So a few of my mama blogger friends and I cooked up this little idea to recreate some iconic Oscar looks throughout the years. What started out as a fun, lighthearted project turned into so much more. We hear a lot about female empowerment & diversity, but I never thought that would be something I could one day explain to my daughter while playing dress up with her. Mila’s still too young I think to really get any of this but I do love that I can show her these pics down the road when she wouldn’t be caught dead in the same outfit as me and understand that twinning with her mama was a way for us to bond.
Alright, now on to the details. While researching celebs and dresses they wore over the years, I immediately went to Jennifer Lopez from the 2003 Academy Awards. Not only did she look ridiculously stunning in her mint green vintage Valentino gown, but she was a WOC commanding the red carpet like no other. I also loved the fact her gown looked like a sari, which immediately gave me all the feels because it really made me proud of my beautiful culture..which growing up was not something I always embraced. My fellow mamas also had specific celebs in mind when choosing who to emulate (detailed pics below of each gown).
Pic on right: Annie Leibovitz
We shot at a beautiful bar in Downtown LA, Birds & Bees, owned by 2 of my dear friends. It totally set the mood for our throwback, Vanity Fair-esque portrait feel we were going for. As you can see the girls nailed their poses 😉 My fave photog Dexter Brown was also able to work his magic even with 5 little kids running around!!
Now on to each of our looks:
As mentioned above, I loved how reminiscent JLo’s 2003 Valentino dress was to a sari. I also loved that Jennifer Lopez represents all WOC really having a presence in the world of entertainment, something I see more of for women in my own culture. For these dresses I literally went to the Fashion District in Downtown LA, found a jersey material fabric (about 7 yards for both outfits) and trim to match, which was secured by fabric glue. I then used a dress form to drape a skirt (secured with lots and lots of safety pins) and also a one should cape situation. I’m actually pretty darn pleased with how this turned out!
My girl Orly Shani, who is a DIY expert who seriously has the most amazing concepts come to life, made this iconic Halle Berry gown from when she won the Oscar for Monster’s Ball in 2002. Her little mini Blake is beyond the cutest and serves up the right amount of sass necessary to pull this dress off. She has a DIY coming on how to create this exact dress so subscribe to her Youtube channel and binge watch it all!
On why she chose Halle Berry: “For me, the Oscars are defined by these emotional speeches, historic wins and iconic fashion moments. In 2002, Halle Berry hit all 3 and I’ll never forget that moment. I had to recreate it with my 3 year old daughter!” Orly Shani, DIY expert and mom to 2
My girlfriend Abby Ochse, derm nurse by day & founder of The Chic Mamas by night, was spot on in her recreation of Gwyneth Paltrow from her 1999 Oscar win. Willow, who also happens to be Mila’s dear friend, couldn’t be any cuter.
On why she wanted to see this collab come to life: “It’s important to teach my daughter what it means to work hard to achieve your dreams. Life is not always going to be easy, equal or fair. Yet, we as women, can stand in support of one another and cheer each other on to the finish line. Also, what better way to show that than through some fun and fashion!” Abby Ochse, Founder of The Chic Mamas and mom of 3.
Mama Pamelyn Rocco, founder of Bashery & Co, went with a gorgeous showstopper gown to bring Angelina Jolie circa 2014 to life. Her littlest daughter was such a cutie pie too, which she hand made herself!
On why she wanted to partake in this shoot: “The oscars are able to capture glamour, talent and reward all in one night, and what an amazing message to send to my daughters. Focus on your dreams, bust your butt and be glamorous & classy while doing it!” Pamelyn Rocco, Owner of Bashery & Co and mom of 2.
Lastly, I love that Mel Baltierrez, of Mel Rod Style, brought her son along for this shoot! She chose to bring Jennifer Aniston from the 2017 Academy Awards.
On why she chose Aniston: “Jennifer Aniston is such a role model and my all time favorite celebrity. From being a boss lady that she is to overcoming so much in her personal life, I truly admire how she handles herself with such grace. I think it’s important to not only teach our daughters, but our sons the importance of pursuing your dreams no matter what life throws at you.” Mel Baltierrez, Founder of Mel Rod Style and mom of 1.
And that about wraps up this little labor of love!! I hope this brought a little smile to your face as we approach Oscars weekend!! Thanks for reading!
xo,
Ami
FOR MORE DETAILS & CREDITS SEE BELOW:
ABBY OCHSE: @THECHICMAMAS / http://WWW.THECHICMAMAS.COM/
ORLY SHANI: @ORLYSHANI / HTTP://WWW.THEDIYDESIGNER.COM/
MEL ROD: @MELRODSTYLE / HTTP://WWW.MELRODSTYLE.COM/
PAMELYN ROCCO: @BASHERYANDCO / HTTP://WWW.BASHERYANDCO.COM/
PICS BY: DEXTER BROW PHOTOGRAPHY: @DEXTERBROWNFOTO / VANITY FAIR PHOTO: ANNIE LEIBOVITZ
STYLING BY: JORDAN MAIAVA: @JORDANMAIAVA
VENUE: Birds & Bees: HTTP://WWW.BIRDSANDBEES.COM/ @birdsandbeesla
- Walmart Baby Must-Haves
- Family Finds At Walmart
- Giving Back to Our Teachers With Amazon!
- My Hospital Bag Must-Haves
- Designer Dupe of the Week!
- How to Wear Statement Pumps
- My Self Portrait Designer Looks 4 Way Less!
- My First Fashion Lookbook Ft. EXPRESS
- July 4th Style With Walmart!
- Lovely in Lace
- 2018 Holiday Style Guide!
- My Fave Color for This Spring/Summer: