Red Carpet

Admiring from the Backseat: The Met’s Costume Institute Gala 2012 ‘Impossible Conversations’ Edition

Last night, The Met’s Costume Institute Gala saw movie stars, musicians, designers and models walk the most fashionable red carpet of the year. Though I missed the first ever livestreaming of the arrivals, I’ve gotten all caught up on who wore what via the countless photos on the internet, and have landed on my best dressed of the evening.

The top spot easily goes to Cate Blanchett in a feather embellished black Alexander McQueen gown – a showstopping combination. Following closely behind is gala co-chair Carey Mulligan in a sequinned Prada number and the most incredible ‘do. A risk-taking Diane Kruger, also in Prada, is a controversial pick with her voluminous purple gown and its feathered hem, but I loved it.

Rounding out my best dressed list are the stunning Rooney Mara and knockout Gisele Bündchen, both in Givenchy Haute Couture. Black is anything but boring when Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci is involved (let’s pretend we never saw this).

Did you watch the red carpet arrivals live? Which were your favourite looks?

xx, S

Images via Just Jared

Runways and Showrooms

Alexander McQueen for Puma Black Label Fall 2012

A pair of Puma shoes were the very first fashion sneakers I ever chose for myself, so the brand has a special place in my heart. Alexander McQueen is, well, Alexander McQueen. So when I was invited recently to preview the McQueen for Puma Fall 2012 collection, I was rather excited.

I wasn’t disappointed, either. Who doesn’t need a a luxe pair of high tops with silver metallic leather or fur trim? I can’t wait to get my hands on a fabulous pair of Alexander McQueen x Puma when the fall collection hits stores later this year.

xx, S

Street Style

Stylin’ from the Backseat: Quick Change Artist

On Day 2 of World Mastercard Fashion Week, I pulled an ADR. I arrived at the fashion week tents in this outfit and left at the end of the night in this here ensemble. Soia & Kyo had sent over their lush leather ‘Remi’ jacket for me to sport at my front row perch next to Kreesha Turner at their Fall 2012 runway show, so I had to pull a quick change behind some clothing racks backstage in between shows. I have no shame.

Indecencies aside, I managed to redeem myself with a very patriotic outfit. I styled my brand spanking new Soia & Kyo jacket with my trusty orange OBJECT for Danier clutch and my most favourite VAWK skirt. Canadian from head to toe, almost. The shoes weren’t, but they’re McQueen and, well, that’s kind of all that matters.

If you’ve been digging my VAWK duds of late, by the way, you should head to the brand’s sample sale this weekend. You know I’ll be there bright and early, cash at the ready. See you there?

Soia & Kyo leather jacket (gifted) / Zara blouse / VAWK skirt / Alexander McQueen shoes / OBJECT for Danier clutch

xx, S

Street Style

Stylin’ from the Backseat: Riding The Coattails

I wanted this McQ Alexander McQueen coat sooo badly. I featured it back in November (remember?) when I first discovered it at The White Space at the Bay, and proceeded to visit it many, many times before finally taking the plunge.

It’s one of my favourite pieces right now, and it’s all because of that tail. It serves no real functional purpose, but with it I could be a magician, or marching band member. Or perhaps a girl on her way to a Mackage fashion show. Who knows?

McQ by Alexander McQueen coat / D&G shirt / Elise Overland leather pants / Gucci shoes / OBJECT for Danier clutch / YSL ring / MAKE UP FOR EVER make-up

xx, S

Red Carpet

Admiring from the Backseat: Oscars 2012 Edition


Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton

Finally, the fanciest, shmanciest night in Hollywood arrived tonight, the 2012 Academy Awards! Fess up – you were glued to the tube for all 17 hours of Oscars red carpet and awards ceremony coverage like us, weren’t you? No need to feel ashamed about it. We too oohed and aahed over Michelle Williams‘ coral Louis Vuitton gown, cheered for Jessica Chastain‘s best red carpet outing to date (in Alexander McQueen!), and felt those pangs of jealousy over how hot Angelina Jolie looked in Atelier Versace.

All of our favourite leading ladies stepped up their sartorial game, just as we’d hoped. Rooney Mara wore a colour other than black for once – white Givenchy, in fact. Gwyneth Paltrow continued to rock the sleek, minimalist gowns, choosing a white Tom Ford for the occasion. Stacy Keibler - whom S still can’t believe has gone from WWE wrestler to George Clooney arm candy – donned the only Marchesa gown we’ve ever loved.

Rounding out our top 10 best dressed list were Emma Stone in red Giambattista Valli couture (how funny was her bit with Ben Stiller?), Rose Byrne in a black sequin number by Vivienne Westwood, Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab couture, and Natalie Portman in vintage Dior (from 1954!), carrying the Charlotte Olympia ‘Pandora’ clutch S so covets. They too seemed to have gotten the memo that red, black and white would be the colours for Hollywood’s biggest night out.

Who were your Oscars red carpet favourites?


Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace


Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford


Stacy Keibler in Marchesa


Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen


Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture


Rooney Mara in Givenchy Haute Couture


Rose Byrne in Vivienne Westwood


Natalie Portman in vintage Dior


Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab Haute Couture

xx, T & S

Images via Just Jared, Celebuzz

Red Carpet

Admiring from the Backseat: Cate Blanchett in Alexander McQueen

I could come up with a very witty post filled with clever gold idioms, but why waste my time and yours? This photo of a stunning Cate Blanchett in an Alexander McQueen Spring 2012 runway dress at the AACTA Awards (a.k.a. the Aussie Oscars) speaks for itself. Because, sometimes, all that glitters is gold.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

xx, S

Images via Just Jared, Style.com

Red Carpet

Admiring from the Backseat: Screen Actors Guild Awards 2012 Edition


Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen Pre-Fall 2012

Awards season continued tonight with the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which meant another Sunday evening of red carpet fashion. To my delight, a few actresses donned designs that were fresh off the Spring 2012 haute couture runways: Zoe Saldana stunned in Givenchy while Natalie Portman looked impeccable in Giambattista Valli.

Rose Byrne of Damages also took to the red carpet in couture; she was a pleasant surprise in a sparkling ivory Elie Saab jumpsuit. Rounding out my top five looks of the evening were two style frontrunners this awards season, Emma Stone and Michelle Williams, who rocked the red carpet in Alexander McQueen and Valentino respectively.

Did you watch the SAG Awards? Who were your sartorial favourites?


Michelle Williams in Valentino


Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Haute Couture Spring 2012


Natalie Portman in Giambattista Valli Couture Spring 2012


Rose Byrne in Elie Saab Fall 2009 Couture

xx, S

Images via Just Jared

Retail Therapy

Coveting from the Backseat: Alexander McQueen Horn-Heel Python Pump

I have a weakness for exotics, especially when it comes to shoes. Take a basic pump, do it in a snakeskin, and it’s instantly transformed into a much edgier version of its former self. Or, kick it up a few notches more by doing what Sarah Burton did for this Alexander McQueen Spring 2012 shoe: make it in a multi-coloured red and white python leather and add a curved horn heel. The result is nothing short of stunning.

These works of art are available at Bergdorf Goodman for $1,850. Valentine’s Day gift for your favourite Backseat Styler, perhaps?

xx, S

Image Credit: Bergdorf Goodman

Red Carpet

Admiring from the Backseat: Christine Centenera in Burberry Prorsum

There’s something about a white coat that gets me every time. This particular one that Christine Centenera, Fashion Editor of Harper’s Bazaar Australia, wore during London Fashion Week Spring 2012 is just plain gorgeous. The fact that it’s a look from Burberry Prorsum‘s Fall 2011 collection comes as no surprise; Christopher Bailey‘s outerwear designs never fail to impress me.

But a coat’s still just a coat without a proper styling job. Centenera’s pairing of this soft, ladylike piece with fierce platform sandals by Alexander McQueen on her first outing, and with a printed Givenchy dress and blue McQueen boots on a second outing, are utter perfection.

I too have a white Burberry wool coat that sadly doesn’t get nearly as much play as it should. I’m thinking I’ll have to take it out for a spin this weekend, though, unlike Centenera, I’ll be wearing pants. The temperatures here in Toronto have been below freezing and I have an embarrassingly low threshold for pain.

xx, S

Image Credits: Stockholm Streetstyle, Harper’s Bazaar AustraliaStyle.com

Red Carpet

Admiring from the Backseat: 10 Best Red Carpet Looks from 2011


January Jones in Carolina Herrara Pre-Fall 2011 at the 17th Screen Actors Guild Awards

The end of a year always brings about an overabundance of ‘best of’ lists, so of course we had to contribute one of our own. Putting together a list of the top ten red carpet looks of 2011 was a surprisingly easy task. These 9 women – 8 actresses and 1 real life princess – and their 10 ensembles (Emma Stone is listed twice!) were clear standouts in our eyes. So much so that we’re not even going to bother to explain our choices – these stunning looks speak for themselves. Plus, we’re still recovering from our holiday turkey feast.

From Anne Hathaway‘s sequin Armani Privé to Cate Blanchett‘s lavender Givenchy, these are the types of clothes that make us wish that we too were Hollywood actresses or fairy tale princesses whose job descriptions included gracing red carpets in couture. But, alas, we are not…yet. So until such day that fact changes, we’ll settle for daydreaming about strutting our stuff in January Jones‘ gold lace gown by Carolina Herrera and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge‘s blush sequin dress by Jenny Packham instead.


Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Haute Couture Spring 2011 at the 83rd Academy Awards


Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli Fall 2011 at the ‘Friends With Benefits’ New York premiere


Evan Rachel Wood in Elie Saab Fall 2011 at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards


Ginnifer Goodwin in Topshop at Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala


Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in Jenny Packham Spring 2011 at the Annual Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) Gala Dinner in London


Emma Stone in Tom Ford Fall 2011 at the ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ World Premiere


Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé Fall 2010 at the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards


Mila Kunis in Elie Saab Spring 2011 Couture at the 83rd Academy Awards


Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen Spring 2012 at the ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’ New York premiere 

xx, T & S

Images via Celeb WhereaboutsVogue UKJust JaredJust JaredZimbioCelebitchyJust JaredtlfanCelebrity-ParadiseCelebitchy

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