Archive | February, 2018

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

23 Feb

Black Panther is now out, but this doesn’t mean the cast won’t be gracing “Out of the Box” this week. And yep, there is more awards season shenanigans with the BAFTAs, fashion week, magazine covers, premiere and other sartorially pleasing events.As with the Golden Globes and the Costume Designers Guild Awards—for more on that red carpet head here—the majority of attendees wore black in support of the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements.

Lupita Nyong’o keeps with her dresses that resemble some form of armor theme, this time in Elie Saab. Also with that all important twirl factor.

Before the BAFTAs, Lupita was joined by Danai Gurira in South Africa. These stunning shots could easily be a magazine shoot.

Formal ladysuits are still having a moment on the red carpet much to my delight; Ruth Wilson looks fabulous in Christian Dior. The sandals aren’t the obvious choice, but I think they work. As does that shade of red lipstick. This Zuhair Murad ensemble was probably chosen before the Black Panther press tour, but it is hard not to see the influence here. Naomie Harris looks stunning in this feathered and sheer number—sometimes I like these two things combined—and as with the Golden Globes the pants/dress hybrid is working like a charm. Fashion Week has now hit Milan, at the Gucci show Rowan Blanchard is delivering 1970s reporter with a hot scoop in a green jumpsuit. I love everything about this.Keeping with the ’70s look is Aya Cash at the opening night of her new play Kings. Cash spilled her outfit secrets on Instagram; this orange dress beauty is vintage and the shoes are Forever 21. Pop socks continue to be a thing I want to try out, but I’m not sure I can pull off.At the Game Night premiere, Sharon Horgan wears The Vampire’s Wife and of course I am super into this witchy prairie styling. 

Millie Bobby Brown looks like she is going to Spring Formal in polka dot Rodarte and I mean that as a compliment. This frock also reminds me of what Rodarte fave Kirsten Dunst wore for her Nylon cover. At the Brit Awards, Brown holds a white rose as a sign of support for the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns.Atlanta is back next week for season two! I am so ready. At the premiere Lakeith Stanfield, Brian Tyree Henry, Donald Glover and Zazie Beetz are all serving up strong looks. Glover is also keeping with the ’70s inspiration in Salvatore Ferragamo, which is all over this week’s column.And at the after party, Zazie Beetz shows how to go from fancy white halter to casual, in one easy grey sweatshirt step. These are some GQMF at a GQ event celebrating Timothée Chalamet’s cover, including CMBYN co-star Armie Hammer.  A good array of jackets on display.

After weeks of watching Darren Criss giving such an incredible performance on American Crime Story it took a moment to adjust to see him smiling next to a non-Versace looking Edgar Ramirez. Jamie Dornan is also sporting the beard I hope he never shaves off again; in this facial hair contest, Hammer is definitely trailing behind.  On the slightly more casual end of things is man of the hour Timothée Chalamet with Kid Cudi (yes I still miss How To Make It In America) and Black Panther’s Winston Duke. A pop of orange is the way to make a dark suit shine.Jordan Peele got to turn Janelle Monáe into a Hitchcock protagonist for W Magazine and the results are as incredible as this cover is. And ladysuits aplenty! GQ Style teased the Oscar Isaac profile on Monday night; on Tuesday they did not let us down. Not only is this a mesmerizing shoot featuring a whole lot of suits, but the interview goes deep on Isaac’s career, his process, how his mother’s death impacted his relationships and that he was shooting Star Wars and Annihilation at the same time.

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2018 Costume Designers Guild Awards: Winners and Red Carpet

21 Feb

The Costume Designers Guild Awards shines the spotlight on those behind the camera; this is always one of my favorite celebrations of this time of year. Instead of one costume design category with period, contemporary and fantasy up against each other, these awards separate the different styles ensuring that period doesn’t dominate. Contemporary costume is often overlooked, but is just as vital to storytelling.The Shape of Water is one of the Oscar front runners; Luis Sequeira won for his incredible work on this film. Director Guillermo del Toro was on hand to receive the Distinguished Collaborator award. Wonder Woman was one of my 2017 highlights—both from a costume POV and in general—and Lindy Hemming won for Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy. And I, Tonya (which I am seeing at the weekend) took the Contemporary award. The part of me that worries about the ’90s being so long ago is glad that 1994 counts as contemporary and not period.

This is now the fourth win in a row for Michele Clapton’s work on Game of Thrones and I can’t argue with this. Especially as there was an entire new winter wardrobe for Daenerys and everyone started wearing black. Clapton also won for The Crown last year and it was another win for this show with Jane Petrie at the helm. Very pleased to see Ane Crabtree receive the Contemporary award for The Handmaid’s Tale, Crabtree’s work on Masters of Sex was one of the first shows we focused on here at TV Ate My Wardrobe and we’ve been longtime fans.

Gina Rodriguez hosted the celebration and Kerry Washington received the Lacoste Spotlight Award.  In Washington’s speech she noted about costume and acting, “I don’t know who a character is until I know what shoes she wears.”

Below are some of the designers getting fêted and the stars supporting them.As with the Golden Globes and the BAFTA Awards, a lot of attendees wore black in support of #TimesUp and #MeToo. When accepting her award, Michele Clapton exclaimed, “I’m proud to wear black and I’m proud of the movement.”

Michele Clapton’s all black look is also in line with the most recent season of Game Thrones and I love the simplicity here. Plus I need those boots in my life. And of course there are pockets. Long-time Ryan Murphy collaborator Lou Eyrich was nominated for Feud: Bette and Joan, adding a touch of sequin glitz to proceedings. I have a feeling we will see Eyrich at next year’s awards for her stunning creations on American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.Ane Crabtree wore black and the #MeToo/#TimesUp message loud and clear. During her acceptance speech she said “It’s a great time to be a woman and it’s a great time to be a multicultural woman… to every brown skin little girl or boy, if you have a dream, dream big.”

Updated to include Ane Crabtree’s speech.Sally Field took a break from trying to set her son up with Adam Rippon to present Joanna Johnston with the Career Achievement Award. Field was joined by Kathleen Kennedy. Johnston has an impressive resume and along with her collaborations with Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis, she has worked on recent costume design spy faves The Man from U.N.C.L.E and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.Props! Sally Field is prepared for this moment including the pink sweater she wore in Forrest Gump and a blanket with fabrics from her Lincoln costumes.Doug Jones pulls out the fancy coat stops to present Guillermo del Toro with the Distinguished Collaborator Award. And costume designer Luis Sequeira was a surprise, but deserving win for The Shape of Water. Eva Longoria and Scandal costume designer Lyn Paolo presented Kerry Washington with the Lacoste Spotlight Award; Paolo and Washington are nicely coordinated in green (Dolce and Gabbana florals for Washington).

When I spoke to Paolo a few months ago she mentioned the strong bond she shares with Washington, this was something she emphasized in her introduction:

“I have had a great seven seasons with Ms. Washington. You would all be blessed to work with her if you get the opportunity…  I’m sad it’s over. Your love of costumes and the process of storytelling, all that is self-evident in your body of work…I can’t wait to see what you do next.”

And here is part of Kerry Washington’s speech where she talks about the importance of standing by Lyn Paolo when ABC said they were going to make a Scandal inspired clothing line, “Not without us.” It is all in the details and Maggie Schpak was honored with the Distinguished Service Award. Schpak is a jeweler and metalworker and you will have definitely seen her creations on screen including Rocky’s championship belt, Vulcan pieces for Star Trek and tiaras in Black Swan and The Princess Diaries. This article goes deep on Schpak’s work and is well worth a read. And it isn’t surprising to see Schpak wearing some amazing accessories to this event.Someone get Gina Rodriguez a part in the next Star Wars.

Here is the full list of winners and nominees.

Excellence in Contemporary Film
Get Out — Nadine Haders
I, Tonya — Jennifer Johnson — Winner
Kingsman: The Golden Circle — Arianne Phillips
Lady Bird— April Napier
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri — Melissa Toth

Excellence in Period Film
Dunkirk — Jeffrey Kurland
The Greatest Showman — Ellen Mirojnick
Murder on the Orient Express — Alexandra Byrne
Phantom Thread — Mark Bridges
The Shape of Water — Luis Sequeira — Winner

Excellence in Sci-Fi / Fantasy Film
Beauty and the Beast — Jacqueline Durran
Blade Runner 2049 — Renée April
Star Wars: The Last Jedi — Michael Kaplan
Thor: Ragnarok — Mayes C. Rubeo
Wonder Woman — Lindy Hemming — Winner

Excellence in Contemporary Television
American Horror Story: Cult — Sarah Evelyn Bram
Big Little Lies — Alix Friedberg
Grace and Frankie — Allyson B. Fanger
The Handmaid’s Tale —Ane Crabtree — Winner
The Young Pope — Luca Canfora, Carlo Poggioli

Excellence in Period Television
The Crown — Jane Petrie — Winner
Feud: Bette and Joan — Lou Eyrich
Glow — Beth Morgan
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — Donna Zakowska
Stranger Things — Kim Wilcox

Excellence in Sci-Fi / Fantasy Television
Black Mirror: USS Callister — Maja Meschede
Game of Thrones — Michele Clapton — Winner
Once Upon a Time — Eduardo Castro, Dan Lester
Sleepy Hollow — Mairi Chisholm
Star Trek: Discovery — Gersha Phillips

Excellence in Short Form Design
Assassin’s Creed – “I Am”  Commercial — Patrik Milani
Elton John featuring Marilyn Manson: “Tiny Dancer,” Music Video — Sara Sensoy, Dawn Ritz
Katy Perry – “Chained to the Rhythm,” Music Video — B. Ăkerlund
“Miu Miu Women’s Tales #14: The End of History Illusion,” Short Film — Mindy Le Brock
P!NK – “Beautiful Trauma,” Music Video — Kim Bowen — Winner

Career Achievement Award
Joanna Johnson

Distinguished Collaborator Award
Guillermo del Toro

Distinguished Service Award
Maggie Schpak

Lacoste Spotlight Award
Kerry Washington

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

16 Feb

Another week featuring award season shenanigans, NYFW and the blessing that has been the Black Panther press tour. The gift that keeps on giving.

The new Americans artwork for the final season was unveiled this week and it is just as stylistically stylized as the previous five years. Always such a visual pleasure. At Michael Kors, Blake Lively leaned into Valentine’s Day with heart embellished Louboutins and a fabulous red PVC trench, Zendaya mixed athleisure with a sleeveless duster and Emily Blunt is a pattern clashing queen.

The show itself was a lot more eclectic than you would normally get from this designer, but I am a big fan of the Agatha Christie influence. And the leopard print. Stranger Things teen Caleb McLaughlin has been one of the shining stars in menswear on the red carpet over the last couple of years, putting a lot of adults to sartorial shame. McLaughlin looks like he is having fun with fashion so it doesn’t come as a surprise to see him at the Phillip Lim 3.1 show. Here he is with Zosia Mamet; I love her turtleneck/jacket combo.

How to brighten up your day in one step; wear yellow. Jessica Williams looks fabulous going into to the Tibi NYFW show.Dee Rees strikes another ladysuit win in this floral metallic number at the WGA Awards.More florals to fall for with Chelsea Peretti in N°21.

Earlier this week, I watched Get Out for the first time since it came out at the cinema and knowing what is going to happen makes you realize just how layered every line is. I am so happy to see Jordan Peele getting recognized for his work including winning at the WGA for Best Original Screenplay.I am really excited to see Annihilation and the cast is part of the reason why. Delightful dress twirling fun with Tessa Thompson and Gina Rodriguez at the premiere. The Call Me By Your Name promo train keeps on coming, much to my delight. Want to buy the house in the movie? Well now you can. A lot more affordable is the new issue of GQ, which Timothée Chalamet is the cover star of. The whole vibe is moody, emo fun including this shot. That Saint Laurent jacket jumps on the covet list.

This comment from Armie Hammer is very cute. I’m gonna be sad when the CMBYN promotion is done and dusted.

“Timmy had research to do. For me, it was mostly: Do you know how to ride a bike? The day I got there, I barged in on a piano lesson and was, like, ‘As soon as you’re done, we’re hanging out.’ From that moment on, we were together all the time.”Black Panther is now out and we have one more week of this fabulous press tour to enjoy. The film is fantastic, as are the costumes and you can read my interview with Ruth E. Carter here.

The turtleneck/jacket trend continues to be doing big things. Especially when it involves Chadwick Boseman sporting this floral Musika Frere suit.Also at the same New York screening Letitia Wright makes a difficult Coach ensemble look fabulous. That jacket has a kooky ’70s vibe, which is totally in my wheelhouse.

Wright’s performance as Shuri is one of the standout performances in a film of standout performances. I hope we’re going to see a lot more of her in the Marvel universe.Lupita Nyong’o covers the “Culture of Hair Issue” of Allure. The cover is striking, but this shot is really fun, which is why I picked it. In the piece Lupita discusses her hair history, the larger cultural implications, the products she uses and what it was like working on Black Panther:

“On set, it was just such an inspirational experience because so much thought was put into this film, and every single aspect of it was rich and beautiful and just arresting, actually. To see this aspirational African world that actually becomes an example for the whole wide world was spellbinding. We were all very much aware that we were in something extremely special.”

For more in-depth conversation about the celebration of natural black hair in Black Panther I would highly recommend reading this interview with Camille Friend over at The Cut. There are no damsels in distress in Black Panther, the age range of the leading women varies and they aren’t just there to be a love interest. Shuri (Letitia Wright), Romonda (Angela Bassett), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) all have agency; it is incredible seeing four black women taking center stage like this. This Essence cover celebrates the Black Panther cast and this is a powerful image.

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‘The Americans’ Final Season Teasers and Key Art: Spying on the Spy

13 Feb

Everything looks set to fall apart for Philip and Elizabeth in the final season of The Americans, if these two new teasers are anything to go by. Philip quit the spy biz at the end of season five, but that doesn’t mean wigs and fake mustaches are no longer in his life.

A time jump means we’re also missing out on that transition period and ramping up toward the end of the Cold War. It also means seeing just how much the solo spy mission life has taken its toll on Elizabeth. Teaching Paige the ways of the spy world is one thing, frantically scrubbing blood off her hands a la Lady Macbeth is another.

Oh yeah it also looks like Philip is now meeting up with a beardy Oleg to discuss Elizabeth’s work.

All is probably not quite as the teaser makes it seem, but this is not going to go down well with our now officially married spy couple if Philip is indeed reporting on his wife.  Just like riding a bike, Philip still those casually eating, when actually spying skills ready to utilize when needed.

Both teasers are incredibly ominous, but it wouldn’t be the show I love if there wasn’t a feeling of dread in my stomach.

Season 6 Key Art Update! 

The Americans artwork is always a visual treat (the season two all red affair is still my iPad lock screen all these years later) and this year is no different. But unlike last year’s disarming stare toward camera, this is all suspicious side eye. Hinting at the dischord between the pair (and the factions within the Soviet Union) that is featured in the teasers.

The dominating use of blue in the background suggests the peace that is about to come (kinda) between these two countries. But it all feels very ominous to me. 

The Americans returns for its sixth and final season Wednesday, March 28.

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

9 Feb

The Black Panther press tour continues to brighten up the red carpet, talk show appearances and magazine covers. Award season marches on and New York Fashion Week has kicked off. And I thought January was a busy month. New York Fashion Week just kicked off, but Lupita Nyong’o delivered a runway style performance at Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week. Working the plastic trend in a Zeynep Arcay coat and Balmain striped top and pants; this is cool af.
More Lupita! And the Black Panther cast delivers on every continent. At the Seoul premiere, Lupita once again goes for a spin on the warrior vibe—as a nod to her character Nakia—but with added glitz and feathers in Ralph & Russo.

Michael B. Jordan does the all black suit thing and elevates it with an embossed print in Joseph Abboud, switching out slipper Louboutins for a leather pair. At the London premiere Danai Gurira put a bird on it and then some in a breathtaking Jean-Louis Sabaji Spring 2018 Couture gown. As with the LA premiere, attendees at London also celebrated African heritage with bold prints. Michaela Coel looks stunning.

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I didn’t have the dress credits earlier, but Michaela Coel has since tweeted where this dress came from. Surprise! She made it. 
At the DGA Awards, Aisha Tyler serves up super cool style, while proving that sparkly shoes and a red lip are always a good choice.I FINALLY SAW LADY BIRD.

And at the Oscar nominee luncheon—one of my fave award season events—this photo of Saoirse Ronan and Greta Gerwig sums up how this movie made me feel.

I have a fun Lady Bird related piece coming to TV Ate My Wardrobe so stay tuned. But yes I loved it and I love Greta’s Chanel tweed.“”The way this pair is looking at each other is how I would look if either Laura Dern or Timothée Chalamet were stood in front of me. Timothée continues to make great choices and as this chat with Frank Ocean proves, he also loves fashion (see more below).New York Fashion Week regular Jamie Chung gives great gingham jumpsuit at Stuart Weitzman. And at Noon by Noor, Olivia Palermo and Alexa Chung are prepared for the outside chill in fun coats (particularly Chung’s furry number). Both are also giving me shoe envy. Expect much more NYFW in the next column.

Le Tracksuit has taken on a life of its own, starting with Adidas spreading to Hugo Boss and now Armie Hammer’s wife Elizabeth Chambers is getting in on the athleisure train. I love a racing stripe on a fancy pant. May the CMBYN shenanigans never end.
“”Speaking of which, here is Timothée Chalamet serving up great face for V Man. The interview with Frank Ocean is a delight from start to finish, even if Ocean thinks that Chalamet was in Twentieth Century Women (he does look like that actor in all fairness).  “”What a cover! This is an incredibly striking shot of Chadwick Boseman as he stares directly into your soul for Time.

And the opening of Jamil Smith’s essay on Black Panther underscores why this movie is so important:

“If you are reading this and you are white, seeing people who look like you in mass media probably isn’t something you think about often. Every day, the culture reflects not only you but nearly infinite versions of you—executives, poets, garbage collectors, soldiers, nurses and so on. The world shows you that your possibilities are boundless. Now, after a brief respite, you again have a President.

Those of us who are not white have considerably more trouble not only finding representation of ourselves in mass media and other arenas of public life, but also finding representation that indicates that our humanity is multi­faceted. Relating to characters onscreen is necessary not merely for us to feel seen and understood, but also for others who need to see and understand us. When it doesn’t happen, we are all the poorer for it.”

And for British GQ Michael B. Jordan pays homage to the Black Panther Party in a leather coat, black turtleneck and beret. Another incredibly striking visual to celebrate the release of Black Panther. Jordan also discusses why movies like Black Panther matter:

“We’re giving black people power, royalty – we don’t gotta be crackheads or gangbangers, selling drugs or robbing people. We don’t have to be comic relief. We can be superheroes. Imagine what that’s going to do to the imagination and ambition of kids watching these movies. That’s the real impact of this film.”

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

2 Feb

A week of two “Out of the Box” posts! For everything Black Panther head here.

In this rundown; the Grammys—featuring ladysuits aplenty—premieres, fashion campaigns and a very good photoshoot. The very busy January has come to an end, but February will likely be just as hectic. Oh yes, fashion week is coming.The music industry has not been good, kind or supportive to Kesha, but Kesha showed up to the Grammys and bared her soul on stage in a heart crushing performance of “Praying.” Caroline Framke nails the hypocrisy of the music industry in this article.

At the Golden Globes the #TimesUp message was delivered in black, at the Grammys the symbol was a white rose (which wasn’t as effective). Kesha’s fabulous Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors custom look includes embroidered roses and this is a fantastic ladysuit. The silver boots are the perfect touch of glitz to proceedings.  Janelle Monáe gave a powerful introduction to Kesha’s performance; the music industry has failed Kesha, but it was still incredibly heartwarming to see so many women supporting her. Monáe also opted for the floral embroidered aspect of the white rose and I have really missed her this award season.

Luckily there is a double dose of Monàe this week. What a stunning Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo. More ladysuit excellence; so many different ways to put a feminine spin on menswear. Anna Kendrick does the whole sexy thing with La Perla lace paired with Balmain plaid. Adding a dash of color with pink Casadei pumps. Sequins, sequins, sequins. This is an award season staple that is thankfully not going away and Chrissy Teigen’s YANINA Couture dress is one of the glitzy highlights from this crowded time of year.

Semi-related, but this piece about maternity wear over at Racked is one of the best things I have read this week.In custom Gucci, Lana Del Rey goes full ’30s starlet with an overt nod to actress and science pioneer Hedy Lamarr (yes I do have Karina Longworth’s voice saying her name in my head) with the crown of stars. A breathtaking look.

Grown-ish continues to do some very fun and interesting things. Plus it is strong in the style stakes. Including this brief homage to Lemonade.

Yara Shahidi’s ditched the heels she wears in the scene for comfier Birkenstocks. 2 Dope Queens makes its podcast to TV special leap tonight on HBO (February 2); Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson have been making the talk show round this week much to my Instagram Story watching joy. Both women make consistently fun fashion choices and at their premiere it was no different.

Williams wears a velvet belted MISA frock, Robinson’s gone burnt orange Free People pants and halter. Both have a ’70s vibe without looking like they’re matchy matchy.

And because I can’t resist the DVF suit version of Danai Gurira’s frock. Another ladysuit winner. Celebrity pregnancy confirmations range in the same way it does for a regular person to announce (or not). There are so many tacky ways to talk about a pregnant celeb and the official bump unveiling discussion is one of them. Anyone who has seen a recent photo of Kirsten Dunst knows she is pregnant, but this Rodarte S/S ’18 campaign apparently counts as her official word on the matter (there is no accompanying statement).

The photos by Autumn de Wilde are beautiful, as is the whole famous person filled lookbook.

And yes I am very happy about this news because while I can be grossed out by ways certain publications discuss the baby bump as if it is its own being (“showcasing their baby bump”); I am also very fond of this celebrity couple. Contradictions and multitudes.

A collection featuring a lot of amazing women including Danai Gurira in ruffled polka dots. I’m not going to read this conversation between Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet until I have seen Lady Bird (on Monday!), but I really wanted to bask in the sweaters. The Good Place season two finale was indeed very, very good. There are not enough words to describe what a wonderful show this is. Thankfully we have Manny Jacinto talking to GQ about Jason, Blake Bortles, the phenomenon that is this show and his parents. The accompanying photos are also part of the good place.

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week – A Black Panther Special

2 Feb

An early contender for best red carpet of 2018; my expectations were set to high for the Black Panther promo tour because the core cast always bring sartorial excellence, but they delivered and then some at the LA premiere on Monday night.* The red carpet was a regal purple, the theme of African royalty was interpreted in a variety of stunning ways. A celebration of all things Black pride, including a lot of nods to African heritage through dress, accessories and hair; something that runs through the costume design of the film.

*I’m late with this post as I’ve had stomach flu this week (fun!) so I wanted to give a dedicated “Out of the Box” rather than select a few images. So there will be two “Out of the Box” columns today. Scrolling through these photos and the Black Panther reactions definitely helped make me feel a bit better.  

Plus a couple of other appearances from the Black Panther cast this week. And Happy Black History Month! Technically this red carpet was in January, but this post is in February as is the release of the film. In the color of royalty; a true fashion queen! Lupita Nyong’o is a vision in custom Atelier Versace. The gold metal bodice ups the regal levels and as per stylist Micaela Erlanger “There’s definitely a nod to her warrior character Nakia here, without being costumey. It’s a really glamorous take on our vision and it’s very fierce, certainly.” I would definitely agree with this sentiment. And because Lupita always picks a dress that looks good in motion. Yellow fringe is not an easy look to pull off, but Angela Bassett looks born to wear canary Naeem Khan. Lots of bold gold accessories add to the look, as well as nodding to the heritage that Black Panther celebrates.At the Black Panther junket, Angela Bassett put another fantastic spin on the bold accessory/bold jumpsuit theme. It is going to get a bit much if I keep using the word queen, but Janelle Monáe is serving up the royal dress code in a kufi cap that looks like a crown and tribal inspired necklace. The Christian Siriano gown, complete with ruffled sleeves is perfect for the occasion. Look for more Monáe in the other “Out of the Box” this week. Pleats! You know I have strong feelings about pleats and they are all good. Issa Rae is doing a great job of showing off the colorful aspect of her Rosie Assoulin frock. Danai Gurira brings the ruffled drama in pink and black Viktor & Rolf. Gurira plays Okoye, the head of the Dora Milaje—the all-women secret service agents for Black Panther—and her character isn’t one for wearing frocks (even if she ends up having to wear one). I spoke to costume designer Ruth E. Carter recently and I am looking forward to sharing what she said about the Dora Milaje and the rest of the costumes with you soon.  And at Jimmy Kimmel Live! Gurira wore a fabulous Diane Von Furstenberg red and silver geometric print dress that I now also want to see on The Good Fight. One of the main talking points from the early reactions is that Letitia Wright’s Shuri (T’challa’s sister) is a highlight and I cannot wait to see her in action. Wearing a very pretty Bibhu Mohapatra floral gown that is a sheer delight rather than a nightmare.Now to some of the men of the evening; Daniel Kaluuya mixed his Ugandan heritage with his British. Wearing a velvet Burberry blazer over a traditional kanzu is a powerful look.Here comes the king! Chadwick Boseman looks like royalty in gold floral Emporio Armani.David Oyelowo always steps up on the red carpet, this is certainly no different. Wearing traditional African dashiki dress (and wife, Jessica also went strong on the pattern front) paired with Louboutin loafers shows how to mix designer with heritage. A visual feast. What a suit! Bold orange Gucci and Donald Glover continues his fabulous suit reign. Michael B. Jordan’s nod to the African royalty theme is more subtle, but the double-breasted Calvin Klein suit with gold collar tips and another pair of Louboutin loafers to drool over is just as effective.Sterling K. Brown is working that black turtleneck look while wife Ryan Michelle Bathe goes for a short pattern explosion in Kutula. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter showed that she doesn’t just make other people look good. Carter also summed up the vibe of the night to USA Today:

“I was hoping for this. All of the award shows I was watching on TV, I was like, ‘Oh, you wait until Black Panther’ red carpet rolls around. It’s a celebration.”Yara Shahidi’s Etro gown is an ethereal wonder; the embroidery and tassels nod to the occasion as does her natural hair. Shahidi is a regular fixture here and this is a new favorite look.Emily V. Gordon’s metallic Dress the Population frock and t-bar heels is also a new favorite ensemble in an award season filled with great looks. Kumail Nanjiani subtle check suit is bringing the purple. Sequins continue to be big and Cobie Smulders is bang on trend in Markarian.Ending this incredible red carpet event with the man of the hour. Director Ryan Coogler is set to deliver something very special and he nodded to the heritage that was being celebrated through a print scarf. And Taika Waititi went the purple accessories route. Seriously, I am a few days late but I couldn’t not dedicate an entire post to this celebration.

 

 

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