17th January 2012
There were no British designers to speak of, bar one Julien Macdonald silver sheath, chosen by Nicole Richie, and a deeply unflattering Jenny Packham monochrome number worn by Kate Winslet.Instead it was the Italian big hitters — Gucci, Versace, Prada and Armani Prive — who made a triumphant red carpet return at Sunday night’s Golden Globes in Los Angeles.
My overall winner: Angelina Jolie at last found her fashion feet in a white, one-shouldered silk Atelier Versace gown teamed with white Versace shoes. I love the matching bag and lips, and the upswept hair. Simply stunning. HIT
The Italian economy is in dire straits, and as fashion is its foremost export and employer, it was no coincidence that the Italians were in Hollywood weeks beforehand, wooing and securing those all-important female stars (note, too, the Bulgari jewels that sparkled on almost every scrawny neck).
The stars mostly played it safe, but committed the usual faux pas: the lambs dressed as mutton, the trophy girlfriends in pillar box red... and why so many stars in nude?
Do they not know nude is the new beige and, therefore, is officially boring!
The stars mostly played it safe, but committed the usual faux pas: the lambs dressed as mutton, the trophy girlfriends in pillar box red... and why so many stars in nude?
Do they not know nude is the new beige and, therefore, is officially boring!
THE PALE PARADE
HIT - Jessica Alba: Gucci was the most popular designer of the night and Jessica teamed her very pale lilac dress with Bulgari jewels. I’d have worn a necklace, too
HIT - Kate Beckinsale: In order to do strapless right you need just a glimpse of the perfect decolletage. Kate gets it spot on in nude Roberto Cavalli
MISS - Nicole Kidman: This gold-studded Versace gown would be fabulous on a brunette, but looks washed out against Nicole’s ghost-like complexion
MISS - Elle Macpherson: She looked stunning in cream Zac Posen with an explosion of froth at the hem. I love this dress, but feel it doesn’t suit her super-ambitious personality
MISS - Charlize Theron: This nude Dior couture is much too fussy and shows too much leg. And giant bows on a grown woman are never a good look
THE BLACK PACK
HIT - Salma Hayek: Wow. The beading on this Gucci dress is fabulous, and she proves you need a good cleavage to pull off strapless. Love the loose hair
HIT - Julianne Moore: Black is ideal if you are over 40. I adore this Chanel haute couture fishtail gown, though she needed help in the bust area
MISS - Kate Winslet: Patriotic choice with British designer Jenny Packham. Love the sweetheart neckline and the up do, but the white skirt makes her look wide
MISS - Glenn Close: This Armani Prive dress needed to be broken up, with perhaps silver detail at the waist. Instead it’s an impenetrable wall
MISS - Meryl Streep: A sort of sail-like shirtwaister. I love her quirkiness, but wish she would wear something fitted and hourglass
THE COLOUR CREW
HIT - Natalie Portman: Never looks anything other than beautiful. This hot pink Lanvin with bustle, falls nicely strapless over her cleavage
HIT - Madonna: I actually like this silver and bottle green Reem Acra dress. But note the singer’s deliberately dark roots, designed to show she is not going grey
HIT - Reese Witherspoon: In fire-engine red Zac Posen, she looks just gorgeous, but needs a push-up bra or someone to feed her that other great Italian export apart from fashion: pasta
MISS - Michelle Williams: Made the mistake of many of the young stars and dressed way beyond her years. The Jason Wu purple gown is not only dowdy, it’s leopard print — SO last season
MISS - Tilda Swinton: Cadaverous in Haider Ackermann. Way too fussy. Such froth doesn’t suit her: it’s like seeing Maggie Thatcher in a polka-dot prom dress
MISS - Kelly Osbourne: Oh dear! In too-old-for-her blue Zac Posen, with busy shoulders and train. And what’s happened to her hair? She looks bald
P.S. Look who left them ALL in the shade
The fabulous 66-year-old Helen Mirren made all the young starlets look hopelessly gauche. This navy dress with cardigan top and ruffled skirt by American design duo Badgley Mischka, one of her favourite labels, worked because it followed Mirren’s golden rules:1. It gives her a nipped-in waist.
2. It covers her arms.
3. It shows off her milky decolletage without being overly revealing.
The Queen: Helen Mirren showed all the Hollywood starlets exactly how to look sophisticated, fashionable and attractive - and she's 66!
She understands that to avoid looking frumpy, some flesh must be on show, and for older women, the decolletage is usually in quite good nick, especially if you are not razor thin. She also smiles, which always helps.
Her sleek up-do with minimal make-up was also a winner. My only gripe is that she didn’t wear British — apart from her Jimmy Choo shoes.
Over many years, Helen Mirren has learned better than any stylist what suits her, and while she is not obsessed with her appearance (unlike most stars on the red carpet, she has had nothing done to her face; trust me, I have peered at her in bright sunlight in a Beverly Hills garden), she understands that cheering us all up is part of her job.
No comments:
Post a Comment