(January 2009)
- It's the most wonderful time of the year!
No, no, the holidays are way over. It's award
season and there's no ignoring it! Duh! The Golden
Globes. Critic's Choice Awards. Screen Actor's
Guild Awards. The Oscar's. The Grammy's. Phew!
They'll all here! Half the fun of watching your
favorite movie and television stars receive awards
is observing their fashion choices on the red
carpet, right? We think so! Pop Culture Madness.com
recently had the opportunity to speak with fashion
guru Michael O'Conn0r. He's the man that celebrities
want on their side as they choose the attire that
could make or break their special night!
It's your lucky day now, PCM readers.
You've hit the fashion jackpot with this article!
Whether you're already a fashionista and just
need some fashion refreshers or you're
a walking disaster that needs some tips to get
chic for the new year, you've found the right
place! You don't have to be a celebrity to look
and feel like one! Learn the do's and no-so-do's
here!
PCM talked to Michael about what
celebs are wearing, what's in, what's really
out and what to channel for the spring! Find out
his thoughts on the fashion choices at The Golden
Globes and then predict for yourself what will
be hot at The Academy Awards. Wondering what accessories
are hot? Are headbands in? What about the ever-so-popular
Ugg boots - let's really find out the scoop! Ready.
Set. GO!
The
Golden Globes: Fashion Wrap-Up
"There were a couple of people who I
think missed the mark a little. Renée Zellweger
for example, I just didn't get her Carolina Herrera
gown. The whole sheer top with the weird sleeves
was not my thing. I've seen her look so much more
elegant," Michael told us when we asked
about the overall
fashion choices made at this year's 66th Annual
Golden Globe Awards held on January 11th, 2009
(We couldn't agree more).
It's fun when viewers
see a dress that takes their breath away but hey,
it's also fun to see a complete trainwreck, too!
Who are we kidding? Last year, we saw lots of
red on the red carpet! Blue seemed to be the popular
hue this year at the Golden Globes.
"Overall, I thought people looked really,
really good. I think we saw a definite trend toward
what I'm going to call, Hollywood chic. These
pieces were not glitzy, they were elegant. I
had predicted that there would be a lot of blues
on the carpet this year and there were. From sapphire,
robin's egg blue, all the way down to midnight
blue. There were a lot of different blues,"
explained Michael. He sure was right, alright!
Check out actresses Blake Lively and Maggie Gyllenhaal
rockin' the blue gowns this year on the carpet.
Keep this tip in
mind. Michael commended celebrities like Amy Adams
and Eva Mendes who wore simplier dresses but created
color and interest with her jewelry choices. Injecting
a bold ring or colorful earrings to a simpler
dress can work wonders for your ensemble! "The
celebrities who decided to wear neutrals, blacks
and whites really jazzed it up with color in their
jewelry which I was really happy about,"
said Michael.
We didn't forget
you, gentlemen! What did Michael think about the
men and their fashion choices? It seems like colorful
accents were the key there, too! The Jonas Brothers
got a big approval from Michael. We liked Mickey
Rourke's sparkly scarf accent on his suit, as
well. Listen to this audio clip and find out!
The most wonderful
accessory on the red carpet this year, in Michael's
opinion, was Beyonce's gorgeous platinum and diamond
necklace by Lorraine Schwartz. "That was
just amazing to see. She and Jay-Z really rose
to the occassion," exclaimed Michael
during our interview.
The hot hip accessory
for the stars has been stacked bracelets. Big,
chunky bracelets stacked 1-2-3 high on the wrist
is very popular. Stars like Jennifer Lopez, Anna
Paquin and Christina Aguilera rocked them this
year!
In terms of the Academy Awards, Michael told
us that what he saw at The Golden Globes was only
a precursor to what we'll see at this year's Oscar's.
He's right!
"There's
much more of a formality to these awards, we saw
a lot of blues at the Golden Globes. That tells
me we'll see a lot of black and white at the Academy
Awards because it's more formal. We may see more
blues but they'll be much more dark midnight blue
like what Anne Hathaway wore at The Globes this
year."
"If
people find that the choices in fashion out there
are just way too much, classic is always the best
way to go. Classic will never go out of style.
Really great style is great taste with a dash
of daring. Take something elegant and do one thing
to kick it up a notch." - Michael O'Connor.
About
Michael O'Connor
Michael O'Connor
is the "go-to" resource for editors and producers
seeking information on current trends and celebrity
style. Spanning 25 years of expertise in the fashion
industry, O'Connor is one of America's leading voices
on style, jewelry and accessories. He has worked with
some of the most recognized brands and helped develop
some of the most followed trends in the world. As a
style expert, O'Connor regularly appears on a variety
of live and taped television shows.
Some
Helpful Tips: Hair-Do's
Q: How important is a good hair-do when you're putting
your wardrobe together for a night out?
Michael: "A hair-do has to go with the overall
package you are presenting. The dress, shoes, makeup
and hairstyle. I always say that a dress is like a present
to somebody but it's only the wrapping paper. You really
need the rest of it, the accessories and a good hairstyle,
to put the bow and ribbon on the present."
Q: Shows like 'Gossip Girl,' use a lot of headbands
with bows, peacock feathers, flowers and preppy hair
accessories, are headbands in?
Michael: "Hair accessories are great overall
as long as they're done at the right time and for the
right purpose. I've seen some great headbands and I've
seen some that are horrific! You have to be careful!
If you're going to wear it, too many beads or too many
feathers does not a wonderful statement make!"
Some
Helpful Tips: Make-Up
Q: When is it okay to wear splashes in color in
your eyeshadow? Is blue okay or should you completely
stay away from it?
Michael: "I think that if you splash on blue
or green eyeshadow all over the lid, you'll have a really
dated look. I think it can be applied in very interesting
ways to make it work. If you take a little liner or
shadow and add a touch of it at the lid or line underneath
your eye, it would work! If you use it tastefully, it
can be very attractive."
You be the judge, did Rihanna make
this look work with a bit of color in her eyeshadow?
Some
Helpful Tips: Shoes
Q: Are gladiator sandals going to be in or out this
spring/summer?
Michael: "I think we only started to see the
tip of the iceberg with those. I think they're very
chic. We saw them on everybody! I think they are a great
look and really accentuate wonderful legs and shorter
skirts."
Q: It's winter for some of us in the world, are
Uggs in? What's the verdict?
Michael: "You really touched a nerve with me.
I think they're named "Uggs" for a reason!"
(PCM Sidenote: LOL, we love Michael O'Conner!) "They
are not flattering to the leg or feet, not at all! They
have a purpose, I get that. Maybe Sarah Palin could
get some use out of them up in Alaska!"
Some
Helpful Tips: What'll Be Hot For
Spring 2009
Michael: "We are still seeing a lot of leggings,
I think that will still be a hot trend. Interesting
color combinations will be in for spring, like purples
and greens together.
Check out actresses Kate Bosworth and
Sarah Jessica Parker wearing some leggings.
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