Diva-Fierce.com's 2017 Hall Of Fame Fashion Review - Alumni

OK...we are fiiiiiinally kicking off our reviews again and it all starts with the Hall Of Fame Fashion Review for the Alumni Divas!  We're counting up the non-roster ladies who wowed us on the red carpet, with the top prize being a whole lot of fashion love from us ;)

You all know I'm a huge fan of Michelle's style so it hurts my fashionable heart to put her in at the bottom of our review. He gown - of sorts - is actually a romper (bodysuit?) with a skirt. I love the gorgeous navy blue shade! Massive props to Michelle for going with it instead of being seduced by the more ubiquitous black. I'm also a fan of the unique neckline, which shows off her shows (SO on-trend right now!) and the beautiful, delicate lace. From there, though, the love starts to get a bit sketchy. A romper under a skirt falls into my "questionable" category, especially for a formal affair, unless it's done just right. The super-high hem of this puts it on the far edge of the "classy" box, something which isn't allayed by the past-mid-thigh-high side slits. And there are two of them- again a look which I have yet to be convinced of the sophistication of. I know Michelle was pushing for cutting-edge sexy, as she often has at formal events lately, and I give her HUGE credit for taking a big risk here. The end result is just a bit too much to walk the line. Eh. It happens :) Her pointy toe nude pumps are an excellent choice. Although they're a little underwhelming, since we've seen so many of them over the season, they're the right choice for a risky gown like this, receding behind its drama and adding subtlety. Her sleek, but bouncy high ponytail works really well also - it's polished but not stiff.
Maria Menounos comes in next with this textured metallic set. The simplicity of this outfit appeals to me greatly and it gets a nice dose of extra punch from the shine in the fabric. The black edging makes the look more modern, but also adds a visual break in the look, which is a bit distracting and, through an effect of the contrasting fabric, makes the piece feel a little less formal. We don't get to see her shoes, sadly, but a super-fierce pair would give this look just the right exclamation point. I also could definitely have gotten on board for a pair of statement earrings. Maria has precisely the right instincts in adding formality with a fancy up-do. We've seen a lot of coords over the past few seasons, but this is a pretty and appropriate take on one!
Eve lands third with this lovely high-low gown in mystical shade of deep cornflower. This is the way to do high-low! In addition to the color, this dress has several other fantastic elements: the elegant satin fabric of the skirt and the lace bodice - where the nude lining helps create contrast. Eve's half up-do complements it perfectly; it carries the right dose of formality, but with a long-tressed dash of sexy. The only thing that holds this fabulous look back is her shoes - she looks to have finished the styling off with simple nude pumps. They're a solid choice, but safer than I'd ideally love to see. A sexy ankle strap sandal or a soft, but fierce lace-up pump would have brought a bolder, but still feminine punctuation.
Barbie lands the runner-up spot with a gown that had plenty of punctuation: a dramatic all-over glittered confection with a roaring 20's-meets-modern vibe. The halter front swoops into a breathtaking low-back silhouette, making this piece an attention-getter whether Barbie is coming or going :). Although we don't get to see her shoes due to the length of the dress (and serious props to girlfriend for navigating in that and not falling on her face - a gown that long is a health hazard! (Been there. Survived. ...Barely)., I'm going to go ahead and assume that she paired it with the nude ankle straps she had with her for the rest of the festivities (or basically anything but the clear heeled sandals that she's also been a fan of lately :)). Her sleek low ponytail wins major love from me for not being the stark center-part we've seen her loving for a good bit of the season. I love the way it lets the dress take center stage, although if I had my druthers, I'd have been ecstatic with a a simple up-do to suit the glamorous formality of the gown.

I debated for quite awhile between dueling killer looks from Barbie and Beth. In the end, the hairstyles became the deciding factor for me. Beth's intricate, artful half up-do was absolutely stunning! It was the unquestionable highlight of her look, and the perfect way to add formality to this simple, banded peplum gown, done in a divine shade of palest blush, with a pearlescent finish. I was super excited to see Beth do color, as she often favored black for red carpets. With her blonde hair, this whispery pink made her look like an angel - even though we know she's very capable of kicking diva butt, with or without wings! The peplum+mermaid silhouette highlighted her curves flawlessly  and gave the piece a wonderful Golden-Age vibe. Delicate touches of diamonds are her throat and wrist added a hint of sparkle. She utterly slayed this chic gown...and her entire look...and us!  Congratulations to Beth on her Hall Of Fame Induction and on snagging another, far more important (ok, not really...but still :)) honor: the top spot on our 2017 Alumni Hall Of Fame Review!