 "Photo: Courtesy Splash News")
If Hollywood is suffering the effects of the economic recession, it didn’t show on the red carpet last Sunday night for the 81st annual Academy Awards. Choosing a favorite was more difficult this year than ever before. With a nod to old school glamour, starlets rocked designer frocks and jewelry that left on-lookers in awe.
But it certainly made for a slow night for the fashion police.
As the red carpet crowd grew, it was easy to spot emerging trends. Each gown represented a different fashion of evening wear this season, from the structure of asymmetric necklines to the softness of princess-like ball gowns.
Origami was in order for many on the red carpet Sunday night. While soft, classic looks were the name of the game for many, structured gowns with a modern twist also made a bold statement this year.
Whether they were one-shoulder gowns like Kate Winslet’s dazzling Atelier Yves Saint Laurent dress of contrasting black tulle and grey satin, or stiffened off-the-shoulder frocks like Heidi Klum’s Roland Mouret, asymmetric necklines popped up left and right.
Marissa Tomei epitomized this look with a cream Atelier Versace gown consisting of countless geometric panels layered in small sections beginning at the top. Enlarged in a swirling motion as they traveled down her body, Tomei’s dress finished with a dramatic train.
Mermaid gowns were a mainstay for celebrities this year. Whether paired with the asymmetric, one-shoulder look or topped by a strapless neckline, Oscar attendees showed off their figures with body-clinging gowns that flared often went out in fullness at the knees.
Diane Lane offered up a more traditional look in a black tissue-like Dolce & Gabbana gown that wrapped in diagonal cross-sections across her torso.
”Grey’s Anatomy” star Melissa George embodied evening wear’s ode to lingerie in a skin-tight, white corset-like Dolce & Gabbana with exposed boning. A stunning Vanessa Hudgens turned heads in an outstanding Marchesa with vertical seams, billowing black fabric, a combination of black, white, and grey flowers embossing the bust with her handsome beau Zac Efron beside her.
Divas came in glamorous ballerina gowns with gigantic full tulle skirts that billowed out around them as they made their way down the red carpet.
Sarah Jessica Parker, famous for her bold fashion statements, wore a Christian Dior Haute Couture gown fit for a fairy princess. She called it “barely mint,” with gold beaded patterns swirling about the bodice. A wide belt helped flaunt her petite waist before opening into a fluffed tulle skirt.
Penelope Cruz hunted down a cream vintage Balmain that she admired eight years ago for this year’s Oscars. Gathered into a sweetheart top, the gown was intricate in detail from the lace on the bodice to the extravagant skirt that was delicately cinched as it cascaded down to the floor.
While black always finds its way on to the red carpet, it was pale tones like cream, champagne, bone, soft pink, and mint green that were the color craze of the year. Even the most extravagant of gowns were toned down, glammed up, and softened by these calm hues. One of many starlets to support this trend was Evan Rachel Wood. She was old-Hollywood all over, from her hair’s soft wave to the banded bodice and flowing chiffon skirt of the champagne Elie Saab Haute Couture gown that complimented her fair skin.
However, there were exceptions to the pale tone rule. Amy Adams dueled with the carpet in a fiery red Carolina Herrera gown. Black piping formed a corset-like bodice, which wrapped around to a low point in the back. Red chiffon poured from the center of the bust and opened into a soft skirt. Most celebs avoid red for the fear of blending into the carpet, but Amy Adams proved that sometimes it’s worth taking the risk.
Some of Sunday’s most stunning looks were emblazoned with embellishments. Nicole Kidman’s L’Wren Scott dress looked radiant, covered from top to bottom in an antique style lace. Jennifer Aniston’s Valentino Couture, which was trimmed with crystals, also stole the Oscar spotlight.
Young star Miley Cyrus looked mature beyond her years in a petal-like Zuhair Murad gown. Encrusted with pounds of beading and crystals, the gown made Cyrus sparkle from underneath the shining Kodak Theatre lights.
In the end, it was Anne Hathaway who stole the show in a strapless Armani Prive constructed entirely of silvery-white, iridescent pailettes that caught the light with every step she took.
The women attendees of the 81st annual Academy Awards created many of the most exciting fashion moments of the year. Although risks were taken, the classic style of old Hollywood was preserved.
Becca Babin can be reached at rbabib@student.umass.edu.
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