It’s not every day that a new lady debuts wrestling gear that’s as well executed and stylish as Brandi’s is. Plenty of ladies do amazing gear, but often it occurs later in their evolution as wrestlers. Brandi’s precociousness is attributable to her love of, and thorough immersion in, fashion but it’s still both noteworthy and commendable. So, we’re going to take a special look at her and break it down, layer by layer.
The first thing you notice at her entrance in her fantastic duster coat. We’ve seen capes, we’ve seen trenches, but this piece is completely unique and it’s definitely something special! The cutaway silhouette at the top gives it a very clean, chic vibe, almost like a men’s Edwardian swallow-tail coat. Women have been appropriating what were once men’s fashions for ages – probably since the dawn of fashion ;) – but it’s really fun to see the way Brandi’s done it here, making a fierce, modern coat out of a vintage formal haberdashery. She does bring it right up to the present day, adding a spike of glamour via gorgeous and unusual square crystal buttons. I couldn’t resist including a close-up so you can truly appreciate the complexity and beauty of this choice. Her gear has that quality of just-right minimalism, with enough detail to be interesting, but edited enough to be immediately accessible. The sheer inset in her top reminds me of the design Madison uses, but Brandi makes hers distinctive with a tiny strap across the top which creates a slight keyhole effect. It's a bespoke-type of detail which has the added benefit of practicality, something I'm always on board for! Shorts and matching knee pads complete her silhouette nicely and carry the color all the way through her outfit. Perhaps the most unpredictable aspect of her gear is the snake motif that Brandi has sprinkled throughout her ensemble. -add meanings from note by laptop. I really love the glittering-eye detail on the creatures; it's beautiful and lends a magical, "come-alive" quality to the appliqué. Lastly, Brandi's color choices have been unerringly solid. The white gear, with its steely-black accents, might be my favorite because of its eye-catching and dramatic contrast. Her amethyst-purple gear is a close runner-up though - that rich jewel tone looks stunning on her! When I see this deep, luxurious shade, I can't help thinking of her Hall Of Fame Fashion Review winning gown from 2015 and it makes me hope Brandi will grace us with a similar tourmaline green or deep teal variation of her gear sometime soon! :) I wouldn't say no to cobalt either ;). I look forward to seeing what further variations of this superb gear she has in store!
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October found Barbie exploring sage green via this simple and modern coord set. While the popularity of cords over the summer left me pretty short on tolerance for more of them, I don’t mind this one. I like it’s cleansing, unembellished styling and Barbie’s soft pairing of pale beige lace-up sandals. If I could change one thing about the look, it would be to tweak her hairstyle. This flat, central part is a bit harsh; the 70’s-esque side-part that she‘s done beautifully so often would have complemented the muted vibe of this look better.
Brandi’s white pantsuit puts me strongly in mind of the Halston dress Brie wore to the ESPYs earlier this year. I’m sure it’s due to the minimalist design and the smooth sheen of the metal plate belt, echoed at the neckline. This kind of pared-down chic aesthetic always rocks my world and Brandi’s look is no exception. I wish we had gotten a glimpse at her shoes, but really you couldn’t go wrong here with pumps of any iteration. A fun top, skinny jeans or leggings and OTK boots seem to be Becky’s look. Note the singular. I’m teasing, of course…well, half- teasing because it’s certainly a signature for her. The good thing about that is that it’s a functional trademark that works really well on her. If you’re going to wear a look a lot, you want it to tick those two boxes! This variation involves a pretty double-layered top in a standout shade of coral-orange, a color I wouldn’t have immediately thought if for her because of her orange hair, but which looks fantastic on her and makes her just glow! I can forgive a lot for that glorious color, so I’ll happily give Becky a free pass on about the third variation of a top+jeans+OTKs, but I also have my fingers crossed that she changes it up a smidge sometime. I’m not talking crazy stuff, like a dress or anything, but maybe just some ankle boots…or a chunky sweater :) Alexa is demonstrating a knack for cute combos with an urban edge to them. Here, she pairs a “Sorry Not Sorry” graphic tee with faux leather leggings. She layered the tee over a second top (for warmth, I assume, but it also adds another dimension to the styling, lengthening the line of her tee and letting it flow smoothly into her leggings. My favorite part of her outfit is this ellipse-dot printed cropped jacket. Even though a blazer like this is usually a fairly formal piece, the print and material give this one a casual flair that still manages to elevate the rest of her super laidback look. The juxtaposition totally works! She also gets Fierce pointsfor her pigtails. I’m not usually a fan of them as they can come off very cutesy and little girl-ish, but this low placement, combined with her side-swept bangs give them more of a cool girl feel. Lastly, I have to give a shout-out to this totally AWESOME Halloween eyeliner! The thorn-like swirls make me think of a spider web and that is fantastically appropriate, as well as looking afreakinmazing. Are you ready for a fashion blast? I can not even believe that I have so much catching up to do; would you think that there could be stuff from October I haven’t reviewed yet?! Omg. And we have all the exciting year end things this month too, lovelies. So, hang on to your stilettos because my plan is a giant, whirlwind catch-up which means tooonnnnnnnnsssss of fashion coming your way.
We’ll start it with Gail, who looks fierce and fab in this pretty pink dress, toughened up with a leather moto jacket. She gives it a trendy and casual touch with a scarf twisted at her neck and then ramps up the fierce quotient with mid-calf peeptoe booties. I love how Gail balanced the sweet, feminine of pink with strong, mature accessories. This combo feels confident and polished. She goes from strength to strength, as her next offering is this emerald green gown, chosen for this year’s SkyBall, an American Airlines fundraiser for military families at which her husband was cooking. This piece is a magnificent choice: the lattice-work details make is current and sexy, the sheer insets keep it classy and the color takes it over the top into an absolute smash! It’s an amazing shade on Gail and I hope we see her try more of it soon! Everything about this styling is flawless, including her sideswept hair. It’s so much fun seeing her completely nail a red carpet look! Pink was front and center a lot in October, as Lana reached for some during her trial of plaid. This is an unusual and vibrant variation of the classic and often mellow-colored pattern and it was a surprise to me to see it on Lana. It seems to be a sign of her more laidback tv aesthetic, also suggested by her long and loose hair style. I’m on board with the hair for sure; the jury’s still out on the plaid ;) Mandy made us look twice with this Instagram shot, which paired a sporty cropped v-neck tee, bedecked with black graphic accents, with a leather mini skirt. OTK boots completed the ensemble. There’s a lot that great about this look: the classic color combo, the athletic-meets-fierce vibe, the play on knit vs. smooth texture. Between the deep v and the super-short skirt, though, Mandy’s pushing the sexy on all fronts. It’s a bit too much for my taste; I’d tend toward choosing one or the other, as it’s very easy to get into trashtastic territory when you’re skimming so close to that line. With a knee-length skirt (and shorter boots) or a higher neck cropped top, this look would be more balanced. As ubiquitous as chokers are getting at the moment, I like Mandy’s use of it here; it helps to harmonize the look. How about this killer shot from Emma? She has been tearing it up lately during her time off for an injury, so stick around for a bunch more amazing snaps from her. In the meantime, I am loving this square-studded long-sleeved crop top paired with boy shorts –this is about as sexy as workout wear gets!! Give me studs I promise you, I will get waaaay more serious about gym time! ;) Emma’s pose is slayage overdrive. Her hair is on point. The black-on-black color palette, echoed by her dark nails, has a bring-it-on attitude that’s just flawless (and motivating!) for weights, cardio or what have you. The amazing pic is one of the first teasers of Emma’s makeover into Emmalina, an athletic vixen with a very old-school diva vibe – a blend of sex and athleticism. If this is typical of the style of girlfriend’s new persona, Emmalina’s fashion is going to eclipse Emma’s in no time. Lana promoted her Other Versions Of You project by delving into a side of her fashion we have not seen before: a smarty hipster chick, who rules the world in polka dots and twill. I LOVE this so much! Not only is it a wildly fun departure from her usual glamorous style, but it also explores a facet of fashion we see from almost no other diva (Alicia Fox is one exception I can think of!). Lana chose a polka dot blouse in chic navy for this look and paired with gray chinos, a fabulous pant variation that vaguely polished and way under-used in Divadom. She added a femme-but-chill twist with lace sneakers and ramped up the smarty side of her styling with glasses. Her softly waved and sideswept hair kept the whole look relaxed and pretty, yet not so polished that it came off jarringly fierce. To recreate Lana's look, reach for your nearest polka dot button-down. Alternatively, go for something striped. Don't button it to the top - leave the fist one or two open to give off that cool girl aura. (Layer a thermal (or my favorite, Icebreaker base layers) underneath for extra warmth on nippy days). Stay with neutral tones to keep the look classic. Next, add chinos in your favorite silhouette: boyfriend, slim, cropped. You can also do this with suit pants - they'll add a bit more formality to your look, but not so much that it can't be balanced out by a casual accessory, like a knit scarf or open vest. I especially love the hipster twist the vest adds to this look. Finish with lace sneakers (or iconic Keds :)) Then again, maybe the smarty version of you is a little more glam and prep than hip. In that case, add a metallic belt and finish the look with loafer flats instead of sneakers. Include your favorite pair of glasses, or do your hair in a prim style: a classic twisted bun, sideswept bangs baretted straight to one side, or a simple mid-height pony. You may also want also want to carry a spiral notebook (dog-earred pages encouraged!) and tuck a pencil behind your ear for that authentic smarter-than-thou flair ;). I hope this inspires you to get your smart on sometime soon, loves! Happy styling!
I've often made the case that simple outfits can sometimes have the most impact. That is very true of this wonderful look from Barbie. It's about as edited as a look can get: a gray cropped sweater (with a cute asymmetric detail at the collar and bell sleeves), paired with leggings and given a twist of fierce via OTK boots. This is literally a perfect look for so many occasions that it's one we've got to put in our Lookbook file! Bell sleeves have been having a moment lately, so if you have a sweater with them, that's definitely a piece to consider. It doesn't have to be gray - any neutral will work. A special detail, such as said sleeves, or the flipped down collar on Barbie's sweater, adds an extra bit of chic to a simple look like this. It can still come together nicely with a basic knit piece, though. A simple cropped sweater in marled gray works via the texture created by the marled yarn. And don't forget - if you want to do a cropped look but are going somewhere showing skin is frowned upon (or you just like to stay warm ;), - layer a longer piece under your cropped top. This will still give you the proportion of the cropped style while keeping you cold-weather-ready! A chunky cable knit functions similarly to a marl - the texture of the knit creates a stylish visual dynamic. Designers have been doing a lot of really creative, beautiful knit designs lately, so it's worth taking a look at what is out there currently if you're ready to replenish your sweater collection. Also, don't be afraid to play with proportion in other ways. While Barbie went with a cropped styling, you can also use an oversized or boyfriend style sweater with this look by virtue of the leggings/skinny pants pairing. Slouchy on top with slim on the bottom has a great casually chic vibe and it's super comfy as well. Add the right touch of attitude to this pairing with OTK's - either flat or heeled will do equally well, so go with whatever floats your ducks :). If you decide to add jewelry to this look, keep it edited and casual - an artsy pendant or leather cuff bracelet are all you need to round off this simple, stylish statement. I hope this inspires you to give it a try sometime soon, lovelies! XO
PS Quick find: This cute ivory sweater from Garnet Hill has a fold-over collar like Barbie's. After regaling us with a selection of can't-unsee-that sweaters, WWE redeems itself somewhat by releasing a gallery of Bella Twins shots. Some are golden oldies revisited, perhaps my favorite of which is a BTS from the twins' day of frolicking atop a piano in a collection of lovely neutrals. Tidbits are here from their somewhat risque carwash 'shoot, their cowgirl's celebration of the American West and several gear 'shoot outtakes. In addition, some new snaps have been added, including Nikki's turn as a NASA astronaut, which, though not especially fashionable, is visually impressive. he complex, metallic silver spacesuit is one of the few outfits which truly shines (no pun intended) against a plain black background and her poses are dynamite! In a similar vein is the NASCAR-themed snap. It's well-designed and, because of the simple color scheme, works successfully, despite the complexity of the ladies' outfits and the backgrounds (sponsors are great for competing, but no so easy to make aesthetically pleasing ;). Other fun new pics include several shots of Brie and Nikki in brighty colored oversized hoodies with massive sunglasses in neon shades and brightly colored thigh-high socks. While these again don't do a whole lot for my desires as a fashionista, I appreciate the fun use of color and the twins' unique and glamorous poses which, by acting as a counterpoint to the casual fashion, bring a lot more interest to this artistic endeavor than if they had gone with more staid ones. They continue to show their love for casual glamour in a classic black-top + denim 'snap. While this looks like an unreleased item from a couple years ago, the fashion choices are excellent. Their matching black bustiers are gorgeous and the pairing of the more formal top with casual denim succeeds brilliantly. Brie spikes hers with a chin belt, while Nikki opts for a flower-embroidered piece. She completes her outfit with strappy sandals, while Brie goes for fierce peeptoe patent booties. Both looks are A+. The twins score equally well with a more casual iteration of their style, in which they rep their WWE t-shirts, Brie in her red "Brei Mode" piece and Nikki in her black "Fearless" tanks. Nikki adds suit pants with a slightly formal vibe to her look, and then reiterates the casual feel with a baseball cap. The fit her of pants appears to be slightly off - which may be just a function of the camera angle. I think it disrupts the look a bit, though and I would have loved to see her try a belt here. I applaud her, though, for trying this pairing and pushing boundaries beyond leggings and denim. It's a much needed exploration and I hope she does more of it! Brie's outfit works a better, but doesn't take the same risks. She pairs her teewith jeans and adds a red plaid button-down tied at her waist, as was her wont in this latest style era. A bold pendant and a red headband complete her simply stylish look with classic Bella chic.
WWE has done it again! They have foisted upon my fashion sensibilities yet another year of these truly reprehensible Christmas sweaters! And you all get to hear me cringe, writhe and moan yet again. I keep hoping that one of these years they'll make this seemingly obligatory photoshoot just head shots, but alas, this year is not the year. I consider it a dereliction of duty to not at least look at what I'm reviewing, so I did steel myself, do some deep breathing exercises and gaze...as briefly as possible. I admit that outside of the horror of the garments themselves, there are aspects to enjoy (yes, I'm an optimist :)). The ladies made creditable attempts at expressing happiness and playfulness - enough to make the fashion in these snaps worth enduring. Alexa is suitably seductive, Bayley engagingly effervescent, Naomi appreciably alluring. In addition, her glowing lime hair makes a wonderful and modern color combo, when paired with the more traditional crimson and kelly tones of her sweater.
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Welcome to the place where wrestling & fashion join hands. Inspiration. Reviews. Musings. Retros. FASHION. Covering and craving gear to gowns since 2011. May the Fierce be with you! ;) Peace & Glitter!
AuthorBrie: shoe-lover :) fashion-lover and generally glamorous semi-dork Archives
July 2019
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