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...
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Emma explored some casual looks before returning to fierceness during her Emmalina era. She and Renee did a twinsies look, pairing distressed blue denim with an Elton John baseball tee. Both ladies completed the look with boots. While I love the classic color combo and the laidback vibe, both of these feel just a bit bland to me. I'd have loved to see a spicy detail - fiercer boots, a half-tucked shirt and a statement belt...just a touch of something. Emma does essentially that in her next outfit, pairing a "love" tee with distressed denim and lace-up booties. I love the extra punch the shoe choice adds! Peyton Royce (at right) stayed simple and minimal with a cropped white tank and skinny denim. Boots finish off her unexciting look. Billie Kay (at left) got more creative with a tied white shirt topping worn denim. She went for strappy sandals as an exclamation point, along with a slim metal collar. Her look is casual, but polished and interesting, primarily due to her unique choice of top and just-right combo of uncomplicated but trendy pieces.
Emma was back to the bikinis in this leaf-print halter two-piece from Show Me Your Mumu. The scale of this print is excellent for her - not too massive and overwhelming, but still bold. The peach-cobalt-mint-emerald color combo is super pretty and fun. The verdant setting really makes it pop, too! Among my favorite shots from the Emmalina era is this next one: a wedgewood blue v-neck bodysuit, paired with the same lace-up booties Emma rocked during her night out with Billie and Peyton. She gets huge props for her dark, smoldering make-up that makes this gorgeous, bright summer scene come alive with fierce, sensual energy. Denim shorts could be added to this look for casual styling, while a sheer maxi skirt would work as a fashion-forward alternative, depending on the event. If said event was such that a sheer-over-bodysuit approach would be frowned upon, a pleated mini skirt would be super cute and bring movement and volume to this sleek bodycon piece. 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. 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! When Renee wore this look, the pairing caught my eye, even though I felt that the graphic tee was a shade too laidback to pair with a formal tuxedo blazer. My immediate remedy for that was to envision going with a basic, non-graphic tee instead. If you own a tuxedo blazer, that is one avenue you should totally explore! If you don't own a tuxedo blazer, nbd. If you own one and don't feel like wearing it, also nbd. The non-tuxedo blazer lends itself nicely to this look. Caveat: skip the bombers, moto and biker jackets, cute super-cropped styles and similar blazer-dodges here. Go for the real McCoy - a straight-up, unapologetic suiting blazer. You need the polish and unexpected formality here - it's what creates the distinctive punch in this look. Don't be afraid to give a double-breasted version a try - this is a perfect look to show its powerful vibe. Color thoughts: if your graphic tee is predominantly neutral, like this one, go for a splash of color in your blazer if that suits your mood. This plum shade is kind of amazing, eh? I'm loving the dusty complement of a pinch of olive with it too! If your tee has a variety of color - or you've placed a moratorium on color for some undetermined length of time :) - stick with a neutral topper. Also, feel free to skip the graphics altogether. It's all good. Pair your chosen tee and blazer with slim-straight or skinny jeans. Finish the look with ankle booties that are tall enough to tuck your jeans into; mid-calf booties are just right, but any shaft height that clears your ankle bone by 2-3 inches will do nicely. Heels: not necessary, but perfectly acceptable :). The feel of this look is casual cool-girl - think off-duty actress running out for coffee. Or you :) Happy styling, loves!
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! So..um...yes...it is totally ridic to be reviewing a holiday 'shoot in February and I have nothing to plead for myself but lack of time and rather challenging collages. I'm trying to make this seem appropriate to post by doing so on a day when it is snowing around me, but that probably isn't going to help my cause in the sunny elsewheres. Sorries? *apologetic hopeful smile (while making self appear small and ingratiating)*
First, a note on the background: the painted scene was simple, but well done and really worked well! I love the effect of that, especially with the glitter faux snow some of the divas were tossing about. I could have done without the cotton batting-type snow on the artificial pines though. That looked awkward and not especially artistic or tasteful, which is a shame because there are so many amazing options for creating a snowy effect these days, including artificial pine that is already snow-covered. Or spray snow and spray glitter. Or frosted pine cones and branches. (I worked in flower shop during college, so I got to play with all that stuff :)) So here's the take-home, Big Dub: do it right, or do without. Either is good, but the half-cheeked thing...meh. Moving on from there, let's talk about Alexa! Her white mock-neck bodycon dress gets spiced up with insets in two fabrics: sheer and lace. The effect is gorgeous: the clean, strong panelled silhouette is interspersed with touches of gauzy and frilly textures that soften and uplift it. Alexa accented it with a pile of slim silver bangles, which enhance the snowy, festive effect. Her poses are mainly standards, well-executed, but a few - like this one where she steps into the shower of "snow" are not only unusual, but so beautiful as well! They are a joy to view and make me so excited about the possibilities for her future 'shoots! Carmella's choice was a white strapless dress that jumped on that particular aspect of the side cutout trend that bares a lot of skin at the hip. The trend is a risky one in that it can go from just enough to way too much very easily. Carmella's piece gets closer to the "too much" line than I generally prefer, which is unfortunate because the classic strapless silhouette suits her. She also shows a real flair for accessorizing, going with a standout crystal statement necklace that I adore and magnificent jeweled strappy heels, which I definitely want to see again! (Maybe in my closet ;)). She does a nice job with her poses, playing with her hair and rocking some fun angles. She seems to be smiling in nearly every shot, which gets predictable, even if accidental. Possibly because of that, one of my favorite snaps in her set is the one showing her open-mouthed expression of innocent joy - it comes off as authentic and endearing and its novelty is just one more reason to love it. Despite a few uneven moments, Carmella's snaps show great promise because of slayed shots like this one! Becky is one of the few ladies to ditch the dress - I applaud her choice of a sequined romper. Its unique and fits her offbeat style...and happens to be spot on trend at the same time ;). The piece's center clasp lets the center slit create a dash of flirty-ness without revealing way too much and the sequin stripes bring a wonderful modern flash to the look. Like Alexa, Becky's accessory of choice was a stack of bangles ranging in tone from sterling to hematite. They coordinate precisely with her outfit, which could be boring in a simpler piece, but works flawlessly with this bold one! She finishes the outfit the same way she started: with a twist - green wedge sneakers instead of the expected heels. Not everyone could pull this off, but Becky makes it work with her sporty confidence. I'm also in heaven with her facials and poses - she's worked on her glare and nails it - no deadpan expression here! It's all confidence and subtle strong energy that doesn't have to be in-your-face. Glorious! Equally perfect is her over-the-shoulder laugh as she pulls the sleigh full of packages - she captures the effervescent magic and an elfin quality in the snap and it's superb! Brava! Maryse's set is just what you would expect from her -stellar in every way! Her mesh-embellished lace dress perfectly matches the snowy vibe of the 'shoot, while the scalloped edge adds a lovely touch of femininity. Unlike the other ladies, she went with gold accessories and they add an appealing hint of warmth to the 'shoot. But the real fire in the snaps comes from Maryse's sure hand with poses and facials: the soft smile, the smirk (in combination with her trademark hand gesture), the sideways glance - she moves from strength to strength. Her hair and make-up are stunning. The whole set bespeaks a thoroughly competent diva rocking the heck out of a simple 'shoot and taking it to a new level with her poise and beauty. Reason #158435168 why I adore Maryse! |
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AuthorBrie: shoe-lover :) fashion-lover and generally glamorous semi-dork Archives
July 2019
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