I have seen she is flinging her leg out of that slit like there's no tomorrow. Seriously, you look like Porno Barbie. If you're going to wear a dress slit to the thigh then you need to pose like Megan Fox:

So there you have it, the BAFTA best and worst. Who rocked your style socks??

SAG Awards- It's Red Carpet Time Again!

Ah I love awards season - I get to blog about dresses! Last night was the Screen Actors Guild Awards and although these are notoriously a tad boring red carpet-wise (everyone is saving their best for the Oscars) there were some pretty special dresses on display.

I'll start with my favourites - Helena Bonham Carter looked really cute in this lovely black and white vintage-style ensemble. I love the pearls but I must admit - I'm slightly dissapointed to see her wearing matching shoes. I was hoping that was going to be her thing this year! She is ROCKING those sunglasses though.

Next up on my favourite list is Julianna Margulies - from The Good Wife - who looked gorgeous in red. I know it's a bit of a no-no to wear red on the red carpet but I think it compliments her skin tone perfectly. Would have liked to have seen bigger hair though. Big hair is always good.

Following a close third in the style stakes is Kyra Sedgwick who wore this incredible floor-length black gown complete with a perfect Disney Villain-esque bodice. I LOVE how that dress curls up around the bust. I want this dress more than anything right now. I'd hoover in it.

And my fourth success of the evening is January Jones. I was impressed by her at the Golden Globes (you can see that post here) and she didn't dissapoint again with this black and gold Caroline Herrera creation. I love her hair again too. She just looks so classic and polished.

Last and pretty much least is my bomb of the night - I've chosen Christina Hendricks mostly out of dissapointment. She has literally the most amazing body in the whole world. THE WHOLE WORLD! And she's chosen to cover it with this icky dressing-gown-type-dress-thing. She looks awful and it's a big shame. If I was her I'd be walking down that red carpet in nothing but a corset and some vintage panties! I just feel like this 'dress' is a bit blah. She needs Va-Va-Voom!

So there's my own personal opinion of the best and worst. Let me know what you think fellow bloggers - did you have a different favourite?



It's Red Carpet Time! Helena Bonham Carter Wows In Westwood

It's awards season again and although I pretend I'm not that bothered I actually LOVE looking at what the ladies have been wearing on the red carpet. This year we have seen a rise in popularity of 40's/50's fashion, partly due to the success of Mad Men, so I was extra excited to see what Hollywood's take on this would be at the Golden Globes.
For me, the best dressed of the night has to be Helena Bonham Carter. I know for most that is a strange choice, but she looked absolutely gorgeous, and you all know I like something a bit alternative! Check her out in Vivienne Westwood and mismatched shoes. Such a Hollywood rebel!

Her skin is perfect! Oh the jealousy!
My next hit of the night is Catherine Zeta Jones, who wore a deep green, extremely heavy looking dress, but managed to look rather classy. The deep shade couldn't be pulled off by many, yet she completely nails it. There's much to love.

My third favourite of the night goes to January Jones. Her dress is tres risky, but it's her hair and make-up that really caught my eye. Gorgeous 40's style and glamour will never look bad. Team that with a sexy pillar box red dress and it's top marks all round!

Unfortunately, not all Hollywood's lovely ladies managed to deliver the goods. My very least favourite dress was this monstrosity worn by Lea Michelle. It looks like bubblegum that's just been scraped off my shoe. Why would you engulf yourself in this much pink?! Gah!

So there you have it; the first red carpet installment of the year. Let me know what you all thought!