First, some general notes. I thought it was interesting that more people took the risk of wearing shorter pieces. It may be representative of the economic situation today, that people don't tend towards huge ballgowns, even for events like these, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I love the idea of a glamourous gown, especially at an event like this, but I will say that there are a few people that wore shorter dresses that really wow-ed me. I think that in general, as long as those who wore short dresses looked polished and finished, then it didn't bother me that their dress length was a little more on the casual side.
Anyway, on to the looks!
The "Safer" Looks
Marion Cotillard
I'm not going to lie, this is a pretty safe dress. It seems a little more premiere-like than Costume Institute Gala-like, but she does look stunning. I am a tad disappointed, because I know that she can pull off some of Dior's more eccentric (yet fabulous) pieces, like she did here at the Oscars.
But the colour looks great on her, the clutch is nice, the makeup is pretty, and she generally looks radiant, so this look gets a slightly hesitant thumbs up from me.
Iman
While the pleated, structured look may be a bit too prevalent for some, the inner Leanne Marshall idolizer in me is a huge fan of this dress. I will agree, it's on the safe side, and Iman is someone who could have pulled off a more extravagant look, but I think the dress fits her well, compliments her skintone beautifully, and shows off her ageless beauty. Thumbs up!
Claire Danes
I love this. A lot. It may just be my personal love for all things taupe, but I think this dress is simple, classic, and pretty, but the skirt is daring enough that it doesn't look out of place at this gala. Thumbs up again!
Eva Mendes
I think she looks pretty, but like in the case of Marion Cotillard, I think that it's a little more movie premiere than Costume Institute Gala. However, like the lovely writer for Red Carpet Fashion Awards said, she's walking the carpet for Calvin Klein, who's known mainly for minimalist clothing. I will say that the makeup and accessories are beautiful. I would give this the same rating as Marion's...hesitant thumbs up.
Amber Rose (aka Kanye West's significant other)
My, how this girl has shot to popularity. I think she's definitely got the look to pull off a lot of the more extravagant pieces she wears, which is why I'm surprised that she's in a Carolina Herrera red mermaid gown. I think she looks pretty, but not outstandingly so, so I would say..."meh." But, knowing that she's a red carpet rookie, not a bad effort at all.
Natalia Vodianova
I love Natalia Vodianova, but this look really just doesn't jive well with me. The fit of the dress is sort of odd, as is the hemline. Plus, that bracelet she's wearing looks vaguely like a baby toy. On the plus side, her makeup is lovely and ethereal. It pains me so much to give her a thumbs down, but this look didn't really work well for me. And I swear it's not just because I like safe looks! It's more the fit/hemline that bother me than the style of the dress.
Nadja Auermann
This is amazing. Gorgeous. Flawless. Though Katie Holmes may have worn this dress before (as seen below)
I am not one to get really snarky about carpet re-runs. The only time it slightly bugs me is when people style it in exactly the same way. And even then, it doesn't really bother me. But personally, I think Nadja hit it out of the park. Her styling was so much more vibrant and punchy than Katie's, and I think her own look, with the strong makeup and icy blonde hair, add a great edge to the dress while keeping it classy. Two thumbs up!
Daphne Guinness
Though I run a blog about budgets, I have to admire someone who spends her own money on couture while most people can simply borrow. It does fit that she would attend such an event as this. Daphne actually looks slightly similar to Nadja, but I don't think her dress is as fitting. It looks slightly prom-esque, though the details on the shoulder with the draping are very pretty. The dress itself, I think, is gorgeous, but definitely not what I expected from Ms. Guinness the heiress. I would give this a "meh."
Renee Zellweger
It was a 99% chance that Renee would wear something by Carolina Herrera, as she is essentially that brand's biggest ambassador/client. I think she looks quite lovely in the dress, and that the colour is amazing. When I first saw the dress, I was sort of like "Oh, Renee Zellweger, another Carolina Herrera..." but then I looked at it more objectively and realized that this was actually quite a lovely selection. I think the necklace and the multi-toned nature of the fabric add an extra punch that makes this dress more Costume Institute Gala-worthy. Two hesitant thumbs up.
Brooke Shields
First of all, her lipstick is kind of dark for me. Her makeup in general is really strong, which distracts me from the already kind of boring dress. Though, like I said for Eva Mendes, Calvin Klein isn't exactly known for crazy creations. I will say that the colour looks fantastic with her hair/skintone, but for me it looks kind of like a prom dress. Which isn't a bad thing, but makes it seem slightly less special. I'd say "meh."
Liv Tyler and Kate Hudson
Usually I'd rate these ladies separately, but they walked together for most of the night and were both dressed by Stella McCartney. What I loved about Stella's ingenuity with these ladies is that the dresses themselves aren't particularly groundbreaking. However, they both have enough glitz to make them gala-worthy, and when seen together, Kate and Liv represent two ends of a spectrum that fully showcase Stella's work. Liv fits perfectly with the more vintage look, and her hair perfectly compliments her dress. Kate, on the other hand, is looking more beachy-bohemian, and this gold dress looks as though it was essentially made for her. Thumbs up!
Eva Longoria Parker
I was once a huge fan of Eva Longoria, because she was 5'2" and stunning and it gave me hope that people that were 5'2" could be more than just "cute." Now, I still find her gorgeous, but her dress sense doesn't always agree with me...and this time is just about the same. I think the whole outfit, giant necklace included, looks a little Vanna White to me. Which is ironic, because Diane looks fabulous here. Unfortunately, I would say thumbs down.
Coco Rocha
Isaac Mizrahi had better be bowing at Coco Rocha's feet, because the dress isn't that remakrable and models that didn't have her attitude might not have been able to rock this dress quite as well. Not one of my most favourite looks of the night, but definitely a good look. Also, for all those that don't like her red hair...I love it! I think she should keep it. Two (kind of hesitant) thumbs up.
Katy Perry
I'm kind of on the fence with this one...on one hand, it seems a bit tacky and cartoon-like, but on the other hand, it's a very toned down look for Katy Perry but still retains a little bit of her kitschy quality. I'll say two hesitant thumbs up...but I'd note that this would probably have been more fit to last year's gala, whose theme was superheroes.
Emmy Rossum
Though many would label this look as "too old," I think that Emmy Rossum looks great here. Her makeup goes wonderfully with the dress, which has a completely open back that isn't visible in this picture. It may not be the most youthful thing in the world, but I absolutely love the colour and think she looks great in the dress. Two thumbs up.
Rosario Dawson
Enh...it may be my aversion to tropical colours but this dress is kind of veering into "tacky prom dress" territory. And by kind of, I mean it is. It is a pretty dress, but at the very least it is a movie premiere dress to me, and not a Costume Institute Gala gown. Rosario looks pretty though, so it pains me to give her a thumbs down.
All pictures are courtesy of Style.com.
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