One tricky aspect of wearing the super-casual throw-and-go looks that tend to define a significant portion of summer dressing is that they need a pinch of je ne se quoi, elan, an exclamation point, something that anchors the look firmly in the "style" category, rather than the "something I just threw on" file. The lack thereof was what my praise got hung up on with this warm-weather look from Lana, so I've re-imagined a trio of iterations of this straightforward combo with a pinch more intentional panache. The canvas for the look is pretty clear: tee+shorts. So, basically, it's a check your drawers/closet/armoire kind of thing. Go with a cropped tee if you're feeling it, a boxy version with a feminine detail - like this flutter-sleeved piece - or a simple, curve-kissing knit. Cut-off denim, a la Lana, works on the bottom, but you can also make a more polished statement via chinos or a specifically summery fabric (think seersucker, linen, gingham). Non-shorts-friendly environment? No problem! Full-length denim or chinos lend themselves to these looks quite nicely. Classic color stories like all black or all white are perpetually fab, but also consider au courant shades of blush (the newest neutral! ;)), nude and olive in your mix. Once you have your canvas chosen, it's all about the spark. With such a simple background, you can be a little extra daring! Do you love the toughness of camo or wild-at-heart leopard but shy away from wearing it ordinarily? Go for it here, via a belt or bag (or even sneakers ;)). Always wanted to try pairing red and pink? Add a touch to blush - the risky color combo will be tempered by earth-toned or denim shorts. Other edgy color choices include lemon, canteloupe, and kelly. Try some 80's-tinged candy-hued combos with bright turquoise or lavender. Alternatively, toughen the girly pink up with some studs. Black monochrome lends itself to just about anything (camo = yep, leopard = yep, red=yep, studs=yep). Then again, how about getting some mileage out of one of the myriad of scarves you've collected over the years and only occasionally manage to wear? Knot it at your waist (or do a big, bold couture-esque bow :)). Alternatively, I love the idea of tying it at your neck, but turning the knot to the back. You get the look of a choker in front, but floaty streamers trailing behind you (the effect is particularly dramatic with lengthy oblong scarves or oversize squares). Complete the laidback vibe of the look with coordinating sneakers. (Classic or casual flats - think espadrilles or ballets - are also 100% acceptable).  Happy styling, loves!

We're kicking things off with a little throwback Maryse, a one-off snippet she released in December. Seriously, though, how incredible is this shot? Her gray marble-pattern bodycon dress hugs all the right curves. Even more impressive though is her fashion-forward sleeveless trench in daring clear fabric. This looks so aamazing! It's dramatic and unique and the couture vibe totally makes my knees weak! It's so chic and fashion-forward that even the ordinary black backdrop can't downgrade it. Maryse's killer pose makes it just that much memorable! Next, we got a shot of Maryse's casually fierce side. She paired a tie-front white tank with distressed gray jeans (LOVE that color!) and insanely hot lace-up OTK flat (!) (Really) boots. This is how laidback glamour is done. Her sleek cool-girl pony is utter perfection. And for accessories? What else but oversize sunnies! Next up is a return of the emerald sequin dress she wore for NYE 2016.   This fantastic confection just happens to be Balmain x H&M. Maryse skips the wide belt and minimizes the impact of the plunge-front with a coquettish lace cami, which was a nice twist from the cami-free original styling. She pulls this somewhat more demure look off just as well as the original one. She went hard for green, accessorizing the piece with matching earrings and bracelets and looks like she's having  a blast wearing it. Sure makes me want to give emerald sequins a try :). The strong-shoulder silhouette of her next mini-dress (by Zhivago (id by fashionofthedivas)) would be at home in a Balmain collection. The piece blends a touch of 80's retro with a mod cutout-choker silhouette. The plunge-front keeps the drama highkey. I love how Maryse lightened the look u by styling the dress with delicate strappy gold sandals. Her smooth pony is polished and fits perfectly with the almost futuristic vibe. She returns to casual style with her next outfit, a combination created for movie nigh which paired distressed skinny jeans with a graphic tee. She gave the tough-urban pairing a nice twist by topping it with a statement studded floral-print jacket, which brings a dark feminine energy to the look. A jacket this fab would be an exclamation point even against a far simpler canvas While I could have done without the heaviness of her mid-calf boots, I love the stripped-down vibe of her YSL bag.

Still got more Lana-fashion for ya! This Queen's a style machine!
At Fastlane, she rocked a velvet double-breasted dress, which she paired with shimmering, futuristic OTK's. The double-breasted style can get overwhelming if it's paired with a lot of other elements, so I love this design's simplicity. The silver OTKs are edgy and probably wouldn't have been my first choice to pair with this dress, but I think Lana pulls it off. The coordinating choker helps and her audacity and confidence carry it through. That being said, I love those boots in an of themselves and would ADORE them in an editorial context. Their unflinching Space-Age beauty would be flawless in a galactic setting.
She was back to red for this next look, a lovely cranberry bodycon dress. She get props for the mid length, as well as for pairing it with one of my favorite contrasting-genre toppers: a tough leather jacket. The red and black combo works as fabulously as it always does - #IconicForAReason.  Next, she gives us two looks with this cold-shoulder choker-style top by Topshop. She makes it travel-ready in look  #1 by pairing it with flared leggings and a fur duster. I really enjoy how Lana's style is rarely boring; even when she's being practical and comfortable, she still manages to inject panache and flair into her style. This statement duster really puts the exclamation point on this monochrome look. Outfit #2 pairs the tops with printed high-waisted pants from House of CB. I love the laidback -but thoroughly chic! - vibe of this look. The print is interesting but not busy and harmonizes nicely with the simple trendiness of her top. An oversize watch finishes the look with a hint of precisely (and perfectly) chosen sophistication.

Lana had a little love affair with burgundy during the winter and spring. She kicked it off with a cropped chunky ribbed sweater from Topshop paired with leggings and Lola Shoetique velvet OTKs. This monochromatic look works nicely because of the proportion-play: the boxy top, set above the sleek leggings and boots comes off stylish and sexy. The textural combination enhances the look: wooly, nappy knit with luxe, plush velvet adds visual interest. These are two key elements of a monochrome look; because the color story is so highly edited, the fierceness has to come from other aspects of the styling. Her second turn in deep wine came in this Missguided jumpsuit. The drapey front gives me a bit of a 90's vibe but the rest of the silhouette is streamlined and totally right now. I love her addition of a black choke, which puts a cool-girl exclamation point on the look. She doubles down on that with her Adidas sneakers. I'm not sure those would for everyone, but I think Lana handles the fusion of velvet and sport nicel,y, especially with her Vuitton  knapsack thrown into the mix. I also love her candy-pink lip shade - it's gorge without being distracting or trying to take precedence in the look. Last in the line-up of burgundy is this amaaaazing faux fur coat that Lana styled over a cutout bodysuit, paired with lace-up heels. This whole outfit is ravishing! (Guess she's not called the "Ravishing Russian" for nothin' :)). It's seductive and glamorous and modern all at once, especially due to Lana's fabulous pose in front of the open car door! Oggh...I'm slayed. Can we have a whole 'shoot like this? I am willing to beg, if it will make a difference ;).

First, I apologize for the extreme tardiness of this review...and I take back every griping thing I ever said about Joey Styles. Then again, he gets paid to get the pics up and I don't earn zip from this labor of love I fit in around life, animals and a real job. So, actually, I don't take back anything I said about him after all :). Second, I'm laughing at myself as I'm posting this review. You would never believe how many times I've re-done the collages because my placements keep changing as I analyze and weight the looks. This is HARD, babes! Every year, so many ladies come out here and slay and somehow I have to distill it all into some kind of order. It's cray! And it's also fun. And I'm usually hella proud of the list when I finally get done, probably because I fight so hard to make it accurate and justify each placing. As always, I feel the need to mention that I madly adore each of these divas and root for all of them to rock the ravishing red lane of fame. I love it every time they do! That being said...

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.

Divas and former divas were pulling out all the stops for WrestleMania Day. Not only did we see some great gear, we saw some great looks from participants and lookers-on alike as they arrived for the big day.
Barbie slayed a coord set comprised of a bandeau top and high-waisted pencil skirt. Snaps (which appear to be functional as well as decorative) on the latter allow the wearer to control the height of the side slit - which is a fabulous design idea. Barbie left hers high enough for drama, but without getting into questionable territory, which I approve of highly :). She finished the look with simple yet sexy black ankle strap sandals. I love the way these work here - there's some space between the hem of her skirt and the top of the ankle strap that keeps the proportion of the look just right, which is an important consideration for wearing strappy heels with midi hemlines. Her smooth, straight hair looks polished and refined. I'm a little less enthralled with her next piece, an ivory mini dress from Windsor Store. The super-high side slit takes a bit too much risk for my liking, even with the lace-up details. Her pairing of light neutrals, though, via her nude sandals, is a solid combination.
Lana's glittering, poof-shouldered a-line mini is by Sherri Hill and Lana clearly had fun twirling about in it! The strong-shoulder is spot on-trend and, along with the multi-patterned sequins, makes this one BOLD dress - not that that's surprising from Lana. I like her choice to offset the formality with boots...just maybe not glistening silver boots :). It seems like an over-the-top choice that puts this look into space alien territory for me. I'd have grounded it more with black boots, or gray suede as a second choice, and a simpler bag as well. That being said, this is Lana and she loves to be brave with her fashion, which sometimes means we get results like this. If I had to choose, I'd rather her take risks that ocassionally don't pan out than be staid...so, carry on Lana Queen!
Mandy surprised me by really dressing up for Wrestlemania Day. I'm not sure whether she had an additional event to attend, just felt like being fancy or felt that Wrestlemania was worthy of this level of formality..or all three. Either, I don't care - my surprise is a pleasant one. I love the minimalism and soft drape of this black gown. The cutouts and unusual neckline create an appealing geometry on her body, highlighting her curves without looking overblown. I would have preferred a sandal or lace-up bootie to these round toe pumps for a little extra va-voom, but I love her choice of a massive watch as her main accessory - it adds a contrasting dose of informality to her dress. Her long and loose hair is the perfect accompaniment.
I can't help but love Alexa's sheer-striped dress (from Aqua x Bloomingdales. ID by fashionofthedivas.tumblr.com). It's a perfect blend of cute and couture that completely suits her. She has an incredible knack for choosing clothes that really fit and express her personality! She sparkles it up (of course!) with a pretty crystal statement necklace that adds just the right dose of shine to the texture of her dress.

We got a very mixed bag of snaps from Axxess Day 3 - everything from full body shots to partial torsos. The latter naturally make it somewhat difficult to review per se, but being the fashion lover I am, I try to at least make a comment or two :).
Charlotte went for a classic combination of red and black, pairing a halter cropped top with stunning red wide-leg pants. She gets huge props for trying out the wide leg style and I really love how she makes it work. The key to the trend is defining the waist one way or another (which allows the pants to work their long, leggy magic). Charlotte's choice of the crop top accomplishes this perfectly. This shade of red is glorious - intense and attention getting. By doing it as the larger, bolder piece in her look , Charlotte gave it extra significance and made the whole outfit stand out.
Leave it to Alicia to slay the life out of an Axxess outift! I LOVE this look - her burgundy suede overall dress (yes - a dress with an overall top. This one is the Jameson Leather Overall Dress x For Love & Lemons via Mulaner. A few also available in black at lexandlynne.com) is super fun in and of itself, but with studs? Fierce, baby! So fierce! But Her Foxiness doesn't stop there. She adds trendiness to uniqueness and fierceness by layering an off-shoulder tank underneath it for a completely incredible casual look. This is how you make laidback be totally NOT boring! A short collar pendant necklace and a low bun complete this amazing look.
Nia went for a black monochrome outfit, which is solid throughout. She does an excellent job mixing textures for visual interest by topping a knit tee and black leggings with a leather-panelled knit waterfall jacket.  I haven't seen enough of her fashion choices to know if all black is something she gravitates to often. If that's her preference and what she enjoys, that rocks! But I do get sad when I think that a number of curvier ladies stay with black because they've been told 18 million times over that it's slimming. The way an outfit looks on the body is much more about cut, fabric and visual geometry than color. So, curvy chicks, if you love color , this is my personal plea to you: don't shy away from it! Have some fun with your palette :)
Summer kept things light with a blush tank (or tank dress) with tonal striping. A pretty ivory lace choker accented the look. One thing that I love very much about this piece is that it definitely seems to not be a coord set :). Also, the softness of the combination is gorgeous for hot weather -light neutrals always have a dewy fresh quality.

I can't believe I'm still in catch-up mode. Sigh.
I'm so sorry that Naomi's injury was serious enough to force her to have to drop the title. How insanely frustrating after all her hard work to achieve it! She managed to go out in style though, pairing a cute cap-sleeve cropped tee with her Feel The Glow leggings and black sneakers with blue and lime embellishments. This combo is casual and sporty and, once again, plays on that fab combo of teal and neon citrus that works so incredibly well. Her bright hair acts as that one extra pop of color that gives the outfit zing.
Mickie put together a classically Americana pairing of a gorgeous lace cropped top with pale denim. Naturally, she finished it with Western boots ;) One of the benefits of an unrefined, study boot like this is that it allows an outfit to be styled with super-feminine pieces, like Mickie's top, without having the look come off at all too girly. The boots provide a strong counter-balance - something to keep in mind if you adore frills, but don't want to over-do the femme vibe. If Western boots aren't your jazz, a chunky-heeled punk-tinged boot, or a  classic riding silhouette will work similarly.
Lana has been doing a good bit with this double-breasted dress style lately. The double row of buttons has a haberdasher-esque quality that brings strength and assertiveness to this simple dress. I can love this design when done as a blazer; I'm a bit more hesitant about the dress version. I don't dislike it, but it probably wouldn't be the first thing I'd reach for. Lana's variation is done is a fiery red satin, which makes it even more of a statement piece. Her slim crystal choker is a perfect way to accessorize a look like this - with subtlety. Her low bun is polished but not too prim - another winning choice!
Maryse got in on some actual nearly in-ring action in preparation for the build-up to Miz & her Wrestlemania match against John & Nikki. As usual, her selections are stellar: a cropped sequin bomber cardigan (leave it to Maryse to make a cardi look fierce! #HowItsDone101) tops leather leggings. She finished the look with plain suede OTK boots - and flat boots, no less! It's rare, but Maryse in flats does indeed happen ;), and she slays in them just as well as in heels. As if we expected anything different. #Homage
Natalya's exploration of combinations of patent leather, sheer, strapped cutouts and crystal continues with this gear. She's moved to pink for her crystals - a mouth-watering decision that I hope she gives us a few more variations of! The strapped cutout aspects of her gear remain as fabulous as ever - and she's earning serious points from me for her designs that show enough to be tantalizing as heck, without showing too much. It's a fine line to walk and Nattie is handling it perfectly. This is how a classy lady does sexy! Note-taking is encouraged ;).