While this post has been backdated to December 2019 I didn’t actually edit and write by Best Dressed of 2019 list until we were more than halfway through with 2020. At the end of 2019 I was almost ready to hang up my hat and give up blogging. I was feeling overwhelmed trying to consistently bring content to my followers while balancing my full time job and trying to maintain a personal life. I was also feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out how to cover all of the events in an accelerated awards season. So I let things I always did, and usually enjoy doing, fall to the wayside. Well as I was looking back at Best Dressed of the Year lists for previous years as reference when talking about other wishes I knew I needed to back track and write a Best Dressed of 2019 list. Overall the year was a great year in terms of fashion. It was a slow burn at the start for the most part. Awards season was super dull. This is only the second time in nine years that I have a Best Dressed of the Year list that doesn’t have a single look from awards season. But when it came down to it the looks I fell in love with the most in 2019 came mostly from movie premieres and the Cannes Film Festival. Let’s go through my 10 favorite looks from last year. 1) Angelina Jolie in custom Ralph & Russo Couture at the London premiere of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil:  Angelina makes her first Best Dressed of the Year list appearance since 2013. Funny thing? The last appearance she made was also thanks to a custom Ralph & Russo Couture look. Angie is a regal queen and I always look forward to seeing what she will bring to the red carpet. When I saw her step onto the red carpet at the premiere of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in London wearing this magical pale grey Ralph & Russo Couture intricately beaded cape gown my heart soared. This is always what I want Angelina to look like on the red carpet. It was regal perfection from head to toe. This look immediately made me think of a warrior goddess and Angie just wafted up this red carpet with real presence. So when I was putting this list together nothing gave me the same wow moment so of course it tops my Best of 2019 list. 2) Sarah Paulson in custom Prada at the London premiere of GLASS: This was the first look last year I remember loving. This pink Prada gown with green hand painted flames on the hem inspired by brands Spring 2012 RTW collection and was reissued by Miuccia for the Fall 2018 Menswear collection. This look is fun and statement making. It was a risk. That is one of the things I love most about Sarah. She isn’t afraid to take risks. Honestly I can’t believe that this is the first time that Sarah has made one of my Best Dressed of the Year lists. I have always been a fan of her style, but everything about this look from the jade Irene Neuwirth tassel earrings to the emerald marbled acrylic Edie Parker clutch this look made this a major pop art inspired glamour moment.

3) Naomi Scott in custom Burberry at the London premiere of Aladdin: A movie star was born on the red carpet at the London premiere of Aladdin. When I saw Naomi Scott wearing this pale sky blue strapless custom Burberry column gown which features an intricately beaded satin sweetheart neckline bustier bodice, a draped pants waist detail, and a column skirt my jaw dropped. It was the first custom gown from the Riccardo Tisci era of the British fashion house I fell in love with, and there hasn’t been any since. The look is definitely not an easy look to pull off, but Naomi brought the look to like with sleek effortless ease.

4) Zendaya in custom Vera Wang at the Emmy Awards: For the most of the year it was rumored that Zendaya was going to be cast as Ariel in the new Disney live action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. In August it was announced that Halle Bailey was cast in the role. Well on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards weeks later Zendaya showed Disney just how right she could have been for the role. (I want to be clear I am very excited to see just how fantastic Halle does.) This emerald green custom Vera Wang one shoulder gown which features an exposed sheer paneled bustier, draped silk charmuse, a thigh high split, and matching satin Brian Atwood pumps was phenomenal and Zendaya rocked it with effortless sex appeal. The flowing red waves and Cartier jewels finished this look perfection. 5) Katy Perry in Carolina Herrera Spring 2020 RTW at the David Lynch Foundation ‘Silence The Violence’ Benefit: Everyone knows I love quirky, dramatic takes on glamour so it should come as no surprise that I LOVED seeing Katy Perry wearing this blush pink satin Carolina Herrera Spring 2020 RTW strapless ballgown overlaid with black polka dotted white tulle and features a dramatic side ruffle and a bow detailed ribbon waist. This gown isn’t something I think I would have even thought of as an option for Katy as I was looking at the runway looks, but I am glad that her stylist Samantha Burkhart did. The sleek retro curled bob and the pearl tiara from Simone Rocha all made this an absolutely major moment.

6) Tracee Ellis Ross in Marc Jacobs Spring 2019 RTW and Versace at Diana Ross’s 75th Birthday: Diana Ross turned 75 this year and for her birthday celebration her fashionista daughter Tracee Ellis Ross paid tribute to her mothers iconic style. Tracee posted her outfit on Instagram which consisted of a coral Marc Jacobs Spring 2020 RTW feathered coat paired with a peachy pink Versace Spring 2020 RTW crystal embellished cocktail dress and sunset pink to orange crystal embellished Christian Louboutin pointed toe pumps. The sleek bowl style bob, defined eyes, lashes for days, and coral pink lips all added the perfect finishing touches to this look.

7) Elle Fanning in custom Christian Dior Couture at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: When Elle Fanning was announced at a jury member of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival I was hoping that it was going to include many major moments. Many will be SHOCKED to see that I have included a look from Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri in a Best Dressed of the Year List. Honestly I am a little bit too, but Elle really did the thing when she stepped out on the red carpet at the festival premiere of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood wearing this new take on the iconic Christian Dior “New Look” it was amazing. It was unexpected and elegant. More casual than what I would have expected but it was amazing. The custom Steven Jones hat really made this look. It wouldn’t have been the same without it. 8) Elsa Hosk in custom Etro at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of A Hidden Life: The Cannes Film Festival is always an event that delivers major Best Dressed of the Year worthy fashion moments and 2019 was no other. I have never not included looks from the film festival in my Best Dressed of the Year List and that didn’t change this year. Etro got a new VIP director this year and we saw all kinds of looks from the label on the red carpets. The most successful was the rainbow sherbet color blocked gown with a dramatic train and a plunging neckline worn by Elsa Hosk for the premiere of A Hidden Life. It was an obvious homage to the Halston gown worn by Lauren Hutton to the 1975 Oscars. There was not denying that. To me a look that is such a literal homage is even more difficult to pull off because if you do not do it right then it just doesn’t work. Elsa balanced the bohemian vibes from Lauren with modern dramatic glamour perfectly which is why she earned a spot on this list.

9) Cardi B in Chanel Fall 2019 RTW at the Chanel Spring 2020 RTW Presentation: There was a buzz in Paris because Cardi B was in the city ahead of the Chanel Spring 2020 RTW presentation. I remember hearing rumors that she was going to be invited to the show but nothing was confirmed. Well when she stepped onto the set for the photographers wearing a full Chanel Fall 2019 RTW ensemble which featured a black and white houndstooth print floor length trench coat, a winter white and black window pain plaid tweed jumpsuit, matching wide brimmed hat, and a black leather quilted bag Cardi showed us that she really is a fashion force to be reckoned with. I’ve never included a front row ensemble in a Best Dressed of the Year list, but this is such a a major fashion moment I couldn’t not include it.

10) Elle Fanning in custom Gucci at the Cannes Film Festival Opening Ceremony: Rounding out this list is another look from Elle Fanning’s tenure as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival. I knew when it was first announced that she would be on the jury that she would give us some major fashion moments, and she did not disappoint. She opened the festival giving us 1940’s femme fatale glamour wearing this custom peachy cream silk charmuse caped gown which features a plunging neckline, purple floral embroidery, and a dramatic cape. I think a man named Erik Anderson on Twitter said it best: “When you’ve just murdered your husband that morning but still have to murder the red carpet later.” This look was absolute perfection from head to toe. All glamour all the time.