Diamond of the Ball 2025

I'm late to posting this for Bal des Debutantes in Paris 2025 because I almost didn't want to pick a winner because I felt like all the fashion choices were weird this time. It's like everyone borrowed a gown from their great aunt's closet or something. At first, you would think Carolina Herrera granddaughter's polka dot gown would be the best, but she messed it up with the hair....uhm flipped hair was 2024. Feels outdated here. It dawned on me that the hair does make a big difference for overall look. The hairdo that really stood out for me was Alice Wang and Eirini Zarifi perfect bangs up-do...

The hair is on-point, but Eirini's dress was too mother-of-the-bride-y, 

so the diamond of the ball title goes to....

Alice Wang! Daughter of BYD founder Chuanfu Wang and Stella Li.

Her jewel-tone magenta Vera Wang gown popped out of the crowd---she looks like the cool rebel of the group. I also loved that she kept the jewelry minimal and had on a ribbon floral choker, which is different. 

The backside with the cascading petals looks pretty spectacular too:

Yep, the dress stood out of the crowd here:

What are your thoughts for 2025 fashion here?

Diamond of the Ball 2024

It is that time of the year again for the Bal des Debutantes in Paris. I am making a new Bridgerton-style tradition to pick the "diamond" of the ball. 

I was hoping to say Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter, Apple Martin, because she is the most recognizable and highly publicized for the event, but I felt her dress looked outdated and needed more boob support. 

The winner for me goes to Lucia Ponti, granddaughter of Sophia Loren, and daughter to Italian movie director Edoardo Ponti and actress Sasha Alexander. 

The Giorgio Armani dress with the contrast stripes stood out of the crowd! Yet the neutral cream and grey color is...eh hem..."very demure, very cutesy, very mindful" befitting for her youthful age and elegance of the event. 

Also looked comfortable to dance in! 

I love how the grey stripe panel helps the intricate bead/embroidery design pop out.

Girl Crush: Lara Cosima

So I came across this Instagram feed with Lara Cosima in a gorgeous Jean Paul Gaultier gown at the Bal des Debutantes in Paris last year and I've been intrigued since! I haven't really paid attention to any debutante balls since 2017 when Reese Witherspoon's daughter made a huge splash in the fashion news. 

So six years later in 2023, another blonde won it all again. In Bridgerton's terms, she is the "diamond" of the ball.  This time, I just love that Countess Lara Cosima Henckel von Donnersmarck stood out like a member of the House of Targaryen from Game of Thrones with the white-blonde hair and ethereal greyish gown, and who knows...maybe she was the one who actually started the flip-bob hair trend on the red-carpet! 

Even though her gown isn't colorful, she just stood out! 

It must be the hair! 

I am truly not being sarcastic, but I love it when rich and successful people have beautiful daughters who look like supermodels with access to the best fashion in the world! It's the stuff of glamour and dreams!

Valli ballgown crush

I have not been excited about celebrity high fashion at any events for a long time until I spotted some pictures of Ava Phillippe at the Bal des Debutantes in Paris this past week. She basically stole the whole show!

1st off: when was the last time a young lady rocked a conservative (all-covered up) gown? If I was a mother, I would totally want my teenage daughter to wear this to prom, haha!

2nd off: Like her mother Reese Witherspoon, she's of petite height...maybe 5'3" ish? I had always thought short girls would not stand a chance in a ballgown (since only tall girls win in beauty pageants), but Ava proved that wrong! All the other debutantes seem to fade into the background. See this video clip! 

3rd off: The brown-gold hue suits her hair and complexion so well! And the jewelry from Payal Mehta! The meaning behind the customized ring made me want to cry, it's so beautiful! 

A Giambattista Valli dress does it again! 

An unforgettable moment in celebrity fashion history!