As always, the Emmy red carpet turned into one of the world’s biggest fashion catwalks, with TV’s biggest stars turning supermodels. The trends were all about dramatic color, gowns with long flowing trains and enough platinum jewelry to choke a clotheshorse. Here’s a peek at the night’s biggest fashion hits and misses.
The Hits
No need for any nips or tucks to Joely Richardson, whose long, lean body was perfectly sheathed in an asymmetrical, seemingly painted-on Catherine Walker gown with a sexy slit to show off her gorgeous gams. Our pick for the best dressed of the night, Joely also sparkled in over $200,000 worth of Neil Lane’s platinum and diamond baubles.
It’s not exactly a surprise that after years of playing fashion-obsessed Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker got it right yet again in a glamorous Chanel couture gown and her trademark Manolo Blahniks, which she picked with a little help from her hubby Matthew Broderick. “I just loved it, and my husband really loved it!” Sarah told us.
“Keep it simple, stupid,” is always Jennifer Aniston‘s fashion mantra, and there was absolutely nothing stupid about her choice of a strapless, embroidered white Chanel gown–although after our intrepid reporter accidentally stopped her in he tracks when he stepped on its long train, she admitted “My biggest risk is walking in this dress.”
Mischa Barton traded in her trendy O.C. togs for this 1920s-inspired, hand-beaded dress by designer Maggie Norris “because there’s not another one like it, and I just thought it was so pretty.”
We can’t curb our enthusiasm for Cheryl Hines‘ pick of a Norma Lenain décolletage-baring, halter-top, ruched gown adorned with delicate fabric flowers and graceful ruffles, along with her Martin Katz platinum and diamond art deco bracelet, platinum drop earrings, and platinum, diamond and aquamarine cocktail ring and Swarovski bag. Cheryl tapped the designer, who also did her wedding gown, months ago, but it was only finished and tried on a day before the Emmys. “She just finished it yesterday. So I felt very relieved that it was done and I really felt pretty glamorous in it.”
Dripping in Erica Courtney jewels, Amber Tamblyn looked heavenly in her magenta cap-sleeved Randolph Duke gown that also came with a dramatic train. But she did go through a buit of fashion hell before finding the perfect fit. “Last week the dress was not the dress, and then we had to go find a new dress, and it turned out to be a great dress,” Amber explained. “I think my body really needs a specific type of dress. I can’t wear anything too ruffly, because I’m pretty curvy, so it has to be sort of a simple yet elegant, powerful dress.”
Bada-Bling! How long did it take Jamie-Lynn Discala to hunt down her oh-so-elegant “Meadow”-green Monique Lhuillier column gown featuring an ornamental antique-crystal halter strap (which she accented with $200,000 worth of Stephen Russell diamonds)? “First dress I tried on!” The girl’s got great first instincts.
Not so desperate Teri Hatcher‘s strapless, waist-cinching Elie Saab gown was hand-painted with black and gold splatters. “It just fit like a glove,” Teri confided.
We need to get Janel Maloney out of the Beltway and onto the fashion runway more often. Her choice of a canary-yellow Vera Wang gown and Cynthia Bach jewelry was an excellent executive decision.
And yes, Sharon Stone seems to have let her concern about her hairstyle fall by the wayside in recent years, but her basic fashion instincts remain as sharp as an icepick. Her spaghetti-strapped lavender silk charmeuse Elsie Katz Couture gown with a peekaboo belly-baring cutout, accentuated by a sparkling clasp at the bustline, is our runner-up for the best look on the Emmy catwalk–er, red carpet.
Honorable Mentions
Additional style shout-outs go to Drea de Matteo for her 1930s vintage gown from Paperbag Princess (“As long as it’s old, I like it,” says Drea); Amy Yasbeck‘s amazing Armani; Debra Messing‘s Grace-ful bright pink sleeveless Michael Kors gown; Allison Janney‘s green Monique Lhuillier strapless gown; Kim Cattrall‘s mermaidish pink Pamela Roland gown with a feather-adorned marabou train; Laura Linney‘s beaded, chiffon Prada dress (“It just felt good,” said Laura of her choice); the bold, beaded bustier on Kristin Davis‘ multi-layered, black Prada gown (hopefully waterproof, given her emotional reaction to Sarah Jessica‘s speech); Bonnie Hunt in a periwinkle blue Nancy Martin gown, Martin Katz jewelry, Swarovski purse and Anne Klein shoes; and our fashion police issues a permanent get-out-of-jail-free card to Mariska Hargitay for her glam, grass-green matte jersey.
The Misses
Our search was on for the red carpet’s worst dressed, and what a field of choices! Would it be Paula Abdul in Celine and yet another silly Erica Courtney tiara? Ever matronly Meryl Streep, who by now should be able to afford–and know–better, or another typically dowdy choice from Cynthia Nixon (wasn’t that exactly what she had on at last year’s Emmys, or was it the Golden Globes, or…), or possibly Edie Falco‘s ill-suited, strappy, Randolph Duke dominatrix gown?
No, our clear winner–loser, actually–was the supreme fashion let-down that came with typically hot Jennifer Garner‘s choice of Oscar de la Renta’s doily-like, two-tiered, white lace gown with a black satin belted bow. Not even nearly fifty Gs of Neil Lane diamond and onyx gems could save this one. If only she was accessorized with Ben Affleck–then we might have let this one slide.
