Popular wisdom has it that very few of the American public watching the Academy Awards have seen the movies nominated. Which would include my own self in that I don't do movies. I do however, like much of America, tune into the annual Hollywood love fest to see the action and be entertained.
The fashion of the stars catches my eye and so I must comment. For like it or not, styles set by the Hollywood set are often emulated across the nation. In the interest of providing advance notice of fashion trends to come, a compendium of fashion notes follows. Including, heh, some style categories never before invented.
In the interest of bandwidth, only a few pictures of the source of my fashion critiques are not provided. However, a link to a picture of the comment is provided for any reader intrigued enough to have a look-see.
This is not an Academy Award show review. If interested in more details on the actual winners and such, here's one Blogcritic's Oscar review and here's another.
Moving on to an overall feeling of the 2006 Oscar fashion:
There were no spiky hairstyles at this years Academy Award extravaganza. I also noted, to my complete surprise, that make-up was sparing, almost bare. Indeed the hairstyles of the stars were glamorous, often upswept in a fetchingly casual manner.
Sandra Bullock was one actress sporting the barest of make-up and at first I thought perhaps she forgot the application.
Before moving on to our special fashion awards, below the compilation of best male attire at this year's Oscar awards:
The award for "weirdest dress" goes to Charlize Theron. I don't know what Theron was thinking when she tried on that outer space thing with its pointy angles jutting in all directions. And that pouf thing on the shoulder, well I just don't know. Theron was sporting one of those dramatic up-dos so popular at the Oscar festivities this year.
Just for giggles and grins, we have a picture of those fashion gurus, Joan and Melissa Rivers. Joan is wearing some sort of feather thing and Melissa Rivers is fetching in a form-fitting number.
The award for "best necklace" goes to Keira Knightley. I had a chance to see that puppy up close during an audience span and I think those are sapphires hanging around that neck. Big sapphires. Really big.
Article comments
1 - Lisa McKay
You captured most of my sentiments almost exactly with this one, Pat. Couldn't agree more on Charlize Theron's dress - yikes, especially since nearly everyone else looked so gorgeous! I especially loved Salma Hayek's gown.
When I was (much) younger, I would often watch the Oscars with my mom, who was a professional dressmaker, so there was always much fashion critique accompanying the show. It seems like the fashions got very weird and not very pretty for a while, but most of the women last night looked lovely, almost like old-time movie stars.
2 - -E
Uma's dress was pretty, but her eye make up didn't really suit her.
3 - Nancy
Thanks for the review! The fashion show is always the most interesting part of the Oscars, IMO. MY takes on some of these.
HAIR: What's with the over-moussed look? Ms. Alba & Ms. Bullock looked like they were imitating that porcupine character in the video games. As for the men, why do so many feel that the unshaved, uncombed, unwashed look is cool? I think the award for "Greatest Eeech Factor" is a toss between Jonny Depp & Tim Burton.
Felicity Huff needs to learn that one shouldn't wear revealing booblines if there's nothing to reveal; it just makes one look pitiful. On the other hand, Salma Hayek needs to learn that one shouldn't wear revealing booblines if there's waaaaay too much to reveal; it makes one look ridiculous. The early-60s oversized beehive 'do didn't help, either. A sterling example of Having It & Correctly (& Tastefully) Flaunting It was/is dear Dolly Parton. Only Dolly could wear such a pale sugar-pink dress and make it & herself look marvellous. Long may she wave.
Some you wonder what in heaven's name they were thinking, or whether they have no one willing to tell them how they looked, or perhaps didn't bother to consult a mirror: Olive is not J.Lo's color. It reduced her skin tones to mud. Michelle Williams' screaming saturated yellow, on the other hand, reduced her skin tones to paste, not to mention being an overly busy & just plain ugly dress. Renee Zellweger & Melanie Griffith need to find a decent designer; their dresses were not nice; and I swear Charlize' palest pink is the same mess that Naomi's wearing. There's so much bunched toilet-paper effect on both it's underwhelming. Worst, tho, IMO, is not Naomi, but Helena B. Carter. Dress & hair looked like she'd just been dropped off after being in a cyclone.
I didn't dislike all the fashion: Keira was lovely, hair & dress; ditto Kate Winslett, Reese W., Hilary Swank, Ms. Garner, & Charlize' pale blue number. Sandra Bullock's dress would have been lovely except for the elastic bands showing under the bodice ... some kind of odd bra or corset? The hair, tho ... ugh. Amy Adams' outfit was just plain strange. Not only a bad color, but parts of it looked as if the dressmaker had forgotten to pull out some of the basting.
There was one dress (I forget who wore it) consisting of row after row of tiny tulle ruffles on the long, trailing skirt. A bit over the top, but all in all, considering the over the top event she was at, appropriate.
The best gowns, as always, seemed to be those with the least fuss & simplest lines, appropriate to their wearer's figures & slightly restrained. I have to disagree with the writer's affection for the Natural Look: some of them were TOO natural looking, and a little color - or stronger colors - via makeup would have been far more flattering. Considering the occasion, most of them should also have worn a lot more glitz. Uma & Reese, for example, had those lovely dresses, but looked so bare & underdressed, as if they'd forgotten something, and so they did: their jewels. If you can't wear a tiara to the Oscars, then were IS it appropriate?!
4 - Pat Fish
I looked everywhere for a picture of the hostess on ABC. Her first name is Vanessa. Was it Vanessa Williams?
Because her hair and gown were the prettiest of the night even though, heh, she wasn't even part of the ceremony. ABC....nobody had the picture.
Agree with you about Depp.
As for the underwhelming make-up, well I don't know what to think. I didn't especially like it. But like much of fashion, maybe it grows on you?
5 - CAROLINA
I think that Terrence Howard and jennifer lopez were the best dressed people around the carpet.
Terrence had a nice suit on and jlo as usually she was danmm looking.Sh should off call Versace for another Green dreess , ya know what i mean.
the famous green versace dress,.