Remember Angelina Jolie in this Michael Kors strapless leather dress at some red carpet do recently?

I remember it well because she looked incredibly hot and now it’s permanently burned into my brain.

Now you can get the look (for less) with this Mango leather dress at ASOS (although it’s actually leather-look rather than real leather).

I know I would have a snowball’s chance in hell of pulling this look off, but if you have a figure like Angie Jo’s, then go for it and I envy you.

Photo from StyleFrizz.com

By Caroline Warnes

I can’t believe the Oscars have rolled around again for another year.

I love the Oscars. Well, not so much the ceremony itself, which just seems to be gratuitous industry backslapping. But I love the red carpet arrivals. It seems to be the one day of the year when I can legitimately sit at work looking at pictures of celebrities posing without appearing to be slacking off.

It’s also the day for which the best designer frocks are reserved. If you can’t look good at the Oscars, then you really have no hope.

I’ll update on the red carpet as new photos come through. My thoughts on the arrivals (click on the name to see a photo):

Miley Cyrus: Who?

Mario Lopez: What is AC Slater from “Saved by the Bell” doing at the Oscars? And did he fall into a vat of fake tan on the way there?

Freida Pinto: Loved her so much in “Slumdog Millionaire”, and love the colour of the gown, but the exectuion is a bit beauty pageant. It actually looks kind of cheap: picture

Vanessa Hudgens: I don’t know who this person is, but can I just say that I am so sick of fishtail gowns. Boring. I do like the lace detail though.

Lisa Rinna: Everything is too big. The earrings, the hair, the lips… holy hell, the lips. Ease off the Restylane.

Mickey Rooney: That’s weird. I could have sworn he was dead.

Heidi Klum: Am I the only one who gets the impression Heidi Klum is just a big dag in person. Her outfits always look slightly off.

Sarah-Jessica Parker: Has she had a boob job? Matthew Broderick is beginning to resemble a congenial butler.

Beyonce: I think she forgot to put on her jewellery and weave. I’m undecided on the dress. On one hand, it’s a fishtail. On the other, the gold detail is kind of cool. On the first hand again, get over yourself Beyonce.

Marion Cotillard: Last year’s winner for Best Actress. NOW THAT’S A FROCK! Why are the French so eternally stylish?

Jessica Biel: Good to see she tucked a napkin into the front of her potato sack before she left the house.

Penelope Cruz: Disappointing - she’s so beautiful but never takes risks.

Anne Hathaway: I’ll bet you a million dollars this dress is a Marchesa. The cut is flattering, although I’m a bit over sequins.

Kate Winslet: She’s hot. Love the dress. Hope she finally wins.

Sophia Loren: After the ceremony she’s heading to a wild wild west dress up party at the Last Chance Saloon.

Angelina Jolie: Oh come on. This is getting ridiculous. The woman doesn’t ever try. Well then again she probably has better things to do. Like adopt the population of a small country. Brad Pitt’s moustache looks stupid.
Photos from News.com.au and Getty Images

By Caroline Warnes

Nicole Richie is one of those public figures about whom I have mixed feelings.

Not that I really care about her in any great capacity, but when I do think about her, my feelings are generally mixed.

On one hand, she does have great style. On the other hand, what exactly does she do but wander the streets with a giant cup of coffee in her hand and pose at parties with her hand on her hip?

Well, now it appears she does actually do something to deserve her notoriety, beyond walking the streets in giant sunglasses, drinking coffee and posing. Richie is releasing her first jewellery line, called House of Harlow, and it’s now available for pre-order.

The pieces are generally striking and oversized, which is Nicole’s signature style. Personally I think they’re a tad overpriced for a first jewellery collection from a novice designer, even if it is a so-called celebrity designer. For example, the necklace pictured here is going for $139. However, prices start at $49.

The House of Harlow collection will be availabe mid-March at Miijo. Check out the range and place orders here.

By Caroline Warnes

If there’s one thing master shoe designer Christian Louboutin specialises in, it’s classic black pumps.

Any time you see a celebrity wearing a spiky black heel these days, it’s likely to be a Louboutin. See fashion victim Victoria Beckham here, Nicole Richie here and the three skanks here for some examples.

Those vertiginous numbers Nicole Richie is sporting are a style called Alti and while it’s sold out pretty much everywhere except second-hand on eBay, I’ve found a more affordable version at Wittner. Thankfully, they’re nowhere near as high, too - if you want to get an idea of how high the originals are, check out the pictures here.

The Wittner interpretation is a style called Yvette and will set you back just $169.95 - less than a quarter of the price of the originals. Check them out here.

The Yvette pumps also come in fire-engine red if you’re feeling particularly bold.

By Caroline Warnes

Lately I have been feeling that if I see just one more pair of gladiator sandals, I am going to scream.

Unfortunately it appears that there may be laryngitis in my future as it seems that currently you can’t walk two metres down the street without stumbling over someone wearing a pair.

I have to admit that when I first saw pictures of Kate Moss wearing gladiator sandals, I briefly thought the look was kind of cool. Not something I’d wear, but still fun to look at. Mind you, this was three years ago. Cut to now and now every school girl with an allowance and Shoobiz discount card is wearing them. What exactly is the appeal of people looking at you and being reminded of the year 2006. I don’t even like being reminded of last week.

I mean, come on. Enough is enough. What’s the appeal in wearing something that every second person on the street is wearing? A friend of mine was at the Big Day Out last week and in all seriousness estimated that 90% of the girls in attendance were wearing gladiator sandals. I’m guessing that’s a slight exaggeration, but probably not too far off the mark.

And does anyone else think that the majority of these sandals look spectacularly cheap. Like, the original gladiators were made of soft leather. Most of the el cheapo pairs favoured by today’s fashion victims look like they are fashioned from the same plastic that is used to make garden hoses.

Lately, an even more alarming gladiator sandal trend has become apparent. Girls wearing their gladiator sandals over leggings. ARGH! I’m sorry, but this is the height of stupidity. For one, my hatred of leggings could take up an entire vitriolic blog rant of its own. Secondly, we’re in the middle of a heatwave, obviously you are wearing sandals to stay cool, WHY NEGATE THAT WITH LEGGINGS?

The spectacularly fug pair pictured above are from Wittner and are on sale for $89.95. I’m sorry, but black patent gladiator sandals? I just laughed out loud.

By Caroline Warnes

When it comes to celebrity fashion trends, fewer are harder to pull off than the Herve Leger bandage dress.

Since its arrival, it’s safe to say the skin-tight bandage dress has been responsible for more celebrity crash diets than any other fashion item.

While many of us find the notion of crash dieting to fit into a piece of clothing moronic (I mean seriously, how good is food?), celebs and fashionistas have gone ga ga over this dress in its many variations.

It’s been seen on everyone from Victoria Beckham, to Mariah Carey, to Kristy Hinze, and of course a host of Z-list reality TV stars. You can see a gallery of the dress in all its glory here.

Anyhow, the original Herve Leger bandage dress will set you back more than a few weeks’ pay. But as with most celebrity trends, it was only a matter of time before we saw an “interpretation” in chain stores.

The dress pictured above is from Dotti and retails for $119.95. It also comes in plain black.

It goes without saying that this is not really the kind of dress you wear if you are planning on eating a large meal.

By Caroline Warnes

Just like Gwyneth’s grey nails, this look from Madonna has been slowly growing on me.

She stepped out in this head-to-toe Givenchy ensemble back in August, and at first I was somewhat unsure about the gold multi-strand chain necklace.

After all, Madonna can pull off over-the-top when walking down the street but for many of us this look might prove to be somewhat of a challenge. If you are as uncoordinated as me, and tend to trip over deceptively flat ground in deceptively flat shoes whilst “a few” sheets to the wind, you would most likely end up tangled up in the strands on the side of the road somewhere.

It’s only taken four months of agonising decision making to decide I like this look, and guess what? I’ve found a “light” version for only $29.

Check out the Multi Chain Gold Necklace here (and sorry, but I bought one of the few remaining ones).

Photo: E! Online

By Caroline Warnes

I have to admit that I used to have something of a soft spot for actress Nicole Kidman, which peaked around seven years ago.

Firstly, she is the most famous former student of my old high school, so I always felt like I was at least partially responsible for her success (despite the fact that she was long gone by the time I got there and I’ve never laid eyes on her in the flesh in my life).

Secondly, she has a great sense of style and wears clothes incredibly well. Her John Galliano for Christian Dior dress for the 1997 Academy Awards (picture) is one of my all-time favourite red carpet looks, minus the dwarf standing next to her.

Thirdly, she used to be a decent actress. Remember the likes of Dead Calm, To Die For and, of course, the incomparable BMX Bandits?

But then something happened to Nicole. More specifically, non-surgical cosmetic injectables happened to Nicole. Despite her claims that she has never touched Botox, does anyone really believe that a 41-year-old woman’s forehead is naturally as smooth and tundra-like as Nicole’s?

I mean, I am all for cosmetic procedures, if that’s your thing. But isn’t the point of being an actress that you have to emote? To show feeling? In other words, to move your face. The last few times I’ve seen Kidman on screen, I’ve been so captivated by her immovable forehead that I’ve pretty much missed the rest of the film.

I was thinking about this yesterday when a few Lasoo staff members were discussing the new film “Australia”. I mentioned a scurrilous rumour I heard that director Baz Luhrmann had to extensively retouch the film to inject some life into Kidman’s forehead. A couple of people expressed disbelief that Kidman has had Botox… I mean come on. Isn’t it fairly obvious? Sunscreen and clean living only go so far once you hit your 40s.

This morning I Googled “Nicole Kidman’s forehead” for more information (no, I don’t have much going on in my life) and much to my amusement, there is a whole website devoted to the subject. You can see it here. The gallery devoted to the evolution of the Kidman forehead is a must-see.

Picture from Lainey’s Entertainment Update

By Caroline Warnes

If you had told me just a few months ago that I would be hankering after grey nail polish, I probably would have laughed at you.

However I am very easily influenced by the media and celebrities and after seeing Gwyneth Paltrow sport the look at a movie premiere last month, my opinion on grey nail polish has slowly shifted from “yuck” to “that’s kind of cool” to “I have to have it” in the last few days.

This isn’t teenage sparkly silver we’re talking about - this look is a matte, true grey that doesn’t quite have the depressed emo vibe of black nail polish, nor the twee Disney feel of pink shades.

The perfect shade at this stage looks to be OPI Sheer Your Toys, from the Holiday in Toyland collection, which I plan to test out this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By Caroline Warnes

I pretty much thought nothing could shock me anymore when it comes to celebrity collaborations.

After the Katherine Heigl/surgical scrubs debacle earlier this year, I truly thought there could not exist a stranger celebrity endorsement.

But of course, I was wrong. I was browsing Sassybella.com this morning when I read here that none other than everyone’s favourite transvestite, Dame Edna Everage is set to collaborate with MAC to release a cosmetics line.

Sassybella.com reports that the range, which will arrive in Australia in January, consists of three lipsticks, three LipGlasses, two eye-shadow trips, Hi-Light powder and two nail polishes.

The packaging is kind of cool - it’s all done out in Dame Edna’s signature lavender colour with her horn-rimmed glasses as a motif.

This collaboration strikes me as extremely strange. Am I the only one who has noticed that Dame Edna Everage is actually a man dressed as a woman? Who is this range supposed to appeal to. Cross-dressers? Women who like to cover themselves in industrial cross-dressing strength make up? Actors vying for the role of Dr Frank N Furter in the stage production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show?

My guess is that the colours in the range won’t be suited to anyone who likes the natural look with their make-up.

That being said, I will still be intrigued enough to check it out.

By Caroline Warnes