Red Carpet at the Emmys 2010 on Sunday night 8.29.10

Claire Danes

Claire Danes was a vision at the Emmy on Sunday night.  She took my breath away in the 90’s as one of my favorite teen idols and fast forward 15 years later, she took my breath away in this golden shimmer dress by Armani Prive!  The dress was covered head to toe in crystals and beads.  It definitely worked very well for her slender body shape.  The simple hair and golden makeup totally pulled the look together without competing with the dress.  This is something to keep in mind if you’re wearing a “Wow” dress like this.

However, this dress style is not for everyone.  It requires that you have a relatively proportionate body (hour glass shape) to really pull it off.  The reason is because there are no details like ruffles or pleats to diverge your attention away so every curves (the flattering type and ahem, the rolls) show too.  A body shaper is a must to master the look.  Every imperfection will show, ladies.  If you have the right assets, this is the style to go for at the red carpet or at the next black-tie event.  I do wonder how heavy was this dress?

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt knows her figure and style.  She is one of the most fashion-forward actresses in Hollywood.  Although some people criticized her choice for the Emmy, I personally think this dress worked for her.  First, she was not nominated for the Emmy so this dress was rather understated, unlike Claire’s.  Second, the color and shape were very flattering on her and the one-should look is so hot right now.  The flowers and beadings added interest to the style and were not “screaming” out at you.  Most body types will be able to wear this dress beautifully.

Kelly Osbourne

Kelly Osbourne’s style has evolved so much over the years and she also impressed me at season 9 of Dancing with the Stars.  This black V-neck fitted sheath-style dress looked amazing on her.  It gave her a very feminine hourglass shape and highlighted her figure in an alluring way.  V-neck style is a good alternative to strapless.  You don’t need to always wear strapless dresses to formal events.

Also, it’s important that you find a dress that hits you at all the right spots – neckline, bust, waist, and hip.  If the dress is out of proportion, no matter how pretty the dress is, it will look strange on you.  Again, don’t forget your secret weapons – body shaper and push ups.  They will give you tight abs and perky busts.

January Jones

When Mad Men team went up the stage to accept the awards, I immediately noticed January Jones’ electric blue ruffled dress by Versace.  Although many people thought it was a terrible choice for her, I thought it served its purpose.  It demanded attention and brought her out to the spotlight.  Unlike the traditional classic red-carpet styles that we usually see, she broke outside the box.

Don’t get me wrong.  I don’t think this dress is for any body and for any occasion.  It requires a certain attitude and confidence along with the right body shape to make it work.  But in this case, she did it.  The neckline was sexy and the uneven hem was unexpected along with the bold color.  She kept her makeup simple and no jewelries so they don’t compete with the dress.  But her stylist could have done a better job with her hair.  It looked too causal for red carpet.  To translate the dress to the mass, the train should be cut off so the length is right around knee to below-the-knee.  Unless you are at least 5’6”, you should avoid tea length dresses.  They will make you look short.

Emily Deschanel

I wasn’t thrilled with Emily Deschanel’s choice at the Emmy.  The color was great and silhouette was flattering but the head-to-toe ruffle layers were just too much!  Even with a figure like hers, she looked like she gained 10 lbs.  So imagine for the rest of us with normal bodies.  Who wants to add chucks?  The dress would look great if the designer cut back on half of the ruffles and kept either the ruffled top or ruffled skirt.

Tina Fey

Tina Fay is one my favorite female comedy actresses.  I absolutely adore her yet many times, I question her dress choices (I wonder if she has a stylist?)  Let’s talk about the positives first.  The silhouette was flattering and the color combination popped.  I saw her curves and the train was appropriate for red carpet.

But it stopped right there.  The cap sleeves were way too tight on her so they made her arms appeared larger than they were.  I have the same problem so I always avoid tight cap sleeves like these.  The top would look more flattering if the dress was sleeveless instead.  Ladies, if you are self-conscious about your arms, don’t purchase tops or dress with wide shoulder bands either because they’ll make your arms look bigger.  Smaller bands (1-2” width) or spaghetti straps are the best choices.

Anna Paquin

Alexander McQueen is another favorite designer of mine but his style is more theatrical and dramatic.  Sometimes, it’s hard to translate to glamour and sophistication.  In this case, the dress was the wrong choice for Anna Paquin.  She looked like she was ready to slay some vampires in her black patent pumps on the red carpet (watch out, Bill!)  She drew attention alright but not necessary the positive type.  The statement embellishment on top was too much while it seemed like that there weren’t enough fabric to finish the length of the dress.

The embellishment on the top would have look fierce if it were made as a jacket paired with jeans for a night party.  The style would be so in line with the current rock & roll trend.  I think the intention and style was good but it was made for the wrong occasion.

What do you think of the dresses at the Emmys?

Photos courtesy of People.com and Emmys.com

LOVE

Left: Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy – Felicity Huffman dazzled in a gorgeous gown highlighting her perfectly toned arms.  The halter style neckline is perfect for those with broad or strong shoulders.

Right: Cameron Diaz picked the right color and silhouette.  The gown is elegant and figure-flattering.  If you have a boyish figure like Cameron, this style is perfect for you because the rushings create a waist for an athletic body.

Left: There is nothing simple about Penelope Cruz’s black lace gown.  I’m generally not a big fan of black dresses at formal events because they are hard to stand out.  But the dress worked wonderfully well here because it had lots of details and textures.

Right: Toni Collette looked perfect in this gold sequin dress by Elie Saab.  It is absolutely glamorous and eye-catching.

Emily Blunt & John Krasinski: If I have to pick the best dress at the Golden Globes, I would have to give the A+ to Emily Blunt.  The silhouette and fit are impeccable with the right amount of pleats and ruffles.  The look is very flirty but red carpet appropriate.  Even though she didn’t win Best Actress, she got my vote for the Best Dressed.

Not So Hot

Left: Overall, Drew Barrymore’s gown is not bad but the metallic ruffles that are growing out of her are.  The silhouette is actually very flattering and the champaign color is quite charming.  This would have been a stunning dress if someone had stepped back and edited.

Right: I love fitted gowns and black is always a safe color choice.  But not in this case for Mariah Carey.  The exaggerated plunging V-neck was over-the-top and the gown was simply too tight.  If you have an apple body shape like Mariah, this dress style will not help you balance out your top half.

Hate

Left: It’s the invasion of the ruffles!  I’m a fan of ruffles but this dress has crossed the line.  Sorry, Chloe Sevigny.  Nice color though.

Right: Although the style of the gown is not bad, the color choice is all wrong.  If you have fair skin like Elisabeth Moss, light, airy colors like blue mist will only fade you away.

Left: When I saw Sandra Bullock walked up the stage to accept her Best Actress award, I couldn’t help but stared at her gown.  Purple is one of my favorite colors but the sheer organza fabric used was horrendous.  The style and fit of the gown looked flattering but the fabric made the dress look cheap.

Right: Nicole Kidman is probably one of the most elegant Hollywood celebrities but her choice for the Golden Globes last night was very questionable.  The style of the dress was very classy but there were too many bows and the color was all wrong for her skin.

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