What goes around comes around! Our Social, Design & Production Director, Deborah, geeks out on fashion moments like when Selma Blair wore a custom color-blocked Isaac Mizrahi dress to the 2004 CFDA Fashion Awards that inspired a new generation of media darlings almost a decade later (OK, we’re not as old as this might lead one to think…).

At the time, the dress was a statement primarily because after years out of the spotlight, it brought major fashion credibility back to Mizrahi’s name. Mr. Mizrahi had been in a transitional period following the closure of his eponymous line in 1998. By 2004 he had moved on from his one-man off-Broadway show and was in the early years of pioneering a designer collaboration with Target, a concept that would later become a major retail phenomenon around the world (designer collaborations remain a driving force in retail to this day). 

Secondly, while color-blocking had been around for ages, Selma’s decision to wear this simple Mizrahi look was a bold choice at a time when fashion in the aughts was excessive and oozing sex while trying to find its own, coherent identity—Patricia Field at SATC was a major arbiter of style in the “Carrie” genre that has become defined as Man Repeller-esque, as were “Tom & Dom”, who pushed the boundaries of sex in fashion before leaving Gucci and YSL that year. In this context, the dress was a statement because of everything is wasn’t: instead of emphasizing quirky and edgy fashion or in-your-face sex, it accentuated Selma’s flat-chested, pixie-cut, gamine appeal.

But enough of this fashion nerdery, we have no doubt that die-hard fashionphiles and casual red carpet watchers alike also recognized this cherry/flamingo/persimmon combo when images of color-blocked celebrities started cropping up in recent months. And while the predominant colors used in this color-blocking combo are reds, pinks and oranges, we’d venture to add in purple to the mix, which will carry well into the fall season. Now if only we had some jewelry to pair with this look… Suggestions? Post your designs on our Facebook wall to share your thoughts!

Hands down the best dressed of the night was Gwyneth Paltrow who looked F-L-A-W-L-E-S-S in her Tom Ford gown (Love that cape! The cut and drape of the dress… Amazing!). 

Loved loved LOVED the simple and elegant styling from the hair and makeup to the Jimmy Choo shoes and how the cuff and ring by Anna Hu perfectly complimented the dress. When it’s so easy to pile on the glitz, I love how Gwyneth recognized there was no need to mess with a good thing. Gorgeous! A+!

Remember when 2000 rolled around and we all thought it’d be weird that some day, in the far distant future, there would be 90s theme parties and we’d look back at the decade we felt we’d never grow out of and say, “That’s so 90s!”? 

Well that time has come, and the 90s are back with chokers updated with a twist for today. Our favorites are Dannijo’s metal versions which span the quirky and elegant. I could see the gold one with one of Tom Ford for Gucci’s white jersey dresses a la Toni Braxton.