Wedding Fever

Paula Yates marries Bob Geldof in 1986. Spot the rockers in the wedding party!

My sister, Banana meet-Cute is staying with me from Melbourne and is quite the royalist, so we are preparing for the royal wedding on Friday night. When I say prepare, I mean fully stocked with bubbly (I'm thinking Prosecco) and have requested wedding themed cup-cakes, as she is quite the baker. I'm not really into the royal family, was never interested in Diana (although did watch her wedding in 1982 - only because I was promised Charles & Di chocolates) - but lately I've been caught up in the "Who will Kate wear?" hoopla. My personal fave would be Alexander McQueen, but I'm thinking McQueen may be too edgy. Stella? I have a feeling Kate will accentuate those shoulders and go strapless, bias cut or drop waist in a fairly tailored design - mind you Bruce Oldfield has said that you can't go sleeveless in Westminster Abbey? "'It will have sleeves, it has to have sleeves. You can't walk down Westminster Abbey in a strapless dress. It just wouldn't happen. It has to suit the grandeur of that aisle, it's enormous." Oh well - time will tell! More importantly - who will KATE MOSS be wearing next month? Now that Galliano is vetoed....In the meantime, here are a few of my favourite wedding dresses of all time.

Unmarried Helena Bonham Carter & Tim Burton in a fantasy wedding shot,

from Vivienne Westwood's book 'Vivienne Westwood Opus'



Dita Von Teese marries Marilyn Manson Goth-style in electric violet Vivienne Westwood, 2005 (Milliner Stephen Jones is holding her train).



A classic. Bianca Jagger marries Mick Jagger in a YSL suit. The jacket (and lack of a shirt caused quite the stir back in 1971



Gwen Stefani in Avant Garde, pink dip-dyed Galliano. This dress blew me away, it is so Gwen, and I love the structure and the colour.

Rock star wedding! The inimitable Paula Yates marries Bob Geldof at 26 in a blo0d-red satin dress, a gift from Jasper Conran. I met her when I was working at Harrods - she seemed very shy, very sweet.

Carolyn Besette Kennedy marries JFK Jnr in Narcisco Rodriguez in 1996- a classic in bias cut cool. This was one of my favourites and captured the zeitgeist of 90's minimalism and fitted tailoring.

Carrie Bradshaw in Westwood for the long awaited wedding to Big. If only the makeup and hair was softer though. the red lips & scraped back hair look too harsh.



Another rock star wedding. I love Pearl Lowe. Here she is marrying Danny Goffey with gorgeous Daisy Lowe. look at that cake! Dark chocolate strewn with rose petals, mmm.



Pammy and Tommy get hitched in Cancun in 1995 within days of meeting, after Tommy stalked Pam and followed her to Cancun where she was working on a shoot. I'm sorry but I love that she got hitched in a white bikini - Rock & roll!

Oh, Galliano

A few weeks ago the fashion world was rocked by the shocking anti-Semitic rantings of John Galliano, now former head designer for the House of Dior in France. It is especially sad as being a minority himself as a gay man, you would have hoped Mr Galliano had a more open mind, wherewithal and sensitivity towards people who are persecuted enough already. I agree with the article Isaac posted - while we can celebrate his amazing achievements, justice had to be done - i.e. his dismissal from Dior. Here's the article, from The New Yorker which muses upon Galliano's spectacular fall from grace. Galliano was a close friend to many a celeb, including Kate Moss - and was widely rumored to be designing her wedding dress for her forthcoming nuptials to Jamie Hince from The Kills (other musical half of the divine Alison Mosshart).

Kate & John

I adored soooo many of Galliano's creations. His punk sensibility and wild haute couture flourishes were fashion gold. Here are a few of my favourite Galliano fashion moments:

Gwen Stefani's Wedding Dress, 2002 - to die! One of my faves celeb wedding dresses ever
(including Dita's Westwood)

Some Carrie moments, naturellement! Styled by Patricia Field. The newspaper dress
may in fact be my favorite Carrie outfit ever

Love Courtney circa the 90's and early 00's.This fabulous shredded midnight number is
at the Golden Globes, 2000. One of my fave Gallianos.

Taylor chancels Courtney in 2010 for Galliano's fragrance Parlez moi d'amour
- still a cute punky pic though. Check out the vid here - I do like her voice.

The beautiful Carla Bruni in her hey-day, one of my favourite Supers of the 90's -
and now Mrs Sarkozy. Pic is from 1995

I love Ms Moore. Here she is at the Globes, 2010. I love Demi in this sublime nude, frothy
confection.Well done Rachel Zoe (Demi's long time stylist until she was usurped by her protege,
Brad Goreski in earlier this year - fashion scandal!)

Nicole's Oscars Chartreuse Chinoiserie gown was the talk of the town .
This 1997 moment helped make NK a fashion leader. and remains a red carpet favourite

I preferred this gold Galliano from 2000. Divine.

Riri

Not loving the top but adore the turquoise skirt! However, she should have been wearing these...

I adore Galliano's silk, suede, feather, wood and lambskin Dior heels!

After weeks of speculation, Dior are still zip-lipped about Galliano's replacement, with designers Richard Tischi (Givenchy), Albert Elbaz (Lanvin), Hedi Slimane (ex Dior Homme) and Aussie's Akira Isogawa being bandied about. Time will tell whether anyone has the chops to step into the shoes one of fashion's true greats.

Kate Moss for LV & other Fashion Spectacles

My favourite, Kate Moss caused a mini furor when she surprised guests at Marc Jacob's Louis Vuitton show in Paris this week, appearing on the catwalk in leather gloves and hot pants, smoking a cigarette. Kate rarely graces the catwalks these days so her appearance, strutting out in her custom LV outfit was a treat for the glitterati - just maybe not for those who adhere to the French law of no smoking inside public buildings.

Kate Moss for Louis Vuitton

This is why I love Marc Jacobs - he loves a stunt (Victoria Beckham in an over sized shopping bag, anyone?) With two of fashion's greatest showmen out of the picture (the late, great Alexander McQueen and John Galliano), we need all the surprises and stunts we can get! One of my favourite McQueen fashion show moments was his stunning Kate Moss hologram, screened at a show in 2006.

Alexander McQueen Fall 2006 Ready to Wear

Lady Gaga was Alexander's muse and it was fabulous to see her making her catwalk debut, growling and gurning (and also smoking!) for Thierry Mugler, also at Paris Fashion Week. The spectacle was a bit of a pick-me-up for the fashion crowd following the news of Galliano-gate. (NEWSFLASH - Ricardo Tisci from Givenchy is being touted on the social media circuit as the replacement for John Galliano as Head Designer at Dior! Official confirmation pending...)

Lady Gaga and her stylist Nicola Formichetti during and after the show

Although, we also still have the wonderfully irreverent Jean Paul Gaultier, who used to be dubbed the Enfant Terrible of fashion. He was the one who had Madonna walk his catwalk topless and invented her conical bras.

Madonna and John Paul Gaultier, 1992

JPG was also in the media recently for his inspired move of having beautiful Aussie/Croatian model Andrej Pejic walk in both his Men's and Women's Spring 2011 collections. Andrej is also flaunting a cigarette! Must've been the big trend in Paris this Fashion week!

Andrej Pejic for John Paul Gaultier, Spring 2011

And last but not least, we can't forget another Enfant Terrible of fashion, the British designer Vivienne Westwoood - Queen Viv. Having Pamela Anderson strut her runway at Paris Fashion Week in 2009 was inspired! In a way, you can see how the two have struck up a friendship - strong, kooky, crazy chicks!

Pammy for Vivienne Westwood, 2009

Oscars 2011!

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein Collection

I looove the Oscars. I love Celeb Award Shows because I just love to swoon over the fashion! As my sister says in her Blog, to us it's like a one day test or All Blacks Game are to some - something we look forward to every year. And THIS year I finally have cable - so for the first time since I lived in Sydney (where they showed the Oscars and the Golden Globes on terrestrial TV), I can watch the Oscars, and the E Red Carpet special.

I have to say, for me this year it was all about RED. Loving it. New ingenue Jennifer's Lawrence's gorgeous Calvin Klein Collection gown was a standout for me, as were CK's similar dresses on Clare Danes and Emma Stone at the Golden Globes - see those dresses here.

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein Collection

Rhea Durham (Mark's wife) in Naeem Kahn

Jennifer Hudson in Tangerine Versace

Anne Hathaway in Valentino

Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang

Other Faves - I always love a bit of glitzy beading. Designers like Marchesa, Gucci, Versace, Givency, Valentino and Oscar de la Renta are usually the go-tos for pretty/sexy dresses for awards shows. Hilary Swank's gorgeous Gucci below is a gorgeous safe-bet standard glam awards gown - the pale/nude shade, glittery/beaded full-length number. Halle Berry and Michelle Williams have followed suit.

Hilary Swank in Gucci

Halle Berry in Marchesa

Michelle has redeemed herself after a run of ugly dresses this awards season, in this pretty, sexy yet still demure number. She must've read the reviews & fashion police and has opted also opted for a safe bet, choosing Oscar de la Renta. I do like the fact she went for a high neck, which is consistent with her not-too-sexy style mantra.

Michelle Williamson in Oscar de la Renta

You can't go wrong with classic black - love the low cut - paired with the austere hair, it's not too 'hoochie'. Beautiful and elegant, yet sexy.

Camila Alves in Kaufman Franco (?)

I'm just not sure about these ones...Cate Blanchett's Givenchy gown got a lot of kudos, and my sister loves it! See more here. But alas when watching on telly when Cate arrived I had my strongest negative opinion yet - not enamored with the lilac and yellow, and the cut out stomach bit framed with bobbly things grossed me out completely because it totally reminds me of those anatomy dolls with the stomach cut out to reveal the innards - yukky! However I, like the silhouette and cut of the dress - just without the ugly bobbly bits and cut out tummy.

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy

I'm on the fence about Florence's - not sure. I don't usually like yellow but maybe in 'real life', with her red hair, this one may have looked rather charmingly, prettily Victorian?

Florence Welch in Valentino

When I saw Mila, I was seriously worried her boobs were going to pop out - a bit too lingerie like for me. And I can't get past lilac - reminds me of a Nana. perhaps if it was in a dark violet, I'd think differently.Mila Kunis in Elie Saab

Mila's co-star Natalie - I really don't like burgundy! On telly this dress looks very maroon, -but more pink here. I'm not in love with it but I do like the fact she wore Rodarte - beautiful costumes they designed for Black Swan - see my Post on that here. Poor Natalie had to face questions about her association with Dior (she stars in Dior's new Miss Cherie perfume ads), following the maelstrom regarding John Galliano's anti-semitic remarks - and admirable subsequent firing from Dior. So onto more burgundy - Scarlett Johannson in Dolce & Gabbana. I really dislike the wine coloured, 2-toned lace curtain/doily look. Not good.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte

Scarlet Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana

Do not like NK's either - kind of ugly and too angular. Not sure what the orange peep-toes are about either. Also unfortunately she chose Dior right before Galliano-gate.

Nicole Kidman in Dior

I shall end with the wonderfully eccentric Helena Bonham Carter - because she's just fabulous, not matter what she wears!

Helena Bonham Carter in Colleen Atwood (& Union Jack flag)

Most images are taken from ELLE's online Oscars 2011 best-dressed slide show.