Mani Party with Sally Hansen x Elle Magazine

A couple of weeks ago, I got to watch the Golden Globes in style with the lovely ladies of the Style Coalition. Sally Hansen and Elle Magazine hosted a mani party celebrating Sally Hansen's new Salon Insta-Gel Strips.

We got the chance to walk our own red carpet complete with mani cam after being treated to some gel nail treatments. I had a hard time choosing with 24 different colors and patterns to choose from I really wasn't sure what to pick. In the end I had to try Perfect Poison - a metallic silver snake skin that looks really luxe.

Although a nail technician helped me get my gel tips on, it seemed simple enough. After removing my nail polish and filing down my nails to the desired shape, the nail technician gave my nails a light buff, removed all excess oils with some a cleanser pad (all included in the kit) and then peeled off the nail strips and pressed them onto my nails carefully using an orange stick. She removed the excess strip using a nail file. When all the nails were complete, she did a quick coat of gel top coat before sticking each nail one at a time in the UV light machine where my nails took about 30 seconds each to be cured. The machine turns off the light when finished each nail so it is really easy to make sure you get it right. Once my nails were cured, we removed the excess sticky residue using a cleanser pad, just like at the salon. After that, my nails were fully dry! The whole process took probably 10 minutes or so.

Golden Globes at Style Coalition Lounge with Dove

Event photos by Ana Schechter

Just last week I was at the Style Coalition Lounge dressed up with some of my favorite blogger friends and watching the Golden Globes thanks to Dove.  We got to treat ourselves to mini hair touch-ups throughout the night and to make things interesting we all filled out a ballot guessing who we thought would take home the awards.  Since I don't have cable, I don't watch too much TV so my guesses were at times wildly off save for my guess for Downton Abbey (on my must see list) and Modern Family (how could you not love it?).

While having my hair touch-up the stylist mixed it up by giving my super cute mini braids and using Dove Style Frizz-Free Shine Cream-Serum to nourish my hair, prevent static and for light styling without any weight or sticky feel.  I loved the light smell (slightly reminds me of apples) and the fact that I am treating my hair even though it doesn't feel like I am using product.

I had a blast tweeting the night away while sipping cocktails and snacking on delicious appetizers.  One of my fave moments of the night was when the dessert version of Golden Globes were brought out.

As for the clothes, they were really the reason I watched the show and I noticed headbands on both Charlize Theron and Michelle Williams looking juvenile on one and adorable on the latter.  Another trend I noticed was the strong prevalence of blush on the red carpet which is not likely to go away anytime soon.

One of the predominant trends of the evening was the Fishtail dress it was all over the red carpet.  While some of the celebrities pulled off this trend looking amazing, there are others that I am not so sure made it happen.
Bérénice Bejo, in Gucci, with Chopard jewels and a Swarovski clutch looks classically movie star beautiful in her vibrant cobalt blue number. Kate Beckinsale looked lovely in her blush Roberto Cavalli.

Sofia Vergara was a knockout in peacock Vera Wang with Harry Winston. The fit and flare shape suited her voluptuous figure perfectly

Tilda Swinton was a stunner in Haider Ackermann's tuxedo dress with Fred Leighton and Pomellato jewels.  (More on this below)

I did not like Reese Witherspoon fire engine red Zac Posen - the Vampy look conflicts with her image and when paired with the big hair had her coming off as trying too hard.

I was on the fence about Rooney Mara in her sultry black Nina Ricci - while the bodice was definitely sexy, the stiff skirt didn't quite look like it belonged on the same dress and just looked kind of awkward.

One of the newest things I saw on the red carpet was a nod to the 1930s in terms of heavy Art Deco influences in gilded geometric shapes.

Shailene Woodley looks lovely in her fishtail in Marchesa with the shimmering beading that accentuated her silhouette.

Salma Hayek with the gilded bodice by Gucci looks every bit the glamorous movie starlet that she is.

Nicole Kidman her gold studded Versace with Fred Leighton jewels never looked taller or more powerful.

Claire Danes in her black and white J. Mendel dress with Bulgari jewels looks sophisticated and grown-up - a long cry from her awkward youth on My-So-Called-Life (how I loved that show).

As for my faves no one did it better than these ladies - sophisticated, unique and unforgettable.

Dianna Agron in Giles with Fred Leighton totally channels Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire (from Hunger Games).  While some said swans were so last year, can anyone really argue with the fact that her look stood out or that she looks beautiful without being trashy?  Wish I could say the same for her fellow Glee co-star Lea Michelle who looked like she was trying to channel Halle Berry from years gone by.

Michelle Williams in Jason Wu with Fred Leighton took a risk by wearing a textured velvet gown with sleeves.  It could have been potentially disastrous but fortunately the shape of the dress is simple and the clean lines show off her svelte shape in a non-obtrusive way.

Emma Stone in head to toe Lanvin spiced up her pretty 2-tone dress with her own touch - the eagle belt adds life and personality in a way that works perfectly for the red carpet while being true to herself.

Angelina Jolie is striking in her perfectly form fitted 2-tone Atelier Versace dress with Lorraine Schwartz jewels.  Never thought that matching lipstick and accessories to your dress would look so good - maybe it works because the bold red is in small doses.

My personal favorite of the night had to go to Evan Rachel Wood in Gucci Premiere with Fred Leighton jewels. The dress in the shimmering peacock feathers that transform into sequins was gorgeous, perfectly fitted and complimented the actresses coloring perfectly.

Last but not least I know I mentioned Tilda Swinton before but she really looks stunning and marches to the beat of her own drum combining feminine and masculine elements that some commented reminded them of David Bowie.

Golden Globes at Style Coalition Lounge

So honestly, I used to be pained while watching awards shows. Growing up, I felt obligated to watch them because the next day at school to be a “cool kid” you had to pay attention to what the celebrities were wearing and who wore what. I used to wish everything could go in Fast Forward and I could see what everyone wore and who won what. Even now, it’s something that on my own, I might not enjoy particularly but throw in a group of amazing fun people, some delicious cocktails by Given and a wonderful space it suddenly becomes a super fun event.

So when a couple weeks ago, I was invited to hang out with some fellow bloggers at the Style Coalition Lounge and watch the Golden Globes I was glad to welcome a change to my regular awards show watching ceremonies of the past. I had an awesome time commenting on every starlet’s outfit while tweeting up a storm, something that is not always socially acceptable amongst my non-blogging friends.

Thanks to Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel, Ted Gibson for the wonderful gift bags and Ana Schechter for taking all the photos. Esp my “red carpet” glamor shots.

So in case you didn’t notice sometimes I like to be a bit of a theme dresser. For the Superbowl last year I even wore a football inspired outfit. So for the Golden Globes, only one dress came to mind - it was a gold shimmer knit dress. My lovely friend TM gave me the dress at a clothing swap and I was waiting for just the occasion for the excuse to wear it. After putting together the outfit I discovered I loved the dress even more than I originally thought,

Gold Sweater Dress - Vintage via Clothing Swap
Beret - Lauren by Ralph Lauren
Gold Tie Belt - Vintage via Cure Thrift Shop
Studded Cuff - Linea Pelle, Courtesy of Lucky Mag
Over the Knee Boots - Delman
Long Cardigan - Zara

Golden Globe Awards: Trends & Commentary

Last night as I was watching the Golden Globe Awards I noticed that the predominant colors of the evening that fell outside the traditional arena of red carpet Red, White & Blue were Pink in all shades, including Honeysuckle (the Pantone color of 2011), orange and green. Almost all the starlets went for full length gowns. Some played it safe, actually too safe while others took risks that were sometimes successful and at other times massive fashion failures.

Pretty in Pink:

Julianne Moore, in Lanvin, with Bulgari jewels and Lanvin shoes. I have to give her credit for trying something new but the uptight neckline or shocking pink color did nothing to flatter her skin tone or her body type. Ms Moore is a beautiful woman but failed to do herself any favors in this outfit. Perhaps if the sleeve was only a pouf instead of a full sleeve and the skirts was shorter it could have worked? I wish she was an actress who chose to wore a beautiful forest green tone instead.

Claire Danes in Calvin Klein Collection and Fred Leighton. I thought Clare Danes looked great. The simple cut, the fun pop color and simple accessories all work well with her look.

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta. While her soft hair and makeup was pretty, I really feel that Lea Michele’s dress was too much dress and overwhelming on her small frame, especially in the pepto pink shade.


Natalie Portman in Viktor & Rolf. Natalie Portman can never really look bad. I do like that she took a risk by wearing Viktor & Rolf, and while her hair and make-up and dress silhouette were perfect for a mother to be, I couldn’t really get over those red roses.

Megan Fox, in Armani Privé, with Brian Atwood shoes. Ms Fox took a sexy/sweet look in soft pink that wasn’t particularly exciting or offensive. Great hair though took her look to the next level.

Sandra Bullock in Jenny Packham. Ms Bullock looked great! I loved her heavy eye skimming fringe. The soft pink Jenny Packam provided a Hollywood goddess look.

Tangerine Dream:

Rhea Durham in Michael Kors looked great in her dress choice, although it is a bit on the classic end of the spectrum, but the new color of orange sherbet really made it special. I wish that she added some volume to her roots for added glamor.

Emma Stone in Calvin Klein and Van Cleef & Arpels. Ms Stone’s plunging back and clean silhouette made for a very modern and clean look in a new looking sherbet tone. The neutral tone lipstick and cat eyeliner added to the glam factor.

Kyra Sedgwick in Emilio Pucci is a prime example of a celebrity who knows what looks good on her. I love that she steered clear of sherbet and picked a rustier orange that looks great with her complexion. I do wish that she did something soft and romantic with her hair to complement the feel of the dress but her turquoise accented accessories look great.

Green Monster:

Elisabeth Moss in Donna Karan and Lorraine Schwartz. While the dress is great, I wish Ms Moss added a necklace and did something with her hair. It just looks a bit unfinished, although she was off to the right start.

Catherine Zeta Jones in Monique Lhuillier and Van Cleef & Arpels looks amazing. She is a woman who clearly knows what works for her and sticks to it. Again, I wish she added a necklace.

Mila Kunis, in Vera Wang looked great! Hair, makeup, dress, accessories all in perfect balance.

Long Sleeve Stunner:

Angelina Jolie in Versace looks smoking in one of the evening’s trendy colors sporting a big hair with a fairly covered up dress. Best accessory of the evening, with Brad Pitt in tote, the couple were glued to each other. We even caught a glimpse of Angelina straightening Brad’s bow tie (which by the way was a must for almost all the men in attendance)

Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive and Van Cleef & Arpels also took the route of Angelina with sleeves and she upped the ante with the addition of big shoulders and a plunging back. Refreshing proof that sexy does not always mean short skirts and cleavage.

Leighton Meester, in Burberry, with Cathy Waterman jewels, a Louis Vuitton bag, and Jimmy Choo shoes.Ms Meester also opted for big shoulders and sleeves but the front of her dress with it’s thigh high slit. The puffs of her sleeves however at cuff and shoulder weren’t particularly flattering. I wish there were a bit more sparkle to her outfit too. Compared to Angelina and Anne, her effort looks a bit flat inspite of her killer shoes. Perhaps if the dress were shorter and in a fun color it could have worked.

Annette Bening, in Tom Ford rocked glasses on the red carpet and of the glasses I approve. I am not sure how I feel about her burn out velvet dress and her hair left something to be desired.

Flowing Champagne:

Dianna Agron in J. Mendel and Cathy Waterman looked safe but pretty perfect in terms of hair, makeup and accessories.

Carrie Underwood in Badgley Mischka also looked very safe. Wish she was wearing some lipstick for a more finished look.

Sarah Hyland in Max Azria and Mikimoto was wearing something that looked a bit too much for someone her age. It all looked like something someone 10 or even 20 years older than her might wear.

Scarlett Johansson in Elie Saab and Van Cleef & Arpels was another case of too much dress on a starlet. Perhaps minus the angel sleeves this could have worked?

Michelle Williams in Valentino tried something new but I couldn’t find anything to appreciate about this daisy concoction. At least she had pretty hair and makeup.

White hot or not?:

Jennifer Love Hewitt in Romona Keveza was wearing too much dress and also looked an unfortunate shade of orange. Perhaps a case of too much spray tan but she could give the cast of Jersey Shore a run for their money.

Nicole Kidman in Prada and Fred Leighton looked tall lean and statuesque but she also didn’t take any risks. Wish she had done something more interesting and sophisticated for hair.

Hailee Steinfeld, in Prabal Gurung, with Tiffany & Co. jewels looked completely age appropriate and not overdone. It was a way that you could appreciate her beauty and youth.

Red Alert:

Jane Fallon in Marchesa looked quite pretty but I wish she pumped up her look with some flashier accessories. Metallics would have looked so much better than black shoes and clutch.

January Jones in Versace looks like she is trying too hard to be sexy. During the awards show she looked pretty uncomfortable in that dress and although it got attention it was not positive.

Christina Hendricks, in Romona Keveza, with Chopard jewels and a Leiber clutch. Ms Hendricks seams to have a thing for large ruffle details. I wish she put her hair up so that her head would not be competing for attention with the shoulder of her dress

In The Navy:

Tina Fey, in L'Wren Scott decided to take a safe route after previous harsh criticism and I think she managed to get a very classy look.

Amy Adams, in Marchesa, with Cartier jewels and a Kilian Hennessy clutch.

Mandy Moore, in Monique Lhuillier, with Chopard jewels looked a bit like a lost figure skater in her dress. I wasn’t a fan of the mesh illusion yoke. I think, it could have been saved it it was in another material.

Anything but Basic Black:

Halle Berry, in vintage Nina Ricci and Harry Winston jewels always manages to balance sexy and beautiful. While the high low hem with sheer skirt is a bit hard to pull off, I don’t think Halle Berry failed at her attempt. While I didn’t love the look completely I did like her addition of matching Wonder Woman cuffs.

Kelly Osbourne in Zac Posen has come a long way since her time on MTV, she looks sleek and glamorous and while it’s not something I would necessarily wear, I love that her dress has a splash of something different that makes it not just another LBD. I wish she had a sparkly bracelet ala Halle Berry on one wrist.

Helena Bonham Carter in Vivienne Westwood couldn’t have been trying harder to look eccentric. She is a beautiful woman, but the wild hair in addition to the mismatch shoes were all competing with a statement dress. Also the dress falls at an awkward length that makes her look rather squat.

Jennifer Lawrence in Louis Vuitton looks lovely. I really appreciate the print breaking up the monotony of a boring black dress while the cut of the bodice is quite flattering. While I am not a fan of the train, there are worse things possible.

Christina Aguilera in Zuhair Murad looks like the epitome of over processed trying too hard sexy. Her hair almost looks like a wig, while her dress I suppose is to give her that curvy mermaid feel exaggerates her body into a cartoon.

The Winner:
Olivia Wilde in Marchesa stole our hearts. The dress was so pretty that it forgave her fabulous but slightly mismatched shoes. Beauty, glamour and age appropriate perfection.