academy awards 2010

So I've been terribly remiss in posting recently, but I simply couldn't miss this! I'm a total sap, it's one of my absolute favorite nights of the year, even if this time I had to watch alone, lying in bed at 2am, falling asleep. Ah well.

My hands-down favorite of the evening was Cameron Diaz, I thought she looked like perfect Hollywood glamour: wavy hair, sparkle, red lips, smile. No ribs popping out of her chest! To me, seeing her in the dress reminded me of why we girls like getting dressed up in the first place. Gown is by Oscar de la Renta, jewels by Cartier.

I thought Meryl looked fantastic, on a big night even though she didn't win, as it marked her being the most-nominated actress ever. I thought she looked statuesque and gorgeous and happy in this white dress, and I was very pleased to read that it was by Chris March from Project Runway; a designer that I always liked work- and personality-wise, and it's nice to see that they do get good work after the show is over!

Sandra Bullock was the big win of the evening (isn't Best Actress the award people really care about, or at least remember afterwards??) and she seemed to have a sense of this beforehand, as Julia Roberts did years back with that vintage Valentino -- because she looks classic and beautiful in sparkling Marchesa. A little safe perhaps, but you never want to go into the history books in a "miss".

I always think Penelope chooses well, the gowns always suit her body and give enough drama without being too risky; I always enjoy what she wears. And I was again pleased with Carey Mulligan; she's become quite an aficionada of Prada but I love the mix of textures on the thick fabric and quirky little appliques, so I think it was just original enough.

A lovely night for Tom Ford -- I saw his film and absolutely loved it, and from his interviews on the red carpet you could tell just how proud and enthusiastic he was, which is a sincerity I really appreciate in Hollywood! I thought Robert Downey Jr was one of the best-dressed men, even if (or because??) he looks a bit goofy here, and with his sneakers and bow tie. He was having fun with it, which should be the point afterall, without making fun of the whole thing. And doesn't his wife look fantastic?? Much better dressed than a lot of the actresses in my opinion!

I liked Tina Fey's dress if not her hair-do, it's Michael Kors and though she's almost always in black or navy she's getting a little more adventurous with her outfits which is nice to see. I love Miley's dress, but was unsure of whether to post it because I think she's a little too young to really do it justice. But whoever her stylist is, well done!

january jones

I love January Jones, not just because of my minor obsession with her show "Mad Men," but also because of her style. She experiments with a lot of different fashion-forward looks, and these are some of my favorites. Above, at a GQ party, below at the Met Costume Gala 09, and other awards shows and premieres, including wearing that MiuMiu dress last June at the Mad Men Season 2 premiere.

Oscars!

What a fantastic 2009 show, no? I thought it was much more fun than in recent years with Hugh Jackman hosting, with musical numbers, and I loved the way they presented the acting awards, with 5 winners of the past speaking warmly about each nominee. And it was actually funny! Ben Stiller as Joaquin Phoenix (or someone from a "hassidic meth lab" as Natalie Portman put it) and Tina Fey with Steve Martin come immediately to mind.

To me the top two dresses were Penelope Cruz (winner for Best Supporting Actress!) in a 60-yr-old vintage Balmain dress with amazing lace and ruching all the way down (as Tim Gunn said on the red carpet, it's a dress for winning in, and it proved to be her lucky charm I guess -- much like Julia Roberts's fabulous unforgettable vintage Valentino years back), and Natalie Portman in this ethereal orchid-colored dress by Rodarte. It looks like the very first buds you see on trees in the first days of spring, and the fabric is so light and airy.

I love the mix of structure and loose draping in this red dress on Amy Adams, and she found a shade of red that absolutely complements her hair color without being too much (not easy for a redhead, I'm sure). Anne Hathaway looked perfect on the red carpet in Armani with beautiful silver sequins on the bias that seem to swirl around her, and then look almost like a pixelated photo at the bottom. Onstage in the opening sequence she joined Hugh Jackman in something a little easier to move around and be swept off her feet (literally) in -- but equally dream-like.

I loved the black tulle-heavy ballgown that Marion Cotillard wore, which is just unusual enough to be special and daring, but not too prom-like. I wasn't crazy about Kate Winslet's dress, or her hair for that matter, but it fits in with the other black and navy dresses she's been wearing to shows this season -- understated, elegant, and regal -- and I can understand why she'd choose that Grace Kelly look for what has been a very big moment for her.






For many of the other dresses, it was once again the proliferation of a ton of white/cream/silver sparkly gowns, like we've seen all season. I guess it's this season's "safe" choice. Marisa Tomei's pleated Versace gown stands out though, as well as the intricate beading on Jennifer Aniston's simple dress (she always looks fantastic though because she looks really happy to be there -- not to mention nowhere near 40...). I didn't like Jessica Biel's white Prada, but I guess I can respect when image- and body-conscious actresses purposely go with something not body-flattering at all. I think my main problem with the dress is the bottom -- even on a column dress you need a little bit of flare to give it shape, and this just looks like when you take a pair of pants to a bad tailor to be tapered. Melissa George on the other hand elevated the safe dress to art in Dolce & Gabbanna -- the huge tulle flare at the bottom of her corsetted dress was flawless.

Best jewelry has to go to Angelina Jolie, who wore bright green earrings as well as a ring, which complimented an otherwise fairly simple black dress wonderfully, and to Amy Adams who topped off her beautiful dress is a surprising put fitting multi-colored gem necklace that looks like something out of ancient Egypt or Rome in its sheer size... I'd be surprised if her neck wasn't a little sore this morning from carrying all that around.

I must say again I'm loving what Miley Cyrus picked -- she must have a great stylist. It might be a little bit over-the-top princess-y, but she's young enough and big enough of a star to pull that off.

Most red carpet photos from USAToday's Flickr page
Other images from: Gossip Girls, Style.com

it's here!

Oscars day that is, of course. Sort of like Christmas and the Superbowl rolled into one. Well maybe not but it is great. To get ready, I reminded myself this morning of one of my favorite Oscars looks in recent years, Penelope Cruz.

And I know it's not at all likely, but I sort of hope someone wears this short Gucci dress (on the right). Kate Hudson? Blake Lively? It certainly would mix things up, and girl can hope...

baftas 2009

I always enjoy seeing pictures from the BAFTA awards, even though we can't watch the show over here, because of some of the quirky outfits that get chosen (see Kate Hudson last year in gold with a long braid in the side bar). Last night's show featured a lot of black, but didn't disappoint (then again I'm from NY, I'm used to it):



Penelope Cruz having a very Audrey moment (in Azzedine Alaia), Thandie Newton in black with gold stripes, and Sharon Stone in a classic red column dress that is actually pretty hard to get wrong.



Both Kate Winslet (in Zac Posen) and Angelina Jolie (in Giorgio Armani) wore sort of angularly shaped black dresses which I quite like, they both remind me of some of the best early dresses that Zac Posen did.

images above from telegraph.co.uk

British tv presenter Fearne Cotton in a nice Kate Moss kind of look, and Alesha Dixon in a pretty black ruffled dress and gloves that are sort of over the top, but fun.

images from guardian.co.uk, left, and bittenandbound.com, right

Marion Cotillard in Dior, and Emma Watson in Temperley (I think?).

golden globes!

So I don't know about you, but I just love awards season. I guess I feel about it the way some girls feel about weddings: I never really wanted to be an actress growing up, but I did want to give acceptance speeches. Is that weird?! Haha. I guess I just like how they're frivolous and emotional and still truly a fantasy -- while most movies are more and more "realistic" and unglamorous. Loved the Golden Globes last night (especially happy for Colin Farrell, Kate Winslet and Vicky Cristina Barcelona for their wins), and here are my favorite dresses:

Favorite ladies in black:
Kate Winslet looked fantastic all around last night, and aptly so as it was finally her night to win -- twice no less. Her dress didn't look like very much on tv, but with natural light the subtle sheen of the fabric adds a lot, and I love the way it cascades naturally to the ground. Amy Adams chose exceptionally well with this black Oscar de la Renta with appliques, it has a great shape to it and is different from her usual style. Tina Fey and Anne Hathaway (in navy) weren't really risk-taking with their dresses, but each look polished and emphasized their best features. The only question I'm left with is why, out of these four, is the british actress the most tan?! It boggles the mind.






Two favorites in white:
Angelina Jolie has had much more laid-back style in recent years since having kids -- she doesn't go for the statement dresses and instead seems to want to look nice but stay under the radar. She has consistently made good choices though, and is developing a low-key style all her own. I love the casual proportions of this silver dress and how she doesn't worry about it necessarily flattering every part of her. Kate Beckinsale on the other hand, chose an amazing dress which shows off every one of her curves and creates some of its own in big ruffles at the neckline. A truly fun, beautiful dress.




For choosing brilliant colors:
I generally don't like Eva Longoria's style, but this dress was stunning when she first walked out to present her award. The color was better on tv, and the fabric was perfectly sculpted to her body as she moved. And January Jones's dress wasn't really groundbreaking but I think it was the best, most unique color of the night, and suit her perfectly well.




And other noticeable white dresses:
So yes, cream, white and beige dresses were quite overdone this year, and most of them just blended together and were forgettable. But I liked a few: Sandra Bullock's dress had a lot of movement in the tiered ruffles when she moved, and was a big step up from her usual looks. Elizabeth Banks's dress had great texture and I liked especially the cap sleeves which you don't often see on evening gowns. Demi Moore and (I can't believe I'm typing this) Miley Cyrus also looked great in cascading white dresses, Miley's by Marchesa with great gold details underneath the layers which showed when she walked.





Disaster:
In each case it's a matter of both poor dress and hair choices, so even if you ignore one, you can't escape the other...