2020 Gowns, Glamour, and Glitz

Arm wafts are just my thing.  They add to the princessy-ness of the dresses.  And the more princessy a dress is the more I am afor it.  Most dresses are decorative rather than practical.  The sleeve hankies, whilst I concede they could get in a partners face, are not long enough to trip anyone up. They add general elegance and dreaminess and well... waftiness to a Waltz.  They were invariably there on Come Dancing.  Come Dancing didnn't stint on petticoats either. I don't feel we have adequate under-skirtage in our lives anymore.  A distinct lack of frou-frou.  IMAGINE not liking arm wafts....

Next you'll all be telling me you don't like sequins...!

As to Doll Dance, well let me tell you that myself and one Mr Anthony Jones of 47b Snafe Road*, Douglas, the Isle of Man have bonded over the fact that we are the only two people in the entire counry who could TOTALLY see what Erin was trying to do.  Which was to show off Colin's superb leading skills; he had fully graduated and didn't need Erin there even as a prompt.  Me and Tony really enjoyed it and feel Colin was well and truly robbed of the glitterball and that Erin was treated very shabbily indeed by people who professed to be fans.  Nothing, but nothing will make us change our minds, even though we are aware that we are social pariahs with a dirty secret that I only feel safe sharing with you lot (even though you will all lock me in a cupboard and throw away the key until I see things your way...)

*wanders off back to her cave shaking her head and muttering to herself* "People just don't understand.  Erin knew what she was doing. AND she loved a good sleeve hanky...

[i]*NB Not his real address. Like me, he lives in a dark cave and doesn't get out much. He does live on the Isle of Man though./i]

I am probably about to shock and amaze all by saying I totally agree with D&P on this issue of lost elegance in ladies dance dress.

Oft enough have I quoted Ian Waite and Jodie Kidd's Regency waltz as the epitome of dance elegance (along of course with A nton and E rin on anything ballroom), and a gentleman in full evening dress with his lady floating by his side on a cloud of sartorial elegance (and perfume of choice, of course), was the ultimate feel-good experience of any night out. I refer of course to the formal ballroom aspects as opposed to Latin, (Strictly dress department take note) but even today you cannot, male or female, overdo putting on the Ritz when the occasion demands. Sparkle to your heart's delights, and waft away ladies. My dance days are gone, but the memories remain ever fresh and my taste has never changed........


Foot note.....Back in time , outside of Rock and Roll, most dance music was played by bands, trios and quartets comprising double base, saxaphone, piano and drums. The musicians all wore (if somewhat shiny and well worn) evening dress.

Strike up the band...

TANGOLERO wrote:I am probably about to shock and amaze all by saying I totally agree with D&P on this issue of lost elegance in ladies dance dress.

Oft enough have I quoted Ian Waite and Jodie Kidd's Regency waltz as the epitome of dance elegance (along of course with A nton and E rin on anything ballroom), and a gentleman in full evening dress with his lady floating by his side on a cloud of sartorial elegance (and perfume of choice, of course), was the ultimate feel-good experience of any night out. I refer of course to the formal ballroom aspects as opposed to Latin, (Strictly dress department take note) but even today you cannot, male or female, overdo putting on the Ritz when the occasion demands. Sparkle to your heart's delights, and waft away ladies. My dance days are gone, but the memories remain ever fresh and my taste has never changed........


Foot note.....Back in time , outside of Rock and Roll, most dance music was played by bands, trios and quartets comprising double base, saxaphone, piano and drums. The musicians all wore (if somewhat shiny and well worn) evening dress.

Strike up the band...  

Well, quite!

And here they are;



See? Arm wafts...

GORGE-USS!!

Thanks for that B&P. I have the clip somewhere, but that's a lovely clear one.

I'd forgotten how tall Jodie was. They certainly made a striking couple.

Amy's dress knocked spots off the rest tonight...but there is no obligation to agree.......but it did...

I agree Tango. I was a bit concerned about the logistics of JJ spinning whilst wearing a kilt, but they both looked lovely. JJ was smart and understated like his dancing, and Amy's dress was the stuff of fairytales. I remember thinking 'Ooh Diamond's, you'll love this one'

TANGOLERO wrote:Amy's dress knocked spots off the rest tonight...but there is no obligation to agree.......but it did...

It did indeed. I wasn't keen on the one billowy sleeve, but it was still better than any of the others by a country mile.

I don;t know if thhere is less budget this year, but when you look back at the ballroom dresses worn by Erin, Natalie, Kara, Sophie Ellis Bexter, Katie Derham and Aleesha, the dresses this year are incredibly poor. Only Amy continues to try and get round wardrobe to come up with a decent frock.

B4p wrote:I agree Tango. I was a bit concerned about the logistics of JJ spinning whilst wearing a kilt, but they both looked lovely. JJ was smart and understated like his dancing, and Amy's dress was the stuff of fairytales. I remember thinking 'Ooh Diamond's, you'll love this one'

Diamond's did indeed love this one!  For me it was joint dance of the night, along with Maisie's joyful QS - and I liked Maisie's frothy pink concoction too (though not quite in the same league as Amy's).

I'm not sure what the theme is for some of the ballroom dresses this year - a sort of flat 1950s vintage which I'm not sure I like when put up against the usual glamorous style of dresses. I loved the skirt of Ranvir's dress but felt that the top looked like a Bon Marche twin set! I agree that Amy's dress was beautiful and had that romantic Rob Roy look that went with the Scottish theme. I personally loved Karen's Tango dress but felt that sadly Clara and Alijaz's odd costumes looked like they had come out of the dressing-up box and maybe won't help their cause tonight.

mauveangel09 wrote:I'm not sure what the theme is for some of the ballroom dresses this year - a sort of  flat 1950s vintage which I'm not sure I like when put up against the usual glamorous style of dresses.  I loved the skirt of Ranvir's dress but felt that the top looked like a Bon Marche twin set!     I agree that Amy's dress was beautiful and had that romantic Rob Roy look that went with the Scottish theme.  I personally loved Karen's Tango dress but felt that sadly Clara and Alijaz's odd costumes looked like they had come out of the dressing-up box and maybe won't help their cause tonight.

It absolutely did! It was a dress of two halves. For no reason.

mauveangel09 wrote:I I personally loved Karen's Tango dress but felt that sadly Clara and Alijaz's odd costumes looked like they had come out of the dressing-up box and maybe won't help their cause tonight.

I also liked Karen's Tango dress, it had a modern edginess to it.

I thought Ranvir's hair and make-up were a lot softer this week, which also made her look a lot younger than last week. The whole couple vibe was a 1950s preppy homestead and apple pie look.

I agreed about Alijaz & Clara - Jack-in-a-box meets Toy Story style. Not sure what that was

Week 6 Outfits

Clara & Alijaz - what were they wearing, whatever was left in the laundry basket? What was the theme? I liked the wig and hairband which seemed 1960s. I thought  she could have worn an all in one playsuit instead of the bizarre check shorts and gold fringed top. As the jive has a lot of leg action, maybe the fringes would have been better on the shorts? Alijaz had a velour pyjama top on (what is it with bed wear this year?) and what looked like a pair of chef's check trousers albeit shiny ones (looked like ones that Johannes wore on ITT a few weeks ago). Plimsoles for Alijaz and silver sandal type shoes for Clara.

Jamie & Karen - The ' funeral look' seemed to suit Jamie in his dark smoking jacket. The debonair, 'player' feel suited the mood and he carried it off well. I liked Karen's bodice and slit skirt. It was a bit different, contrasted well with Jamie and again fitted the mood. A couple that contrasted in a good way.

HRVY & Janette - No - just no. They looked like the Crankies bouncing on their beds in their satin jim-jams before lights out. Janette seemed to have the cut-offs from HRVY's spare pyjamas.

Ranvir & Gio - I didn't mind Ranvir's dress. It gave a nod to the 1950s. I thought her hair and make-up made her look a lot younger and softer this week. Gio with his high waister cream cricket pants and burgundy/white striped shirt matching Ranvir's burgundy top with the V neck lapels. The clothing had a very safe, American, middle-class, family, apple pie vibe.

Bill & Oti - I loved Oti's silver wig to match Bill's silver locks! I liked her leather black hat. I liked the biker look with the black T shirt under the leather jacket. I think it suited Bill and his 'lads/dads' rough and ready jive. A definite age appropriate theme.

JJ & Amy - Very simple but effective. Less is more and JJ looked fine in his laced up white shirt into his kilt. I was a bit worried about him doing a spinning dance whilst wearing a kilt but his modesty was preserved. Amy looked a dream. Another one shoulder jobbie but it was lovely to see a ballroom dress with lots of petticoats again. I liked the positioning of the flowers on the beading of her bodice at the waist and shoulder. It reminded me of where a broach holding a cloak would normally be positioned on the shoulder.

Maisie & Gorka - Another matching couple with Gorka's dark pink jacket matching Maisie's dark pink beaded necklace. I liked his white shirt with narrow burgundy stripes and thought he looked very dapper. I liked the V neck top of Maisie's dress. The bottom was like an explosion of pink blancmange (in a good way). Very full and frothy skirt. The outfits suited the dance and again, a couple with a theme.

A beautiful summation of outfits there B4p.  Lots of detail noticed.

I can only give my strong/fickle opinions...

Lets start with Tess and Claud.  Tess has firmly returned to Classic Tess Dress Territory.  It contained all the necessary components:

Quality Street impression - tick
One shoulder - tick
Long split - tick
Asymmetrical hem - tick

It is such an epitome of Classic Tess Dress-dom that I propose that it is preserved in the V and A museum for all eternity as a perfect example.

(I basically put all of that more succintly in a tweet and got over 200 likes.  Which is the most I have ever had. I only have about 3 followers - Sid, B4p and Sax, so I was quite impressed by that haul. Practically viral.... )

Her white trouser suit on the results show was pretty nice, except for the bandage around her neck.  We weren't keen on that, my cousins and I.

Claud...  She was wearing those dreadful trousers I've seen her in before. The ones that divide at her ankle.  The white shirt was unobjectionable but not glamorous!  The results show dress puzzled us.  We thought we liked it, but couldn't be sure.  There was something not quite balanced about it - was it the deep V neckline; the frills round the neck; the length/proportions; the buttons in general; the buttons on the pockets specifically? We never came to a conclusion, but I think we would have liked to played around slightly changing things one at a time and seeing if that made it better.

And so to the couples.  No secret I thought Amy's dress best. I forgive the one blouson sleeve because it was very Brigadoon and matched his shirt and kilt.  Thought she was canny not to overdo the tartan and have one of those tartan scarves flung across the shoulder and body and pinned with a brooch.  She's not Scottish for one, and it would have totally killed the dress.  The kilt and laced shirt was also very Brigadoon.  Which all looked very lovely, but I wasn't sure why.  The song had nothing whatsoever to do with Scotland or Brigadoon.  But hey ho.

Maisie looked gorgeous in that pink QS dress. I felt it summed up her very essence - she is girly girl, but she has lots of energy and excitement and fun too.  It was right for the QS and it was right for Maisie.

My internal jury is out on Karen's dress,  I liked it as a dress (and much improved from when I saw it on ITT on Thurs), but I don't think I liked it for the Paso.

As I have already said, I agree with Mauve about Ranvir's dress, with it being a dress of two halves with a lovely skirt and a Peacocks V necked jumper top (with pretend collar insert). If Amy had been in charge, the top of that would have been equally as delightful, ie the top would have been in the same fabric as the bottom, with some sequin embellishments here and there. Chiffon sleeves.  Long.  Not too full.

I didn't get Oti. Was the blonde wig meant to denote she was Blondie and Bill a fellow band member?  Bill looked the part in that case, but Debbie Harry has never dressed like Oti was.  So maybe the dress code was something else.  Which I missed.  Bill looked fine - whether a late 70s New Wave band member or a fifties rocker he looked very rock n roll.  Oti looked neither.  Didn't like it.  She normally looks sensational (just behind Amy in getting the best out of Vicky).

The rest were basically UGLY.

As were the pro dancers' outfits on the results show.  I am really not here for any dance which does not feature gorgeous gowns.  Big thumbs down.

I feel that either the restrictions or the budget has got in the way of the dresses this season.  Many of them were made or started in the summer apparently - which means there was no consultation (it also means the dances each couple do are chosen months in advance).  Don't approve.  I refer you all to the video I shared (I think????) of the pros from season 4 with their gorgeous frocks.  They have gone down a steep hill since then.

Ok so what on earth haa Wardrobe's mantra been these past few weeks? We must dress our couples as if we have just been throught the local Primarks rejects? Sara poor soul has been hit hard by our Vicky's Lets get Frumpy Frocks out Syndrome. As for the Wigs & hairpieces omg please please just stop using them.
Make Up have just tead the Script, Fright Night and have plastered on the layers to achieve a frightful look.
Fresh faces in make up and Wardrobe are needed as its stale and sorry but trashy.

The Guys have faired as badly , weird Trouser lengths, flappy pockets, Shirts poor fitting and quality.
Hairstyles too been a little crazy.
Its all a case of Crash, bang wallop, what a picture show style
Id love a serious case of Tux and Tails, Chiffon gowns, silks and 1000's of Gemstones all glued on by hand!

Missing Diamonds weekly reviews of costume, make up and hair.

I agree sax. I find that the consistency isn't there.

Some celebrities seem to get wonderful outfits week after week. Others like Sara seem to get the awful mumsy, cheap, badly fitting ones. The blue dress she had on for week 1 was like a Versace compared to what she's been given since. Most of it has looked bargain basement.

Tilly has had some shockers, but Nikita always seems to be well turned out.

AJ has had some cracking outfits whilst Kai looks the same every week like he's due into a business meeting.

Amy usually looks lovely but Tom sometimes looks like he's raided his kid's wardrobe. It's all a bit strange.

Maybe they're short-staffed, or spending a lot of time on the Pro dance costumes or the theme night costumes?

No idea B4P why wardrobe budget either been cut or ots a new style of dress me down look?
Some of the pro dancers I agree have had shocking outfits. Is it the newbies cannot have first pick of outfits or they cannot outshine current favourites?
Spot on re Tom and raided his Childrens Wardrobe!