We saw Lana working the short hair with this street look and I like the way the sharp, edgy cut acts as a counterpoint to the easy movement of her long cardi. She rocked the rainbow trend with a cropped top that made for a fun proportion-play when paired with her high-waisted jeans.  Even though there are a number of 80’s vibes in this look –including her white pointed booties -, it feels like a very modern moment. While sweater-ensembles can often feel very laidback, the bootie silhouette and her hair combine to give this one polish and trendy attitude. She amped that vibe up with her next outfit, a sporty striped knit sheath dress, paired with white sneakers. A red lip provided the exclamation point for this look. This styling is so easy to just throw on an yet, it looks completely pulled together. So, basically your perfect summer outfit. Toss a bomber or military jacket over your shoulders and wear now.
Laurel (aka Chelsea Green)  was looking fierce and fearless in this crimson snake-print workout set. Her dark hair complements the mood of these piece perfectly and the high pony is super-cute! Anyone else getting Rep-era Taylor Swift vibes? I can def see a character like that working for her – a little psycho, a little rebel, a little fashion queen. Yep, yep.

Barbie was looking cool and fierce in this off-shoulder cropped top! She paired it with leather leggings for a nice textural contrast that upped the fierce quotient significantly. White pointed boots provide  a sharp contrast and complete the look with a punch. It’s a perfect example of Barbie’s trademark sexy-chic style!
I am wild over Cathy’s stunning choice for the Kids’ Choice awards – this coral dress is just gorgeous! I love the glorious color, the unique shape of the strapless neckline (the higher sides and low, slow scoop), the beautiful origami-like folds and the asymmetric hemline. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the piece is the substantial faille fabric (silk perhaps?), which gives the piece drama and presence. Everything about this is stunning. I wish she had done something a touch more intricate with her hair: a messy side braid or braided headband. I like the casualness of the long and loose style, but a little extra polish would have sealed the deal. Her nude strappy sandals keep the look light for spring, which was an excellent choice. I’d have loved to see that idea repeated with her bag.
Overalls can be tricky to style in a non-farming vibe, but Brie rocks them here by layering a gray thermal underneath this unique pair. The denim piece eschews the classic square front and goes with a deep v instead which gives them a casual sophistication that works fabulously with the textured under-layer. Brie enhances the silhouette by leaving several buttons of the thermal undone, echoing the overall’s neckline. She reiterates the casually chic vibe by adding a massive silver statement necklace with handmade feel that’s perfect blend of bold, stylish and laidback. Suede mules or leather ankle booties would be my pick to round out this ensemble.

I can’t resist the buoyant spirit of this spring look from Alicia, which pairs a black tulle skirt with a multi-glittered star-embellished tank.  The dark main hue prevents the look from feeling too youthful or silly; instead, it comes off quirky and fun! With the shot’s forest backdrop and her free-spirited pose, Foxy reminds me of a modern sprite, frolicking about in her woodland home. This kind of expressive risk-taking is something I absolutely adore about her style! From there, she swings into 70’s summer style, pairing cut-off jean shorts first with a graphic tank and leather vest and then with a caramel patched and fur-trimmed one. In each case, she add interest to the mix with a colorful printed silk scarf and layers of accessories: multiple pendant necklaces, oversize sunnies, a statement ring. Her reading of the genre feels both authentic and modern at the same time – a real fashion feat!  She follows the current trend loosely, but her personal sense of artistic expression predominates and here, as elsewhere, it keeps me endlessly fascinated and appreciative. I particularly love her layering of accessories, as that aspect of the look could easily translate to other genres, from boho, to minimalist to being the twist in a classic look.

I’m going to do something a little different this year: instead of releasing the Hall Of Fame Review in one fell swoop, I’m going to keep adding a new group to the post each day. This will let me get the post up sooner ( I reeeeaaaly don’t want to be doing the HoF in June again!) and lets me devote time to each review and not feel like I’m rushing to get it all done so I can get the post up.
Every year, this is probably the most difficult review I do. There are always so many killer looks that I’m splitting hairs and weighing miniscule differences to determine who lands where on the count-up. The only choice that was easy this year was the top spot. I knew that placing immediately after going through all the looks the first time. Who earned that nod? Well, stick with me :). We kick things off with the ladies who I loved, save for one something or other.

Wrestlemania 34 featured the first - and hopefully inaugural – Battle Royal for the Lady Superstars and there was a LOT of ring gear flying around the squared circle…and out of it! Consequently, we decided to dedicate an entire post to  :) breaking it down, analyzing it and raving over it. Are you stoked yet?  We are! First, a clarification: although Nia is part of our collage here, she was not part of the Battle Royal; she won the Raw Women’s Championship later in the evening, defeating Alexa Bliss. So why is she here? Basically, we had this awesome snap of her gear to show off, so show it off we did! :)

I’m kind of in love with Carmella’s totally fierce look involving this black mini dress from Hstlr. The piece features lace-up detailing at the sides that serves to create a dramatic shape. The style also includes a hoodie, but I like Carmella’s choice to style the look without using it. The hoodie would have made the vibe much more casual and I’m head-over-heels for this exactly as is! It has that perfect blend of attitude, sportiness and fashionable edge that’s just everything. Carmella finished the look with mid-calf booties, which work just as well as OTKs for creating that powerful shot of stylish dynamism that makes a look brilliant and memorable.
Cathy’s style sensibilities cover a wide range of genres. She began January with this beautiful and feminine blue floral lace mini dress. I love the fabric of this piece so much -it’s just divine! This large, pieced lace has been super on-trend over the last few seasons, but this kind of classic material will remain a perfectly wearable statement for years. The colors – a spectrum of blues – are lovely as well and look wonderful on Cathy. If I could wish for anything, it would be that she had pulled her hair back and given the dress an uninterrupted moment. From there, she swings into casual mode, donning a pair of medium wash denim overalls. She layered a high-neck top underneath and completed the look with black pointy ankle booties. This look is another gem – casual, but with a slouchy, unstudied feel to it that slays me. She has the overalls rolled to the precisely the right height to create enviably breezy chic. I’d have been tempted to go with a messy bun here, instead of the center-parted low pony, but the latter works excellently. She then moved on to some rock n’ roll vibes with these barn red leather pants. They bring a unique and intriguing attitude to the off-shoulder black top she styled them with. Black pointy ankle booties are her go-to finisher again and they look just as fab here. It’s back to casual with this next look, a distinctly off-duty ensemble that paired a cropped black top with medium-wash blue denim for a simple canvas.  She then gives the outfit a dose of on-trend elevation via a beige car coat. She echoes its light tones with her block-heeled ankle booties, while reprising her top color via her bag. The color balance she created here appeals to me - I would tend to do the same.

I love the floral on this dress Cathy chose for a November red carpet event! The simple color combination really pops and the small scale of the floral looks delicate and has a vintage quality to it. It would have been a jazz to see her enhance that with a sweeter hair style, but I can also see her logic in playing against it with this sleek, modern central-part style. I do find it just a bit harsh in this case, as I often do, but Cathy is one of the few who can pull the look off successfully in most cases. Subtly sexy black ankle strap sandals complete her look. It’s all about the red and black again, but in a totally different way, for her next outfit, a casual combo of a white turtleneck and blue jeans, topped with a statement buffalo-plaid overcoat. The bold pattern and strong color completely makes this ensemble, giving it interest and a comfy-meets-cool vibe. I also love the textural contrast and attitude of the studded belt. It adds a secondary connotation that gives depth to the presentation. She makes a similarly successful contrast with her next look by pairing a sequined bomber with a lace cami and slim black pants. It’s a femme-glam-mod causal mash-up that I just adore, firstly because…glitter! …and secondly because of the fun juxtaposition of genres.  The sleekness of her central-parted low pony works perfectly here, grounding the outfit and keeping it form feeling at all frilly. You could easily take this look in an athleisure direction by completing it with black, white or metallic sneakers, or keep the mod-femme vibe going with a pointed flat.
Charlotte combined a delicately moody dark floral print with leather pants for her Wrestlemania Pre-Sale meet-n-greet. I love the look of the artistic print combined with the smooth, toughness of the leather, as well as the way the print colors enliven the look, keeping it dark but not drab. Her black military boots continue the theme from the pants, which works well. I feel like there’s some tiny touch missing that could give this outfit more intensity and consequence – perhaps a half-tuck or a ponytail and statement earrings – but I’m totally on board for each of the elements and the way they work together.

I love the clean-lined drama of Lana’s black and silver rendition of her gear! Even with her beauty-contestant skirt, there’s a seriousness to this color combination which, added to the engineering-inspired patterning, signals her intent to no longer be dismissed as eye-candy. The deep chevron at the front highlights her curves, adding a dose of sensuality  to the sleek design. I love the look of using knee pads to create the visual proportion of OTK boots and it works especially brilliantly here with her one-piece attire, creating a modern, trend-conscious aesthetic that’s wonderfully appealing.  This is a perfect choice and direction for Lana to grow her styling in.
In considering Michelle’s gear, I found myself torn between my “meh” feeling about camo and the fact that I’m sitting here with a chance to review brand new ring gear from the eternally flawless Mimi McFabulous (I can’t resist a throwback to the Josie Couture days – yes, some still remember ;)..shoutout to you, Josie C, wherever you are). In the end, the latter feeling triumphed. It’s all here – the faith-based crosses, the bedazzling, the trademark halter-top – with a fun, new twist: the use of the crosses as garter straps to hold her knee covers. It’s sexy in a subtle way and I’m thrilled by the creativity if the touch! Like, yaaaaas, girl! I’m also in for the white paiping: it brightens the often-dark dark camo considerably. If you’re gonna sell me on the fabric this is soooo how you do it! The only thing I miss is a pair of glittering crosses on her boots. …and a few killer poses …actually, would a whole ‘shoot be too much to ask? :D
My first impression of Barbie/Kelly’s gear was that it was a minimalist white look – which was 100% fine by me – but, upon closer inspection, the fabric has a super-cool, almost puckered texture, creating visual horizontal lines. The multitude of studs followed those, giving an edgy power to an all-over embellished design. The vibe was fresh and dewy, but with a hint of edge from the studs and I’m so here for it! What a perfect representation of the Kelly aesthetic! Like Michelle, Kelly/Barbie offered an updated version of her look. Her trademark push-up bra was back and beautiful, as we her kabooty shorts. However, we tended to see Barbie wear just-below the knee boots, sometimes with black knee covers, sometimes without. This look included knee covers in coordinating fabric but switched up the boots for of-the-moment sneakers’ sporty vibe. I’m drooling over the shimmering silver material! If the Big Dub wants to do a gear ‘shoot for this blonde bombshell too, I’m all for it.

Lita always had a grunge-y, streetwear theme to her gear that set her apart, even during the bada$$ Attitude Era..  She brought it back to life with this look, topping a pieced fishnet bodysuit with a grommet-trimmed marbled top that paid tribute to the Time’s Up movement. Her trademark cargo pants rounded out the look. I wasn’t surprised to see her thong peeking out above her pant-waist; I was surprised by the color though! Hot pink isn’t generally a shade I think of when Lita comes to mind :). I loved the unexpectedness of it, though and the bright pop in the midst of all the dark pieces. I almost wish she had let the bodysuit stand on its own though, as I think the slightly more edited styling would have given it greater impact. Black checkered sneakers brought one more pattern to the look, but were subtle enough to create an appealing texture, rather than looking overdone. I love how she stayed so true to her famous aesthetic, and totally delivered in the ring as well - seeing her pull off that moonsault again was glorious!

I’m practically still living on the high from this year’s Royal Rumble.  After the thrill of the incredible performances from the current crop of girls, there were the chills and shivers of all the returns: the Bellas! Beth! And the DoD reunion! The feeeeeeeels! Barbie! I caught my breath when Michelle ran in – I never thought I would see her wrestle again! I was back to the early days of my fandom in a heartbeat. It was 2010 and everything was flawless and filled with real talk and FIERCENESS. Omg. And Trish! And Lita slaying! And when Vickie “excuse me”d…I lost it. Like, gone. Brb. Annnddd. The Big Dub did not disappoint with this one. It took me some time to chill a smidge and savor it all. And then, there was the plethora if ring gear to examine and rave over :)…which I shall now do, in print. Are you ready to rrrrrrrruuuuuumble?
The Glamazon looked as if she last stepped out of a ring just yesterday in this black and white rendition of her trademark gear. While Beth went through a few variations of her gear (including a skirted version, several different side cutouts and an iteration or two with lace-up pants), this is the style that seems synonymous with her. I love this perfect recreation, right down to her trademark headpiece and the in-flight phoenix. The color scheme accents the cool, powerful an practical nature of the design. It has no intention of being sexy…and that’s sexy as h**l! You would be well within the boundary of smart logic to cower in fear at the entrance of the Glamazon…especially when it became apparent that her skill set was 100% intact…
Unless, of course, you are Natalya :). The Divas of Destruction sharing a hug in the center of the ring was a standout of the many special moments of this inaugural Rumble. Nattie wore a an iteration of the one-piece that has become her signature look. This one combined the striping and be-crystalled “shield” front we’ve seen previously with additional pink piping and crystals (of course ;)). Set on a latex backdrop, the look is sleek, but glamorous and , like Beth’s gear, practical, despite its fierceness and opulence. While I can’t help but have favorites among the many variations of this gear, there’s no doubt that this series represents Nattie at her absolute ring-fashion best, melding haute couture with performance wear in an unforgettable way.
Bayley really didn’t have to do much to get me to adore her gear beside wear it in yellow :) (#FavoriteColorSyndrome). That said, I’m in for her new addition of fringe on her pants. Surprising, no? True, it’s a bit crazy from a fashion standpoint, but the movement is creates is super cool and after the multitude of patterns and graphics on her previous looks, this feels cleaner and lets me appreciate the details and all that free-spirited color – which comes off effervescent and exciting now that it has chance to shine. I love the sprinkling of stars over her top and boots –it’s perfect pattern for her, on trend but also fitting for her taste and style. All of this in combination easily makes this set my current favorite of all her gear outfits!

Are you ready for more? There are always more shoes I’d love to see the ladies get to try :). So, here goes…
In addition to her insanely cool, in-ring glow, Naomi has a fantastic sense of fancy style. These Monili-beaded-strap Velvet sandals from Bruno Cuccinelli would fit in perfectly with her sophisticated-with-a-twist sensibilities. They have a wonderful play on materials, with a textural combination of glimmering micro-beads and opulent velvet that makes them quite formal. However, that’s tempered by the mountaineering-gear vibe of the strap that supports the beads, giving a very athletic and functional-looking spin to the formality of these heels. These are just made to be the crave-worthy finish to an LBD or minimalist gown.  Equally in her wheelhouse, but on the less formal side are these celestial-feeling peeptoe booties from Alexandre Birman (the Ziggy).  They get an extra touch of modernity from the tie at the top which creates a paper-bag tie look at the ankle I can totally see Naynay fiercing up acid-wash skinny jeans and a tee with these! Like Maryse, Natalya’s shoe game already sends us into ecstasies! But that doesn’t mean we can’t come up for a few fun things for her to try ;). The classic foundation of her style lends itself to pairings we don’t often see from Divas, like these gingham flats (the Side Bow Mule from No. 21). I love this brand’s modern-classic aesthetic in general and the lighthearted feminine chic of these flats in particular. The jewels at the heel add a delightful dose of extra dimension – don’t you just adore them? I can see these with a floaty summer dress or a sleek pencil skirt. In a more daring genre are these Maureen Double Band mules from Malone Souliers. Nattie is always a fan of pink and this sensual coral-tinged shade would look amazing on her! The moiré (pron: “mwah-ray”) fabric gives them a luxurious vibe that’s contrasted by the sleek silver leather bands. These heels would be provide a fabulous pop to almost any of the clean, classic looks that are Nattie’s trademark. Lastly, I couldn’t resist including a more traditional (but hardly sedate) selection – these pointed Mira Pearl pumps from Nicholas Kirkwood feature glittering textural fabric and a single pearl hung from the sole. About the only thing I can see them not working with is Natalya’s ring gear. Then again, maybe…:).