The Red Carpet at the Golden Globes 2012

So I'll be the first to admit that my favorite part of any reputable award show is the red carpet arrivals. The surprise of who wore what, the breath-taking, beautiful starlets adorned in the best of a designer, and the inevitable actress who sadly misses the mark, all of it ads up to any fashionista's dream program. 

This year's Golden Globe awards seemed to host the average number of "wow" gowns, mediocre dresses, and "what the heck was she thinking!??!" frocks. For the sake of all that is tasteful, I won't be focusing on the latter, but rather would like to put forth my list of the best-dressed ladies from last night's arrival show (in no particular order). 

My first group focuses on some A-list actresses who always tend to stun the crowd with each of their impeccable styles. The second group centers more on seasoned actresses who take more serious roles, but are also always the essence of elegance. Finally, the third group focuses on the new-comers to the Hollywood scene; the girls we can look forward to seeing some really great stuff from for years to come (I know Zooey is a bit older, but I still consider her a fresh face). If need be, click to enlarge the photos for a closer look and enjoy!

I, of course, would have made a few slight changes to some of the ladies. For example, Angelina could do with not looking so frigid and uncomfortable, while Salma needs to get that two-toned hair off of her gown (the color is distracting) and off of her shoulders, as I think elegance usually comes in the form of an up-do. I think Helen Mirren was really overlooked this year as one of the best dressed ladies (maybe because of her age), but I thought she had it spot on (especially for her age); the color of the gown is perfect, her hairdo is elegant, the cut of the dress is impeccable--I'm in love with the whole look. My last minor tweak would have to be to Ms. Deschanel, because, while her custom-made frock may be both unique and gorgeous, her silly bangs and sixties house wife hairstyle really take away from the dress's modern and womanly feel. I think it's time for Zooey to lose the fringe and move on to a more mature cut that could really showcase her lovely eyes. Also, this dress has enough going on at the shoulders and neck without the distraction of debutant hair, get it back!!

Aside from my minor complaints (hey, there had to be a few), I really thought these women knocked it out of the park with their choices. I can't wait to see what the Oscars will have in store!! Did you get to watch the Golden Globes this year? Did you think anyone was unjustly left off of my list or undeservedly put on? As always, share your thoughts!

Ciao for now xx

¡HALA MADRID (fashion)!

It's no secret that moving to a different city can subtly change a person's style, especially when that city is completely foreign and on the other side of the world. Today Real Madrid plays FC Barcelona (soccer teams for those who don't know) and the hype is bringing me back to those four months I spent living in Spain's capital.

Madrid was a really nice break from Boston's uptight homogenous style, but I also found that there were some unspoken rules that were expected to be adhered--and the only way one would find out about such rules was by wearing something seemingly harmless out of the house, and then being stared at on the metro, or walking down the street, or in a restaurant. Madrileños aren't exactly shy about staring in a way that would be considered rude in any American city. For example, going into my semester abroad, I knew that walking around barefoot was considered rude because feet have some sort of stigma in Spain. However,  I didn't realize that along with this basic rule of always wearing house slippers or socks, it was pretty much necessary to always wear stockings or socks, even in 90 degree weather. If a girl wore flats, she also wore sheer stocking socks, and if she wore shorts, she also wore sheer or nude stockings. This fad struck me as really odd, and I think it also has a lot to do with their aversion to a natural look. Most Madrileños wear A LOT of make up, spend a lot of time on hair etc etc. Not that there is anything wrong with a look that's a little more...superficial...it was just a big leap from Boston, which has always been a bit more about celebrating natural beauty---probably because there are so many college students, while Madrid's mean age is a lot higher, so much so that it's creating problems with social security. On that note I also seemed to get the stink eye when I went outside with damp hair or no makeup...

ANYWAY, I did not create this post to bash Madrid fashion, because there are parts of it that I really love, and I bought some great pieces while I was over there. Some of my favorite places to shop in Madrid were H&M (for some reason it's just better in Europe, and kind of sucks in the states), Pull & Bear, Bershka, Mango and Zara (duh!). Here are some of my favorite things I picked up: 

Zara Zebra Shirt

Pleated Black Bershka Skirt

Pleated H&M Shirt

Mango Sweater

Mango Dress

All in all Madrid's style takes more risk than Boston's, but is a lot like New York in that the palette tends to be darker, a lot of black, but still fashion forward. It's a place to take big risks with nighttime fashion, for clubs, bars etc. Madrid is the best place in the world to find a fun time at any hour of the night/early morning...oh the times I tip-toed into my señora's house at 6 AM. I miss Madrid a lot at times, even though being abroad coupled with the culture shock made for a roller coaster experience. Fashion may be slightly different in the major cities across the globe, but I think trends are universal, and it's possible to make any culture's fashion a part of your personal style. Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Madrid! 

Ciao for now xx