FashionHap: Darkness & Light

Wow - I did not expect a  look like this from Eva Marie! This billowy printed blouse paired with a sheen-y satin pencil skirt is a huge change from the sexy bodycon and lace-up styles she often gravitates to, but I really enjoy the polish and refinement of this look. It's sexy, but in a subtler, softer way. Her pensive gaze echoes the vibe of the outfit perfectly. She throws in a dash of inelegance by placing her hand so as to make the skirt almost look like shorts and it adds that little offbeat note that makes you really look deeper into the shot for the character created within it, in this case, the irrepressible badass tomboy peeking out from within her fancy ensemble. Wonderful snap on so many levels!
Nikki gives us a pair of fab looks, both utilizing skirts. The first pairs a white Adidas crop top with an Alice and Olivia side-slit midi pencil skirt. The look is simple, but modern, clean and sexy. She really takes it up a notch though with her Vince Camuto lace-up OTKs (the Felana)! These statement boots crank up the chic hard on this look by adding a textural element that just reeks of fierce. Well styled, Nik! Her second look is equally good: a boxy cropped top with a pleated flared skirt with a wonderful woven texture and a hint of metallic (this piece is by Devlin. Thx to fashionofthedivas.tumblr.com for the ID). What makes this look work is the high, wide waistband of the skirt: it creates a super-defined waist that necessary with the blocky shape of her tee. Along with the exaggerated flare, it creates the classic hourglass shape. With a smaller or waistband-less style, or one with less volume, this look could  get very straight and clunky in a hurry. This is a place where paying attention to silhouettes really helps! Nikki finished the look with her CL Berlinissimo caged booties for an extra dose of fierceness, and a de riguer choker in a fun wide style.
Renee showed off her casual style chops with this movie night look. She combined a drape-y Free People sweater - worn off the shoulder for a coquettish twist - with destroyed Asos jeans. Doc Martens sneakers completed the totally chill outfit. This kind of look can be difficult to pull off - it's easy to have it look disheveled, or haphazard, but Renee gets the perfect balance of boxy and slim to make it all come together.

Lana brightened up the world with this vibrant pairing of a scarlet velvet bodysuit with bright blue denim skinny jeans. I love this classic color combo and the textural play - luxurious velvet with smooth, stiff denim - is fantastic! It's a shame she had to up-end all that with her choice of footwear. Cloth is the least practical material for shoes and to use it in a boot seems to me like an unnecessary indulgence. There are places to splurge on trends; this is not one of them.  While I do need to call out the fashion intelligence of pairing denim with denim for a leg-lengthening effect (even in flats), I would be very happy to see Lana ditch those for suede or leather OTKs, or even the patent leather mid-calf pair she wore to Olia Zavozina's birthday party. Oh well...one thing I know and love about Lana is that even when she has a slight miss, she roars right back afterwards with a string of killage ;)
Maryse reprised the dress+OTKs look for Smackdown. This time, it was a white bodycon sheath, which she paired with gray suede OTK boots (it's amazing how they look burgundy in the lighting, right? it's like the blue/black or white/gold dress question revisited:)) She topped the look with a long, boyfriend-style blazer. I love the look of a blazer over a dress and Maryse's choice of an oversize style, such as this one, makes the look less office-professional and more profashionista. While I ordinarily don't advocate a topper that is just a few inches shorter than the dress, as this one is, this works because it is a blazer and not a true outerwear piece. If you're going with a coat over a dress, avoid this length - go with either something clearly shorter than the dress that falls no more than to the long side of waist length (such as a motorcycle jacket or peacoat) or something that falls longer than the dress (such as a knee-length trench or full-length overcoat).
Brandi gave us another reason to swoon over her fashion when she wore this sequin romper (from Zhivago via NastyGal [ID by fashionofthedivas.tumblr.com). In most pieces that utilize sequins, it's their sparkle that makes the statement, but this piece is stacked with fabulosity.  First, there's the zippered mockneck (echoed in the satin waistband) that paves the way for an elliptical cutout that is scalding hot. Next, there's the textural combo of said satin's smoothness (say that five times fast ;) with the shimmer of the sequins. Finally, there's the modern revival of the exaggerated shoulder, a nod to the 80's, but done with a Victorian softeness, instead of a power suit interpretation. The look is both powerful and feminine in a space-age royalty kind of way. This piece is just completely amazing! Brandi finished the look off with leather OTK boots, a fantastic way to punctuate the look. If I could split hairs, I might wish for a pointy-toe, single soled version. but I'll take this platform style and be tolerably awestruck :).