Emmy Inspirations

I'd say the most enjoyable part of award shows is before the event even begins -- the red carpet extravaganza of fashion and beauty. I love seeing all the glitter, glitz and glamor, but what I love even more is being a fashion critic as I thumbs up or thumbs down each gown that passes by the cameras. And at this year's Emmy's, the critic was in full effect.  For the most part, I'd say a majority of the gowns were rather prosaic -- boring and kind of dull. But, in the midst of those ho-hum gowns, I did see a few that had me sitting up and taking notice.

It seems the popular ruffle trend is still going strong, and one gown in particular took that trend to a whole new level of sophistication. Lea Michele of Glee wore a stunning navy blue gown that epitomizes the meaning of gown -- it was extravagant, luxurious and whimsical. Another gown that took my breath away was Modern Family's Sophia Vergara's. The yellow and gold sequins gown was reminiscent of old Hollywood, but with a nicely shaped modern flair. And, finally, there was the sexy and stunning cocktail dress worn by Heidi Klum. I don't think anyone but Heidi Klum could pull that dress off -- that is, unless you have legs up to your ears and a vivacious personality to match.

Since most of us ordinary people will probably never get to wear gowns like these, let alone attend an award show, I thought it would be fun to find outfits inspired by these gowns. I didn't want to just find dresses that were similar, but take the style or trend of the gown and find comparable looks that exude the same essence.

So, with that... here are my Emmy inspirations:

 Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta. Anthropologie, Ellsworth Blouse, $118; JCrew, Super 120s Durham pant, $135.

Sophia Vergara in Carolina Herrera. Nordstrom, Filtre Matte Sequin Tank, $31.90; Spiegel, Distressed Leather Pencil Skirt, $99.

Heidi Klum in Marchesa. ModCloth, The Dress I've Been Telling You About (currently out of stock), $69.99.

Going to the Chapel...Someday

Have you seen the show "Say Yes to the Dress?" If you haven't, I'll catch you up to speed. The show takes place at the renowned Kleinfeld in Manhattan and follows the ups and downs of brides-to-be searching for their perfect wedding dress. It's one of my guilty pleasures. I get such a kick out of some of these women who spend thousands of dollars on a dress they will wear for a few hours. They've dreamt about their wedding since they were little girls playing dress up, and now that big day has come and they must find that ONE dress that makes them feel like a princesses. Uh.... okay... barf.  Whew... it took me a whole five sentences before I showed my jaded, unromantic side. I lasted longer than I had expected.  

Okay, okay... I'm being rather insensitive. I mean, I do watch the show, and, I'll admit it, I do think about what kind of wedding dress I'd want, where I'd like to get married.... oh, yeah, and the man of my dreams... who, at this point, is no where to be found. Which, by the way, is kind of an essential part of getting married.  But, then again, that shouldn't stop a girl from dreaming.... right?!

So, as I cringe and look wistful at the same time (that's a hard look to pull off), dreaming of that perfect wedding, I present to you my slightly unromantic, romantic dress choices.  And because I've never had a complete picture of what I'd wear on my wedding day, where I'd wear it or whom I'd wear it for, I'm all over the board on what style I like. The one thing I do know is that I enjoy unfussy, classic looks, with a twist of something unique and a little unexpected. And, depending on the locale -- either my church, an intimate "Old Mexican" chapel in Sedona, or eloping (and for my future, unknown fiance's sake, there is likely many other potential locations, but I've decided at this moment to narrow it down to places I've actually thought about in my absurd fantasizing mind), each of these dresses would fit nicely into said locations.

P.S.: These are very un-bargain-like wedding dresses, with the exception of the cocktail dress. But since you only get married once (fingers-crossed), this definitely is one item you should splurge on!

Traditional Church Look

  Priscilla of Boston, $4500-$5000

Old Word, Romantic Chapel Look

Melissa Sweet, Ambrose, Priscilla of Boston, $4500-$5000

Forget the Wedding, Let's Elope Look

Ellana Couture, Eliza, Etsy.com, $450

August Deals

Maybe it's because it's summertime and I wanted to update my closet, or perhaps it's because I'm on vacation and have more time on my hands to shop. Whatever the reason, I've been on a bit of a shopping spree these last few weeks. Of course, my shopping sprees always involve sales -- I rarely pay full price for anything -- and I am always on the quest for the next best deal.  And, I'm happy to say that I think I found some pretty great deals.

(Clockwise) Anthropologie, Brass Band Tank, $29.95; Anthropologie, Gurgling Ripples Cowlneck, $39.95; Banana Republic, White Cotton Tube Top, $14.99.

Anthropologie, Gossamer Waves Dress, $49.95

Piperlime, Rocket Dog Endear, $34.99; Bandolino Fayette, $19.99