Oscar Fashion 2009!

Our watching-group's consensus was that it was a pretty good Oscars this year. We all enjoyed the new format of presenting the acting nominations, especially seeing how much it meant to each person being honored. But like every year, the most fun to be had is seeing how everyone looks! There were some very interesting dresses this year and some surprising trends. At least outwardly, the fashion didn't seem to reflect a country in deep financial turmoil. There was plenty of sparkling and shimmering on the dresses and on the insane jewelry dripping off their wearers. I tried to pick a "yay" and a "nay" for each of the looks I saw. Let's get to it!

Pretty in Pink - Yay!
Alicia Keys had one of my favorite dresses of the evening. The color suited her skin and I loved the intricate bodice with the simple skirt. It was flattering and feminine. Her eye makeup was a little out of control, but overall her look was great.


Pretty in Pink - Meh
Okay, Natalie Portman is gorgeous, there's no question. I just thought this dress was so bridesmaid-with-bejeweled-under-boob. I don't know if it was the color, the cut, or both, but I just wasn't loving it. The longer I stared at the picture, the more and more it looked like a face on the bodice, with that one piece of fabric like a long tongue going, "Pthhhhbbbbttttt."


Here Comes the Bride - Yay!
There were lots of white and cream colored dresses this year. One that I absolutely loved was Taraji P. Henson. She might just have been my best dressed from head to toe! The soft layers were visually interesting but didn't distract from the curvy silhouette. She just looked so happy all night that it made her look even more beautiful.


Here Comes the Bride in Her Undergarment
Melissa George (who I think maybe used to be on Grey's Anatomy?) completely forgot her wedding dress on the way to the altar but decided her undergarment was dress-like enough to make a quick pit stop on the Oscars red carpet. No, but seriously. It laced up the back and it even had a little satin bow between her boobs. What?


Here Comes the Bride - Ugh.
My apologies to the lovely Jessica Biel but this dress totally sucked. If a dress is going to start "is she pregnant with Justin Timberlake's baby under there" rumors then it should at least be a hot rumor-starting dress. It didn't fit on the top, the column skirt looked stiff like someone had wrapped silk butcher paper around her legs, and what is the weird flapping business in the front? On the plus side, she was wearing a killer cuff bracelet that we girls agreed we would like to own.


Sparkly Ladies - Yes and Yes!
My favorite sparkly dresses were worn by two funny ladies, Tina Fey and Leslie Mann. Both of these ladies are petite so the effect of a fully-beaded dress wasn't overwhelming. They chose similarly cut dresses that were SO flattering on their figures. I was glad to see Tina out of the basic black/other dark colors. I thought she looked even better on stage than she did in pictures, plus her bit with Steve Martin was hilarious.


Leslie's was borderline disco-ball, but in a fun and flirty way that was still tasteful. (In case you're wondering, she is an actress but also married to director Judd Apetow, which is why she appears in lots of his movies.)


Sparkly Ladies - Okay
Anne Hathaway is great. She seems like the cream of the crop in terms of young adults in Hollywood. She is uniquely beautiful, too, and I love that she's the antithesis of the gross tanorexic girls. But sometimes - this Oscars look, for example - her style seems severe. I love the skirt of this gown, but the bodice is so formed it looks solid, like you could knock on it and hurt your hand. So I don't think she looks bad, but I would like to see her do something a little softer next time.


That's A Whole Lotta Dress But I Think I Like It
Penelope Cruz's dress was vintage, and not like last-decade vintage either. She apparently found the 60-year-old dress several years ago and was saving it for a special occassion. While it is very bridal, it is still stunning. The lace is so soft and romantic, and even though the dress is aged it looks timelessly beautiful. I love that she wore the very simple jewelry and a simple updo and left it at that.


That's a Whole Lotta Dress and I Am Feeling Ambivilent
I think the thing that concerned me the most about Sarah Jessica Parker's dress was that it looked to be causing her cleavage physical pain. And I just think the dead center part is very rarely flattering on most women. SJP included. I like that the dress is kind of out there, which is very "her," and I think the silhouette is nice for her petite frame. But the boobs! Ouch!


That's a Whole Lotta Dress and You're Scaring Me
Beyonce. Oh, Beyonce. This dress apparently came from you and your mom's House of Dereon fashion line and I just want to say... don't quit your day job. You are a foxy, curvaceous woman and I'm sure it is soul-sucking to have to work this business next to tiny little actresses whose toothpick bodies you could break with one Sasha Fierce swerve of your hips. But why must you always wear these crazy fishtail gowns? The gigantic gold flocked flower pattern, the neckline shaped like cat ears... I can't. I just can't. PS. Your skin is pretty.


Straps and beads and lace, Oh My!
Kate Winslet & Reese Witherspoon both had dresses that had lots of different elements happening. Kate's was more successful in my opinion. I loved the grey-blue color, the silhouette, and just how awesome she seems in general. But I must admit the one shoulder, the black belt, the black mesh sparkly lace thing over one hip... it was a little much to take in. Also her hair was incredible, technically speaking (imagine the hairspray!) but gave her whole look a steely quality. Maybe that's what she was going for.


Reese's dress had even more accoutrements, not all of which can even be seen in this picture. The skirt is ombre! There's strappy things that are not symmetrical! And beading! Also not symmetrical, but in a different non-symmetrical-ness than the straps. And there were some mysterious looking clear/flesh colored straps too! Also a train! Now I can't stop with the exclamations! It's too much!!!!


Fine, You're the Queen of Beauty. At Least You Smiled This Time. Some.
Angelina Jolie. The dress was simple, and of course, black. She's deigning to spend one night entertaining us mere mortals, so she can't get too worked up about it. But I can't fight it anymore. She's gorgeous. The dress was somehow both sexy and demure. It was soft and looked effortless. Her hair was amazing and I want to take it and wear it on my head. And then, those emeralds. You couldn't tear your eyes away from them! Stunning. She did much more smiling and laughing than all the past years of appearances by Stoic Serious Angie, so I have to give her some props to that. And she got Brad to stop it with the nasty 'stache and grow a proper goatee. For that I will give her my Most Improved award.


Well that about wraps up my take on everything! Now I want to hear from you! Who had a dress you want for your own closet? Who looked like a hot mess?