Beyonce, Emma Stone, and More Best Dressed at the Met Ball.

Is it just us or does this year's Met Gala seem more star-studded than ever? And when we say star-studded, we're talking about A-listers from everywhere: the fashion world, Hollywood, even sports (hey, Tom Brady and David Beckham). Of coursre, we can't forget about First Lady Michelle Obama presiding over this morning's very exclusive ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the charles James: Beyond Fashion exhibit and introduce the newly named Anna Wintour Costume Center. In other words: MAJOR.
Considering that this year's theme celebrates a legendary American couturier, you'd think that only sublimely elegant ball gowns would fill the red carpet. But did that happen? No. This is fashion, people. So without further ado, let's get started on the best-dressed list for this year's Met Gala. Hold tight--this is going to be a long one. 

Event co-chair, multi-award honoree, and always-Carrie Bradshaw to us Sarah Jessica Parker wore a magnificent black-and-white (and logo-ed) Oscar de la Renta ball gown. And requisite gloves, of course.

In case you weren't sure who made the gown.

The queen of the evening (and, no, we're not talking about Beyonce just yet), Anna Wintour, presided over the festivities in fall 2013 Chanel Couture. (NO glove!)

 
Fashion Week-approved semi-Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, mixed high-low in a Topshop mermaid gown and Chopard diamonds.

Hailee Steinfeld donned a rise-fall custom dress courtesy of Prabal Gurung. The pink lining is a thoughful detail.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley kind of looks like she's a year late fro 2013's punk-themed Met Gala with her leather-trimmed, leopard-print, chain-emblelished, mini Balmain dress. (And definitely no gloves). She looks hot nonetheless. 

 
It model (and cochair Bradley Cooper's girlfriend) Suki Waterhouse was a vision in this beautifully layered Burberry gown and Anita Ko Earrings.

Jessica Pare nailed edgy meets black tie elegance in a graphic, bustier Michael Kors confection.

Victoria Beckham matched hubby David (again!) in elegant white. Her dress is a Victoria Beckham, naturally.

Now, that's a ball gown (by Marchesa), Karolina Kurkova. The flowers on the silk organza are hand-painted!

Michelle Williams decided to flout the black-tie dress code too with a short Louis Vuitton sparkly number.

 
 Model Liu Wen brought some Old World glamour to the red carpet in a seafoam green and sculptural Zac Posen gown.

Ditto fellow model Arizona Muse wearing a beautiful custom Ralph & Russo Haute Couture gown and sparkling earrings and a necklace from De Beers Diamond Jewellers.

Emmy Rossum clearly got the dress-code memo in this beautiful floral Carolina Herrera gown.

Jessica Alba stunned in champagne lace courtesy of Diane von Furstenberg and glimmering gold
accessories.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen definitely gave Posh and Becks some competition for Fashion Prom King and Queen. Sorry, ladies, but Tom stepped out of this frame so his supermodel wife could wave to her adoring fans in Balenciaga.

Blake Lively smoldered per usual in Gucci. No wonder Ryan Reynolds can't keep his eyes/hands off her.

Looks like Taylor Swift's pink Oscar de la Renta wasn't ravaged by Karlie Kloss's cat. Whew!

And Karlie looks majestic in a black-and-gold brocade gown and leather gloves.

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen took an elegant fashion risk but within the ball gown genre in coordinating vintage Gianfranco Ferre and Chanel, respectively.

Emma Stone made lots of leg and crop-topping ball-gown-worthy in Thakoon.

Well done in Lanvin, Kim Kardashian. Cheer up, Kanye. The red carpet is almost over.

And closing out the red carpet: Queen Beyonce in custom Givenchy Couture.














source:glamour.com

Your Spring Must-Reads List: 3 Books We're Reading Now

The task of choosing the next book to read can be daunting--especially when your Goodreads roster is growing substantially longer than your bucket list (and they slowly morph into the same thing...). In the Glamour office, we're always chirping about the stories we can't put down, not to mention which books will turn into million-dollar motion pictures first. These three novels have encouraged many opinionated conversations around here recently and deserve a recommendation for you to snuggle up with and banter about with your girlfriends--I promise you'll have something to say about each.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
"I need you to know how hard it is for me sometimes." Mom had her hand on mine. 
"What's hard?"
"The banality of life," she said. "But it won't keep me from taking you to the South Pole."

Recommended to me by Cindi Leive, Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a quirky portrayal of a family trying to make the best of the hand they've been dealt--which is not alwaysso simple. Told alternatively through both the eyes of daughter Bee and email exchanges of overlapping story lines, The book reads like puzzle pieces to a mystery that you can't quite fit together and stands alone in its unique style. Each character is complex and genuine in a kooky way, and you'll find yourself picking sides to fights you wish you could intervene. All in all a lovely authentic story, my one qualm would be that the ending tied up a bit too neatly.
Do you agree?

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
"And there was something festoive and happy about the two of us, hurrying up the steps beneath the flimsy candy-striped umbrella, quick quick, for all the world as if we were escaping something terrible instead of running right into it."

You've probably heard about it by now, and this book is more than worthy of its recent Pulitzer Prize and of all its 770 pages (I'm still mourning that it ever ended). The most spectacular thing about The Goldfinch is Tartt's poignant writing and ability to create the story of a life so fascinating and emotional, it will bring you to tears. (It's literally the only book I've ever shamelessly sobbed with.) I had the fortune of seeing the book's namesake painting at the Frick Museum while it was traveling through New York with other Dutch masterpieces, which even further magnigied its magic--magic sometimes reminiscent to me of J.K Rowling's.
This is one that will stay in your heart forever and ever.

The Circle by Dave Eggers
"'A circle is the strongest shape in the universe. Nothing can beat it, nothing can improve upon it, 
nothing can be more perfect. And that's what we want to be: perfect. So any information that eludes us, anything that's not accessible, prevents us from being perfect. So any information that eludes us, anything that's not accessible, prevents us from being perfect. You see?'"

A modern-day 1984, The circle is a timely depiction of our culture's obsession with social media and addiction to real-time knowledge. Almost satirical in its claims of "SECRETS ARE LIES, PRIVACY IS THEFT," Dave Eggers does a great job of hitting just a little too close to home, with a plot laced by mysterious twists and character struggles. The story takes place in the Google-y company compound of The Circle, where every thought is required to be transparent and eveny action recorded. It is certainly worthy of a recommendation because of the provoking questions, even fear that it raises about our society. Just how far is too far?

So, there you have it! Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think?













source:glamour.com