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Sock It To ‘Em - Red Carpet Style

The old adage of losing socks in the laundry doesn’t really stand up in a country where wearing socks is confined to school kids, city slickers or gym goers.  I have certainly spent the last four and half years pretty much barefoot or in sandals/flip-flops.  My husband might protest and confirm the saying’s validity given the number of partner-less socks in his drawer.  No, instead of losing socks, my infuriation comes in the disappearance of what Americans call bobby pins, or what we Brits called kirby grips - those little hair slides that keep your hair invisibly in place.  An item that is sold and packaged by the dozen, but a package that seems to have mysteriously emptied whenever you reach for one in your hour of hair need.

As I am both growing my hair and simultaneously fighting the frizz caused by Singapore’s unyielding humidity (good for pores and keeping skin youthful - not great for having a sleek barnet) - the evaporation of these little hair heroes is a menace.  Much like socks, I wonder where they go?  Is there a Bermuda triangle full of singular socks and a bountiful booty of hair grips?  I leave you to ponder this yourself.

Sales of bobby pins must have shot up last week as Hollywood’s beautiful and best posed, strutted and selfied their way down the red carpet.  Incidentally, “to selfie” cannot yet be a verb as my spellcheck is angrily underlining ‘selfied’ in red.  However, the word ‘selfie’ was the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year in 2013 (collective sigh of woe).  My personal favourite ‘do’ was girl-of- the-moment Alicia Vikander’s.  An ethereal updo (by hairstylist Christopher Naselli) which complimented her angelic, white Louis Vuitton column dress perfectly.  I adore the dress’ cross-strap back and its long, linear hanging pleats.  I cannot wait to go and see The Danish Girl which stars Brit wonder Eddie Redmayne.

Image credits: Christopher Naselli/Instagram

Another trend that I pleasingly noted was the presence of the silver minaudière clutch.  As a loyal Downtown Abbey fan, I could not help but gasp in wonder at the delightful Joanne Froggatt’s steel blue Reem Acra dress.  Its plunging neckline and full skirt was reminiscent of a yesteryear Hollywood glamour - what a full circle transformation from the dowdy uniform worn by her TV character Anna Bates!  She complimented the look with a simple silver clutch bag - oh how I would have loved that to have been our silver Marieke Minaudière - Joanne or Joanne’s stylist if you are reading this please get in touch as I’m sure we must be (distantly) related as my father’s middle name is Froggatt and perhaps you’d like to wear one of our bags for the OSCARS or BAFTA’s if you are going?!

Image credits: Joanne Froggatt/Instagram

Kate Hudson chose to highlight her svelte physique and enviable abs in a shimmery blush Michael Kors cut out dress.  Her golden locks tustled onto her shoulders, diamonds sparkled from her ears and she clutched - yep another - structured silver purse.  The dress silhouette teased you into thinking it was a two piece bandeau + skirt from the front.  Yet, the back told a different story - revealing it as a one-piece cut-out dress.  A lesson in risqué versus demure with its choker neckline, to-the-floor length juxtaposed with cheeky cut outs to midriff, shoulders, hips AND leg slit.  Of all the ladies to carry off this look, it is surely Kate Hudson.


Image credits: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP via Forbes

No one does the leggy look quite like J.Lo - she absolutely stunned in a canary yellow Giambattista Valli Haute Couture design, with its thigh high split and that colour made her golden skin shimmer.  While the split might be high, the risqué element was tempered by the cape sleeves and high neckline.  The look was finished off with glossy hair, a red lip, an eye-watering amount of diamonds, sparkling silver shoes and yep you got it, a sparkling silver clutch bag.

Image credits:  Getty / Jason Merritt via Popsugar

So calling on all stylists, please note we have a gorgeous, red-carpet worthy minaudière in our collection - the Marieke.  Available in Disco Gold and Silver and suitable for all occasions - lunches, weddings, bar mitzvahs, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Oscars, Bafta’s…please do get in touch! 

FOOT NOTES

Pose like a Red Carpet Pro - ELLE has summarised the most flattering stances and poses from Hollywood’s finest

Energise yourself to get to the gym by perusing this slideshow resume of Golden Globes care of The New York Times 

SOCK IT TO ‘EM - never lose a sock again. Wikihow has a few clever tips on how to achieve sock pairing bliss.