not oscar fashion, just wrong

Every year I look forward to seeing what the stars wear to the Oscars. Because of the wild influence Lady GaGa has had on the fashion world in the past year I was dreaming of seeing at least a few more outlandish choices on the red carpet this year instead of the somewhat safe choices that stylists usually gravitate to.

Saturday morning I had just had a wonderful breakfast with my man at Vic's Cafe (where I have never seen the bottom of my coffee cup, thanks gals!) and we were heading to the gourmet cheese shop down the street when this window display stopped me in my tracks. O. M. G. Here was my outlandish. A bright orangey-pink neon ball gown vibrated in the window of the local bridal shop like a bad '80s dream. I couldn't believe my eyes. Is this the new prom trend? Is this a new punishment for unfortunate bridesmaids? What IS this?

I can understand that a neon cocktail dress, crafted by the right designer's hands, would look completely right on a 20-something with edgy street style. But to dip what I consider a run-of-the-mill prom staple into a vat of fluorescent vomit is, to me, not fashionable, not alluring, but absolutely, and horribly HILARIOUS. Probably not the look any girl is going for.

If this is the new bridesmaid look, the joke is not on the bridesmaid, but on the bridezilla who would choose this. I can't even remember what the white bridal dress looked like that was in the same window!

This dress instantly reminded me of a book cover I illustrated a few years ago. The book is called She's Gone Bridal: A 9-Step Program for Dealing With Your Bride from Hell by Liz Razin. My job was to illustrate the ugliest bridesmaid dress I could imagine and you know what? I think what I came up with still tops this neon nightmare, but maybe only because I added an ugly hat and shoes!!!

©2011, Monika Roe