Mr. Blackwell, in Desperate Attempt to Remain Relevant, Rhymes "Spatula" with "Dracula"

Irrelevant fashion piranha Mr. Blackwell unveiled his 48th over-alliterative Worst Dressed list on Tuesday. Gatecrasher put together a gallery of the ten nonconformists Blackwell labels as fashion criminals, and while none of them actually deserves to be put in stocks and have cabbages thrown at her head, these ladies are known for making some sloppy crazy interesting choices, as well as not giving a fuck what some nasty old prune thinks of the length of their skirts.

To counteract the annual dose of poisonous karma he inflicts on himself, Blackwell also drums up a list of ladies he approves of, this year topping out with Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and the rest of the usual tasteful suspects (photo gallery here).

Decent fashion critics stay put on the line between zingy analysis and brutal personal attacks, but Blackwell appears to lack the tact necessary to recognize that distinction. Known for his gleeful character assassination, Blackwell himself has rarely been the subject of enough media nastiness (though TMZ gave it a weak try in 2005) to keep the universe in balance. This, therefore, will have to serve as MamaPop's small effort to combat global warming, end nuclear proliferation, and get Britney the medical attention she needs to live a long and healthy life.

P.S. I think Fergie's socks are cute.

Comments

[Martha]

So, granted, I don't pay enough attention to this so I really don't know anything about this Mr. Blackwell, but...

Does he only pick women? Also, is he (and excuse me for being extremely un-PC here) is he a "bitchy queen" and jealous because he can't be rich and play dress up now and then or what? If I had a crapload of money and could afford to dress as "fun" as I wanted to, I sure would. (And would probably land on SOMEbody's list now and then, because I sure wouldn't be dressing for THEM, I'd be dressing for me!)

Hmm...this sounds ranty. Oh well. I'm full of coffee and this irked me :)

[Sils]

The fact that they're "nonconformists" doesn't give them a free pass at taste. (Also? I can't think of anyone MORE conformist than Lindsay Lohan.) Fergie's socks are cute, but that outfit has GOT to go.

I was just talking about this with a coworker because, while I was at the DMV, this morning I saw a woman sitting and waiting for her number to be called. She was a fairly typical Scottsdale trophy wife in her bootcut camo pants, with a fitted t-shirt covered by a fitted hoodie, wearing uggs (UGH, enough of these hideous shoes already)and carrying a hand bag that easily weighed twice what she does with more bits, bobbles and shinley plates on it than you can imagine. She topped off this outfit with a baseball cap with some kind of logo made out of shiney rhinestones. While you could tell that everything this woman was wearing was label-whore worthy I just wanted to take a picture of her with my camera phone and how it to her. I wanted to say, "Is this really the look you were going for?" She looked totally ridiculous.

Then again, Dollay Parton did say, "It takes a lot of money to make a person look this cheap."

[Amy]

If I had Fergie's body I would just be naked all the time.

[Anna]

Mr. Blackwell included Allison Angram (remember Nelly Olsen?) on his list. 'Nuff said.

[helenel]

Isn't Fergie in a concert "costume"? Is it fair to rate her on that?

And...maybe I'm wrong...but I like what Lindsay is wearing. Maybe just the bottom or the top with black or white? But it doesn't look terrible. It's more her posture that isn't right.

[Sils]

p.s. How is Gwen Stefani not on this list? I love her music, but seriously...

[Martha]

Also--what is wrong with Eva Green? I think she's beautiful and what she wears looks great.

And Helenel makes a good point--is he not differentiating between concert/red carpet-wear and everyday wear?

[Mrs. Kennedy]

Blackwell normally choses women, though he's put a few men on the "good" list in years past. He's a former gown designer and as far as I can tell he only approves of women who look elegant and safe. It's just suffocating.

Good point about performance wear vs. everyday vs. red carpet. And that labels do not equal good taste. But I think if you're obviously putting yourself outside the bounds of "taste" (like, I don't know, Courtney Love from 10 years ago is the first thing that comes to mind) you can't be straightjacketed by the same criteria that the world uses to applaud Nicole Kidman.

[BaltimoreGal]

I can't argue with the list except for #10- pulling Nellie Olson out of obscurity instead of Britney, for whatever misguided charitable reasons, is not fair. Nellie is simply not enough of a celebrity anymore to get that kind of criticism.

For the other listees- I think Lindsay is on the list because 99% of the time she is wearing tights as pants. Also, Eva Green- that outfit showing is her nicest, and I love Amy Winehouse but she does dress terribly, on and off-stage, as does Fergie (who I do not love).

[Sils]

Therse pictures weren't what he based his opinions on, either. This was a pictoral made by an unrelated site.

[anna]

From what I've read, Alison Arngrim actually dressed hideously this year on purpose- she's been trying to get herself on the list and finally succeeded. There's a website (http://www.hgd.com/alison/) with a statement from her that explains it.