RIHANNA AS A STYLE ICON: I DON'T SEE IT

london - behold rihanna walking the red carpet of the "inglorious basterds" premier in london (brilliant title by the way.) so not sure what labels she's wearing on the red carpet, but i'm pretty sure that i don't believe the party line of the pop artist being one of this generations most stylish talents. i think she is the best styled and is a great mannequin who wears clothes well. but i simply don't believe the hype. as i've said a few times before when i see her, all i can think of is an episode of made where a teen is transformed from their true selves into their aspirational one. which versio is authentic is debatable. but rihanna's style prowess isn't. i give praise to her stylist and not her style sense for her amazing transformation. just had to share....

FROM THE DESK OF P. BATISTA: A LOOK BACK AT BAFTA FASHION

london (by way of new york) - so blaynistas! my wonderful fashionista friend, (college roommate!) and resident accessories guru at nieman marcus, patricia batista, and i were chatting about the bafta's a few days ago. as usual, her commentary is so fabulous, i thought i would share with you all. i know it's been days since the ceremony. but it's never too late to read a fresh take on old news is it? check out her memo to you all below.... (p.s MAJOR PROPS to this brilliant blog i just discovered, and got the pics from: redcarpetfashionawards.blogspot.com)

From: The Desk of Patricia Batista To: The Fabulous Readers of The Blay Report Re: BAFTA'S

from top, kylie minogue, abigail clancy and kate nash, lead the brigade of short dresses at the baftas. ofcourse, not all enjoyed equal success...

WOW! I totally thought that there would be more press coverage on this event! Especially on the fashion end...que paso? Does the world not have any interest in the individuality that IS London fashion? Here goes...

Apparently the universal themes of this red carpet were LOOOOONG GAMS! and hiked up hemlines. If you've got em'...why not flaunt 'em! Leave it to the Brits to trade in a classic couture gown for mini dresses made of socially oppressed fabrics.

So here are my three favorites, or should I say favorites:

When in doubt, wear black...just make sure it sparkles! That is exactly what the "Locomotion" Queen did with this simple Vicky Tiel mini dress. A very safe choice...but a glamorous one nonetheless...and yes...the diamonds help...A LOT! Also, is it the dress or has Kylie suddenly developed some curves...regardless... she looks amazing.

i already noted how much i love this dress on k.rowland. trisha has her thoughts too...

Kelly Rowland and her controversial ostrich feather and metallic mesh dress were a huge hit in my book. So what if it looked as though she she was being engulfed by a feather duster...she looked marvelous doing so and that is what this fashion thing is all about. How did she pull it off you ask? Well, she is in great shape for a micro-mini dress...her legs go on for days...and she was wearing LOUBS! need I say more?

( Z, I'm not sure of the designer but Rihanna was wearing the same dress on the cover of Britain's YOU magazine, November 2007. I attemped to look up the fashion creds for that issue but I wasn't able to come by anything)

trish loved this look on rihanna! me? not so much....

Once again my top pick would have to be "Little Miss Sunshine" herself in a gleaming Dolce&Gabbana number. I loved the contrast between the structure and the femininity of the dress. It's amazing what one little bow in the right place can do! This piece could've been terribly overstyled...but clearly somebody's styling team is on their P's and Q's! Her hair looks fresh and new...her jewelry is subtle...and she traded her earrings for strappy Loubs. Not to mention, that I am sooooo glad that she wore gold jewelry...a fashion "rule" that definitaley needs to be nixed. These two precious metals look great together!

Roomie..sorry if it's the same three people everyone talked about but they were the only ones that really got any press! Although, I really did love their looks..but anywho...Don't you worry...the Oscars are on this Sunday and I am all over it! Hope all is well across the pond! Stay Gorgeous!

CIAO BELLA!

Trisha

HOLLYWOOD GLAMOR REIGNS SUPREME AT THE OSCARS

los angeles - i like to think of the oscars as a feast for the fashionista's eye....at the very least, the red carpet is. from the good, to the bad, to the where's you stylist there was so much to love and much more to love to hate. below are the looks i loved the most, in no particular order. definitely check out fashion stylist, charles wade's blog, www.thefashiondiplomat.blogspot.com for more creative oscar fashion coverage! xo, zb

i can't say am all that familiar with amy adams. (please excuse my naivete if she is the hottest thing in hollywood.) that said - she looks fierce! i absolutely, absolutely live for this amazing proenza shouler gown and fred leighton jewels. everything comes together to paint a perfect picture of old hollywood glamor.

this girl, katherine hiegl - she does not move me. something about her simply rubs me wrong. but that escada gown, that hair, that lip color - combined it is all kinds of right. i live for this look! the girls who models it, i can live without.....

hmmmm mixed feelings on this ensemble. on anyone else, i would be tempted to call it sloppy. but on blanchett, i think it works. here she rocks a dries van noten dress with a roger vivier clutch.

i am minutes away from joining the cruz bandwagon. the woman truly is beautiful and this chanel haute couture gown takes my breath away.

she won best actress and also gets best dressed in my book: marion cotillard in a gaultier paris haute couture gown, chopard jewels and a swarovski clutch.

THE OBLIGATORY SAG STYLE POST

los angeles - aaaaahhhhhhh. everyone is blogging/writing about sag style , so why not join in? for my readers who are not familiar with it, the sag awards are the screen actor guild awards where actors nominate and reward their own for work well done. it's also where style stalkers/commentators for for fresh fashion meat. i'm not a fan of following, but these celeb styles are too juicy to not comment on. below are some of the styles i found notable. enjoy! xx,zb

THE MEN

k. i'm indifferent on jeremy piven's domenico vacco suit. but i am passionate about this: he wears hair plugs. i don't care what any one says! that hair line looks dodgy!

despite my research, could not find the make of the suit that award winner daniel day lewis is wearing. but that swagger which makes the suit look oh so good?? that's by god. there's something about him that just oozes sexy. aaannnnddd did you know he was 50? if my husband looks half as good at that age, i am truly blessed.

THE BRANGELINA

i just don't know how i feel about these two, so i'll refrain from any real commentary. but can i be totally catty and say angelina's vintage hermes needs steaming? and brad pitt is doing his obligatory duty by wearing tom ford made to measure. it looks good.

THE WOMEN

okay. so debra messing bores me. but i can't take away the fact that she usually looks stunning in clothes and this look is no exception. she is working this oscar de la renta gown out. and despite the fact that she has very nice accessories to match, it is her glam hair style and color that truly sets this look off.

i love that teri hatcher is sticking to her spokeswoman duties by wearing a badgley mischka gown. i just don't know if i love the gown. i think the style is sweet, but the prints are a little too washed out. i would have loved the same silhouette in a bold graphics or an electric hue.

super shiny face withstanding, tilda swinton is killing it with this absolutely brilliant skirt/suit combination. i mean killing it. by far this is one of my favorite red carpet looks of all time. the silver is brilliant, the silhouette is brilliant, and the statement is impeccable. she is at once feminine and masculine and sublimely simple as she steers clear of ornate jewelry to let the colors (red hair , silver pieces) and clothes speak for themselves. kudos to her for wearing it well, her stylist for selecting the piece and designer haider ackermann for such a modern twist on a traditional look.

the color. the hair. the smile. the body. honestly, what is not to love about vanessa williams' look on the red carpet? she makes this brilliant escada gown and being a divorced, single mom look especially good.

thank god! something other than jennifer connelly and those cylander-esque dresses from balenciaga. it is visually refreshing to see a soft, flowing, floral frock from balenciaga on cate blanchett (their spokesmodel, actress jennifer connelly has been spotted everywhere in balenciaga's latest spring collection and it's overwhelming to the point of underwhelming). the pregnant actress looks beautiful and in classic cate fashion, wears this well.

why am i more interested in glen close's toned arms than in her giorgio armani gown? please explain.

never thought i would say this: jamie-lynn sigler looks amazing. and are you ready? so does this calvin klein gown. i have been sleeping on this label and this beautiful piece woke me right up. i live! i like! i love!

michelle pfeiffer is like a mustang: classic, timeless, beautiful. this versace dress is oddly (for that label) restrained to the point of being boring. but she needs no bells and whistles. this ageless beauty is exciting enough for a brown paper bag.