FashionHap: End Sept '16, Pt 1 - Dress Brigade

The end of September found the ladies of wrestling and beyond wearing a number of gorgeous dresses, with a few casual looks thrown in for good measure.  In the former category is this wrap slip dress of Barbie's. The wrap style - made famous in the 70's by Diane von Furstenberg - highlights all her curves, an effect which is enhanced by the charmeuse fabric. Barbie added a metallic glimmer to the eggshell shade of the dress with her Rockstud sandals and a bold gold choker. If you asked me to split hairs, I think I might say I'd have preferred a slimmer style with a subtler profile, which would have kept the look a bit more cohesive.
Brie gave us her take on the dark-florals trend as she attended the Emmy in this beautifully patterned piece. In addition to the beautiful print, the dress boasts a stunning high-low hemline, which looks graceful and feminine. Brie paired it with ivory sandals, a color and silhouette which added lightness to the darkly romantic piece. I'm also loving the soft curls in her shorter hair - they make this style look so gorgeous on her!
Cathy commented lightheartedly about wearing white in this picture, suggesting that it was allowd after Labor Day since the dress has long sleeves. I'm not sure that quite qualifies as justification for obeying the old guideline, which may have originated for practicality purposes, or as a distinction between vacation seasons and the rest of the year. It is noteworthy that the prohibition applied solely to pure white, like Cathy's dress. It did not include ivory and vanilla shades; hence the rise of the term "winter white". Also, the classic white shirt has been a year-round fashion staple for decades, so you have plenty of options for skirting the whole issue and still following the etiquette, if you so choose. Or do it Cathy's way and say "to heck with tradition" ;).  Whew. Having gotten all that out of the way, I love this dress! The mix of lace and sheer is lovely - a modern twist on a vintage vibe. She keeps the whole look light by pairing it with nude sandals, but you could just as easily finish it with black pumps for a stronger  -and equally chic! - contrast. That would probably be the route I would choose, especially for this time of year, as the black and white is four-season classic and feels more sophisticated than summery. The again, I would probably try this dress in ivory instead of white (in case you're sitting there pondering "but what would Brie do?" ;)
Doing a complete 180 from Cathy's ladylike look, we find this black monochrome outfit from Becky. It's premise is simple: peplum top, leggings, flat knee boots, but it comes together solidly. It's stylish and looks fantastic on her. Score one for Becky and laidback-cool!

Cathy has been demonstrating an exciting love for dresses. One of the reasons I'm so jazzed by this is that she explores a wide range of looks and silhouettes. It's easy to get stuck in one style that's comfortable, but she ranges all over fashion creation, from the bittersweet shift we saw earlier in the month to the femme white sheath above to this off-shoulder bandage dress in a rich shade of oxblood. The soft v at the front is an unusual and beautiful detail, while the thigh-high slit formed by the wrap at the skirt and the central triangle cutout make this piece sexy in a more modern way. She wears this piece as well as all the rest, which is to say "very well indeed!".
Alexa seemed to be tapping into her inner LayCool with this look - it's equal parts garage and glam, and I love it! She set a crest-graphic tee with a slouchy shape over black leggings and finsihed the look with stud-accented to-the-knee boots. The lack of heels keeps the look a bit more casual, but she upped the glam factor with a can't-miss-this necklace...and she always has a crystal or two in her hair. The more of Alexa's style I see, the more I'm excited by it. She's a bit more laidback and down-to-earth than LayCool; where they would go for designer pieces, Blissey is like the girl watching them on tv who replicates the style within her starter-job budget. But the fashion sensibilities are unmistakably there...and that thrills me. A lot. :)
Lana lent a piece to the dress brigade that was September's end. This scoopneck lace sheath is divinely gorgeous. And that color!! It's kind of everything. I'm not always a fan of nude linings, especially with black, but the lightness of the color works beautifully here, highlighting the magnificent pattern of the lace - I'm such a sucker for  a classic, frothy, floral lace! I also love her choice of black lace-up heels; the strong contrast grounds the look and makes a more powerful statement than the more expected nude-sandal finish.
Nikki's sporty variations continued with this black-on-black number, accented with red lettering and red and white stripes. The athletic-team vibe of this top works really well, and I'm a huge fan of the way she paired it with leather-look shorts to bring in a new texture, as well as some extra edge and attitude. Although the gear is basically simple, it packs a lot of style due to the just-right choices.
And the run of dresses continued with Noelle's black and white choice. The placement of the white stripes makes this sheath feel like a piece of modern art. It gets a nice dash of sexy from the strapless styling. Noelle enhanced that with sultry, smoky eye make-up and added a perfect pop if color via a classic red lip. I especially love this shot for the beauty of the background - the delicate florals create a wonderful contrast with her streamlined dress. And her confident smile is just icing on the cake. Say - when does this girl get a full-on photoshoot, hmm?