Film Review: Proceed with Caution into Blonde, Starring Ana de Armas!


For this post, I’m putting on my academician & literati hat…

I read Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates in 2010, out of my urgent love for Oates’ chilling writing & adoration of Marilyn Monroe as a fashion icon & screen legend. Knowing that the book was, in fact, marketed & labeled as a fictional biography, I voluntarily stepped into Oates’ well-researched & mystifying gaze upon Monroe’s troubled & glitzy life. By the time I finished the book, my heart sunk deeply into a place of grief for another version of the life of Hollywood’s most iconic of bombshells, ending in solemn tragedy, the same feeling I recognized from HBO’s Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996) & then later with My Week with Marilyn (2011), as well as Netflix’s documentary The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (2022), HBO’s documentary Love, Marilyn (2012), & Lifetime’s The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe (2015).

No matter the avenue by which a viewer enters the memory of Monroe, the outcome is always the same; at first, I suspected that Oates’ Blonde offered a revisionist hope, but by the end, that remains unattained because Monroe does die & never gets her glorious victory. That’s a blunt reality that can’t be changed, even if the fictional road to her demise is illustrated with fearless creative license.

However, not long after completing Oates’ novel, I started freelancing for Movie Buzzers, & the one bit of film news to have followed me from that era of my life has finally come to fruition with director Andrew Dominik’s interpretation of Oates’ heralded fiction, which has come under fire with deeply scathing criticism, after its long-awaited premiere.

Having read the book & nearly every major review of the controversial film, I stand firm in stating that Dominik serves Oates well. That’s not to say that the film is perfect, but it’s a loyal depiction of another artist’s depiction, & yes, these are depictions of a real woman—one who is still very much relevant at the forefront of the media 60 years after her death. These days, headlines about Monroe are less about her films & more about her experiences through the lens of the media & paparazzi. No matter the screen size, big or small, Monroe’s legacy is fraught with exploitation. Dominik serves one more example, albeit an explicit & unapologetic vision, that won’t victimize her more than she already was, especially as unauthorized biopics & mini series about other celebrities—who are still alive & vocal about their disapproval for such interpretations—are made by those with enough money to not care, consumed by the public, & awarded by the industry (see: Pam & Tommy).

The NC-17 rating for Blonde is a justified warning the audience chooses to join when streaming the film on Netflix; therefore, they should expect the unexpected. The sex is graphic. The nudity is excessive. The abuse is gutting. The fetuses—yes, plural—are unnecessary, but overall, vehicles that reinforce the myth of who the woman underneath the platinum persona was. Marilyn Monroe is a myth that killed Norma Jean Baker—that is Dominik & Oates’ story.

In addition, Ana de Armas, recognizable accent & all, is mesmerizing, even in tears, on a stage, when victimized, opposite her lovers, when nude, in a drug-induced hysteria, & when joyous. de Armas embodies Oates’ Monroe, spitting out every ugly side of a male-dominated, vicious Hollywood back at the audience. Moreover, de Armas conquers the demands of the role, sure to garner her an Oscar nomination.

The shifts from color to black & white are confusing, but it’s wiser to go with it than question it, in order to immerse the audience in the imagery that made Monroe sparkle & dimmed her at the same time.

The costumes, hair, & makeup are identical & uncanny to Monroe’s most gorgeous, provocative, & vulnerable moments captured on film & through photographs.

Ultimately, if your hope is to enjoy Blonde, do your research first to not only understand the source material, but the context in which Monroe lived. Do I recommend this film? Not to every one. However, there are far more shocking & formulaic forms of entertainment about fantastical lands with their own crude, misogynistic mythologies that the masses flock to. If you appreciate cinematic artistry that pushes boundaries, watch Blonde. If everything you’ve heard about it makes you pause, move on.

Also, read Oates’ short story “Three Girls” to see how the author focuses on Monroe in a shorter, more validating & charming fictional work that I’d love to see find its way to the big screen.

View the trailer & other videos about Blonde below. Happy Styling!

Watch This Style: A Look at the Costumes of Don’t Worry Darling!


There aren’t many movies these days I want to see in the theater. It must be an epic, cinematic experience to get me to go—otherwise, I’m perfectly content streaming from home in the comfort of my own slippers. However, when the early images of Olivia Wilde’s sophomore directorial effort emerged for Don’t Worry Darling, I was intrigued, having been enamored with Florence Pugh’s maturity as Amy in Little Women, global pop star Harry Styles as the leading man, & the 1950s time period!

This weekend, my husband & I saw a matinee showing if the film & I was blown away by the costume design from thrice Academy Award-nominated Arianne Phillips, for her work in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Walk the Line, & W. E. Take a look at the gallery below for all the fashionable sneak peeks, but be careful: SPOILERS ahead!

Florence & Olivia aren’t the only stylish stars of the film, as there’s much glamour & vintage elegance on Harry, Chris Pine, & Gemma Chan as well. Watch the trailer below, along with other behind-the-scenes videos & interviews about the making of the stylish film:

I know I’m already thinking about my fit & flare dresses & statement necklaces dye to the film’s stylish inspiration! Are you excited to see Don’t Worry Darling? Are you a fan of 1950s fashion? For more stylish posts, check out: the season 3 trailer for Emily in Paris, the best fashion moments from Partner Track, & the cutest tweed ballet flats! Happy Styling!

Fashion Flashback: Nope Star Keke Palmer’s Red Carpet & Street Style for Her 29th Birthday!


Keke Palmer is everywhere these days! The Emmy winner is not only the star of this summer’s horror horror / science-fi thriller Nope, but also the charismatic & stylish host of NBC’s Password game show revival.

Today marks her 29th birthday & with more than 100 acting credits to her résumé, Keke has made countless unforgettable red carpet & press appearances to promote her past projects too, including Scream Queens, Hustlers, Lightyear, Alice, & more!

Keke’s style has evolved from old Hollywood ingenue to more risqué & daring; however, her confidence, poise, penchant for neon, & stellar stiletto poses make her an A-lister to watch in years to come. Take a look at the gallery below for a walk down Fashion Lane with Keke Palmer.

Which look on Keke is your favorite? Do you watch Password? Did you see Nope in theaters? What would you like to see Keke in next? For more stylish posts, check out: Blake Lively’s jewelry & beauty gallery, Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora in the season 2 finale of Only Murders in the Building, & Kacey Musgraves’ best red carpet moments. Happy Styling!

Fashion Flashback: Jennifer Lawrence’s Best Beauty & Hair Moments for Her 32nd Birthday!


Oscar-winner & A-lister Jennifer Lawrence celebrates her 32nd birthday today. The actress, & new mom, is a style star on the red carpet, for sure, but the success of her fashion choices is, in part, to her bombshell & edgy hair styles, as well as her gorgeous & flawless beauty looks at a variety of occasions, including major awards shows, film premieres, film festivals, & photo calls. The Kentucky native’s look has changed since her big break in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, especially with long dirty blonde locks, a more dramatic darker mane (like in Silver Lining’s Playbook & The Hunger Games), as well as a layered blonde bob. Additionally, the Mother! actress typically opts for a smoky eye, but often plays up her lips in a dark berry, bright red, or candy pink tone.

What do you think of Jennifer’s hair & beauty looks? Are you a fan of her red carpet style? Do you prefer her as a blonde or brunette? Which movies of hers is your favorite to watch? For more fashion flashback posts, check out: Cara Delevingne’s best pants moments, a look back at Olivia Newton-John’s style throughout her career, Ted Lasso‘s Hannah Waddingham’s on & off screen fashion, & Bullet Train star Joey King’s best red carpet appearances. Happy Styling!

Fashion Flashback: Happy 40th Birthday to Elisabeth Moss + Celebrating Her Red Carpet Style!


Actress Elisabeth Moss has transformed over the course of her illustrious career on both the small screen as Peggy in Mad Men & June on The Handmaid’s Tale, & on the big screen in films like Her Smell, Invisible Man, & Shirley, along with on the red carpet, exploring her elegant, feminine, & punk style with radical hair changes, varying dress silhouettes, & killer high heels, no matter the occasion.

Today marks the two-time Emmy & Golden Globe-winner’s 40th birthday; therefore, let’s celebrate with a flashback to her best red carpet looks from past awards shows & premieres!

What do you think of Elisabeth’s style? How do you like her hair best? Which character of hers do you like better, June or Peggy? Are you excited to see the 5th season of The Handmaid’s Tale premiering on September 14th? For more stylish posts, check out: Selena Gomez’s best looks, how to save on knotted sandal slides, & the plushest rug for a glam office! Happy Styling!

Fashion Flashback: Happy 46th Birthday to the Always Stylish Diane Kruger & 100 Times She Nails a Non-Gown Look!


When it comes to paying tribute to a celebrity’s red carpet history, I typically go straight to the major awards shows & movie premieres to capture gorgeous gowns that they have worn. However, birthday girl, Diane Kruger, is an exception. Even though her red carpet gowns are something to be marveled at, mostly because of how she styles & wears them, Diane’s aesthetic for ultra feminine rock ‘n’ roll with a vintage twist demands attention & admiration, especially as the German actress celebrates 46 rotations around the sun.

Diane is a designer darling, who can wear anything from a midi dress, mini dress, shorts outfit, menswear inspiration, and more, all while styling with unexpected extras, including an odd pop of color in the shoe, strappy sandals or ankle booties, or studded belts or fringe accents. I’m always excited to see what she will wear while attending a variety of events, such as runway shows fashion week, Vanity Fair’s Oscar party, an international film festival, & more. Ever since I started Style Darling Daily 12 years ago, Diane has been one of my favorite A-listers to watch out for.

Check out the gallery below to get to know more about Diane’s effortless, daring, and elegant non-gown style:

Which mini dress look of Diane’s is your favorite? Do you like the way she styles her menswear looks? What are your favorite movies of hers? For more stylish posts, check out: Ana de Armas at the premiere of The Gray Man, Selena Gomez promoting her recent launch for Rare Beauty, as well as Natalie Portman and TessaThompson at the Thor: Love and Thunder premiere. Happy Styling!

Red Carpet Review: Ana de Armas, Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, & More at the L.A. Premiere of Netflix’s The Gray Man!


Last night, Hollywood was a glow with gray… as in Netflix’s The Gray Man, directed by The Russo Brothers, premiered with all the stars gracing the red carpet in their very best glam for one of the hottest movies of the summer. The film reunites Cuban actress Ana de Armas with her Knives Out costar, Chris Evans, in a casual chic navy suit, and Bladerunner 2049 lead, Ryan Gosling, Ken-ning it up in a mint & white, answering questions about the film’s stunts & his preparation for the upcoming Barbie movie with Margot Robbie.

However, Ana stole the spotlight in a shimmering Louis Vuitton Cruise 2023 gown, especially with all the buzz surrounding her upcoming portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the film adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates fictional biography Blonde, directed by Andrew Dominik. After a breakout last two years in Knives Out and the recent 007 film, No Time to Die, Ana is one to watch on screen & on the red carpet. Every angle of this gown is beautiful & her poise, starpower, & style are breathtaking.

Additionally, the film’s cast includes Bridgerton alum Regé-Jean Page in a navy suit, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood rising star Julia Butters in a gold sparkling gown, Jessica Henwick from The Matrix Resurrections wearing a plunging v-neck gray gown, Oscar nominee Alfre Woodard, Oscar-winner Billy Bob Thornton, & Indian actor Dhanush. Also, in attendance for the premiere, lighting up the red carpet were Bridgerton star Simone Ashley in a black cut-out gown, the voice of Moana & Brazillian actress Any Gabrielly, model Kara Del Toro in a red ruched lace high-slit gown, model & YouTube star Emma Brooks in a black deep-v mini dress, & Disney star Kelli Berglund in a mixed printed mini dress.

For more access to the red carpet premiere of the film, check out the videos below to hear from Ana, Chris, & Ryan all about preparation for the action-packed The Gray Man & more!

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the stars in The Gray Man with the trailer below:

The film debuts on Netflix for your streaming pleasure on July 22nd! I know I can’t wait to see it–even though action films aren’t necessarily my go-to film choice, I’m a loyal follower of Ana de Armas & Ryan Gosling, happy to support their stylish endeavors with posts on Style Darling Daily, along with their on-screen accomplishments.

What do you think of Ana’s red carpet look? Are you a fan of Ryan Gosling or Chris Evans’ films? Are you excited to see The Gray Man? What about Blonde or Barbie? What summer film are you most looking forward to? For more stylish posts, check out: a Barbiecore gallery, featuring Hailey Bieber, Kacey Musgraves, & Florence Pugh; affordable summer totes from Walmart; Sofia Vergara’s style over the years in honor of her 50th birthday; Stranger Things star Sadie Sink’s Miu Miu look for TODAY; & Kim Kardashian’s Allure cover for August!

Fashion Flashback: 60+ Times Cameron Diaz Ruled the Red Carpet!


The news that actress Cameron Diaz is coming out of retirement to join Jamie Foxx in the new feature film, Back in Action, for the first time in eight years has me very nostalgic for the movie star style that inspired me to begin Style Darling Daily over a decade ago. If you haven’t seen My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Mask, There’s Something About Mary, Charlie’s Angels, any of the Shrek movies, or The Holiday, then you’re missing out on some 90s-00s film gold for the entertainment & charm that Cameron serves up on screen. Hence, why the blogosphere is in a tizzy over her highly-anticipated big screen return.

In addition the aforementioned films, the four-time Golden Globe-nominated star & best-selling author was once a red carpet regular, but an international superstar of the silver screen, not only wearing the chicest designers to events, like the Academy Awards, but also for her California-girl appeal, elevating mini dresses for glamorous movie premieres & other photo-worthy occasions. Check out the slideshow & gallery below for over 60 images that prove Cameron rules the red carpet & will continue to do so when she makes her return to Hollywood:

Which look of Cameron’s is your favorite? Do you prefer her gowns or mini dresses? Which is your favorite Cameron Diaz movie? For more stylish celebrity posts, check out: Emma Corrin on the cover of Vogue‘s August 2022 issue, Keira Knightley’s Chanel LBD for Paris Fashion Week, Selena Gomez’s Alexander McQueen mini dress for her Rare Beauty launch, & a flashback to red, white, & blue style on the red carpet, featuring Nicole Kidman & Scarlett Johansson! Happy Styling!

Jennifer Lopez is the Prettiest in the Prettiest Pink Poof Dress!


Jennifer Lopez can’t do just one thing & I’m so glad for it. For her newest film, Second Act, she not only stars in & produced it, but also sings the power anthem “Limitless” (penned by Sia). She also directed the yet-to-be released music video (also starring her daughter Emme) & has taken the fashion world by storm once again at the New York City premiere of the film. She wore a breathtaking pink Giambattista Valli high low tulle gown (from the brand’s Fall 2018 Couture runway collection) with a train that rivals anyone else in gown train history (Priyanka Chopra… Princess Diana…) styled with silver accessories including a Judith Leiber clutch & Jimmy Choo platforms, as well as jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz. The play on volume & length in such a bold statement color only makes the dress more amazing to gawk at.

The ethereal design floated down the Fall 2018 runway & has now made history. Perhaps all those sparkly naked dresses are out & voluminous tulle dresses are in?

What do you think of J.Lo’s big pink dress? Is it too big? Not big enough? For more celebrity-inspired posts, click here, here, here, & here. Happy Styling!

08/22/2017 Darling of the Day: Reese Witherspoon’s One-Shoulder Dress & Strappy Sandals!


Reese Witherspoon never fails to deliver on the red carpet, with her street style, & for any press event she attends. I love her feminine & edgy style, often a chic blend of preppy meets glam girl. The Oscar-winning actress & Draper James founder recently made an appearance in The Hamptons while promoting her new film, Home Again, wearing a gorgeous black & metallic one-shoulder Isabel Marant dress (shop here) (from the designer’s Fall 2017 collection) with ruffled Christian Louboutin strappy sandals (shop here). The look is picture perfect, which is why I’m featuring it for my latest Darling of the Day post. The ensemble is a definite style win, but the cost of the dress & shoes alone will run you back by the thousands.

It was hard to achieve a near-identical look-alike outfit, but I loved the inspiration behind the trendy one-shoulder & ruffled ankle strap heels. In featuring pieces inspired by Reese’s look, it’s always my pleasure to share how to recreate something similar for shoppers of any size. I love a great print & a black & white color combination is classic for every woman!

SHOP: Lucky Brand dress @Macy’s, plus floral dress @Target, LC Lauren Conrad linear drop earrings @Kohl’s, Napier linked bracelet @Kohl’s, & ruffle strappy heels @Missguided.

Which celebrity’s style do you love to watch the most? What’s your favorite dress trend right now? Where are you shopping for the most stylish accessories? For more celebrity style posts, check out Emma Stone for Marie Claire‘s September issue, Gabrielle Union’s newest collection for New York & Company, blazers on Jennifer Lopez & Olivia Palermo, & Rachel Bilson’s Old Navy denim look! Happy Styling!

Watch This Style: The Most Stylish Films of Awards Season & 2017!


There’s so much holiday talk in the air, but it’s also another season! All the best & most highly-anticipated films are about to hit theaters for awards season, which means that some of today’s most in-demand actresses are making jaw-dropping red carpet appearances, speaking at press events, & doing the talk show rounds, inspiring viewers with their class, intelligence, talent, & style. Aside from the excitement of seeing who is wearing what, the fashion in these films is definitely worth talking about. I was recently talking to some writer friends about how I haven’t been very enthusiastic about movies lately, especially since there’s so much amazing television on these days, but my mind is changed. I’m gushing over the visual candy that is La La Land, the retro elegance in Rules Don’t Apply & Jackie, as well as the high fashion stakes set in Miss Sloane & Nocturnal Animals (Directed by acclaimed designer Tom Ford).

The variety of inspiration comes from period pieces, high fashion cinema, & futuristic sci-fi vibes, which means that anything is possible when it comes to not only escaping into the big screen, but also into your wardrobe’s potential. After tallying up the riveting trailers I’ve been seeing on television lately & replaying some favorites on YouTube, here are just 11 of the best, starring the stylish likes of Marion Cotillard, Emma Watson, Hailee Steinfeld, Scarlett JohanssonTaraji P. HensonOctavia SpencerJanelle Monae, Natalie Portman, Jessica Biel, Haley Bennett, Emma Stone, Michelle Williams, Jessica Chastain, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, & Lily Collins.

20th Century Women, release date:December 25th 2016. 

Allied, release date: November 23rd 2016.

Beauty and the Beast, release date: March 17th 2017.

The Edge of Seventeen, release date: November 18th 2016.

the-edge-of-seventeen

Fences, release date:December 25th 2016.

Ghost in the Shell, release date: March 31st 2017.

Hidden Figures, release date: January 6th 2016.

Jackie, release date: December 2nd 2016.

A Kind of Murder, release date: December 16th 2016.

La La Land, release date: December 16th 2016.

Manchester By the Sea, release date: November 18th 2016.

Miss Sloane, release date: November 25th 2016.

Nocturnal Animals, release date: December 9th 2016.

Passengers, release date: December 21st 2016.

Rules Don’t Apply, release date: November 23rd 2016.

The Zookeeper’s Wife, release date: March 21st 2017.

Which films are you most excited to see? Happy Styling!