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'All About The Benjamins'
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Eva Medes hit her first red carpet in 2002 for the premiere of "All About The Benjamins" in a black pantsuit without anything underneath! "Oh boy! This was my first red carpet and premiere! Look how uncomfortable I look! I had no idea what I was getting into! Ha! I thought it was so strange that I had to stand there and pose," the actress recently told Stylist about her red carpet rookie look. Adding, "Honestly, I still kinda feel the same about it! By the way, that's a look I wore twice (the no shirt under blazer look) and I've officially put it to rest. No more of that for me."
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First Met Gala, Last Time Wearing Fur
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Attending the 2004 Met Gala celebrating "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century," Eva wore *gasp* a fur wrap to the annual Costume Institute benefit gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art! "This was my first Met Ball! I had no stylist then. Can you tell?!," the actress says. "I actually really like the unpolished look of this. It's kinda messy and I love that. The thing that makes me sad about this picture is the fur wrap. I haven't worn fur in years. And I never plan to wear it again." And it's true, the actress would "rather go naked than wear fur," joining efforts with PETA to stop the production of fur products.
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Demure In Vintage At TIFF
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"I love this dress!!," Eva told the website Stylist about the pink tea length dress she wore on the red carpet at the TIFF gala screening of the film "Trust the Man" in 2005. "It cost me $10 dollars at a thrift shop in L.A.," she added. "The woman who sold it to me told me that it belonged to Lana Turner. Well there's no proof of that but I choose to believe it! I still have it. I feel so good in a demure dress. Every time I've worn something that's really body conscious, I've regretted it. A little body conscious can be beautiful, but if its too much, I don't like it. Demure is where it's at!"
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'Trust The Man,' But Don't Trust Your Stylist
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Getting her Jenny from the block on, Eva donned this metallic Missoni to the premiere of "Trust The Man" in 2006. This just goes to show that satin really is the Satan of the fashion world, even those with the best bods can have a hellish experience in it.
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Lavish In Lanvin At Cannes
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Taking a style step in the right direction, Eva Mendes was lavish in this black strapless Lanvin on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet at the premiere of "We Own The Night" in 2007. "I love this Lanvin dress. I feel like it has a little Morticia Addams vibe," Eva says, adding, "It's the perfect combo platter of being fitted but still elegant. It's very suggestive but it doesn't cross the line. That Alber Elbaz can certainly make a dress! "
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Colourful At The CFDA Fashion Awards
Evan Agostini
In bright pink Calvin Klein at the 25th Anniversary of the Annual CFDA Fashion Awards Eva Mendes explains why she's all about her natural hair on the red carpet. "Nooooo!! Just a big, fat no!," the actress says about the look. "I was on a photo shoot that day wearing extensions, which I never wear on the red carpet, and I didn't have time to remove...ok I'll shut up with my excuses. This look is just wrong! Ok there I admitted it. Just wrong."
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Celebrating A Golden Anniversary With Cartier
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Eva Mendes was golden attending the Cartier 100th Anniversary in America Celebration at the Cartier store on Fifth Avenue in New York. The actress celebrated in style in this fun, glitzy Azzaro dress and Giuseppe Zanotti sandals.
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Shining At The Met Gala
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Eva Mendes arrived to the 2008 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" in an irredescent Calvin Klein Collection gown. Pairing her stunning gown with a pair of Jimmy Choo heels (jealous!) Eva says the part she loved the most was the structure of the dress! "I love the architecture of this dress! This color is insanely beautiful! The structure is so compelling. I rarely love a look from head to toe but I have to say that this is one of those times. Why don't I own this dress?!" We're not sure either! The actress goes on to tell Stylelist that she loved it so much, she threw a dance part in her car, "I remember right before I walked onto the carpet I had a dance party in my car. My makeup artist, the incredible Genevieve Herr, was freaking out because I was sweating my makeup off. But looking at it now, I don't mind the shine!"
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Fashioning A National Identity In Dolce&Gabbana
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Eva Mendes might take home the track record for attending the most Met Galas out of any other celebrity we know. The actress looked lovely in a floral pattered Dolce&Gabbana dress celebrating the opening of the "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity" gala in 2010.
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Cosmic At Comic-Con
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"Ummm, I know this was for Comic Con but I think I took the theme too far," Eva says about her strapless metallic Vivianne Westwood dress. While she was only attending "The Other Guys" press conference at Comic-Con (the dress code is definitely more Converse, less couture there) we still think that Eva looks lovely in the structural strapless dress.Clearly she does not, telling Stylelist, "I don't think this dress works for me. And I don't think I should ever wear my hair pulled back again!" I love Vivienne Westwood, but this dress is too much of a departure for me. It's not what I feel best in. And too much cleavage!"
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White Hot At The Golden Globes
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Way ahead of the winter white trend, Eva Mendes stunned in this strapless Dior gown at the 2009 Golden Globes. The dress' otherwise straightforward silhouette stood out thanks to the unique folded bustle at the waistline, which added an unexpected wow factor. A turquoise Van Cleef & Arpels statement necklace (not to mention the actress' perfectly tanned skin) popped perfectly against the dress.
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Freezing Your Buns Off Looks Good On You
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"This was taken in Madrid in the morning and it was freezing!," Eva says about attending "The Other Guys" photocall in Madrid in 2010. Adding that although it was cold, she couldn't help but love the colourful Prada number she got to wear, "Still, the cold weather wasn>t enough to make me not love this Prada number. This risky pattern is the best! I'm a sucker for a great pattern. The beauty of a dress like this is that you don't have to worry about embellishing it in any way. Just keep hair and makeup simple and the dress will do all the work for you." We can't help but agree!
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Angelic In Thierry Mugler
Andrew H. Walker
Revealing her new campaign for "Angel" by Thierry Mugler in 2011, Eva Mendes was angelic in this white strapless dress by the designer. "What a beautifully made dress. This is typical Mugler," the actress says about her gown. Adding, "The detail is so otherworldly but also classic. How does he do that?!" However angelic Eva might have looked, the actress does warn future fashionistas about the downsides to architectural strapless gowns saying, "The ONLY problem I had with this dress was that when I moved, my breast was exposed a bit. Ladies, I can't stress the importance of double stick tape! "
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Peppy In A Cayenne Pepper Coloured Peplumed Prada
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Attending the Met Gala in something like this gorgeous bright red Prada gown is one thing, but attending the Met Gala in this gorgeous gown with MRS. PRADA is an entirely different thing. "I wore this to last year's Met Ball. I attended with Mrs. Prada who was also the host that evening. I love that woman!," Eva told Stylelist about attending the "Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations" Met Gala in 2012. "This dress had so many elements I loved the peplum, the bejeweled top, and the colour," she added saying, "there was actually a turban that I had them make to match. I really wanted it to work, but at the last minute, we all decided against it. It would've been too much. I think it was a good call!"
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If You're A Turband Wearing Bird, I'm A Turband Wearing Bird
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This is what we imagine Ryan Gosling would say to girlfriend Eva Mendes before stepping out on the red carpet for "The Place Beyond The Pines" premiere during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Eva kicked her style up a notch pairing a navy with lace overlay dress with a (what looks like) blue velvet turband.