Party Gowns: 2009 and '10

Best of '09... champagne was certainly in this year:

   

A statuesque Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé, Jennifer Aniston in Valentino (quite similar to Naomi's Versace in 2004, isn't it?), and of course, my #1 pick, the dress that set this segment in motion: Penelope Cruz in 60-year-old vintage Balmain.

and my top two picks for 2010:

Nicole Richie in Reem Acra, Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab Haute Couture

2010 showcased a lot of amazing gowns, which I blogged about at the time. You can see all of my favorites here.

This concludes the decades best Oscar gowns series!  I hope you enjoyed it.  I certainly enjoyed the research.  All my la-la-lovin, xo, Caitlin

Party Gowns: 2008

Oscars, 2008, faves:

Penelope Cruz in Chanel, Marion Cotillard, maja mermaid, in Jean Paul Gaultier (another worst-dressed list fave that I happen to love... especially funny because generally I hate the mermaid shape skirt, and this takes mermaid to a whole other level, still, I don't know, I think she looks amazing).

 

Preggo Jessica Alba in Marchesa, amazing color; Marisa Tomei in a stunning, chic, architectural Versace

Anyone have a black-tie event to invite me to? xo Caitlin

Party Gowns: 2007

My favorite Oscar ensembles of 2007:

The always spot-on Penny Cruz in Versace; and, Helen Mirren, gorgeous dress, babelicious while being totally age-appropriate I'd say, in Christian Lacroix

 

So chic Kate Winslet in Valentino; the adorable/hilarious/maja babe Isla Fisher in Monique Lhuillier; and, Rachel Weiss, stunning, in Vera Wang

J-Lo in Marchesa:

This is Jennifer Lopez' 3rd appearance on my best-dresses list.  I've certainly never considered Ms. Jenny from the Block a style icon, but apparently, to the Oscars, homegirl brings it (at least in my opinion)!

Looooves! Caitlin

Party Gowns: 2006/Pour L'amour's 2nd Award!

Apparently nothing caught my eye in 2005, so we're moving right along to 2006, and this unforgettable ensemble on Michelle Williams. 

Michelle in Vera Wang:

Reese in 1955 vintage Christian Dior, Salma Hayak in Versace, Uma Thurman in Versace


On another somewhat related note, a few days I found out that the adorable Summer Claudia, of VelvetPop!, awarded me the "Sweet Blog" award!  Sweet, fo' real.

One thing I must say though, is that the look of these awards is so dorky, right?  I'm very sorry if the designer is reading this, but considering we are all style bloggers passing them around, at least at this point, shouldn't they be a little more stylish?  Holla if ya hear me (so I don't just feel like a jerk)!  I challenge anyone reading this to do a little re-design. End this vicious cycle of nerdy award icons!

Anyway, my criticisms of icon-design aside I am so honored to be recognized so favorably by a fellow fashion blogger!  Sometimes in this blog-eat-blog world (I am hilarious, I know), it's hard to know if anyone actually reads what you work so hard on, so once again I'll say, such recognition really does feel amazing.

I'd like to pass it along to:
Daniella at Dress, Design, Decor, super cute swimwear on her site right now
Sasha at Everything Fabulous, also deliciously summer-y on her site
and Alla at Sogni e Sorrisi, a fantastic multi-subject blog


I love the award and also cannot wait for the day when I get to wear a dress like one of those above;  the sort of dress you call a gown.  xo Caitlin 

Party Gowns: 2004

Samantha Morton in vintage Givenchy, from the very 1st Givenchy couture collection in 1951

Naomi Watts in Versace, Sienna Miller in Matthew Williamson, Charlize Theron in Gucci

Samantha Morton's vintage gown is amazing! Naomi looks fantastic in hers, I love the color on Sienna and the gold accessories, and Charlize and her tan are luminous. xo Caitlin

Party Gowns: 2003

My favorite Oscar gowns of 2003!

Kate Hudson in Versace:

Jenny in Valentino, Cameron in Prada, Halle Berry in Elie Saab


Oh! I love these pretty things! xo Caitlin

THE [mid]-Weekend Party Post! (Party Dresses? ...nah, Party Gowns!)

Audrey Hepburn in Hubert de Givenchy, 1953

Wednesday's search for the perfect so-called Blogger Oscar gown took me down a quite lovely lane of memories as I stumbled upon the most gorgeous Oscar gowns of the last decade.

So many of us may not be attending a black tie award show this weekend... Someday we may, and a little inspiration, a little Pre-Party Planning, never hurts.

So babies, get excited.  Over the next few days I'll be showcasing some of my personal favorite Oscar ensembles over the past 10 years, starting with this oh-so-controversial (and oh-so-unforgettable) frock donned by Ms. Cameron Diaz in 2002:

Cameron Diaz in Emanuel Ungaro, 2002:

This dress landed Cameron on almost every worst-dressed list at the time and even today.  They've criticized her "bed head", and "unfortunate accessories".  The dress has been described as "an awkwardly belted bathrobe", and "Betsy Johnson-like"... probably a criticism if you're Emanuel Ungaro.  The notorious Mr. Blackwell famously declared: "It looks like she was dressed by a color-blind circus clown".

Still, I love it.  I loved it then and I love it now.  I love the cut and the color.  The pop of turquoise at the wrist, and yes, even her "bed head", shiny, beach-y waves.  I also love that it seems to fit the actresses beach-babe, bohemian persona so perfectly.  It takes some guts to walk an ensemble like this down the red carpet, and she totally owned it.

Other early 2000's faves:

Chloe Sevigny in Yves Saint-Laurent, 2000; J-Lo in Chanel, 2001 (another worst-dressed list fave that I love... yes, the top is a little NSFW, but in a really beautiful way, right?); Reese Witherspoon in Valentino, 2002.

What do you think of my party-gown picks? Stay tuned over the next few days for the rest of the decade, yay! xoxo party princesses, Caitlin




Images from all over the place... including:
www.marieclaire.co.uk
www.stylecaster.com
www.nypost.com
film.guardian.co.uk
www.instyle.com

a Sunday Kind of Love...

Bed

by andreas von einsiedel

Breakfast (and blogging) in Bed

by Rita Konig

a Trip to the Sunday Market

(mine being, the Temescal Farmers' Market)

Cooking for a boy

Photo by Corrie Bond

BFFs

Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin

Hair, Eyelashes

Celia Hammond, 1962 by Terence Donovan

Familia

S/S '10 Missoni family ad campaign by Juergen Teller

Seamus the Wonder Pup

my parents home

Winning!

I just learned I am the winner of Simply Luxurious' oh so generous reader giveaway! Treats, eats, style... I'll be stalking the mailman until this arrives.

I want a Sunday kind of love
A love to last past Saturday night
And I'd like to know it's more than love at first sight
  I want a Sunday kind of love - Etta James

Happy Sunday my loves, happy Easter if you're celebrating, and happy day off if you're normally working. xoxo, Caitlin.

...also, a song that makes you cry a little:

She & Him, "You Really Got a Hold on Me" MTV Canada. July 23rd, 2008.

It's a school day... Style Profile (I just like to get a rhyme in)

Saw this video - She & Him (Zooey Deschanel, songwriter, and M. Ward, producer), In the Sun,  and was immediatly obsessed/watched it multiple times in a row/downloaded all their albums/watched all their videos:

(discovered via Haute Whimsy)

I feel like I was made for a choreographed high school hallway dance scene... I probably tried to initiate a few when I was that age that did't quite catch on as I had hoped.  Remember this gem?
Aw Brit, it's emblematic of my Freshman Year experience (doesn't need capitalization, it's a choice.. I think), also, preformed by myself and my freshmen peers during homecoming week to mixed reviews...


Zooey Deschanel is one of those people who is so lovable you sort of don't want to love her. Like it's just so obvious. Anyway, this post may be terribly redundant but, I love her! and hate her a little! and she is so so stylish. On stage, on screen, wherever.  Her style is very retro quirky, lots of tights and flats and almost always a headband or bow in her hair.  Also maybe a bumpit in her hair?  nooo, just great hair... and some backcombing.

Images of She & Him via Last.fm, cropped, edited, collaged by pourlamourdefashion 

She's pretty cute.  And dorky!  She's a winker, and plays the ukalele.  Here are my day and night interpretations inspired by her look:

Anthropologie shirt dress, belt, Seychelles heel, Frye flat, bow headband, rose headband, Nars Orgasm blush and lip gloss. Collage by pourlamourdefashion

Mod Cloth party dress, Kenneth Jay Lane earrings, Anthropologie headband, Commando tights, Kimchi Blue flats, T-strap heel, Dior liner and mascara. Collage by pourlamourdefashion

yayyy fashion!  and adorable songs!  and choreographed high school hallway dance sequences!

xoxo mes amours, Caitlin