Oscars 2008: Red Carpet Commentary (part 2)

In Part 1 of our Oscars 2008: Red Carpet Fashion Commentary, we covered the two dominant colours of the evening - red and black - and now we continue on the rest of the evening’s trends, kicking off with belly bumps…

While Nicole Kidman’s bland black dress slide perfectly over her little baby bump, Cate Blanchett’s near eight month bump was very, very visible in her Dries Van Noten gown. It seems like just last week that she had a neat little bump and now here she is looking like a baby explosion is imminent. Still the dress with its embroidery and beaded halterneck collar was gorgeous, just a little tent-like and really quite conventional for the often kooky Cate.

Jessica Alba seemed to have got the best baby-bump option though: her purple Marchesa was a fab colour and the cut is just perfect for her nearly six month bump - it’s neither too showy-offy or too tentlike - and the level of floatiness ranks just about perfect in my books.

Calista Flockhart also got a good floaty number. The pale blue halter-neck doesn’t even come close to swamping her petite frame and she looks so happy and healthy, so hurrah.

Her fellow pastel-wearer Rosamund Pike didn’t do as well though. The 29 year old looked like wife of a country club president who’d lost the sleeve of her natty lemon outfit in a freak whist-drive accident. It happens more than you think.

Cameron Diaz also suffered in pastels. She often flops in her red carpet outfits and this one was no exception. In a vibrant colour, it could have been all-that but in barely there pink, it’s too bridesmaidy and the colour, combined with her subtle make-up, really washes her out.

Keri Russell’s off-white did the same thing. If the background wasn’t a red carpet and flock of tuxedos, she’d blend into it. She looks pretty and in great shape but also really, really bland. A little bit of pattern, decoration or colour would boost her look so much.

Best Actress winner Marion Cottilard steered clear of colour but the fishy scales on her custom-made Jean Paul Gaultier managed to look interesting and quirky but without being too out there or costume-y. My favourite bit is the shaping in the bottom of the bodice - very cute.

Joining her in white, last year’s Best Supporting Actress winner also looks great - aside from her strangely oval boobs. Or rather, the strange shape of the neckline on the way up to the halter neck loop which makes her boobs look ovoid. Unfortunate.

Aside from jewellery, there was a distinct lack of sparkles on the red carpet this year but those that went for it made a good job of it. Keisha Whittaker, the wife of last year’s Best Actor Forrest Whittaker, looked gorgeous in her white organza, silver-embroidered gown and Renee Zellweger looked the best she’s done in a long time in her silver hand-embroidered Carolina Herrera gown. Bravo.

 

See more Red Carpet Commentaries

• The Brits - Feb 2008
• The Grammys - Feb 2008
• The BAFTAs - Feb 2008
• SAG Awards - Jan 2008
• The Emmys - Sept 2007
• The MTV Video Awards - Sept 2007
• More…