FashionHap: Royal Rumble 2018 Gear, Pt. IA

I’m practically still living on the high from this year’s Royal Rumble.  After the thrill of the incredible performances from the current crop of girls, there were the chills and shivers of all the returns: the Bellas! Beth! And the DoD reunion! The feeeeeeeels! Barbie! I caught my breath when Michelle ran in – I never thought I would see her wrestle again! I was back to the early days of my fandom in a heartbeat. It was 2010 and everything was flawless and filled with real talk and FIERCENESS. Omg. And Trish! And Lita slaying! And when Vickie “excuse me”d…I lost it. Like, gone. Brb. Annnddd. The Big Dub did not disappoint with this one. It took me some time to chill a smidge and savor it all. And then, there was the plethora if ring gear to examine and rave over :)…which I shall now do, in print. Are you ready to rrrrrrrruuuuuumble?
The Glamazon looked as if she last stepped out of a ring just yesterday in this black and white rendition of her trademark gear. While Beth went through a few variations of her gear (including a skirted version, several different side cutouts and an iteration or two with lace-up pants), this is the style that seems synonymous with her. I love this perfect recreation, right down to her trademark headpiece and the in-flight phoenix. The color scheme accents the cool, powerful an practical nature of the design. It has no intention of being sexy…and that’s sexy as h**l! You would be well within the boundary of smart logic to cower in fear at the entrance of the Glamazon…especially when it became apparent that her skill set was 100% intact…
Unless, of course, you are Natalya :). The Divas of Destruction sharing a hug in the center of the ring was a standout of the many special moments of this inaugural Rumble. Nattie wore a an iteration of the one-piece that has become her signature look. This one combined the striping and be-crystalled “shield” front we’ve seen previously with additional pink piping and crystals (of course ;)). Set on a latex backdrop, the look is sleek, but glamorous and , like Beth’s gear, practical, despite its fierceness and opulence. While I can’t help but have favorites among the many variations of this gear, there’s no doubt that this series represents Nattie at her absolute ring-fashion best, melding haute couture with performance wear in an unforgettable way.
Bayley really didn’t have to do much to get me to adore her gear beside wear it in yellow :) (#FavoriteColorSyndrome). That said, I’m in for her new addition of fringe on her pants. Surprising, no? True, it’s a bit crazy from a fashion standpoint, but the movement is creates is super cool and after the multitude of patterns and graphics on her previous looks, this feels cleaner and lets me appreciate the details and all that free-spirited color – which comes off effervescent and exciting now that it has chance to shine. I love the sprinkling of stars over her top and boots –it’s perfect pattern for her, on trend but also fitting for her taste and style. All of this in combination easily makes this set my current favorite of all her gear outfits!

Jacqueline came to the Rumble to do business and it showed in her gear! Nothing fancy or frilly here, just clean-lined practicality. She paired her simple black tee with eye-catching red latex pants and sneakers for a straightforward, no-nonsense statement that fit her perfectly and stood out by virtue of its minimalism.
Asuka’s brightly-colored gear mixed two complementary shades: a glowing magenta with an intense deep grape. The addition of silver worked nicely to enhance the cool tones of the colors, although it brought in additional, and perhaps unnecessary complexity. With all those shades going on, I’m glad she chose to keep the design of her gear simple. I love the ensignia at the bust and her samurai-esque waist belt, but I do wish it had been done in silver instead of introducing yet another color to the mix. I could also live without the somewhat odd black thong on the bottom. That said, this is one of the more cohesive of her gears and I like and appreciate that. With that small switch of the belt to silver, I would have been unreservedly raving over this!
Charlotte got to attend the Rumble in streetwear and her look is a solid rendition of her trademark tv-appearance style. She paired a wedgewood blue top with latex leggings. Suede OTK boots and a classic leather jacket completed the look. I’m totally here for the addition of this gray-blue hue to her otherwise all-black ensemble; it brightens the look without being even the slightest bit sweet. I also  completely love center tie detail! It adds movement and softness that make a perfect and interesting counterpoint to the tough vibe of her leather jacket.  Bonus Fercepoints for the textural play of suede-leather-latex.  This is how you make basics not at all basic!
Like Charlotte, Alexa  attended the Rumble in streetwear. She went for a black monochrome look that paired a scoopneck top with black leggings that featured fierce leather paneling at the knees. A studded leather jacket topped the ensemble. I love the way she chose to style it with the half-zip. It upped the sleek quotient while still creating a relaxed vibe. I’m also in for the wide black choker. The bold detail adds strength tot the look and looks amazing with her low-necked top. While I have been feeling lately that platform pumps are little dated in vibe, I loved seeing Blissy go for a shoe instead of boots. I could see her pairing this look with peeptoe ankle booties as well (how about these DSquared from a few years back? ;) Similar vibe (minus the bone heel ;)) here.
Sasha’s gear combined scarlet with a deep cerulean shade, all spiked with metallic gold, which gave me distinct Wonder Woman vibes, especially with the stars on her shorts. I don’t mind the reference but I’ve seen Sash do more exciting combos. However, this gear is incredibly designed and I’ve not seen a single version of it that was a no-go. It’s a fabulous combination of creativity, practicality and distinctiveness an I can’t help but appreciate it’s many amazing qualities, no matter what combination of shades she chooses. I’m always in to see where she takes it next!