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Add this one to the list of hot Oscar fashion parties: superstar singer Keri Hilson, who looked so great in her Dolce & Gabbana gown at the Grammy Awards, will co-host and sing at a private party on Friday night, tomorrow, for the Badgley Mischka Platinum Label at the Hollywood restaurant Beso. She’ll of course wear the brand – a lower price line of gowns and dresses by Mark and James, and you can get a really great gown for this weekend at a price point of about $400 to $800 dollars – and that’s AMAZING! The line is carried at Neiman Marcus, and you can see it all on NeimanMarcus.com. It’s an Okay Magazine Oscar party, which shows you how much the weekly mags want to be part of the fashion game. Meanwhile, the new Little Santa Monica Blvd. Badgley Mishka store is under construction, and looks like it will be opening pretty soon – it’s at the corner of Rodeo, opposite Missoni.
Alberta Ferretti? Moschino? Escada? Badgley Mischka? Gucci? Valentino? Prada? These are all labels that have appeared on many a red carpet over the years did NOT make their way onto female nominees or presenters for this year’s Golden Globes. (Prada DID dress Jessica Capshaw, though, who went with her mother Kate Capshaw, and with Steven Spielberg). And it wasn’t for lack of trying. Apparently, these labels and their prs were out there, slugging away with celebrity stylists, trying to get their looks scene, worn – and even presented sketches of original looks they could create.
But the dresses we DID see were for a reason: MOST of them were shaped, boned and corseted, creating great figures on the red carpet. Soft, loose gowns don’t tend to photograph well – unless they are on Angelina Jolie.
In the case of Valentino, the brand has just gotten rid of one designer and is in the midst of starting with another – so they didn’t even try. What a shame. It was the first Golden Globes in about twenty years to NOT have at least one Valentino.
FYI – the Oscar nominations are January 22, 2009.
Since Sarah Jessica Parker stopped going to the Emmys, the high fashion quotient of this particular red carpet has fallen off considerably. Watching the 60th annual Emmys on Sunday night, we wondered: where are the labels? Sure, true fashionista Heidi Klum was trend-spot-on in her metallic one shoulder tiered Armani Prive’ – but where was the Dior? (Rita Wilson WAS wearing Dior, but it was white, and didn’t fit her properly at all.) Where was the Chanel? Where was the Lanvin, the Nina Ricci, the Givenchy, the Balenciaga? The Valentino? There are so many fabulous dresses out there right now – Anna Hathaway’s Versace at the Venice Film Festival took our breath away – but the Emmy dresses were wildly typical.
True, Kyra Sedgwick DID wear L’Wren Scott, a very progressive designer – but a tight white cocktail sheath is not a huge fashion statement. The problem with the Emmys is that they hit between NY and London fashion weeks, and then Milan, which started today. Somehow, it ups the ante for Emmy visuals when fashionistas everywhere are checking out Style.com to look at the fresh looks for Europe every minute.
Since everyone is doing TOP TEN LISTS, here is Fashionrules.com’s TOP TEN LIST OF EMMY FASHION, in no particular order:
JANUARY JONES: We know a lot of critics were hoping to see Ms. Jones, a spittin’ image of Grace Kelly, channel her character Betty Draper from “Mad Men” – and we can undertand why: Betty is beyond chic in her Hermes riding looks and lovely skirts and sweaters. However, we love that January wore a white Dolce & Gabbana fishtail gown – she is one of the few women in the world who could look good in something like this. It was made for her. It’s daring, it’s tight, it’s sexy – and she rocked it. We also loved the Grecian headbands she wrapped around her, totally staying away from Betty Draper’s little wavy flip.
MARCIA CROSS: We’ve heard a lot of flack about Marcia’s pale lace and tulle couture cocktail dress by Elie Saab – but we LOVED it. So what if it’s the same color as her skin? There is no rule that says that’s a crime – as long as it looks good, and it did. (The red hair helped.) We loved the lace insets, which is a huge trend for fall –and the full tulle skirt, which is exactly what we saw on the spring runways of NY Fashion week. Nothing desperate or housewifey here at all.
HEIDI KLUM: Heidi knows how to work a look, and years of practice have taught this ex-super-model how to work it head to toe. Because her metallic one shoulder tiered Armani Prive gown was a stunner – and had a lot of fabric – she pulled back the hair, and worked a lowkey makeup look. With the wrong makeup and hair, this dress could have been a disaster – but Heidi knows the golden rule of flamboyant dresses: take everything else down a peg. It came off like a charm – and she made a major dress look almost simple – and chic. She actually looked comfortable in that dress – a hard thing to pull off. The dress NEVER wears Heidi – Heidi ALWAYS wears the dress.
MARISKA HARGITAY: There’s yellow – and then there’s marigold. Mariska’s Carolina Herrera asymmetrical gown was a bold choice, and went well with her skintone and her haircolor. We also loved her cute French twist, which was chic and made the dress look more high fashion – but not TOO high fashion. A perfect head to toe look – very now. Chic, high fashion – and a little bit casual, as her hair was loose and her makeup downplayed.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE: The light blue sari-like Reem Acra dress is pretty, and particularly pretty on a blonde. But there’s a lot of fabric here, and it kind of took over Applegate’s look – we really couldn’t see her fabulous figure. Also, the tight high up-do and deep red lips made this dress seem much more formal than it was. Applegate did not look like she was having fun. The dress was soft and flowy – and hair and makeup, very grown up and matronly. They simply didn’t well work together. We wanted to pull her hair looser, wipe off the lipstick, and take a scissor to half the dress. Then it would have been a winner.
PERREY REEVES: Reeves donned an Alice Temperley cream strapless dress with red and black detail – and Temperley’s dresses are floaty, beautifully designed, and unique – congrats for picking a great designer who’s underused on the red carpet. Her hair was soft and pretty, and we saw a whole other side of her from Entourage’s uptight anorexic Mrs. Ari.
OLIVIA WILDE: It doesn’t hurt that “House’s” Wilde is a true exotic beauty. But instead of going for a sexy Pussycat Dolls look, she chose a demure pearl grey Reem Acra Grecian chiffon gown with small cap sleeves – and it really highlighted her beauty. She looked better than anyone – and it wasn’t all about her dress. It was all about her.
SANDRA OH: We simply LOVE this black and neutral lace Oscar de la Renta gown with a bow belt – it hits all the right trends, and even with a skirt that bells into tiers of lace, it is still shaped to Sandra’s lithe body. A winner!!! This gown manages to grab attention while remaining a bit quiet – a hard combo to come by.
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS: “Mad Men’s” busty redhead busted out of the series in her first red carpet appearance in an emerald dress Grecian gown by Tadashi that accentuates her overflowing cleavage and her creamy skintone. Again, she chose to play away from Joan Holloway, her “Mad Men” sexy secretary – and show her modernity. We love a redhead in bright green. And in this age of the 90 pound actress, we love a voluptuous goddess.
DEBRA MESSING: Messing is a fashion pro – she simply gets it, and always has. Since “Will & Grace” has gone off the air, she’s had a tendency to play it down and play it safe – but her safe is everybody else’s risk. Her wavy hair and heavy lashes did her justice, and the black strapless Monique L’hullier gown with a big lacy skirt was both dramatic and subtle at the same time. Also, she was accompanying her husband, who was nominated for writing – and didn’t want to steal his thunder. But Ms. Messing always has a little fashion thunder clapping wherever she goes.
HONORABLE MENTION:
BROOKE SHIELDS: LOVE the color of this Badgley Mischka fuscia floral lace gown, and only a woman as tall and chic as Brooke could pull this off. It took some nerve – and she’s got it.
VANESSA WILLIAMS: She looked slinky and chic in this Kevan Hall white mermaid gown with black and pink floral detail. Williams was one of the very few women to brave wearing a print – and she carried it solidly. Wisely, she toned down the hair and makeup, and looked gorgeous. A tigress in the lipstick jungle.
TINA FEY: Her deep purple strapless David Meister was very sexy for this normally underdone comedienne. But she wore it well – keeping her hair messy so that she didn’t have to look like she was trying too hard. Tina – you’re nearly at bombshell status: don’t hold back!!! She needs to get that embarrassed, “Is this really ME?” look off her face, and own it.
AMERICA FERRERA: One of the few actresses who can pull off red lipstick, she waved her hair forties style to go with it, and donned a strapless vintage ruched dress that looked really old Hollywood, but modern at the same time. How is it ugly Betty is emerging as a real fashions star? Well, if you work at a fashion magazine . . .
And, as long as we’re doing the TOP TEN LIST, we might as well do a NOT QUITE GOOD ENOUGH list, too:
KATE WALSH: Oh, Kate! You look so hot and sexy in your scrubs – why didn’t you just wear those? We’re all in favor of actresses breaking out of their tv images – in her case, “Grey’s Anatomy’s” and “Private Practice’s” Addison Montgomery – but with a blunt bob and dark red lips and in a super tight Zuhair Murad HORIZONTAL STRIPED DRESS (the ultimate no no!!! Kate Walsh looking hippie?) was SO not Addison, she was barely recognizable. Kate – fire your stylist. It ain’t workin. You can do so much better.
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS: We live salmon color, and we liked it on Julia. We love Narciso Rodriguez. But this dress is WAY TOO TIGHT for JLD’s body. It belongs on a runway model, not a star this fleshy. How great it might have looked if Narciso had done it in a softer, more forgiving fabric – but then, that isn’t what he does. He does skintight. That’s why his clothes don’t usually make it to awards shows, unless they’re on Rachel Weisz, who somehow pulls it off. Perhaps she should lend her set of spanx to Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
EVA LONGORIA PARKER: The silver bow and fringe flapper dress by Marchesa is super cute for a movie premier or a cocktail party – but not the Emmys. It looks wildly undignified – although to Eva’s credit, it IS fashion forward. Cute, yes – chic, no. There’s too much bust showing AND too much leg – Eva never learned you have to chose just one. Also, the flat flat bob and the heavily contoured brown blush with no lip color and what looks like an entire cake of black liner is just SO eighties, we’re having a Joan Collins moment. Eva clearly thinks she has become Victoria Beckham – but she isn’t tall enough – nor bold enough – to pull off what Posh can pull off. Who is?’’
LAUREN CONRAD: Lauren Conrad designed Lauren Conrad’s navy strapless dress with the brooch – and quite honestly, she needs a better designer. LC does fine with simple prom styles for her 16 year old fans – but for the Emmys, she could have done a lot better. We know a marketing tool when we see one. Navy is nice – but what about a full short skirt with a tight bodice, and a tulle underskirt, a la Oscar de la Renta? Lauren didn’t get that lesson in sewing class ye t- she’s still on strapless prom dress 101. Next time, Lauren, wear Nina Ricci. Honey, leave it to the experts. You can sell your dresses at Target, but not with millions watching.
TERI HATCHER: Teri’s Monique L’hullier ruffled yellow gown was pretty – but better for a summer awards show than a fall one. Maybe L.A. WAS in the eighties on Emmy day – but nowhere else was. Yellow is the hardest color of all to wear, as we know – and while it works well on brunettes, the dress just took over – and Teri’s slightly fell-out-of-bed hair and makeup made it look like she threw on her nightgown, hailed a cab, and ran over.
HAYDEN PANETTIERE: The young star looks fresh with her hair simple and pulled back, but the dress looks like it’s her mothers – it’s too long and it’s too mature. With all those fresh ballerina looks out there, it’s a shame she had to look so dour.
HOLLY HUNTER: First of all, Hunter didn’t know that the “young L.A. designer Jenny Packham” is actually a British designer. Know your designers, people!! You got the dress for free, now memorize a few lines! We liked Hunter in the lavender color, but the dress has little shape, and was built for a twenty year old. Hunter’s got a great figure, but could have used more tailoring and shape – not a halter that just hangs there. Also, her frizzy over-dyed blonde hair didn’t help matters. This is the way teenagers go to awards shows: NOT Oscar winners. Holly, fire your stylist.
