A list to end the short month

What better way to end the short month than with the Oscars. The Academy Awards tried to reach for a younger generation this year with obvious re-branding tactics. Overall, it maintained the same charm that keeps us watching year after year.

Here's a riddle for you- what changes every year, yet remains the same? The red carpet ceremony. Each year, we get new fashions- more extravagant, more glamour, more surprises, more shockers. However, while the trends change, one thing remains the same- the classic timelessness of the pre-Oscars show.

Best Dressed

Gwyneth Paltrow stunned in this metallic piece by Calvin Klein. She looked sleek in this straight dress with a chic rectangular neckline. Her straight blond hair also added the same feel to her overall look.


Mila Kunis looked absolutely breathtaking in this dress by Elie Saab. The lavender is a fabulous shade for her. It was very fitting for this muse/goddess dress which sports elegant touches of lace. This is probably my favourite of the night.
Jennifer Hudson glowed in her cheerful Versace gown, showing off her excellent post-diet body. This dress accentuates her curves perfectly and the colour is exquisite on her. She had great taste in accessories too with her diamond drop earrings and shimmering bracelets to complement the look.

Another star to wear the red on the red was Anne Hathaway. Red is definitely her colour because she looked absolutely stunning. Her up-do and simple necklace were great accessories to this mermaid-esque Valentino gown. +1 for the extra bold lip also.


Scarlett Johansson was looking lovely in this dress from Dolce & Gabbana. She definitely got the memo on the beauty and chicness of lace and sheer for this season. The floral lace adds an extra touch of femininity as well. The tone of purple is also very divine on her.

Worst Dressed

Florence Welch looked pretty dreadful in this layered cream Valentino gown. She kind of looked like a cake, though there was nothing delicious about this look. I'll give her one thing- the colour did make her red hair pop, though it mostly just made her look super pale and almost sickly.

Marisa Tomei was not looking her best. The top half does have some good things going on- a lovely colour on her with a classic strapped dress. However, it all goes downhill from there. The asymmetrical puffed out skirt of the dress makes it look like her body was just awkwardly cut diagonally. Not a good dimension at all.

Images via wonderwall.msn.com

xo A Talentless Mess

I like my boys bright

Continuing on with stores that I walk into hoping to find something on sale, we have Tommy Hilfiger. The Spring 2011 collection takes its familiar essence of prep and country club classics to bring us this explosion of colour and brilliance. My wardrobe is still recovering from when blacks, whites, and greys were the must-have colours, which is why I particularly love this collection. Nothing says sunshine and warmth like vibrant blues and pastel pinks. I typically review female clothing lines, but here's Hilfiger's menswear.






Images via style.com

xo A Talentless Mess

Banana beauty

I have the wishful thinking habit of walking into stores that I know I can't afford but holding onto the hope that there might just be an awesome item for sale (then again, who doesn't have those days). Banana Republic is one of those stores. I usually think of Banana as a typically business casual store, but I wouldn't mind having these styles for a regular day.

Though I think we can ALL agree that socks and sandals are a no, but slouchy socks and peep-toe shoes are a totally different story. I absolutely love this style- it's casual, comfortable, and feminine. I might have to experiment with that sock trend. These print dresses are also lovely with the exquisite fitting and summer florals.



I've also become pretty partial to the neutral tone trend. It's a great example of how to dress androgynous. What adds the femininity in the following outfits are the accessories. A bold necklace over a simple shirt brings special emphasis on the accessory, which can alter the overall impression of an outfit.



Images via style.com

xo A Talentless Mess

Windy in the city

The weather has been crazy lately. Accompanying the double-digit temperatures were insane winds. A straight skirt was definitely a good call. While the hat kept my hair in place (for the most part), the trouble was keeping the hat on my head. I really enjoyed this outfit. It's difficult to explain, but it gave me a certain worldly feeling. I'd say that this outfit was fairly European prep-school inspired.





What I'm wearing:
-Burgundy shirt from Abercrombie & Fitch
-Grey skirt from Suzy Shier
-Black heels from Winners
-Grey over-the-knee socks from Costa Blanca
-Black glasses from Urban Outfitters

xo A Talentless Mess

The short month in shorts

It's February. I am in shorts. I am not freezing, or even cold! It's an amazing day today. It's 11 degrees in Ottawa. There's a strong wind outside and snow on the ground, but all that's got nothing on the sunshine and warm temperatures. I still can't believe we're having this kind of weather in February. I had to take advantage of today for an early spring photo session. I dug up my summer clothes and found this shirt. I think it portrays my mood pretty well- a tad quirky, yet refreshing.


What I'm wearing:
-Blue cardigan from Papaya
-Brown work boots from Charlotte Russe
-Souvenir t-shirt from Hong Kong

xo A Talentless Mess

Winter blues? Try grey.

I often complain about how I find it difficult to be fashionable and functional in the winter, which is why I'm always on the lookout for new ideas for winter styling. Reed Krakoff offers his specialties in outerwear with both sophistication and warmth. Though I personally wouldn't wear this line in -10 degree weather with snow on the ground, I think these outfits make terrific transitional weather pieces. I adore the monochromatic greys, which emit a great level of class and simplicity.






Though outerwear is his specialty, Krakoff showed off his new dresses as well. Most offer the same level of simplicity and everyday wear-ability, but there were a few that caught my eye as extraordinary.




Images via style.com

xo A Talentless Mess

A treat for the ears and the eyes

The Grammy awards features the best in mainstream musical talent with awards, performances, and of course, the red carpet. This year, I found that I wasn't in total awe of anyone's outfit, but there were eye-catching pieces (for better or for worse). Here's my picks for the best and worst dressed of the Grammy awards 2011.

Best Dressed

Eva Longoria looked stunning with this black and white dress paired with hot black pumps. Her sleek ponytail definitely completed her classy ensemble.


Selena Gomez opted for a lovely mature look in this metallic J. Mendel gown. What I love about this is its eye-catching colour and how well it accentuates her body type.
Photo from teenvogue.com


Jennifer Lopez stunned in this little metallic dress by Emilio Pucci. If you're going to do metallics, this is the way to do it. And did you get a look at her shoes?


Lea Michele looked beautiful in this Emilio Pucci dress with fringes all in the right places. This long dress got an extra sexy touch with the high slit along the side and a plunging neckline.
Photo from teenvogue.com

Nicole Kidman is no stranger to the red carpet. This floral Jean Paul Gaultier mermaid dress accentuates her curves perfectly. I do love a good unique dress.


Dianna Agron is still going strong with her hot streak of ravishing red carpet looks. This time, she wore Vivienne Westwood Gold Label with this lovely black dress.
Photo by teenvogue.com

Worst Dressed
Rihanna's look was one of those looks that you either loved or hated. Personally, I'm not a fan. While I must acknowledge the sex appeal that this Jean Paul Gaultier sheer dress has, I think she looks more like a cake than a music star.
Photo from teenvogue.com

I'm not quite sure what kind of look Haley Williams was going for here, but it definitely wasn't good. The upper half of her outfit looks like she's ready for a night out at a club. But then her fluffy pink skirt just adds an unnecessary twist.

Here we have it, our worst dressed winner- Nicki Minaj. She's known for her wacky looks, but this one may be the one to remember. Decked out in leopard print, this Givenchy outfit promises to be a head-turner. And did you get a load of her afro? Unique and memorable, yes. I didn't say that was a good thing though.

Photos from fashionism.ca unless otherwise stated.

xo A Talentless Mess

Lusting for layers

One of Ottawa's greatest attractions is the Rideau Canal. During the winter, it becomes a massive skating rink. This also means that it can get massively cold when skating. You can't really see it, but I have 3 sweaters on. During the day with the sunshine was lovely, but once the sun went down, it was cold again. I think I've finally found a layered look that I absolutely love though.

What I'm wearing:
-Camel coat
-Grey Jcrew cardigan
-White Costa Blanca scarf

xo A Talentless Mess

I want to go to prom again

I'm a little regretful that I wasn't as into fashion as I am now back in high school. I could've done so much more with my prom dress! Like this one here makes me I could time travel back to prom. I love asymmetrical dresses- especially with unique detailing. The shoulder detailing here is simply divine, not to mention the sheer layering gives off a lovely elegant impression. I especially like how the dress flows outwards from the waist, which accentuates the figure.

Those shoes are also to die for. The metallic silver is an excellent accent to the shade of blue. The gladiator heel is also edgy, yet feminine at the same time.

BCBG Max Azria- $398.00

View this in more detail on BCBG's website here.

xo A Talentless Mess

Dress shirt dresses

For the past season, I've had a thing for the school girl/geek chic look. I simply adore this dress by Shadow Play. Not only is it absolutely adorable, but it's functional and casual enough for everyday. One of my problems with dresses is being too fancy for class (which I think I am nonetheless), but I see no such problem with this item. I've become a fan of dresses with collars ever since I watched 27 Dresses where Katherine Heigl wore a collared dress as one of her bridesmaid outfits towards the beginning of the movie. It just adds such a kick to a dress- collars can represent both a vintage and a modern look.

From shopnastygal.com

This outstanding dress is available to be purchased for $88.00 here.

xo A Talentless Mess