Top 20 Best Dressed at The Costume Institute Gala 2011

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Costume Institute Gala is the superbowl of fashion. Rather than play it safe like at the Oscars, attendees take risks on their attire, which is why it's my favorite fashion event of the year. This year's exhibit is "Savage Beauty," a retrospective entirely devoted to Alexander McQueen's work, so its guests came dressed to impress in over-the top couture. Here are my picks for the event's best dressed.

1. Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen

Who wears McQueen better than eccentric heiress Daphne Guinness? That would be no one.


2. Natalia Vodianova in vintage Valentino Haute Couture (with Valentino Garavani)

The supermodel always looks divine, but I'm particularly obsessed with the fur and feather details on this gown.

3. Miranda Kerr in Marchesa.

It's seriously incredible that this woman JUST had a child. Also, I'm a sucker for anything resembling a tutu.

4. Shalom Harlow in Marchesa.

 The supermodels really brought it at this event. I wanted someone to wear this to the Oscars, but it's much more perfect for this event!

5. Hamish Bowles in Alexander McQueen and Christian Louboutin shoes (with Amar'e Stoudemire)

 The Vogue editor can do no wrong in my eyes. Loving this wacky suit on him. And did you read his profile of Amar'e awhile back? Hysterical.

6. Anna Wintour in Chanel Haute Couture.

 Gorgeous and unique, this sequined Chanel gown looks like it was made for the queen of Vogue.

7. Madonna in Stella McCartney.

 I love how this gown is both modern and vintage looking. The stars running down the back give it a quirky edge, but the train and puffed shoulders make it look very Harlowesque.

8. Diane Kruger in Jason Wu.

 Sexy, yet demure. Chic, yet attention getting. Perfection.

9. Jennifer Lopez in Gucci.

 I love this color on her, and the flowered bolero definitely makes a statement.

10. Blake Lively in Chanel Haute Couture (with Karl Lagerfeld)

 The sheer details on this gown make it unique. I kinda wish I had Blake's life. Or at least her friends.

11. Karen Elson in Alexander McQueen.

 This gold leaf creation is beyond stunning and perfect with Elson's flame red hair. Another gown with a gorgeous sheer skirt.

12. Rihanna in Stella McCartney.

 Totally over the top, but perfect for the Met Gala. I love how Rihanna's long braid gives her look more edge and matches the carpet. Her emerald earrings give it a contrasting finishing touch.

13. Rosie Huntington Whiteley in Burberry.

 Maxim's Hottest Woman in the World is so glamourous in this satin gown. Love.

14. Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen.

 Parker was a great friend to McQueen, and she truly looks fantastic in his designs. The hair, makeup and jewelry look flawless as well.

15. Hilary Rhoda in Alexander McQueen.

 The model shows off her legs in this exquisitely tailored McQueen tuxedo minidress. I love the tails on her jacket. Classic McQueen. The hair and makeup also looks super chic.

16. Arizona Muse in Altuzarra.

 I love how Arizona always looks like she jumped straight out of the pages of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Her flapperish Altuzarra complements her signature style and I adore those fur strap heels!

17. Isabel Lucas in Louis Vuitton.

 The waist band on this gown accentuates the actress' teeny tiny waist, and her amazing headpiece makes her stand out amongst the loads of more famous celebrities.

18. Hailee Steinfeld in Stella McCartney.

For such a young star, Hailee actually gets fashion. Or her stylist does. Either way, she looks fabulous!

19. Mariacarla Boscono in Givenchy Haute Couture (with Riccardo Tisci)

I've always loved this fantastic beaded and feathered and gown, and it looks fabulous on the red carpet.

20. Tie: Janelle Monae in Chanel and Anna Dello Russo in Alexander McQueen.

Definitely a bitch stole my look moment, but I couldn't choose just one. Janelle owns the pantsuit look, but ADR is wearing an egg on her head, so it was too hard to decide. Both look equally fierce!

Haute Mess: The Fashion Highs and Lows of the 2011 Golden Globes

The Globes were fun to watch this year, from a fashion standpoint.  A lot of celebrities took risks with their gowns, which I loved!  Here are my picks for best and worst dressed:

Best Dressed

Red Hot

 January Jones in Versace.

Modern, sexy, and so Hollywood, January is the perfect brand ambassador for Versace. This fabulously fringey number might even be hotter than January's near nude ads for the fashion house.  The fact that she picked it off the runway herself instead of taking a stylist's advice makes me love it even more.

 Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang.

The Modern Family star is a red hot bombshell in this formfitting gown.  The corseted back accentuated the gorgeous Latina's curves, and it was hilariously awesome hearing her pronounce the designer as "Vera Wong."

Structured Shoulders

Anne Hathaway in Giorgio Armani Privé.

Good work, Rachel Zoe.  The usually classically dressed star took a chance last night in a backless Armani gown decorated with large champagne-colored paillettes.  Her loose wavy hair was the perfect accessory for the showstopping look.

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace.

Gorgeous in glittery green, Angelina surprised us all with one of the most popular shades of the evening.  Equally effortless and fashion-forward, she scored a sartorial home run last night.  Loose hair and simple makeup complete the flawless look.

Leighton Meester in Burberry.

I thought the Gossip Girl star looked like a modern Jane Birkin.  The actress looked beautifully bohemian with effortless hair, Swarovski-studded platform Jimmy Choo sandals, and a gorgeous gold bag.  A unique choice, indeed.

Worst Dressed

 Sandra Bullock in Jenny Packham

Something about this makes me think of the little dead girl who crawls out of the TV in The Ring.  It looks like Sandra wants to move away from her "America's Sweetheart" role to a more edgy image.  Trust me, hun, dating your friend's ex-husband will give you that bad girl image you so desperately desire; I promise dressing like the undead is quite unnecessary.

 Christina Aguilera in Zuhair Murad.

I don't get it, are we now dressing like every day is the set of Burlesque? Actually, the dress isn't even bad compared to the hair.  It's curled so awkwardly.  She should have worn her hair in a classic chignon, or at least parted to the side like Megan Fox did.  I miss circa 2007 Old Hollywood glamor Christina. 

 Halle Berry in Nina Ricci.

She almost fooled me with this one.  At first I thought, holy crap, Halle Berry looks hot.  But then I realized she was distracting me with her near nude, flawless body.  Once I got past her perfectly toned bod and great makeup, I realized her dress looks like something a brothel madame would wear.  It's just a little too boudoir friendly for a red carpet event.

 Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad.

This looks like something someone much older than J. Lo should wear.  The sparkly sheer wrap is more Vegas grande dame than Hollywood diva. Also not a fan of her frosted makeup.  Overall just not an especially flattering look.

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta.

I hit the snooze button as soon as I saw this one.  Half Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Half "Material Girl", there was just a one too many ruffle for me.  Lea needs to take a cue from Leighton Meester and start dressing her age.  On top of her hideous dress choice, she was most irritating to watch.  She kept trying to be overly friendly on the red carpet, and those crocodile tears she shed when her costars took home statues were phony baloney.  You KNOW girlfriend was just crying because she had no shot in hell of winning a globe going up against Laura Linney.

Most Awesomely Insane

Helena Bonham Carter in Vivienne Westwood.

Whatever crazy pills Helena Bonham Carter is taking, I want some.  This cracked out getup is clearly a big F U to all the fashion critics in the world.  While it would be super obvious to put her on a worst dressed list, Helena Bonham Carter is an unapologetic eccentric and I love her for it.  I wouldn't exactly call her "best dressed," but she's in a fabulous category all her own.  You go girl.

The Calvin Klein Competition

 Emma Stone in Calvin Klein Collection.

I wanted to like this.  Really, I did. I love the minimalism trend, and I know you all will shoot me for saying this, but this color washes her out!  It's too close to her complexion and hair.  If she would have stayed with her darker hair color it would have been great, but something tells me she (or more likely, her stylist) saw this picture of Kate Bosworth (below) and said, "I want to look like that!"  There's just something about this look that seems very contrived, and not very Emma.

 Claire Danes in Calvin Klein Collection.

Claire Danes, on the other hand, OWNED the trend.  This look makes a lot more sense on her.  Don't get me wrong, I liked the freshness of Emma's look, but it just seemed like she was trying too hard to be someone she wasn't.  You should wear a trend, the trend shouldn't wear you. 



Now it's your turn:  Who were your favorites?  Least favorites?  Let me know in the comments!

Haute Mess: The Fashion Highs and Lows at the 2011 People's Choice Awards

Best Dressed

 

Lucy Hale in Ronald Abdala.  Shoes by Rene Caovilla and jewelry by Amrapali.

I had to look this chick up, but apparently she's on a new show called Pretty Little Liars.  Anyway, I thought she looked perfect.  A flattering gold structured frock that was youthful but sophisticated contrasted with glamorous red lips.  A stunning diamond necklace adds the finishing touch.

Honorable Mentions

Selena Gomez in Paule Ka.  Heels by Giuseppe Zanotti.

The pale pink frock she chose wasn't the most original choice I've ever seen, but it fit the young star perfectly and her makeup and hair looked fantastic.  The gown she performed in was another great choice.

Bella Thorne in Haute Hippie.  Jeffrey Campbell sandals.

Another tween Disney star I'm not familiar with, but I loved the 13-year-old's split sleeved nude dress. Sparkly and fun, it looked age appropriate on her, especially paired with her embellished sandals.  Her undone red waves topped off the fun look.  It also reminded me that at her age, I was bulldozing around in Umbro shorts and Sambas.  My, how the youth of the world has changed.

Leighton Meester in Vionnet.  Pumps by Brian Atwood.

I always respect Leighton for pushing the boundaries of fashion much more than her Gossip Girl costar, Blake Lively (but a little less than Taylor Momsen).  I really liked her embroidered t-shirt dress and how she dressed it up with au courant 70s style hair, smoky eyes and orange statement earrings.  Effortless and stylish. Bravo.

Worst Dressed

JoAnna Garcia in Capretta.  Damiani earrings.

A super boring, funereal gown, just rolled out of bed hair, mismatching jewelry and raccoon makeup make this look ALL wrong. Ugh.  It looks like Nick Swisher's wife mistakenly stumbled to the awards show during a walk of shame. 

Dishonorable Mentions

Tiffany Hines in Falguni & Shane.

The hair is great, but the rest is a hot mess.  Spider eyelashes and shoulder roadkill don't do any favors for this wannabe Rihanna look.  Not to mention, Fergie wore this two months ago at the AMAs. 

Aly in God knows what and Amanda Michalka in Georges Hobeika.  

Yea, I had to look these two broads up, too.  Apparently Aly is in a CW show, Hellcats, while Amanda was in Seabiscuit.  Anyway, their outfits are horrendous.  They look better apt to work at a pirate themed Vegas restaurant as slutty wench bartenders.  

Raven Symone in Robert Ellis.

I don't think I need to explain myself for this one.  Morticia on crack mixed with a Halloween themed Pussycat Dolls music video.  Scary.

Best Dressed Man

Zac Efron in Burberry.

Love the new haircut!  Very manly and very grown up.  The three piece suit is so GQ and fits him perfectly. Yum.

Worst Dressed Man

 

Robert Pattinson.

I think Robert Pattinson is so sick of female attention he purposely tries to look like crap.  Mustard is probably the worst color you can wear when you're vampire pale, especially when it's some heinous baseball jacket clashing with a black t-shirt.  Fail.

The Kardashian Dilemma

Kim Kardashian in Catherine Malandrino.  Peep toed pumps by Christian Louboutin. Clutch by Chanel.  Necklace by Rina Limor.

From far away, I thought Kim looked pretty in this get-up, but I'm so over her look.  It's so contrived, so done-up, and not in an Old Hollywood, Dita von Teese kind of way, but more in a tranny beauty pageant, I have to use buckets of makeup to cover up my masculine features kind of way.  Look at a close up of her face.  You'll see what I mean.  I think Kim is a pretty girl, but it's beyond annoying how unnatural she always looks.  

Kendall Jenner in bebe.  Christian Louboutin oxfords.

Unlike her sisters, Kendall gets it.  I love this look.  With her flat oxfords, she looks like she doesn't give a damn.  I'm not crazy about the belt, but this chick's future in fashion looks promising.

Most Fun

Katy Perry in Betsey Johnson with Brian Atwood pumps.

Katy Perry always looks like a goon, but her choices are always entertaining.  If it weren't for her and her light up princess frock, I would have been bored by the overall fashion of this awards show.  The dress is super flattering on her and I'm obsessed with her pink satin Atwoods.

Most Improved

 

Kristen Stewart in Reem Acra.

Happy, sparkly, and confident, Kristen Stewart needs to remember this look and copy it for future awards!  I also like how she styled this with a brown leather belt.



So who do YOU think was best/worst dressed?  Let me know in the comments!

The 10 Best Dressed Women of 2010

A roundup of the ten best dressed of the year.  No matter the occasion, these ladies were consistent fashion trailblazers.

1.  Daphne Guinness.

Before Lady Gaga made it big on the music scene, Daphne Guinness was shocking the world with her eccentric sartorial choices.  Whether rocking 9 inch heelless Mary Janes or head to toe PVC, Guinness has a knack for securing all eyes on her commandingly tiny frame.

2. Carine Roitfeld.

For the past ten years as editor of French Vogue, Roitfeld has secured her spot as a fashion maverick.  Projecting the image of effortless cool that the magazine replicated, she showed the world what it really meant to be French: sexy, undone and one of a kind. 

 

3. Chanel Iman.

At the tender age of 20, Chanel Iman has gotten some of the world's most covetous modeling gigs.  From scoring Victoria Secret angel wings to several fashion magazine covers, this girl is a force to be reckoned with.  Her outfit choices are a mix of bohemian and glam, and Chanel has a sophisticated way of throwing her look together that does not go unnoticed. 

4.  Anna Dello Russo.

This Vogue Nippon editor has the most eviable collection of headpieces since Isabella Blow, and her madcap style makes her a favorite of the most famous street style photographers.  Always tanned, toned, and without visible makeup, Dello Russo has spurned many copycats amongst the fashion elite.

5.  Lily Donaldson.

The epitome of urban chic, Donaldson possesses an air of exuberance often lacking in other models' pouty demeanors.  A siren in red sheer tulle at French Vogue's 90th Anniversary masquerade ball or cool and modern in leather separates, Donaldson perfectly plays the role of the effortless model off duty.  I could easily see a Kate Moss comparison coming soon. 

6.  Lee Radziwill

If all 70+ yr old women dressed like this, the world would be a much better place.  Often referred to as Jackie O's more attractive little sister, Radziwill proves that classic elegance runs in the family.  Always age appropriate, poised and stylish, you will never see her wearing anything close to tacky.

7. Natalia Vodianova.

Vodianova has made a brilliant transition from catwalk queen to society circuit princess.  Spotted at every event this year that mattered, Vodianova always dressed to the nines.  The Russian supermodel makes each look her own, pairing couture gowns with artfully tousled hair or wickedly short minidresses with buckets of diamonds.  She was also my best dressed for French Vogue's 90th Anniversary masquerade ball in one of the most beautiful peekaboo lace gowns.

8. Naomi Campbell.

After Alexander McQueen died in February 2010, Naomi Campbell has been honoring her dear friend's memory by wearing many of his extravagant designs in the past year.  That fact alone has warranted her a spot on my best dressed list, but Campbell always manages to look glamorous whether she's working the red carpet or vacationing on her billionaire boyfriend's yacht.

 

9. Lauren Remington Platt.

Tall, whippet thin, and classically beautiful, Lauren Remington Platt personifies Park Avenue chic.  Clad in couture for high brow charity benefits, Remington Platt brings an air of old world glamour favored by past Upper East Side swans.  The New York society fixture always looks rich, never vulgar whether in high necked Ralph Lauren or sexy Hervé Léger, paired with demure 2 inch heels, of course.

10. Iman.

Maybe I just didn't notice this before, but Iman knows how to WORK it!  Is her gig hosting The Fashion Show causing her to upgrade her style or has she always looked that good?  I'm not sure, but the Somalian supermodel needs to keep doing whatever she's been doing!




... So that's all folks.  What do YOU think? Do you agree with my choices or did I miss one of your favorites?  Let me know in the comments!