FashionHap: Catchups - Early Oct '16

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.

Remember that time I got all excited about Maryse wearing a velvet maxi skirt that turned out to actually be a blanket? This is the event she was wearing that non-skirt for: a Mushroomhead concert she added with Barbie Blank and the Miz, for whom the tickets were a gift. Maryse’s true fashion choices for the night were leggings, a band tee, a cute cropped leather jacket and wedge high-top sneakers. I love the way she added  punch to this super-casual outfit by going with a chic, loose bun. That, along with her fun sneakers bring a nice edge of style to a look that’s otherwise pretty ordinary. That is how you work it, girls! :) Barbie also used a band tee, but she paired her with ripped denim and peeptoe booties, plus added a pop of color with a red plaid shirt tied at her waist. Even though she used slightly different elements, Barbie’s look, like Maryse’s, has just the right amount of fierce, trendy pop (shoes and plaid) to give panache to this casual combo.
It’s been awhile since we’ve gotten much of a peek at Rosa’s style, but she’s been helping us out with that by posting some OOTD’s. The first is a simple pairing of a black tee with blue denim, topped with a burgundy leather jacket and burgundy suede OTKs. The pieces are excellent in and of themselves and they come together nicely, just slightly unremarkably. This is solid style, without that pop that takes it into the rave-worthy category. She gets there on her next look, though, a stunning navy lace dress (from Self Portrait), with just right amount of froth and frill. I just LOVE this piece: the artistry, the femininity – it’s gorgeous! The sweetness of the lace is balanced by the chic deep navy and Rosa lightened the look slightly by pairing with nude lace-up heels (by Valentino), which match the lining of the dress. This look is flawless!
Then, there is white sequined dress from Madison. I love how, other then the sequins, it’s a very simple sheath, with a mockneck being it’s only major (and on-trend!) detail. That kind of minimalism makes a wonderful counterpoint to the dramatic statement of the shine. And Madison doesn’t fall for the trap of competing with that perfect balance via her footwear; she chose whisper-subtle nude strappy sandals to finish the look.
Our final dress of this set is from Maria, a little black number worn to the SEEM leadership conference at Johnson & Wales University. Her instinct to ground this floaty piece with structured shoes was spot on: black tights and to-the-knee boots completed the look. I have to say, it’s not one of my favorites overall from Maria, especially considering the event. This playful, youthful dress (especially with the bright pink sunglasses as accessories) doesn’t give off a vibe of confident leadership, even with her chic pearls. I would have saved this for more casual occasions and gone with something more polished here: a knee-length or midi pencil skirt, a simple sheath, even suit pants with a pretty blouse. Then again, Maria always bounces right back from any debatable fashion moments and she has some fab ones coming up, so don’t despair, Maria-worshipers :)