A Who's Who of Style

This post is dedicated to the fashion lovers out there. The Skinny Chai has decided to do another one of our famous (ha) lists, this time profiling our favorite fashionistas! Marg had the task of choosing her top deceased icons, while Matthew examined current style mavens. Take a look below at each of our top 4 picks, and leave a comment with some of your favorite fashion icons! 

 

MARG'S PICKS:

 

Elizabeth Taylor - Obviously.

 

Taylor is one of my all time favourite celebrities ever. She was so talented, so beautiful, and damn did the woman know how to dress. Some people probably can only picture older Liz - that of giant diamonds and sequined tops - and thus wonder about my enamourment, but I say that her personal style was one that leaned toward glamour to the very end. She loved sparkle, she loved colour, and that can be seen through-out her life. My favourite era for Elizabeth Taylor is of course the 1950s and 60s, her time to shine as one of the world's sexiest, most beautiful women. Sweetheart necklines showed up frequently in her wardrobe, as did super-fitted waists. I wouldn't call it effortless chic - that would downplay the percision of her looks - the hair, the cleavage, the jewelery - everything was very intentional, clearly coming from a love of beauty. 

 

 

 Katherine Hepburn - Pants!

 

It's almost a surprise to myself that I consider Katherine Hepburn as a personal fashion icon. Anyone who knows me knows that I just don't like pants - don't like 'em, don't wear 'em - Hepburn had the opposite view: she loved 'em, she wore 'em - in the 1930s and 40s, this was unheard of! Women (especially Hollywood starlets) didn't wander around in pantsuits for all the World to see. Hepburn bucked conventions - I love her style because she dressed exactly how she wanted to dress, not how society said she should. And she looked sophisticated and classy while doing so. Maybe if I could pull off slacks as well as Katherine, I'd wear some wide-legged highwaisted trousers too (probably not...)

 

 Carey Grant - The Man

 

Oh he was one hell of a sharp dressed and dapper gentleman! Grant wore a suit better than all his peers (they were all wearing suits at this time, so that is huge) - he was manicured and styled and clean and wore dinner jackets like he was born in them (he wasn't, not even figuratively, as he came from shockingly humble beginnings). Grant was the epitome of elegance, juxtaposed with a killer sense of comedic timing. 

 

 

Audrey Hepburn - Bangs!

 

It's not just her iconic look as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's (but what a look!) that makes the second Hepburn show up on this list - Audrey was stylish and lovely in all her public appearances. She had a very uncomplicated look - effortlessly looking amazing in simple black turtlenecks and ciggarette-pants. She knew the value of singularly worn bold accessories, refusing to go overboard. Through-out her life, Hepburn managed to look fawn like and fresh, having a wardrobe of clothes seemingly designed to wear on sunny days spent having fun. Also: she had some of the best eyebrows in the history of Hollywood. 

 

 

MATT'S PICKS: 

 

 Tilda Swinton - THE SWINTON

I feel like people either love her style or think she is an alien from Saturn, sent to distract us all while her native people slowly pump all of the fresh water out of the Canadian Arctic in order to create a super race that will eventually kill us earthlings (which is probably why people who love her, love her). Regardless of what side of the debate your on you cannot deny that Tilda Swinton has a look that is all her own, she plays by the book of no rules when it comes to fashion. Whether or not she's dressing for the red carpet, a magazine cover, or day to day life, she has managed to create her own unique brand. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you "THE SWINTON!"

Pharrell Williams - Mr. Cool

Clearly this man has style. At times he's a bit prep, sometimes he's a bit urban, and sometimes he's straight up glamor. So there is something for everyone. While this hodgepodge of styles could easily go wrong- I think Pharrell does a bang up job at pulling it off. I think you need loads of confidence to pull off a bold look- and he's got it.

 Helena Bonham Carter - The Crazy

My criteria for this list was to choose people who had their own definition of style. I didn't want to go with trend setters, or the people who always get it "right" on the red carpet. I wanted risk takers, individuals who truly expressed their personality through their clothes. That being said, I also did not pick anyone who I thought used fashion as a way of seeking attention, or shocking people. For me, Helena Bonham Carter fits the bill perfectly. While her red carpet looks always raise an eye brow or two she manages to create her own unique point of view without being to over the top- she doesn't dress to shock, she dresses to express and feel confident.


Nicole Kidman - A Class Act

I chose Nicole Kidman because I think she is someone who manages to combine her own sense of style with trends. She is usually a red carpet stunner, but she isn't boring about it. Sometimes she will use an accessory in a strange way that throws people off, many (including myself) may not like the choice, but good for her for being fresh about it. She's a woman who has the ability to be on top of every ones best dressed list, but lately she's been saying fuck that shit, and she does what she wants, not what a stylist wants. 

We hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to comment below and tell us what you think!

Chit Chat: Academy Awards 2012

Marg:  okay - I did a pretty good job picking winners! I was um... occupied when they announced Midnight in Paris for best screenplay, who accepted that award?
Matt:  nobody. LAME . Even though he totally deserved that award, I think that purely because he refuses to go to award shows they should have given it to Bridesmaids.
Marg:  I agree! I was pleased that the Descendents won for best adapted, just because I like Jim Rash so much. Also, so happy for Christopher Plummer!!! I can't believe he's never won before!
Matt:  Oh me too. He was long over due. I still haven't seen The Beginners, I really want to tho. I'm hoping it will pop up on Netflix one of these days. I was really glad that Meryl Streep won.
Marg: Me too - people act like she's over awarded some times, but it's only her second Oscar
Matt: third.
Marg:  whatever
Matt:  But it was her first time winning in almost 30 years! It makes me made that some people are saying that the Academy didn't want to give it to Viola Davis because they didn't want two black women winning. That is bull shit.
Marg:I think it has more to do with not wanting the same film to win twice in acting
Matt:  Meryl Streep was amazing in The Iron Lady. AMAZING! And, Viola only started getting big buzz over the past few weeks. Meryl had the early buzz, when everyone would have voted.
Had the show been in another 2 weeks from now, and people had extra time to vote, things may had been different. But still, Meryl is QUEEN
Marg:  I say it was a fine choice! Can we take a moment for Billy Crystal?
Matt:  ahhh yes.
Marg:  Brutal.
Matt:  I liked him. Didn't love him. It was nice nostalgia I guess...
Marg:  I thought it seemed so thrown together! I know he was a replacement, but they've had weeks
Matt:  they had a few months
Marg:  Also, wtf was up with him in blackface?
Matt:  I know.....
Marg:  like seriously? No.
Matt:  I found him to be slightly mean to people, which I didn't think was his style. Overall, I found the show to be on the boring side.
Marg:  one of the only times I laughed was when he made fun of Nick Nolte
Matt:  Even all of the montage videos I thought were boring. Yes- that was funny. lol
Marg:  The montage videos made no sense! Why was Twilight in there?
Matt:  I know. Random. You would think they would show Oscar winning movies...
Marg:  But no. Any old movie will do
Matt:  I also thought Circ du Sole was really random. And a guy fell!!
Marg:  I saw that!  feel like no one in Circ has ever gone to the movies either. They are too busy training
Matt:  lol. So overall I thought the show seems a bit boring, and thrown together. Next year I hope Ellen Hosts again. or maybe Tina Fey.


FASHION ROUND-UP

Matt:  Okay- Fashion. Who were your favs?
Marg: Maya Rudolph - loved LOVED the colour, great detailing, sophisticated, just great.
Matt:  Agree I thought she looks pretty classy. I also loved Penelope Cruz. I thought she looked classic
Marg::  See, I thought she looked like she was trying way too hard
Matt:   I think you should try hard at the Oscars
Marg::  Bérénice Bejo's dress looked amazing. I loved the beading, the whole thing looked lighter than air. I wish her hair was a little bigger though. Not much, just a little.
Matt:  Yeah- her hair ruined it for me. I liked Gwyneth and the cape
Marg: me too!
Matt:  It was a risky choice. But I think she was smart. Everyone kept saying how cold it was, and she was toasty warm in that thing.
Marg: She looked like an ivory pillar. In a good way. Natalie Portman - loved the polka dots, fantastic shade of red on her
Matt:  I think so too. There was something about the necklace that I didn't like. It all felt a bit 90's put together. But I thought the dress alone was really lovely. Octavia Spencer I thought looked great. I thought the silhouette was awesome on her.
Marg:   me too - another example of great bead work
Matt:  Any uggo's?
Marg:   Yes. Many.
Matt:  haha
Marg:  I hated Melissa McCarthy's dress. I wanted to like it. I just couldn't
Matt:  I liked everything minus the sleeves
Marg:  The colour was gross. And the sleeves looked broken
Matt:  I really didn't like Viola Davis's dress. I love that she didn't wear a wig, but I thought the dress (especially the bottom half) was fugs
Marg:  I loved her hair (everyone did!) but the dress looked like something a girl with low self esteem would wear to prom.
Matt:  It was a bad wedding dress died green
Marg:  I didn't like Michelle Williams' dress. I get that she is adorable and talented (and I love that Busy Phillips is her date to these things, and I wish they were my friends!) but the mid-section of the dress? With its tacky rhinestone bow? No thank-you
Matt:  I agree! there was so much going on! It's like- just pick one cute thing and work it!
Marg:  I need all the cute things!!! Look at my hair!!!!
Matt:  haha- J.Lo looked trashy and I'm pretty sure I could see her nipps
Marg:  Okay, the Edith Head quote?!?! I was like... are you listening to the words that are coming out of your own mouth?
Matt:  not only are you listening to the words coming out of your mouth, but did you look at your sleeves before you left the house? You are missing chunks! Lots of bad sleeves this year
Marg:  Year o' the ugly sleeves. When Melissa Leo presented, I thought the top of her dress was leopard print. In pictures (and when she was in the audience) it seems to be just sequins. Either way, ugly dress.
Matt:  Yeah- it was really underwhelming,
Matt:  I also really disliked Shaliene Woodly (girl from The Descendants)
Marg:  that's who that is! I didn't know who I was looking at, so I didn't pay any attention
Matt:  yeah- white turtleneck dress with air holes
Marg:  right, yeah, it's coming back to me, haha Every time I see Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, I am like "oh yeah, that's still happening" and they've been together for years, so its not fair at all. What is fair to say is that her dress didn't fit her, looked cheap and sloppy, and showed off her nasty upper arm tat.
Matt:  She is tickety tack but love is love
Marg: I don't want to pick on Stacey Keibler. I really don't. I feel like the whole world knows that her getting to go to the Oscars is just weird and outside of the natural order of things. And it must be hard if the general assumption is that your boyfriend will never take you seriously and you'll be replaced by a younger woman come Oscar time next year. So I don't want to be mean about her. So I present the dress without comment
Matt:  haha I had no idea until last night that she was a wrestler!
Marg: yes! Well... not a wrestler-wrestler, pretty sure she was just like, a you-know, ring bimbo, haha They probably didn't make her fight "real" fights
Matt:  either way, I had no clue she used to be white trash
Marg: still dressed up like an Oscar to go to the Oscars
Matt:  who was your favorite oscar look alike? Stacy Keibler, Meryl Streep, or Oprah?
Marg:  Meryl, obvs. She looked like she was wearing a golden duvet.
Matt:  haha- loved it, Also- I love Pharell. He looked great. I didn't like all of the shots that they kept doing of that band in the balcony, but he looked good.
Marg:  Oh yes, best dressed men: James Earl Jones He looked so nice in his waistcoat.
Matt:  Christopher Plummer in is Navy Velvet tux.
Marg:  LOVED IT. Speaking of Christopher Plummer, during his acceptance speech, they panned to his wife Elaine Taylor in the audience, and I literally gasped "She's beautiful"
Matt:  We all commented on her foxiness
Marg:  I am kinda obsessed with foxy old women
Matt:  I loved Carl's powder blue suit
Marg: Are you talking about the seat filler?
Matt:  yeah! He was a stud.
Marg:  haha - I liked him. Angelina Jolie had so much fun with that slit in her dress. So much. Most fun she's had in years that wasn't related to children.
Matt:  I thought she was very odd to watch last night.
Marg: It's because you're not used to seeing her having fun.

Best & Worst Dressed Oscar Gallery 2012!

Chit Chat: The Best & Worst Oscar Fashion Ever!

Worst:

Matthew: One of my picks for worst is Celine Dion at the 1999 Oscars.

Marg: I second this. Celine shouldn’t try to be edgy, and this is proof of that.
Matthew: She looks like a 4 year old that tried to dress herself but missed one step. Still though, she is proud of her accomplishment. 

Marg: My first choice for worst goes to Gwyneth Paltrow in 2002. She looked dead. And really was just flapping in the breeze breast-wise. 

Matthew: Even celebrities need bras Gwyneth.

Marg: The sheer top did her no favours, either. That woman needs vibrant colour.
Matthew: You can't have a worst dresses Oscar list without Whoopi! 1993 & 2009!

Marg: The colours! The pants! 1993’s opened like a curtain, it was a treat for the eyes!

Matthew: I don’t mind the silhouette. Whoopi can pull off weird things. It’s the damn color combo... fugly.
Marg: 2009’s was lacking in the silhouette department. Looked like a leopard print maternity dress.
Matthew: Horrible.

Marg: One of my all-time favourites for worst dressed was Barbra Streisand in 1969... It was sheer, you can see her bum (an Oscars no-no!), and there were bell-bottoms.
Matthew: I think that outfit would have looked really awesome as a costume in La Cage Aux Follies.

Marg: I had to google that. You’re right.
Matthew: My final pick for worst dressed is Uma Thurman in 2004. Normally when you see her she is really classy and refined. I don’t think that she was staying true to herself.
Marg: I wonder if she did that purposefully - just wanted to do something totally out of the box for her, and it backfired.
Matthew: Plus she looked like she just tied a sash around her bedding and called it a night.

Marg: Jennifer Connolly, 2002
Matthew: The Oscars are held in L.A right? That would imply that it’s warm. Therefore no scarf Jennifer. No scarf.
Marg: She looks like a used coffee filter.

Gallery of our Worst Oscar Fashion

Best:

Matthew: Meryl Streep 2010 is one of the more recent fav looks of mine. I thought she looks hot, classy and elegant.

Marg: Ah yes, the white! Very sophisticated! 

Matthew: And here is a fun fact: It was designed by Chris March, a Project Runway alum who didn’t even make it to fashion week. He also designed her Golden Globes dress that year. 

Marg: That is a fun fact!

Matthew: Love me some fun facts!

Marg: Marion Cotlillard, 2008. She looked like a winter mermaid! In a good way.

Matthew: She accessorised very nicely.

Marg: It looked fun to wear too. I’d make swimming noises. 

Matthew: It would have been funny if it made the same noise that splash pants make when she walked. 

Matthew: Diane Keaton 1978. Back in the days when there were no stylist to do the work for you. Whatever you wore was your creation. 

Marg: Wow. She is really the only one who could pull that off. I dig it. My next pick goes to Elizabeth Taylor in 1960 - gorgeous! 

Matthew: That was going to be one of my picks! What a looker. 

Marg: My love for that woman knows no bounds. And the colours of the dress! Totally wasted on black and white film. 

Matthew: I wouldn’t mind if gloves came back. Okay, Grace Kelly 1956. A fashion icon and for good reason. She looked classic, effortless and beautiful. 

Marg: Oh my god, yes. Perfection. I like her gloves too! They do need to come back! Audrey Heburn, 1954. It is actually pretty much my dream wedding dress. 

Matthew: Another classic! I could go on with this forever! Shirley MacLaine 1975! Michelle Williams 2006! Kate Hudson 2003! Lauren Hutton 1975! oh it goes on and on and on. 

Marg: I like a lot more of the gowns from the 1950s and 60s - none of those women were going braless to the damn oscars, that’s for one thing!

Matthew: Okay- so do you have any overall favorite celebrities? Someone who consistently brings it every time they show up. 

Marg: Helen Mirren. She looks better than most of the 25 year olds. 

Matthew: Nicole Kidman always makes interesting choices. Some are hits, some are misses, but you can tell that she wears whatever she wants. I admire that. Oh an Bjork. Balls of steel. 

Marg: On that same note, Tilda Swinton. I always want to know what she wore. Always. 

Matthew: And there you have it! Happy Oscar Sunday!!

Gallery of our Best Oscar Fashion

Chit Chat: Grammy Awards, Chris Brown, and Whitney - Oh My!

Matt:  So much to discuss!

Marg:  I know!

Matt:  Let's start with the Grammy's

Marg:  I don't have a whole lot to say haha

Matt:  did you watch?

Marg:  certainly not

           I played with a kitten instead

Matt:  lol- Well here is the recap- Adele won everything and rightfully so. Nicky Minaj (however you   spell her name) gave the shittiest performance ever. Chris brown preformed twice- NOT NECESSARY. LL Cool Jay said a prayer for Whitney Houston, which was a nice sentiment but odd coming from someone named Ladies Love Cool James. They left Etta James out of the dead people montage and there was a lot of Whitney shout outs.

the grammy's.

Marg:  Okay - first, good for Adele.

Nicky Minaj annoys me so much.

WHY DO THEY LET CHRIS BROWN HAVE A CAREER?!

Caps intentional!

Matt:  I know!! Have you seen any of those tweets going around of women saying things like "I'd let him beat me.. sexy!"

Like WHAT THE FACK!

Marg:  I saw those - what the hell is wrong with people?!

Matt:  I have no clue- I don't even know what would prompt someone to ever think that.

If it was supposed to be a joke it wasn't

Marg:  even if one woman said it as a joke, they certainly weren't all joking

society is messed up

Matt:  i know!

Like- I get that at some point people need a second chance- but he never really got the repercussions that he deserved

And I can't believe that they let him lip Synch his way through a performance twice.

Marg:  I don't even know that I believe too much in second chances when it comes to domestic abuse.

but hey, that's me!

Did LL Cool Jay lick his lips a lot?

PS: I've been looking at fashion finally, so I have things to say. Many feelings, really,

Matt:  One girl tweeted that she was keeping a count of how many times he licked his lips haha

Marg: hahahaha
Matt:  so, fashions?

best:

Marg:  best is hard to call... there was so, so much ugly

Matt:  hahaha

I though Adele looked beautiful

And I liked Rhianna

Rhianna in Tina Turner's old wig. Adele in sleeves.

Marg:  Maybe (ugh) Kelly Osbourne?

Matt:  but her hair!

Marg:  I kinda dig it

Adele always looks lovely

I didn't like Rhianna's ass crack necklace

Kelly Osbourne in weird hair.

Matt:  I thought Katy Perry's dress was really beautiful- But the combo of her spray tan/ hair/ and lipstick made her look like an umpa lumpa

What didn't you like?

Katy Perry in a look by Willy Wonka

Marg:  Oh everything!

Matt:  lol

Marg:  Taylor Swift's champagne robot geisha dress

Matt:  I know!

BARF!

too much!

Taylor Swift in a dress by annoying.

Marg:  Also, Nicki Minaj

what the hell was that?

I think the stink of desperation would knock you out if you stood too close to that woman

Matt:  I am so sick of these stupid people and their costume fashion.... It's all a gimmick.

haha

yes

well said

Nicky Minaj wearing a future regret.

Marg:  Fergie.

I'm just going to wear neon orange lace over my giant granny panties.

Matt:  haha- I could have gotten on board with Fergie had she of worn a one piece body suit.

And if it wasn't black.

Orange and black is just Halloween

Did you see the girl with the gun arm?

Fergie in a breathable number.

 

Marg:  I was just about to bring her up!

I don't know who she is.

Matt:  desperate

me either

but now people are talking about her

Marg:  She looked like a wax figure with a robot arm

Matt:  It was like she was wearing a transformer costume

Marg:  in all seriousness... is she a singer?

Matt:  i just googled her- her name is Sasha

she is a Russian singer

Marg:  well, good for her.

This happened.

 

Matt: So- Whitney Houston.

Where were you when you heard the news?

Marg:  At Ben's. I logged onto facebook, and someone posted the I Will Always Love You video without comment. And I was like "I think Whitney Houston died"

Matt:  That's a bit ghostly of you... (I was going to say ESPN, but that is a network... )

Marg:  It was sorta weird, 'eh?

I think that it was just that people don't usually post about Whitney, maybe?

Matt:  Not in that way.

It's kind of weird how people react to celebrity deaths

I was actually a bit shaken up.

Marg:  I don't feel like I was super impacted. It was no Amy Winehouse situation for me.

Matt:  I guess it's always more of a shock than anything.

Not that it was surprising that she died, but it was still shocking.

Marg:  I've been amused by some of the facebook tribute posts about her in the last few days

Which I know is wrong...

Matt:  lol

Marg:  But the specific songs that some people pick are strange choices

Matt:  haha

I have seen a lot of people pick rando moments, like in interviews, or award shows

Marg:  I mean, the real hits, the classics, yes please. Or if you were a huge fan, something more obscure

Matt:  It's all odd... and odd experience.