The Oscar Parade

I can't resist a post about the red carpet fashion on Sunday night. I thought Sandra Bullock's pale glittering gown by Marchesa was very pretty, and that dress looked great when she was holding her golden Oscar statuette! Her sleek hair and red lips were classic Hollywood.

My favorite look was young actress Cary Mulligan in this Prada dress.

It was decorated with little metal forks and knives and scalpels. I love a dress that comes with its own jewelry, don't you? Seriously, it was a chic design but whimsical too and perfect for a young actress, when so many of them dress in boring chiffon gowns.

I also loved this dress on Maggie Gyllenhaal by Belgian designer Dries Van Noten. You know I'm a big fan of his. We used to see Maggie in the bakery on Jane Street; I believe she lives with her family in the West Village. She always goes her own way with her clothes, and I love this giant print, the likes of which you rarely see on the red carpet. And you have to stand back so you can see the bottom treatment of the print. This beautiful dress looks like a painting by Dufy.

I think Maggie and Dries are pals – here they are at a recent luncheon at F.I.T where Dries was honored with the award for artistry in fashion.



Chic man.

Overall though, I thought the Oscars were lacking in big time Hollywood glamour. Where were Julia Roberts/Angline Jolie/Gwyneth Paltrow/Reese Witherspoon? I don't think anyone looked as great as Jennifer Aniston did at the Golden Globes in January. Her dress was by Valentino, and it was pretty plain, until she moved:
Those legs.

That hair.

That smile.

The girl was having fun.

It looks kind of like she zipped up a $5,000 dress and ran out the door, although you know it wasn't that easy, with a stylist and hair and makeup experts. I love the cut of the dress and the sexy sandals – thankfully she didn't opt for trendy ginormous platform shoes. What comes through is her personality, a feeling of good health and being in great shape, and a California joie de vivre. The look was kind of simple, it was kind of nothing, "but it was the right nothing" as English writer Patrick Kinmoth once said. That to me is great style.