What Lies (Smoothly) Beneath.

So, let's talk about a great moment in red carpet fashion history. THIS dress:

...the now infamous green Versace gown worn by Jennifer Lopez to the Grammy Awards in 2000. Whether you thought it was fantastic or wanted to throw a trenchcoat over her, this dress generated buzz. After debuting this look, JLo jumped right into the headlines and never left. And the whole phenomenon was made possible one tiny, brilliant invention: double stick tape.

Now imagine yourself in a dress like this one from Scala (because I am most certainly NOT advocating attending your prom in that Versace, unless you want to be expelled...)

Those cutouts are dangerous! By which I mean not only are they alluring and naughty, they actually run you a pretty significant risk of Wardrobe Malfunction (and you know what I mean) without some behind-the-scenes assistance. And here's where we come to one of my favorite finds of 2009: Hollywood Fashion Tape.

Doesn't the lovely lady on the front of the box look put together, despite her risky plunging neckline? That's because of the good people at Hollywood Fashion Tape, who saw an obvious need (which begs the question, where were they looking?) and came up with a solution. They make a variety of shapes and sizes of double stick tape and other products to make sure your dress stays put. My favorite kit, the Red Carpet Assortment, has thirty strips of assorted shapes to stick under your straps, at the edge of your neckline, even at the top of a slit that you don't want to appear too risque. The strips have enough stickiness to keep your dress on and not remove your skin when you take them off later. I happen to appreciate that. These are aptly named too, as they are turning into quite the Hollywood Secret. Stars that use these include Sandra Bullock, Kate Hudson and Paris Hilton.

And the company makes tons of other cute little goodies designed to make your evening a bit more stress-free. They have 'Tag Tamers' (to keep those scratchy tags off your back), 'Touch Ups' (handy little traveling lint remover sheets), and 'Goes Commandos' (I'm not going to explain what these are. Feel free to peruse the website.) A new addition to the line are their 'Fashionista Flats', which are soft, pretty ballet flats which actually roll up and tuck into a little organza bag. If James Bond were a woman, he definitely would have had this whole collection in his arsenal.

Or, alternatively, imagine wearing a slinky style like this:

Yikes! The key to this sophisticated style by Jovani is a smooth fit. It may be a modest cut, but the jersey fabric clings to you like a second skin. I don't happen to think a spectacular evening out has anything to do with skipping dinner, skipping the dance floor or skipping carbs for a week beforehand. But I do still want to look like a svelte goddess all evening. Enter Spanx:

These are exactly what they look like. Almost-invisible, super-thin body shapers that mask every last bump, making seams and fabric lie smooth and flat, WHILE sucking you in by one full size AND lifting and shaping your behind. Yes, please. They have more versions and cuts of these then I can go into here, enough to fit under almost any garment, and someday I'll own each one. Because if I can't have JLo's Versace gown, I can at least have her derriere. For one evening at a time, anyway.

Link to these images and more information at www.scalausa.com, http://www.hollywoodfashiontape.com/, www.jovani.com and www.spanx.com.