Oscars Red Carpet - initial thoughts...

Apart from the frocks, the thing that has amused me most so far about this year’s Oscars red carpet is how the actresses were holding themselves. With so many strapless dresses and so many reassuringly untoned upper arms, nearly all the women adopted a special bent elbow, arms held away from the body red carpet pose, often with hands clasped, in order to add muscle tone. They looked slightly strange, as though they were about to break into song.

Main culprits included Amy Adams (appeared to be on the cusp of doing an Enchanted number for the duration of her Tim Gunn interview), Anne Hathaway, Angelina and Meryl (who really didn’t need to worry, since she was wearing an eminently practical sleeved number.)

Kate Beckinsale's stylist must really hate her...

Three things go towards making a successful red carpet look: the dress, the actress and the stylist who oversees to the total look.
Continuing with my bad styling theme for this year's Oscars, I present Kate Beckinsale:
1)beautiful actress, 2)interesting dress, 3) appalling styling.
Pic: Style.com

Why Oscar red carpet fashion went low key in 2008

This was a year of understated glamour, subtle embellishments and low key dresses at the Oscars. If there were trains, they floated rather than swooshed, colours were muted and breasts were contained. These were dresses for actresses rather than models, and what a refreshing change this made.

Sure, some commentators called this year’s red carpet ‘safe’ and ‘boring’, but we are in danger of forgetting one salient fact: these are professional woman who earn their living from acting rather than fashion, a truth that tends to get forgotten in today’s celebrity saturated culture.

As the fiscal aftermath of the writer’s strike continues to hit home for many in the industry, provocative fashion choices would have been in bad taste, and most of the red carpet attendees seemed to have taken this on board. That is if they walked the red carpet. This was the year when eschewing the crowds seemed cooler than ever, with several presenters, including Penelope Cruz only appearing in front of the cameras for the first time when they arrived on stage.

Several key styling truths seemed to have been ignored. Take Anne Hathaway in one of the only statement dresses on the red carpet, a somewhat over the top scarlet Marchesa creation: her stylist seemed to have forgotten that when putting a celebrity’s look together, it’s vital to shoot her before the event from every angle, including from the ground up. In several shots she looked almost pregnant, with billowy arms and rather too much blousiness going on.

Cameron Diaz needs to buy a hair brush, and engage the services of a make up artist: over the age of thirty acting all breathless and deshabillé at a red carpet event is no longer charming, it just looks kinda slutty. It would also have helped to have had her pale pink Dior frock fitted properly. The rolls of back fat squeezed over the bodice (on a slim woman) were an appalling slip up.

The Oscars: Red Carpet Fashion 2008

This is the first time that I’ve been in the US for the Oscars, and I’m amazed by the levels of excitement. I guess the time difference in England means it’s difficult for people to get worked up about a show that happens in the middle of the night.

Back in London, I’m one of the only two people I know who actually stays up all night to watch it, usually snuggled under a duvet in my nightie and bedsocks, with lots of chocolate & popcorn supplies. The other is my film director friend, but she has a daughter now, and sleep is precious.

Until this year, I've always been a guest on BBC network radio the next morning to discuss the red carpet fashion, so I’m rather looking forward to not having to pay such close attention this time. And, even though I do have some copy to file for Monday morning, at least I have ten hours to do so, rather than the five I get in England because of the time difference.

There are so many Oscar parties here in Manhattan, but I’ve plumped for the Soho House one, darling. They are putting up screens on the sixth floor clubhouse, and running a red carpet viewing from 6pm. It’s member’s only, but two of my friends are members too so, between us, we have nine guests. The plan is to bags a corner where we can ensconce ourselves and do eating and gossiping.

I’m hoping that there will be something as beautiful as Reese Witherspoon's friled silk jacquard Nina Ricci dress this year.Apparently Olivier Theyskens actually made two similar versions of this dress to take to Los Angeles, each one with those intricate hand tucked frills. The hours of workmanship for each dress must have been quite extraordinary. (There’s a frilled dress with a similar technique, if you want to get up close to one, on show at The Met’s Costume Institute show on now.)

Image: OSCAR.com