On the whole, the night was everything you could ask for in terms of glamour. Of course, some stars out shone the others—Oscars-winners or not.
Leave it to a model to start the evening off right. If everyone who followed in Milla Jovavich’s footsteps last night looked half as amazing as she did, my jaw would have stayed on the floor all night. She blew me away in her one-shoulder Elie Saab gown, embellished everywhere in the shiniest silver, with Old Hollywood hair and makeup. For her first Academy Awards appearance, she set a very high bar. I honestly would never have pictured her having this amazing fashion moment while wishing I wasn’t watching that movie The Fifth Element. Conclusion: I don’t know what’s coming next but this has got to be in the Top Five.
Rooney Mara
It’s been a great year for the Maras. Wish Rooney didn’t get such a bad rap this year on the red carpet as an angry girl who’s always playing her character. Don’t you think she maybe is just a young woman from New York that hasn’t really done the whole Hollywood thing for long? Plus she’s always looking fucking fabulous during her press events. I love her style. I love her. In honor of her nomination for the Fincher film The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo, she departed from her signature black dress for a stunning white Givenchy Couture gown. The delicate sculpture of the front the bodice came from a place of such purity and contrasted with such ferver the Alaia-like bondage on the back. Her ingénue bangs and facial features made her even more of an homage to Audrey Hepburn. Conclusion: Possibly tied for Best Dressed… I have yet to decide. PostScript—SECOND PLACE, not the first loser.
Michelle Williams/Natalie Portman
Loved seeing both women stay true to their ever-growing personal styles. They both chose gowns hovering around the red, but in sweet and surprising hues. I appreciated Michelle wearing Louis Vuitton on the carpet and loved that she chose a lower neckline. The delicate pleats and ruffles on the coral silk mousseline and organza creation were nothing short of ladylike. Both ladies wore major diamonds in a simple strand around their necks that elevated their demure gowns to just the right level of innocent glamour. Ladylike Cherie herself, Natalie Portman, chose Dior, which made me feel a bit fuzzy in side. It was sad to see her disassociation from the brand after that whole Galliano fiasco last year. While the dress was quiet in it’s simple strapless corset bodice and lightly gathered skirt, the black on red swiss-dot material was delightful. Natalie’s hair and makeup were spot on and completed the look just right. Conclusions: Both were beautiful as always and as sweet as ever.
Tina Fey
She got the exclusive on Carolina Herrara, and she did her proud! This is the best Tina Fey has ever looked. Conclusion: Get it, Tina!
Sandra Bullock
While Marchesa worked her for when accepting her Best Actress Award for The Blind Side, it felt slightly off in the mix of this years festivities. I like the dress and appreciate the ornateness of the metallic appliqué; it looks awkwardly placed at the dropped waistline and incohesive with such a boldly contrasting color block. (Kind of just ‘stuck on there’ as my Fashion School Instructors would say.) The whole gown feels a bit heavy and ill fitting, which is a shame because I love for her to look like the American Princess she is. Like, is that a silk charmeuse? Because it looks so much weightier than that. Is it cut on the bias? Because if it’s not it should be. Oh, well. There’s always next time, Sandy. Conclusion: She missed the boat and looked disoriented in the process. I wish it were two years ago for her.
The Bridesmaids
Melissa looked better, sadly, at previous galas. I wish Kristin Wiig wore something a little more exciting. She kind of got me pumped for her appearance when she wore that Balenciaga a few weeks back. She really likes nude colors, and I want to see her in something with some… I don’t know, detail? The girl in the coppery embellished-head-to-toe Armani Prive looked amazing, Ellie Kempner. But while I didn’t mind her matchy-matchy hair color, I did not care particularly for her bangs. I fancied that dress because it reminded me of a crazy (read: crazy amazing) Thierry Mugler creation I recently used for inspiration. Rose Byrne stole this rodeo show in her midnight blue, sequined Vivienne Westwood, which appeared black on camera. L-O-V-E-D it. It just looked so slithery and I love when dark colors have such dimension. It instantly stopped my heart. And I feel bad for Maya Rudolph. She could have looked better, which sucks, ‘cause I love her and I totally blame her self-indulged stylist Brad Goreski for that. That dress just didn’t really do anything for her and wasn’t too exciting. Conclusions: Rose Byrne was up there in the Top Five, and the Armani was a stellar contribution to the cast’s Oscar choices. On the whole, they looked great together.
Penelope Cruz
Is it wrong that I wish she looked more beautiful than she did? In an award season with the Latin bombshell role dominated by Sofia Vergara, I was so looking forward to a fashion-breath of fresh air and seeing Penelope Cruz in something à la Sofia Loren. She still looked like a total movie star. The flowy, off-the shoulder Georgio Armani gown in sheer layered, iridescent-seeming periwinkle was lovely and princess-like and her hair and makeup was understated and soft. Conclusion: Penelope was gorgeous but lacked her usual explosive Red Carpet drama.
Stacy Keibler
I’m sorry Stacy Keibler, but you’re a wrestler, right? Just the whole situation of you on the arm of George Clooney this award season made all those blind gossip rumors I’ve ever read seem true, and I won’t get into them but—George, really? I don’t understand why they don’t just call everything the Harvey Weinstein Awards. And let his wife, who is clearly not married to him because they love each other, just dress ALL of the nominees in her Marchesa. It’s always lovely, yes, beautiful… but it’s all starting to get so predictable and inner-circle to appreciate. The press on the Red Carpet mentioned that Georgina Chapman gave Stacy first pick of the new collection before it even showed in NYFW. What the hell is that? Out of everyone? The gown was a gorgeous, asymmetrically pleated and draped gown of golden silk that looked liquid on camera, by the way. Conclusion: She looked nice, like his cufflinks.
Angelina Jolie
If that bald headed guy from the Descendants, who won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, didn’t make fun of you, Angeline Jolie, I would feel the need to mention your ridiculous pose. I got that you were working that sexy slit, okay? You didn’t need to stand spread eagle all night. That guy cracked me up and relieved all of my tension towards you though, so, I loved your Versace. I loved the giant brooch in the back, which made it clear that your waist is the size of a piece of jewelry. You said you chose your dress at the last minute, and I’m glad, because you va-voomed us all in a different way, a slight departure from your skin-skimming, vampy gowns of norm. Conclusion: The Hollywood Queen stunned again. The voluminous Versace added even more allure to her 90-pound frame.
The Cast of The Help
She may not have nabbed any of the awards this season, but Jessica Chastain KILLED IT in Alexander McQueen. The royal-worthy black gown embroidered with gold, hand-appliqued lace was insane. And her perfect strawberry blonde hair in loose waves with natural make up rounded it out in a way that I thought would make Cate Blanchett and Queen Elizabeth proud. Her cast mate Octavia Spencer looked amazing. Sorry to Say I wasn’t a fan of Viola Davis’ overall look, even though I loved her natural hair and thought the Vera Wang gown was really beautiful. I was hoping for a bit more from Emma Stone, too. She looked great in the Giambatissta Valli, but I wanted to see her in more of a ball gown. Unfortunately, the dress she described as fuscia has already drawn comparison, and rightly so, to the red Balenciaga that Nicole Kidman wore in Oscars past. While I’ll always love her as the Rich Man’s Lindsay Lohan, I, unfortunately, feel my girl Ms. Stone missed an opportunity for a real fashion *moment* tonight. I mean, it’s the fucking Oscars, man! Conclusions: Chastain and McQueen were a killer combo and a Best Dressed Nominee, Octavia did it again, and the others could have ended on a higher note, but only because they’d already reached such Award Season highs.
Cameron Diaz/Jennifer “JLo” Lopez
I bet Cameron Diaz and Jennifer “JLo” Lopez didn’t even talk to each other back stage before they presented. That’s just an inkling—I don’t know, are they friends? I also bet, that if there was a pool going on somewhere over which of this pair’s nipples would slip, most people would have bet on Cameron and lost money. Damn JLo’s love of cutouts and deep cleavage. Oh well, the Oscars seems like as good an event as any for a nipple-related wardrobe malfunction. NOT. While I appreciated their coordinating gowns, in Gucci and Zuhair Murid, respectively, neither of them wowed me. It could be argued that they were merely presenters and not nominees (obviously?), but they both could have been stunners on the Red Carpet. JLo looks great, and I love imagining her running into Diddy on the after party circuit. Cameron looks a little…tired. And I can’t figure out why she was there really. I love how DIVA JLo had a seat in the center of the front row and Cameron was well, not really seated near there. Conclusion: JLo and Cameron looked cool and clean in shiny whites, yet; somehow, their gorgeous gowns were tired and predictable. And worse, in such elegant company, the duo seemed somewhat out of place.
Gwyneth Paltrow
I squealed when I heard Gwynnie would be wearing Tom Ford. Squealed. The man is my fashion God. Besides that, Gwyneth Paltrow looked unreal on that red carpet and her sleek, minimalistic, clean, and fucking perfect glamour SHUT THAT STEP-AND-REPEAT DOWN. I also was soooooooo happy that she didn’t show off her whole entire body, not because she doesn’t always look great, but because she doesn’t have to. She’s like, Hollywood Royalty, and therefore I appreciate when she dresses as such. Ugh, Die—Such subtle sculpting around the bustier and the cape for the carpet, draped into such smoothly a contrasted fall… it was a study and an achievement in beauty and restraint. It all just makes me think that if Tom Ford dressed everyone, the world would be a better place. I also KNOW that the inside of this dress is the true star of the show, because it can’t be anything less than masterful in there to make the outside look like that, Gwyneth bod or not. Conclusion: You know what, forget about it. She WINS! Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford is the Best Dressed of the 2012 Acadamy Awards. Done.
Glenn Close
She was not talked about enough last night and looksed positively radiant in her ac Posen gown and jacket. The color was gorgeous and the fit was impeccable. Conclusion: She looked AMAZING and receives and HONORABLE MENTION.
Nina Garcia
I was thrilled to find out that Nina and Tim would be doing the ABC red carpet. FINALLY! Some people to talk about fashion that don’t make me want to wring their necks on at least one occasion during the broadcast. Nina looking fucking amazing and still professional, like any superstar fashion editor would, and her presence was a super extra-added bonus. She wore a strapless black Galliano Couture column gown with an architecturally shaped bust line to perfection. Conclusion: One of my favorites… She’ll make the list, in deed.
BEST DRESSED:
1.) Gwynth Paltrow in Tom Ford
2.) Rooney Mara in Givenchy Couture
3.) Rose Byrne in Vivienne Westwood
4.) Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen
5.) Milla Jovavich in Elie Saab
6.) Nina Garcia in Galliano Couture
7.) Angeline Jolie in Versace
MISSED ON THE RED CARPET:
1.) Katie Holmes
2.) Catherine Zeta Jones
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