Cate Blanchett: Our Pick for Best Dressed–TIE!
It was indeed a winning night for Cate: not only did she pick up the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, The Aviator star soared splendidly in a pale yellow one-shoulder chiffon gown created especially for her by Valentino Haute Couture, cinched at the waist with a chocolate-burgundy velvet band and set off with a large, sparkling Larraine Schwartz brooch in pastel gemstones. “I just loved the dress,” Cate revealed backstage. “Mr. Valentino made it for me.” In fact, she was the only star Valentino dressed for the evening. She matched the look with yellow diamond drop earrings and a yellow diamond right hand ring from and Christian Laboutan shoes, and as a special nod to the equally stylish actress who inspired her amazing performance, she carried one of Katharine Hepburn’s gloved in her Judith Leiber handbag. “It’s for good luck,” said Cate. “Cynthia McFadden gave them to me, which was an incredibly generous and also a huge compliment. I could only fit one into my purse. I have a ridiculously small purse.” [PAGEBREAK]
Hilary Swank: Our Pick for Best Dressed–TIE!
Always a knockout, Hilary looked every bit the Million Dollar Babe in her unconventional and striking body-hugging midnight blue Guy Laroche creation. In front, the dress clung to every curve on the star’s taught, toned bod but revealed nary an inch of skin, while the risqué V-shaped backless panel plunged all the way, threatening to expose a different sort of cleavage. Initially expected to wear Calvin Klein, for whom she models, Hilary picked the French designer because “I just thought it was really beautiful.” Swank continued her current love affair with Chopard by adding the jeweler’s 5.16-carat emerald-cut diamond right hand ring flanked by diamond baguettes, and cushion-cut diamond earrings set in platinum on a French wire, and she finished the look with Dior makeup and Jimmy Choo shoes. The Best Actress winner, who briefly lived in a car while trying to make it in Hollywood, says she still has a hard time getting dolled up. “I just remember having a couple of nice things that I couldn’t wear because I didn’t have a special event to wear them,” she said. “So I have this problem that I’m trying to get over. If I buy something really nice, I just put it in my closet and I just look at it because I just think, ‘You know, I have to wear that to something really special.'” [PAGEBREAK]
Beyonce: Our Runner up for Best Dressed
We fell crazy in love with musical–and apparently, quick-change–artist Beyonce in all of her amazing gowns on Oscar night. She made her first dramatic appearance on the red carpet in a deep black vintage Versace and glittery gold Larraine Schwartz chandelier earrings, accessorized with her elegantly Vercase-clad date Jay-Z. During the ceremony she slipped into a Giorgio Armani Prive diamante strapless evening gown with a hemline that exploded into a tulle and organza underskirt, and featuring a mesh of luminous blue crystals that silhouette a floral motif. Then it was on to a custom made Cavali creation that consisted of a black satin bodice with a black ruffled ball gown skirt with train; for the Vanity Fair party, the singer-actress wore a strapless lavender ruched chiffon gown with train. Sergio Rossi strappy sandals–a different pair for each outfit, natch–kept Beyonce be-ouncing through the evening. [PAGEBREAK]
Emmy Rossum
Although only 18 years old, Phantom of the Opera‘s Emmy appeared every bit as sophisticated and stylish as any the veteran red carpet divas in a rich ruby-red gown from Ralph Lauren–who, having exclusively dressed Emmy at all of her major awards show appearances has mastered her fresh but elegant look. Her Harry Winston ruby and diamond princess necklace and drop earrings matched the color of her dress, which she described as that a 1945 Bordeaux wine–and we were besotted after drinking in the sight of her. [PAGEBREAK]
Kate Winslet
Kate will shine eternally after her turn on the carpet wearing brilliant blue beaded inset gown, as azure as the Aegean, with a delicate but plunging neckline, ruched bodice and softly draped skirt from Badgley Mischka. “It’s gorgeous,” she proclaimed. “I love the color, and thought it was different.” The dress (which she matched with glittery Stuart Weitzman shoes and a Lana Marks Cleopatra handbag) included two five-carat diamond clips from jeweler Neil Lane, who also provided her two matching 40 carat diamond cuff bracelets and custom-made the S-clips for her loose curls and the five-carat diamond drop earrings, which were just finished the night before the Oscars. [PAGEBREAK]
Halle Berry
Meow! You just can’t be catty about Halle Berry’s always-purr-fect sense of style: even when she ditches her old reliable Elie Sabb duds, she’s still impeccable in a sleek iridescent taupe silk-chiffon Atelier Versace gown with embroidered skirt, which she matched with long, flowing locks, custom-made brown diamond briolette earrings by Lorraine Schwartz and an extra-wide, ultra-sparkly Boucheron cuff. “Know your own body” is Halle’s tip for finding the right red carpet-worthy couture. “You don’t necessarily have to wear what’s hot at the moment or the new ‘It’ designer.” [PAGEBREAK]
Gwyneth Paltrow
Whoa, mama! Gwyneth showed that she left all her post-pregnancy pounds behind but traded up in the cleavage department in a nude silk-and-cotton-voile corset dress designed for her by her gal pal Stella McCartney, who specializes in cinch-waisted styles. Her accessories include one-of-a-kind, custom-made diamond bracelet and teardrop-shaped diamond hoop earrings by Damiani and delicate Jimmy Choo shoes. The bodice might be squeezed a little too tight, but the overflowing cleavage works with her Dior makeup and free-flowing hair to create the soft, natural look of an Earth Mother. Let’s hope Apple doesn’t fall far from mom’s tree. [PAGEBREAK]
Natalie Portman
Natalie didn’t have the luxury of mulling over her Oscar night frock for weeks on end. “I got here two days ago from Israel, so they just brought a bunch of dresses and this is the one that I liked best,” she admitted to Hollywood.com, and her fashion instincts proved powerful. The once and future Queen Amidala reigned regally in a light brown, pleated silk Grecian gown designed by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, with a plunging draped neckline with a cluster of pearls under the bust, well-suited for the actress’ gamine frame. For her crowning touch she chose a Fred Leighton 19th century headband valued at $75,000 (“It used to be a bracelet and now it’s a tiara,” she giggled) and cushion-cut diamond right hand ring. It’s good to be the Queen. [PAGEBREAK]
Catalina Sandino Moreno
Catalina was full of grace in her creamy white, curve-caressing Roberto Cavalli slip dress, with crystal-encrusted straps and sequined trimmings, drawing the eye from and center with Autore’s diamond necklace with an Australian South Sea pearl drop and matching earrings. “This is the dress I’ve always wanted: a Cinderella dress,” Catalina confided to Hollywood.com, finishing her look with Stuart Weitzman shoes and a Catherine Baumann handbag. “And I feel like Cinderella today, because three years ago I was in Bogeta, and now I’m here, at the Oscars, so it’s pretty wild.” [PAGEBREAK]
Kirsten Dunst
Mary Jane was far from plain: Kirsten may be one of young Hollywood’s most of-the-moment stars, but she was resplendently retro in her sleek, Deco-ish black lace Chanel creation, which matched with her sexy ultra-platinum bob, gave her a flirty, flapperish appeal. “Saw it, loved it, done,” said Kirsten of picking out her frock. “It wasn’t that hard.” Although Kirsten’s jewelry was understated, it was also upscale: she chose Fred Leighton’s rose-cut diamond pendant earrings with diamond briolettes valued at $23,000 and rose-cut diamond and rock crystal cuff bracelet worth $250,000. [PAGEBREAK]
Almost Perfect
There were a handful of Hollywood actresses that just missed our best-dressed cut, usually because of one minor but all-too-distracting detail. For example, there was sultry Salma Hayek, whose chassis looked caliente clad in a flamenco-inspired, custom-made Prada gown, accented with bows and sequined flowers. “I was very lucky because they made the dress for me,” said Salma. “They did such a good job.” We agree, but Ms. Hayek’s up-do undoes the effect, looking like Liz Taylor’s wild locks in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Any hairdo that can detract from Salma’s décolletage is definitely a hair-don’t. There was a lot to love about Renee Zellweger’s Carolina Herrera gown (even though the consistent Renee-Carolina collaboration is getting old), a raspberry-crimson silk faille strapless number with ivory tulle details, fitted bodice and flamenco hem. She also had amazing accessories, with Manolo Blahnik sandals, matching clutch by Judith Leiber and Cartier’s platinum cut emerald diamond ring, diamond line necklace with emerald and oval cut diamonds, platinum emerald cut bracelet and platinum diamond bracelet. But when matched with the lively red color of her dress, Renee’s pale ivory complexion and deep, dark locks were a literal washout. Charlize Theron seems to have solved her problems with bronzer this year, but there was something just slightly amiss about the soft-tiered seafoam gown from John Galliano for Christian Dior, and its full skirt made from layers and layers and layers of tulle ruffles. The look wasn’t Monster-ous, but she almost reminds one of those Barbie dolls in the huge crocheted skirts that cover toilet paper rolls in Heartland bathrooms. She redeemed her glamour-puss cred with some serious Bulgari bling: two vintage 1939 Art Deco diamond bracelets set in platinum, round- and baguette-cut diamond chandelier earrings. And then there was Scarlett Johansson, who despite her young age has emerged as one of our favorite Hollywood fashion forward trendsetters. We loved her black Roland Mouret dress with it asymmetrical neckline (the two previously teamed on her drop-dead gorgeous Golden Globes gown), we went for her black satin rhinestone-adorned Tod’s bag and we admired the $55,000 worth of gems threaded through her hair. “Fred Leighton had sewn these 19th Century brooches on a piece of ribbon,” she told Hollywood.com. If only Leighton had input on the hair color itself, the only flaw in Scarlett’s luscious look. Even adorned with diamonds, her frizzy, baby-blonde tresses failed to sparkle against her peaches-and-cream complexion. [PAGEBREAK]
The Best of the Rest
Julia Roberts‘ specially-designed Dolce & Gabbana chiffon gown did Brokovich-style wonders for her newly pumped up “twins,” and she wore her own Cathy Waterman three-stone diamond drop earrings and diamond cuff; Sandra Oh‘s crimson drop-waist strapless gown by Michael Kors was, in her own words, “spectacular”; Oprah Winfrey looked like every one of the many millions she’s worth in her gold hand-embroidered off-the- shoulder gown with a tiered skirt by Vera Wang; Maggie Gyllenhaal dazzled in a shimmery-belted Prada and lots of Neil Lane sparklers; Ziyi Zhang‘s black, wide-skirted Monique Lhuillier gown and glittering Bulgari diamonds packed a Hong Kong-style kick; Vanessa Paradis dressed up her appropriately Gallic Chanel black tulle with her own Neil Lane diamond brooch in her hair; and Annette Bening showed everyone how glamour only gets better with age in her black jersey, long-sleeve gown with a portrait neckline, hourglass silhouette, and fishtail train from Giorgio Armani.
