Love it: Oscars Red Carpet 2013

Aside from Jennifer tripping over on the way to collect her Best Actress Award and Adele being all kinds of Amazeballs, the Red Carpet was what I was watching for on Sunday night, as usual it did not disappoint! We were treated to tulle ruffles, nude tones, glitz and sparkle a plenty. Here are a few of my hits, and a couple of misses.

Back Jewellery! I said it would be big this year, both Winning Actress and Supporting Actress, Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway were sporting this trend.

Jennifer Is my pick for best dressed in nude tones. I adore this Dior! It looked amazing even when she tripped up the stairs on the way to pick up her award, she looked like Cinderella loosing her shoe on the Palace steps. She couldn't have picked a better dress to trip over in, she still looks beautiful.

 The other ladies loving nude tones on the night were Anna Seyfried in McQueen, 

Anne Hathaway in Prada (nice from the front, a bit messy round the back)

Amy Adams in Oscar de la Renta and Kristen Stewart in Reem Acra

Normally not a huge fan of Kirst at award shows but I love this on her!

 

  

Not a lot of black this year but the Gorgeous Adele looked stunning in this Jenny Packham gown.

Of the ladies that went for a splash of colour my Favourites were Reese Witherspoon in this cobalt Louis Vitton fish tail gown,

Kerry Washington in Miu Miu, you know how I feel about coral at the moment and Jennifer Aniston in Valentino, Nice to see Jen in a bold colour for a change.

 My Favourite dress of the whole night was this Gucci Masterpiece that Jennifer Garner wore to accompany her award winning Hubby Ben Affleck. The colour, the ruffles, the jewels, the soft up do, everything... to die for!

I don't normally show you the outfits I didn't like but there were some not so delightful choices this year that couldn't go by without a mention.

Jennifer Hudson, whose dress by Roberto Cavali is OK, I don't know why she opted to have her hair down? surely she spent all evening un-tangling it from all those sequins? 

Melissa McCarthy in David Meister looks like she is wearing Christian Grey's bed sheet, I know she is a big girl, but this is not a winner.

Halle Berry has worn some of my favourite awards gowns of all time but I am not loving this Versace one, its a bit to 80's meets Egypt for me. 

As for Louise Roe in Monique Lhullier.... there are no words.

Hope you enjoyed the awards show if you watched it, I am off to watch Adele sing again whist making myself some back jewellery!

Sammy xxx

All Photo Credits to MTV.com

My Top Ten Oscar Winning Movies

It's only two days away, this Sunday is the 85th Academy awards which will take place in Los Angeles. As I'm sure you know by now... I Love the Movies and any event that involves a red carpet! Here in the UK we do pageantry very well, we are the Kings and Queens of historical pomp and circumstance, but if anyone knows how to throw a red carpet awards shindig it's the good folk of California!

So, we on Tuesday we covered the fashion and today we are talking Movies! I am by no means a movie buff, I am a film fan, I love watching movies {Steve and I have a ridiculous dvd/blu-ray collection, and spend obscene amounts of money on i-tunes} Action and 80's Horror are my genres of choice.  Today I am listing my top ten 'Oscar Winning' movies for you.  They may not have all a won 'Best Picture' statue but they are my winners for sure. 

10. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Nominated in 2009 for 13 Oscars including Best picture and Brad Pitt for Best actor in a leading role. Won 3 for Best art direction, Best make-up, Best visual effects. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett in the story of a man who ages backwards, whats not to LOVE.

9.Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Nominated for 3 Oscars including Best visual effect in 2011. Won 2 for Best art direction and Costume design. This one is a little sentimental, I loved the Disney version so much when I was little, I had not one but two Alice themed Birthday parties, and my mum made me an Alice costume that I wore until the seams burst. This Tim Burton - Johnny Depp adventure did not disappoint. We went to the cinema to see it for my 29th birthday, and my Girls bought me a giant tea cup filled with Alice themed goodies.

 

8. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. (1994)

Was nominated and won in 1995 for Costume design. Guilty pleasure revealed, Who doesn't love a bunch of Drag queens on a road trip in Australia on a giant sliver bus?? not a surprise it won for costume design, anyone for a dress made of flip flops.... anyone?

7. The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe (2005)

Nominated for 3 Oscars in 2006 for Sound mixing and Visual effects. Won for Best Make up. Another story from my childhood amazingly brought to life on screen. the visual effects are stunning and the Kids who play the Pevensie Children are just gorgeous. Aslan exactly as you picture he should be and voiced by the master Liam Neason

6. Legends of the Fall (1994)

Nominated for 3 Oscars in 1995 including Best Art Direction and best sound.

Won for Best Cinematography

If you have one of those days where you just need to have a good cry, watch this film. Seriously I can't even watch the first ten minutes without a box of tissues near by, because I know whats gonna happen! Starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Henry Thomas and Aidan Quinn, some seriously great acting to be seen as well.

5. Top Gun (1986)

Nominated in 1987 for 4 Oscars including best editing and best sound editing.

Won for best original Music for the song 'take my breath away' 

An epic 80's cheese fest, including 'that' Volleyball scene! Amazing how a seemingly innocent film about a Naval flight school is hailed as a Gay cult movie, what is so Gay about four hunky young men playing volleyball I ask you (giggle)

4. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Nominated for 3 Oscars in 2008 including Film editing, sound editing and sound mixing. Won all three catagories.  Frankly any excuse to drool over Matt Damon is good in my book, especially when he is being all 'Hard Ass James Bond esq' as Jason Bourne (Yum) on a serious note I have watched all three of the Bourne Movies over and over and am still not fed up of them.

3.Gladiator  (2000)

Nominated in 2001 for 12 Oscars including Joaquin Phoenix for best supporting role and Ridley Scott for best director. Won 5 Including Russell Crowe for Best Actor and Best Picture. Aside from being Russell Crowe's best role ever, a gorgeously epic movie, again probably watched it over 20 times, I even have Max marked down for 'Boy names' for future little ones. Oh and lots of gruesome killing scenes (got to love a bit of movie blood)

2. The Wizard of OZ (1939)

Nominated for 6 Oscars in 1940 including Best art direction and Best Picture.

Won 2 for best Original score and best original song for 'Over the Rainbow'

In at number two, also Number two on my best movies of all time, the Queen of old school Hollywood, Judy Garland and the best Musical song ever. Still can't believe that this film was made in 1939! I have loved it from childhood. It will be a film I show my children and say 'this is what the Movies is all about'

1. Inception (2010)

Nominated for 8 Ocsars in 2011 including Best Original Score and Best Original Screenplay. Won 4 including Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography. This is the film that knocked the 'Wizard' off my number one spot, in My All Time Top Ten in 2010. I saw Inception twice in the cinema and have watched it over and over on blu-ray. The concept, the acting, the music, for me everything in this film for me is perfection!

That is my top ten, hop over to Wikipedia for the list of all the Oscar winning films from the last 84 years and go to check out this years nominees at the Oscars website.

Will you be staying up late like I will be to see who wins what? I cant wait!

Sammy xxx

Make it: Red Carpet Worthy Dress Patterns

Newlook 6401  

At Sew Crafty, we have five books of dress patterns for our customers to choose from. We stock Simplicity, Newlook and McCalls and can order Butterick and Vogue. As it is Awards Season and the 85th Academy Awards are this Sunday, I thought I would pick out my choice of the best 'Red Carpet' worthy patterns from our catalogues.

I am biased about the Newlook Pattern above as I used it to make my Wedding dress. 

We saw lots of trains and fishtails at the Golden Globes so I'm sure we will see more at the Oscars.

Simplicity 2253

The panelling detail in the bodice of this Simplicity pattern is totally red carpet worthy, very similar to the Zac Posen that Kelly Osbourne wore to last years Emmy Awards

Kelly Osbourne in Zac Posen at the 2012 Emmy's

Vogue V2931

Vogue Patterns were made for red carpet occasions, a wealth of choice is on offer but this fishtail, bow adorned gown is my winner. Again very close to the styles in the Zac Posen 2013 summer collection.

 Crystal Renn & Erin O’Conner in Zac Posen at The 2012 Metropolitan Opera Season Opening Night “L’Elisir D’Amore”

Butterick B4918

Butterick is my favourite pattern book for dresses, day and occasion. This 1952 Retro pattern is a gorgeous example. I love the version with the wrap piece attached. A bit of extra embellishment and it could be as stunning as this Dior gown worn by Andrea Riseborogh.

 Andrea Riseborogh in Dior

McCalls 6466

This frothy tulle number looks a little tacky on the pattern example sleeve, but as you can see, fabric choice and embellishment can make all the difference. A very similar style seen here a couple of years ago from Marchesa at the Oscars worn by young actress Hailee Steinfeld.

It just goes to show that fabric choice and embellishment goes a long way towards a red carpet look. Most of these patterns are, I would say, for intermediate sewers.  But maybe if you have an event to go to that requires a gown, have a think about having one made to measure? 

I am looking forward to seeing who is wearing what on Sunday night, and who walks away with an award of course.

Sammy xxx

Love it: Oscars Red Carpet Style 2012

Octavia Spencer 

I am a big movie fan, to be more accurate, I am a big movie star fan, I love a good red carpet fashion parade. I adore a show of sequins and ruffles, and there is no better red carpet show than the Academe Awards! I stayed up late last night watching the event and wanted to share some of my favourite frocks and suits with you. Great to seeing some delicious curves rocking the red carpet this year.

Sherri Shepherd

Melissa McCarthy

I adore Octavia Spencer's dress by designer Tadashi Shoji. Super flattering!

Love the electric blue of Sherri Shepard's gown, and I liked the style of Melissa McCarthy's Marina Rinaldi gown although I don't think the colour was the best choice, but gorgeous hair and make-up.

Then there are the boys, my favourite, Mr Quinto was rocking his DJ! Mr Clooney looked his gorgeous self, didn't need to pick up an Oscar, he already had Stacy Keibler Looking HOT in Gold Marchesa.

Zachary Quinto and J.C. Chandor

   

George Clooney and Stacy Keibler

Lots of love for the Peplum this year with Tina Fey in Carolina Herrera and Michelle Williams in a red Lace Louis Vuitton.

 Tina Fey

 Michelle Willaims

My Husbands favourite Anna Faris sparkled in Diane Von Furstenberg,

  Unfortunately doing what her character did in Bridesmaids, Rose Byrne outshone her in a backless Vivienne Westwood creation.

My Favourite Lady was Glenn Close In Zac Posen, with the exception of the embroidery on the train (perfect example of guiding the Lilly), I LOVE the colour, the fishtail the detailing in the bodice, the jacket.... need I go on, Divine!!

Images Courtesy of http://oscar.go.com and http://www.dailymail.co.uk check them both out for more divine red carpet action.

Love it Red Carpet Style!

Sammy xxx