I don't know if it was because the sun finally came out or because the celebrities had the recent couture shows to pull from, but last night's red carpet was maybe one of my favorites. I was hoping and praying that someone would wear hot pink and to my surprise pink ended up being the color of the night. Everyone wore it from Julia Roberts to Angela Bassett, but nobody wore it quite as well as Crazy Rich Asians star Gemma Chan in this (or THE) Valentino couture gown I have been dreaming about for weeks. Gasp...

You know I've been color crushing on lilac lately, so to see Emilia Clarke in this sparkly Balmain number was such a breath of fresh air. Pale lilacs and pinks also reigned supreme last night. Kiki Layne's exaggerated back detail was another gasp-worthy moment. I mean... and let's not forget Kacey Musgrave's pink confection that looked sweet enough to eat. 

I had to throw Charlize Theron in the mix in this dusty blue Dior, because let's face it, she's the Oscars red carpet queen. She pops up out of nowhere and looks effortless but over the top chic. She knows she should be there. Everyone else take note. 

Other favorites of the night include Regina King in white Oscar de la Renta (we should call her Regina Queen because she really looked like a queen in that dress... perfection). And GAGA. Do I need to say more? The Tiffany diamond, the custom black McQueen gown, the gloves... girl knows how to show up. And I definitely watched her performance with Bradley Cooper two (or maybe 4) times. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. I'll leave you with this... can we never have an Oscars host again? I found it to be so peacefully politic-free and focussed on what it should be focussed on... giving out awards to deserving people. 

What were your favorite moments? 

Who watched the Oscars last night? What did you think?

Sticking to just fashion, I'll say the gowns did not disappoint. I was on the edge of my seat to see what Margot Robbie would wear, and her Chanel gown with beaded accents was worth the wait.

Q: Will you be illustrating during the Oscars this weekend?

the setting clean and crisp.... it's literally everything I could ask for as an illustrator. Who will be wearing what? Will there be tons of  color, big goofy gowns, or will it be more subdued with clean lines and neutral colors? If I had to guess, I'm putting my money on flirty and frilly details, féminine touches, light colors (I hoping at least one person shows up in lavender)... an overall nod to a fresh season. 

I'll be blowing up instagram with some live illustrating. Who are you most excited to see Sunday? 

If you didn't watch the Oscars last night, please tell me you have at least heard about the dramatic ending. Such an epic fail. 

But let's focus on the red carpet...I loved how Voila Davis and Ginnifer Goodwin both stepped out in bold red. Brie Larson's bold black velvet gown was breathtaking and seems to  be an emerging trend for fall (velvet - Busy Phillips also wore the trend). I love the unexpected ruffle and interested hemline. I was a big fan of this one. Janelle Monae is never one to fly under the radar and killed it in this over the top detailed black and white gown. I might have preferred it without the side panels, but it's the kind of look we've come to expect from her and I look forward to seeing what she's wearing. A true statement maker. 

White was a huge trend last night. From Priyanka Chopra in this structured

column gown from Ralph & Russo to Naomie Harris (who sadly I had never heard of) but my goodness, she is absolutely stunning. I love the simple sequins in such an interesting cut. Chrissy Teigen is also one who never disappoints and

looked oh-so-pretty in this white goddess gown. One of my favorite white gowns 

was worn by Darby Stanchfield (Abby for my Scandal watchers). Such a different dress that was truly breathtaking. 

Then there were the girls in gold. Winner Emma Stone looked age-appropriate

in this sleek flapper-inspired gown that was pretty, but it didn't make me swoon. 

Nicole Kidman also looked understated and like the true movie star she is, like

meh, this is my 15th Oscars, I'm going to be comfortable. She looks effortless as

per usual, it's really not fair. Jessica Biel also looked completed stunning in this

detailed gold, sequined gown with a bold accessory. I loved it. But did you see

her after party dress? I can't decide which one I love more. 

My two favorites were like breaths of fresh air when they appeared. First, 

my girl, Giuliana Rancic stunned in this periwinkle gown with an added cape. 

Nobody else on the carpet had on a similar color so it stood out in the best way. 

Truly truly stunning. (Speaking of fresh colors, Demi Lovato showed up to the 

after-parties in this beautiful lavender gown that makes my heart skip a beat. 

So pretty).

And then there was the princess of the night, Hailee Steinfeld (also in 

Ralph & Russo). The back was just as interesting as the front, it had so many

interested details, and the airiness of it was just etherial. I want to borrow this one and just twirl and prance around a castle. It's true princess perfection. Her outfit change was also well worth it donning another Ralph & Russo gown, this one a more sleek column gown with a dramatic train. 

Did you watch? 

It's a night I look forward to every year. I'm always on the edge of my seat to see who's wearing what.   The cute couple moments on the carpet, the awkward acceptance speeches, the instant updates on instagram - it's a night that makes me stay attune to all social channels, a night where DVR serves us no purpose because the show inevitably goes two hours longer than expected. 

Seeing Leo & Kate pose together. My Titanic-loving heart completely exploded. Best Ensemble Cast? Jacob Tremblay & Co. How adorable is he and how perfect is his family? I'm rooting for a Tremblay reality show. 

I was a bit surprised by Alicia Vikander's bold, bubble-hemmed yellow dress. She looked youthful and like a true princess in custom Louis Vuitton, though it wouldn't have been my first choice (I couldn't agree more with the major Disney vibes from this post). I actually preferred her sleek black sequined dress for the afterparties... work that Oscar, girl. 

Though she's often in the background, I was smitten with Eddie Redmayne's precious pregnant wife's black number with gold details. 

On the mom-to-be note, I can't get enough of Chrissy Teigen's pregnancy style. She's making the bump the best new accessory. She looked ravishing in a red lace Marchesa gown and a perfectly messy braid (see a better angle of the hair here). 

I've had a longtime girl crush on Margot Robbie that dates back to when Pan Am was on the air. It was a short-lived show, but she caught my attention then and I've been tuned in to what she's doing ever since. She stunned in black last year, but it was a breath-taking gold sequined dress by Tom Ford that stole the show this year. 

And then there were the girls in green, Saoirse Ronan and Rachel McAdams. Both looked stunning in this deep jewel tone with perfect hair to complete the look (also, thanks to @shawnjohnson for this post).

Yes, JLaw looked stunning in her black lace Dior (I love that it was so different from everything she's worn this season), and Olivia Munn was sleek and stunning in Stella McCartney, BUT it comes down to two. Two that made my jaw drop. Two that I literally said, "oh wow" to when I saw the photos. Sleek, simple, effortless and completely flawless in every way. 

Charlize Theron returns to the red carpet in red Dior, slaying it every step of the way. Red done right. 

Lady Gaga stuns in a pant suit (is that what we're calling it?) by Brandon Maxwell. I mean... the head-to-toe look is perfection.




Top Trends:

The hair: if it wasn't a braid (like Chrissy Teigen, Olivia Wilde, Anne Hathaway at the Vanity Fair after party) then it was loose and unkempt (Margot Robbie - seriously, how stunning is she? Naomi Watts, Alicia Vikander, Saoirse Ronan all worked the look). Others went sleek and straight with a fresh blowout like JLaw and Reese Witherspoon, or a really tight bun (Rooney Mara, Charlize Theron, Rachel McAdams all sported this one).

The dresses: at the afterparties, plunging necklines and a high split seemed to be the trend of the night (Taylor Swift, Rachel McAdams dress #2, Jessica Alba. And SEQUINS. A plethora of sequins as seen on many of the lovely ladies listed above (even Chrisy Teigen opted for a black sequined dress to end the night).

We'll end with this because Justin & Jessica are everything. And this...

Who were your best dressed? What were your favorite moments?

I'm ending with the single nominated movie I have seen, and it was a good one. Ok, correction, the movie itself isn't nominated for Best Picture, but JLaw is a safe bet for the Best Actress category for her role as Joy Mangano in Joy.


Here's what I know:

It's based on the true story of Joy Mangano, a self-made millionaire and entrepreneur. Have you heard of the Miracle Mop? Yea, she made that. She designed it, created it, sold it, etc. Her story is truly incredible making the movie truly weird in a good way. It's one of those quirky movies that makes you laugh when you feel like you should be crying - you get the gist. I thought it was inspiring and would highly recommend it. In the end, nothing comes easy and hard work pays off.

AND, you know those skinny little black velvet hangers that are everything? She made those, too. Huggable Hangers will change your life if you're not already a user. They can (fortunately and unfortunately) double your closet space because they're so slim. The best part is your clothes don't slip off - the velvet holds everything in place.

Watch the movie trailer here  || Shop all of Joy's products here

A comedy? A drama? Sci-fi? Nobody seems to know... this is The Martian.

Here's what I know:

Not much, honestly. I know Matt Damon is in it. He gets stranded on Mars, and the big mystery is "will he make it home?" Not having seen it, I'm not sure if he makes it home or not. Adding this one to my must-watch list.

Watch the movie trailer here

What I do know is this girl is like, this martian helmut is going to mess up my hair...

Again, I haven't seen this one either. However, this is Brooklyn.

Here's what I know:

It's about a young girl that immigrates to Brooklyn, NY. My guess is that she falls in love with an American, and the rest is history! It's one of those Sundance movies, so I'm adding it to my list thought those usually aren't my cup of tea. I'll report back when I've seen it.

Watch the movie trailer here.

Ok, so this is one I actually haven't seen but definitely want to. Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling in the same movie? Count me in... this is The Big Short.

Here's what I know:

It's about money, finance, the housing crash, etc. etc. It's actually one I want to see, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Watch the movie trailer here.

On another note, this is actually a custom illustration I did for an accounting client. I think it turned out so cute - crunching numbers never looked so comfortably chic.

Guess what this week is?

O S C A R   W E E K

One of my favorite parts of the Academy Awards is when they briefly describe a nominated film followed by a clip of it. It's always so awkward, but they always end with "this is...(insert movie title here)". So, in honor of Sunday's awards, let me help you break down the movies you might have missed. Let's start with The Revenant.

Here's what I know:

Leo is in it and he's a shoo-in for Best Actor (finally, he'll win his very first Oscar). There's a scene where he fights a bear, a scene where he eats a live fish, it looks like he's on a horse at one point and they go off a massive cliff. I don't know. The whole thing looks above my head, but the cinematography is on point. Truth time, though, I haven't actually seen it. I was saving this one for Netflix.

Watch the movie trailer here.

Here's my take on it. A chic jumpsuit with a grizzly bear hat....