Barbie's style gravitated strongly toward casual vibes during most of the winter, a genre she handles with competence and distinctiveness - i.e. well worth borrowing from! Her pairing of a safari jacket (an aptly named piece of clothing designed for adventures in the African bush and referenced by Hemingway in the 30's) with denim is easily adapted to a cool weather variation. Its laidback vibe lends itself flawlessly to a pairing with a simple sweatshirt, which nods at the athleisure trend. You're not looking from something too beaten up or wordy, just a very basic, unadorned piece will do. Heathered colors are perfectly acceptable, as are hoodies (can you believe it?!). Slouchy silhouettes are do-able as well, since the jacket adds casual refinement. If sweatshirts aren't rocking you at present, consider a simple sweater or lace-up thermal. Grab a slim/straight or skinny pair of jeans for the bottom. Barbie's look has a softness about it, due to her choice of blue denim, which I love and reprised, but with the neutral palette of the rest of the pieces here, black denim would work as well. The crucial factor behind your choice of denim silhouette is your shoes. Keep the casual feel going with ankle boots - Barbie's heeled hiking style (the wheat Glancy from Timberland, available here) is fantastic and will work with slouchier straight styles, as well as skinnies. You can also totally do this look with flat boots; just choose a skinny jean to balance the more over-sized pieces on top. Definitely consider only partially lacing your flats boots and leaving the top open for a cool-girl effect, as Alicia did here. The look's coup de grace is the jacket, which elevates the denim and sweatshirt pairing by adding structure and easygoing sophistication. The safari style is a perfect choice here, as it lends polish, without being too formal. If you haven't yet added one to your jacket collection, an oversized bomber will create a similar, slightly more urban vibe. Other breezily refined options include a knit blazer or a denim (and chambray too!) blazer. Note: blazer; skip the classic denim jacket here, as it's too laidback to bring the necessary pop to the look. I hope this gets your casually chic style juices flowing :) Happy fashioning!
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Barbie was backstage at Raw in Las Vegas in February and looking fabulous! As an aside, I'm so impressed with how she speaks about her time in WWE - how grateful she is for the start and opportunities they gave her and how respectful of the company. It's really nice to hear and reflects well on all parties. I love her pairing of a simple black tee with black denim. She adds just the right pop to the look with beige suede OTKs, which break up all the black and add a sophisticated brightness to the styling. Her Hermes belt brings in a hint of flash, but in a subtle way. This is precisely the kind of look that makes me head-over-heels for Barbie's fashion! Alongside her, Sasha was sparkling in a sequined romper, paired with flat OTKs - her tv look for the night. It's a simple combination that works nicely and ha enough flash to suit her persona. I'm also loving Alicia's outfit, as she dips into her trendy-meets classic side. Her monochrome look includes a sheer-panelled top, on-trend wide leg pants and a chic blazer. Pointy toe pumps complete the look flawlessly, lengthening the leg line (not that Foxy needs that ;)) and adding a subtly powerful vibe. Although as different as can be from Barbie's look, Alicia's outfit is an equally magnificent example of the kind of style that makes me swoon!
Barbie took her style even more casual with this relaxed look from mid-February. She paired a white tee with cut-off blue denim shorts - so far, so classic! Instead of the ubiquitous bomber, she chose to top the look with an iconic safari jacket in dark olive. Caramel Timberland boots completed the look. I love how her choice of heeled boots gives this look a bit more panache and distinction than flats would have. Barbie's winter also included a meet-up with bff Maryse. "Blondes in black" seemed to be the theme of the night, with both ladies reaching for the iconic neutral. Barbie paired her scoop-neck top with leather slim pants and a mixed media bomber jacket - I've been waiting to see her hop on that trend and she rocks it with off-duty model aplomb. Minimalist strappy sandals and a racy lace-up choker brought attitude and sultriness to her look. Maryse also went the scoop-neck top + black denim route (I guess super-stylish divas think alike! :)). She topped her look with a trendy capelet in a fantastic duster length and finished it off with taupe boots, which - as with Barbie's earlier look - add a refreshing contrast to the black. This pairing really hinges on the swirly fabulosity of the capelet; it's a statement piece that needs little other embellishment to create a chic and confident casual vibe - basically, a streetwear variation of her current-trademark tv apparel. I've been so excited to get to this and so short on time to actually do so that it's been really frustrating. Adding to it is that I've caught a hideous cold, so that hasn't been helping. However, finally: heeeere we go! I missed a lot of fashion during Jan and Feb, so this is how I'll be catching up - via Master Posts for the divas. And I'm kicking it off with a lady whose fashion I always get a thrill out of: Barbie :)
Her New Year's look was amazeballs, embodying both current trends and the effervescent glamour of the occasion. The piece is the Gaga jumpsuit from Reve Boutique and combines shimmering all-over crystals set on an eggshell background. With all that drama, Barbie kept her hair simple and sleek. In many cases, I find the pin-straight+center-part styling quite harsh, but here it works as a refreshing counterpoint to the bold statement of her outfit. The one thing I would tweak is to swap out her clear plastic heels for simple silver strappy ones, as the clear plastic never looks stylish to my eye. She then treated us to a couple of bikini-inclusive looks from her incredible 30th birthday bash in Cabo. Don't you completely adore the fringed side-details of this black string bikini? It's like a salsa dance in a swimsuit! So cute! Barbie finished the look with white sneakers. Her next pairing was a floral embroidered bikini top from Mara Hoffman (sadly sold out). The piece features a fabulous mix of pretty sherbet shades, along with a wonderfully unique starburst edge. She set it off to perfection by pairing it with white wide-leg pants from Intermix Online that let her top have the spotlight. The whole combo is a perfect example of a completely laidback but still super-cute outfit! Her next look has the same vibe, with a added touch of flirtiness. It pairs a blush tie-front crop top with a swingy A-line skirt in white. Her nude Valentino Rockstud lace-up heels elevate this look and make it dinner-appropriate. My favorite element of this outfit is Barbie's hot pink clutch! We often see a pop added to an outfit via lip color; she follows essentially the same principle, but with her handbag -so much fun! - and a great idea to keep in mind for times when the lip shade avenue isn't one you want to pursue for whatever reason ;). Her next bikini is a dusty turquoise dot-printed piece (The All Caught Up from No Strings Attached. ID by fashionofthedivas.tumblr.com) with contrast strings. The teal-terra cotta match-up is an unusual one, but looks amazing against Barbie's tanned skin. She adds a stunning crochet sarong in a medium coffee shade and a super-slim choker. I love the movement added to the outfit by her sarong - that's got to make wearing a bikini even more fun :) The Royal Rumble set a high fashion standard, but the gals maintained it at the Elimination Chamber.
First, there was Becky’s continuing foray into gear with a hint of a femme twist. This set offers an iconic color story of black and beige, with a simple tank topping her frayed denim shorts. What brings distinction to the look is the broad band of gorgeous black lace that drapes across her torso. It’s so delicate that, at first glance, it almost seemed ragged to me, as if it was echoing the hem of her shorts. Even though it’s not, the similarity in texture unites the look, while still providing a beautiful and delicate contrast to the rugged grommetted leather at her knees. There’s a kind of broken-in, ragged romanticism to this look that I’m really enjoying: it’s stunning yet unforgiving, gorgeous, yet grounded. What a unique and intriguing statement from Becky and a wonderful show of growth and experimentation! Both Summer and Sasha worked with blue and orange as a combo in the past and I loved it. Equally well do I love the pairing of purple and orange, as worn by Nikki. The bright cantaloupe shade is warm and inviting and nearly glows with intensity. It looks amazing against her skin! The deep grape adds a flush of cool solidity to all that vibrancy and the effect is gorgeous! While I love her red, black and white variations, seeing her break into some new color combinations – especially such unique and yummy ones as this! – is incredibly fun! Alexa went for the classic color combo of red and blue with her gear. She added a nice little twist, though, by accenting the pairing with gold, which adds warmth and luxuriousness. I’ve been a fan of this design of her gear pretty much since it debuted and I’m still totally on board. The only thing I could do wthout is the cartoon appliquee at the front. Come on, girl – you’re not Bayley. There’s a way to bring in this kind of accent, but, set against a mature, fierce ring outfit like this, it just looks silly. It takes a really special vision and execution to use a lot of pattern and color and have it be cohesive. Naomi absolutely smashes the concept here! For starters, her romper silhouette is bang on trend. For seconders, her scrolled, mod print has the complex beauty of a Pucci piece, but done in light-up-the-world neons that give it a youthful energy and vitality that looks super hot! Lime, turquoise, lavender and cerulean make for a current and stunning color story, while the matching leg covers carry the look all the way to her feet, creating unity and impact. The layered chevrons are a flawless addition, creating a slight, but solid diversion from the print and working fabulously with her body shape to create a curvy hourglass. I love everything about this – as complex as it is, it’s put together perfectly, so it’s not busy or overwhelming, just powerful, mesmerizing and straight up AMZAZING! Mickie’s gear has been a wonderful mingling of ‘new and then’ :), pairing a halter top accented with a suitably Southwest-esque symbol and her always-favored flared-leg pants. Touches of colored stones accent the edges of both top and bottom. She’s done several color stories with this design, but I especially like the icy simplicity of this metallic silver, spiked with hints of emerald. With fashion weeks and new spring pieces coming in and the knowledge that we’re (finally!) on the back end of winter, there’s a lot to love about February! And oh yeah, there’s that Valentine’s Day thing too :-). The Divas rocked their style this month and that made just that much more lovable, so let’s about love, baby!
Charlotte’s in-ring fashion interests me because it has a distinctive character compared to her street style. She lightens up for her street style, stretched further and brings in more color and generally a bit more femininity. Her in-ring style (other than her gear) has a minimalist, and tougher quality. It acts nicely as a balance to the gorgeousness and glam of her ring attire, but I wouldn’t mind seeing her push some boundaries either. This black monochrome look typifies the styling she’s so successful with: leather peplum top creates curves and edge, black denim lends that laidback air and suede OTK’s complete things with a whisper of fierce. It’s solid, simple and polished. For risk-taking, we have to look to Renee, who breaks out this pair of plaid-accented pants. We had a rasher of printed pants going on among the divas last fall and Renee decided to hop on the train. As with Maryse and the other fashion-accomplished divas, Renee makes the more daring bottoms work by pairing them with a simple top and keep the whole look primarily about dark neutrals – except for my favorite part: her hot pink lip shade, which echoes that shade in the plaid and carries the color upward flawlessly! It’s an outfit-maker choice that makes the whole look pop. A simple choker adds an au courant touch. Alexa reaches for her engaging aesthetic of chilled glam with this look, pairing a sheer-meets-solid top with moto pants and low heeled black knee boots. I love the zipper-embellished pants, but the rest of the look is somewhat underwhelming. It’s trying for hotness and comes off feeling more common than fierce. It surprises me that I could call anything “common” which contains that incredibly awesome crystal choker, but the mix of elements is just a shade off, which gives us a quick refresher course on why the most effortless-looking style can sometimes be the hardest to capture. Paradoxically, I think she might have gotten more impact from a simple cap-sleeve, scoop-necked cropped tee that put the focus on the crystals and the contrast with her sturdy boots. Next time! ;) Mickie also works the casual look and hers comes together nicely. She pairs a brick red cold-shoulder-top (showing shoulders is so totes on trend right now!) with blue denim. A wide woven cognac belt accents her waist and ties in with her to-the-knee boots. So far, so good. She spikes the whole look with a statement gemstone necklace in peacock blue and orange – a surprising combination that makes you think about it for a moment. The blue harmonizes with her jeans, while the orange echoes the cognac shade, making the surprise a stellar choice. It gives the look distinction, without being jarring. Props, girl! WWE seems to have taken a cue from our recent Favorite Black Dress Revisited post: they've released their own throwback gallery of Rosa photos. It's a fun little trip down memory lane, running all the way back to her debut as a stalker-caliber fan of The Glamazon. WWE has used that scenario before, but it was different enough when Rosa employed it to feel fresh and engaging. From there, she went to successfully manage several wrestlers, while making the most of sporadic in-ring opportunities. SHe also had a brief stint with a "workout fanatic" gimmick. Although she entered the WWE scene as a highlighted brunette, she really caught my attention when she first dyed her hair dark. I'll never forget the first photo I saw of her with it; it was stunning! I remember thinking that she ought to keep it that way because it was so gorgeous and for a long time, she did :). Her entry into the feud which revolved around Total Divas brought new chances to wrestle and a new hair color - remember Rosa's days as a golden blonde? One of the things I always loved about Rosa was her tremendous evolution in ring gear. Her early pieces were forgettable exercises in metallic two-pieces with silly skirts. Through the years though, she began to innovate and experiment more. First came a series of looks which paired sheer insets with rose appliquees. In late 2013, she went to a bustier+shorts combo, done with fur accents, latex, leather - a kind of glam-luxe sultry diva iteration that evolved into her best work: romantic, sensual combinations that left me craving more. There were pieces done in white with black lace, all-over hydrangea blue lace with braided gold accents and cobalt metallic lace-up tops with gold lace accents. Next up was a foray into bodysuits, including this metallic gold one with lace embellishments at the hips -reminiscent of a polonaise dress - that she wore at Wrestlemania 30. These earned points for being unique but still had a few kinks to work out. She closed out her in-ring time with a metamorphosis of the bustier into a sheer-accented halter, often dotted with sequins, another stellar variation. Her next fashion era was as a manager again, where we saw explore a variety of magnificent dance-inspired pieces as Fandango's partner. Over time, Rosa really found her style voice. We watched her grow from tentative derivation to bold, exotic beauty with a big dose of temptation heaped on for good measure. That carried over to her street and 'shoot fashion as well. Her early looks had an urban vibe that was competent, but somewhat common. As time went by, she ramped up the glamour and the fierceness, giving us saturated colors, sequined bodycon dresses and leather shorts paired with striped tees, all of them finished with killer heels - the girl became quite a shoe maven, bless her! :) I always get a thrill from watching this growth happen with the divas and looking back on it through these photos is sweetly nostalgic!
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Welcome to the place where wrestling & fashion join hands. Inspiration. Reviews. Musings. Retros. FASHION. Covering and craving gear to gowns since 2011. May the Fierce be with you! ;) Peace & Glitter!
AuthorBrie: shoe-lover :) fashion-lover and generally glamorous semi-dork Archives
July 2019
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