Red Carpet: Oscar Fashion Votes & Snubs
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 10:00AM It's all over but for the Oscars finding their place in the expansive homes of the winners: night stand treasure? fireplace mantle trophy? foyer bragging spot? bathroom door stopper? personal office knick knack? - Just a little something to brighten the room. Or each room if you're Robert Richardson or Meryl Streep. Oh and the fashion. We haven't discussed the fashion yet.
NATHANIEL: Welcome back to the red carpet lineup, Kurt, Jose and readers. I type this with my eyes half open. It's been a long season. I actually feel like someone's train, just dragging along the ground. Though with less grace.
Sandy, Goop Girl, Penelope, Black Swan in Red Polka Dot, Leg
Carry me with you Penelope!
JOSE: You need to smoke/drink/inhale whatever Jean Dujardin's been on since November
KURT: My guess is it was that toddlers and tiaras concoction.
Nathaniel: Ohhhh Dujardin. If I could tap dance to revive my flailing career, I would
Jose: just teach Monty a few tricks, grow a 'stache and you're set! If not you can ask Super Gwynnie to help you. Yay super Gwynnie!
Kurt: Paltrow gets my Best Dressed in a walk. and did she ever walk. I'm just in love with super gwynnie. Damn those cape haters!
Nathaniel: Quoth Edna "NO CAPES!"
"NO CAPES"Kurt: LOL
Nathaniel: I was trying to think of a superhero name for her but all I came up with was "Goop Girl. Able to leap the Atlantic in a single bound."
Jose: ugh I am so happy that we all agree on Gwyn for once, I always stick up for her, even when she does crazy ass stuff
Kurt: And this is so the year of the bracelet.
Jose: Lynda Carter must be pissed they're stealing her decades old thunder.
Nathaniel: Big wrist-hiders. Somewhere Natalie Wood is smiling down from heaven.
more after the jump including best actress...
Speaking of old movie stars, Penelope Cruz was going for Grace Kelly I think with the hair but I kind of hated it (nice dress though)
Kurt: yeah i yawn at penelope this year. next.
Jose: I thought she was absolutely perfect! The color in that Armani privé was to die for
Nathaniel: I am experiencing a split decision with Sandra. I remember during the ceremony thinking it was beautiful but then seeing it in still photos it looks odd and unflattering. It's rather like enjoying her Oscar speech versus having to live with her as an Oscar Winner.
Kurt: Agreed. Not so great in still form.
Jose: it looks like she's being pulled by creepy icy claws
Kurt: or crabs
Jose: ew
Kurt: it's a crystaly homage to her ex-hubbie's tattoos
Jose: or his crabs, literally
Kurt: hahaha. And Penelope is fine, really. Just kind of a bore -- especially for someone who's worn one of the greatest oscar dresses in history
Jose: the creamy Versace or the white Balmain?
Kurt: the one with the feathers that ellen almost vacuumed up
Nathaniel: Hee. Only Jose knows the dresses by all of their designer names. Kurt and I just know them by color, texture, detail. "The one with the ____ in _____." Let's move on to Natalie in red. On Oscar night I was like "Are those polka dots?!?" and I said it really loudly spontaneously like I was offended and I have no idea why. I must have been on a hair trigger that night. Was the night odd for you two?
Kurt: the night was odd. and i get your impulse about the polkas, but i actually think this look was lovely
Jose: I had nothing against the dots but i resented Natalie for not doing anything more exciting, especially after her baby bump made all her dresses so boring last year
Nathaniel: Jose did you have an odd night? were you calm? excited?
Jose: Drunk?
Nathaniel: LOL.
Jose: and drunkER when Meryl won
Kurt: oh! Let's just...wait to talk about that
Nathaniel: Or let's not.
Jose: my friends and I were doing a drinking game, and had a shot every time Clooney's GF popped up
Kurt: SHE looked great
Jose: and she was onscreen every other minute, so we got hammered in 2 secs
Nathaniel: I did not include her because she is not a famous actress and I am offended that we are talking about her. The E! people were all like "she looks like a statue, a perfect trophy girlfriend" and they said it without any irony which made me nauseous.
Kurt: E! lives to make me nauseous
Jose: hahaha she DID dress up like an Oscar, which I thought was nice of her since George was going to lose
Nathaniel: STOP IT. WE SPEAK NO MORE OF THE NOBODIES. She'll be replaced by the 2013 model at any second. Clooney trades them in.
Angie's leg makes me deliriously happy. I love her so much. I wish she'd make some kick ass movies (not necessarily ones involving her kicking ass)
Kurt: The Leg is only my new favorite thing in the entire world. What WAS she doing?? It's just too much worship/comedy/insanity for me to process.
Jose: I'm over the leg., I must've been the only one who wanted to see Jim Rash's leg instead (he's SO my type)
Kurt: I'd ask why, but I like leaving that one hanging there. I don't even know what he looks like but he's getting an immediate post-chat google
Nathaniel: Um. you saw him on sunday night, doing angelina's pose.
Kurt: oh i know..but i dont remember
Nathaniel: ANYWAY. I did the photo sets in groups of 5 like Oscar categories. So we must conclude with who you'd vote for and who you'd snub from this shortlist.
Kurt: ok. Vote: Super Gwynnie. Snub: Sandra
Jose: 1. Vote: Gwynnie Snub: Angie (sorry, leg...)
Nathaniel: Vote: The Leg. (Sorry Goop Girl, close second.) Snub: Penelope. I vote Angie's leg. Snub: Penelope.
Kurt: Yaya! Hugs to you for voting Leg!
Nathaniel: If only I could hug the leg.
Jose: When Uggie's done with it
Kurt: oh thats funny i didn't come armed with enough leg chokes *jokes! hows that for freudian?
wow.
Jose: LOL
Nathaniel: Oh Uggie. He was supposed to retire and then they forced him on stage again. Poor thing.
Speaking of retiring. I have to get BEST ACTRESS out of the way because I MUST be done with it. I must move on.
Aibileen, Lisbeth, Albert, Margaret, and Marilyn
Kurt: oh hell, i'll start. i have to say viola needs to cool it with the boobage. let those babies breathe. you already taped them down at the NAACPs. they just look so...crammed. otherwise shes stunning
Nathaniel: I have to admit that after my initial excitement wore off post red carpet arrivals, that I didn't truly love any of these looks... though I think this is the best version of The Thing Glenn Has Been Wearing All Season.
Jose: I loved Rooney but she and Glenn have been wearing the same thing all season long.
Kurt: i think rooney is beautiful but i hate this look. and i still can't believe shes an oscar nominee for that performance (but we neednt discuss that)
Nathaniel: Wasn't that clip a trip? they chose the anal rape revenge scene!
Kurt: seriously
Nathaniel: I kind of wish Oscar had been frisky cheeky and had asked Rooney & Noomi to present together. P.S. Jose your post on the Two Lisbeths was super popular. well done.
Jose: thanks! I was super happy to do it, I must've been the only one who actually wanted Rooney to win but you two will kick me out if I insist on it.
Nathaniel: well, f you're going to show anal rape torture scenes as Oscar clips all bets should be off.
Jose: the Goyas had full frontal clips, Oscar needs those ASAP
Kurt: that was about the only unsafe move of the evening.
Nathaniel: so my vote is Glenn. And my snub is Meryl because the gold is so shiny and too tackybrite. even though i like the shape on her. and it's very Meryl.
Jose: I really really really loved Meryl's Lanvin. Vote: Meryl (and I NEVER thought she'd be best dressed in ANY group) Snub: Viola (too butch and Dennis Rodman-y for my taste)
Kurt: Can i please just have a Meryl Moment?
Nathaniel: as opposed to...the other 364 days of the year?
Kurt: Stop! I am soooo excited that she won. Like, geeking out excited. no irony, no jokes, i was elated.
i did feel kinda bad for viola afterward, but it was such a great, surreal moment for me
Jose: *whispers * me too!
Nathaniel: WOW, WILL YOU LOOK AT WHAT MICHELLE IS WEARING? I'LL SAY.
Kurt: hahahaha
Jose: LOL except for that pepto-bismol colored clutch, Michelle was lovely
Kurt: I don't like this. However, what she wore to the indie spirits is one of my favorite looks of the whole season
Jose: It's super cute. like "Albert Nobbs" meets "The Red Balloon"
Kurt: hehehe
Jose: I kinda wished she tore the longer half down at some point and went for a sluttier look
Nathaniel: I have been obsessed with thinking about what Michelle Williams would have been like in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo ever since Nick was talking it up. Obsessed.
Kurt: interesting
Nathaniel: I really think Michelle needs to do something really edgy/sexual. (and no I don't count the "nc-17" (lol) blue valentine as edgysexual however brilliant it is.
Jose: does that mean that Rooney would've played Marilyn?
Kurt: NO
Nathaniel: Uhhhh
Jose: lol just asking
Kurt: i guess we should move along. Vote: Meryl. Snub: Michelle or, no, I guess Snub: Rooney. You can't do funeral/wedding at the Oscars.
Jose: unless you're Tim Burton and Helena Bonham-Carter.
Nathaniel: I don't know. there are an awful lot of people who don't get to catch the bouquet at these things and the bouquet. Funeral wedding sounds just about right.
You know you have the fatigue when you can't even stay awake to talk about Oscar fashions. Let's call it a night but first give me a vote/snub for anyone else from sunday night that we should have discussed had we had the time and the red bull.
GO.
Jose: Vote: Jessica Chastain (that McQueen was GEE-NI-US) Snub: J. Lo's strange prom dress from space
Kurt: Vote: Cameron Diaz, who usually looks afright but looked great. Snub: Shailene Woodley, who's...a radiator cover? Vote: Milla Jovovich, who still looked classy despite plugging resident evil. Vote: Octavia Spencer, who's done aces for her body shape all season. Snub: J.Lo, who nodded to The Cell.
Nathaniel: The Cell, I shall now retire to mine (Padded). the Oscars broke my brain.
Jose: sweet dreams!
Kurt: Thanks guys.
Your turn, readers. Sound off if you're still awake for these last gasps of Oscar night.
- Do you have a better superhero name for Gwynnie than Goop Girl?
- Yay or Nay on Rooney & Glenn's ever so slight variations on signature looks?
- Was Chastain's McQueen genius?
- Does Michelle Williams need to shake it up?
- Oscar is a Funeral Wedding. Can I get an amen?
Reader Comments (35)
Meryl looked like a goddess (or a statuette if you may) still elated with her win.
Meryl looked like a goddess (or a statuette if you may) still elated with her win.
Angelina is just an ugly vampire or alien. Choose yourself.
I voted Angie (just because of the leg). I also like Jessica Chastain's dress. But no one really stood out that night. Not for the historical book. Hopefully, next year we'll get a lot of fearless stars to blow our minds with their dress choices (Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cottilard etc.)
Angelina used to be batshit crazy back in the day on the red carpet...jumping in pools, licking her statues. I just think sometimes, the crazy comes out--she's not completely in control of it at all times.
OT, I hope the viral jokes didn't scare Angelina off cuz she rarely showed this fun side every since she hook up with Brad Pitt (must be off her meds or drunk that night)
Jessica Chastain was my favorite look of the night. Her hair, her makeup, her McQueen gown, her infectious smile... the whole package worked.
Out of the Best Actress nominees, Meryl and Michelle are the MVPs for me. Meryl less because it's an amazing gown, but more because it was perfect for when she won and it just looked glorious in all of the post-win pictures. Michelle because the color was AMAZING, the pattern was super interesting, and more importantly, it's SO HER. Though to be honest, I liked all of their dresses except for Viola. The color of her dress, the makeup, the hair... that was all good. Too bad her dress looked like it got attacked by a dragon.
So... I really hated Meryl Streep's dress during the telecast. I thought it was tacky and unfortunate. But now, looking at the pictures, I'm starting to come around on it. It's not my favorite, but it's not as bad it seemed.
And I could say the same exact thing about her win.
(Also - my fave dresses were Pene and J.Lo)
My favorite was Mila Jovovich. Natalie Portman's dress was vintage Dior, from the 1950s, which kind of explains why it had polka dots on it. And I thought Angelina was stunning. Again. A real larger than life movie goddess.
I thought Chastain was wearing her Nana's old curtains... definite snub for me. Viola's non-wig look was bold and a show stopper but the dress was just meh despite the unique-on-red-carpet color.
Michelle always looks the same, maybe its the hair.
Of the best actress nominees I thought Glenn looked the best-classy, age appropriate the color was perfect for her and since she seemed to understand she didn't have a chance of winning, relaxed and happy.
Viola's dress was too racing green for me, a few shades darker it would have been perfect, her hair seemed overbright and with the different style it was almost like she was someone else.
Michelle's dress was pretty and suited her but she's being honored as one of the best actresses in the world could she smile and seem to enjoy it a little?
Meryl's gold wrap for her was quite a bit above her usual. And while it was bright and flashy it was still simple and she didn't overdo the jewerly as is usual with her.
Rooney's was awful! It didn't fit, didn't hang properly and her Bettie Page bangs and overly dyed black hair unbecoming.
As far as everybody else, Jessica Chastain's dress was beautiful and unique. Milla's old time Hollywood glamorous, Cameron Diaz was okay until you noticed the tan lines on her shoulder, she's a beautiful woman who just can't seem to ever pull it all together. Loved Penelope's dress a fantastic color for her, I like her hair longer but she looked very elegant.
My two worst were Melissa Leo, fresh from the buffet at Grand Rodeo, she seems trashy and coarse anyway so no surprise. Jennifer Lopez looked like a hoochie pretty much just like always. Could somebody please tell her we all know she has breasts and don't want to see them everytime out the door, it's tacky.
I think this is the first time in my life I've have voted for Gwynnie, at least fashion-wise. Stunning for once. (Of course a well-done grecian column is one of my sweet spots, but the draping across the bodice gets it just right.)
Now that you've mentioned "Crabs" in relation to Sandy's dress I can't unseen them. damn
Penelope is - wearing a train, again? Isn't that the same dress she's been wearing without the feathers to soften the look, for the past five or more years? (BTW - that feathered dress that she wore that time that everyone still talks about was basically a rip-off of the dress Nicole wore for that Chanel commerical. Just sayin'.)
Interesting that right now best dressed in best actress is a 3-way tie: Glenn, Meryl, Michelle. Interesting. Has Glenn ever looked that relaxed and sexy? That feminine? Love it. It actually looks like a less-avant garde variation of that killer ice blue number Tilda wore for another event. (I forget which.) Open letter to all casting directors in the industry: Look at that sexy mature woman - and start doing your JOB.
Sorry, Kurt, I can't agree with your vote for Michelle's Indie Spirit look. Unless she's going for "twee but with a sense of irony and self-deprication so subtle the rest of us can't see it" (which is possible), no woman her age should be trying to look like a 7 year old Brit schoolboy in kneepants.
First line
Best dressed: Gwynnie.
Worst: Nat.
Notes: don't you see too much botox on Sandy's face?
Best Actress
Best dressed: none.
Worst: Meryl.
Best of the worst: Viola just for the dress colour.
Always said and always will: Meryl's taste in fashion is in inverse propotion to her immense talent.
For best-dressed overall, I'm going with Pe or Jessica, of the Best Actress nominees, definitely Michelle.
And none of the fellas? I'm bummed-this is the only site that ever recognizes the handsome men on the red carpet.
Tan- How about: An Alien-Vampire...good to know I am not the only one who feels that everything about this creature is offensive (for the eyes & mind)
It's a tough call between Gwyneth and Natalie for the first grouping, but I chose Natalie, just because she looks so fresh and young, but Gwyneth looks very elegant and stylish.
Of the Best Actress nominees, I liked both Glenn and Meryl - they brought me back to the '80s, when no one used stylists, and actresses were artists who felt free to express themselves and look wacky. (Though really, none of these women look like they used a stylist!)
Is it just me or does Penelope really resemble Marisa Pavan (Anna Magnani's daughter from Rose Tattoo) with that haircut? She's beautiful as always, nonetheless
Its interesting to see the responses to Viola's hair. I think she looked fab and was happy to see her out of the wigs on the carpet.
@Golden, I agree about Angelina. As weird as the jutting of the leg seemed to so many people, I was really happy it happened. I thought, "Damn, maybe she still has some personality after all."
I'm one of those that would vote for Angelina as best dressed, mostly because this was the first time since Billy Bob Thornton where she was actually being deliciously sexy, cheeky, and maybe a bit crazy with that propped out leg of hers. How can you not love her, or at least not be entertained by her?
But this was one of the most boring Oscars ever for fashion dresses. No major misses, but no unforgettable "wow" moments. Everyone was just mehh....
Other than Angie, I thought this was honestly the best Gwyneth has ever looked. Gorgeous Tom Ford gown and I loved the cape. Two others that stood out from the rest were Michelle Williams (uh, totally the best dressed out of the actress nominees. I don't understand how this is debatable. Great color, great length, the hair, makeup. She was stunning) and Jessica Chastain's Alexander McQueen dress was super as well.
I really hated Sandra Bullock's dress. It looked as if it was in two parts, I hated the crabs infesting her waist section, and she just looked so demure and mature. Viola's dress was such a letdown too, considering she knocked it out of the park at the SAGs. And I'm sorry, Glenn looks pretty but why is she so obsessed with the mermaid meets businesswoman look? She literally has looked the same at every awards show this season.
... and about Penélope, since you had that small picture of her win on the right. Vigas Luna is misspelled, it's Bigas. The way it's written, it means beams (joists?).
Probably she's not the best dressed, but the whole leg thing gives Angelina the win in my book.
Jessica Chastain. Period.
Jessica Chastain was incredible. Slayed everyone else on the carpet.
Meryl is my distant second... but I'm partially just still too incredibly happy about her win to think rationally.
Although I don't usually like white, my favorites were Gwyneth Paltrow and Milla Jovovich.
From the best actress category, I would go with Mara (white again!) or Glenn because I loved the color. I didn't like Michelle at all.
J-Lo was a mess and the whole cast of "Bridesmaids" wore horrendous dresses except for Byrne.
I really wanted to comment Viola's hair, but I fear I'll get misunderstood. I liked it, but I don't think she chose the right night to change it. I've never noticed the wigs before. Did you?
I'm not wild about Jessica's dress (or Alexander McQueen in general) but do appreciate that she went for something different, and she looked amazing overall.
Natalie and Penélope were snoozeville; Gwynie had a marvelous gown, but her scythe-like figure just can't fill it out in a show-stopping way; Sandy and Viola had inverse ill-fitting issues (too loose on top for the former, too tight on top for the latter); Rooney...n'en parlons pas; Glenn and Meryl were the best we could expect; and Michelle chose a gorgeous dress whose color was just a tad too muted to make it pop as should against her pale complexion.
But the end-all, of course, was Crazy Angie, who let her freak flag fly (finally, thank God!) and gave bitch-goddess homage to Liz Taylor, despite her limbs looking like bayonets at this point. Break out that vial of blood, girl!
P.S. No one mentioned Tina Fey, but I thought her Carolina Herrera dress was perfect for her, as was Milla Jovovich's (chic and elegant, top to bottom).
I loved the full outfit of Gwyneth (aka Viola de Les-cape), but was glad when she took off the cape while presenting so that people could focus on the beautiful dress.
Viola Davis' fiery hair was a bit of a turn-off on a look that was okay to me otherwise, and I really wish Rooney Mara would quit with the bangs. Too long!
Mareko -- I think that dress was beautiful, but not for Tina which tends to overdress. She's too urban. I see her more CK than Herrera.
I think people are seriously misreading Angelina's intentions with the leg. I don't think she meant at all for that to be funny, which is why it's so freaking hilarious.
Kurtis O -- Exactly!
I agree that I think Glenn was the best dressed Best Actress.
And I thought Penelope's hair made her look olddd.
@bleh and Peggy Sue: I didn't mention Viola's hair either (fear of going into THAT subject matter again, and hey, I'm a white girl and what would I know about black women's hair and who am I to tell anyone what they should do with it?)
I confess I wasn't really aware of it when she wore that curly wig on Tara as that bohemian-artist character; I just thought she looked great and sexy. But then again I had never ever seen her au natural. I did notice the wigs throughout the season, especially that straight helmut one (Louise Brooks gone awry - or maybe Buster Brown?) And as a white women, oddly enough I was thrilled to see her dispense with it, like "ok, this is what a black woman (what this woman specifically) looks like. It gave me flashback memories of the '70's, actually, that "black is beautiful" period; and it reminded me of other women I've seen in TV and movies (such as CC Pounder) who wear wigs, and then I see them without it and for me it comes as a slight shock. Which it oughtn't, and maybe be terribly ignorant and naive on my part.
I can't imagine having one's hair be such a political thing, a site and a symbol, but it is. I don't think I'm pulling that out of thin air, especially when women feel the need to wear the wigs, not to look prettier or to play a character, but to present a more acceptably "caucasian" appearance. (I understand that some women may not like their hair to begin with, btw - I have very curly dense hair and longed for smooth straight hair for years, until I learned to appreciate what I have because other women wished they had what I had. And the idea of playing with one's hair, having a different look, I get all that. But - Viola's wigs were really awful and obvious on the red carpet and did her no favors IMO.)
that said, I agree with Peggy Sue in a way, I would have liked to have seen this look a lot earlier, and shown off what can be done with it and how gorgeous it is.
Best: Glenn, Meryl, Natalie, Gwyneth, Jessica
Worst: Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez
Did anyone see Dolores Hart?
Penélope's style is like a Disney princess'. Snow White may be?
they all look really awesome in these dresses because they know the real grace of fashion.....