With so much at stake, how can some stars get it so wrong on the red carpet? Thankfully some actresses took a leaf out of Hollywood old style, writes PHYL CLARKE
FORGET LONDON, PARIS and Milan – the greatest fashion show on Earth is televised live to an audience of millions on a red carpet runway.
Each year, the stars make that walk from the limo to their seats at the Academy Awards, giving assembled fans, media and the world a first glimpse of the dress which they hope will be splashed across today’s papers for all the right reasons.
They are well aware of the power of that dress. Painful memories of Oscar dress disasters such as Celine Dion’s back to front tuxedo suit in 1999 and Bjork’s “swan” dress in 2001 have kept the A-list on the straight and narrow. Better to play it safe than risk the ridicule heaped on an “alternative” choice that misses its mark.
This year’s awards reflected the current global mood with a mostly sombre palette, and the classic style of new first lady Michelle O was not lost on the designers.
It was back to Hollywood old school for the most part, with the occasional slip of good taste (thank goodness). One of the most anticipated moments did not involve a little gold statue at all. Poor Jennifer Aniston had to present an award just feet away from ex-husband Brad Pitt, seated in the front row with Angelina Jolie. The pressure!
Jennifer played it safe wearing a nude beaded sheath, but was no match for the sheer jaw-dropping glamour of Angelina’s Jessica Rabbit number in midnight black, accentuated with emerald green earrings. Just imagine, all that and Brad too.
The 2009 awards reflected some recurring themes – asymmetric necklines, off-the-shoulder or one-shoulder dresses, and lace which was featured as a top layer over other fabrics. Shapes were either a classic sheath or “column” (popular for its resemblance to the coveted statue) or full-skirted “princess” dresses. Stand up Sarah Jessica Parker – you are a 44-year-old woman, stop dressing like an eight-year-old on her way to a fairy party.
Star of the night was undoubtably Kate Winslet, but her dress, a grey silk creation by YSL, was not a showstopper. The black lace overlay which should have elongated her body was scuppered by an unnecessary belt which cut the look in two. Her hair was tortured-looking and the whole affair was a bit too try-hard, and looked it. Kate had already found the perfect dress shape for her – a simple tailored column with a bias mermaid skirt from the knee down. She wore this shape to great effect recently in royal blue to the SAGs, and in black to the Baftas.
The nude colour palette was also in evidence, working for Sophia Loren in a straw-coloured confection – with somewhat too many frills and flounces going on – but La Loren made it work. Meryl Streep obviously took her role in the film Doubtvery seriously, as her drab taupe dress had more than a feel of a nun's habit to it. Good neckline, however.
Shock news of the night was that Tilda Swinton wore make-up at last and tried to redeem herself from last year’s dress/bin liner horror.
Mind you, she was the most covered up star at the awards, in an up-to-the-neck long-sleeved blouse in “greige” teamed with a floor-length black skirt. Still, we must be grateful for the lipstick.
Whites and pales were another popular choice and were some of the strongest dresses. Anne Hathaway shone in a simple Armani Privé gown. The beaded fabric and drape gave this dress a life of its own, dazzling as she moved. Penélope Cruz gave us a break from her favourite black in a white vintage Balmain gown. She was missing a few accessories though – namely a wedding veil and a groom. She obviously went to the same school of inappropriate dressing as SJP.
Armani stole the show for the men – apart from Brad Pitt, who wore Tom Ford. Although Mickey Rourke was to go home Oscarless, he was the standout in the male style stakes in a white tuxedo by Jean Paul Gaultier and plenty of chains by jeweller Stephen Webster. Instead of a tie, he wore a pendant with an image of his recently deceased dog, Loki. Bless.
