WWE created one of their lately quite rare photoshoot opportunities for the Lady Superstars concurrent with the 1000th episode of Smackdown. The theme? Smackdown tees. Novel? Not so much. Slayable? Abso. The pull toward blandness is understandable, though:  add a pair of pants and ta-da: you’re done. It’s so simple…maybe a little too simple for anyone who considers these activities not as art or expression but as a not especially interesting aspect of the game. Consequently, I can’t help but give a few more XO's to the ladies who put in extra effort to switch things up.
Billie Kay and Peyton each tossed a t-shirt over their ring gear, with Billie going for blue and Peyton for black. Their saving grace is their pose, one of their interesting and unique two-for stances. Billie also scores and extra point for her bright red lip that gives her look a bit of pop. I’m not sure how Charlotte managed to turn her tee into a cutout mockneck piece, but whatever forces she used, I’m down for them. She threw an on-trend sporty spin into her look by adding striped track pants. Her pose drips attitude and I’m here for that. Though not groundbreaking, the snap is 100% solid. Becky and Zelina chose the same leather leggings and were saved from the dread fashion sin of wearing the same look by Zelina opting to make her top a cropped silhouette. Her look works well and her pose is competent . I would have loved to see her chose a punchier lip shade to add a real exclamation point to the outfit. Beckys’s super simple tee needed the impact of the leather leggings to save it from yawnsville. Irl, the success of this look would come down to shoe choice. We don’t get the chance to see Becky’s choice, so I’m just going to imagine she went with some fab pair of boots or sneakers. I won’t dare go so far as wishing for blue suede pointy pumps ;). I’m wild over her hair and make-up here – these nude and peach shades are flawless for her and the soft volume in her hair is crave-worthy!

Alexa got in on WWE’s SummerSlam gallery in which several Superstars took to the streets of New York city. As with Bayley and Sasha’s ‘shoot, I’m happy just to get anything in the photoshoot genre. Alexa wore her black and silver gear, the Wrestlemania Gear Count-up-Winning, be-crystalled rendition of a style that has long earned my praise. Her stunning cape is equally jaw-dropping; it says something very good that I’m still in awe over it all these months later. Beyond that, what we have here is a fairly basic gear ‘shoot, done in a city background. New York alone gives this set a big step up over the plain canvas we usually get for gear ‘shoots. However, Alexa win serious points from me for her effort to make this one stand out even more. Her poses are superb! She slays a squat, nails a couple of stances – including a fabulous one taken coming out of a subway station – and even throws in an adorably appealing one of her dangling on a police barrier. She takes what could be something fairly ordinary and gives it life and interest. This feels engaging, like editorial ‘shoot filtered through the life-lens of a WWE superstar, a couture magazine take but done for the ring. She’s selling me on this and I’m going for it. Excellent work, Blissy!
Addendum: I don't think anyone, anywhere in the universe can spy a crosswalk without recreating the classic Beatles' Abbey Road album cover. It's at that critical mass where it's way too done, but then again you can't possibly resist the opportunity. The WWE Superstars indulged and it has a bit of a thing, a slightly humorous, slightly nostalgic, slightly passé, slightly.."really?" thing. Included just because :).

OMG WWE still does photoshoots…who knew? As someone who became a fan during the pre-revolution Diva era, this piece of what the ladies do has always been close to my heart because it gave me a chance to see the rest of their personalities, the non-ring side, the piece that loves fashion or clothes or playing dress-up or personal expression. It isn’t lost on me that most of what we’re seeing here (‘cuz  #spoiler: there are a few more ‘shoot reviews in my drafts )are mostly wrestling-related – gear or sports-themed ‘shoots, but okay, it’s something.
Bayley and Sasha gave us a two-for ‘shoot back eons ago (ok it was like six weeks but whatever) when they were still besties. We’ve seen so many squad and bff ‘shoots over the years that it’s tough to break new ground, but the pair does so with their poses. They’re adorable, playful and lighthearted  - all without being ridic or over-the-top. I adore this work! It’s fantastic and makes me smile just looking at it! Their chemistry is obvious and come roaring through the lens. I also give them huge props for design here: both gals are wearing coordinating but extremely colorful gear, a la Bayley’s chosen direction, and it could become overwhelming very easily. It doesn’t, though, thanks to the simple gray backdrop. Yes, the same gray backdrop that’s bored us all to pieces so often. This is the kind of ‘shoot it’s meant for. It lets all the colors on the madras-esque  gear fabric  pop.  Both if these gears also succeed brilliantly in their styling: the hybrid of patterned fabric, black latex and shining turquoise makes these outfits dynamic and vibrant without looking like a visual mess. I critiques many of Bayley’s early looks for that and I’m so thrilled to see the way she has developed her look; this is exactly right! It retains all the bright, effervescent effect she gravitates to, while balancing the visual impression by interspersing solids that give the eyes a break and also serve to unite the look by highlighting one or two important colors in the pattern.  Sasha’s look is equally successful for the same reasons. Brava, ladies: I’m loving this from top to bottom!

Keeping up with Impact/GFW/Impact again has been a real challenge lately, as the company spent most of 2017 and early 2018 wrapped up in ownership changes that detrimentally affected personnel  and content. During the summer, the Knockouts – hopefully with a steadier roster now! – began to release some photoshoots again. The first, themed “Back To Basics”  seems to be a ground floor attempt to take the division back to its most recent high point, 2013 when Christy Hemme was directing the KOs marketing. The presentation includes adjectives with each photo highly reminiscent of the photoshoot that accompanied the opening of the now-defunct WestlingKnockouts.com website. I hope this does indeed herald a renewed beginning for these ladies! In keeping with the theme, the styling is stripped down and simple: denim shorts, tees, girl-next-door vibes. I’m having an inordinate amount of fun with these snaps, likely because we’ve been so starved for shoots on all fronts lately!
Katarina (the lady formerly known as Winter) kicks things off with a black tank and dark  denim shorts. She throws some edge into the look by completing it with knee-high scrunch boots with a sexy lace-up back. Her rock-solid poses show her comfort and experience: they’re fierce and sensual at the same time.
Allie takes the shoot to a lighter, brighter place: pairing a white tank with medium wash denim. Fringed beige ankle booties give an on-trend Western vibe to her look. She plays around on the bench prop flawlessly, conveying both sweetness and sexiness at once.
Tessa chose a black cropped top paired with cut-off dark denim and rounded off the look with fierce pointy ankle booties. Despite the minimalist vibe of her clothing, she manages to channel femme fatale attitude with her unique poses and stunning facials. She gets props for working hard to push the envelope.

With Halloween fast approaching, here's look back at a fun little feature we did four years ago: a somewhat tongue-in-cheek guide to becoming a Superstar or Knockout for Halloween.  I had a blast doing this piece...so much so that I'll be reprising it this year. Look for that to kick off in the next week :)

 If you’re in love with the casual flare of Brie’s tie-sleeve blouse, I hear you! What better way to look casually stylish than with a relaxed, but detail-polished blouse set above denim? Finish the look with casual ankle booties…and add an engineer’s cap or pork pie hat if you’re feeling adventurous. Brie went with pants, but I could totally see tucking this piece into a denim midi skirt as well and finishing the look with knee or OTK boots. The piece is the Christine blouse from Cleobella via The Next Native and a very few are available here.
Consider these alternatives as well:
1. Etoile Flare-Sleeve Top from MinkPink via The Next Native
2.  Bow-sleeve Top from J. Crew Factory in deep red, ivory and black
3. Lucky Brand Tie-Sleeve Top via Zappos (also in burgundy)
4. Karina Tied Bell-Sleeve Blouse from Dear John

Natalya and Alexa attended the Make-A-Wish gala earlier this year, looking stunning in black. Nattie chose a lace mid dress with a sweetheart neckline. The sheer sleeves created a pretty variation in texture and allowed the beauty of the lace to be appreciated. I’m a little surprised that she completed this look with boots, thereby dressing it down. I would ordinarily imagine a more formal finisher. That said, the combination looks lovely, adding a hint of tougher attitude to the delicate lace. I also love her smooth, straight hair; the touch of volume looks so gorge!
Alexa chose a short party dress with cap sleeves and a tulle skirt with a nude underlay.  I adore this dress, especially the exquisite artistry of the appliqué. It’s a fabulous choice, beautiful, appropriately formal and it looks incredible on Alexa, both chic and in keeping with her. As with Natalya, I could imagine different shoes. Although it’s hard to see all the details, these classic pumps feel a little bland for this dress (*if the detail on the pumps that’s very hard to make out happens to be a fur accent, this comment is withdrawn). I would have leaned toward black leather sandal-booties or simple, classic ankle straps here.

When is the next James Bond movie being filmed?  In this black jumpsuit from Australian brand Nookie, Barbie is a Bond-girl-in-the-making! The slim, bodycon silhouette gives it plenty of sass, while the square neckline is sexy, but more importantly, super unique! The hardware accents on the straps and high neck give it just the right shot of attitude. Barbie completed the look up upping the sensuality factor with black strappy sandals.  I’m also drooling over her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders in gorgeous waves! This 70’s-inspired styling looks incredible on her! Next up, she gives us a pair of sporty looks, which continue her love affair with black. One pairs a crop top with killer leggings that feature torn patches filled with fishnet fabric.  Ogh…so hot I can’t even! Her high half-pony gives a bouncy, 80’s positivity to the look that I just love – it makes an effervescent counterpoint to the seriousness and focus of the black set. Black sneakers complete the monochrome look. She then adds white to the equation in this set from Missy Empire which pair a cropped tank with high-waisted leggings. The set gets a dose of streamlined sportiness from bold white striping on both pieces. I especially love the central positioning of the leg stripes and the way they flow into an additional horizontal stripe that highlights the hips. It creates a fun and versatile alternate waist visually and gives a sexy twist to this clean, straightforward set. Barbie rounded out the look with a cute black ski cap and white sneakers. Her next look heads into sweeter territory as she uses a satin floral robe as a topper for a white knit piece. The angle of the snap unfortunately makes it difficult to identify whether it is a pencil skirt (my first guess) or shorts. I love the idea of a robe over a skirt – it’s such a pretty and softly sexy alternative to a top! I could see it paired with an A-line midi skirt or denim as well. The one thing that niggles at me here is that the knit looks to be quite lightweight and possibly see-through. I hope that’s just an illusion created by the lighting because the appearance of poor quality material can drag a look down. From the sensuality and beauty of this look, Barbie moves to a highly experimental combination that collects a lace bustier bodysuit, cut-off denim shorts, a hooded robe and clear plastic OTK boots. The boots are the standout piece in this eclectic look and they’re so wrong they just might be right – they immediately make me think of the clear pieces shown at Chanel for this spring. With such a high-drama choice, my instinct would be to tone down the rest of the look, but Barbie goes full out and, even as much as there is going on here, it comes very near to rocking the heck out of my world. One small swap to a plainer bodysuit and I’m thinking I’d be here for it. And I’m in shock that I’m saying that about plastic! :)  Props to Barbie – there are very few ladies who could make me a believer on that!

How much like a fairytale does Maryse look in this ethereal gown? Donned for her baby shower, it features a white backdrop with a delicate floral lace overlay in soft blush. I’m not used to this much sweetness in Maryse’s style, but it looks stunning and feels like an authentic facet of her style personality. I’d love to see her go to this place once in awhile now that her baby girl has been born – it would be such a fun change-up from the sleek, sexy sophisticate we usually see. She didn’t forsake that style, though, as we in her next look, which paired a heathered gray tee with a thoroughly fabulous studded denim jacket. Add a coordinating pair of distressed jeans and some combat boots to this and you’re good to go!
We got a quick update on Eve’s style when she attended Maryse’s baby shower.  She wore a laidback black monochrome pairing of a black v-neck tee and jeans, topped with the welcome textural variation of a black motorcycle jacket. The wide silhouette of the v on her tee also gives the look a boost by virtue of its uniqueness. This look reminds me of the easy she described her comfort with during her Diva Couture feature (#tbt here to this sadly short-lived foray into the Lady Superstars’ fashion preferences, a really fun idea that I wish the Big Dub had given a better run). I find it very intriguing how Eve’s neutral, uncomplicated personal style differed from the bright hues and greater drama she tended to employ for her in-ring and tv wardrobe.

We saw Lana working the short hair with this street look and I like the way the sharp, edgy cut acts as a counterpoint to the easy movement of her long cardi. She rocked the rainbow trend with a cropped top that made for a fun proportion-play when paired with her high-waisted jeans.  Even though there are a number of 80’s vibes in this look –including her white pointed booties -, it feels like a very modern moment. While sweater-ensembles can often feel very laidback, the bootie silhouette and her hair combine to give this one polish and trendy attitude. She amped that vibe up with her next outfit, a sporty striped knit sheath dress, paired with white sneakers. A red lip provided the exclamation point for this look. This styling is so easy to just throw on an yet, it looks completely pulled together. So, basically your perfect summer outfit. Toss a bomber or military jacket over your shoulders and wear now.
Laurel (aka Chelsea Green)  was looking fierce and fearless in this crimson snake-print workout set. Her dark hair complements the mood of these piece perfectly and the high pony is super-cute! Anyone else getting Rep-era Taylor Swift vibes? I can def see a character like that working for her – a little psycho, a little rebel, a little fashion queen. Yep, yep.