With Halloween fast approaching, here's look back at a fun little feature we did four years ago: a somewhat tongue-in-cheek guide to becoming a Superstar or Knockout for Halloween. I had a blast doing this piece...so much so that I'll be reprising it this year. Look for that to kick off in the next week :)
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During the other many WM events Gail ran into Barbie and Alicia as well. I reviewed Barbie's look previously here. Seeing this bag though, I will add that I wish she had chosen a more interesting piece, something with color or a cleaner, edgier style instead of this bulky, tufted affair. Foxy indulged her 70's casual-glam side with this (sadly sold out) Colorblock Plisse Maxi dress from BCBG Max Azria. Her chestnut suede bag adds to the earthy-luxe vibe perfectly, while her bold gold lariat necklace brought in her usual touch of off-beat uniqueness. I'm imagining a pair of coordinating chunky-heeled wedges to finish :). Christy was in attendance as well, wearing punk-tinged faded-gray skinny denim, topped with a mod-meets-vintage dotted sheer-yoked black shirt. She completed the look with sporty black high-top sneakers and added a hint of flash with her silver necklace. The simple color palette helped to harmonize a look that spanned a number of genres. Gail's ensemble started with a micro-crystal embellished asymmetrical halter top. She balanced its wide, swingy shape with slim, black shorts and strappy lace-up sandals.
If you ever told me I was going to be loving a look with fringe and suspenders, I would have suggested you start looking for your lost mind. But here I am, loving it. And it's all due to Foxy Fierce. I can't imagine anyone else pulling off this daring look that indeed combines suspender pants with a leather vest and black suede fringed OTKs. It sounds like it can't possibly work, like it ought to be a complete hot mess. But it doesn't. And I LOVE it. It's creative, and daring. It's risk-taking that Foxy pulls off like a boss! The monochrome palette works to tie everything together and the disparate textures brings visual interest over and above the instant impact of the envelope-pushing suspender styling. This is brilliant and fierce. Reason #1846845262 why I fangirl over Foxy. Gail got to meet up with a number of her friends this spring and there was some serious fashion involved! Before we get to that, though, Eva was doing some fun fashion things, as well.
First, she's keeping her own NEM line trend-heavy with this pretty striped choker top. It melds both on-point stripes and the smoking hot, not-going-anywhere off-shoulder silhouette. I love the fresh, summery feel of the piece, which Eva enhanced by pairing it with beige denim. That color story always makes me think of sun-soaked beach promenades! In a related NEM note, the company has recently introduced active-wear! Primarily in black and white with futuristic sheer and satin-y contrasting panels, it has the same modern, confident vibe as the rest of the NEM line. So, def be sure you check that out :) Next, she received the opportunity to walk the runway for made-in-the-USA evening-wear brand Stello. The company launched its Sir Stello menswear line this spring and Eva modelled this black suit on the catwalk. Overall I really enjoy the way this piece was styled, with the wide leather corset belt (although I could have done without the dangling suspender straps) and the pants tucked in to Eva's lace-up booties. Even thought the clothes are masculine, the way they are accessorized and used highlights the feminine form and fluidity. The contrast feels surprising, without being tacky or aiming for shock value and I could 100% see this styling being used like off-runway. Gail met up with Christy and Brooke around Wrestlemania and the ladies three were looking fine! I need to just take a moment and rave over what an amazing job Brooke has done - her post-baby body is unbelievable! And this pretty ivory dress highlights every curve! I love her bold eyes and soft rose lip shade. And I reeeaaally wish I had gotten to see her shoes. Actually, that's true for all three ladies. Work on that for next time for me, huh, Lovelies? ;) j/k. I'm thrilled we got to see some fashion, any fashion, from them all actually. Christy paired a feminine and on-trend blush choker-cutout blouse with her usual dose of rocker edge via a metallic gold pencil skirt. I love how she always injects something unexpected and which feels very much "her" into a look! Gail looked classy and chic in a blakc satin dress with a gorgeous strapless silhouette and sweetheart neckline. A gold statement collar necklace ramped up her look. Is this #GirlSquadGoals or what? There are a number of snaps from Wrestlemania week and events that just didn't quite fit anywhere else, so I've collected them all here into a salad of Wrestlemania fashion - with plenty of dressing (ha ha...see what I did there? :) ...Ok, yeah...it was a bad pun...but you love me for them :)). Prob about to be the tastiest salad you've ever had, right?
If you saw this and thought "Hey - Mandy and Lana buy their boots at the same place!", well....yep I had that same though too :). Mandy reminded us that she's the Gold Standard of WWE by rounding off this white crop top and blush pencil skirt combo with metallic gold ankle booties. As with Lana's outfit, these seem like a bit too brazen a way to finish the look, at least in this material. I'd love them in beige suede, though! Then again, I could totally see this color and silhouette paired with her ring gear. So, the boots themselves = yaas, the circumstances = less yaas. Minus the boots, I like the way this look works on Mandy. It fits her trendy, sexy style, without being overblown and I like the minimalist influence of the unadorned silhouettes and fabrics. As a side note, it's quite similar to the look Maryse wore for Axxess. I wonder if the French Queen is giving Mandy some style inspiration? Hmmm :) Charlotte's cutout floral dress was her look of choice for both the Rick Flair statue unveiling and her Toys R Us meet and greet. This is a gorgeous dress, playing on the season's dark floral trend, a look that made waves in the fall and has stayed strong through the spring. The wide-ranging mix of colors in the print keeps the styling fresh and garden-y, but less starry-eyed than a light-background print. The side cutouts give an extra dash of flirty-ness, while the sheer lacy details the edge of the bodice bring an interesting extra dimension. Charlotte plays that up nicely by echoing it in her shoe choice: black ankle strap sandals with sheer fabric at the vamp. This is a wonderful summer dress than could be lightened up more with bright accessories (yellow sandals, aqua bag), as well as working its way into fall when topped with a blazer or motorcycle jacket. Stephanie also attended the Rick Flair statue reveal and, like Charlotte, chose a dress for the event. This checkerboard print isn't my favorite per se - possibly due in part to the somewhat drab sage-gray color - but I absolutely love the way the print is used on the piece to create shape. The smaller scale in the middle accentuates the waist, while the larger rint at the bottom enhances the a-line shape and adds to the hourglass visual. So, despite my lack of excitement about the pattern, I think the piece is wonderfully conceived and a fantastic choice for Stephanie. She completed the look with one of her favorite pairs of sandals, her St. Laurent Tribute sandals in black. She also gets fierce point for the super cute braided ponytail! Maryse created a fabulous layered effect by wearing her ivory capelet dress from BCBG over this sheer-printed sheath dress. I'm wild over the unique way she used these two pieces together - what a great way to get more out of your wardrobe! And the look is amazing; the extra dimension the underlayer adds to the cape dress works flawlessly and looks incredibly chic! She finishes this masterpiece with her Valentino Rockstud pumps and a neutral bag with a chain handle for a bit of extra edge. Equally appealing is the black monochrome outfit she wore for a business summit with Alicia. Maryse paired a simple v-neck peplum top with flowing wide-leg pants. Note the difference in the look they create compared to, say, a leather legging or a mini pencil skirt. The look comes off polished and professional. It's a crucial part of being a fashionista to dress appropriately for the occasion, whatever it may be and Maryse is a master at it! She finishes the look with a barely-visible pair of black embellished sandals that we'll be getting a better look at shortly *wink*. Comparable to Maryse as a fashionista is Foxy, with an equal innate grasp of the right look for an event. She, too, went with an all-black look and wide-leg pants. She topped hers with a v-neck blouse as well, but added a beautifully tailored jacket and statement necklace. My favorite part of her look is the dash of quirkiness thrown in via patent leather oxford flats. That is trademark Foxy! I love how she always throws a curveball into her fashion and never lets it get boring. Jumpsuits and risky pants seem to have reached consensus-status among the divas this fall. Cathy, along with Barbie, gave us a pair of them and handled both excellently. Her first was a navy square-neck piece with wide straps (I LOVE those for hiding bra straps!) and a subtly sexy front notch. The matte fabric of this piece keeps it slightly to the casual side, so Cathy ramped up the look by pairing it with strappy nude sandals. If you thought that was good, her next choice was even better: a stunning forest green satin piece, chosen for the Heroes Gala. First, I’m in love with this color right now – it’s luxe, elegant and looks stunning! Second, the high cross design of this piece is dramatic and sexy, especially with the little peekaboo situation just about her waist. The side buttons add just a touch of flash, which Cathy accentuated with jeweled fan earrings that make just enough of a statement. Her bright cranberry lip brings a festive touch to this fantastic look.
Carmella hopped on board the daring-pants-plus-neutrals vehicle and, as with both other ladies who have tried it, the pairing succeeds nicely. These windowpane-printed pants could get too busy in a hurry, but matched with this deep-v top and black leather jacket (I love how she got in a touch of her trademark leopard print via the collar!), they come off funky and experimentally modern. If I could swap anything, it would be her boots. I’m giving her a bye on this one because I suspect this was a rainy day (I would probably lean toward a knee-height version myself for a bit more polish), but for non-inclement weather, ankle booties with a block heel or flat OTK’s would give this pairing a little fiercer finish. We know Brandi for many of her more formal looks, but she also rocks casual style. This simple pairing of an ivory peplum sweater with black leggings and flat ankle boots has just the kind of laidback, confident femininity that’s perfect for fall…or the post-holiday winter chill ;). On a more familiar note is this blush dress, paired with nude platform pumps. Brandi is a master at picking chic classics with a twist and this piece is a #HowItsDone101. This iconic silhouette gets an update from the wrap effect and the crossed front detail, which has the added benefit of accentuating the waist and creating the hourglass shape. Her color story of mixed pale neutrals keeps this fresh and modern. Maryse also explored the wrap-look option with this Want My Look piece. (Aside: the wrap dress reflects the current 70’s trend, as that was the decade in which designer Diane von Furstenberg brought it to the forefront of fashion). This low scoop-neck silhouette pushes sexy to its limits, while Maryse adds attitude by finishing it with black suede OTKs from Sam Edelman. She brings an extra touch of attitude and drama by topping it with a metallic trench, a twisted-classic piece from Femme LA, which I love her use of! The sheen adds interest and chic to a simply sexy black monochrome look and gives it a powerful flair. Her blackberry lip brings a darker vibe to the look, which, while it might be harsh for day-time wear, works well for the drama of an evening ensemble. One amazing thing about fashion: it’s always there for you. It never lets you down. No matter what’s going on in your life, you can escape to fashion. It can be your solace when times are tough, your way to celebrate when they’re good and your personal form of expression and comfort every day in between. And, we’ve got a special treat today! After a big drought of Knockouts’ fashion, we’ve got a boatload of it to review! So, settle in and enjoy :-)
When Gail was inducted into the Knockouts’ Hall Of Fame, Christy and Taryn were on hand to congratulate her. Gail looked aaaamazing in her coral gown with its daring front slit. I love this color on her, as well as the chic simplicity of this piece. The color and hint of sex appeal bring just enough drama to the look, which she completed with gorgeous metallic gold strappy sandals. Everything about this look is spot on. The end of summer always gives me that "summertime sadness", the feeling of warm days of laughter and outdoor music drawing to a close, the last moments of a fabulous party. I try to keep reminding myself that September is a beautiful month and that there's still time for one more road trip, one more sacred space for feeling like a founding member of a rock band crossing the country in a tour bus. Christy captured that feeling - with a slightly grungy, 90's vibe - in a 'shoot we dubbed Generation KO. It's a great one to draw on for style in these bittersweet, hedonistic days. I've re-envisioned it with a bit more of a 70's vibe, but I love Christy's take on it, so we'll explore that too. The main differences in the looks involve color and simple element choices. The basic premise involves a graphic tee and denim skirt. Note on the tee: Christy left hers all hung out and that works fabulously; other options are the casual half-tuck, or knotting it. If you're feeling the 70's thing, and loving the dry, desert-heat vibe, reflect that with your colors: blue denim (faded, distressed and worn are all encouraged; stay away from whiter, brighter, 80's-feeling acid-wash pieces), deep red (tan, mustard and olive are flawless alternatives) and caramel shoes. Stay summery with gladiators or chunky-strapped wedge sandals, or go for a more transitional look with ankle boots that reflect the American West. I love the idea of adding a touch of hot-rn fringe to the on-trend denim skirt to enhance the vibe and add a touch more dimension. Besides, fringe is fun ;). If vests aren't your thing, consider a fringed purse as another possibility. If you'd rather do it Christy's way, go for cooler shades: gray, black, taupe or dusty blue with a faded black denim skirt (*this could be done with black denim shorts, too!). I happened upon this fun Eagle tee at shopbop.com which would work nicely, but any broken-in, edgy graphic you have will do: band tees, tees with attitudinal witticisms, whimsical pics, even a plain, solid tee with a bit of wear or distressing (don't hesitate to grab a cheap one and DIY some rips and tears) will do nicely. Christy finished hers with OTKs, which rocked hard! I'm a huge fan of the ankle boot look for this combo as well, especially at this time in the season. Swap out the fringe vest for a plaid tee (ps def consider adding a spiked, antiqued or hematite pendant, or a leather choker :)) and bam! - that 90's-rocker-playing-massive-festival vibe is yours to enjoy while your fame lasts ;) Hope this inspires you to rock the last sets of summer, loves!
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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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Photos used for criticism and comment under US Copyright Act Section 107.
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