Monday, February 25, 2013

Academy Awards 2013: Best Dressed

Last night marked the 85th Annual Academy Awards (aka. The Oscars). It also marked the first time in the history of my that I've ever watched the whole thing from beginning to end, INCLUDING the red carpet.

While watching the red carpet arrivals, I realized that I had a lot to say about the ladies dresses! There were some absolute stunners out there last night, and some lacklustre ones as well.

I am the first to say that I am no fashionista, but I know what I like and think I have a decent eye when it comes to beautiful gowns. That being said, my thoughts may contradict many out there.

Here is my top  best dressed from last night. Do you agree or disagree? Comment below and let me know your thoughts!


BEST DRESSED

10. Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda. Although this is not my favourite dress of the evening, this 75 stunning lady rocked this canary yellow Versace gown. If only I can look like this at 75!

9. Jennifer Garner
Jennifer looked absolutely stunning sporting a plum coloured Gucci gown with cascading ruffles down the back.

8. Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron looked amazing in a white peplum Dior Haute Couture gown. She rocked the pixi cut, too.

7. Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon is my girl, so obviously she would make my list. Love the two-tone Louis Vuitton number. Such a change from what we normally see on the red carpet, which just adds the "stunning" factor.

6. Jessica Chastain
Jessica Chastain dazzled in a copper Giorgio Armani dress. She is always beautiful  no matter what red carpet she is on
5. Jennifer Lawrence
I wish this dress had a bit more of a sweetheart neckline, but there's no denying the beauty Jennifer Lawrence bestowed in this Dior Haute Couture gown. Lovely.
4. Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer looked beautiful in a red Valentino gown. Different from the sleek numbers we usually see her in, but it was nice to see her on the red carpet!

3. Jenna Dewan-Tatum
Jenna Dewan-Tatum. Can we say absolutely stunning?! This momma-to-be looked incredible while rocking a beautiful Rachel Roy lace number. (And how cute was Channing with her? Their love is undeniable!)
2. Stacy Keibler
Stacy Keibler looked beautiful in this Naeem Khan number. Love the beading.

1. Naomi Watts
Naomia Watts. No matter was this lady wears, she always looks stunning. She rocked this gunmetal Armani Prive gown. In my opinion, the best dressed of the evening.


Friday, February 22, 2013

Rent it. Frock it. Repeat it.


Last week I had the honour of visiting Rent Frock Repeat in Toronto to pick out a dress for the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards (try to say that 5x fast!).

I first heard about Rent Frock Repeat about a year ago by my friend Jessica (flatsareforquitters.com blogger), but had forgotten about it until I saw them showcased on The Marilyn Denis Show a few months ago.

I knew that I had an awards gala coming up and wanted to look smoking hot, so I knew that making a visit to RFR was a definite necessity.

I thought, how often do us women have an event to go to, but we don't have a dress to wear? We end up spending valuable time shopping only to find a dress that fits okay, we spend some money on it, and then it just ends up sitting in our closet taking up space.

Here is a quote from their website, describing what they're all about:

"At Rent frock Repeat, we believe that fashion isn’t just about owning stuff: it’s about walking into a room knowing you look good. The right dress can change everything. It can make you feel elegant, beautiful, and confident—a real Cinderella moment. Our goal is to create this moment every time you rent with us.
We shop the best designer dresses from around the world, visiting top fashion shows and showrooms. Then, we make the dresses available to rent for a fraction of the retail price. Save money and closet space by renting a frock for any occasion. Use that cash for the perfect pair of shoes, put it in your vacation fund, or maybe give it to your favourite cause—we know you’ll find a million reasons to Rent frock Repeat."
When my sister Jenny and I walked in, we were bombarded (in a good way!) with tons of dresses to choose from.

When you create a profile with RFR online, you can create a wish list of dresses that you are interested in.  The girls are RFR already had my wish list dresses pulled and ready when we arrived, and once they learned more about the event I was attending, they pulled a few that they thought I might be interested in.

After trying on a bunch of different designers, including Christian Siriano, Badgley Mishka, Mark and James, Adam, Camilla and Marc and Peter Soronen, I finally decided on a gown by David Meister.

The funny thing is, the gown I chose wasn't even on my wish list.  The lovely Lauren, stylist at RFR, decided to pull out a gown that she just wanted to me to try on. As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one.  These girls know what they're doing.

After a bit of convincing, I decided to choose a long gown instead of a sexy cocktail, because, let's be honest, in the words of RFR Co-Founder and President Kristy Wieber "How often do you get to wear a gown??"

Once the decision was made, the rental process was so easy! All of it was done online, and I was given a 4-day rental period. The dress was shipped to me via Canada Post, and the shipping that I paid on the front end paid for the return shipping of the dress after my event.


When it arrived at my door just a few days later, I opened the box to, not only my gown, but a super cute gift pack that included Hollywood Fashion Tape (double sided) as well as a Deodorant Removing Sponge (which can also be used for pet hair and most make-up powder). My dress also came with a thank you card from Kristy and Lisa (Co-Founder and CEO), as well as an inspection tag and reminder for when to put my "frock" back in the mail.






As for the night of the event, I LOVED my dress. The girls definitely knew what they were doing when they pulled it out for me.

I felt absolutely beautiful last night at the awards gala and am so happy with my choice for the evening.

For anyone who is looking for that PERFECT dress for your next wedding, date night, party, gala, black tie function, or even a girls' night out, I would HIGHLY recommend booking a personal consultation at RFR. Quite possible one of the best shopping experiences I have ever had.

A GIGANTIC Thank You to Lauren, Norah and Kristy for all your help next week. We will definitely be repeat shoppers!



Rent Frock Repeat is located at 35 Golden Ave. Suite 102. Toronto, Ontario.
Call RfR today to book an appointment for your next event!! 1.855.FROCK.IT (1.855.376.2548)
www.rentfrockrepeat.com