The Collabrative Genius of Nichole Goodman and Halle Bailey
In 2022, Halle Bailey and Nichole Goodman, a celebrity stylist, started their partnership after departing from KJ Moody to go solo, which has yielded some great red-carpet and everyday looks. Bailey, in late Oct., released her debut album “Love? Or Something Like It.” She displays on the heels of a rough breakup, and the public is taking sides. Let’s take a look back at five of my favorite looks that this partnership has produced over its three-year run. Of course, what is a lookbook without a rating system? For these looks, I will be using shells, 🐚, out of a total of five shells. In honor of Bailey being Ariel and beautiful underwater singing.
Honorable Mentions:
Wow, wow, and wow!🐚🐚🐚🐚🐚, a complete five bubble rating! A custom dress by Michael Fausto called “Aphrodite Gown”, which Bailey wore at American Idol during Disney night. Fausto was inspired by the “Part of Your World” scene, and he executed flawlessly. This performance was five days before the premiere of The Little Mermaid. The gown feels like the starting point for the rest of The Little Mermaid press tour. I am obsessed with this extravagant gown, with its numerous ruffles and layers. This gown feels like swimming under the waves and watching the sun peek through, without almost drowning, even though I want to. I am also obsessed with the color of the gown and how beautifully it reflects light while on stage. This gown screams “Under the Sea” and mermaid in a very poetic way. I was wearing that I would never let it leave my body.
🐚🐚🐚🐚 This dress was worn at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, and it is stunning. Even though she did not perform at the VMAs that year, I love the simplicity, the silhouette, and the color of the dress. The material also lends the dress an ethereal, flowy, and elegant feel. Also, now in hindsight, Bailey took a lot of measures to ensure that she had a private pregnancy while still being in front of cameras, and I can respect that. The only aspect of this ensemble that I don’t particularly like is the earrings. I get that they are supposed to add the gold element to her hair. I’m just not sure about the shape of the earrings and how they tie the entire look together. However, I do appreciate the effort to create a cohesive color match for the accessories and the faux necklace of the dress.
🐚🐚🐚🐚 In a sea of purples, blacks, and whites, Halle Bailey outshines in this vibrant red dress. On the heels of The Little Mermaid, this red, layered Off-White dress was custom-made for the 2023 premiere of The Color Purple. This dress exudes a whimsical vibe with its ruffled edges at the end of each layer. I quite like it despite seeming like too much fabric or too fluffy. I do feel that there is an awkwardness between the top of the dress and the rest of the dress, but maybe that’s because, again, in hindsight, she was pregnant and trying to hide it. The satin matte finish elevates the dress, instead of it being shiny or glittery, the dress is the main focal point of the ensemble. I’m not sure that the criss-cross straps are the best move for a dress like this, but it’s not too offensive.
🐚🐚🐚🐚🐚 Worn for Cardi B’s 30th birthday party in 2022, which was burlesque themed, or colloquially known as the Dirty 30 Cabaret party, made by Giannina Azar. I absolutely adore this look, and I love the green and the tassels. Perhaps I’m a little biased, as my favorite color is green, but this specific shade complements her skin tone well. All the accessories, or lack thereof, still revolve around the central theme of the event and don’t feel out of place or weird. I love the silhouette of the tassel dress, which feels exposing, but not so much with all the added mesh underneath. A compromise to not feel entirely naked, I can respect that. ALSO, THE COLLAR! To die for, using that as a way to tie in diamonds with the shoes and earrings makes this whole ensemble absolutely amazing and an amazing look.
🐚🐚🐚🐚🐚 This Georges Hobeika dress was worn by Bailey at a gala after-party in early May 2023, hinting at the upcoming premiere of The Little Mermaid. Sidenote: body tea, maybe even coffee. This dress is an attention-grabber not just because of the confidence Bailey exudes while wearing it, but also because of the contrasting bodice and skirt. This time, this is a very subtle nod to the “structure” of mermaids, seashell bras, and scaled tails. I love this look, especially with the necklace added to provide a touch of sparkle to the whole ensemble. Most of Bailey’s looks are accompanied by dangly earrings, so it is interesting how the “weight” of the look is distributed along Bailey’s body. Nothing in this look feels like it overpowers the other aspects of the ensemble. This is a clearly cohesive look. Honestly, if I looked like this all the time, I too would flaunt it to the whole world.
Even though these looks weren’t ranked in any way, I would say the Georges Hobeika dress is my favorite as of right now. All of these looks reflect an older, more mature woman stepping into the limelight with the intention of taking your breath away, whether on purpose or not. Watching the Baileys grow throughout the years makes this collaboration really exciting, as a faraway fan, and I can’t wait to see how much more intriguing her outfits while become in the future.
jada Davis 