Red Carpet Fashion or Faux-Pas??

Forget the casting couch, all it takes is a well-crafted red carpet look to propell a fledling starlet from relative obscurity to Hollywood's hottest commodity.  It is no coincidence that JLo's career went from strength to strength after she donned a super sexy how-low-can-that-neckline-go Versace number to the Grammys back in 2000.  Had you ever heard of Liz Hurley before she attended Hugh Grant's 1994  'Four Weddings & A Funeral' premier wearing THAT dress??  But with the fashion successes have come of course the inevitable faux pas.  Unfortunately for Hollywood, beauty is not in the eyes of the beholder but in the sharp-tongued quips of a certain Mz Joan Rivers (I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't looking forward to E!s Fashion Police tonight!).  Indeed, there are many stars whose fashion choices remained ingrained in our minds for all the wrong reasons.  Perhaps Lara Flynn Boyle and Bjork were anticipating the 2011 meteoric success of Natalie Portman's movie 'Black Swan' but unfortunately for them back in the early 2000s when they channelled a ballerina and a swan respectively their looks were deemed more duds than divine.

However, we can rejoice in the fact that no such atrocities graced the red carpet of the 83rd Academy Award Ceremony last night.  I'm guessing the A-Listers MUST have read my piece about loving lace as there was an abundance of the delicate fabric featured last night (yes, ScarJo - I'm talking to you).  I thought that I was going to find it difficult to choose just five of my favorite looks but when I woke up this morning I couldn't have been more certain of my choices.  Here it goes...........

Mila Kunis was undoubtedly my best dressed of the night.  This Elie Saab creation is simply divine.  Both feminine yet chic, understated yet making a statement I absolutely adore the soft chiffon fabric and draping detail.  Having not read the reviews today my only fear is that she may come under fire for the similarities between this silhouette and the red belted Alexander McQueen design she wore only a few weeks ago at the SAG awards (click here).  But I still love you Mila!!

Cate Blanchett is a woman who knows what looks good on her and this Givenchy Couture creation is no exception.  The simplicity of her hair and make-up juxtaposed with the intricacy of the beading and pleating on this dress is spot on.  She absolutely nailed this look from head to toe and I'm so glad we got to see this dress on her and not some other starlet.  She definitely wore it well and I love the fact that she took a chance with this dress.  I'll be interested to see what the other critics make of the flash of neon yellow beading but I give her two enthusiastic thumbs up.......!!

Gwyneth Paltrow definitely does not always get it right on the red carpet but this Calvin Klein choice was flawless.  She literally looked like she was shimmering down the red carpet.  I loved her straight hair and simple make-up.  This was a much more modern feel than a lot of the other girlier garments seen last night but she still managed to keep it feminine and sexy in an understated fashion.  And she's lucky - cos that performance an Oscar nomination did NOT make!!

Halle Berry in Marchesa - simply divine.  No.  Other. Words.  Necessary.

Being age appropriate on the red carpet is not something we always see.  Whether it be Miley Cyrus looking like a cigarette-smoking, martini-swirling divorcee or Sharon Stone shamelessly grasping at her former siren-like status, too often we see examples of mutton dressed as lamb or lambs draped in their mother's pearls and looking like mutton.  Fourteen year old Hailee Steinfield looked exquisite last night in this Marchesa gown.  The dress itself had layers of detail from the full-skirt to the delicate feather like beading and she looked every inch the Oscar nominee.  I love that she managed to look sophisticated yet true to her age and I can't wait to see what fashion choices she wows us with in the future.

And with that - award season has come to a close.  I've decided not to be a hater and to keep my thoughts on those who maybe should have considered staying at home to myself.  I do want to give a special 'good on ya girl' to the gorgeous Anne Hathaway and her meticulously styled looks that graced the screen throughout the evening.  I read today that on average, she changed every 23.75 minutes!  I thought she did a fantastic job as co-host and having Rachel Zoe as her stylist most definitely payed off.

Now, let's see how soon we can start getting some knock-off versions of these dresses!!!  Which was your favorite??

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