Printed Jeans

Now that I'm wearing "normal" (read: not maternity) clothes again, I'm excited to try out some new styles. As such, I just purchased myself some printed skinnies from Target:

(here they are)

(yep, that's a peacock print)

They're kind of fun, no? And they don't necessarily look too jeans-y, right? (Am I fooling myself?) I mean, I'm thinking with the right top/shoes/accessories, these could hypothetically play a role in some work attire... maybe?

What say you to the printed denim trend? Yeas? Nays?

Pinned It, Made It

I know, it's been forever. Forgive me, I had a baby and very little time for pinning and blogging since the end of June!

But I HAD to report on this one. Two of my girlfriends (R & A) and I decided to occasionally get together, pick one thing we each pinned to do (I have a "Do This" board on Pinterest that's full of these hypothetical projects), and actually do it. I've made recipes I've pinned for sure, but I keep storing away great little DIY ideas and not actually following through, so here was a self-imposed call-to-task, made easier by the allure of good company and companion craftiness.

Here's my first project:

Was a blue-glass Ball mason jar, is now a lovely hand soap dispenser in my kitchen! Woot! (my pin; original link here)

Have you made anything you've pinned yet? Or have you pinned something you're definitely going to make?

What should my next project be...?

What I'm Reading Now: June 21, 2012

(expectations: 30 women talk about becoming a mother)

started this one this morning, when i was wide awake at 5a.m. i'll finish it tonight. just little vignettes about lessons of parenting, realizing who you are as a person/mother/woman, and understanding motherhood in one's own context. simple and gentle. not beating you over the head with "lessons." just personal stories, in bite-sized snippets.

Art Sale

Sale!

(did I get your attention?)

So, this great Australian illustrator, Amy, has this great little online shop where she sells some of her beautiful illustrations. It's called Cake With Giants, and it's delightful and whimsical and just all around lovely. I've ordered from her before and will vouch for that all-around loveliness. In fact, I've also posted about her before (see). Anyway, she's running a little sale for a few days, and if you like sweet art and sales, you should take advantage. Here are a few current favorites available for purchase:

(Le Carrousel Mystique)

(Owl & the Pussycat)

(Starlight)

Aren't they so sweet?!


In unrelated news, sorry I'm so intermittent lately... I know I'll get back on my game at some point - hopefully soon! Thanks for sticking around!

What I'm Reading Now: May 22, 2012

Actually started this one last week... The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien. It's been on my "to-read" bookshelf (I literally have a bookshelf entirely filled with books I haven't read) for a while, so I thought I'd give it a go. It takes place in South Africa in the 1960s... I can already anticipate the pain and tragedy that ominously looms over a book that must have to deal with apartheid and other difficult topics. So far, it's just some really pretty writing from the perspective of a six year-old girl named Elizabeth.

Throwback Friday

Just one of those days...

The Pharcyde - Passin me by by hiphopmomo

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

(via)

Rest in peace, Mr. Sendak. You will be missed.

What I'm Reading Now - May 4, 2012

Finally have another book to read (I was on a quest to find my latest book club pick all week, and ultimately, had enough trouble getting a copy that I changed it to July's book (it comes out in paperback in June), and picked a new title for May so I could start reading again!). Now I'm reading this:

Finny by Justin Kramon. I added it to my to-read list two years ago, and I remember being really excited about it, and then I just never got around to reading it. I snagged a copy on paperbackswap last year, and still never got around to reading it! So, the perfect opportunity has presented itself, and I'm very curious and eager to find out what was so compelling to me about this one, since it's been so long and I don't quite remember! Have you read it? It's Kramon's debut novel, and it has, generally, really strong reviews on Goodreads, among others. Want to read it with me and my online book club? Join us. (you can also just e-mail me: hellerms [at] gmail.)

In other basically unrelated news, four days of commuting without a book to read this week... I ended up mostly quietly listening to music on Pandora... I highly recommend you follow suit and create your own really good Van Morrison station and Fugees station. They will make your mornings/days.

Happy May!

(Credit to my bro and his HS pal SF for forwarding this gem along, and providing me with the giggles I needed this Tuesday morning. Hopefully you've got N*Sync swirling around in your head now and for the rest of the day, as I clearly do...)

What I'm Reading Now - April 30, 2012

On Friday I finished Swamplandia!, and yesterday, after some peer-pressure from my sister in-law and mother in-law, followed by a near-wrestling match with my MIL over who would pay for it, I finally picked up Bossypants by Tina Fey at the airport, and I'm pretty sure I'll finish it today. I've never laughed so hard out loud so much while reading before. I was uncontrollably giggling just reading the Introduction! Why is she so funny? Follow-up question: why didn't I think of those jokes first?

This is a reading-style deviation for me, as I'm usually a novel reader. But it's a good one, and worth every public giggle. I'm pretty sure everyone on the bus this morning thought I was crazy, until they checked out the cover of my book. Tell me if you haven't read this yet and I'll mail it to you right-stat-now (or after I finish it over lunch).

Splurge-worthy

I haven't actually splurged yet, but I am 92% sure that I will... soon. Yesterday my feet were tired and a bit swollen at the end of a long day. So I decided to finally buy a pair of simple basic Toms on my way home, just for a bit of relief and to add a good, casual go-to to my shoe wardrobe. Lame-o here landed on boring grey (do you spell it "grey" or "gray"? just curious.).

(Toms)

When the salesman brought them out for me to try, he also cleverly brought out a few other shoes that he "really digs right now" just to show me. (How did he know I'm a sucker for those "impulse" displays by registers?! that I have some sort of biological aversion to self control?!) Everything he brought out was perfection. But never in my life have I tried on something like the new Frye 'Carson' Ballet Flat. For serious, ladies, it's a winner on every level. First of all, Frye. Right? Second of all, it comes in several cool, cute, and sassy-pants colors/patterns. Third of all, it was literally like stepping into a pillow. And still so so simply chic and delicate. I tried on (and fell in love with) the orange one:

(here you go)

I am telling you, it is worth it. My tootsies have never.ever.ever. felt this good before in any flat. Honestly. PLUS, Frye has a great deal that lots of folks don't know about, which is that if ever in the lifetime of your shoe, its sole gets roughed up too much, you can send it back to Frye and they'll completely resole your shoe for a mere $20. For life. The quality is just beyond, obviously. I'm thinking $150 is totally reasonable for this splurge. Plus, the leather feels like BUTTTTTTTERRRRRRRRRRRRR.

What say you? Splurge? or Self Control? (I do have some birthday $$ to spend...)

What Would You Do?

Moral/ethical dilemma...

This morning I stopped at the ATM to grab some cash. When I went to reach for my moola, I noticed a piece of something sticking out of the "seams" on the side of the machine itself. I picked at it, and what do you know but a $20 bill came sliding out. Yup, a $20. I counted up my cash and this was extra. A rogue twenty.

So, being the good citizen paranoid person that I am, I walked into the branch to turn in the money. I didn't want to just walk away with the money... who knows if there were cameras around and mine was the last card in that ATM... Who knows, right? At the window I told the teller what happened. He looked at me in utter disbelief at my honesty and explained that he couldn't take the money either. Apparently, there'd be no way for the bank to track where the money came from, so putting it back in a bank drawer would end up making it look like the bank shorted a customer on a transaction. He kept shaking his head at me for wanting to turn in the money, and with wide eyes told me to consider it my lucky day.

It still feels like I took money that wasn't mine. What should I do with it? Get over my paranoia and consider it my lucky day? Spend it? Give it to a homeless person? Donate it? What would you do?

Best Leggings for Work

This is a random post, I realize. But I recently was discussing leggings-as-pants (for the 100th time) with another friend, and had to give a shout-out to my favorite leggings. I seriously wear these more often than I'd care to admit during the work week. They're just great. So I had to share.

So... leggings as pants. Are you in or out? I was in the "out" column for a long time. But I'm firmly in the "in" category now, IF the leggings are appropriate as pants, and IF they're paired well with an appropriate top, and IF you are not showing more than you should (be real with yourself and others, seriously). All that said, these Ponte Seam Leggings by Mossimo at Target rule. They "look" tailored, with a pronounced seam running down the front and back middles, making them look more like pants than leggings. They look great with flats (probably pumps, too, but I rarely wear pumps these days... old lady!), and are perfect for tucking into boots. They come in three colors - black, dark heather grey, and brown - and they are the.most.comfortable.ever. I need to purchase at least three more pairs of the black. Those are a weekly staple (I also have the dark heather grey). Anyway, for $20, why are we even debating this. They're awesome. Go get them. If you're a leggings-as-pants-wearer, that is.

(see that seam? tailoring (even faux) = professional (right?))

What I'm Reading Now: April 9, 2012

Ignore the shadowy shot and the chipped nail polish (for shame!)... Excited to read this book (Swamplandia! by Karen Russell) for my online book club, Reading Without Borders. Care to join us? Do!!! Email me (hellerms [at] gmail)!

Free Yum

Do you like ice cream? (If you don't, we just broke up.) Do you like *free* ice cream?? Well, even if it's not your preferred brand, next Tuesday (April 3) is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's. You're welcome.

Get more info here. Again, you're welcome. Happy weekend!

Greatest Day of the Year News

Tuesday was the greatest day of the year!

MY BIRTHDAY!

In honor of the Greatest Day of the Year, my love did something so brilliant I just had to post about it. He notoriously gets a little anxiety at gift-giving times. Granted, I'm a really good gift giver usually, so I think that contributes to the pressure. But I have to say, he's never gotten it wrong. Still, he gets a little worked up. This year, we have a lot going on... there's some family health stuff, some family baby stuff, work, and a few other balls up in the air, so I think he was feeling a little overwhelmed. Unlike other years, though, he never asked me for hints. So I had no idea anything was going on. Then Tuesday after work when we got home, he pulled out a box wrapped simply in a pretty purple ribbon. I opened it up and inside was... another box! (haha!) Inside the second box was a totally awesome watch. I thought to myself, "that's so weird, I pinned this exact watch two weeks ago!" I looked at him with slightly bugged-out eyes and asked where it was from. "Do you like it?!" he asked. "Of course, I like it! It's awesome!" To which he replied: "I couldn't decide what to get you, so I WENT ON YOUR PINTEREST AND LOOKED FOR IDEAS." What a freaking genius that man is! I was so impressed with his cleverness to even think of that! BTW, here's the watch:

(and here's my pin; here's where you can get the watch online)

The reason I wanted to post about this was less about bragging that I have the greatest husband in the universe and more to talk about what a great resource Pinterest can be. I've already written about how much I love it and how much I use it. But I really hadn't thought about someone else using it for me in such a way. But it's so obvious. The result of my voracious pinning in this case was that I got a perfect birthday gift that was something I love and wanted but had no idea to expect. Think about it...

(but I do have the greatest husband in the universe...)

What I'm Reading Now: March 22, 2012

Actually started this on Monday (March 19), but didn't get around to posting until today. FINALLY reading the last of this trilogy. I'm excited to see it all come together, but disappointed there are only three books in this series! Did you read this trilogy? What did you think?

What are you reading now? If you are looking for something to pick up, I cannot recommend my last read, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, enough. It is hands-down one of my favorite reads of recent years. I absolutely loved it. It's beautiful story-telling at it's best, in a contemporary setting. It's filled with incredibly human characters each of which contributes something absolutely essential to both the story and the other characters. I don't always say this about books, but I really hope someone turns this one into a screenplay - I think it would make a great movie. Couched in the context of a good ol', down-home baseball story, this book is really about human relationships, coming to terms with your own reality, love, friendship, growing up, and just figuring out life. But in the least cliche, and most addictive voice I've read in a long time. LOVED it. READ it.

I Write Like

This is fun-tastically nerdy. (Thanks, A!)

At "I Write Like," you enter any writing sample of your choosing (of your own) into their "statistical analysis tool, which analyzes your word choice and writing style and compares them with those of famous writers."

(screen shot - don't try this out here - go to the actual link)

I tried this with a few different writing samples of differing styles and from different periods in my recent life (over the past few years), and it gave me three different matches for which famous writers I most write like. I apparently write or have written like: Dan Brown (really?), Margaret Mitchell, and David Foster Wallace (!). I wonder if I picked a favorite blog post as a sample who that would match me with...

Try it. Who do you write like? Who do you *wish* you wrote like?

Accessory Indulgence

I want a fun iPhone case. It's a pretty unnecessary accessory, but I kind of want one. I've never accessorized my phone before. But there are just so many fun, pretty, cool, clever covers out there, it seems like a playful way to individualize your phone. And I don't know about you, but I play with use my phone an awful lot. I've pinned a few cases I've seen here and there that caught my eye. But the problem is there are basically a bazillion designs out there that I can't begin to narrow it down. That said, it is my birthday month (whoop!), so a little accessory indulgence seems a fitting self-gift, no?

(Mingle by Lisa Argyropoulos on Society6)

(Beautiful Spring Day by Joy St. Clair on Society6)

(Drops of Golden Sun by Bomobob on Society6)

(Siesta #3 by Alicia Bock on Society6)

(Chevron R by Nicoleap on Society6)

(Books by Cassia Beck on Society6)

(In Dog We Trust by Ana Laya on Society6)

And on, and on, and on, and on. HOW DO I CHOOSE?! Do you accessorize your technology?

A Few Words on Rush/Kirk

Like many women people, I have found myself dismayed/offended/disgusted/angered/enraged/disheartened (shall I continue) with the dangerous and hateful words spewed under the guise of free speech in recent days by both Rush Limbaugh and Kirk Cameron. I am (all of those words above) every time I hear or read about such remarks, and such a misuse of that very basic freedom, but for some reason in the backlash to these two small-minded people's words this past week, I found myself having a stronger reaction. And though this blog is usually not such a forum for me, and I do try to keep it lighthearted, I felt it an appropriate outlet for the few words I'd like to proclaim in response. I was partially inspired by my own thoughts and partially by the words of actress Martha Plimpton, who tweeted the following:

"The word 'equality' shows up too much in our founding documents for anyone to pretend it's not the American way."

Kirk Cameron spoke to Piers Morgan in an episode that aired last Friday about his belief that homosexuality is "detrimental and destructive." Frankly, I'm not sure why Morgan's people would have Cameron on - he's entirely irrelevant and while HIS WORDS are more than detrimental and destructive and his way of thinking is small and ignorant, I have every confidence that he will find his way straight back into oblivion. We will hear even less of his name than we have in the last 20 years, and we'll be all the better for it. It's a shame that Mr. Cameron couldn't use his former star status to preach love and peace if he has to preach at all. But that's all I want to say about him, so I'm done.

Rush Limbaugh, on the other hand is a much bigger danger, in my opinion. He has *current* followers who hang on his words. He uses the airways and the privilege of the free speech our country affords to breath hate and ugliness into the world. While his words against Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke are outrageous and inappropriate on every level, there is something even more offensive to me in his behavior than the utterance of little words like "bitch" or "slut." Yes, those words are uncalled for. But most women have had one or two of those or other choice monikers thrown their way once or twice in their lives, and if we're being honest, we've probably hurled them around once or twice at each other ourselves. They're terrible words to use against another person, but as the adage goes, "sticks and stones..." you know the rest. These are little blips. Let insecure, closed-minded men get their rocks off spitting those names out. Who cares? It's not okay to use them; don't confuse my response to Mr. Limbaugh's hate speech for approval. But to me, the worst part of what he said came after he called Ms. Fluke names. "So Miss Fluke," he said, "if we are going to ... pay for you to have sex, we want something for it. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch."

I'm sorry, WHAT?! Why aren't we talking more about the disgusting, horrifying, reproachful, disparaging, rude, despicable, hateful, infantile, and DANGEROUS implications of that statement. That takes name-calling to a whole new level, and essentially amounts to threats and a personal violation. What Ms. Fluke said or stands for or believes, no matter what you think of it, does not on any level or planet give ANY HUMAN BEING the right to dehumanize or humiliate her or any other woman in that way. To me, those sickening words amount to a crime, and a worse one than calling a woman a bitch. If you call me a bitch, I won't like it, and it'll likely hurt my feelings a bit, but I'll also think you're pathetic and intimidated by me. What Mr. Limbaugh did, on the other hand, amounts to a verbal assault, no matter which side of the birth control aisle you find yourself sitting on. And he should suffer consequences for such a pitiful and abject abuse of freedom of speech.

These are just my opinions. They represent only my own thoughts and views.

Oscars 2012: The Best and the Worst

Again, I wish we'd had easier weeks this week so we could do more posts. I love rehashing the awards. But even our fewer posts have been fun. Thanks again, A! Love doing these. We hope you've enjoyed our shenanigans and delusions of expert criticizer status! Let us know what you think in the comments!

Okay, without further ado... it's the best and worst of the Oscars. Actually, all in all, nothing was so horrifying as to jump out as disastrous, which is good news for Hollywood, but also slightly disappointing, because, well, we like to judge, don't we? That said, there were some clear winners and losers. Here are our choices for Best and Worst:


M's Best: (in reverse order - so, my fave is last of these)


Cameron Diaz in Gucci

M: I love this. I love the shade on her skin, I think her hair looks fun and flirty but still Carpet-appropriate, and I think it's just gorgeous. But I most love this because she just looks so many light years better than she sometimes tends to look. Love to see her looking great (even if I'm not sure why she was at the Oscars in the first place).

A: I cannot disagree with you, M. Cameron, who usually is Fugly with a capital F, looks great here. I too wonder, why she was there - and a PRESENTER even! 

Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford

 M: Duh. Home Run, Gwyneth. That's all there is to say.

A: Yes it's true. This is my best dressed of the night. Fifth and final time I will say it. Amen. 

Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab

M: I know the leading favorite all over the Interwebs is Gwyneth, and since A has already declared her the night's fashion winner at least 3 times, I had to go a different route and give it to Milla Jovovich. I just absolutely and entirely swoon for this gown and the complete look. From the hair to the makeup to the fit to the accessories, it's absolutely perfect. If I were ever to attend a Red Carpet event, I'd totally knock off this look a la Emma Stone knocking of Nic Kid. I just... I die for it. It's unique, stunning, and show-stopping. Winner!

A: A second, VERY CLOSE second for me for best dressed of the night. SWOON!  

M's Worst: (in reverse order - so, my least fave is last of these)


Melissa McCarthy in custom Marina Rinaldi

M: I swear to you this is the last time I acknowledge Melissa McCarthy's Red Carpet attire until she hires a stylist. But it goes without saying - another fail. I want so much more for her! I really do. And I think she at least scores points for color here. I think this blush shade is very pretty with her hair and skin tones. But... We just need better fabric, better cut, and better fit, don't we?

A: Yes. We need better. Do you think she would hire us, M??!!

Rooney Mara in Givenchy

M: She's so pretty. But why must she look so severe? The main reason that this falls on my Worst list is that it's not a fully thought-out look in my opinion. Even if we let those awnings over her boobs go, this dress is pretty and very feminine, with really lovely touches and details. but she was not wearing a single piece of jewelry (that we can see), and her hair and makeup styling was so intense that not only did it not go with the dress, but it really conflicted with and distracted from it.

A: I wasn't the hugest fan of this but something keeps me from putting it on my worst list. I admire that this was one of the risks of the evening.  

Angelina Jolie in Versace

M: I hate everything about everything about this. And yes, I meant to write "everything about" twice. GET OVER YOURSELF.

A: Please see M's comment. 

A's Best:

#1: Guess Who?!?!

Ok. I will spare you another mention of GP. You already know that she was my best.

#2 Milla Jojovich

See Commentary Above

#3 Octavia Spencer

We digested this yesterday so I won't say too much more. I'm declaring the Oscars 2012 as "her night." I loved that she won, and I loved her acceptance speech. Brought tears to my eyes. And double awesome that she accepted the award looking like this. BOMBSHELL!

M: I love this, too. And yes, we've said lots of good things about it already, so I'll just sum it up with a "Hear! Hear! Octavia!"

A's Worst:

Although I could state the obvious, (Ahem, Lea Thompson), I tried to come up with three new worst dressed so that all of my commentary isn't simply "Agree with M." She already nailed 3 worst offenders...here are 3 more.

3. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman always disappoints me on the Red Carpet. There I said it. This dress seems too casual for the red carpet and looks ridiculous paired with that necklace. I keep on expecting more from her! One of these years!

M: Totally. I'm sorry, I'm not a fan of polka dots in general, but definitely not for the Red Carpet. I just don't think they fit. And the necklace was wrong. Wrong shape, wrong style, wrong. Her hair and makeup were pretty. I'll give her that.

2. Viola Davis

I wanted to like this. I love her from the neck up. I love that she abandoned the wig and looks even more beautiful without it. But this dress is a train wreck - too much boob smooshing and too raggedy. Fantastic color choice, I'll give her that.

M: She was a contender for me, too, I must admit. I do LOVE this color on her skin, and I couldn't agree more about her au natural style. But I cannot get past what the bodice of this dress was doing to her chest. It looks unnatural. Which is fundamentally incongruous with "au natural." If we're going with a theme, we've got to carry it all the way through.

1. Melissa Leo

WHAT is this? Really? This looks like something that was on the clearance rack at Chicos. WHAT WHAT WHAT?! I don't understand so much of this dress. The boxy blouse top? The sequins? The belt out of a completely different material? The attempt at color blocking? HUH? This is one of those where I question what Melissa Leo was thinking when she decided, "Yes! Yes, this is the dress I will wear to the Oscars."

M: What A said.

Alright friends. That's it for us for this Oscar season rehash. What do you think? How'd we do? Who were your bests and worsts? What are your hopes and dreams for next awards season -- besides your hope and dream that A and I get hired by someone to do this (or style Melissa McCarthy) professionally?

  

Oscars 2012: Sparkle and Fade

It is no secret that I, Amy, am a fan of all things sparkly - glitter! sequins! bling! Bring it on. So when M suggested a blog post devoted to the topic, I eagerly said "YES!" However, save for a few standouts, I was a little disappointed by the sparkle crowd on the red carpet this year - thus the title of this post. But we can discuss in more detail - let's get to it, shall we?


Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji
  A: I've already proclaimed Gwyneth Paltrow my best dressed. In the sparkle category alone, however, Octavia battles Milla Jojovich (whom we've already discussed) as "Best Dressed" from me. I loved this gown. I loved that it showed off her curves, yet was stylish and elegant. My favorite part is the detail at the waist - how all the sequins are "brought in" to the center. Plus, doesn't this dress just seem like it would be so comfortable?! She also nailed the hair, makeup, accessories - and nail polish! Great job Octavia! I still think Christina Hendriks needs to hire you/your stylist. 

M: Good Sparkle Starter, A. I agree, this look is fantastic, and I think it says, "this is my night, I'm going to look freaking crazy good for all the photos since I'll see them forever and always." I, too, love the collection of the sparkles into the center. It pulls in her waist, accentuating equally her smallest point and her great curves. She looks amazing. PLUS, unlike many Red Carpet looks, ANYONE can wear this dress. You can just see it. Ladies all over the place are thinking, this one could look good on me, too. High-five, O!

Meryl Streep in Lanvin
  A: I thought this was a good choice for Meryl. I liked the color and the fact that it resembled the Oscar statuette. Apparently she also wore gold when she won the Oscar for Sophie's Choice which is a fun fact. However, I'm not sure why Meryl always goes for the dresses that look like they just wrapped yards and yards of fabric around her. She is GORGEOUS. I would kill for her skin. I don't think she necessarily has to hook it up like J.LO, but she could get away with more than she gives herself credit for, in my opinion.

M: Again, I agree with you, A, but I have to say that compared to her usual drapey mumsy "gowns," this one is such an enormous upgrade, that I have to give her an A. I think she looked amazing. The particular shade of this gold with her hair and skin was divine. I love the plunging V in the front, and I think she's styled really well. She looks elegant. Drapey? Yes. But good drapey.

Speaking of J.LO - Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad
 

A: There is no doubt that J.Lo is Smokin' Hot. Her body is amazing. But why must we always see SO much of it? This dress is totally a "J.Lo" dress - no surprises here and frankly snore. Yes. We get it - you're hot...and you must have stock in double sided fashion tape because lord knows you must go through a lot of it!

M: I love this dress, except for how predictable and expected it is for her. I guess she's in the if-it-works camp, but wouldn't it be awesome if she surprised us all one day? It would. That said, the details on this gown are impeccable. The sleeves are to-die, and again, the pulling-in to the center of her waist just amps up all of that J.Lo gloriousness we've come to know and appreciate. There was a lot of white and bright sparkle on this year's Oscar Red Carpet, and I think this dress was a stand-out amongst it all. Her styling, too, is good, but also very J.Lo. She's an exceptionally beautiful woman, so she can basically do anything and look great, right? Meh. Do something DIFFERENT next time and see how great everyone really thinks you look!

Ellie Kemper in Armani Prive

A: If you can distract yourself from the bangs (go ahead - get a piece of paper and put it over your computer screen) - this is a great dress. It fits her well, the color is unique, and from the neck down she looks great. However, when you remove the paper from your computer screen, it is so distracting! Beyond the obvious horrible bangs, her hair color matches the dress EXACTLY. Did she try to do this?

M: I LOVE this dress. Love it. I love just how freaking sparkly it is. It is an Oscar dress. Different, but not garish or excessive. Just 100% glam. Her hair color and bangs, however - not AT ALL Oscar-worthy. They are prom. Let's work on that for next time, shall we?

Rose Byrne in Vivienne Westwood
 

A: I like the disco-vibe Rose has been bringing to Red Carpets of late. This dress, however, was not executed that well. The dress looks too baggy on her. I think this could have been solved by a tailor or eating several cheeseburgers. Perhaps she and Angelina Jolie could meet at In-N-Out?

M: Huh. I am going to have to disagree. I really loved this dress/look. I think her hair and makeup look fantastic, and then you get to the all-black full-on sequins, and it's just... I don't know. Luscious! There's something so slinky-sexy about black sparkle. I love the one-shoulder, and I love her sparkly, but not dress-competing jewelry. My only real critique is that it looks like it's hemmed a bit short. We can see all of her shoes, which I don't love as much. Maybe this was intentional? It must have been. But I don't love it.

Anna Faris in Diane Von Furstenberg
 
 

A: I like the back of this dress, thus why I included two shots of Anna. Something about this whole look is not resonating with me though. Maybe it's a little too Bond girl? Lounge singer? I'm not sure. I feel like it makes her look much older than she is, and not in a good way.

M: I love the dress itself (see above for my feelings about head-to-toe all-black sparkle), but I think you nail it, A, with "lounge singer." You're right, it does look a bit old on her. This might have been magical on our favorite gal Helen Mirren, perhaps? But Anna does look like she'd fit right in splayed out over a piano. On the other hand, the back is beautiful! I love that single strap across the top.

Judy Greer in Monique Lhuillier 
 

A: I'm sorry. I do not like anything about this dress or this look. It reminds me of one of those play mats that have streets painted on them that you can push toy cars along on:

M: Again, alas, we disagree. Though your visual reference makes me chuckle, and I appreciate that. I really like this dress. I think it's so different and dramatic. I think the sparkly striping hits her in all the right places, balancing off that black to show off just how great she looks. I also love the neckline. And I think her hair and makeup look Hollywood-great. Maybe I just want good old Judy to step into the spotlight for once, instead of always being the sidekick?


Oprah in THEIA

 
M: Madam didn't walk the Red Carpet, it seems, so there's not a full-length shot of her from last Sunday to be found. So I offer you this cover shot from her magazine instead:
 

I mean, it fits her like a dream. Unless you've been living under a rock buried under a rock, buried under a rock, you know Oprah has had her struggles with her weight. And she's not at her smallest right now, but you wouldn't know it in this dress - it looks like perfection on her. I mean, if anyone is going to get full-on glitter right, it's going to be Oprah, right? And for the night she wins her honorary Oscar, it's exactly right. I think Oprah looked incredible. I loved it. Mazel Tov, Oprah. 

A: WOW. Honestly WOW. I didn't see this photo until right now and I am blown away at how amazing it is. She looks FAN-freaking-tastic. Go Oprah! Move this one into the Milla J, Octavia S winner category for me!


Lea Thompson in ??? (we don't know, and we're pretty sure nobody wants to know anyway)
 

A: And the train wreck award goes to...Seriously, this is a hot mess disaster. I read somewhere that on Twitter she said that she sewed her own shawl for the awards. Lady, if you are going to sew your own shawl for the Oscars and brag about it, it better be one DAMN good looking shawl. Otherwise, I am just going to be annoyed at the bad rap you are giving crafters like myself.

M: Hate. I'm pretty sure she crafted this dress, too. And the matching clutch. Boo.

And though we both had busy weeks and weren't able to do as many posts on THE ACADEMY AWARDS as we otherwise would have liked, we will have a Best and Worst post coming your way before the end of the day.

What were your thoughts on this year's Oscars Red Carpet?