2009 Oscars Red Carpet Fashion: Academy Awards Best Dressed List

The 2009 Academy Awards have come and gone, and while some have collected their Oscar trophies on stage the fashion police are still doling out awards for red carpet dresses and compiling Best Dressed and Worst Dressed lists. 

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After 81 years in the making, the Academy Awards has become a world renowned event recognized for its glamorous and star-studded red carpet.  Oscar fashions set the bar for hair, makeup, jewelry and dress trends for the year, so everyone keeps a keen eye on what the celebrities are wearing.

While many trend reports made note of bright colors on the red carpet, I noticed a striking prevalence of strapless ivory gowns: Anne Hathaway, Evan Rachel Wood, Jessica Biel, Melissa George, Penelope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Taraji P. Henson, and Jennifer Aniston all donned varying incarnations of wintry whites and shades of nude, giving brides-to-be plenty of inspiration for the year.

Nudes and Whites

Jennifer Aniston was glowing in her silver and gold Valentino frock while firmly hitched to the arm of boyfriend John Mayer.  Anne Hathaway wore champagne Armani Prive, vastly improving upon her white Valentino gown with black bow fiasco from last year's Oscars.  Jessica Biel looked frumpy in a satin Prada gown, adorned with a long oversized panel/bow off to one side which hid most of her body.  Melissa George, guest star on Grey's Anatomy, opted for a white corseted mermaid silhouette.

Penelope Cruz was applauded for her vintage Balmain beaded lace dress, and while I recognize the attention to detail in the hand embroidered gold buillon threading and 50's appeal, my opinion was pretty much, "meh."  Sarah Jessica Parker was nearly "busting" out of her Dior Haute Couture embroidered gown, and hubby Matthew Broderick looked noticeably awkward cradling her in his arms for photographs.  

Miley Cyrus' Zuhair Murad silk chiffon gown received multiple nods for its scalloped tiers and intricate embroidery, but most countered their approval with the criticism that it was simply too sophisticated for a 16 year old.  I must wholeheartedly agree - beautiful dress, but far too much for a little girl to handle.  

Keeping with the creamy-coloured trend, I thought Taraji P. Henson, supporting actor in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, looked stunning in a Roberto Cavalli chiffon gown.  Even Mickey Rourke suited himself in a creamy ensemble.  Marisa Tomei looked gorgeous in her elaborate Versace gown, but I thought the one-shoulder looked sloppy and she could have done without that sleeve detail entirely.  Thumbs up from the bodice down, though.

Colour: Reds were accented by pink and blue

The second biggest trend on the Oscars red carpet was red: Amy Adams wore Carolina Herrera accented by a beautiful and bold vintage Leighton Cleopatra collar, Virginia Madsen chose strapless scarlet, while Heidi Klum wore a structured and ornate Roland Mouret gown.

Natalie Portman stood out on the red carpet wearing a bubblegum pink Rodarte dress, but I thought she could have used a little more volume in the skirt to offset her tiny frame.  And Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto in a John Galliano one-shouldered blue gown that had slight references to a traditional Indian sari.

Classic Black

And of course there were the the traditional black dresses - Angelina Jolie somehow received praise for her Elie Saab black strapless dress, but the only points she gets from me are for her striking emerald earrings.  Diane Lane looked stunning in a black column gown while accompanying her husband Josh Brolin down the red carpet. 

Robin Wright Penn took the arm of trophy winner Sean Penn in a black frock, while Vanessa Hudgens was a surprising success with a Marchesa mermaid dress, complete with fishtail train and white flower detailing on the bodice.

Summary

All in all, I thought the Hollywood celebrities delivered on the glamor and glitz that everyone expects from the Academy Awards, despite the global economic downturn.  Too much black would have been overly depressing, while too much colour could be perceived as trying too hard to ignore the reality of the recession.  I think the general trend towards creams was a safe choice for most actors, and resulted in clean and sophisticated ensembles.