The Good & The Bad at CFDA Fashion Awards

I normally do not waste time obsessively looking through photos of 'who wore what' after an event, especially formal red carpet awards like the Oscars or the Emmy's because it's all photos of celebrities parading around like peacocks on show. And also because of the fact that most of their gowns show so little originality that the designs they choose to wear today looks like the ones that designers have created 40 years ago.

But, with a gala night coming up on the horizon for me, during which the glitterati of Hollywood and other A-list celebrities will be attending, I have decided to look at the red carpet action during CFDA Fashion Awards instead. After all, the main bulk of the guests for CFDA Awards would be models and designers, save for a few celebrities, so it would be interesting to look at what these stylish people wear for a red carpet event. (A red carpet dress code still bores me to no end as it conjures up images of ballgowns with long trains, and lots of tulle, lace and sequins. Streetstyle is so much more fun!)

The Good:

#1: Ashley & Mary-Kate Olsen (details below)

#2: Cynthia Rowley & Amber Heard

#3: Chloe Sevigny in her own design from Resort 12 Collection

#4: Miranda Kerr in Micheal Kors

#5: Kristen Dunst in Patrick Ervell
Would've preferred her NOT to wear the hoop earrings

#6: Liv Tyler with the handsome boys of Proenza Schouler in their design

#7: Karlie Kloss in Jason Wu

#8: L'wren Scott

My favourite of the night came from Mary-Kate Olsen, designers of their successful luxury label, The Row. Ashley Olsen is in The Row dress, Manolo Blahnik shoes and Mary-Kate in gold Chanel jacket from Pre-fall 11, The Row skirt. Both Olsen twins accessorized their look with chic foldover flap boxy bags from The Row. I think Mary-Kate's look is very polished - she lets her liquid gold jacket do the talking, but yet it does not look too overwhelming, unlike some of the other celebrities that night who worn sequins head to toe in the form of dresses and jumpsuits.

Not sure exactly what Cynthia Rowley is wearing but she looks fab with vintage looking polka dot blouse with asymmetric yellow skirt. And her two-tone clutch matches her skirt extremely well and comes in the cute shape of a pill. Amber Heard is wearing a custom made Cynthia Rowley silk sheath dress with a chiffon outer layer embriodered with butterflies. I also especially like Chloe Sevigny's getup of leather x leather. The ruffle details on her low-V black leather top and the tiny cutouts on her highwaist peplum skirt makes an otherwise boring monochrome look much more interesting. (But I don't like her expression. Is that supposed to be a imitation Karlie Kloss deathglare? #fail)

The rest of the guests in my best-dressed list looks great with custom made dresses and a garcon-inspired tux in Kristen Dunst's case, but still nothing better than pairing separates for a red carpet worthy look. But hats off for Miranda Kerr for looking so hot just after giving birth to her baby son 5 months earlier. I especially liked that she accessorized her cutout Michael Kors dress with that dazzling smile that looks very genuine.

The Bad:

 #1 Brooke Cundiff w Thom Browne & Nate Berkus

Estelle

Donna Karan

I forgot who this is :x

Kanye West

Pamela Love, accessories designer

Karolina Kurkova, model

Despite this being the CFDA Fashion Awards, there were still a lot of misses in my opinion. I don't mean to purposely hate on these people but I am really not flattered by what they wore. And it's disappointing considering that this was a gathering of America's fashion elite.
Can someone please explain to me what Brooke Cundiff is wearing in the first photo? A space suit? Estelle and Donna Karan landed this list because I simply think that what they chose to put on doesn't flatter them. I've seen Donna Karan in much better looks - I don't understand why she chose to put on a runched drape nude dress. And I love Pamela Love's accessories to bits, and also her infectious big smile in the photo, but her dress reminds me of a old, faded curtain ):

And then there are celebrities that don't seem to understand that it's a red carpet event by turning up in a sheer floorlength sequin dress and green strappy sandals that doesn't match. Or by wearing ripped denim jeans to present an award to Phoebe Philo of Celine. Finally, Karolina Kurkova's deep green sequin dress reminds me of Arabian nights. Don't get the hood, and I dislike her shoes as well.

Things to takeaway:
1. Pair separates with interesting details such as embriodery, a good cut, texture and shape together for an overall coherent look.
2. Invest in statement pieces like that liquid gold Chanel jacket that Mary-Kate wore and keep the rest of the look simple.
3. Wear dresses with bright colours or prints that flatter your body shape a la L'Wren Scott.
4. Keep the overall look streamlined and accessorize with simple but interesting accessories like Miranda Kerr.
5. Do not overdose on sequins, or wear anything too skimpy or sloppy. It's a red carpet social event, not some competition to see who can get away with exposing the most skin.