2015 Oscars: All About that Fashion

I'm not going to pretend that I watch the Oscars for the movie nominations or to fill out the ballots and predict a winner. But I have no problem admitting that I tune into most awards shows for one thing, and one thing only: fashion. OK and maybe hair, makeup and the fabulous bling my favourite actresses get to wear. Once again, my girls Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez and Anna Kendrick really brought their A-game this year and chose silhouettes that flattered them in all of the right places. 

I must say my favourite dress was the one Rosamund Pike wore. I mean come on! Red, bod-con, lace, and up-do, and strappy sandals. It doesn't get much more Oscar glam than that in my eyes.

Lastly, I thought really hard about this one and I think an Honourable Fashion Mention should go to Rita Ora. While I don't love the gold accents on her dress, I found the style of her dress was more Oscar worthy and formal than some of the other gowns we saw grace the red carpet. I mean, it was mermaid cut, and had a train. Need I say more?

Scroll down to see these totally fab gowns and the pretty little things that wore them and don't forget to tell us who your fashion hits and misses were, in the comments below.

*All images from US Weekly and ET.com

2015 Oscars Style Challenge

As you all know by now, we love awards season, more specially, the red carpet fashion. We can't wait to see what our favourite stars choose to wear and are thrilled when they hit it out of the park. Of course with the highs, also come lows, and as we have showcased over the last couple of weeks, some celebrities are in desperate need of a new stylist!

While we have never claimed to be able to do that job, when Weddington Way, an online boutique who specializes in bridesmaid dresses, offered to team up with us to create a Oscar inspired look we jumped at the opportunity.

The Challenge: Choose and create a winning look for one the 2015 Academy Awards' Best Actress Nominees, styled from the Weddington Way Bridesmaid Dress Collection.

Source: IMDB

While all the actresses in this category are stunning and extremely talented, we chose British actress Felicity Jones to style. A newbie to this category, we learnt that as of last week, she still hadn't decided on her dress for the Oscars - a sure sign that she is in need of our help. After doing a bit of research and taking a look at her previous red carpet looks, we decided upon a romantic, vintage feel for her. Drumroll please....

We chose this full length dual toned gown, with a stunning sequined lace bodice. The illusion v-neckline and open back are our favourite features. We thought we would keep the colour in a neutral palate to keep with her red carpet preference, but we wanted to keep it on the lighter side to compliment her gorgeous complexion. This dress is youthful, yet sophisticated and glamorous.

Since we didn't want to take away from the dress, we opted for a nude patent leather strappy sandal like these amazing Jimmy Choos. The delicate straps offer enough visual interest but won't distract from the detailing on her gown.

We paired a small satin and pearl clutch from Zara, perfectly sized to carry her evening's essentials. Again, nude in colour as not to distract from the dress, but embellished enough to add a little something extra to her outfit.

We turned to celebrity favourite, Fred Leighton, to provide Felicity with vintage pearl and diamond jewelry. As the detailing on the gown's bodice is sequined, we didn't want to add too much competing sparkle. The stunning pendant earrings and ring are the perfect icing on the cake.

Lastly, to complete her romantic vintage style, we love the idea of a softly curled side bun, similar to that worn by Sarah Hyland a couple of years ago. In regards to makeup, we've always been partial to the theory that less is more, so a smoky eye and neutral lip will definitely enhance Felicity's natural beauty while not overshadowing (pardon the pun) the whole look. Top it off with a classic French manicure and she is all set for, what promises to be, an evening she won't ever forget.

A big thank you to Weddington Way for presenting us with this opportunity. We hope you all liked our style choices and perhaps even offered you with a bit of inspiration for your own "red-carpet" worthy look.

2015 Grammy Awards - Fashion Rundown

We just love awards season and the Grammy Awards always promise to deliver in terms of fashion. The red carpet is more relaxed and riskier than most of the other shows, so we can always expect some amazing highs and lows! The major trends we saw on the red carpet were pants (which for the most part were well done), semi-sheer dresses, and a lot of cleavage! I guess if you got it, flaunt it - but we are always partial to the idea that a little goes a long way.

We thought we would sum up our Top 3 Fashion Fav's and Fashion Lows of the 2015 Grammy's in one post this week. We would love to hear what you think - did your list match ours? Comment below or tweet us at @SimplySophBlog.

Top Three Fashion Favourites

Source: Glamour

Taylor Swift shone in her colourful Elie Saab gown. Love how she paired purple Giuseppe Zanotti heels with her dress - just the perfect pop of colour. Very youthful, very fun, very Taylor.

Source: Glamour

Although all everyone keeps talking about is Gwen Stefani's famous red lips, or lack thereof in this case, I love that she kept her hair and makeup toned down so that the emphasis was on her amazing Atelier Versace jumpsuit. The unique bodice provides the perfect amount of structure to balance the more relaxed pant style. 

Source: Glamour

Beyoncé rounds out our Top Three Fashion Fav's in her Proenza Schouler long sleeved gown. It's the perfect amount of cleavage and sheerness, that keeps her look very glamorous yet very sexy. But really, should we expect anything less from her?


Top Three Fashion Low's

Source: Glamour

Rihanna was one of the very last to walk the red carpet, and I hate to say it but it wasn't worth the wait. Her pink powder puff looking Giambattista Valli dress was a risk not worth taking in my mind.

Source: Glamour

So let's just come out and say it - Kanye West had a hand in picking Kim Kardashian's Jean Paul Gaultier dress. Whether he encouraged her, or picked it out himself, Kim needs to take back control of her wardrobe. It looks like she bedazzled her bathrobe and just threw it on. And yes, she has fantastic cleavage, but haven't we all seen it a million times before?

Source: BuzzFeed

Jenny Lewis, please pay close attention. This is a pant suit done horribly wrong. For style pointers, please refer to Anna Kendrick (who totally rocked her tuxedo style pant suit!) Enough said.

Fashion "Faves" at the 2015 SAG Awards

I don't know about you, but I found this year's SAG awards red carpet fashion was the pits. Usually I have a hard time narrowing down my top three best dressed/favourite dress picks but this year, it took me over an hour to find red carpet looks I liked. In the end all my picks left me feeling more lukewarm rather than red hot!

Here are my top three picks for best dressed at this year's SAG awards, in particular order...

Did you have a favourite red carpet look this year?

Maria Menounos

Jennifer Aniston

Julie Bowen

*Sources: Huffington Post, US Magazine

Fashion Faux-Pas at the 2015 SAG Awards

We thought we would switch it up for the 2015 SAG Awards, and present our top three choices for Worst Dressed first. Unfortunately, for these "lucky" nominees, it wasn't too hard to make our choices this awards show. From horrendous colour choices to ill-fitting silhouettes, these dresses did nothing for the talented actresses who wore them.

If only I had the opportunity to just once ask a select few actresses - did you really take a good look at yourself in the mirror before stepping out onto that red carpet? Because I bet if you had stopped listening to your "stylist" for 5 minutes and actually listened to your gut, you would have chosen a much better outfit.

Thankfully, as fashion taste is quite subjective, there will always be worst and best-dressed lists. I just wish that sometimes people would focus less on the label and more on how the dress actually makes them look and feel.  (Okay rant over!)

We would love to hear your feedback on this - who are your choices for Worst Dressed from the SAG Awards?

Source: E Online

Rosamund Pike is gorgeous, but her dress looks like it is swallowing her whole! She might be wearing Dior Couture, but to me, it looks like she might have just cut a hole in a tent and called it a day. I completely understand wanting to "disguise" some body areas post-baby, but there are much better ways of doing it.

Source: E Online

At least Anna Chlumsky attempted to wear some colour to the SAG Awards this year, but unfortunately for her, her attempt failed. The weird horseshoe detailing on her custom Escada gown was quite distracting and I couldn't decide if she was going for an equestrian vibe or leaning towards a more medieval flair.

Source: E Online

Lorelei Linklater's Honor gown - well let's just say, it has us speechless. Need we say more?

2015 Golden Globes: Best Dressed Top Three

The 2015 Golden Globes took place last night, and let's face it, we really just tuned in to see what the stars were wearing. On the whole I would have to say that Hollywood played it safe last night, but we were happy to see that most of our favourite celebs shone brilliantly on the red carpet.

We decided to break down our choices for best dressed into three categories...drum roll please:

Sophisticated Sexy

Source: MTV.com

Reese Witherspoon gets our vote every time. She looks gorgeous in this shimmering Calvin Klein dress, which she paired perfectly with $1.5 million in Tiffany & Co. diamond jewelry.

Boldly Beautiful

Source: MTV.com

I'm in love with Anna Kendrick's Monique Lhuillier gown. Picture perfect, it showcases her classic beauty and reminds us why she made the perfect Cinderella in Into the Woods.

Fun & Flirty

Source: MTV.com

Although it was a close tie with Dakota Johnson, Emma Stone's rhinestone-embellished Lanvin jumpsuit stole the spotlight. Right on trend, Emma looks flawless in what is probably the most comfortable outfit of the evening.

Check back tomorrow when we unveil our choices for the 2015 Golden Globes' Worst Dressed.

All Decked Out for the Holidays

Between holiday parties, Christmas gatherings, and New Year's Eve celebrations, there are plenty of excuses to get all decked out this holiday season. This is the perfect opportunity for you to try something a little more creative and glamorous.

I'm all about gold-toned sequins and shimmer this year, and wanted to share some of my favourite looks with you. Hopefully they will inspire you and help solve the never-ending "what should I wear" dilemma.

Skinnies & Sparkles

Holiday Look - Sleek & Chic

Add Some Glamour

Holiday Look - Sophisticated Sequins

Taking Tulle to a Whole New Level

Holiday Look - Romantic Elegance

I'm all about pairing high - low pieces together, especially for "one-time" outfits. For example, why not pair a blazer from Banana Republic with a tank from TopShop, a skirt from ASOS with accessories from Forever 21, and finish off with a pair of Nine West shoes. This way you can invest in more classic pieces that you can keep in your closet for years and spend less on more trendy seasonal items.

Don't forget to check out our Pinterest Page for more holiday fashion inspiration.

Cheers!

American Music Awards 2014 Red Carpet Rundown

It was another night of amazing red carpet fashion at the American Music Awards last night. We've noticed a couple of recurring trends: body-con silhouettes, high slits, colour-blocking, and bold colours. It will be interesting to see which trends last and which ones burnt out quickly.

My votes for best dressed from the 2014 AMAs are Fergie, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Beckinsale, and Julianne Hough. These women just exude confidence and sexiness in a classy way. They also help teach us some great lessons. 1) Basic does not equal boring. 2) You can show some skin without it looking trashy. 3) Beauty shines through at any age.

Unfortunately, I felt that there were too many risk takers (although this is to be somewhat expected with this group of artists) or those that fell into the "what were they thinking?!?!" crowd. Among my picks are Elizabeth Banks, Heidi Klum (I know, I know...sorry), Rita Ora, and Gigi Hadid. I'll let you be the judge of which artist falls into which category...



Fergie

 

Jennifer Lopez



Kate Beckinsale

Julianne Hough

 

Elizabeth Banks

 

Heidi Klum

 

Rita Ora

 

Gigi Hadid

Image Source: PopSugar

 

Fall to Winter: Getting More Mileage from Your Wardrobe

Although the calendar hasn't officially marked the beginning of winter, the snow outside and sub-zero temperatures tell a different story. Thankfully, this doesn't mean the end of the season for some of my favourite wardrobe staples.

I love the new shirt dress that I picked up this year and I couldn't bear to think of putting it away for the next 8-10 months - so here is an easy way of extending its life by transitioning it to Winter wear with a couple of easy additions I already had in my closet.

Fall/Winter Transition by simplysophisticatedblog featuring a shirt-dress

Don't forget to check out our Pinterest page for more fashion inspiration.

2014 CMA Red Carpet Fashion: Classy, Flashy or What Were They Thinking?

We've been craving some celebrity red carpet fashion so I was pretty stoked last week when I realized the CMA's were on. I loved this year's fashion line up, there were some classic pieces, some risk takers, and only a handful of "what were they thinking," takers.

My fave's were Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Lucy Hale and Jennifer Nettles (love love love pockets in a dress).

Then came the handful of risk takers (not always a good thing) and the "what were they thinking crowd." I'm not going to tell you what category Nicole Kidman, Meaghan Trainor (is she really a Country music artist?), Kacey Musgraves (eeeeek that hair!) or Lilly Aldridge are in. You can guess in the comments below.

Can't wait to see what ya'll think (yup, that's Jen going a little bit country today).

Carrie Underwood

Miranda Lambert

Lucy Hale

Jennifer Nettles

Nicole Kidman

Meaghan Trainor

Kacey Musgraves

Lilly Aldridge

Sources: Getty Images, Huffington Post

DIY Flower Girl Dresses

We understand what it means to be on a budget so we really wanted to share this DIY dress idea featured on The Good Life. Sarah made these simple ruffled dresses for her daughter's however, we think they'd be perfect for a flower girl dress. Worn at a destination, vintage inspired or garden wedding, no one will think "budget" when youre little girls are sporting these dresses.

Click here to visit the Good Life for step by step dress making instructions.

Vendor Spotlight: This Fine Day Online Wedding Boutique

Who: Christine Shelton of This Fine Day, an online wedding boutique selling hand crafted wood place card holders, candle holders and handmade hair accessories, located in Portland, Oregon USA.

How It All Started

What inspired you to open your Etsy shop?
Actually my friend was preparing for her wedding and wanted to add a bit of Portland to her destination wedding in Fresno, California, and asked me if I knew anyone who could make some little round stump place card holders. My husband used to run a contracting business and had all sorts of saws, and we also had a shed full of wood from a fallen tree, so, I told her to give me an hour and I would make one for her. It was perfect and just what she wanted. We made 200 of them for her wedding and about a week later I decided to put a few up online to see if anyone else would be interested in them. It turned out they were a hit there too. Now I'm focusing on developing new products and keeping up with other wedding trends however the rustic wedding theme never seems to go out of style luckily!

How did you come up with the name for your company?
I remember thinking of the band A Fine Frenzy and how their songs and videos made me feel. I wanted the name to be sweet and simple but memorable. I liked the flow of A Fine Frenzy, especially the word fine. I figured This Fine Day would embrace the present tense: while every day is a fine one, collectively you are building the blocks towards that special day (your wedding day).

How long have you been in business?
This Fine Day has been open since May 2010 however, I also run a jewelry shop one Etsy that has been in business since 2009. When I opened the jewelry shop, I always paid special attention to the Etsy success stories, tips, articles and the seller handbook to help me learn what would and would not work with setting up shop (with images etc.) When This Fine Day started to take off, I really put my research to work to build my shop and shortly after (October 16, 2010) I quit my job as a web publisher to work for myself full time.

Why the wedding industry?
I kind of just fell into it. I was planning my wedding while I opened my shop and was very into DIY projects and organic products. While I was planning my wedding simultaneously with my friend, I realized just how much people spend for that one day even if they are trying to keep a low budget. People will always get married no matter what the economy looks like, I just need to have a broad range of products to accommodate every type of budget.

How soon should a bride place their place cards and other accessories?
My goal is to have orders shipped within 5-7 days by priority mail (so orders arrive 2-3 days after shipping). I recommend planning for 10 days total before you need the product. I am able to accommodate rush orders and have successfully delivered products to the brides front door in 5 days total.

What makes your Etsy shop so unique?
My market research shows that there is only one other wood shop that has more than 85% of their items geared to the wedding industry. At This Fine Day, when an order comes through I am the only one who handles it from beginning to end, allowing me to stay organized, prioritize orders as well as offer superior quality control over each place card holder I produce.

What are 3 must have items from your shop you think every bride should have?
That's tough because not every bride can incorporate wood products into their wedding theme. So from that perspective I'd say the Ring Pillow because it comes with a variety of different coloured flowers and ribbons, the Ivory Chiffon Hair Flower and the Custom Love Bird Wedding Signs.

Having Fun And Getting Personal

What do you do when you’re not creating and designing custom favours?
You can find me spending time with my amazing friends, my 2 year old nephew and family, playing bass in a local rock band called Love Lies Dying, cooking, dreaming, running, painting, and designing web pages...whew!

What are 5 things people don’t know about you?
Well there isn't much that my friends and family don't know about me but I'd have to say the following for everyone else:

1. I feel inclined and almost determined to do a dare if confronted with it.
2. I'm pretty reserved but can bust out some mean moves on the dance floor. Including but not limited to the worm and what I have trade marked as a "happy dance". It really can get quite hilarious at times!
3. Apparently I'm a pool shark. For years I was terrible at billiards and was determined to turn that around, and have finally succeeded.
4. I'm deathly afraid of heights and of growing old.
5. The one thing I wish I could do but can't is sing.

 Final Thoughts

What is new for Spring/Summer 2011 for This Fine Day?
A line of bridal jewelry, possibly cake stands (need a large band saw) and  centerpieces.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I would love to hear ideas for custom orders or new products if anyone is inclined.

How can readers connect with you?

• Website: http://thisfineday.etsy.com/
• Email: thisfinedaypdx@gmail.com
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thisfinedaypdx
• Blog: http://thisfinedaypdx.tumblr.com/