Oscar night has come and gone, and you may have already forgotten who gave the best acceptance speech. But there’s one thing we know you’ll never forget–the stars’ fashion statements as they arrived on the red carpet. Hollywood.com has the inside scoop on what Hollywood’s hottest actresses were (and nearly weren’t) wearing, and we’ve got our picks for who hit the fashion bull’s eye and who needs to tell their stylist to pack their Gucci bags:
Best Dressed: Kate Winslet
Surprise! Who’d have expected Winslet, the Oscar nominee who assiduously avoids
being a slave to fashion, to stroll away our top honors as the red carpet’s best-dressed
star? Kate made a titanic impression in her striking tomato red dress by Ben de
Lisi. With its long, flowing train, the gown’s chic yet colorful pizzazz give
it a distinct pop perfectly suited to the red carpet. Completely complementary
to her titian hair and fair complexion, the gown sported a barely there strap
overflowing with flowers, a fresh twist on the floral trend of the moment. This
from a gal who said she was just to hoping to wear shoes that didn’t make her
feet hurt! Perhaps thanks to the influence of her frock-friendly 2-year-old daughter
Mia, Kate is at long last an English rose in full bloom. [PAGEBREAK] 
Hit:
Halle Berry
Another huge celebrity gala, another luscious Berry–this time with a distinct
botanical flourish, thanks to Beirut-based designer Elie Saab’s unique peek-a-boo
burgundy tulle top embroidered with strategically placed silk flowers (darn!).
Capping the effect was the shimmery burgundy taffeta skirt with voluminous train.
Halle accentuated her floral goddess look with Stuart Wietzman footwear and a
heaping helping of Harry Winston colored diamonds, including the Pumpkin diamond
ring, the world’s largest fancy vivid orange diamond ring (valued at just over
$3 million) designed especially for the actress. The Oscar winner also helped
her mom Judy get glam in Escada and Van Cleef & Arpels gems. Even when she watered
her vibrant gown with tears of joy, Halle’s leafed-and-petaled curves were a lush
bouquet indeed. [PAGEBREAK] Miss:
Gwyneth Paltrow
Whoa. How did Paltrow, who looked like a pretty princess in pink when she won
her own Oscar a few years back, transmogrify into a Goth poster girl? Sure, Gwyneth’s
been adding edges to her image in the last year, and we’re sure her choice of
a sheer black Alexander McQueen gown was part of her funky, fashion-forward campaign,
but all it did was show the, um, nip in the air at the Kodak Theater. And the
only thing more unflattering that her “Brunhilde’s bad hair day” braid-and-bun
combo was her spray-painted raccoon-eye make-up. [PAGEBREAK] Hit:
Nicole Kidman
By now we all know Kidman wears just about everything well, and her Oscar night
frock was no exception, a pale pink, tiered chiffon, floor-length gown by Karl
Lagerfeld for Chanel, a soft, gauzy look accentuated by her fiery romantic curls
and milky skin tone. Adding to her glitter was a one-of-a-kind stunner crafted
especially for her from Bulgari. The jeweler created a $4 million 241-carat rough
diamond necklace. The sinuous platinum choker is lined with white diamonds in
front, with yellow diamonds falling gently along the back. Only Nicole herself
outshone her magnificent collar. [PAGEBREAK] Miss:
Jennifer Lopez
Lopez, who started her career as a dancer, almost never makes a fashion misstep, looking alternately fly for MTV and glam for haute couture occasions. So how’d she miss the beat with this fussy, binding pink Gianni Versace gown with a corset top, sweetheart neckline and gathered sides? The dress was missing a beauty pageant sash saying “Miss Hollywood.” And what’s up with the hot-rollered-from-Hell hair and the chunky bangles (not that they were cheap–Harry Winston loaned her a 27-carat marquise diamond ring set in platinum valued at $1.7 million and a 25-carat pink diamond ring valued at $3.5 million)? All she needed was a handful of Quaaludes to look like she was the star of a Jacqueline Suzanne novel. After so many style highs, this was a new J-Lo.
[PAGEBREAK]
Hit: Reese Witherspoon
Hail Hollywood fashion’s new sweetheart: Witherspoon assured her future as a sheer
sensation of the red carpet runway with a black, beaded lace-trimmed Valentino
dress that was simultaneously classy and sexy, racy and reserved. Blonded to perfection
and ravishingly lipsticked, she accented the look with oh-so-glam 19t-century
diamond pendant earrings from Fred Leighton. But her best accessory was her sartorially
splendid spouse, Ryan Phillippe. You’d have to be legally blind not to see that
a smart sense of style will be one of Reese’s pieces for a long time to come.
[PAGEBREAK] Miss:
Jennifer Connelly
We’ve teased Connelly about her addiction to basic black, but now that she’s thrown us a change-up pitch we’re begging her to go back to the Elvira collection. Her flesh-hued, strapless gown by Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga hinted at old school elegance with its long, champagne chiffon scarf and 1920s-inspired Fred Leighton jewels, but the fitted top with long, tiered ruffled skirt simply hung on the actress’ once-voluptuous, now stick-thin frame and, rather than adding a new color dimension, left her looking as drained as one of Dracula’s victims. But she proved she has a beautiful mind to go with her beautiful body. Even in a disappointing dress, Oscar is the ultimate accessory.
[PAGEBREAK]
Hit: Jodie Foster
Just when we thought we’d never see Jodie in anything but the clean cut lines of Giorgio Armani’s immaculate but conservative suits, she shows off her Panic Room-pumped bod in a sexy, short, silver-beaded Armani with crisscross spaghetti straps and scoop back and a glamorous Bulgari pave diamond bracelet. And you thought she could only play brainy.
[PAGEBREAK]
Miss: Julia Roberts
As one of the world’s favorite movie stars and fashion icons, Roberts looked too, too plain in her black jersey Armani gown with back and side cutouts, She does get props for her large “Fleurette” earrings in white gold and diamonds ($9,750) from Van Cleef & Arpels, but loses major points for flubbing her most gorgeous, God-given style asset–that magnificent mane. It’s back to Rodeo Drive for this pretty woman.
[PAGEBREAK]
Hit: Marisa Tomei
A risk gone right: Tomei took a chance with her choice of a navy Jurgen Simonsen
gown with ballet skirt, wrapped bodice and beaded floral pattern over her left
breast, but as one of the few actresses who went with a lesser-known designer
name she definitely picked a winner. Wrapped in a floor-length diamond and platinum
chain by Fred Leighton, Marisa made as big of an impression on the red carpet
as she did In the Bedroom. [PAGEBREAK] Miss:
Cameron Diaz
A risk gone wrong: Cameron suggested that wearing her printed–and intriguingly
transparent–Emmanuel Ungaro Couture wrap, was like “me putting on my pajamas
and walking out,” but we suggest that next time she might want to stay in bed.
Her messy tresses and overabundance of mismatched 19th-century Fred Leighton jewelry
(like the pearl and multistone paisley necklace she wore around her trim waist)
added to the “just rolled out of the sack” chic, but as much as we’d like to be
there when Cameron gets up, she can leave the ‘jammies at home next time. [PAGEBREAK]
Hit:
Renee Zellweger
Maturing beyond ingénue, Zellweger was the perfect picture of poise and grace
in her elegantly understated black Carolina Herrera gown. The look was subtle
yet sophisticated, with just enough skin showing; it was simple, but not inexpensive:
her Harry Winson cascading waterfall diamond chandelier earrings alone were valued
at almost $500,000. Renee’s best accoutrement: the single red rose she held as
she entered the Kodak Theater. [PAGEBREAK] Miss:
Naomi Watts
Watts is primed to become a stylish trendsetter–but she needs a bit more fashion advice from her pal Nicole Kidman. Her choice of a fitted black Gucci gown with crisscross straps wasn’t a major fashion faux pas by any stretch, just cross-wired: not sexy enough to cause a sensation, not sophisticated enough to fan fashionistas into a frenzy. We expect her style Watt-age to increase brilliantly.
[PAGEBREAK]
Hit: Uma Thurman
Thurman’s wears the mantle of motherhood even better than she wore her highly
constructed Jean Paul Gaultier gown. Her cups nearly runneth over, but in a most
sensual fashion, proving moms can still be sexy with a playful, modern version
of an off-shoulder tuxedo with oversized sleeves and a long-trained skirt. One
look at Uma’s neckline and we can only say “Whoa, Mama!” Ethan Hawke definitely
didn’t go home empty handed. [PAGEBREAK] Miss:
Sissy Spacek
A counterpoint to Uma’s mod mom, the ever-matronly Spacek continues her trend of picking downright dreary (and almost identically styled) dresses like her Maggie Norris long black skirt with a 19th century-inspired white high color button jacket–but as the awards show circuit has shown, she seems to have countless similar coats in her bedroom closet. Sissy did seem to enjoy amping up the glam at Harry Winston with doo-dads like diamond hair combs, a black satin jeweled minaudier and a double strand pearl bracelet with diamond clasp. If only her wardrobe were as dazzling as her acting.
[PAGEBREAK]
Other Hits:
• Jada Pinkett Smith in a vintage 1963 Lanvin Castillo beaded bodice and full patchwork skirt of yellow satin squares, and a Harry Winston 10-carat yellow diamond pendant.
• Kirsten Dunst in a paillette-strewn, backless, bias-cut 1920s-inspired sheath by John Galliano for Christian Dior and dripping in 19th-century Fred Leighton diamonds.
• Marcia Gay Harden in a sweeping, gorgeous Oscar de la Renta ball gown and Stuart Weitzman shoes.
Other Misses:
• Faith Hill in a rainbow sherbet-hued Gianni Versace lace gown and a 57-carat
honeycomb pattern diamond bracelet. Fortunately, she changed into a simpler black
gown to perform the nominated song “There You’ll Be.” • Helen Hunt in a Gucci
black satin, long-sleeve gown with a deep V-neck and lace-up front, Stuart Weitzman
shoes and Harry Winston radiant diamond ear studs. • Audrey Tatou in a too-wispy
Alberta Ferretti and shaggy hair. [PAGEBREAK] The
Comeback Kid Award: Sharon Stone
Finally! The former queen of the red carpet runway returned with a vengeance in a basic black Vera Wang with a provocative see-through back panel that dipped daringly low and Stuart Weitzman shoes. And at long last she’s grown out that luxurious blond hair that first triggered our basic instinct. Let’s hope she continues to dress as sharp as a Komodo dragon’s teeth.
The Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend Award: Laura Elena Herring
We predict big things for Mulholland Drive sexpot Herring, who went no holds barred for her first Oscars when it comes to the price tag. Herring wore a black Armani gown with bright red beaded flowers that made temperatures rise; the 77-carat transparent white Archduke Joseph Diamond valued at $27 million designed by Alfredo Molina; and–putting the pinnacle as close to the red carpet as possible– $1 million diamond-and-platinum stiletto sandals by Stuart Weitzman and Kwiat on her feet (the shoes will be auctioned for charity). “You might say I feel like Cinderella,” she said–We’ll hope she’s invited back to the ball.
The Couture Car Crash Award: Sally Kirkland
The ever-flamboyant and attention-starved Kirkland–once an Oscar contender herself–became this year’s Bjork, but instead of a swan she wore a champagne colored metal-alloy Julia Gerard gown with pulleys on the skirt’s adjustable ruffles, which she controlled with a push-button device she used to expose her legs. She nearly got turned away from the red carpet because her gown’s silk-and-metal fabric set off metal detectors and flummoxed security guards. “They asked me if I would remove my gown and I said I would,” she said. If only the fashion police had been manning the entries instead of Oscar night security guards.
