ELIZABETH BANKS at the Los Angeles premiere of Man on a Ledge // dress by Emilio Pucci, purse by Jimmy Choo, shoes by Christian Louboutin

It’s taken her awhile to get here, but Elizabeth Banks has finally snagged the coveted top spot in my weekly fashion recaps. (She’s been praying for this honor every night before bed, I swear.) Hair and makeup are perfect, the dress is mega-fucking-fabulous, the accessories are perfect. Can’t go wrong with a hot blonde in gold, can you?

ELIZABETH BANKS in San Francisco // dress by Diane von Furstenberg, boots by Tabitha Simmons

Cute, but a little more color in her face would have livened this look up a bit.

DIANE KRUGER in Paris // gown by Erdem, shoes by Christian Louboutin

I never love a mega-short slip under a full-length lace gown – it reads a little desperate – but Diane looks beautiful. The color is lovely on her, and the sleeves are so delicate and romantic.

DITA VON TEESE in Paris // dress and fascinator by Alexis Mabille

It’s only been a few days since Paris couture fashion week (get caught up on celebs’ looks from the front row and catch the best from the runway in my fabulous red carpet predictions). But lucky Dita is already rocking this fierce look from Alexis Mabille‘s Spring 2012 couture collection. I’m so glad she kept a smaller version fascinator, because it really makes the look, and I think the matching purse is amazing. But the shoes were one step too far.

EMMY ROSSUM in New York City // dress by Carolina Herrera, shoes by Christian Louboutin

Adorable dress, cute shoes, dig the bracelet. Bring a little more oomph to the hair/makeup department and we’re golden!

ASHLEY OLSEN in New York City // bag by The Row, shoes by Manolo Blahnik

I love the print of the shirt, but hate the silhouette of it on her tiny figure. The pants are fine, but I feel like I’ve seen her in those shoes many times before. Love the bag.

MARY-KATE OLSEN in New York City

Wish I could see more of the coat, but I like what I see. It’s quite enough black, with the stockings and shoes, but again, the purse is sharp and chic.

KATE BECKINSALE in Madrid // dress by Michael Kors

The dress is boring as can be but looks stunning on her. However, with shiny nude pumps and no other styling, it’s nothing to get excited about.

KATE BECKINSALE at the Berlin premiere of Underworld: Awakening // dress by Christian Dior, shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo

Have fun at the Winter Wonderland high school dance, Kate!

TAYLOR SWIFT in London // dress by Asos, jacket by Rick Owens, purse by Rugby Ralph Lauren

I’d wear all of this, together and separate, any day of the week, and especially while walking around London in the rain. It’s amazing how much more chic and grown-up she looks with her hair back.

KIRSTEN DUNST at the Sundance Film Festival // dress by Roland Mouret, jacket by Derek Lam, boots and purse by Chloé

Yummy jacket; awful hair.

DANIEL RADCLIFFE at the London premiere of The Woman in Black // suit by Antonio Azzuolo, tie and pocket square by The Tie Bar, shoes by Grenson

The double-breasted suit isn’t always easy to pull off, but it helps to be British and completely adorable. The tie isn’t my favorite, but he looks too dapper to criticize.

CLEMENCE POESY in Paris // dress by Nina Ricci

I think this dress is very sweet, from the elbow-length sleeves to the rounded shoulders to the lush velvet. Shoes and purse are unobtrusive but vaguely interesting. The messy bangs work really well on her, too.

MICHELLE OBAMA at the State of the Union address // dress by Barbara Tfank

I get that she has to wear campaign colors for the next year, but do they have to be so shiny?

JENNIFER LAWRENCE // dress by Prada, shoes by Brian Atwood

That silhouette does nothing for you, darling. And I’m not sure that hairdo works either.

DREW BARRYMORE // dress by Ports 1961

We can always count on Drew to throw her hair into a ponytail, grab the first giant printed gown she can find, and hit the red carpet. I love her for it, but I don’t love her for subjecting my eyes to that print.

KATHERINE HEIGL at the New York premiere of One for the Money // gown by Hervé L. Leroux, purse by Salvatore Ferragamo

The drag queen makeup with the truly terrible hair is just depressing. The gown is flattering, but not particularly interesting, and what’s happening north of her neck is too distracting to even notice the dress.

ANNE HATHAWAY in West Hollywood // purse by Rodo

Annie wore a simple black dress and black heels three weeks ago; she wore a classic black column gown and black heels the week before that. Honey, three in a row is officially a style rut. Let’s get cracking on some new colors and shapes.

MANDY MOORE in West Hollywood // dress by Lela Rose, purse by Kotur

Do I have to start a fucking petition to end these Swedish milkmaid braids?! They’re everywhere, and they’re awful on everyone, from Jaime King to Elle Fanning. And could there be three more basic Hollywood starlet items than a lacy LBD, bow-adorned black peep-toe pumps, and a sparkly black clutch? Snooze.

KELLY OSBOURNE in West Hollywood // dress by H&M, shoes by Aldo

Now the hair is becoming purple? I think that thing has a life of its own.

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DIANE KRUGER at the Chanel show // dress, purse and boots by Chanel

Hands down, my favorite look from the front rows of couture fashion week. This was my Pre-Fall 2012 red carpet prediction for Elle Fanning, but I’m drooling over the fabulous boots Diane paired this adorable dress with. There was a painful lack of color on the front row celebrities this week, but at least Diane brought B&W to a whole new level.

DIANE KRUGER at the Giambattista Valli show // dress by Giambattista Valli

Ms. Kruger also strutted her stuff at Giambattista Valli’s presentation. It’s a lot of look, but hell, if you can’t pull out this much look at Paris couture fashion week, when can you? Love the shoes.

DIANE KRUGER at the Versace show // dress by Versace, shoes by Versus

That print is hideous, but Diane is working it as best she can. It helps that it’s in a flattering silhouette and that she’s got killer legs and is sporting yet another pair of enviably fabulous shoes.

DITA VON TEESE at the Jean Paul Gaultier show

Those lace shoes look prostitutey on most celebrities, but Dita pulls them off. (I mean, if you’re a burlesque star, you are practically required to wear lace shoes.) She looks fab, as always, but good lord. Could no one don a color this week? I know it’s midwinter, but it is the spring couture collections, after all.

ANNA WINTOUR at the Chanel show

But if you’re going to go buttoned-up for the winter weather, this is how to do it. Anna is all kinds of fabulous with her weather-appropriate-but-totally-fierce boots and and stunning tweed suit.

ANNA WINTOUR at the Dior show

She also brought fierce boots and cold-weather gear to the Dior show. I always find full fur coats like that to be kind of garish and hideous, but I dig the dress and belt.

ANNA WINTOUR at a Prada store opening

Color! Thank God! It’s not as sharp as Anna’s usual looks, but I’m just so relieved to see some bright and bold colors. Paired with a coat, it’s a fantastic combination. The scarf and boots were smart for the weather, but are a little bulky for this look. Alas, even Anna Wintour needs to keep warm sometimes.

VANESSA PARADIS at the Chanel show

I think you have to be a French model or an old western cowgirl to rock those boots with a full-length white dress, but at least it’s interesting. The jacket is all kinds of gorgeous.

CLEMENCE POESY at the Chanel show

I’m torn on this look. Part of me understands that lots of starlets hit fashion shows in skinny jeans and a t-shirt, and pours on thousands of dollars worth of shoes, purses, blazers, etc. But part of me says, come on, woman. You’re a mega-hot French actress at the Chanel couture presentation in Paris – you could wear anything! It’s not that she doesn’t look great, it’s just that she could have looked infinitely greater.

ELIZABETH OLSEN at the Chanel show

I give the same comments to Ms. Olsen, but they are mitigated because she appears to be wearing some kind of awesome textured leggings or pants rather than basic jeans. However, the jacket, though adorable, brings things to a more casual place. I do like the hint of sparkle on the platform of her boots, and I think the hippie sunglasses are cute on her. But if when I get to go to the Chanel couture show in Paris, you can bet I’m wearing something a thousand times more extravagant than this.

CAMERON DIAZ at the Versace show // dress and coat by Versace

Cameron Diaz was positively ubiquitous during fashion week – a little surprising, since she’s not known for being a regular attendee, at least not at the Paris couture shows. Anyway, I still think her new haircut is a bit of a hot disaster, but I loved this Versace look on her. The dress is truly fantastic, with that fierce and fabulous skirt. The coat is both practical and adorable, and the boots were a good choice.

CAMERON DIAZ at the Valentino show // dress and purse by Valentino, shoes by Christian Louboutin

Well, at least the hair looks relatively good here. The dress is a little too precious for Cameron – Elle Fanning wore a full-length nude version a few months ago, and it wasn’t my favorite thing on earth, but at least it was appropriate on a tween. On Cameron? Not so much. And the nude pumps are a bit uninspired.

CAMERON DIAZ at the Givenchy show

Is she wearing vagina-high boots? Leggings that turn into boots? A superhero uniform? Is she about to throw off her sweater, summon her other-worldly powers from her fabulous purse, and fly off into the night to fight crime?

CAMERON DIAZ at the Dior show // dress by Christian Dior, shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti

You’re turning forty this year, darling. You can still dress as sexy as you please – but you’re well past the age of little-girl dresses.

CAMERON DIAZ at the Chanel show // dress and coat by Chanel

It’s fine, I guess. But how can you attend five different fashion shows in totally different outfits and NEVER ONCE WEAR A COLOR?!

JESSICA CHASTAIN at the Armani Privé show // dress by Armani Privé

This was the second most colorful look in the front rows of Paris fashion week. And that, my dear readers, makes me sad. The dress is fine, but nothing special. I like the purse and the collar, but I’m looking forward to Jessica pulling out some serious fashion as the Oscars approach.

BAR REFAELI at the Dior show // dress by Azzedine Alaïa

The dress is a bit of a snooze, but the shoes are pretty. Also, I’m not sure that big-and-wild hair style really suits her.

OLIVIA PALERMO at the Dior show

Clearly, Olivia is one of the stars who throws on leggings, eighty accessories, and a slouchy top for fashion week. But you’d thing she could at least have her hair look normal and not be wearing a dead bird as a bracelet. Not loving that awkward gap between her leggings and boots, either.

OLIVIA PALERMO at the Armani Privé show

She couldn’t even bother to change her tacky leather leggings? There’s nothing impressive happening here. Isn’t the point of getting a front row seat to wear something fabulous by the designer? Or at least, you know, look good?

SALMA HAYEK at a Prada party // dress by Alexander McQueen

The ponytail, the collar, the cleavage, the ridiculous shoulderpads – this is a straight-up mess. I know Salma loves her McQueen, but his designs can be a whole lot of look, and she’s not always the woman to pull them off.

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The Challenge: In six hours only, create a look based on a gelato flavor. (Yum, but random.)
Guest Judges: Diane von Furstenberg (filling in for Isaac) and Miranda Kerr (who pledged to wear the winning design).

ANTHONY WILLIAMS, Bottom 3

Anthony tried to do too much in six hours, that’s true. This was kind of falling apart at the seams. But that’s what infuriated me about this challenge: when you give designers six hours to make a garment, you force them into one of two options. 1) Attempt something beautiful or interesting or risky (i.e., actual fashion), and fail to execute it in the allotted time; or 2) Make a dress you’ve made a zillion times before that you know you can complete in six hours, no matter how uninspired it is. Anthony fell into category #1, a category I respect more, for at least attempting to make fashion even when they know it’s practically impossible.I thought his color palette was fantastic and the low-key but lovely styling worked well.

But a message to the Project Runway team: you have some twisted idea that less time = better television, because you have the flawed belief that this show is about drama and not design. We love the drama, and constraints on the challenges help create some fantastic drama, but for the love of God, there’s a limit. The constraints aren’t worth it if no one can make a fucking dress to put down the runway.

Rant aside, the back of this is kind of awful to look at. While the color palette is great for the challenge, it’s rough on that model’s skin tone. It washes her out terribly – she looks chlorinated.

APRIL JOHNSTON, Eliminated

I’d like to preface this by stating that April is one of my all time favorite Project Runway contestants. She has a strong point of view and a shit-ton of creativity. She can’t go half a sentence without cursing, and though the judges always deride her Halloween aesthetic, I think it’s a great perspective. She ain’t perfect, and she’s young and has plenty to learn, and she certainly doesn’t do well under time constraints.

But this was bad, though not the worst on the runway. The colors in the layered fabrics are fantastic, but that’s really it. The styling was excessive, the neckline is insane – it was very clearly made in six hours.

And the back was a bit of a hot disaster as well. Farewell, April. Diane von Furstenberg might not “get” you, but the Democracy Diva does. (And we all know it’s my approval you really seek.)

AUSTIN SCARLETT

I keep kind of forgetting about this, but I don’t dislike it at all. He very wisely chose fantastic accessories – you sort of forget the dress is there. He at least attempted to do something interesting with the bodice, even if i wasn’t perfect. But at least it’s relatively flattering and wearable.

But there was certainly no stroke of brilliance or inspiration here. Austin definitely fell into category #2, pulling out some easy old tricks to make a simple dress.

JERELL SCOTT

I find it shocking that the judges continue to ignore the hot disasters Jerell keeps sending down the runway. This would have been such a choice moment for a seething Isaac Mizrahi comment about Pocahontas visiting Miami Beach. This is painful to look at – the crooked band connecting the two prints is killing me. All that business on the top is hideous, and both those prints are like a raspberry acid trip.

Oh, sweet Lord, deliver me from these HIDEOUS PRINTS!

KARA JANX

Tom & Lorenzo pointed out that Kara sent a nearly-identical look down the runway in her decoy collection during her season of Project Runway. They’re clearly right – see for yourself:

Yeahhh, that’s basically the same fucking dress. Except the one from the decoy collection was kind of cute, and the gelato one was an unflattering disaster.

That poor model. You can’t see it as well in the photos as you could on television, but that skirt was awful on her. It doubled her width, I swear.

KENLEY COLLINS

I thought this was adorable. Category #2 all the way – a totally simple and very Kenley dress, but unlike most other garments on the runway, it was executed impeccably. I know the print does most of the work, but when the camera zoomed in you could see just how well-constructed it really was.

I do love that little collar in the back. Again, nothing jaw-dropping or inspirational, but it was a hell of a lot better than most of the garbage on this runway.

MICHAEL COSTELLO, Winner

This was awful. Category #2 in the worst way, and I don’t give a fuck what they paid Diane von Furstenberg to say, this draping looks like shit. The bubble-hem sleeves are insane – I can’t think of a woman alive who’d want to wear them. The color had nothing to do with his gelato flavor, and the photograph is much kinder than television, because it was way more hideous on TV.

The strap at the top is nice, I’ll give him that, but the one at the bottom is crooked and these giant billowing sleeves are fucking ridiculous! And what is that puddle of fabric pooling around her ankles? It blows my mind that this snagged the win. Just terrible.

MILA HERMANOVSKI, Top 3

Let’s get one thing straight: Mila’s one-note problem is not that she only uses black. It’s that she only uses black, white, and one other color in a 1960s mod color-blocked way. She might think this was SO OUT OF THE BOX because it wasn’t black, but that’s a fucking joke. This was as Mila as anything, and we all know it.

That being said, I thought the belt and shoes were hideous, but I didn’t mind the dress. It’s too sheer and it’s inherited some of Michael’s crazy poofy sleeve issues, but I like the colors.

But it’s just kind of hideous from the back, isn’t it?

MONDO GUERRA, Top 3

Although this was another very simply draped gown, the way Mondo recreated the cantaloupe by doing his signature move (mixing prints and bright colors) was really kind of inspiring. I appreciated that he managed to make a simple silhouette (i.e., something he could actually finish) but show his stroke of genius in the fabric choice and color-blocking combination.

And it was one of the only garments on the runway that looked wearable from the back. Maybe only wearable in an island nation, but still. It’s got a resort wear thing going for it that I appreciate.

RAMI KASHOU

Remember THIS hot disaster? Rami should thank his biceps for ensuring that the producers won’t get rid of him, even when he churns out something as hideous as this. I hate the silhouette, I hate every color and every fabric, from the polka-dotted bodice to the shiny skirt. The belt is ridiculously tacky and the purse and sunglasses were also big mistakes. It’s like he knew he didn’t have any good ideas so he just kept throwing shit on the model until time ran out.

Not nearly as offensive from the back, but still. Let’s pray for a challenge that maximizes the designers’ creative potential rather than limiting it, like this hot mess of a challenge did.

Judges’ Top 3: Michael (Winner), Mondo, Mila
Diva’s Top 3: Mondo, Kenley, Austin
Judges’ Bottom 3: Anthony, Kara, April (Eliminated)
Diva’s Bottom 3: Jerell, April, Kara
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Need more Runway? We’ve got it all here!
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All photos courtesy of Lifetime.
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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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red carpet prediction: ALEXA CHUNG
Chanel // modeled by Arizona Muse

red carpet prediction: CATE BLANCHETT
Armani Privé // modeled by Alana Zimmer

red carpet prediction: CHARLIZE THERON
Christian Dior // modeled by Melissa Tammerijn

red carpet prediction: DAKOTA FANNING
Elie Saab // modeled by Karlie Kloss

red carpet prediction: DIANE KRUGER
Chanel // modeled by Kendra Spears

red carpet prediction: DITA VON TEESE
Jean Paul Gaultier // modeled by Asia Bugajska

red carpet prediction: ELLE FANNING
Elie Saab // modeled by Maud Welzen

red carpet prediction: EMMA STONE
Chanel // modeled by Tao Okamoto

red carpet prediction: EMMA WATSON
Chanel // modeled by Erica Krauter

red carpet prediction: EVAN RACHEL WOOD
Armani Privé // modeled by Elena Egorova

red carpet prediction: FLORENCE WELCH
Jean Paul Gaultier // modeled by Emina Cunmulaj

red carpet prediction: FREIDA PINTO
Giambattista Valli // modeled by Bette Franke

red carpet prediction: GWYNETH PALTROW
Elie Saab // modeled by Josephine Skriver

red carpet prediction: JESSICA CHASTAIN
Armani Privé // modeled by Frida Gustavsson

red carpet prediction: KATY PERRY
Jean Paul Gaultier // modeled by Frida Gustavsson

red carpet prediction: KEIRA KNIGHTLEY
Valentino // modeled by Toni Garrn

red carpet prediction: KIRSTEN DUNST
Valentino // modeled by Cora Emmanuel

red carpet prediction: KRISTEN STEWART
Versace // modeled by Josephine Skriver

red carpet prediction: MICHELLE WILLIAMS
Christian Dior // modeled by Olga Sherer

red carpet prediction: MILA KUNIS
Christian Dior // modeled by Aymeline Valade

red carpet prediction: OLIVIA WILDE
Giambattista Valli // modeled by Jasmine Tookes

red carpet prediction: ROONEY MARA
Givenchy // modeled by Kristen McMenamy

red carpet prediction: ZOE SALDANA
Versace // modeled by Ros Georgiou

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DIANE KRUGER // dress by Chanel

It wasn’t a terrible week in fashion – in fact, most of this post is in the “boring but pretty” or “interesting but sort of unflattering” category, which is a heck of a lot better than “completely fug.” But there were also no stand-out WOWs this week, which is how Diane Kruger snagged the top spot in a very unflattering Chanel dress. I mean, she looks several months pregnant, and Diane is an itsy-bitsy-skinny-minny. So it’s an evil dress indeed that makes a model-esque woman look anything but. However, the iridescent thing is sort of awesome, and a lot of fun, and it’s the type of slightly kitschy but kinda glam aesthetic that Diane tends to rock. Also, yummy shoes.

JESSICA ALBA // dress and purse by Chanel, shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti

A chic, mod-yet-modern dress, but it’s a bit too painfully matchy-matchy. I’ll accept the black purse and shoes, but did she need to do black-and-white jewelry, too? The cuff pushes this over the top. And I think the geometric, sportswear-like quality to the dress doesn’t work with a girly, bow-adorned shoe. The same shoe sans bow would have been so much better.

VIOLA DAVIS at the Producers Guild Awards // gown by Hervé L. Leroux, shoes by Sergio Rossi

Love the color, love the fit, love the hair, makeup, and cleavage. Two major flaws: The asymmetrical skirt looks accidental, like she got half her dress caught in the limo door and it tore right off as she stepped onto the red carpet. Second, jewelry! This kind of thing begs for a shiny necklace or bracelet. Don’t let the dress and your fierce body do ALL the work.

ANGELINA JOLIE at the Producers Guild Awards // gown by Michael Kors, purse by Jimmy Choo

I saw this at the top of every “best dressed” post this week. I’ll concede that she looks beautiful, but am I supposed to have a digital orgasm just because Ange is in a black gown I’ve seen a hundred times (a sleeveless scoop neck Monique Lhuillier version on Olivia Wilde two weeks ago, for instance), paired with your basic black peep-toe pumps and black purse? In the immortal words of Cher Horowitz, as if.

KATE BOSWORTH at the Sundance Film Festival // dress by Antonio Berardi, shoes by Casadei

The dress is fabulous and fits her perfectly. She looks impossibly thin, and the color is perfect for her skin tone. The purse is fine and the red lipstick would be okay, but with those shoes and the orange-red Sundance backdrop, this is a little mental. The backdrop she can’t help (perhaps she even planned her color scheme around it), but those shoes were clearly a mistake. We all love a pop of red, but too much of a good thing is a big old mess.

KATE BOSWORTH at the Sundance Film Festival // dress and shoes by Valentino

Kirsten Dunst wore a full-length version of this Valentino dress to the Art of Elysium Gala last week, and I prefer that one to Kate’s cocktail version. Her hair and face are a little severe, and that bow seems oddly placed. I’m nit-picking, yes, but that’s my job, dear readers.

FELICITY JONES // dress by Dolce & Gabbana

Well, it’s not like we’ve never seen a white lace Dolce & Gabbana dress on the red carpet before. [Editor's Note: See Amber Heard last month; Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in July; Cat Deeley, Jessica Alba, and Selena Gomez, all in June; Uma Thurman and Alessandra Ambrosio, in May; Chanel Iman at the 2011 Met Gala; Kate Bosworth in March, Diane Kruger and Jennifer Lawrence in February, Blake Lively last January, Nicole Kidman back in 2010, and more. I'm exhausted now.] But there’s something refreshing and delicate about this one – I’m not bored by a lace LWD for the first time in awhile. The skinny belt and classic pumps help, as do the bangs and doll-like makeup. I can’t quite see the hair, but I fear that it’s treading on Swedish milkmaid territory, and I cannot in good conscience support that.

ALEXA CHUNG // dress by Chanel, purse by Christopher Kane

How many times do I have to say the same fucking thing? Cover up that mop on her head, and you’ve got a fabulous outfit. The dress is fabulous and the purse is adorable. The shoes are a bit precious for me, but I wouldn’t mind it if she didn’t look like her wig got ran over by a limo right before this event.

JESSICA CHASTAIN at the Producers Guild Awards // gown by Balenciaga, shoes by Jimmy Choo

Give me more to work with, honey. I can’t be snarky about something this boring. Your tits look great, but other than that, meh.

ALICIA KEYS at the Producers Guild Awards // top, skirt and jacket by Dolce & Gabbana, purse and shoes by Jimmy Choo

The jacket is fabulous, and the skirt would be great if it didn’t cut right across her waist like that. But the bustier top is kind of unflattering too, and the accessories are too boring to even discuss.

EVAN RACHEL WOOD at the Producers Guild Awards

But really, darling, when are you going to do something about that hair?

GABRIELLE UNION at the BET Honors // dress by Emilio Pucci

I think those silly little sleeves are very unflattering to the arm, and the shoes are completely boring and seem to be a size too large.

SHAILENE WOODLEY at the Producers Guild Awards // dress by Valentino, shoes by Sergio Rossi

Shailene, you are far too beautiful to be obscured by all that shapeless velvet. You look like a little girl at a funeral, and it’s making me depressed.

EMILY BLUNT at the Sundance Film Festival // dress by A.L.C.

Color, Emily. Do not fear it. Embrace it.

SOFIA VERGARA at the Producers Guild Awards // dress by Monique Lhuillier, shoes by Stuart Weitzman

Can she put her giant tits, peep-toes and mind-numbingly boring, one-size-too-small dresses away and leave us all alone, for God’s sake?

ELLIE KEMPER at the Producers Guild Awards // dress by Martin Grant, shoes by Christian Louboutin

Yes, Ellie, LBDs with cut-outs are very in – just ask Rooney Mara – but in this case, you look like you fucked Edward Scissorhands in the limo. (Someone had to say it.)

NAYA RIVERA in Las Vegas // dress by Rachel Roy, purse by Lulu Guiness, shoes by Christian Louboutin

Darling, whoever told you lilac was your color was lying. That lipstick is dreadful and this whole thing feels very Diana Ross, and not in her peak. And while I love a studded Louboutin like it’s my job, these were all the rage back in the summer of 2010 when Heidi Klum, Rihanna, Dakota Fanning, Kim Kardashian, and Ashley Tisdale all donned this exact pair. You’re a little late to the party, Naya, but at least you’re in good company!

MADONNA at the New York premiere of W.E. // gown by Marchesa

Her hair looks fabulous, but all that tulle is about as stupid as I can imagine. It doesn’t look artistic and couture, it looks sloppy and disheveled. Notice how the sleeves cover her hands – she’s hidden her hands in gloves at the Golden Globes, the London W.E. premiere, and a London photo call for the film, all in the last few weeks. It’s getting increasingly weird. Anyway, the gown could have been great if it hadn’t been so determined to look completely fucking absurd.

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Well, you can’t say the pinup girl thing doesn’t work for her. The 1940s high-waisted shorts, the sweater, the long legs and simple but fabulous pumps – she does it well. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the – pardon the use of this disgusting word – “adorkable” very quickly.

bodysuit by Dolce & Gabbana

Like, can’t you just not make a stupid face so I could concentrate on your stunning, intricately embroidered bodysuit and those fucking fabulous shoes instead of how Quirky with a capital Q you are?

Oh, great. Now it’s ALL ZOOEY MAKING FACES. My fucking favorite. Seriously, this girl is only tolerable when she’s not intensely shoving her put-on “goofiness” in your face so that people might think she’s “interesting” or “talented” instead of just hot.

Blue doe eyes, red lips, porcelain doll skin, pink cheeks, and bangs. You’d think she’d get bored of this after awhile, but sadly, it seems the only one bored here is me.

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All photographs courtesy of Norman Jean Roy for Allure.
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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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ELLE FANNING in Hollywood // dress by Rodarte

Just when I think I’m ready to throw in the towel from watching too many B-listers in nude sparkly strapless gowns with nude peep-toe platform pumps, Elle Fanning steps in to give me a breath of fresh air. I love her, I love this dress, and I love her in this dress. Perfect combination of blonde-haired, blue-eyed innocence and yellow-flowered, blue-skied dress.

KIRSTEN DUNST in Hollywood // jacket by Stella McCartney, pants by Rodarte, shoes by Jimmy Choo

Elle wasn’t the only blonde to don yellow, as Kirsten stepped out in some fab yellow separates. I’m a fan of color, menswear on women, and printed pants, so I think this is a great ensemble. I like that the shoes are unobtrusive, because the jacket and pants are a lot of look, but they don’t make her feet look particularly nice. Dig the bright hair and black purse, though.

ELIZABETH BANKS at the New York premiere of Man on a Ledge // dress by Versace

Is there anything better than a funny woman in a fierce dress? Elizabeth Banks looks absolutely badass in half-studded, half-soft Versace. I love her blunt hair, her makeup is perfect, and the stockings are sheer enough to differentiate from her boots, so she doesn’t look like her feet are invisible.

ELIZABETH BANKS at the New York premiere of Haywire // dress by Theyskens’ Theory, jacket by Hervé Léger, purse by Lauren Merkin, shoes by Prada

Beautiful, but with the stockings and shoes it is a whole lot of black. And here, she falls into invisible-foot territory. But I’d kill for that jacket and that dress – they’re both gorgeous on her.

RACHEL MCADAMS in Munich // dress by Collette Dinnigan

A few inches too long, and the styling is too boring, but the cut and color of this dress are beautiful on her.

JESSICA CHASTAIN in New York City // dress by Monique Lhuillier, shoes by Jimmy Choo

This was my Pre-Fall 2012 red carpet prediction for Zooey Deschanel, but I’m enjoying it on Jessica. I’m not sure I’d have chosen those shiny peep-toes, but the dress is certainly great on her statuesque figure. Hair is lovely, but I think she could use a bracelet.

JESSICA CHASTAIN in New York City // dress by Karen Caldwell, shoes by Barbara Bui

Redhead in green with orange-red shoes? Unstoppable. These colors are really fun on her, and the silhouette of the dress is adorable. Again, though, I’d welcome some simple jewelry.

JESSICA ALBA in New York City // sweater by Acne, pants by Erdem, shoes by Barbara Bui

The ombre coat is divine (the ombre sleeves, even better), and the floral Erdem pants are fantastic. The orange shirt was a good choice – picking up a subtle color in the print instead of an obvious one. The shoes are gorgeous, and even though logic tells me this is all too matchy-matchy, I really love it, especially with the black purse, which brings down the intense matchy-ness a little bit.

JESSICA ALBA // suit by Jenni Kayne, blouse by Kate Spade, shoes by Jimmy Choo

Well, this is actually too matchy-matchy. Something about this black and white color-blocked suit feels incredibly dated, at least in this cut and silhouette.

CAREY MULLIGAN at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards // dress by Roland Mouret, shoes by Yves Saint Laurent

This, I hate. It fits her terribly in the shoulders, bust, waist, and length. And although I’m glad to see a non-nude or black shoe, I swear to you, I have seen blue suede YSL pumps on every star trying not to wear an “obvious” shoe. Sometimes the obvious shoe is the right choice, like when you’re wearing a red and white dress, for God’s sake.

CATE BLANCHETT in Geneva // dress by Givenchy, shoes by Roger Vivier

I feel like I could like the dress, but not on Cate. The proportions don’t work on her at all, and the sheer hose with sandals looks ridiculous.

BLAKE LIVELY at the New York premiere of Haywire // dress by Dolce & Gabbana

I get that it’s Dolce & Gabbana, but I’m sorry, this looks like a better-sewn version of every dress you could buy at Urban Outfitters two years ago. There’s too many textures (the sequined top, the matte belt, the wool skirt, the striped stockings) and too few accessories – besides those combat boot-looking nightmares.

CAMERON DIAZ in Beverly Hills // dress by Monique Lhuillier

Looks like Cameron Diaz snorted an entire brick of cocaine, called up Kelly Osbourne’s stylist, and begged for an even worse hair style. And she achieved it. She looks awful – the black-rooted, platinum-tipped mental patient choppy bob, the too-tight, too-shiny, too-boring dress. It’s depressing me.

EMMA ROBERTS // gown by Zac Posen, shoes by Elie Saab

It’s cute that she thinks she can pull off a gown like this, but she just can’t. Leave this kind of thing to the professionals, honey.

MALIN AKERMAN // dress by Etro, purse and shoes by Jimmy Choo

It’s sort of disco Betty Rubble, but I don’t actually hate that in theory. What I hate is that this neckline goes down to her goddamn bellybutton and if I have to see one more B-lister’s sternum on the red carpet, I’m going to gouge my eyes out. Also, the hair looks like she had some casual sex in the limo en route to this event, and the gold cage shoes are tacky.

MIRANDA KERR // dress by Dolce & Gabbana, purse by Bottega Veneta, shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti

Oh my God, she looks like a stripper version of a Disney princess and it’s making me really depressed. As usual, it’s too tight, too boobalicious, and she’s got too much makeup and not enough styling. The pink purse and shoes? Bridesmaid all the way.

LINDSAY LOHAN // gown by Prada

This is refreshingly covered-up and non-crazy-looking for Lindsay Lohan. You all know my hatred for head-to-toe nude by now, but it actually suits her, and I like the bow. Her hair still looks like straw, but, you know. Baby steps.

ELLIE KEMPER // dress by Manish Arora, shoes by Andrew Kayla

Cute dress! We all love a redhead in green! Stop ruining it with those fugly shoes.

FELICITY JONES // gown by Valentino

If she’s going to bring the Alexa Chung effect to everything she wears, I’m going to have a conniption. The Alexa Chung effect, noun: a 21st century hipster phenomenon characterized by mental patient hair (bangs that look self-cut by a toddler required), a refusal to wear makeup that flatters or gowns that fit (why dress your size when you can have three feet of extra fabric around you, making you look just slightly like you don’t care when in actuality you spent thousands of dollars on a stylist to ensure that your head-to-toe image is crafted to perfection?) But I digress. I just can’t watch another star ruin fabulous gowns with her stupid, stupid hair.

JAIME KING // gown by Valentino

Speaking of ruining fabulous gowns with her stupid, stupid hair, you might remember that in this week’s first fashion recap, Jaime King and her Heidi braids were destroying a different Valentino gown that was far too beautiful to be subjected to such an awful hairdo. Here we go again, this time in a color that doesn’t suit her and a dress that’s at least two sizes too big. If you want to go around in clown makeup and Swedish milkmaid hair, that’s your business. But when you subject unwilling couture to humiliation by wearing beautiful gowns when you look this stupid – the Democracy Diva will not stand for such nonsense.

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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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VIOLA DAVIS, The Help
dress by Dolce & Gabbana

What a phenomenal lead-in photo for an epic movie star editorial like this one. Viola Davis is beyond beautiful – she’s captivating. I love the dress, I love the 1960s, slightly Dreamgirls styling, I love the star gazing intensely into her vanity lights. Fabulous.

GEORGE CLOONEY, The Descendants and The Ides of March
tuxedo by Giorgio Armani

It’s Clooney soaking wet. What could be wrong?

MICHELLE WILLIAMS, My Week with Marilyn
jacket and shorts by Moschino, bra by Eres, stockings by Falke, shoes by Manolo Blahnik

This is . . . unexpected! It’s been so long since I’ve seen Michelle Williams without her pixie haircut and often-twee wardrobe (except when she’s playing Marilyn Monroe), so this is at least a refreshing change, if not necessarily a welcome one. I love everything she’s wearing, but good LORD does she look uncomfortable. I don’t know if it’s the slightly awkward pose or the ridiculous wig that she looks like she’s about to rip off her head, but something doesn’t feel right. Except the shoes. They feel quite all right to me. I’d be simply thrilled to take them off Michelle’s hands for her.

JEAN DUJARDIN, The Artist
shirt and tie by Boss Black, watch by Rolex

Obligatory European chest hair shot.

OCTAVIA SPENCER, The Help
sweater by Elie Tahari

Oh, they could do so much better than this. The lighting shows nothing but poorly-applied makeup. I love the wild hair, but I wish I could see more of her.

ELIZABETH OLSEN, Martha Marcy May Marlene
dress by Calvin Klein

Another very strange look for the third Olsen sister, who usually goes out sans the black wig, black eyebrows, and 1920s makeup. She’s a little too wide-eyed and vacant to pull off this vampy old Hollywood thing, though, so this shot doesn’t quite work for me.

WILL FERRELL, Everything Must Go
pajamas by Derek Rose

Will, darling, I think you’ve got just a spot of lipstick outside your lip line.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO, J. Edgar
DiCaprio’s own shirt

Smoldering.

KIRSTEN DUNST, Melancholia
slip by Olatz

She makes a pretty fierce model. Intense eyes, lots of body angles, but there’s a stiffness and seriousness in her expression that’s kind of unsettling. Though I suppose that’s the point. I mean, besides showing off Kirsten’s rack.

ROONEY MARA, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
top by Nina Ricci

A beautiful picture. The red lighting really makes her glow.

GARY OLDMAN, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
shirt and bow tie by Tom Ford, suspenders by Brooks Brothers

Sirius Black looks fantastic in Tom Ford!

BRAD PITT, The Tree of Life and Moneyball
vest and shirt by Tom Ford

He looks like an aged and depressed Ken doll. This is terrifying. But then . . .

jacket and trousers by Burberry Prorsum; shirt, cummerbund and bow tie by Tom Ford

I mean, this is why we keep Brad Pitt around, isn’t it? Say what you will, the man can still wear a fucking suit like it’s his job. (Because it is.)

shirt by Tom Ford, tie by Dolce & Gabbana

He looks like Fabio. That’s not a compliment.

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, Beginners and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Plummer’s own suit, shirt and bow tie

Fabulous that he’s wearing his own clothes. That bow tie is outstanding.

MELISSA MCCARTHY, Bridesmaids
coat by Helen Yarmak, bustier by Va Bien

I’m not sure they needed to go so desperately sexy here, and I think all that makeup is positively unnecessary on her. It does more harm than good. I just think there’s a thousand ways to make her look fabulous without seeming this . . . cheesy, I guess.

TILDA SWINTON, We Need to Talk About Kevin
bra and briefs by Dolce & Gabbana, stockings by Falke, shoes by Christian Louboutin

They invented the phrase “legs for days” to describe Tilda Swinton. This is photographic evidence to prove it.

ALBERT BROOKS, Drive
jacket, shirt and bow tie by Giorgio Armani

Show more of the bow tie!

ANTONIO BANDERAS, The Skin I Live In
shirt by Emporio Armani

To be frank, this is pretty stupid. LOOK HOW INTENSE I AM! I TRIM MY EYEBROWS WITH GIANT SCISSORS WHILE WEARING A TANK TOP!

SHAILENE WOODLEY, The Descendants
bra and briefs by Eres

Shailene is twenty years old, but she tends to go for the more innocent looks. Though she’s now getting accolades for The Descendants, she’s still on that wretched ABC Family show The Secret Life of the American Teenager. So I guess they don’t let her go too sexy on the red carpet. But apparently they couldn’t stop her from donning vintage-style lingerie and showing the universe that she’s got talent, wide-eyed beauty and now tits, too! I must say, the hair and makeup are fantastic. She really does look lovely, even if she’s half naked laying on a bear.

CHARLIZE THERON, Young Adult
dress by Marchesa

Pretty fucking fierce. The eye makeup is particularly phenomenal, but the hair and jewelry are also fantastic. Sadly, W Mag’s focus on Charlize took a turn for the worse . . .

dress by Christian Dior, bra and briefs by Fleur of England

This looks like a reject from an America’s Next Top Model photo shoot, where the theme is models starving to death and falling down the stairs and turning into mannequin sex workers possessed by the devil.

gown by Oscar de la Renta, shoes by Gucci

Oh GOD, it just ACHES to be enveloped in thousands of dollars worth of couture fashion! Woe is me!

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All photos courtesy of Mario Sorrenti for W.
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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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The Challenge: Create a flamboyant cocktail dress for the legendary Miss Piggy to wear to a movie premiere.
Guest Judges: Eric Daman (filling in for Isaac Mizrahi) and of course, Miss Piggy!

ANTHONY WILLIAMS

A well-made cocktail dress in a beautiful black-on-black striped print and lots of feathers. The layers and folding in the skirt give it some interest and movement. I’m not sure this had much to do with Miss Piggy, but it would get quite a workout in the Democracy Diva’s wardrobe, I could tell you that.

The construction on the back was what put Anthony in the middle instead of the top (at least for me, but probably for the judges too). There are way too many contrasting stripes on the back and they’re not executed particularly well. But I was surprised to see a more modern, innovative dress from Anthony, he of the endless strapless tube dresses with one silly sash on them.

APRIL JOHNSTON

From the front, I thought this was a little bit brilliant. As April (and more so, Mila) learned this week, it ain’t easy to fit a dark aesthetic into a Miss Piggy challenge. But in spite of the black, this still totally worked for me. The dramatic feather/spike things around her neck are definitely the kind of divalicious touch Miss Piggy brings to everything. And I think the style and cut of the dress is adorable. The polka dots keep things a little cutesy when they’d otherwise verge on gothic.

But once again, the back of the dress made me nix April from the top of my list for this week. Why, you ask? Season 8, Episode 9, the couture challenge. April’s entry:

April, darling, I love you to pieces and I think your corpse bride aesthetic is fan-fucking-tastic. But if you think you can throw the same exact back-of-a-dress down the runway twice, you clearly know nothing about the Democracy Diva.

Seriously, take a closer look. Do you see the way the leather is cut in a kind of zig-zag, pointing in at the center of her back? Take out the black mesh sleeves, and it’s the same cut as her entry from this week. Take off the hideous train, and you’re left with a similar skirt – double-layered, shorter on the sides than in the front/back, slightly pleated but in a punk rather than preppy way. It’s not the same dress, but I’d rather she not keeping pulling out the same tricks, or she’ll surely get the auf sooner than she deserves.

AUSTIN SCARLETT, Bottom 3

Nix the bows, and you’ve got a sexy, intriguing structured dress for any basic Hollywood starlet. And that’s the problem – the only thing that stops this from being just another cocktail dress is the structure and lines of the bodice/skirt. And that’s not enough to turn this from a normal starlet dress into a Miss Piggy dress. In my opinion, a dress for Miss Piggy should catch every eye as it enters the room – the bows might achieve that effect, but not in a positive way.

Plus, the detailing was much sloppier on the back than on the front. That was a common problem this week, apparently.

GORDANA GEHLHAUSEN, Eliminated

As Miss Piggy wisely said, “It’s a fine, fine dress. I just don’t know if it’s moi.” I watched the exit interview with Gordana, and she explained her thought process: She doesn’t have a lot of knowledge of the Muppets, but she knows little girls love Miss Piggy; she wanted to make a dress that little girls would love and emulate the way they love Miss Piggy. And if you understand that as her frame of mind, this is a FANTASTIC entry. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the challenge. The challenge was to create a dramatic red carpet cocktail dress for Miss Piggy, not a beautiful babydoll dress that young girls will want to wear. And as far as the challenge was concerned, Gordana failed, and deserved this week’s aufing.

Although it’s a great combination of model’s complexion, hair color, and dress. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the wig looks faker than Kenley’s good behavior, but the color concept is very nice.

JERELL SCOTT

I suppose it made for better television to stick Austin in the bottom (after his win last week), but to me, Jerell really deserved that particular dishonor. Because this . . . it just doesn’t work.

First, the fabrics: They look CHEAP. The pink fabric looks cheap, the rhinestone belt looks trashy – in fact, the only thing that doesn’t look cheap are the shoulder pieces. Those don’t look cheap; they just look really fucking stupid. I get the flapper vibe that he was going for, and it would have been awesome to see Miss Piggy in a totally dramatic 1920s Hollywood gown. Unfortunately, this was a completely half-assed and ill-fitted attempt at the flapper aesthetic.

The back is more well-made, but it’s still problematic. The black bow across the pink skirt looks incredibly childish, and that’s at odds with the revealing lace he used for most of the back. And that’s a weird fucking hairdo for a flapper, no? I’m pretty sure you don’t just hide your hair in a braided bun and just fingercurl the piece in front, but maybe that’s just me.

KARA JANX

As far as I’m concerned, this should have been the winning look this week. First, the dress itself: it’s fucking adorable, it’s fashion-forward, it’s modern but a little bit retro at the same time. And you can’t deny its drama – even though the silhouette is sharp and simple, the pop of hot pink and the way the gloves accentuate that will turn every head on the red carpet. I can see now why Kara made such a fuss over those gloves, because they really do make the outfit. Crop tops and tummy cut-outs are huge right now, so I think this was a very trendy-in-a-good-way choice. I love the gray-on-black houndstooth, I love the studded shoes, and I think the barrel curls on the model’s head are sort of a nod to Miss Piggy’s ears, which is brilliant.

Fabulous. Love that the cut-out is only in the front – gives it a lot more interest and keeps it a little more like a cocktail dress and less like a bra and skirt combo. I love that it has a sort of fashion-editor-off-to-work sort of vibe while still totally being a party dress.

KENLEY COLLINS, Top 3

This dress was perfectly adorable. I thought the giraffe print was fabulous and kitchy and used well, and I think this silhouette is perfect for a red carpet movie premiere. I agreed with the judges that the bodice was strangely constructed and the fabric looked tucked into the dress, rather than actually hemmed. But that was quickly a last-minute fix rather than a design element, so I don’t think they necessarily needed to come down on her too harshly for that. What they should have criticized is her need to tape six yards of fabric to her model’s head and call it a fascinator. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good head piece; the weirder, the better. But when you hap-hazardly make these little crinoline head pieces with no consideration of shape, size, or proportion, you’ve just got a model strutting down the runway with a loofah on her head. Maybe if she made the same head piece, but 1/4 the size and with some semblance of construction, I’d approve.

Very, very sweet, and I’d wear it tomorrow. But I don’t think it’s nearly innovative enough for the win.

MICHAEL COSTELLO, Winner

I still can’t see what’s so goddamn special about this, the most ordinary cocktail dress I’ve ever seen. I don’t like the belt, I don’t know how Miss Piggy would physically wear that hat (considering her ears), and I don’t think there’s anything fashion-forward, innovative, or even interesting about this dress. It’s a basic tube dress with three loops on it. That’s not interesting to begin with, but considering that it will have to be scaled down to fit a Muppet, I can’t see how those loops are ever going to look good.

I also hated the black-and-gold exposed zipper, which is so two years ago, I can’t even stand it. But overall, what bothered me was that this did not bring the drama and flamboyance and whimsy and sense of humor that I think this challenge required. This was an AnyStarlet dress, not a Miss Piggy dress.

MILA HERMANOVSKI, Bottom 3

Mila, if you’re just going to blindly adhere to your mod aesthetic without any consideration of the challenge at hand . . . what the fuck are you doing on Project Runway? I have all the respect in the world for a designer who has a point of view and sticks to it, but if you’re not willing to even remotely consider the client in question (even if that client is a Muppet), then quit the show. No one is forcing you to design a red carpet dress for Miss Piggy besides YOU, Mila. So if you don’t like it, there’s the metaphorical door.

That being said, I think this is a fucking FABULOUS dress for Kristen Stewart at a press conference. But there is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, that says “Miss Piggy promotes her new movie on the red carpet” about this. Mila didn’t do the challenge – she made another Mila dress.

And no matter how good Mila is at the one thing she does, until she actually does more than one thing, I don’t really consider her worth my time, at least in the Project Runway universe.

MONDO GUERRA

Oh, Mondo. You’ve disappointed me this week. I don’t know who told you to make a costume for Wilma Flintstone out of tin foil and glitter, but that really wasn’t the assignment. This dress didn’t really make much sense to me at all.

Nobody should look at your work and say, “Ooh! Another ‘unconventional materials’ challenge!” when you ACTUALLY USED FABRIC. Seriously, what the hell is this made of? Why did it move like ziplock bags and shine like cellophane? It seems like if you put it on, it would feel and smell like melted plastic.

Oh, and the hair? No, darling. No.

RAMI KASHOU, Top 3

This was a fun, silly, over-the-top entry that was perfectly deserving of second place. The good: This SCREAMS Miss Piggy, and is loud enough to deserve her. The bad: It’s kind of expected, and as clothes, it’s pretty fucking trashy. I know the challenge was to make something for Miss Piggy, not a real woman, but some people managed to do both, and I think those people had the most success. Rami took whimsy and silliness to a whole new level, and I appreciated it completely, because that was exactly what this challenge required. However, no matter what color polka dots you use, this is still straight up flamenco dancer. It’s Cha Cha DiGregorio from Grease meets Valentine’s Day on acid. It’s like what a drag queen impersonator of Miss Piggy would wear. I was happy Rami turned up the volume, but he might have turned it up just a bit too much.

I don’t think directly-below-the-butt ruffles, particularly in layers of organza and crinoline/tulle, are particularly flattering on anyone. And Rami, listen to my advice to Kenley – you can’t just put a feather in her hair and call it a fascinator. I won’t stand for it.

Judges’ Top 3: Michael (Winner), Rami, Kenley
Diva’s Top 3: Kara, Rami, Kenley
Judges’ Bottom 3: Austin, Mila, Gordana (Eliminated)
Diva’s Bottom 3: Jerell, Mila, Gordana

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All photos courtesy of Lifetime.
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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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First, let’s analyze this from a Taylor-as-a-model perspective – this is a GREAT cover shot. Two things her boring style has never been able to hide are her gorgeous bedroom eyes, which are astoundingly blue in this shot. Kudos to Vogue for emphasizing it with the blue print; it’s a nice touch. The very 1970s haircut looks fantastic on her features – I never noticed her incredible bone structure until now. But the first caption I see after looking at Taylor’s face is “THE DANGER OF OVERDOING OVER-THE-COUNTER-DRUGS,” which is completely fucking hilarious.

Then I looked at the actual caption for Taylor’s cover: “A cool new look for America’s sweetheart.” A cheesy line if there ever was one, but you know what? Vogue nailed it with this sort of 1970s rock star meets 1960s flower child aesthetic.

gown by Rodarte, boots by Jil Sander

That is an astoundingly beautiful dress. If it looks a tad familiar, that’s because Elle Fanning wore it to the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards last week. It was cute on Elle in a little girl sort of way, but it’s stunning and glamorous on Taylor in a whole different kind of way. The boots are fierce as hell, I might add. My only complaint is that we’re again seeing a Taylor who loves her black eyeliner a bit too much.

dress and coat by Rodarte, fringe bag by Carlos Falchi, boots by Miu Miu

SO. FUCKING FIERCE. Let’s start with the boots, because they are God’s gift to womankind (and dragqueenkind). Next, the dress, which is stunning in its own right, and clashes but matches the boots in that effortless rock goddess sort of way. The fringed purse is so fucking Cher that I can’t help but love it. And the coat? Virtually perfect. I’m not saying Taylor should hit the Grammys in this outfit, I’m just saying there’s a whole wide world of fashion out there, and there’s some interesting stuff that looks amazing on her. And she can do way better than endless virginal princess gowns.

on Taylor: dress and hat by Rodarte, boots by Michael Kors
on Caitlin Evanson (second from left) and Elizabeth Huett (left of center): leather jackets by Rodarte

It’s a testament to how great this shoot is that when I saw this photo I thought, “Ugh, who cares, I just want to see what Taylor’s wearing.” Which is a thought I have never had before in my life! Anyway, love the leather jackets on those badass brunette bitches in the photo. Now let’s discuss the awesomeness that is T.Swift in a high-waisted short sparkly skirt and ASS-HIGH LEATHER BOOTS. Love, love, LOVE to see Taylor in something not made for a little girl, an old lady, or a pretty, pretty princess!

dress by Rodarte, jeans by Levi’s, hat by Patricia Underwood, sunglasses by Ray-Ban, belt by Marni, bag by Andrew Marc, boots by Miu Miu

Oh my god. It’s like Kate Moss minus cocaine plus MORE AMAZING BOOTS times Stevie Nicks. It is virtually everything I would wear if I were a lean leggy blonde country-pop star. I am melting over the purse – those colors are amazing. And her rings? Fabulous. Plus, the HAT.

jacket and blouse by Rodarte, pants by Rag & Bone, boots by Miu Miu

This is sort of cheesy and dramatic, and you can’t see the clothes well enough anyway. That jacket looks totally fucking badass from afar, but I like the other Miu Miu boots in the previous pictures better.

Taylor doesn’t exactly model this shoot – I don’t think her expression ever changes – but she’s a phenomenal blank canvas to work on, and Vogue styled her deliciously. Let’s hope the girl learned a few lessons on stepping outside her comfort zone, because the results were really fucking fabulous.

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All photos courtesy of Mario Testino for Vogue
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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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