Strapless

Bill Blass showed a decidedly feminine spring/summer collection yesterday at the beginning of a week of designer shows here. Many of the styles were off-the-shoulder or strapless, with a lot of lace for evening wear.

Been to a wedding lately? Chances are you saw something you may not have been expecting. More of the bride. As wedding gowns have gone the way of evening-wear fashions during the last few months, strapless gowns have become one of the biggest bridal trends around. Not to mention spaghetti straps, lower necklines, and backs that plunge, sometimes to the waist. In other words, says Joan DiRamio, longtime bridal consultant and manager of the Priscilla of Boston bridal shop that opened last fall in Wynnewood, brides are showing a lot more skin.

This back-to-school season, the fashion-savviest young people shop in their own closets first. Only then do they hunt in specialty boutiques, department stores, and thrift shops for can't-live-without pieces. High on the list this fall: anything color-blocked, dark skinny jeans, fitted blazers, filmy floral shirts, trench coats, and strapless maxi dresses. Yes, we did say strapless for fall - seasonless fashions are mainstream. "I'm more concerned about the look than I am the label," said Emily Jung, a 17-year-old Upper Dublin High School senior who fancies herself a burgeoning vintage maven.

This holiday season, fashion will be extra-glamorous thanks to bows. Designers are placing the knotted details - velvet and lace, big and small - on all that's body-skimming and strapless, creating cocktail looks ready for sultry celebration. "This season frilly gets a chic twist," said Pamela Dollak, owner of the Tony on Third boutique in Old City. The secret of the bow's winning style is in its placement. Those that sit at attention on a slinky, one-shouldered gown are bold.

Actresses skipped necklaces and posed on the Kodak Theatre's red carpet on their way into the 79th annual Oscar ceremony last night in blush-colored and jewel-toned Grecian-styled and strapless gowns. This is not surprising, as these looks dominated this year's red-carpet season. But last night's bare necks drew even more attention to designer detail, which was a combination of sexy, off-the-shoulder tops, basket-weave bodices, and full skirts fashioned from layers of ruffles and tulle.

Alas, there was nothing to compare to Bjork's swan-dive dress of 2001, something so marvelously bizarre as to be more memorable than anything in the height of taste. These are the moments that Oscar watchers wait for: Angelina Jolie's vampira ensemble, Barbra Streisand's diaphanous pantsuit, Kim Basinger's one-armed gown. And, alas, even the telecast was one of the best in history. Best actress Halle Berry entered the Kodak Theatre a winner in the evening's best gown. Eschewing her habitual Valentino, Berry and her stylist, Phillip Bloch (honey, every diva has a stylist)

In case you hadn't noticed, breasts are kind of big in Hollywood. Witness last night at the 61st annual Academy Awards. Somehow, no matter how much the stars fret and sweat and talk to their analysts about what they're going to wear, many end up selecting outfits that look almost identical. Maybe it's something in the duck pizza at Spago. In any event, most of the women last night showed up in strapless or off-the-shoulder gowns that showed off their shoulders, their necks and, uh, their assets.

In Suite 31A of the Waldorf-Astoria, Gillian Sleight is deciding what brides will wear next spring. Could it be the Ines Di Santo "Mar" dress - strapless silk peau de soie with beaded appliques at the bust? "Gillian, I think this is a must," says Veronica Di Santo, the designer's daughter. Could it be "Beth," another Di Santo strapless - silk gazar with feathers and pickups? "That's pretty, but I don't think it's us," says Sleight, 59, manager at the upscale Marlton boutique Bridal Garden.

Celebs were relatively laid back at the Golden Globes Sunday night, perhaps because they found it hard to be festive in the aftermath of Haiti's devastating earthquake. Most pinned yellow, blue and red ribbons - colors from the Haitian flag - on their dressed-up lapels. Still, those parading down the red carpet at the Beverly Hills Hilton in Los Angeles managed to shimmer with trends that are sure to become the latest in evening wear. Gowns were backless and body-skimming.

Oscar de la Renta uses his hands to define the scope of today's fashion. Vast, his gesture suggests. The renowned designer sits in a plush leather chair at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue this dreary Wednesday afternoon. In about an hour, he would present his fall 2004 collection at the Daisy Day luncheon, a fund-raiser for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He is soft-spoken, calm, cool yet passionate, his words seasoned with a Dominican lilt. As always, his hair is slicked back.

This back-to-school season, the fashion-savviest young people shop in their own closets first. Only then do they hunt in specialty boutiques, department stores, and thrift shops for can't-live-without pieces. High on the list this fall: anything color-blocked, dark skinny jeans, fitted blazers, filmy floral shirts, trench coats, and strapless maxi dresses. Yes, we did say strapless for fall - seasonless fashions are mainstream. "I'm more concerned about the look than I am the label," said Emily Jung, a 17-year-old Upper Dublin High School senior who fancies herself a burgeoning vintage maven.

Rebecca Minkoff, designer of girly handbags, has a simple mantra: Even when times are tough, a true fashionista will pay top dollar for a one-of-a-kind accessory. Minkoff, a favorite of actresses Lauren Conrad, Keira Knightley, and Reese Witherspoon, is offering an exclusive handbag collection at Saks. And she's been known to tweak her quilted and studded creations for Barneys New York and Henri Bendel as well. Minkoff, 29, never dreamed of making accessories. She entered the fashion world shortly after 9/11 with a collection of "I New York" T-shirts.

Celebs were relatively laid back at the Golden Globes Sunday night, perhaps because they found it hard to be festive in the aftermath of Haiti's devastating earthquake. Most pinned yellow, blue and red ribbons - colors from the Haitian flag - on their dressed-up lapels. Still, those parading down the red carpet at the Beverly Hills Hilton in Los Angeles managed to shimmer with trends that are sure to become the latest in evening wear. Gowns were backless and body-skimming.

Tricia Wellenbach's special-occasion philosophy is simple: knee-length ensembles for weeknight soirees, floor-length designer dresses for Saturday-night black-tie galas. "Women of a certain age look youthful in cocktail-length dresses," said businesswoman Wellenbach, a 52-year-old fashion plate with Michelle Obama arms. "I think it's a chicer look and it's always in fashion. And gorgeous heels make your legs look fabulous. " Wellenbach's special-occasion closet is a 5-by-5-foot walk-in that sparkles with style.

This holiday season, fashion will be extra-glamorous thanks to bows. Designers are placing the knotted details - velvet and lace, big and small - on all that's body-skimming and strapless, creating cocktail looks ready for sultry celebration. "This season frilly gets a chic twist," said Pamela Dollak, owner of the Tony on Third boutique in Old City. The secret of the bow's winning style is in its placement. Those that sit at attention on a slinky, one-shouldered gown are bold.

Married June 2 at True Light Fellowship Church in East Germantown, with Pastor Wesley Pinnock presiding. One hundred fifty guests gathered for a reception at DiPinto's Catering in Northeast Philadelphia. They met November 8, 2005 at Wal-Mart. Melvin, a divorced father of two boys, had noticed Shammara back in April, at True Light Fellowship, where, he says, she always sat in the same pew. Shammara also worked at the church, so when Melvin spotted her in the checkout line, he waited for her outside, then asked "How are you doing, Miss Winbush?"

Actresses skipped necklaces and posed on the Kodak Theatre's red carpet on their way into the 79th annual Oscar ceremony last night in blush-colored and jewel-toned Grecian-styled and strapless gowns. This is not surprising, as these looks dominated this year's red-carpet season. But last night's bare necks drew even more attention to designer detail, which was a combination of sexy, off-the-shoulder tops, basket-weave bodices, and full skirts fashioned from layers of ruffles and tulle.

It's a rare sight in Philadelphia: so many gowns fashioned by so many of the world's top designers - Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier, Roberto Cavalli, Reem Acra - all appearing under one roof. But on Saturday, 2,400 of the city's absolutely, positively, fabulously dressed elite filled the Academy of Music and Park Hyatt at the Bellevue. The array of mostly strapless, fishtailed confections glittered under the Broad Street lights. Because this year marked the Academy's 150th anniversary, women went all out with their fashion choices, many ordering couture gowns more than a year in advance.

In Suite 31A of the Waldorf-Astoria, Gillian Sleight is deciding what brides will wear next spring. Could it be the Ines Di Santo "Mar" dress - strapless silk peau de soie with beaded appliques at the bust? "Gillian, I think this is a must," says Veronica Di Santo, the designer's daughter. Could it be "Beth," another Di Santo strapless - silk gazar with feathers and pickups? "That's pretty, but I don't think it's us," says Sleight, 59, manager at the upscale Marlton boutique Bridal Garden.

Starlets strutted the Oscar red carpet last evening in a dazzling collection of off-the-shoulder gowns in nudes, blues, shimmery whites and satiny, midnight blacks. Bustier insets, pleating, tucking and delicate lace and tulles over body-skimming satin gave the dresses an air of trendy couture we haven't seen at the Oscars in a while. Celebs looked like jeweled Greek goddesses with their hair pulled back in low, loose ponytails, teardrop earrings (which have clearly replaced the chandelier)