FashionHap: Catch-ups - Total Divas Promo

As is usual for Total Divas-returns-time, the ladies got a promo 'shoot to highlight it. Usually these are stocked full of amazing fashion, but I confess to being a bit underwhelmed by this season's choices. Eva Marie's look paired a sheer-inset bodysuit with OTKs, a hot, but somewhat expected look. My favorite part of this is the au courant twist of the bomber jacket topper, as it brings a new dimension to a pairing we've seen explored fairly often. Maryse's dress is a silver metallic sheath with a fabulous square neck and some ruched details It's precisely the kind of piece we'd have seen her do in her Million Dollar Couple days, with added heapings of crystal. Here it's pretty and successful..I was just hoping for mind-blowing. The closest we get to that are her incroyable strappy heels, which are simply everything and which I need to see again. Need. Naomi's silver skirt is a standout piece and a 'shoot highlight, hitting just the right trend note. I'd have liked to see the styling tweaked a touch. First, a blacktop would have grounded it better and let the skirt have the deserved spotlight. Second, I wish the skirt had been rotated slightly to show a touch less leg, switching the focus more to the stylishness and a little less to the sexiness. This was so close to being killer that just...:'( shucks. Nikki's flowing, wide-banded top is similar - the piece itself is amazing: dramatic, unusual, and envelope-pushing. But the bikini briefs? Nah, girlie. Black leggings and peeptoe booties? Yes, please. Ditto with Brie's look. The graphic tank works perfectly and if it were paired with a tulle-embellished skirt, I'd be all over it as the best look of the 'shoot. Instead, we a get a tulle wrap over the (two-for-one special?) bikini briefs. I get that sex sells, but sometimes we want to buy something else. As with Maryse's look, Brie's is redeemed a good deal by those fantastic heels. Those are fab and def need to come to play in future! Natalya's print dress buddies up with Maryse's look in impression: it's fun, it's chic, it works. But it's nice-age more than slay-age. She gets props for her pose, though - hers is one of the best in the line-up: powerful, confident and flirty all at once. Paige's black bodysuit aired with leather OTKs suffers from the same redundancy as Eva Marie's look, without the redeeming bomber jacket. I think I could get into this look if she'd tossed a black trench over her shoulders. And no, I am not going to exit stage left without remarking on how killer those boots are. Those are HAWT in every possible way. Like so many other pieces in this 'shoot, I hope to see them again, perhaps restyled with blue denim, a lace-up top and a biker jacket. Despite having a vaguely superhero-esque feel, Lana's metallic-wrapped bodysuit succeeds among the best of the looks here. It ties nicely together, it has a degree of unexpectedness, it shows enough but not too much and it has a hint of risk-taking to hold our attention. Her favorite lace-up style pumps complete the look with fashion awareness.

Renee's outfit is the one that manages to rock my world most out of all these. The bold modernity of her bandeau, paired with a midi skirt hits just the right blend of style and skin. The ruffles of her skirt add movement and a nice contrast of frill to the minimalism, while the ripped detail becomes an edgy, envelope-pushing moment that really makes this look. It hints at torn-and-distressed styling, without crossing into vulgarity. It dances with drama, without being over-the-top. Her simple strappy sandals and bold choker pull the ensemble together flawlessly. Well done!
As a caveat, I have a feeling that many, if not all, of the ladies were styled for this 'shoot or had other opinions interrupting their own. I know from many years of following their fashion that, as a whole, they tend to be much more on point than this shoot would seem to suggest. Whether that is the case or whether it was something of a collective miss, I enjoy the fact that something different was tried and the attempt was made to break out of the ordinary and I have no doubt that they'll be back to their usual stellar ways in a heartbeat, as they're never off their game for long.
We made note of the popularity of the studded dress in our 2016 Looks Of The Year post; Lana displays the final application of the year at this red carpet event. Her styling is second only to Barbie's in my book, largely on account of these amazing strappy sandals she paired it with! Yum. They embrace the edgy glam of the dress all the way and, because the whole ensemble is grounded in black, it works brilliantly. November also saw another iteration of her trademark bustier+pencil skirt+cropped jacket suit - so basically, your bombshell version of office-wear. This sweet pale pink shade is noteworthy as a color that seems to be currently in the forefront of both Lana's closet and fashion in general.
Lastly, Maria posted this tbt photo and, since I never had the chance to talk about her wearing this look, I am seizing my opportunity. If you were a diva fan a few years back, you'll likely be familiar with this top, as it was worn by half the roster, including Nikki and Michelle and became lovingly known as "that top"..and creating a Sisterhood-Of-The-Travelling-Studded-Strappy-Top effect. Maria is, in fact, the true and actual owner of said piece, so seeing her take on it holds a particular interest. While I could live without the fishnet glove, it was very much a part of Maria's style at the time and doesn't seem like it overpowers this look. Maria paired the top with studded leggings, a bold studded belt and black leather embellished (with..you guessed it..studs) OTKs. It sounds like it should be way over the top, but it wasn't. A monochrome palette holds it all together and Maria has the flair to carry it off, especially during that era of flamboyant flash in fashion. You can get a better gander at the whole look here. Enjoy :)