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[Archive]: The SAG Awards 2011: Red Carpet Losers

For the sartorially obsessed, the die-hard style mavens and the red carpet aficionados among ye, if you live and breathe, you’ll have undoubtably oohed and aahed over the glamour and gorgeousness of the gúnas* that graced The Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday night. And, although there was undoubtably a peppering of prettiness in the way of fabulous frocks; unfortunately for the style watchers of the world there were definitely a few misses amongst the hits. And who among us doesn’t love to hate those dire disaster dress-zones?

On that note, may I present to you the red carpet losers of 2011’s SAG awards…

Jane Lynch

Let me begin with Jane Lynch, who’s better known as the venom-tongued Sue Sylvester, arch-nemesis of Will Schuester in happy-go-peppy high school hit, Glee. While she pulls off Adidas tracksuits like no other on the silver screen, the same cannot be said of this rather-dressier-by-several-degrees lilac number. Designed by Ali Rahimi, there’s oh-so-much wrong with Ms. Lynch’s dress that it’s hard to know where to start. But start I shall… From the swimsuit-style neckline to the overly fussy bodice; and the unnecessary draping suffocating the under-skirt to the heaviness of the fabric; it’s pretty heinous. If I had to pick a single redeeming feature, it would be the brooch on the waistline. But other than that, it gets a big F- from me.

Kate Mara

Second on our list of red carpet losers is Kate Mara, who has appeared in box office hits 127 Hours and Iron Man 2. While she may be gaining momentum as an actress, having appeared in the former and latter this year alone, this tan coloured monstrossity that she sported at the SAGS is sure to give her no leg up whatsoever as far as the style stakes go. Half bandage dress, half toilet roll cover, the split personality of this gown is not at all flattering. Or pretty. And her hair band does not help this sorry situation a single bit. In fact, it makes her look rather child-like, which is not what you want when you’re swimming amongst a veritable sea of (sometimes shark-like) sophisticated actresses at an awards do. Her look pretty much ties with Jane Lynch’s purple assault on the eyes as SAG’s most ugliest look of 2011.

Angie Harmon

Third on our list of SAG disaster zone dresses is Angie Harmon’s explosion-in-a-candy-floss-factory, pastel pink Monique Lhuillier number, which certainly grabbed my attention, albeit for all the wrong reasons. Quite frankly, it looks like the bizarre love child of a Miss Piggy cast-off and a flock of unsuspecting ostriches. Or, something the epitome-of-classiness herself (insert sarcasm sign here), Jordan would wear to court some attention from the paps at a premiere. Either way, not a good look, Angie.

Cara Buono

Another strong contender for the SAG’s worst dressed gong is Cara Buono, of Mad Men fame. She walked the red carpet in a teal J. Mendel fusspot of a gown. “Wow” is the first word that comes to mind, albeit not in a good way. There is just too, too much going on in this dress. There’s ruffles, there’s pleating and there’s ruching. Not to mention the overly complicated bodice. It’s just overkill. Less is more, Cara.

January Jones

Joining Miss Buono on this most dreaded of lists is Mad Men colleague, January Jones. To be perfectly honest, the first thing that popped into my head on seeing her decked out in Carolina Herrera was that she bore more than a passing resemblance to a surely-qualifying-as-antique coffee-soaked doily. Better luck next time, Jan.

Christina Hendricks

January and Cara weren’t the only Mad Men alum to don threads of the distinctly dodgy variety on Sunday night. Oh, no. For joining them in the sort of hat-trick one never aspires to is fellow co-star, Christina Hendricks. Usually she looks amazing and brings a bit of va va voom to red carpets with her coveted and oft-commented-on curves, so that makes her inclusion on this list all the more disappointing. But, disappointing at the SAGS she was. While she may indeed be wearing L’Wren Scott, unfortunately the belted waist, long sleeves and thigh-high split evoke visions of a dated-looking bath robe, not a couture gúna of beauty; so the copper haired actress ends up looking more ready for soaking-in-the-bath time than whirling-down-the-red-carpet time. The colour of the robe-come-dress sits too harshly against her porcelain doll-like, alabaster-toned skin, also, gurning wildly against her gently coiffed ‘do. I get that you’re trying to evoke the spirit of the Mad Men ’70’s, with the material, and in homage to the hit that’s got you at the SAGS — probably? — but, it’s just too thigh-high, aged, and ageing.

Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld, the up-and-coming young actress who has been critically lauded for her performance as Mattie Ross in True Grit, unfortunately is not going to be lauded for her sartorial sense any time soon, if this offering is anything to go by. And sadly, provides us with proof positive that Prada doesn’t always mean pretty. To be frank, this garish gown is nothing short of an absolute monstrosity. It looks like an overgrown pumpkin patch, a tube of fuschia lippie and a Sharpie marker got into a fistfight. And I’m not really clear which one of them won, to be honest…

Helena Bonham Carter

Let me preface this by saying, in the championing-of-over-capitalization-style-of-Caitlin-Moran, that I LOVE Helena Bonham Carter. Oh, I do LOVE HER! So, oh, how it pains me to add Helena Bonham Carter to this list. It really does. I can usually be counted on to champion her quirky, some even may say wacky, style; and to be honest I adore how she isn’t just another cookie cutter star who wears only what the fashion Gods deem to be ‘in’ that season; and how she just doesn’t seem to give a damn about what anyone thinks of her sartorial choices.

Yet here I am, adding her to yet another worst dressed list. In fairness, her monochrome Marc Jacobs pick for the SAGS pales in comparison to some of the other horrors mentioned above, but still, I can’t say I’m a fan of her red carpet look here. Overall, the dress just screams 1990s. From the thick, sheer straps to the detailing on the skirt and bodice, it just looks dated. And that fringe is doing her no favours, I’m afraid. However, on the plus side, I’m all for her Lulu Guinness clutch. But other than that, it’s a definite no from me.

Naya Rivera

Coming in last on the list is Glee‘s Naya Rivera. While by no means the worst dressed on the red carpet Sunday night, she definitely is worthy of at the least an honourable mention here, mainly due to the side-order of bolt-on boob à la Victoria Beckham’s implants -of-old, which are in no way concealed in this silver Aurelio Costarella number. Her showy display is more than a bit naff, and the metallic detailing on the bust is very breastplate-like. Next time, cover up the half-watermelon-like appendages and you might fare better in the style stakes.

Well, there you have it, style addicts. The nine most fugliest looks on the SAG red carpet of 2011. Here’s to many more dubious dress disasters to snark over in the future!
This was originally published on February 4, 2011.

Images: Google Images

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[Archive]: It’s Official: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are Engaged!!! [All the Deets you Need to Know!]

Ladies and gents, be forewarned: it may just be time to purchase a far-too-fancy hat and dust off your best frock or shiny suit… and stalk your postman for your bound-to-need-signing-for invitation! For power couple extraordinaire Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have put (an engagement) ring on it. That’s right, the golden couple of the silver screen have confirmed that they are, seven years and six children later, engaged to be married.

Oh, and that loud cracking sound you hear? Why, it is in fact the (perhaps somewhat familiar) sound of the cumulative cracking of a million breaking hearts; a sound not so universally apparent since Johnny Depp, spiritual captain of our hearts and guyliner-wearer extraordinaire, decided to set up shop with one Ms. Paradis. Fear not though, lads and lassies (let’s face it, if you don’t fancy one of them, it is highly probable that you have a lusty yearning for the other, regardless of your sex), if we can cope with Mr. Depp going all domesticated daddy and devoted (common-law) hubby on us, we can surely weather this celebrity couple’s commitment to forever-coupling.

In a statement issued by Pitt’s manager, Cynthia Pett-Dante, we are told,

“Yes, it’s confirmed. It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There’s no date set at this time. Brad designed the ring.”

This statement follows frenzied speculation on the interwebs after Angie was both spotted and photographed on Wednesday night at an L.A. museum with an ever-so-expensive and unmistakably luxe looking, hunk (to put it frankly) of rock adorning that finger. Cue said frenzy of speculation.

While confirmation of this major slice of breaking news in the business of show is hot off the presses, seasoned gossip watchers initially had their suspicions piqued when, earlier today, Beverly Hills jeweller, Robert Procop, was the first person to (unofficially) confirm the rumours, stating via a rep that,

“I can confirm that, yes, Robert Procop did indeed design an engagement ring for Angelina Jolie, designed in collaboration with Brad Pitt.”

While some may have been loathe to believe such claims, Procop is not simply a run of the mill diamonds and gold man — he’s got form. Not only is he the former CEO of uber posh Asprey and Gerrard; but he has also collaborated with Angelina Jolie on a jewellery collection entitled “The Style of Jolie“. The Oscar winning star has been spotted donning his jewels at a number of high profile red carpet events, while Procop was also the creative mind behind pieces of jewellery worn by Angelina during her stint as Elise Clifton-Ward in The Tourist.

According to the (veritable Pitt/Jolie in-house) jeweller, whose star is surely set to go stratospheric in light of Angelina’s most precious and prominent gift of jewellery to date, Brad “had a specific vision for this ring”, which was “realized over a year-long collaboration”, and “wanted every aspect of  it to be perfect”. All together now, aww!!!

Procop goes on to describe the diamond sparkler in dramatic detail, emphasizing the not-merely-made-to-measure, beautifully bespoke quality and design of the ring that the future Mrs. Pitt is bound to treasure for a lifetime. The jeweller stated that he “locate[d] a diamond of the finest quality and cut it to an exact custom size and shape to suit Angelina’s hand”, and that “the side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality”. He also tells us that “Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution”. Lucky gal!

Of course, this won’t be the first trip down the aisle for either Jolie, 36, or Pitt, 48. Jolie, who was previously married to Brit actor Johnny Lee Miller from 1996 – 1999, famously sported the gothic married person’s equivalent of  teenage ‘Best Friends Forever’ matching necklaces in the form of matching vials of (their other half’s) blood dangling from their respective necks with second husband, Billy Bob Thornton. Pitt was, of course, married to Jennifer Aniston from 2000 – 2005, the actress best known as the star of everyone’s favourite all-but-guaranteed-to-cheer-you-up-no-matter-how-bad-the-hangover, will-forever-keep-her-in-designer-threads-on-the-back-of-the-residual-fees-alone, and forever favourite, Friends.

While the pair have yet to set a date for their impending nuptials, this marriage of bona fide Hollywood royalty may not be as far off on the horizon as it once appeared. In 2006, Brad, in a headlines-worldwide-making declaration, told Esquire magazine that he and Jolie would only wed when “everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able”. However, in a sort of about-turn, he made reference to that statement this year by saying,

“We made this declaration some time ago that we weren’t going to do it till everyone can. But I don’t think we’ll be able to hold out. It means so much to my kids, and they ask a lot. And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment”.

However, he also backed up his previous statement by saying, in that breath, “But to be in love with someone and be raising a family with someone and want to make that commitment and not be able to is ludicrous, just ludicrous”

While we may be waiting a while before we are treated to the snaps of the future Mr. and Mrs. Pitt walking down the aisle – this proposal was only, what, seven years in the making (?!) — or, to be lucky enough (and having hassled your respective postie continuously to deliver your hallowed invite), to see the superstar spectacle in the flesh, in the meantime, you can ogle pics of the lovely Angelina and Brad, as man and wife (albeit in an acting capacity), and imagine what it would be like to married to the half of the pair who is the respective object of your lusty, crush-y ways, in their first joint film together, Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it, congrats, Angelina and Brad. Meanwhile, I’ll be taking up residence next to my letter box, waiting patiently for my embossed, hallowed invite, and (kindly) harassing my (possibly not so much by the time this wedding rolls around) friendly local postman. Postie, you have been warned.

This was originally published on April 15 2012, and can be seen in edited form here.

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Images: Wikimedia Commons

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