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I'm a Jewish fashionista living in New York and I write this blog to try to deliver modest fashion to all women, everywhere. This blog is all about Less Is More. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @vinniecocoa and on instagram @the.oak! CONTACT & INQUIRIES: the.oak.blog@gmail.com

Monday, October 7, 2013

This Just In: Hannah Montana is ALIVE

Sigh. America, we lost a good one this weekend. Hannah Montana is dead. She was murdered. Since celebrity deaths are known to happen in triplicate, I really fear for the well being of Lizzie McGuire and Alex Russo (of Wizards of Waverly Place). Hilary Duff and Selena Gomez-- if you are out there and reading this, please contact your alter egos and make sure they are ok. I can only handle one fake celebrity death at a time.


When Miley Cyrus announced on SNL this weekend that Hannah Montana was dead, it was the most disturbing part of the entire episode (other than her horrible acting and poor comedic delivery). Aside from the fact that Miley came off as an ungrateful human being by "murdering" the character that gave her all her fame and fortune (and literally biting the hand that fed her for her entire young adult life), Ms. Cyrus took the liberty of destroying a character that brought so much joy and relatability to young children around the world. For what reason? Only to disassociate herself from a wholesome character she once played and to boost her hyper-sexualized "adult" persona.

I don't get it. I understand that artists wants to grow and evolve, but why does it have to be at the expense of good, happy, positive things? Hannah Montana was a good thing that made children happy. Why does that need to die? If Miley wants to traipse around in barely-there clothing while simultaneously rubbing herself, that's one thing, but why assassinate something that has only caused joy and happiness to children? In the name of being an "adult"? For the sake of being "sexy"? No, because she is selfish. This one seemingly negative association for her and her career means more than the positive association it has for every child who grew up watching a show that oozed positivity and strength for girls everywhere. Selfish, selfish Miley.

Newsflash, girl: being an adult does not mean walking around in your underwear with your crotch hanging out; being an adult means you pay rent or a mortgage; you go grocery shopping during your lunch hour because that's the only free time you have; you weed your garden because no one else will do it for you; you get a direct deposit in your bank account then watch it go out the door when the cable bill comes; you buy clothes and subsequently wear them. Apparently Miley's version of adult doesn't jive with the rest of the world, and so we are all forced to be subject to the non-stop media barrage of someone who kills off the only good thing that she ever did professionally. And for the record, not one thing Miley has done would be even remotely construed as sexy. Disturbing, yes. Sexy? Hardly.

That's why I want to tell children and adults everywhere that Hannah Montana IS NOT DEAD. She was NOT murdered. She is alive and well. I know exactly where she is, too. Read on for more on that. But kids, Hannah is not dead. I'll say it again: Hannah Montana is not dead. She never will be.

Clearly I am sad Miley "killed" Hannah on SNL; I used to watch Hannah Monatana with my nieces all the time, and to this day I have impromptu dance parties with my eight nieces to Hannah's music. I make memories with my young, impressionable, beautiful nieces using the tools that Disney and Miley have provided me-- songs about love, friendship, acceptance, happiness, kindness and staying true to yourself no matter what. While Disney acting and Disney TV leave much to the wholesome imagination, Hannah Montana was a show about a cool girl who led two very different lives-- a public one for the world to see and a private one that was just about her. For all the kids who grew up watching that show, please know that the character of Hannah Montana that Disney (and Miley) crafted so masterfully can never die because she exists forever in time as a character that delivered to children the positive messages of love and acceptance.

I regret to inform you, Miley Cyrus, that Hannah Montana is not dead at all because you are the very embodiment of your former character. The life you lead in the public, in the pictures, in magazines, and on stage cannot in any feasible way be the one you lead in private. Based on the physiology of the human body alone, your tongue cannot be in the protruding position for 24 hours a day; so while every portion of your public performances and videos involve a tongue in ejected form, I'm pretty sure that sucker is safely secured in that mouth of yours in the privacy of your own home. If it's not, then it's time to consult a physician because that's not healthy. As a general member of society with eyes, I ask that you keep the tongue firmly in it's rightful place.

But really Miley, you are Hannah Montana. You will never escape it no matter how much you try to show us your nipples. You are a public figure who is probably hurting very much in private. I'm here to tell you that we never asked for this version of Miley; no one put out a memo asking for this degenerative form of a pop star. You RUINED teddy bears for me. I can't forgive your for that.

So, no people, Hannah Montana is NOT dead. If you want to see her alive and well, just take a look at Miley. She's right there in all her latex-baring glory. I'd rather pick up a Hannah Montana CD any day than the new Miley Cyrus album, so if you are reading this and agree with me in any way, don't pick up a copy of Bangerz; if you feel the need to contribute to Miley Cyrus' fortune, go to Amazon and pick up a copy of her Hannah Montana CDs. The only way we, the public, can ensure that Hannah Montana is not dead (a larger metaphor for wholesome family fun, not gyrating 20 somethings pretending to be secure in their sexiness) is by making sure that Hannah's message is alive and well. I for one would like to see Bangerz be put 6 feet under.

Long live Hannah Montana.


PS Bring back this Miley.  This is an album I would buy.

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Sunday, September 22, 2013

2013 Emmy Awards: BEST & WORST Dressed (In My Humble Opinion)

It's inevitable. No many how many award shows there are, and no matter how many fashion police shows there are to judge those award show gowns, there will ALWAYS people who get it right and get it wrong. Some learn from their mistakes, others ignore them and continue in their woeful ways. Worst is when a good case of fashion goes bad-- like WAY bad.

But hey, we'll get to the worst dressed soon. Let's focus on those ladies who Debbie has deemed worthy of the top FIVE awards (not Emmy awards; I had no say in those) in no particular order.


---BEST---


CLAIRE DANES
 As if Carrie Mathison could do wrong?? Can you believe that this woman represented a generation with one season of amazingness (My So Called LIfe) and now has gone on to represent everything that is awesome on TV once again? Be my hero, Claire Danes.

COBIE SMULDERS
This look is by far the ultimate in modern hollywood sophistication. I really cannot find one thing I do not love about this look from top to bottom. Some may say she should have added a necklace; I say shut up, she looks awesome.



LINDA CARDELINI
Check out scooby Thelma working that red carpet like she was Don Draper's mistress or something! This gown is a feast for the eyes and Linda did it all right with that hair, that make up and that pose. I think it's apparently spelled w-e-r-k now, so I'm gunna go ahead and say werk it gurl! (Update: 'girl' is now spelled g-u-r-l.)



MINDY KALING
This is literally my favorite person in the whole world, and since in my head we are best friends, I feel obliged to automatically put her on my best dressed list. What can I say? I'm biased. We're really besites. Seriously, this woman (I repeat WOMAN) is stellar from head to toe. I am obsessed with this look and am going to copy it someday.



CHRISTINA HENDRICKS
No, I did not just choose this woman because I met her last week. I chose her because she is the only woman on the carpet tonight who wore black and made it spectacular. I am in pure awe of everything God has given this woman, and I praise the things she has done with it--especially in THAT dress!



I sometimes cry (not really) when I have to make my worst dressed list, mostly because it's unpleasant looking at good people in bad fashion. There are a few other women who I think rightfully deserve a spot on this list (Emily Deschanel, Cat Deely, and Aubrey Plaza for example), but these FIVE ladies are the ones who stood out the most for me...in the worst kind of way.

---WORST---

LENA DUNHAM
I love this woman because she is amazing in every way shape and form, except not tonight. Or ever really if she is in this dress. And that eye shadow. This is what the bottom of a tea cup looks like when it hasn't been washed in three weeks. 

AMANDA PETE
Who let this woman out like this?There are four different dresses going on here and not one of them looks good. Actually, five. Maybe six. Really though, this look is atrocious. Come to think of it, if everyone who was wearing a sheer lacey black turtleneck gown to the Emmys tonight could please leave the building, that would be aces. 

PAULA ABDUL
Ahhhh. My eyes!! That's all. 

JESSICA PARE
It's the battle of Don Draper's women and in this case, the wife loses to the mistress, the mistress being (spoiler alert!) Linda Cardelini (but doesn't the wife always lose when there is a mistress?) I applaud that both women went for a bold color, but when your boobs have wings, that's when you know the dress was meant just for editorial. Keep it off the red carpet, Megan.


JULIANNE HOUGH
Um, Jules...where's your dress? That's the sequel to Dude, Where's My Car, btw. You can stop smiling now Julianne, this nighty is not red carpet ready at all, and what's worse is that I CAN SEE YOUR UNDERWEAR. Kindergarten clearly had no impact on you.

2013 Emmys: The Black, The B&W, and The Nude (If Jen Aniston Were Coming, This Is The Post She Would Be In)

And then there were those ladies who stuck to their guns. The ones who never veered off the classic but beaten path. Some dared to take risks with these dresses (and failed--ahem, Amanda Peet and anyone else wearing a black turtleneck gown. You know who you are.) but others knew when it was right to play it safe. See for yourself. See which ones made my cut and which ones I want to throw off the bus in my best and worst post!

Christina Hendricks


Robin Wright

Vera Farmiga

 Cat Deely

Lena Headey

Jessica Lange

Sarah Silverman

Jane Lynch

Amy Poehler

Aubrey Plaza

Amanda Peet

Constance Zimmer

Anna Gunn

Morgan Saylor

Julianna Margulies 

Elizabeth Moss

Merrit Weaver

Kristen Connely

 Jewel

 Julia Louis-Dreyfuss

Julie Bowen

January Jones

2013 Emmy Awards: The Colors of the Wind (And Some Prints Too)

A little color never hurt, right? Well these women certainly got the message at the 2013 Emmys. A cascade of pink, green, purple, yellow and teal was brightening up the runway, some good, some bad, some hideous. Even though it's in the Patriot post, I want to personal extend my thanks to Allison Williams for single-handedly saving the cast of girls from a complete and total shutout of ew-ness. I can totally appreciate Lena's and Zosia's attempts and risks with the daring and bold. But no. It's just really a no.

Cobie Smulders

Rose Byrne
 

Alfre Woodard


Ariel Winter

Laura Dern

Linda Cardelini

Allison Janney

Alyson Hannigan

Mellisa Rauch

Carrie Underwood

Mindy Kaling

Mayim Bialik 

Anna Chlumsky

Sarah Hyland

Anna Faris

Jessica Pare 

Connie Britton

Betsy Brandt

Zosia Mamet

Lena Dunham

Modest Fashion Network