Tag Archives: MimboloveAcademy Awards
When you wake up and it’s the BEST DAY OF THE YEAR – Oscar Sunday!!!
In addition to following along with yours truly, here’s the schedule where you can catch all of today’s broadcasts:
E!: 1 P.M.
Countdown to the Red Carpet
They say: “The inside scoop about the red carpet, with fun signature games, expert fashion predictions and an early look at the red carpet.”
I say: This is a solid four hours of crap, but if you’re an addict like me you’ll watch anyways. It consists of poorly Photoshopping nominees heads onto runway photos and watching the E! hosts trying to navigate the very murky waters they’ve gotten themselves into on this year’s red carpets.
E!: 5 P.M.
Live from the Red Carpet
Will they or won’t they? It’s only taken seventeen million years, but apparently some people don’t want to talk to Ryan Seacrest (looking at you, J.Law). My guess is he will be wearing a white dinner jackets and avoiding making eye contact with any female actress sporting some kind of social justice pin.
E!: 7 P.M.
Red Carpet Rundown
I think this is the part where they expect that everyone will jump ship and go to the ABC official Oscar red carpet broadcast. Guiliana is finally allowed to weigh in from that sad skybox across the street, looking forlorn while this year’s alcohol sponsor slings overly-complex cocktails inspired by the event.
ABC: 1 P.M.
Countdown to the Oscars, Live! Part 1
They say: “Highlights of previous Oscar ceremonies; a look inside the new Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences museum; Paula Faris and Chris Connelly host.”
I say: HOLLYWOOD NERDS, UNITE! I am dying to go to this new museum, I have high expectations for this program. Also the first of approximately 2049823847 times we have to relive Bonnie & Clyde’s La La Land snafu from last year.
ABC: 2 P.M.
Countdown to the Oscars, Live! Part 2
Exact same description, so I’m guessing they just had to split this up for the sake of DVRs everywhere?
ABC: 6:30 P.M.
Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live From the Red Carpet
They say: “Interviews with nominees, presenters and performers arriving for the awards ceremony; Michael Strahan, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sara Haines, Krista Smith and Dave Karger host.”.
I say: Does NBC have the exclusive rights to call something an “opening ceremony”? Do you think they’re hoping to trick people like my husband into watching under false pretenses that it’s some sort of Olympic re-run, and not in fact the Oscar red carpet? In actuality, this is where anyone who has ever worked on ABC gets the opportunity to ask stars the most cheeseball questions, but I’m excited they have Wendi McLendon-Covey. I also have a small award show crush on Dave Karger.
ABC: 8 P.M.
THE OSCARS!
You know what it is. WE MADE IT.
Remember to follow along with me today on your favorite social media platform. You can find me on Facebook at Lindsay’s Look, on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@legallylinz).
Happy watching!
~L
Well people, here we are – the end of award show season. AKA, when I sink fully into my seasonal depression (I’m kidding… sort of). Award shows are pretty much the only good thing about the winter in these parts, and now it’s over ? What will I do with all my free time?!
This one was tough for me because more than ever, I really have hardly seen any of the movies. As I’ve mentioned, life on an island is tricky for many reasons, and for a pop culture addict like myself, it’s hard to take in all of the year’s cinematic masterpieces when you have two theaters with one screen each, and film like Moonlight plays exactly TWO times, one of those being at 4 P.M. on a Thursday.
So as usual, I was relying on the fashions to get me through. And unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with last night’s turnout. A lot of safe looks, neutral colors, and… velvet? (My fifth-grade self is overjoyed at this turn of events.)
Someone else who is feeling a little down today? I’m guessing the entire cast of La La Land (one of the films I was actually able to see!). And also Moonlight, for missing out on their moment a bit. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, well, I’m kind of not sure how you got to the blog, but welcome! And if you do know what I’m talking about and want to hear more, you can listen to the podcast that Bowen and I recorded this morning breaking down all the events of last night’s telecast. But ’round these parts we focus on fashion, so here we go!
Like I said, I was a little bummed out by the lack of risks/innovation/color last night, but these ladies stood out as my best of the best. You might not know who Auli’i Cravalho is yet (I certainly didn’t when she arrived on the red carpet early in the evening) but you probably know her voice from Moana. And of of last night, you know her as the sixteen year-old performer who got hit in the face with a flag during her performance in front of like a billion people and totally kept her cool. I will now know her as the girl that could save Hollywood. I mean she is talented and gorgeous and full of class. Help us, Auli’i, you’re our only hope (until Bey and Amal’s twins grow up, of course). I think she looks so beautiful in this white gown. The metallic accents and uneven layers keep it from going “bridal” and girl already has a killer posing arm going on. Live long and prosper. A big winner of the night (finally!) was Viola Davis, who was the only person to sport a color that I really loved. Seriously, I have never see anyone who can dress like a primary crayon and look so damn good. It’s a classic shape, but the halter and sleeves keep it a fresh and different. The Queen of the red carpet for me was most definitely Taraji P. Henson. Cookie slayed from the second she left the limo – between the hair, the slit, the cleavage – and everything just worked for her. Taraji knows exactly how to walk that fine line of sexy vs. skanky, and I was so happy to see that she left her juvenile Grammy look behind for Hollywood’s biggest night. Finally, one of the big winners of the evening was Emma Stone, in more ways than one. If you ask me, she either knew she was going to win or believes in fashion osmosis, and that by dressing the part of a lady Oscar statue, she in turn took home the gold. Just one of my many conspiracy theories for the evening, but you can’t deny that girl looks good. If I had to change one thing (and it’s just a very small one thing), I would say that I wish this gown was a slightly different tone, because I think this color is a little too close to her skin and washes her out a bit. Maybe a more yellow-y gold (I mean, she wore head-to-toe chartreuse last year) or if this had been done in like, a pewter color – that would have been amazing. But her hair and makeup has never looked better.
These ladies are my second in line for being the belles of the ball. I don’t know why Karlie Kloss is there (requisite millennial to show how young/hip the Academy thinks they are?) but she is essentially the only person that can get away with this style of dress. You have to have like one percent body fat and no boobs to even look at this on the hanger. I would like to give her the award for best use of an ACLU ribbon – the blue really pops against the white, as does having it displayed on her protruding hipbone. Ava Duvernay should get some sort of award for looking this amazing less than 48 hours after returning from New Zealand (where my girl Reese was as well). This dress is not only beautifully-crafted, but was created by a Muslim designer in Lebanon. Activism looks darn good on her. I can’t believe that on Saturday I was watching a tween Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit on AMC and on Sunday I was literally bowing down in front of my television for her. This dress is just perfect for her – it’s age appropriate without being immature, and the oh-so dramatic makeup and hair keeps it from going too foo-foo. And Octavia Spencer… I feel like you kind of have to dress like a queen with the name Octavia. I don’t know what to call this color, but it’s just the right shade that keeps it from resembling dirty bath water. Feathers were forecasted to be a big trend for the evening, and Octavia delivered with this fluttery number. I’m not the biggest fan of the top, it’s a little mother-of-the-bride for me, but I think it balanced out the skirt just fine.
Overall, I like the ensembles in the category but… well, let’s start with Teresa Palmer. First of all, who is she and why did someone let her ruin a perfectly good metallic dress with an ugly belt? (Apparently, belts are in too, FYI.) And I don’t know exactly what it is, but I don’t think there is a good boob situation going on here. Like I think the top of this dress is ill-designed (despite the fact that it’s Prada). I did look her up on Instagram and she had a baby like ten weeks ago so you can’t really fault her for anything, can you? Another hot mom in the mix is the always beautiful Halle Berry, who broke records winning her own Oscar in 2002 so you know that she just didn’t give an EFF and will show up however she damn well pleases. I am all for big hair, but this is like, really big. Like Sideshow Bob big. It’s totally distracting and frankly hides a lot of her beautiful face/skin/eternal youth. I like this gown, sorta. I think it’s very flattering, and I wish that I could have seen this top and this bottom as their own dresses because these two were not made for each other. And the bottom part of the black tulle that just is left there, limp and lifeless… no. Just no. Olivia Culpo was one of the quasi-celebrities that E! managed to convince to appear on one of their many several hours of pre-show programming, and they went into this whole story with a video montage of how this dress was made and even though it’s Marchesa it’s somehow also made by Stella Artois, and I don’t know how but they give people clean drinking water when they make beer, so props. I think this dress is gorgeous; it is an engineering masterpiece. So why, WHY would you ruin it with those slicked-to-your-forehead side bangs?! During the pre-show I swear there was one baby bang that was trying to jump ship to the side it rightfully belonged to. It was so distracting, I kept smudging my screen as if I could push it out of the way myself. BTW, the black ribbon was an add-on, and I’m not sure if it’s a necessary one at that. In a world full of beige (I’m coming for you, Kidman), I love that we have a Janelle Monae. She is so kooky and weird but gorgeous and I kind of love her (but could not tell you one song she sings). Yes, this look is crazy, and no, I would never wear it. It’s got everything – a belt, tulle side panels, a Grecian-style headband, strategically-placed appliques. Girl just kept piling it on. But seriously, I found the majority of the red carpet to be so boring, this was almost like a breath of fresh air, and I don’t think anyone else there could wear anything like this other than her.
Okay, here’s where we make a pit-stop in Dulls-ville. I’m not complaining, everyone looks pretty but… there’s just something missing with all of these. When I saw Felicity Jones take to the carpet, I could only see her head, which I swear was just floating around as if detached from her body. Turns out it was just another flesh-toned dress, yawn. I also felt that this was very ill-fitting. Felicity is a tiny British nymph, and something about the cut of this dress made her look much wider than she actually is. Isabelle Huppert looked beautiful (and also mad, but also French), but I felt like she thought all of this was beneath her the whole night. I never saw her smile once… granted, she didn’t win, but still. I don’t mind this dress, and I think it looks great on her… but man, these hanging belts are really killing me. Nicole Kidman has made vast improvements from her other appearances on the red carpet this year (like hey what’s up hello) so I guess it’s okay that this one is kind of boring. But like, could this have been any other color than Nicole Kidman-pinky beige? Also those circular designs are a little hypnotize-y. Whatever, it’s fine, I’ll take it. I am pretty bummed about this Chrissy Teigen look. I kind of don’t get it. The top part was almost like a different color square panel in the middle with tiny bedazzled fireworks on it. There was a cape, there was a front arm sash (just one though), there was (shocker!) a belt, a very high slit, more firework jewels… and the most boring hair to boot. It just wasn’t one of my favorites on her.
I mean, if you wear an all-black dress on the red carpet are you even really trying? Kate McKinnon seems to be suffering from what I call Kristen Wiig Syndrome – a really fun person who wears really boring gowns at award shows. Do you think it’s because so much of their personalities are brought out by wigs and prosthetic noses? Like this is fine, but nothing to write home about. I know that Michelle Williams is a Louis V darling, but I find her to be very hit-or-miss with fashion (she’s a pretty reliable one good year, one bad year type of gal). This dress is literally nothing special – I repeat, nothing. In fact, Emma Roberts showed up in virtually the same thing but didn’t look like a grandmother. And I really miss Michelle’s longer pixie. Again, the hair, the skin, the skirt – everything is the same color and all of it is blah. Salma Hayek is another one I just don’t understand. Did you know that her husband is the CEO of a company that owns Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Gucci, and Saint Laurent Paris? So why on earth doesn’t she dress better? This is literally a really long negligee over the highest of high-waisted briefs. And the jeweled headbands – I can’t. As discussed, Emma Roberts was basically twinning it with Michelle Williams (hopefully unintentionally, but hey, one never knows). I think I like this version better because it’s not so old looking, despite being vintage. The boob area is very small so I was a little nervous about that, but overall I think this is a much better-executed look than the previous. But the Jessica Rabbit hair? Eesh. If we could just go back to this, that would be great. Finally, Alicia Vikander, who is one of those award show darlings that I just do not understand. She has the body of a Chinese gymnast, and yet she always somehow ends up in very heavy looks that totally overwhelm her small frame (I will never forget that freakin’ daffodil bubble hem from last year). She looks like a really boring version of the flamenco dancer Emoji with hair that she just like, what – tied up after leaving the gym? But don’t worry guys, she managed to throw on probably a million dollars worth of diamonds to really tie the whole look together.
When weird dresses attack! Seriously, I don’t know what to say here. Again, prefacing this with the fact that all these women are gorgeous and sometimes there is a just something that doesn’t work. But you can see the vision and get that it was going somewhere, and then you just feel bad that the people that tell them how good they look are being paid handsomely to do so. Leslie Mann could not be missed in this highlighter yellow number, complete with bunches and ties and well… that’s pretty much it. But it’s a lot. It kinda reminds me of a homemade costume for a community theater production of Beauty and the Beast. If she’s gunning for a role in the remake, someone may want to let her know that ship has sailed. It’s strange though – there’s something about this that I actually like and I want it to succeed. I want this dress to be one of those Project Runway challenges where they have to make a bad dress into a good one. Also it’s a bit much for presenter, no? Jessica Biel has never been at the top of any of my lists (yes I know it’s not ethical but I just can’t explain why I don’t like her and that’s my story and I’m sticking to it). Gold sequins and red carpets go together like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling… so why doesn’t this work? Well, let’s start with the fact that she looks like she came straight from a drag production of The Lion King, where she may have been actually mauled by someone named Tigress. If you take off the necklace and leave the sequins in tact, this has some semblance of a beautiful dress. Unfortunately, it’s been destroyed. I want to like Kirsten Dunst’s look, after all, she’s kind of been out of the spotlight for a while. This dress is fine (albeit kind of boring and old for her) and the choker is to die for, but the hair is so messy and disheveled, it totally throws off the kind of old-Hollywood class that I assume she was going for (I mean, she is wearing a close-toed shoe). The proportions are very odd here, with the waist so small and all the extra fabric at the skirt… and are we done with this high-low hem thing yet? Speaking of high-low – how is one supposed to understand their feelings about Naomi Harris’ look? So beautiful from the top up, the dress fits like a dream, it has just enough trendy items (a cape! underboob cutout!), and then… a pencil skirt? Like, what am I looking at here? And I’m sorry, I know it’s intentional but the mismatched jewels on the shoes are really throwing me for a loop (but I appreciate the pop of color). STOP TOYING WITH MY EMOTIONS, NAOMI. Don’t we get enough of that with Moonlight?!
I’m running out of steam to describe how celebrities almost nail it and then something goes wrong. Charlize Theron has always been a picture of cool style, and this dress could be great, but I wish the metallic skewed more gold instead of green. Also, you can’t tell in this photo, but her hair is very well-styled in the front and then it’s a ponytail in the back. They didn’t even wrap the hair tie! AAAARRGGGH. It’s literally infuriating. Also hi, sorry – the top on this doesn’t fit. Ginnifer Go0dwin was having a tough time with the very recent passing of her Big Love co-star Bill Paxton… so I think I’m going to leave this one alone for now. It’s a great color. That is all. Brie Larson really confused me here. She was so bright and vibrant and fresh last year, and now she’s like, a blondie zombie version of Angelina Jolie. This dress is nice (I think?) but it’s very dark (black velvet will do that to ya) and quite Elvira-esque. The blank stare doesn’t help. And Giuliana Rancic… there’s a lot of folds here, huh? (That’s literally all I have.) Also I hate dresses that need choreography in order to show how they’re “supposed” to look on the red carpet. If you can’t sit, stand, walk up the stairs, walk down a carpet, or dine at In N Out Burger with it… pick something else.
And finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for – the worst dressed of the evening (yes, we’re horrible people – please stay as long as you like, you are among friends). Ruth Negga was the first person I saw on the red carpet and I was afraid that the whole evening was shot. She is so beautiful, why, oh why, did she choose to dress like a harlequin from a Civil War movie? I know I said I love red at award shows… well maybe i should have been more specific. She literally looks like she’s on fire, and not in a good way. And I hate that her earrings, headband (again, ick), and lipstick are all in competing shades of crimson. Nothing goes and I’m dying. There goes Priyanka Chopra again, showing up at things. Bowen and I have this theory that she should only do hair commercials, as we feel her acting is subpar and I don’t know a single person that watches Quantico (but who knows, maybe our minds and hearts will be swayed by her upcoming role in… the Baywatch reboot?). Again, a beautiful girl who didn’t do herself any favors by wearing what is basically the underside of your Nana’s quilt to the Oscars. This pattern hurts me in more ways than one. Another pattern-offender is Scarlett Johansson. I don’t even know how to describe what is happening on this dress, I just know all of it’s bad and a studded biker belt doesn’t help. And like Charlize’s dress, the top does not fit. Is there like, some kind of tailoring shortage in Hollywood right now?! Finally, my worst of the worst, so bad your grandma doesn’t even want it: Dakota Johnson. The sheen of this hurts my eyes, and the crotch bow is abhorrently dreadful. I feel like I have to use words like that because I believe she stole this straight from Maggie Smith’s bedroom in Downtown Abbey. In what stratosphere is this a good color on anyone? Don’t worry guys – she accessorized with a big fat chintzy necklace over the neck ruffle. Now it’s all okay. EXCEPT NONE OF THIS WAS EVER OKAY. I can’t.
And there you have it! Thank you so much to everyone who followed along with me this award show season. I know there’s a lot happening out there right now, and in no way am I saying that any of this is more important than what’s going on in our country and the fight that is being fought every single day. But if I can provide even a little bit of a temporary distraction from all the crazy, well then… that’s what it’s all for. And also because I like it and it’s fun and if I hold the snark in I may just poison myself from the inside, ‘kay?
Until next time,
L
Guys, we made it. After a particularly long and not overly exciting awards season (seriously, someone born and raised in Antartica could have predicted the winners this year), we finally got to the grand finale: the Academy Awards.
Let me start out by saying I was pleasantly surprised by the overall showing of fashion on this year’s red carpet. I’m serious. After a kind of lackluster Golden Globes and a rather ridiculous (but also boring) Grammys, I didn’t know what to expect. Don’t get me wrong, there was still a slight degree of fug we need to discuss, but let’s start with the good stuff (literally):
Ding ding ding, ladies – you are the winners. First off, I have to give it to my girl Reese Witherspoon once again for totally knocking it out of the park. Dare I say she looks better than the year she actually won her Oscar? How is it even possible to have a dress that smooth – is the fabric infused with butter or something? Reminder – Tom Ford dresses one woman for the oscars. ONE. I will admit, I’m a little surprised she did the vintage Barbie black and white thing again, and I still think her sparkly number at the Globes is her best yet, but this dress is gorg on her and will never be looked back on as a fashion misstep. I’m kind of wondering how she moved her arms all night, though (I guess that’s what the help is for). I also loved Rosamund Pike‘s vibrant red strapless gown. She’s a tricky one – she’s kind of always hit or miss. Well darling, this is undoubtedly a hit. It’s textured but not tablecloth-y, the slight is just high enough but not offensive, and the hair is just slightly undone but not messy. She’s even making me believe in matchy matchy shoes again. Are Dyeables still a thing? I think Anna Faris looks like a sweet little sparkle fairy in this silver number. I just can’t get over how much her style has evolved, remember, this is the same girl from the Scary Movie films. I’m a believer that a little (good) glitz is always appropriate on the red carpet, and you can’t really go wrong with a dress like this, especially your first time at the Oscars. Finally, I have to bow down to Zoe Saldana. I don’t think she has ever looked better, and she had twins like five months ago. I think her body actually looks better now that she’s got a little curve to her, and with that gorgeous hair and the way the folds of her dress just drape across her, she just looks so soft. And major props for that color, that is not an easy one to wear. I, for example, would look like a walking Band-Aid.
I’m going to consider these ladies my first-runners up, because seriously. I know Anna Kendrick‘s dress is pretty simple, but I think the color is fantastic on her and I appreciate the built in sparkle – no jewelry necessary. I think the cutout is super appropriate because without it, this dress could skew a little Helen Mirren (not that she wouldn’t look amazing, we’ve all seen her bikini photos). Also I’m dying that she’s wearing a shade of peach, which my husband predicted early on would be the “it” color of the night. Another “never looked better” case is Kelly Osborne. Seriously, that dress is per-fect-ion. She reminds me of a really formal flamenco dancer in the best way. I love that she can be kind of zany with patterns and the hair on a regular basis and then girl just turns it out when it matters most. Rita Ora is another one that is normally kinda kooky with her style, and then she shows up looking like a beautiful screen siren (despite the shortest role ever in 50 Shades of Grey… so I’ve heard). I love that she was wearing a color that basically no one else was wearing that night, and the hint of gold brocade added a little something-something to make it more special than your average mermaid dress.
Uh, these dresses. How they conflict me so. I’m usually a more love it/hate it kind of fashion commenter. I tend to know right away whether or not I’m grossly offended by something. But these four are making me think twice, and I find myself totally on the fence still. First, Lupita Nyong’o has redeemed herself from that ridiculous purple bathing cap that she wore at the Golden Globes, but I’m not quite sure about this pearl number. I think from a construction standpoint, of course anyone could appreciate the fact that she is literally wearing 6,000 pearls and hasn’t buckled from the weight of it. There’s something to me almost gimmicky about it – like is it only interesting because of what it’s made out of? I mean, it’s a halter dress. I think if the straps were thinner, it would win me over more. It just seems like a lot on her very thin frame. Another skinny minnie that I’m undecided on is Emma Stone. I love the silhouette of this dress and how it hangs on her. I love that she has a super high slight but her arms are covered. I kind of even love the matching shoe (again!). But that color… damn that is just a hard color to wear. When I first saw her, I thought I had to adjust the coloration on my TV. I figured it was gold and I just wasn’t seeing in the right light. But then I saw that it was chartreuse, or the color that my mother affectionally referred to as “inside out caterpillar guts” when I was a kid. Now that’s all I can think of. Gwyneth Paltrow probably shouldn’t ever return to the Oscar red carpet because from now until eternity, every gown she wears will be compared to that white thing with the cape (which contrary to popular opinion, I’m still like ehhh about but people are obsessed with it). So I don’t even know why I sort of like this pale pink dress she wore that seems to be half Carrie Bradshaw, half Little Shop of Horrors. Like that thing is seriously eating her arm, but for some reason, I kind of like it! It is very hard to pull off that shade as a fair blonde woman, but her tan is on pointe and keeps her from blending into the color too much. Also let’s talk about where I can buy the knockoff version of those earrings, because I have a lot of weddings to go to this year, ‘kay thanks. Finally, Behati Prinsloo (or Mrs. Adam Levine for those who aren’t familiar with her work as a Victoria’s Secret model and all around gorgeous human being) apparently wanted to keep the Valentine spirit going with this black and red two piece. I actually like the color combination, but I would have preferred it it was consistent all the way through, instead of being very concentrated on the top and slightly sheer on the bottom. Actually I think I would have preferred for it not to be a two-piece at all. I don’t like the uneven hem at the waist and the unnecessary netting on the bottom half. Also that hair is a little severe (and those DAMN MIDDLE PARTS. Why are they everywhere?!).
Another round of gowns that I am just not quite sure about. I love the color of Dakota Johnson‘s dress and I think it looks really great on her. I don’t appreciate anything that is happening at the top. I just feel like there could have been something built in there that would give her more of a shape. And I hate that stupid ponytail. I don’t care if she’s giving a nod to Anastasia Steele – she is not a real person nor is she attending the Oscars. Like, just get your hair done! Jennifer Lopez is starting to look the same to me the more I see her at award shows. Does anyone remember a time when we didn’t know the exact shape and curve of her breasts? It’s like, we get it. You and your boobs are perfect. Is that all there is? I think it’s a beautiful dress, but I wish it was a slightly brighter shade of nude (this just looks dirty to me) and the pastel pink lipstick is all wrong with the overall golden goddess tone she’s got going on here. Laura Dern may as well be going into battle with this armor-inspired number, although I do think it looks better in photos than it did on the pre-show, where the severity of the bodice made her chest look like a shelf stolen from the Game of Thrones set. In the biggest color twist of the night, Scarlett Johansson arrived in this deep emerald green dress that kind of knocked me off my seat – I mean, has her body ever looked better? Again, had a baby like five months ago. I still don’t know if I like that necklace, and I’m a huge proponent of statement jewelry. I know for sure that the hair is NOT cute. When I first saw her, I thought that Miley Cyrus had really cleaned herself up for a minute. I’m not hating on ladies with short hair, God knows I could never rock such a look. I just wish it was down instead of slicked back, maybe with a deep side part and some killer highlights.
Neutrals have never really been my cup of tea, for some of these ladies, it’s definitely working in their favor. I think Oprah Winfrey‘s dress is a great fit on her, although I kind of hope for a little something more for something as huge as the Academy Awards. How about a big necklace or an embellishment at the waist or something? You’re Oprah, you have a few connections. Jennifer Aniston is one of those celebrities that I think is kind of overrated in the fashion department. I just don’t consider anyone who wears cargo pants to be a style icon. I think she’s just so beautiful that she can basically wear whatever she wants and people fall all over themselves. This year she “mixed it up” since she was working the awards circuit, which just mean that she wore the same boring things, but cut down to her belly button. I actually really like the detailing and the shape of this gown, and I think it compliments her hair and skin tone very well, but the height of the sheer panel over her crotch is just a little too close for comfort. Viola Davis looks nice in this princess kind of gown, but that’s kind of it. Like is there anything else to say? I prefer when she does a bolder color, because she carries it off so well. Kerry Washington is another one that I just expect so much from, and when she’s not completely on point it’s kind of a let down. Again, this dress is nice, but there’s not exactly a ground-breaking fashion moment happening here. Plus the fabric on that skirt reminds me of the knit bedspreads that seem to be at every New England bed & breakfast. I guess beggars can’t be choosers – anything is better than that Marvin the Martian dress she had on at the Golden Globes.
I love color on the red carpet, I love when people aren’t afraid to take a chance on something out of the ordinary. Teal isn’t easy to wear (does anyone else always think, “teal! The color of gangrene,” a la The Wedding Planner?), but I think it’s a good choice for America Ferrera. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the top half of this dress, which is unfortunately making her suffer from the dreaded pancake boob. I think it’s an important lesson for the ladies: no matter what size you are, we all need a little support. Jennifer Hudson seems to kill it year after year, and this buttery yellow dream is what Naomi Watts’ Golden Globes dress wanted to be. I do wish it was hemmed a bit, but other than that, there is literally nothing to complain about here. I don’t know what’s in the water that Jessica Chastain is drinking, but is she getting sexier and sexier, or what? Who cares that she wasn’t nominated for anything, she is a total siren as of late. I could maybe do without the extra hammock of fabric that is framing her bosom, as it kind of reminds me of a mother of the bride dress. It just seems unnecessary. Finally, my favorite award show newcomer Gina Rodriguez killed it in cobalt (seriously, that color is perfection on her), but the fabric and fit is definitely leaving something to be desired. Also I loved her hair on the live show but now seeing it in photos, I realized why my best friend/hairdresser always talks me out of a side bun (“it looks like a growth on the side of your head”).
Black and white and black and white. I know it’s a easy way to go, but could we just make like a little more of an effort? Cate Blanchett is one of those celebrities that everyone looks to as a beacon of fashion, wearing the most innovative and exquisitely constructed pieces of wearable art. So imagine my surprise when she arrived at the Oscars in a… sleeveless black dress. That’s it? That’s all we get? Oh wait, you threw on a Tiffany’s chunky turquoise necklace? Please, just climb on up to the best dressed list. I mean, I get it, she wasn’t nominated for anything this year, she was just a presenter, but still. What a snoozefest. I wasn’t overly-impressed with Faith Hill‘s long-sleeved white frock, mainly because it kind of looked like it was wearing her instead of her wearing it. There’s just no particular details about it that wowed me in any way. Another one that I just do not get it Sienna Miller. I’m not usually a fan of her style anyway, but there is nothing really for me to love or hate here. I just can’t believe she showed up in this boring black thing. I didn’t even noticed it before, but now that I’m really staring at it, I see that there are a bunch of random elements that seemed like they were meant to jazz it up, and none of them are working (they especially don’t serve their purpose if you have to look at the picture fourteen times to even notice them). Like there are bows, some sort of eyelet thing going on at the bottom, oddly-placed seams… all ineffectively making this even remotely interesting. Jenna Dewan-Tatum also looks beautiful, but I’m just not blown away by this dress. And another ponytail, gaaaah. Finally, I think one of the ones I was most disappointed with this year is Margot Robbie. This is a girl that is so gorgeous, and so in demand right now that she could probably wear anything from any designer. I’m sure they’re fighting over the opportunity to dress her. And yet here she is, in a shapeless black gown with sheer sleeves. Would you ever look at that dress and say “that’s meant for a twenty-three year old?” She looks like an extra in a party scene in Downtown Abbey. Also the draping in the stomach area is flattering to no one, and is only acceptable if she is still in character from Focus and is planning on smuggling an Oscar statue out of the theater.
Now we’re starting to get into the all over the place category, starting with Patricia Arquette, who I actually think looks the best she’s ever looked at an award show (and if you’re going to do it, it might as well be on the night you win an Oscar, amirite?). I mean, is it the most amazing dress in the history of award show fashion? No, but it’s classic and tailored perfectly to her. And for someone who doesn’t seem super comfortable in this level of glamour, this is kind of a home run for her. I just wish I knew what happened between the red carpet and getting into the theatre, because her hair looked like she gone through a wind tunnel by the time she took the stage to accept her award. I know that Felicity Jones is like the award show darling of the year, but I do not get what the big deal is about her. She is so tiny, and I think she’s always wearing these elaborate gowns that swallow her. I do not like the pleating where the skirt meets the top at all, and the neckline of that dress reminds me of the metal back brace that Lisa Kudrow had to wear in Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion. I have the overwhelming urger to stick magnets on her. Meryl Streep kind of looks like she just gives zero F’s about this whole thing, and I don’t mean like she’s bored with it. I think she’s just run out of things to wear to Academy Awards ceremonies. So she’s just like, “whatever, I guess I’ll throw on a sensible blazer.” And she can do that. Because she’s Meryl (I could do without the belt though). And Lady Gaga, who was probably the least Gaga-est she’s ever been, which is okay for the Oscars, but she just couldn’t let it go all the way. Like you know that saying that before you leave the house, you should remove one thing? I think we can all see loud and clear what that one thing is. The shame about this look is the dress is actually quite beautiful. Sure, it has that kooky sleeve, but it fits her really well everywhere else. If she hadn’t been wearing those damn gloves, I would venture to say this is the best she’s ever looked.
So now it just gets weird. First off, Marion Cotillard, what are you even doing? I get that you’re French and therefore light years ahead of us in the fashion realm, but you could not pay me to wear this shapeless perforated sheet dress. Like what is the point of that thing in the back? And how would anyone know where your waist is? This is what you wear when you’ve already had your moment and you get nominated again and you know that you have no chance of winning. But if anything, that would inspire me to dress even better, so at least they’re talking about you for a good reason the next day. Chrissy Teigen is trying real hard to have some sort of moment, and once again it’s like BOOBS! VAGINA! Keep your eyes on me, because you might catch a peek! Like J.Lo, I’m kind of over the blatant showing of skin. And what is with that deep purple lip and the pale blue dress? There is nothing about these shades that coordinate. I know I’m probably going to get hate mail over this, but I was so not a fan of Julianne Moore‘s beaded Chanel. I just thinks those rows of doodads are so stupid. I don’t care if they are made out of 80,000 hand-painted resin sequins. The one at her hip really kills me – wouldn’t you want that line to be at your waist? Sitting on her hip, it cuts off her body in such a weird way. Finally, Giuliana Rancic, who had a perfectly fine gown that she wore for exactly one hour of the pre-show, changed into this flaming red flamenco thing with embroidery and satin and just… yuck. And I don’t know if you can tell from the photo, but the top is made of red fishnet. I know. I so often find myself watching the red carpet and thinking, “you know what’ missing? The scraps that Hulk Hogan ripped off his body at wrestling matches in the 80s. Let’s bring that back.”
And we’ve made it. You thought some of those were bad? Check out my picks for worst dressed of the evening. I didn’t even see Solange Knowles show up when I was watching the original telecast, but when I saw this photo as I was clicking through the arrivals albums online, I knew she couldn’t be left alone. For someone who could pull off a jumpsuit at her wedding and make it look cool, she certainly isn’t doing this oversized Spandex number any favors, and vice versa. It reminds me of those really bad Color Guard uniforms, you know, the ones with the ginormous pants? She should donate this to the Red Sox and they could use it to cover the field when it rains. I can’t say that I was shocked that Keira Knightley showed up in this prairie gown, given her track record this season. Is she gunning for another part in a Jane Austen movie? I don’t know what the words scrawled on this dress say, but I feel the same way about it as I did Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress – it’s effing stupid and I hate it. Naomi Watts has done and could do so much better than this weird brick print. It actually reminds me of in seventh grade when you learn to use microscopes and you have to analyze a piece of an onion (please tell me someone else sees it). I think the thing I hate most is the bandeau-sports bra thing underneath it. While I appreciate her covering up her side boob, it makes me think she’s going to take off the overlay and go for a run any second. I love the requisite “young people” that the Academy invites every year to get people under the age of twenty to tune in, even though they have no relevance to the Oscars or any of the films nominated. Chloë Grace Moretz could not have picked an old-ladier ensemble than this cream-colored floral gown. Honestly, when I saw it all I could think of was this. I especially hate that she posed with her hands in the pockets all night, as if that was some sort of innovative fashion technology that has never existed before. Finally, Nicole Kidman really did a bang up job on the color combination. Seriously, this gown has all the appeal of a stick of celery. The crazy thing is that if the colors had been different, this actually would’t have been so bad. I’m all for contrasting colors, but this red and pale green together is just hideous.
And we’re done! Are you guys sad it’s over? I kind of feel like the month after my wedding was over. So much build up, and then in one night, BAM! It’s done.
I can’t let go.
I had a great time with all of you this award season. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with all my favorite celeb-watching. Until next season,
~L
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