Winter is the perfect time to play with layers and Natalya showed herself to be a master at doing just that in this photoshoot. I love how chic and polished this look is! Even though Nattie created it several years ago, it holds up flawessly well; that's classic style!  It gets its zing from the cropped jacket set over the longer button-down blouse. Natalya also added a vest (or cardigan - the look comes off essentially the same under a jacket) for an additional texture and color-block effect. She did the look with a tailored button-down - always an appropriate choice - in what looks, from the semi-sheer effect, to be a lovely, feminine voile fabric.  You can add a bit of punctuation here by going with a crisp, opaque poplin or oxford piece, or keep Nattie's sweet-meets-sophisticated vibe with a lace button-down.  Alternatively, skip the collar entirely and do this look with a super-current ruffled (or otherwise-embellished) blouse. Touches of detailing peeking out from your jacket and its sleeves look romantic and soften the refinement of the blazer. Nattie's version is essentially a suiting-type jacket that elevates the look. You could also dress it down by going with a woven cotton piece, like a military or band jacket, or denim moto jacket. A corduroy or velvet piece is another great option as well. The vest/cardigan is optional for all you hotties who don't need six thousand layers ;). Just be sure that your jacket hits at hip height or above and that your chosen top extends beyond it by at least two inches (more is fine, lots more is also fine - you can do a tunic-length top, as long as your jacket hits between your natural waist and your hip bone)...which works out quite nicely if you decide to switch Nattie's fabulous black cargo pants for leggings, as I've envisioned.  Black denim or chinos are also totally do-able. Next important decision: to close or not to close. (The jacket :)). That is the question! (I see you grimace, but really, a little Shakespeare never hurt anyone. A lot of Shakespeare, quite possibly). So, more matter...less art: closing the jacket refines and elevates the look, while leaving it open is more casual. Pick your passion 'cuz either works. (Do you suppose Shakespeare ever said " 'cuz"? You know, just among friends or whatever). Lastly, shoes! Nattie finished this off with black pointy pumps - a sagacious idea. Since it's winter and it can be a bit crisp outdoors ( *frantically tries to pop icicle off nose as wind howls through anorak, cable sweater and several thermals*), I love the idea of adding a vaguely edgy-romantic twist via lace-up booties. Iconic knee-high riding boots are a superb choice as well.

Velvet is back with some new shots from her pink electrical tape 'shoot - this time with a fun addition! I remember when the Knockouts first gave the tape-as-clothing idea a try - I loved the creativity of it and still do! Velvet has done a couple of variations on the theme since (I think the white-tape Samurai has been my fave ...so far :))and this pink version is soft and dreamy, albeit smoking hot! She skips the patterning of some of her early explorations and goes with simple and practical; I suppose we could this minimalism at its finest ;). She also gets props for not taking her pink gloves too seriously - she goes for flirty, tempting and innocent and succeeds beautifully!
She also has a pre-Valentine's Day offering which bring an intriguing goth element to her repertoire. She pairs a leather corset with red skull-print fabric accents and grommet details with a fringed skirt. Dark fantasy has been ruling the runways so I looove seeing Velvet go here and work with this concept. I could have gotten behind a pair of lace-up pointed booties to enhance that theme, but these tiger-ish print pumps throw a dash of the un-tamed into this zipped-in and buckled-up fashion. We haven't seen Vel do chair poses in awhile, so it's fab to see the return of that prop. It's an amazing way to show off her killer legs! All these pics are available at her Rated V online store..so show off your killer fingers, head over there and get you some :)

Long-time diva-fierce.com readers will remember the incredible Kim, who was a massive and well-loved part of our team here for many years. Not too long ago, she touched base with me because she had found quantities of past site collages buried in the depths of her computer and we had a little freak out party with all the feels :'), which I am now passing on to you! (Love ya!) Over the next few weeks, I'll be spicing up the current posts with some time-travelling backward looks at where diva-fierce.com has come. Hope you enjoy!
 While WWE has been serving up their latest version of a Barbie/Kelly redux, we did our own back in the day, complete with a style synopsis! (Keep up with that, Big Dub!). When there were more of us putting the site together, we were able to feature a Fashionista Of The Month, culminating in a fashion fisticuff (ok, it was just a poll, but still ..:)) in December for the Fashionista Of The Year.
We always analyzed both in-ring and street style. Remember this pink and white gear from Wrestlemania? The reversed brassiere cups were super-creative but didn't translate particularly well. Barbie flipped them over immediately afterward into a classic push-up bra and, from then on, slayed us all with gear after gear in gorgeous, sherbet-esque colors and plenty of crystal accents! Random trivia: her black sequin outfit is special to me because her photoshoot in it formed the basis of the first complex collage I made. Dawww :) .The street style line-up highlighted the wide array of fashion choices she graced us with. Everything from glittering evening gowns to simple tee+denim combos can be found in her 'shoots, all of them handled with competence, authority..and plenty of girl-next-door seductiveness :). The Barbie-love is strong with Diva-Fierce! ;)

And then, there was the gallery that focused on the Divas' anatomy. No, not that way. This was an actual look at the muscle groups required to make a superstar. The focus ranged from Nikki's glutes to Foxy's hamstrings, Carmella and Sasha's abs to Becky's shoulders. (I would also have called out Beck's biceps and triceps! Seriously, have you seen this gal flex?! #Goals). One of the main benefits of these types of collections is that we get great snaps of the ladies' outfits, allowing us to appreciate details, harmonies or contrasts we might not have seen before. Becky's gear is so simple that it doesn't leave much room for that. Her non-standard poses help to allay that, though! Sasha gives us the cool stare I was hoping for previously and I like the way it works. If I were nitpicking (if :)), I might request that it have just a shade more attitude. This is cool and calm. But what about cool and challenging? I hope to see that from her sometime soon :) Alicia's snaps give us a close-up look at her incredible gear. It's a confection of straps, sequins, studs and sheer, all integrated with enough restraint and artistic sensibilities to give us a jaw-dropping ring ensemble. Foxy makes continual slight variations to the execution and every one of them has rocked hard. She's done a number of fine gear ensembles throughout the year, but this silhouette is unquestionably the top of the bunch. This cherry red shade looks spectacular on her and she gets additional props for the subtle make-up that enhances the look without competing with her outfit. Her hamstrings are what WWE is calling attention to here and it's no surprise that her gorgeous, long legs are a major weapon in her offense. Her leaping pose shows them off, as well as providing us with an absolutely killer action shot! If abs are your goal in life, you could do worse than to take Carmella's as inspiration. The Staten Island seductress has a crave-worthy set which her mesh sports bra and low-waisted athletic pants show off perfectly. While I admit her abs def make my #Goals list, so does her cascade of honey curls...ogh SOOO gorge!! We've seen plenty of variations of Nikki's sporty gear and we've seen her nail these poses many a time. It's a credit to her and her abilities that there is still novelty to be discovered, especially in the rarer looking-sideways stance. Her complete vision of a fearless athlete representing #TeamNikki is clear now, all the way through the reliance on just three colors, as a sports team would. As simple as it is, it retains a freshness due to its trendiness and distinctiveness form what any other lady is doing and it keeps a formidable-meets-sexy aesthetic that resonates deeply with both Nikki's personality and all of us fans. The gallery highlights her glutes as an asset (no pun intended) and basically...well, yeah :) Who wouldn't want a caboose like Bella 2.0's? She's a curvy dream goddess come to life. *admiring sigh*

Happy Lunar New Year, everyone! I just had to do a post regarding this day after reading about it on one of my favorite fashion blogs, Wendy's Lookbook (click for more info and a story surrounding the festivities). This is an especially important day in Asian countries. It is the tradition there to wear red, the luckiest color to bring good fortune to the wearer throughout the year. Also, whatever you do on this day is said to set the tone for what you do for the year, so choose wisely! ;) To help inspire your use of red, I've curated a collection of the ladies in their brightest, boldest, luckiest shades. You may not want to wear a formal gown, like Maryse (but then again, maybe you do! Why not be wild and have some fun?! ;)), but what about a pencil skirt a la Stephanie, a scarlet bodysuit inspired by Gail, a peplum dress like Alicia, a red plaid button-down like Summer or going full Brie Mode and doing a red tee? You can always top your look with a red jacket; fearless Nikki would certainly approve! All it takes is a touch of red to bring you luck, so if you're short on the color, don't forget about crimson shoes, a red hair elastic or burgundy thermals (sadly, my actual choice at the moment because I'm heading outside to do some distinctly non-fashion-related work that simply will not brook a formal flaming red gown. Bummer.) Here to getting your red on and lots of luck and wonderful things coming your way for 2017!

The showcase of RAW Women's Champions is very exclusive indeed. WWE has done a photoshoot for the ladies who qualify and it's not a huge undertaking: there only two of them. Charlotte and Sasha have passed the belt back and forth since its return, in consequence of which, they each get a nice, if petite, gallery of snaps of each of them holding the title in different outfits. Charlotte's set is impressive for the way it demonstrates her growth and comfort. Her early shots are competent and attractive, powerful and pretty at the same time, but her latest shot is superb. (The chance the close-up snaps give us to really appreciate her gear is another great reason to check this gallery out!). Her pleased smile has evolved into a confident smirk. And her gear! The complex pattern is not one I would have thought of as working so well, but it does! The print creates a subtle movement, controlled by the gold piping at the edges and grounded by the black scroll work. It's a stunning rendition of a gear silhouette which rapidly became one of my favorites. Brava!
Sasha's gear is high up there on my list of great designs, her lattice arm-pieces being one of my favorite inventions. This set gives us a good look at he blue, yellow and pink gear. as well has her mixed-reds masterpiece. I also have to applaud the snap that she gave us  not in gear - street style 'shoots with the belt often work really well by adding the extra dimension of unexpected fashion to a title shoot. The textural play of sheer and leather is trendy and interesting, as is the collared design of her bodysuit, which creates a 70's referencing vibe. The one thing I would love to see her do is try to experiment a bit more with facials. I suspect her broad smile in each pic was a function of the selection process, rather than solely of what she actually did in each 'shoot, but it would still be fun to see her push the envelope a bit more: a cool stare, a challenging glare, a better-than-you half-smile - all would be a fun addition to the repertoire here.

Among their gaggle of galleries, WWE has released a collection focused on the Divas' fitness. They've tied it to the idea of New Year's resolutions, but really, any time of year is a good time to up the ante on your fitness. One thing that's for sure is that the lady superstars' conditioning is #goals! It's tough to flip through these shots and not get inspired! Charlotte's shot is my very favorite - how does she manage to look so comfortable and gorgeous while holding this insane position?! That's just..not possible! Yet, here she is doing it. Not only does she get serious props for doing something this difficult, she gets mad respect for making it look aaaaaaahmazing. I'm in awe! We keep getting pieces of Char's Tapout shot bit by bit and I think her snaps from it just keep getting better! Sasha offers a reminder to do squats and - this is crucial! - maintain good form while you're doing them! It's easy to get focused on weight and reps, but how you do the move is as important as how many and how often. I know this because one of my work friends is also a personal trainer and he makes sure I'm staying in alignment and lifting right - even when I'm doing it in four inch heels at the office ;) Sasha's heathered workout gear is super-cute! I do wish she'd gone for a hair style that didn't incorporate this harsh central part, though. On the other hand, I'm sure she chose it for its functionality, rather than its sophistication, so I can be talked into giving her a pass on it :).  Lana's previously released Body Series 'shoot lends this snap. While some of that set revealed the grace and poise of her barre routine, this facet of the set was all about power and steely resolve! This pic is a prime example of that, reminding us to bring game faces and fierce attitudes to gym time! I love the bright colors in Naomi's gear in this shot. Not only is it eye-catching, it's incredibly pretty! She seriously needs to wear this orchid shade more often! The way the flush of color on her lips carries the hue up to her face is fab! I'm so glad WWE added this snap because it highlights the importance of stretching, an all-too-often overlooked aspect of a workout. Naomi's pose is a complex one (which I need to go and try out now :) ), but, like Charlotte, she manages to look lovely while pulling it off. Doesn't that hurt, girl? You'd never know it by her face - and that's the mark of a top model: you never see the struggle in the pic! Eva Marie's snap is on fire - and not just because of her red hair ;) Her leggings echo the bright red and spark the whole shot. Of course, her accidentally-on-purpose mad sexy pose doesn't hurt either - it's hard to top this one for athletic seduction! If you can get your brain past the scalding aesthetics, the pic also should encourage the addition of a tricep/bicep day to the Fitness Goals list. Do you have something you want to achieve with your fitness this year? Whether it's doing crunches once a week or climbing a real mountain, I promise you, it's do-able if you work hard enough! My goal is to get back to working out period. It's been one of the things that's gone by the wayside over the last few months. Sigh. But I refuse to let that continue! Right, self?!