Designers have been offering several alternative to basic black on the runways for the past few seasons. I've seen so much color blocking, mad prints, and ikat in rainbow bright hues, it makes me want to put down the rose colored glassed and pick up a pair of Lagerfeld opaque black frames.
No matter how many options a girl has instead of donning LBD's, I just can't away from the fact that a beautiful black dress is and always will be, the épitomé of timeless chic. The trick to standing out in an ink colored sea of frocks, is to find an ensemble with an impeccable cut, elegant draping and unique detailing.
Recently, a few of our favorite stylish stars popped by our salon and perused the racks for dresses that would rock the runway. Here's a few of my personal picks for best dressed:
Although
Lindsay Lohan caught some flack from
Hollywood Life for wearing this
Galanos gown (sideboob was the issue at hand), I have to say that I think she knocked it out of the park at a recent
White House gala. In my humble opinion, it's sacrilege to question the taste factor of anything made by
James Galanos, a favorite of
Marilyn Monroe,
Grace Kelly and former White House resident,
Nancy Reagan. I mean, c'mon. It's kind of hard picturing Mrs. Reagan in anything flashy or too revealing.
And this dress has everything an elegant ensemble should have, including an exquisitely crafted paneled corset waist, which is neither too sexy nor inappropriate for our nation's capitol. More to the point, it's age appropriate. Ladies under 30 should embody youthful, whimsical designs on the red carpet.
Oh, and by the way
Hollywood Life, don't think we didn't notice later posts which lauded Lindsay's look. In fact, you spelled out just how to get the starlet's White House style, right down to her lipstick. Hmmm . . .
Nobody knows how to rock retro glamour quite like
Jennifer Tilly, who scored major fashion points in a recent appearance at the opening of her new Broadway production,
Don't Dress for Dinner. I'm completely mad for this
Dior number, which with it's fitted bodice, 50s style skinny shoulder straps and asymmetrical waist with full skirt, embodies star power. The dress fits's Tilly to a T and ladies, take note. This is how to do sexy while keeping it classy. I also love how Tilly accentuated her look with a little sparkle. The actress dipped into her own collection, pinning a brooch that allegedly belonged to
Elizabeth Taylor. As far as diamonds are concerned, you can't go wrong with Elizabeth Taylor's bangles and baubles. They've always brought her luck.
Personally, I'm on the fence when it comes to sheath dresses. I think they can look matronly as opposed to marvelous. But
Maya Rudolph's Lanvin black quilted sheath dress at the
2012 Comedy Awards gave me reason to rethink my sheath position.
The elbow-length sleeves and above-the-knee cut on this number save the sheath from seeming too Granny. In fact, I'd say Maya looked quite fashion forward. What sets this sheath apart is the theatric collar. Sometimes, large lapels look great on the catwalk but bizarre on the sidewalk. This collar on the other hand, gives a little drama to the classic cut of the dress, making this choice super stylish, and not silly. Of course, Rudolph, who has sartorial savvy as well as comedic prowess, knows to save the hijinks for on-screen appearances, not the carpet.
--Lizzy