met costume ball: initial roundup

The pictures are just starting to roll in from the Met's Costume Institute Ball, so I'll update when they are all available. But as things stand now, here are my picks:

Top Tier:


Kate Bosworth in Chanel, Christina Ricci in Givenchy.
Kate's bright eye shadow and shoes played along with the colorful dress on the superhero theme without being too literal. Kate stands out from the crowd in this look, but it could stand on its own even without the theme. I think Christina's dress is great, the heart shape is incredibly inventive but not over-the-top, and she really got the point that this event is supposed to be about pushing fashion to the next level and wearing something extraordinary, but not being literally dressed as a superhero. The matching bag is a perfect finish.


Bee Shaffer in Nina Ricci, Caroline Trentini.
I think that this huge costume-y gown is a perfect outlet for Olivier Theyskens, who hasn't seemed to find his footing at the more relaxed Nina Ricci yet, and who was at his best going a bit over the top in gorgeous gowns at Rochas. The vines and leaves are a perfect "Poison Ivy" touch but the color keeps it from becoming 100% costume. Caroline found a perfect dress for this event which could have been out of the pages of the Vogue spread directly. The dramatic points at the neckline don't become too Elizabeth-Taylor because of the short length of the dress, and she carries this off with the right attitude, poise and humor.

Yes!:


Gisele Bundchen in Versace, Victoria & David Beckham in Armani.
I think that Victoria looks good here and especially so because she looks so different from her normal look, with more classic hair and covered up cleavage for once! She is still sexy though, having fun with the clothes, and keeping it interesting. Gisele's dress could use a steam but she looks stunning, if a bit safe. I guess neutral ivory is the big color for this event!


Scarlett Johannson with Dolce and Gabbana (congratulations on the engagement to Ryan Reynolds!), Julia Roberts with Armani
Scarlett often likes to wear this sort of corset-y, ballet-inspired dress, and this one is dramatic enough in the poof yet soft enough in the fabric to really work. With her tousled hair, she could be stepping out of one of many of this season's ad campaigns. Julia Roberts is classic and chic, and mostly I'm happy to see her at an event, she's been off the radar for a while with having kids and all! I usually think of her highest fashion moment as the vintage Valentino dress she wore when she won her Oscar, but here she is the quintessential statuesque Armani woman.


Naomi Watts, Coco Rocha and Anja Rubik in Pucci.
Naomi's sunburst-pleat dress is really amazingly constructed, the matching shawl gives it more of a whimsical feeling, and the Fred Leighton starfish brooch amplifies it all perfectly. It could help that we are used to seeing her as the damsel in white in King Kong. Many people came out in Pucci, but Coco and Anja managed to find prints that were interesting without being too obvious, and with the two floor length gowns and similar hairstyles, they make an amazing pair!


Michelle Trachtenberg, Michelle Monaghan.
Michelle T's dress has more of an Egyptian theme than a superheroes one, but at least it is a theme! Perhaps she just got lost in the wrong wing of the museum. In any case her dress is interesting and stylish, and much more mature than I'm used to seeing her. Michelle M is another Poison Ivy and while the colors might be a little too "fall" for a May party, she pulls it off.


Kate Mara in Zac Posen, with Zac Posen, Andre Benjamin.
Kate Mara is one of my favorite up-and-coming actresses, and I'm glad that designers are taking note of her as well -- Zac Posen always seems to find interesting new women to work with. I'm sure I would love this dress even more if I weren't so distracted in this picture by Zac's electric blue suit! Andre is always a classic, and his hat and lapel pin here set him into a different league. Many men can learn to dress well and not miss-step, but Andre has a level of inventiveness that are truly inimitable.


Blake Lively in Ralph Lauren with Penn Badgley, Jessica Stam in Proenza Schouler.
It seems like Blake is a Ralph Lauren girl both on and off the set! This all black dress is extravagant enough to stand out, but unlike some of her other fashion choices, it really flatters her and looks elegant. Jessica Stam looks beautiful in this metallic mini, and I'm sure if she were a superhero her high kicks would be something to look out for!

No:


Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Rachel Bilson.
To me Katie is not working at all here. The dress is a bit "Atlantic City" or mermaidy, the eyeshadow to match is completely unflattering, and the hair is just off -- too short, and maybe they mixed up and gave her Suri's haircut instead? Not sure what's going on here, perhaps the constant negative stories in the tabloids are taking their toll. I want to like Rachel's look because I'm happy she really went with the superhero idea, but I think in combination with her hair it just doesn't look thought-through, and the shoes just add more weight to the look. A sweeping up-do could save the sort of awkward neckline of this dress, and some high sandals would lighten the dress and make it look more whimsical.


Mischa Barton in Missoni, Kate Moss in Stella McCartney.
I really want to like Mischa's look as well, but especially standing next to Marghertia Missoni there is just too much gauze, too much sparkle, too much volume and sort of awkward colors here. This is not the Missoni I know and love! Kate's dress is fine, but of all people I expect her to make a statement and go out on a limb! Last year I believe she wore one of her own designs for Topshop which I thought was a nice touch, this dress seems like neither her style or the theme of the party. At least she's having fun!

photos from just jared and style.com