Now this is what you call a DRESS. And on the right woman, for sure – not too many tv actresses could pull this off. They have to be as gorgeous as January Jones, have her back, her legs – and most of all, the nerve to wear it. The crazy stiff skirt, shorter in front (big trend of the night), in blue (the color of the night), with such an interesting cut – even in the back. We love that she didn’t muck it up with too much jewelry. But the middle parted oddball straight hair? Granted, it’s weird – looks like 1972 – but it sort of works with the dress. She obviously had a very advanced team working with her.

Kate Beckinsale is probably one of the best dressed actresses in Hollywood, and often overlooked because she’s so chic always that she doesn’t get that sudden “wow” from the media – the media is spoiled by her always looking great. For instance, Kate turned up to the premier of the new Drew Barrymore rom com, “Going the Distance” at the Chinese theater last night (she and Drew made a movie with Robert DeNiro a few years ago) in what might be late summer’s chicest and most fashion-forward look: a white leather Versace resort 2011 shift dress with black dotted pocket details. Her high platform black silk pumps were by Ferragamo. Isn’t it interesting that you could get so much more mileage out of a short white leather dress than a crazy long busy gown? Meanwhile, you can tell the status of an actress right now by what season they’re wearing: anyone still wearing fall 2010 is not an A lister. A listers are onto resort, and in a few weeks, the brand new spring 2011 collections. And of course, Hollywood fashion has its own pecking order. It’s determined by looks and taste – NOT box office.

Most actresses don’t wear a couture dress to a movie premier – those amazing creations (straight off the European runways in early July) are saved for the Golden Globes and the Oscars, and only for the A list-iest of the A list. But Jessica Biel makes any dress look good, so no wonder designers want her wearing their most amazing creations. To the German premier of “The A Team” in Berlin, she donned this strapless, fitted, powder blue Atelier Versace cocktail dress, gathered slightly at the waist and covered entirely in intricate beading. We love her hair all smooth and on the side part like that – very chic – and a nice contrast to the elaborate dress.

Now that the opening episode of the 4th season of “Mad Men” debuted on AMC this past Sunday night, January Jones is the media’s IT girl of the summer – along with Angelina, of course. Both ladies give great fashion face, but January doesn’t have one specific style, and wears all kinds of designers and colors and looks. And what she wears out and about is NOTHING like what Betty Draper, her character, would wear – Betty is VERY pent up and now that she’s divorced Don, she looks even more anxious and she’s smoking more. NY had a quick press junget/”Mad Men” premier this week, and to that, the lovely Ms. Jones wore a short white beaded Versace dress, with draped fringe on it. It’s elaborate and chic at the same time, and we love the black eyeliner. And to appear on Jimmy Fallon’s late night show, she wore this adorable Marchesa yellow patterned fringe cocktail dress – both dresses are very festive and chic, with a lot of detail, but very simple shapes.

Versace has always dressed Angelina Jolie a lot – and lately, she wore a white strapless Versace dress, a black leather Versace jacket and pencil skirt to Comic Con – and now – this amazing red chiffon halter gown with a draped train and draped bust to the Moscow premier of “Salt.” And all of Milan must be buzzing amount the amount of press this gown will get the house of Versace – which always turns into sales of some kind. This may be the most attention grabbing and audience-commanding dress Angelina has ever worn. We’re used to her in subdued black gowns, which is obviously her thing – but the Russian audience is HUGE, “Salt” could be a mega hit there – and she plays a woman accused of being a Russian spy. Not only that, red is the Soviet Russian color associated with the nation. Angelina clearly knows when to turn the volume up – and now that the movie has come in number 2 after “Inception” at the American box office – it does need a little bit of a kick. International sales could definitely provide that. And you thought these dresses were chosen by mood or aesthetics? Almost as much goes into choosing a dress for a movie premier as the movie’s ad campaign!!

The internet and blogosphere are all lit up with news of Angelina Jolie’s visit to Comic-Con, in San Diego, the current convention of comic enthusiasts, which has turned into a movie convention, because so many movies are based on comics these days. Angelina’s new action spy thriller “Salt” is NOT based on a comic book, but certainly the audience of Comic-Con – and the press that’s being generated out of it – were worth the visit. The movie is meant to beat “Inception” this weekend, which is a big fete. In any case, she wore what looked like an early fall style outfit: a Versace fitted black leather jacekt and black Versace pencil skirt. It’s SO Angelina and so perfect. And it suits the look of her character, Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent on the run, accused of being a spy. That “Matrix” all-black with leather look is one Angelina always goes back to – and she’s the one woman in the world who this look REALLY suits – since it’s clear she’s got more than a touch of the classic American rebel in her. – Merle Ginsberg

In deep summer, just when you think there’s not that much going on in Hollywood, there are still movies coming out, tv shows debuting, and ladies who like to dress up in sexy clothes and strut their stuff for the world to see. Last night, the 18th annual ESPY sports awards were given out at the Nokia – on one of the warmest nights of the year. So what’s a girl to wear? Sounds like a moment for Versace. Ashley Greene, who is no stranger to a sexy showstopping dress, wore a red, high-neck sleeveless Versace cocktail dress with an asymmetric hemline and a diagonal slit detail on the front right side. January Jones (“Mad Men” is back next weekend) was a presenter, and a white halter mini dress from Versace’s Fall 2010 Collection. This might be the shortest sexiest dress we’ve seen her wear yet. It definitely is NOT Betty Draper!

Did she wear white because she’s starring in a movie called “Salt” – ? Probably not, but it was still a shrewd move by Angelina Jolie, who almost always wears black. But that would have been all wrong for the Cancun Mexico kick off of the press for her new action/spy movie, “Salt.” It co-stars her with Liev Schreiber – she plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent who gets accused to being a Russian spy. (All the more interesting as the U.S. outed a young woman yesterday who posed as American – but WAS a Russian spy). Angelina showed up in Cancun to do press with another co-star, Chiwetel Ejiofor and director Philip Noyce. She flew in minus Brad, who is apparently prepping to start shooting the movie “Moneyball,” which has been put off for a while now. But the four kids: Maddonx, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh – were along for the ride with mom on a private plane. The dress is a white strapless Versace ruched and draped at the sweetheart neck, and touching just over the knees – almost demure compared to Kristen Stewart’s latest dresses – but sexy as hell on Angelina. Her hair looks much longer, and we love her summer light makeup and tiny earrings. Let’s face it, she can do no wrong.

While fans in some cities are already lining up to purchase tickets to the June 30th opening of “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” – summer blockbuster warning ahead! – Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are running around to European capitals to do advance press for the movie, so that next week, they can concentrate on the U.S. market. And in Europe, dress like the Europeans do. At the Berlin film promotion, Kristen sported a very short Versace fall/ winter 2010/2011 black and royal blue short shorty with criss cross zippers at the back. The boot shoes she donned with it were very punk, very spikey and tough – but of course, when in Berlin, dress like the Berliners – which is edgy at the least. Then, hopping to a fan event in Sweden a few days later with Taylor Lautner, she softened it up in a satin printed floral strapless cocktail dress – not quite as short, but still – pretty short. With her hair down this time, the look was a little softer – more Scandinavian in style. Looks like her stylists did some recon.