Oscars 2015: My Favourite Looks

I do love the Oscars, the fame, the dresses and the magic of the glamour enthral me and hypnotise me every year. The who's who of the Hollywood dynasty are invited and they bring it with the most exclusive and exquisite dresses. Here are some of my favourites. First up is Anna Kendrick in this beauty salmon pink dress. Some may think is rather prom like but Anna carries it off to look very ladylike and elegant. 

Dakota Johnson is the lady of the moment with 'Fifty Shades of Grey' in cinema and she broke out fabulous red dress for the Oscars. I like the fact that she played it down with no jewellery and a simple ponytail, makes it look rather chic.

Jennifer Aniston knows how to work the red carpet and she looks amazing. Her glossy hair complements her golden dress perfectly and she looks beautiful.

No one does a red carpet like Elie Saab, such majestic gowns which any woman sparkle. Jennifer Lopez works this dress so well and the train makes it look like something out of a fairytale.

Julianne Moore was the lady of the night at the Oscars winning best actress for her role in 'Still Alice' and she wore Chanel to walk the red carpet. Though it was not the most stylish dress of the night, she made it her own and she looked lovely. 

Last but not least, Keira Knightley who is making her pregnancy haute couture. She rocks up on the red carpet in some of the most amazing creations and this was not any different. I love the detailing on the dress and the way it graces over her baby bump. So gorgeous. 

BAFTAs 2015: Best dressed

You have to love the BAFTAs. They are always a very British affair, incredibly understated and a very respectful and sombre in feel, when comparing it to something like the Oscars. The red carpet for the BAFTAs is very similar in that respect where very few ladies actually get it wrong. Their choices are always quite safe and they always look perfectly coiffed without a hair out of place. First up in my best dressed is Lea Seydoux, her yellow dress could have made her look like a canary but does look stunning in it and the long trail is the perfect length to look very old school Hollywood.

Next up was Felicity Jones. She is such a beautiful girl and i love this dress on her. It was just the right amount of old glamour and a sweet youthful flush of girliness with the flowers on the skirt of her dress. She was up for a BAFTA and lost out but her red carpet style made her a winner in my eyes. 

Both Dianna Agron and Julianne Moore went for the risque splash of red on the red carpet and  it suited them to a tee. I love the little flash of leg and the simple make up on both of them, it stopped the colour swamping them and how amazing is Julianne's red hair.

Up for supporting actress and glowingly pregnant, Keira Knightly still managed to upstage her counterparts in this very girly looking dress. I love the fact that it covered her bump and she still managed to look beautiful in it. The embroidery on her skirt does tie the whole look together really well. 

Last but not least, our very own Tanya Burr in Jenny Packham. Words cannot describe how proud i am of this girl, she has worked so hard to get to where she is now and still continues to be down to earth and herself. Lovely look for the red carpet and the simple gold accents with her shoes and jewellery just ties it altogether. 

GRAMMYs 2015: Best and Worst Dressed

What is it about awards season that makes all our celebrities go completely gaga and have their stylists pick out some of the most ghastly outfits? (See above) Rihanna had the whole cute outfit going with this dress and she was well intentioned but she ended up looking like a giant cupcake. I mean, this is the crazy dress that i would try on in the shop and jump around in to see the layers swoosh around me but then i would choose something a little less.. swooshy.. to wear on the night. Points for creativity but it does swamp her frame and really does nothing for her.

Oh Madonna. This is one woman who will not learn. She may be 50 something and an international pop star but money cannot buy you style. With all the designers in the world at her fingers, she chose to be squeezed into this Victorian corset and have all her bits hanging out. I won't even show you her outfit from the back because it is very much the Rocky Horror Show back there.

Lastly on my hit list is this woman, Kim Kardashian. She is the wannabe pop star turned pop wife who can't sing and now chooses to dress in the blingest outfit known to man to prove to the world that she still belongs in that crowd. She looked crazy in this gold shimmery bathrobe and frankly out of place. Something understated and elegant would have been much better for her, yet she chose to look like a christmas tree. 

Now for some of my best dressed:

It is no lie that i adore Taylor Swift but she knows how to work a red carpet. This space age style outfit could have looked ridiculous on anyone else but she still managed to make it look stylish and fresh by keeping her whole look simple and understated. Beautifully done!

Yet another lady who understands the theory of less is more. A simple tuxedo on Anna Kendrick looked so ladylike and edgy all at the time same time. I love the rock star like make up and her hair looks amazing. 

If in doubt, pardon the pun here, wear a jumpsuit. Gwen Stefani was glowing in this black jumpsuit with sequinned detailing on the bust and it suited her style to a tee.

Most awkward moment:

When are these two going to learn that nobody cares anymore. They are so publicity hungry and desperate for the world to know that they are in love that they won't stop showing it. There is too much to prove i would say but anyway, both of you, get a room. Enough with the PDA, be normal parents, keep your clothes on in public and look after your daughter as best as you can. 

'Behind the Beautiful Forevers' at the National Theatre

It has been a long while since a play at the theatre has really surprised or has had me gripped to the point where i wanted to dive into the narrative and find out more. 'Behind the Beautiful Forevers' did just this to me and left me desperate to find out more as the story unfolded.

The play tells the story of Zehrunisha and her family who run a rubbish recycling business in the poor slums in Mumbai, in the hope that they can recycle enough to fund a proper house. Sunil, a street boy, is desperate to make something of himself and wants to follow in the footsteps of Kallu, a well to do theif. Asha is stealing government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a someone of higher societal standing whilst making her daughter Manju, the slum's first graduate. Each of the characters have a story to tell against their bleak landscape of a garbage recycling plant and the ever growing global recession.

Despite the play being based on a book by Katherine Boo, each of the character's stories are bought to life so vividly on stage. You do end up forgetting that you are just watching a play as the characters are so well acted. Meera Syal is brilliant as the free swearing mother Zehrunisha who runs her household and her business with a tight fist. Manju played by Anjana Vasan is such a wholesome minded character who struggles to differentiate between Congreve and Virginia Woolf and struggles to comes to terms with her mother's ways of earning a living.

The real star of the play is Abdul played by Shane Zaza who is desperate to see the good in people and wants to lead a life of honesty in a world which is corrupt around him. The play tells the tale of these characters with a lot of heart and tries to find goodness in each of the characters despite their devious ways of earning a living.

See here for more information about buying tickets, it is a great watch!