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by The Backseat Stylers | January 28th, 2013 
Anne Hathaway in Giambattista Valli Couture Spring 2013
The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, the second major stop of the 2013 awards season, was held last night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. We sat dutifully in front of our television watching the red carpet pre-show, almost threw said television out the window when our local channel aired an interior design reality competition rather than the first half hour of the SAGs, and then finally caught up on all the awards, fashion and awkward on-stage banter in time to bring you this post.
We were underwhelmed by the decidedly lacklustre red carpet (remember last year‘s fabulous looks from Emma, Michelle and Zoe?), but still managed to cobble together a tight list of our 5 best dressed of the evening. Anne Hathaway looked lovely in a fresh-off-the-runway Giambattista Valli frock, as did Jennifer Garner in a gold, embellished number by Oscar de la Renta. Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman sported their usual, glamourous fare, this time from Marchesa and Vivienne Westwood respectively, while Kerry Washington was the only leading lady to take a sartorial risk that we think paid off with an unexpected Rodarte design.
Did you catch the 2013 SAG Awards? Who made your best dressed list?
Naomi Watts in Marchesa
Jennifer Garner in Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2013
Kerry Washington in Rodarte
Nicole Kidman in Vivienne Westwood Couture
xx, T & S
Images via JustJared
by The Backseat Stylers | January 9th, 2013 
Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive at 2011 Golden Globe Awards
It’s official, ladies and gents! Sunday marks the beginning of this year’s awards season in Hollywood, and we’re excitedly counting down the days until the Tina Fey and Amy Poehler-hosted Golden Globes. After that, it’s going to be a non-stop red carpet glam fest as our favourite stars attend the Globes, the SAGs and finally the Oscars.
This year’s batch of nominees include leading ladies who not only have serious acting chops, but impeccable style to match (or, at least, the most talented stylists on their payrolls). We’ve rounded up the 10 actresses we’re most excited to see on the awards show red carpets this season, along with our favourite look of theirs to date.
From stars of the silver screen like Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence to those who’ve graced our televisions this past year like Claire Danes and Julianne Moore, we can’t wait to cover their sartorial choices over the next couple of months. Valentino, Dior, Elie Saab…gorgeous gowns are coming to a glamourous red carpet near you. Stay tuned!
Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior at AFI Fest 2012
Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen at 2012 Academy Awards
Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior at Toronto International Film Festival 2012
Julianne Moore in Tom Ford at 2011 BAFTA Awards
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by The Backseat Stylers | October 17th, 2012 
Neiman Marcus, Target and the CFDA announced a rather unexpected but definitely very intriguing holiday collaboration this past July, and now the 50-plus piece collection of men’s, women’s, home and children’s gift items has been revealed.
The offerings were designed by 24 CFDA designers, including: Alice + Olivia, Altuzarra, Band of Outsiders, Brian Atwood, Carolina Herrera, Derek Lam, Diane von Furstenberg, Eddie Borgo, Jason Wu, Judith Leiber, Lela Rose, Marchesa, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Philip Crangi, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Rag & Bone, Robert Rodriguez, Rodarte, Skaist-Taylor, Thom Browne, Tory Burch and Tracy Reese.
The collection includes everything from Rodarte wrapping paper for $7.99 to Alice + Olivia bicycle for $499.99. I’m thinking a quick shopping jaunt south of the border might be required so I can get my hands on a Prabal Gurung bow cape ($79.99) for me, an Eddie Borgo letter opener ($34.99) for the Mister, and a Jason Wu polka dot dress ($59.99) for the daughter I’ve yet to have.
Mark your calendars – the collection will be available in both Neiman Marcus and Target stores and e-commerce sites (neimanmarcus.com ships to Canada!) starting December 1, and is sure to sell out in a flash. Check out the gallery below for the complete collection. What’s on your wish list?
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by The Backseat Stylers | July 10th, 2012
By now we’re rather accustomed to hearing about unexpected collaborations (Valentino for GAP, anyone?), but Neiman Marcus x Target definitely takes the cake. The unlikely duo of retailers announced today the creation of a 50-plus piece collection of limited-edition men’s, women’s, home and children’s gift items by a roster of 24 CFDA members.
The list of designers who have created pieces for the collection is impressive: Alice + Olivia, Altuzarra, Band of Outsiders, Brian Atwood, Carolina Herrera, Derek Lam, Diane von Furstenberg, Eddie Borgo, Jason Wu, Judith Leiber, Lela Rose, Marchesa, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Philip Crangi, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Rag & Bone, Robert Rodriguez, Rodarte, Skaist-Taylor, Thom Browne, Tory Burch and Tracy Reese.
Due to hit both retailers’ stores and online shops on December 1, the collection is priced from $7.99 to $499.99, with the majority of items under $60. Not having yet seen a single item, this is already sounding like the collaboration of the year. Prabal? Proenza? Atwood, even? I can’t wait to see what some of my favourite designers have cooked up for Neiman Marcus and Target. Stay tuned!
xx, S
Image Credit: Neiman Marcus
by The Backseat Stylers | May 7th, 2012 
Miranda Kerr in Marchesa at 2011 Met Ball
WWD reports that Marchesa has signed a deal to launch a lower-priced line, news that will give fans of the brand’s red carpet gowns reason to celebrate. The new line, which has yet to be named, will feature daywear and accessories ranging in price from $150 to $750. The first collection is expected to launch around pre-fall 2013.
“It’s going to be under the Marchesa umbrella, but with a slightly different feel,” said Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman. “We have been so specific for such a long time, and the idea [is] to broaden out to a different consumer, and to our same consumer as well. We haven’t really looked at that market yet. My dream is to give Marchesa many facets, and that’s just one of them.”
How will Chapman’s often over-the-top design aesthetic for Marchesa translate into a contemporary line? I’m intrigued to find out.
xx, S
Image via
by The Backseat Stylers | February 26th, 2012 
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
by The Backseat Stylers | January 29th, 2012 
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
by The Backseat Stylers | March 8th, 2010 The Academy Awards are like Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to me; I stay glued to the TV from start to finish with nary a pee break, while stuffing my face with way too much food and drink as I anxiously await the results. The main difference, however, is that helmets and hockey sticks aren’t nearly as interesting as the haute couture gowns that walk the Oscars red carpet.
Last night, while I did find the sartorial choices of the Hollywood elite to be a tad on the safe and boring side, there were still a handful of red carpet standouts that showed up looking like true movie stars.
Best dressed, in my humble opinion, goes to Diane Kruger. Her ensembles had been falling flat throughout this year’s awards season, but she apparently saved the best for last. Diane and Chanel are a match made in couture heaven. Of all the Oscars gowns I’ve seen since I started watching so many years ago, this is the one I’ll be daydreaming about for many years to come.
Zoe Saldana, however, had been consistently fabulous at every awards ceremony, and she did not disappoint last night. In fact, Zoe took things to a whole other level. Not only did she show up in an exquisite purple Givenchy gown, but she managed to change the minds of naysayers who weren’t fans of the gown when it was presented on the Spring 2010 haute couture runway. Zoe took a risk with her daring choice, but it definitely paid off.
Sandra Bullock had the night of her life with a Best Actress nod, and she did it in style in a stunning metallic Marchesa gown. She’d worn some questionable dresses this awards season, but she pulled it out when it mattered the most. Sandra looked the most beautiful I’ve ever seen her.
Maggie Gyllenhaal is a red carpet regular who will never be accused of donning something boring. Her printed sapphire Dries Van Noten was a breath of fresh air in a sea of largely bland gowns. I hadn’t truly appreciated Maggie’s seemingly effortless sense of style until this awards season, but now I finally get what all the hype is about.
Meryl Streep, who’s probably walked more red carpets than the other 4 ladies combined, was the epitome of class and elegance in a white Chris March gown that suited her absolutely perfectly. From her chic ‘do all the way down to her Jimmy Choos, Meryl let it be known that 60-year olds can kill the red carpet too. I can only hope to look half as good as Meryl when I’m that age.
And with that, this year’s awards season draws to a close. Till next year!
xx, S
Photo Credits: Celebutopia via TFS
by The Backseat Stylers | December 18th, 2009 
WWD
Fergie wore a heavenly Marchesa gown to the New York premiere of Nine earlier this week and she looked positively stunning. Not necessarily because of the exquisite dress (though donning a Marchesa creation one day is a dream of mine), but because her smile was infectious and her twirling of the skirt so endearing – it’s something I would do as someone who rarely has occasion to wear such glam pieces, but I would imagine Fergie has plenty of opportunities to wear gorgeous gowns. This photo of Fergie proves all the old adages: Smile and the whole world smiles with you; A smile never goes out of style; etc. She looks so happy, I’m suspicious she’s wearing flats under that dress.
xx, S
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THE BACKSEAT STYLERS BY T & S
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