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In modest gown, Jennifer Lopez still stands out
September 14, 2000
By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
There were no gasps of shock when
Jennifer Lopez walked on stage during the Latin Grammy Awards on Wednesday
night in Los Angeles.
She didn't wear anything
remotely resembling that dress that generated more talk than many
of the winners at February's Grammy Awards.
This time around, the actress-singer
looked positively demure. With her hair pulled back into a neat bun, she
strolled on stage wearing a gorgeous, floor-length seashell gown that had
more in common with the elegant Badgley Mischka gown she wore to the Oscars
than the cut-down-to-there Versace scarf-dress that had tongues wagging,
"Does she or doesn't she" (use double-faced tape, that is, to hold up her
dress).
Lopez's outfit served as
a sharp contrast to some of the other Latinas in attendance. The perennially
underdressed Christina Aguilera performed wearing a teeny tiny red miniskirt
and a matching cropped top that showed off her glittery belly button.
And Shakira wore a funky
geometrical green-toned dress with '70s-style knee-high boots. When she
returned to perform live, she showed off red leather pants and a cut-out
halter top.
Even salsa singer Celia
Cruz turned up in a blue dress with a matching blue wig. She was not about
to be outdone. And she wasn't. |
J. Lo's a maniac on the dance floor in homage
April 15, 2003
By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
If Jennifer Lopez has anything
to do with it, torn sweatshirts, leg warmers and a big ol' hairdo will
be back in style, thanks to the "Flashdance" theme running rampant in the
music video for her latest single, "I'm Glad"--a song she wrote for the
man of her dreams, Ben Affleck.
"Creating an homage to 'Flashdance'
seemed just right," said Lopez, according to the UK Sun. "It's a story
about following your dreams."
Though the song doesn't
have the same frenetic pace as the 1983 movie's soundtrack hit "Maniac,"
J. Lo--or perhaps fashion photographer David LaChapelle, who directed the
video--opted to do a scene-by-scene re-creation of the film's most memorable
moments, including the welder by day, quasi-stripper by night's water-drenched
dance audition (you know the one we're talking about) and the manic dancing-in-place
hip swivels that probably helped ease many boys through puberty.
How good is Lopez's re-enactment?
So good that until you get a look at her strong dancer's legs and much
ballyhooed posterior, you'd swear Lopez actually was Jennifer Beals--or
rather Marine Jahan, who served as the former Chicagoan's dance double
in all the film's scenes, except for the ones where Beals' character breakdances.
A spindly young male dancer was used for those scenes.
Lopez, who has her own clothing
line, has plenty of shirts to pick through should she want to take her
scissors to them. But might we suggest she leave the Kabuki look at home?
Ghost-white makeup looks scary enough on her. Just imagine what it would
look like on her fans. |