Put That In Your Blog: Red Carpet Review: Oscars 2012

I would like to create a new pre-Oscars red carpet show. Picture this: a producer off camera would ask a celebrity who they are wearing; someone would type this information into a computer; the celebrity stands and poses for a moment so two cameras could film the front and back of the dress/tuxedo; the designer information would appear on the screen simultaneously; everyone could see the fashions and no one would have to hear a "personality" ask inane questions that elicit equally inane answers. We could see so many more fashions in so little time and it would be great. (Rant complete.)

If I talked about all the fashions I wanted to, this post would get crazy long, so here's a synopsis of what I saw on the red carpet.

Trends!
There were several dresses in a buff to ever-so-slightly pink neutral color walking down the red carpet as well as several all-over sequin gowns. There were also several dresses in shades of blue and a few in shades of red.

Best!
Emma Stone looked fantastic in Giambattista Valli. Beautiful in color, fabric, and simple silhouette. Not everyone could pull off a giant puffy bow at the neckline, but Ms. Stone wore it gracefully.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I loved Gwenyth Paltrow's all white look by Tom Ford. At first I was leery of the cape, but there really was something regal and polished about it. Without the cape, the dress was simple, flattering, and stunning. It was too bad her hair looked terrible.

The fabric was the star of Penelope Cruz's Armani Prive gown; it moved so elegantly. Plus the slate color popped nicely on the red carpet. I wasn't crazy about her hair, there was something a little off, but overall she looked stunning.

Worst!
Rooney Mara's Givenchy dress was a sad and droopy. The flanges on the bust frankly made her breasts look long, which throws the proportions of the silhouette. However, I though her styling was fantastic. Her delicate features, fair skin, red lipstick, and severe hair makes her look like a 60s French ballerina.

Jennifer Lopez's dress was just...odd. I didn't understand it. The sleeve cutouts and junior-high-student-length sleeves gave a trashy feeling to the dress.

Colin Firth's wife, Liria Giuggioli, looked matronly in her modernized crumb-catcher bodice. It had the same effect as Mara Rooney's dresses, making this beautiful Italian woman look droopy and ill proportioned on top.

Man Trend!
A lot of men were wearing a larger, almost 70s butterfly bow tie (as seen above on Colin Firth), but I don't think anyone went over-the-top with it. There were also a nice number of white, peek-a-boo pocket squares, but I think Tom Cruise might have done it best.