WWE seems to have taken a cue from our recent Favorite Black Dress Revisited post: they've released their own throwback gallery of Rosa photos. It's a fun little trip down memory lane, running all the way back to her debut as a stalker-caliber fan of The Glamazon. WWE has used that scenario before, but it was different enough when Rosa employed it to feel fresh and engaging. From there, she went to successfully manage several wrestlers, while making the most of sporadic in-ring opportunities. SHe also had a brief stint with a "workout fanatic" gimmick. Although she entered the WWE scene as a highlighted brunette, she really caught my attention when she first dyed her hair dark. I'll never forget the first photo I saw of her with it; it was stunning! I remember thinking that she ought to keep it that way because it was so gorgeous and for a long time, she did :). Her entry into the feud which revolved around Total Divas brought new chances to wrestle and a new hair color - remember Rosa's days as a golden blonde? One of the things I always loved about Rosa was her tremendous evolution in ring gear. Her early pieces were forgettable exercises in metallic two-pieces with silly skirts. Through the years though, she began to innovate and experiment more. First came a series of looks which paired sheer insets with rose appliquees. In late 2013, she went to a bustier+shorts combo, done with fur accents, latex, leather - a kind of glam-luxe sultry diva iteration that evolved into her best work: romantic, sensual combinations that left me craving more. There were pieces done in white with black lace, all-over hydrangea blue lace with braided gold accents and cobalt metallic lace-up tops with gold lace accents. Next up was a foray into bodysuits, including this metallic gold one with lace embellishments at the hips -reminiscent of a polonaise dress - that she wore at Wrestlemania 30. These earned points for being unique but still had a few kinks to work out. She closed out her in-ring time with a metamorphosis of the bustier into a sheer-accented halter, often dotted with sequins, another stellar variation. Her next fashion era was as a manager again, where we saw explore a variety of magnificent dance-inspired pieces as Fandango's partner. Over time, Rosa really found her style voice. We watched her grow from tentative derivation to bold, exotic beauty with a big dose of temptation heaped on for good measure. That carried over to her street and 'shoot fashion as well. Her early looks had an urban vibe that was competent, but somewhat common. As time went by, she ramped up the glamour and the fierceness, giving us saturated colors, sequined bodycon dresses and leather shorts paired with striped tees, all of them finished with killer heels - the girl became quite a shoe maven, bless her! :) I always get a thrill from watching this growth happen with the divas and looking back on it through these photos is sweetly nostalgic!
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The last of this batch of Kim's hard drive excavations is a look back at one of my favorite recent photoshoots: WWE's homage to the Little Black Dress! A trip of divas posed for us in their favorite noire frock and gave us some insight as to why it inspired so much love. The snippet quotes made these snaps especially memorable and engaging because the ladies were able to communicate their thoughts via the printed word, as well as through their photos. As a devotee of classical fashion, a focus on the LBD naturally gave me great joy :). And the feeling just intensified while scrolling through the stars' choices. One over-arching standout theme for me was how authentically each dress represented each diva's sense of style. Rosa's bodycon selection was a blend of modernity, sparkle and seduction, combining a form-fitting silhouette with sheer insets and touches of crystal embellishment. The piece looked amazing on her and it was easy to tell from her sultry poses that Rosa was feeling its effect She nailed a variety of them - sitting, standing, glancing sideways, a cheeky smile, playing with her hair -all flirty, fun and hot! There's just something about putting on that perfect outfit that makes you feel like you rock the world, am I right? She finished the look with a fab pair of black leather Rockstud pumps, a favorite shoe of Rosa's...and mine! ;) There's no need to add much in the way of accessories due to the multiple fabrics and crystals in the dress and Rosa wisely left well enough alone.
Layla's fashion definitely hit high gear during her time in LayCool, and it retained that aura of fierce glamour after the duo's break-up. She showcased that theme with her favorite dress, a stud-accented sheath which mixed stud sizes and metals with impunity, creating flash and shimmer befitting a Flawless One. One of my favorite things about this dress is the to-the-knee length; it's brings polish and maturity to the look. LayCool was fond of shorter hems, which paired better with their trademark OTKs, so this longer style was a nice evolution. She accessorized with statement earrings, which could have been a bit much with all the metallic going on below, but they're rescued by her loose hair; it partially obscures them, allowing just hints of shine to show through, which works perfectly. Gold metallic pumps complete her outfit. The massive platforms were spot on for that moment in fashion; I might go with suede ankle booties or black leather pointy toe heels right now :). As with Rosa, the dress inspired Lay to take some extra risks with her poses, resulting in a bunch of unique and intriguing snaps. Natalya has a host of killer black dresses, but she chose this as her favorite and it's not hard to see why! Its cut flawlessly, kissing every curve, without ever showing too much - an especially praise-worthy feat for a piece done in a satin fabric like this, which can be terribly unforgiving if cut wrong. The sheen of the satin elevates this dress and gives it more refinement than, say, a wool or knit cotton fabric. Along with the dramatic scoop-neck, this elegant cloth creates just the right distinctive flair. I'm a huge fan of this piece because the simplicity of it will allow it to hold up well over time - even though this 'shoot was several years ago, she could pull this out today and wear it and it would look as current as it did then. The same will be true five, ten and fifteen years from now. Nattie described it as "timeless" and I heartily concur! Because it's so simple, she added slim but bold earrings and several touches of delicate jewelry which enhance the look just enough. Nude pointy-toe pumps were a perfect finish, adding a touch of edge and extending her leg line - a smart fashion choice with a longer mid-length silhouette. I also adore her hairstyle - it's a more dramatic version of the poofed half-do I was loving at this year's Rumble, so no surprises there :). Equally unsurprising is Nattie's slayage of her poses - she's competent and confident in front of the camera and with an LBD as additional inspiration, there was no stopping her! One of the WWE's first forays into doing photoshoots with a single theme, but multiple divas involved was the Diva Day Off series. The galleries gave us an insight into what the lady superstars do when they're not in the ring, or preparing for it and, rather than a lot of high fashion, we got to see a much more chill side of the gals, with lingerie, casual looks and workout gear. The series gave us peeks at Eva Marie doodling, Paige doing her nails and Charlotte shopping. Thanks to Kim's excavations, we have a pair of DDO collages to remember and get all nostalgic about: Rosa's and Alicia's. Rosa's day off was a hybrid of getting her sweat on, followed by some sexy lounging about and reading for a bit of R & R. Sounded like a fantastic day off then...and still does now! The standout part of the 'shoot for me was the stunning coral shade of her knit bodycon dress. Not only was the color gorgeous in its own right, it looked incredible on Rosa, creating a soft flush that highlighted her beauty perfectly. The sherbet shades of this section of her snaps were sweet and inviting, popping off the white sheets that served as the main backdrop and creating a peaceful, summer vibe. It was a very different look for a Rosa 'shoot - definitely unlike anything we'd seen previously from her and the whole thing came together in the most stunning way!
Like Rosa's 'shoot, Foxy's snaps showcased a side of her we hadn't seen previously: it marked the first time she made her artistic side a focal point in a photoshoot. I loved all the bright colors and crazy patterns in this set, especially with the super-simple ivory walls as the canvas for them. The plain background highlighted all the shades and prints, without ever making them seem too busy or distracting to the eye. That gave the joyous, funky vibe of the set cohesiveness and weight. Foxy paired a simple gray cropped tank with rainbow paint-splatter shorts which echoed the artistic theme of the snaps, as well as being mad fun! She added an effervescent pair of striped wedge peeptoe heels, which brought in an additional layer of color - and pattern! - which was further enhanced by the printed pillows. Foxy also broke out her glasses for us, throwing a lightheartedly studious spin into the snaps. The set succeeded fabulously, really letting Foxy's quirky, creative side shine. It is unquestionably time to start thinking about what to put together for all the fetes of this holiday season: at the office, after the office, at school, on winter break, with friends, with family - there are so many possible occasions for being festive. And a fashionista never lets a style op go to waste! ;) If you're couture brain is running a little slow from all the craziness that makes up the end of a year (and we totally hear you on that. Totally!), we've got just what you need to jumpstart your creativity. We've borrowed from the Lady Superstars (we call them Divas around here ;)), tweaked, metamorphosized and sometimes straight up stolen their concepts and collected them right here into your very own holiday inspiration lookbook. We'll start with a trio (sorry -all that end of year craziness dontcha know), but keep checking back here because this post will be updated periodically right up until Christmas...at least ;)).
*New look up: 12/24. Are you ready for a fashion blast? I can not even believe that I have so much catching up to do; would you think that there could be stuff from October I haven’t reviewed yet?! Omg. And we have all the exciting year end things this month too, lovelies. So, hang on to your stilettos because my plan is a giant, whirlwind catch-up which means tooonnnnnnnnsssss of fashion coming your way.
We’ll start it with Gail, who looks fierce and fab in this pretty pink dress, toughened up with a leather moto jacket. She gives it a trendy and casual touch with a scarf twisted at her neck and then ramps up the fierce quotient with mid-calf peeptoe booties. I love how Gail balanced the sweet, feminine of pink with strong, mature accessories. This combo feels confident and polished. She goes from strength to strength, as her next offering is this emerald green gown, chosen for this year’s SkyBall, an American Airlines fundraiser for military families at which her husband was cooking. This piece is a magnificent choice: the lattice-work details make is current and sexy, the sheer insets keep it classy and the color takes it over the top into an absolute smash! It’s an amazing shade on Gail and I hope we see her try more of it soon! Everything about this styling is flawless, including her sideswept hair. It’s so much fun seeing her completely nail a red carpet look! Pink was front and center a lot in October, as Lana reached for some during her trial of plaid. This is an unusual and vibrant variation of the classic and often mellow-colored pattern and it was a surprise to me to see it on Lana. It seems to be a sign of her more laidback tv aesthetic, also suggested by her long and loose hair style. I’m on board with the hair for sure; the jury’s still out on the plaid ;) Mandy made us look twice with this Instagram shot, which paired a sporty cropped v-neck tee, bedecked with black graphic accents, with a leather mini skirt. OTK boots completed the ensemble. There’s a lot that great about this look: the classic color combo, the athletic-meets-fierce vibe, the play on knit vs. smooth texture. Between the deep v and the super-short skirt, though, Mandy’s pushing the sexy on all fronts. It’s a bit too much for my taste; I’d tend toward choosing one or the other, as it’s very easy to get into trashtastic territory when you’re skimming so close to that line. With a knee-length skirt (and shorter boots) or a higher neck cropped top, this look would be more balanced. As ubiquitous as chokers are getting at the moment, I like Mandy’s use of it here; it helps to harmonize the look. How about this killer shot from Emma? She has been tearing it up lately during her time off for an injury, so stick around for a bunch more amazing snaps from her. In the meantime, I am loving this square-studded long-sleeved crop top paired with boy shorts –this is about as sexy as workout wear gets!! Give me studs I promise you, I will get waaaay more serious about gym time! ;) Emma’s pose is slayage overdrive. Her hair is on point. The black-on-black color palette, echoed by her dark nails, has a bring-it-on attitude that’s just flawless (and motivating!) for weights, cardio or what have you. The amazing pic is one of the first teasers of Emma’s makeover into Emmalina, an athletic vixen with a very old-school diva vibe – a blend of sex and athleticism. If this is typical of the style of girlfriend’s new persona, Emmalina’s fashion is going to eclipse Emma’s in no time. We have a bonanza’s worth of fashion to cover over the next couple of days, so hang to your fedoras, honeys! We’ve got boatloads of Bellas, and bits of so much more.
We’re kicking it off with Maria, who let out her inner Taylor Swift (did you ever think you’d see that comparison? :)) as she topped her boldly belted kabooty shorts and glittering brassiere with a sparkly bomber jacket. I still haven’t gotten over my fascination with how casually cool bombers look, even though they are literfreakinally everywhere lately and I love the sparkly girly thing of adding sequins to the look, so yes, I’m all in for this piece. I can see it restyled in SO many ways. And remember – there are those holiday things coming up soon and sparkles = yes. This first pic I ever saw of TNA’s Allie outside the ring was an Insta shot of her during that 30 second time period where she held the KO’s title. She has on a floral-printed peplum top and I was like “whoa – this is not how I usually envision Knockout’s fashion”. She has stayed true to that not-your-standard-KO path in a second peplum top and pencil skirt combo done in classic black and paired with a bevy of pearl-like beads. Her look comes off as youthful and fun and, as surprising as it is to see this kind of subtler sultriness coming from a KO, I can’t say I’m not intrigued by it. Rock on with your classy self, Allie! This momentary pit stop in Brooke-land is not so much a fashion review as this beautiful lady is in her unmentionables, but I had to register the screeching halt I came to when I saw this pic – like omg her body looks AMAZING. And this is just a few weeks after giving birth. Like, how does she *do* that? I’m speechless. She gives you some of her tips on her Instagram, so go check that out (@realbrookeadams). And also, I can’t help but thinking: if she can do this - after having a baby – than I have zero excuse for not working out. Less than zero. And we get to check in with Rosa, also with her post-baby body, also looking amazing and incredibly chic as well in this black midi-length dress. I love the texture provided by the sheer detailing and the way she kept the look simple and subtle by completing it with black peeptoe pumps. You could easily make this outfit cold-weather-appropriate by topping it with a cropped band jacket or draping a long wool dress coat over your shoulders. And now…let the Bellas begin! They covered Muscle and Fitness in September as part of their wave of promotions for the Total Bellas series on E!, which premiered on Oct. 5. The concept was simple: two hot, fit ladies donning blue and black. The execution was successful, as the twins looked just as fabulous as we would expect. They gave us two variations on the color combo. The first included boy shorts and simple sports bras, while the second paired string-accented bottoms with a squared-out silhouette top for Brie and bikini-style bottoms with a zip-front halter top for Nikki. They also switched hairstyle from refined half up-dos to loose and flowing. Strappy black sandals finished Brie’s look, while Nikki finished hers with nude peeptoe pumps. The workout gear+ heels combo may not be especially practical for actually being in the gym, but as a photoshoot styling, it is killer! This is going to be one FUUUUUN fall, fashionistas! There are a bunch of amazing themes and key pieces that are making waves in fashion this season. The overall vibe is laidback, but thoroughly stylish, with a little kick of attitude: romantic, but with a dark edge. Easygoing luxury is encouraged. Color tones are warm and restorative: jewel tones both punctuating and used as neutrals. Chunky heels are on point, as are OTK’s. Pointy toes and single soles are sticking around, but platforms are popping out of hiding too, as are other toe shapes, as designers experimented with round and square. And that’s just the beginning! Ready for more?
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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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