Oscar dresses remade to be affordable

(FOX Providence) - Best known for his copies of Academy Awards gowns, designer Allen Schwartz appears regularly on Entertainment Tonight as a style expert and also frequents fashion segments on CNBC, CNN, the Today Show and Oprah.

Personal Stylist Jill Marinelli spoke with Allen about his choices for this year’s “red carpet inspired” dresses, and she brought the fantastic news to The Rhode Show!

Each year, Allen and his team watch the Oscar’s and furiously sketch many of the designer gowns worn by the movie stars. By morning, they’ve decided which dresses they will replicate, and in record speed, A.B.S. versions of the gowns hit the stores in May.

What does he look for when deciding which dresses to replicate?

“We’re looking for who really looks pretty. But also a dress that is wearable, that is forgiving. We think about a broader audience. Not everyone looks like J.Lo!” said Allen.

His choices this year:

* Cameron Diaz’s strapless Oscar de la Renta
* Jennifer Lopez in Armani Prive
* Sandra Bullock in an embelished Marchesa column
* Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent
* Penelope Cruz in a garnet Donna Karan

“They all looked amazing.”

Dresses will be available in stores in May, carrying a retail price of $200-$345 instead of the $20,000-$30,000 of the originals. For more information about where you can find A.B.S. dresses, visit www.absstyle.com .

For more on Personal Stylist Jill Marinell visit www.jmstylist.com

Allen also recreated dresses from The Golden Globes. See the attached video for examples of his dresses, compared to the real thing.