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...

This ‘shoot from Nikki just prior to Wrestlemania was such an amazing departure form almost anything we’ve seen her do before! I applaud the unique vibe of this set; it’s hungry, gritty, dirty…and yet, unlike other divas’ we’ve seen explore this type of setting, she still manages to interject a shot of high fashion into her styling. It creates this wonderful cataclysm of slick polish and grimy, relentless effort. The lighting in this shoot ranges through various shades of red, blue and lilac and is completely gorgeous! I’m especially a fan of the lilac shade – it gives a super cool electric, neon energy and beauty to the shots.
Her first look might be my favorite – although it’s got some stiff competition! :) She pairs an artfully ripped and knotted lace-up tank in a light heather gray with charcoal knit shorts. The gray shades work brilliantly with the lavender light, and convey the steely, focused vibe of the ‘shoot perfectly. She throws us the first of her couture curveballs at the finish, though, by completing this look with heeled ankle booties. I love the textured leather and the sheen, as well as how she connects them back to the vibe of her outfit with striped socks! She also get Fierce points for the practical but powerful braids that make her look like a warrior princess!
Next up is a striped brassiere set beneath a torn mesh tee. I find the latter piece distracting, which is unfortunate because I love the look of the brassiere! I might have gone with simpler cat-scratch style tears to for a less complex visual, even though it would have hidden the brassiere more. I’m wild over her safety-pinned shorts, though! Done in her trademark red, they convey intensity and a Rocky-like determination to rise and succeed, in spite of worn-to-shreds gear. Her military-style boots accentuate this vibe flawlessly, adding the perfect exclamation point to this outfit.
Her next offering is a bodysuit, again in her signature shade of flame. I’m borderline on the cut of the front, but from there on, I’m all in! The open-cut back is so hot! And her suede, hardware-embellished booties? Yes, please! She adds even more edge and attitude with a wide, black leather choker. I'm intrigued by her use of the body harness - leaving it open adds movement and softens the overall effect in an interesting way. I would have been interested to see how it compared if done in black instead of natural. Her poses in this section are A+, adding a driving artistry and insistent fashion industry vibe to the basement-gym theme.
Her last outfit expands on that theme. The monochrome look combines a bodycon romper with lace-up detailing at the sides and over-the-knee boots. The minimalist pairing gets shot of fierceness from its incorporation of an ultra-wide waist belt, a theme which a number of designers explored this spring. The unusual setting and props (how many times do we get to see divas play around on a pair of rings?!) let her push some boundaries in terms of poses, which works incredibly well.
The 'shoot is cohesive, despite its four separate looks. The theme is clear and communicated fantastically well, melding sport, sultriness and style in a surprising and alluring way. Brava.

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.

A number of Divas came out to Wrestlecon this year, with the result that we got to see some fantastic fashion! Barbie was fierce and trendy in her black monochrome look, which paired a lace bodysuit from Gooseberry Intimates with black skinny jeans (x J Brand) and simple but sexy ankle strap sandals. A slim gold choker added just a hint of shine to her look. My favorite part, though? Her hot pink fold-over clutch from YSL! I love the way that shock of color enlivens this all-black outfit. Noelle also wore black, choosing a plain, short-sleeved bodycon LBD. Her sneakers gave the piece a fun grunge/90's twist, while also being comfortable for a day-long affair like Wrestlecon. The informal feel of this dress, due to the rib knit and minimalist silhouette, lends itself perfectly to this kind of laidback combination.  Like Barbie, Michelle went the bodysuit route. Her pick was an olive-beige version with super high-cut thighs, which showed above her lower waisted jeans, creating the effect of a cut-out. It also incorporated a lace-up detail at the sides. This look isn't my favorite of Michelle's- it's a tad blander than her usual laidback street-glam style; I'm missing a studded belt or a pile of crystal bangles. We don't get to see her shoes choice (sad face), but based on what I know of Michelle, I'd place good money on OTKs or fierce ankle booties. If you feel like you got left short of your glam fix, Maria's look should fix that for you. Her all-over sequined ivory gown was nothin' but glam! The deep-v silhouette brought plenty of sexiness too. Her long, loose curls look amazing! She chose to keep the outfit monochrome by finishing it with ivory platform heels. I feel like you have to be careful with platforms right now because they're a little of fashion's radar and they can feel somewhat passé, depending on how you pair them. This bold, but simple dress takes a lot of its vibe from the shoes, so I'd rather have seen Maria go with a pointy single-soled pump here, whether in ivory or nude. On a complete 180 spin from Maria's fancy styling is Nikki's dramatic, sporty look from the day after Wrestlecon. She paired black track pants with side stripes in her trademark white and red with a sheer tank that showed her brassiere. While I wouldn't suggest recreating this combo in non-Diva life, Nikki rocks the h**l out of it. Her red backwards baseball cap adds a bit more color and attitude and her wide choker punctuates the styling with tough, fearless trendiness.

The Lady Superstars took a varied approach to International Media Day, with style ranging from casual fierce to semi-formal. Nikki falls into the first category with this combination of a sequined navy bomber and leather pull-on shorts. I love the way she used the jacket as a top and zipped it to just the right height to show enough..but not too much. Also, I nearly always love me some sequins - especially when contrasted with less formal elements as Nikki does here. Suede OTKs finish off the styling. A much as I love OTKs, I can't help thinking that, viewed via this angle, I'd like to see how playing up the sporty vibe with sneakers instead would have worked out. Becky's look is straightforward: classic white tee, paired with black skinny jeans.. She adds a nice - an unexpected- dash of polish with a black suiting blazer and I love that she chose to go in that direction, instead of the more common classic leather jacket. Black high-top sneakers round off her look.  Emma and Charlotte went a bit more formal with their outfits. Emma wore a jaw-dropping black dress embellished with grommet details that made a sexy, peekaboo pattern. I love the way this piece combines a daring, grungy attitude with a classic silhouette...and looks wicked cool in the bargain! This fantastic choice of Emma's is definitely a highlight for me. I wish we'd gotten to see her shoes, but I'm voting for black lace-up sandals. I'm a huge fan of Charlotte's look as well. This black romper melded trendy and feminine. The material is polished, but still flows so that it kisses her curves, which is a flawless look for her. The lace details at the shoulders break up the black and add subtle, but important visual interest. Charlotte completed the look with nude pointy toe pumps. No surprises on that choice, as they have been a fave of hers the last few months, but they complete this look in just the right way - with polish and fierceness!

WWE has put together a gallery showcasing every lady champion that ever was, including all the various iterations of the belt(s). It's a fun look back to the past, highlighting some of the division's pioneers - The Fabulous Moolah, Alundra Blayze - as well as more recent ladies who paved the way for today's champions. From a fashion perspective, the gallery comes off like a style retrospective of ring gear through the years. The romper/unitards topped by jackets worn by Moolah and Mae Young gave way to the more athletic stylings of Alundra Blayze and her famous mock-neck top and leggings combo. Jacqueline's ring fashion took that sporty vibe as a starting point, but metamorphosized into a much sexier iteration, a concept that Sable pushed to new heights. Check out her latex catsuit with its thigh-high and beyond lace-up detail: it's spot on-trend for today! And just as smoking hot as it was then. Of course, it's hard to imagine an outfit that wouldn't be smoking with Sable in it ;).

Lita eschewed the traditional bombshell aesthetic in her gear, which was composed of straight-up street fashion: cargos, cropped tops, slogan tees. It was hot as h**l, but in a down-to-earth way that made it both appealing and accessible to WWE fashion fans of the era. In addition to her tremendous wrestling ability, Lita made fashion important to wrestling, while appearing to not especially care about it. Trish Stratus' looks had a similar point of inspiration, but incorporated a girl-next-door vibe that separated her from Lita's disaffected street urchin toughness. Molly Holly's looks were even more demure, focusing primarily on the athletic requirements of her pieces, spiced up with a bit of shine and an occasional foray into pretty, feminine colors: sherbet pinks and bright turquoises. There was a sweetness to her style which set her apart from many of the other ladies of the era.

Complexity entered ring gear with the advent of Mickie James' and Melina's reigns. Unique designs, gorgeous colors and bespoke details - the full palette of fashion seemed to collide with the concept of wrestling-wear. Mickie's crop top+pants combo became an instantaneous trademark, along with the luscious colors she gravitated to. Melina's looks were more dramatic - think one-person Cirque du Soleil :). Thigh cutouts, sheer insets,knee-high fur boots, patterns and metallics all caromed together to create her memorable looks. Beth Phoenix's superhero-esque metallic jumpsuits also arrived on the scene. Each of the ladies developed distinctive silhouettes or styles that set them apart. Michelle McCool used her various changes to mark separate eras in her character, not unlike the Undertaker has. The sweet and simple early pieces of her personal-trainer/schoolteacher gimmicks evolved into the cross-embellished halter top+lace-up leggings combination of her Faithful face era. I didn't appreciate at the time just how spectacular this particular gear is with the all-over crystals! I find the camo a bit busy (maybe that's why I missed the crystals ;)), but the jewel-work is spectacular. This snap was not widely released at the time, but it was used in promotions and, back in the day, Michelle cited it as one of her favorites so it's awesome to have a high quality version of it out and about! She exhcanged this style for the dark glamour of her heel turn, which included mostly dark fabrics embellished with crystal and studs. And that was succeeded by the Flawless Era which attained Fame-era Gaga-esque heights of fierceness. Layla came along for that ride and it brought her already-competent looks into truly amazing territory, something she maintained even after Michelle's departure. A few other ladies, including Natalya and Beth, took on the concept of metamorphosis-concurrent-with-persona - which led to the era which matched LayCool in fierceness: the maven-vixen Divas of Destruction, who ruled the ring in leather and spikes, softened with pin-up girl details like lace and bows. Barbie (Kelly) chose to stay with her hallmark push-up bra top and kabooty shorts from its inception until her retirement. And no surprise - it's hard to imagine it being improved on. This yellow-topped one was always one of my faves! (I'm sure you're shocked). Eve also carried the same chevron-waisted silhouette forward throughout her career, along she varied the sweetheart neckline extensively. Her gear was known for the myriad of stunning colors she employed: emerald green, bright melon, pale lilac, all embellished with hints of crystal, studs or sheers. Ditto Maryse, who explored variant after variant her keyhole-top+shorts combo with the most delicious, intriguing, luxurious combinations of color, embellishment, fabric and pattern. Nikki and Brie Bella were always closely in touch with the fashion world and they brought its influence even more closely into gear, breaking free of the idea of waiting for a persona change to update their ring-wear and using it as a way to freshen and reinvigorate their characters. Their looks run an unprecedented gamut from flamenco-inspired ruffled pieces to plunge-front catsuits to Britney Spears-influenced banded top+shorts combos that paired glam with a pop influence to the grunge-plaid era to today's sporty looks - which in a spine-tingling synchronatic way, brings ring gear full circle - back to its athletic beginnings.

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.

There's been a definite injection of country-girl style into WWE since the return of Mickie James! She shows it off here as she pairs a pretty swing top, accented with sequins, with classic blue jeans and - what else? :) - cowboy boots! I love the softness of her top - the combination of floaty -ness and sparkle is delicate and playful. Mickie's choice of light blue denim complements it perfectly, keeping the whole look light, right down to those daring embellished boots. There's a lot going on here, but the soft, simple palette pulls it all together.
Renee showcases a magnificent tuxedo blazer in this look from late January. This piece is classic and versatile because of its fit and colors, while the tuxedo lapel and black buttons are just the right touches to make it distinctive. She  paired it with leather leggings, which add a fab tough vibe and a graphic tee - the only part of the look I'm sort of meh about. I love graphic tee for the casual urban cool it brings to an outfit but here, it feels just a smidgeon too casual. A plain tee (I'm thinking red to show off those lapels ;)) would have a similar effect, while harmonizing a bit more. She gets serious props for the smoky eye, though - I love the way they bring out the boldness and attitude in this outfit!

WWE really outdid itself for Valentine's Day this year! They went in a wonderful direction last year with their hazy, romantic Love Dreams 'shoot, but for 2017, they took that whole idea even further. The set was a magnificent old mansion - The Annesdale in Memphis - an 1850 Italianate-style building with a spiral staircase, gilded mirrors and antique furniture. It had a vintage, vaguely Gatsby-esque feel, with a tiny hint of Wonderland thrown in. The set was literally AMAZING and, as you might expect, it brought forth some fantastic work from the Divas who participated!
Nikki's lace-embellished charmeuse gown had a distinctly lingerie-esque feel to it, a variation on the slip-dress trend which fit the vibe of this 'shoot flawlessly. The piece is sultry, but its incidental to the beauty and artistry - which I like! While I'd want a coat (at least! ;)) over it for real-world usage, in a photoshoot,it conveys Old World romance, with a dash of modern coquettishness. She added hints of her trademark red with a delicate choker and fur-topped red strappy sandals. The mauve-blush-taupe shades of her make-up add a lovely, dreamy softness to the look. And then, there are her poses :). A 'shoot like this is just tailor-made for Nikki and she worked every ounce of it! From creating sensual angles in the mirror to draping herself across the staircase, she smashed Every. Single. Pose, melding opulence and seduction in a stunningly beautiful way. Without a doubt, though, the one that took my heart was of her doing up the buckles of her stilettos. That was EVERYthing...more than everything! It's beyond words.
Alexa ditches her ponytails and leather jackets for a gorgeous lace top and ballerina-like blush tulle skirt. I'm totally down for the switch up: Blissy rocks this style just as well as her more trademark looks. The only thing I'm not 100% on is her wide waist belt. Usually, I love them, but there's been a recent trend toward including pieces which have what amounts to statement details and they can sometimes give an awkward vibe to a look. In this case, I think the belt could have been jettisoned and the top blousonned and it would have worked as well or better. She finishes things off with a touch of sparkle via strappy platform sandals. She echoes that glitter with subtly frosted make-up in barely-there shades and the effect is magnificent. As tough and athletic as she is, there is a delicacy to her features which lends them to these shades and finishes and makes the look magical! She also doesn't push for vixen-like poses, but intelligently, goes for more playful girl-next-door looks, which suit her perfectly. In this setting, with the ethereal light and elegant furniture, she gives the impression of a sprite-goddess come down to earth to tease the mortals for awhile. Lovely work!