I watched the Primetime Emmys last night and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I generally liked the gowns. There were really very few looks that were bad. There are a lot of looks to cover, so I'll do just a few brief comments on each one.
Alexandra Daddario's sheer dress was lovely although the cheeky granny panties could have offered a little more coverage. Her asymmetrical pageboy and scarlet lips were glorious, however.
Amy Poehler hit it out of the park in a midnight blue sequined keyhole halter column with double gold bangles on each wrist. Fabulous!
I'm not sure what exactly felt off to me about Angela Bassett's lemon yellow wrapped gown. The proportions didn't seem quite right - I think the fabric was gathered a little too low at the waist and the shoulder strap was too far towards her shoulder. Okay, but not great.
Ariana DuBose rocked a ruched lavender halter with a diamond cutout. Her strappy rhinestone sandals were lovely, too.
Ayo Edebiri's dress combined a beautifully structured minidress festooned with white lace flowers and shoulder bows with a long flowing train that created a look that was both youthful and glamorous.
I loved Britt Lower's shimmery metallic column with spaghetti straps and side cutouts, and I especially loved that she paired it with matching opera gloves. The only thing I would add might be a necklace with a copper pendant matching her hair.
Chrissy Teigen was all earth-mothery in a shimmery pink-and-metallic print column dress. I love the way her hair cascaded over her shoulders.
I loved the fabric of Christina Ricci's dress and matching clutch. But the dress itself was kind of a boring silhouette. As my daughter says, I didn't hate it, I didn't love it.
I adored the lines of Connie Britton's pink chiffon gown, especially the ruching at the hips. It was such a great color, halfway between bubblegum and salmon. Very Old Hollywood glamour.
Elle Fanning was channeling Marilyn Monroe in "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in this wonderful black column with structured, pink-lined train. My only objection is that the pink at the top of the bodice blended into her skin and vanished. But I loved it otherwise.
I don't know who Emily Heller is or what statement she's making, but the toilet paper on her shoe tells me it's meant to be A Look so I'm giving her a pass. But don't ever wear those shoes with that dress again (but please wear them separately because they're both cute for a different event).
I swear Geena Davis has not aged in the past 40 years. I wouldn't have picked this yellow for her, but the silhouette is fabulous and she looks like a Greek goddess. No wonder half a dozen men offered to escort her up the stairs to receive her Emmy!
Hannah Waddington's perfectly-proportioned pale pink ballgown featured a spangled corset top and a delightfully floaty full tulle skirt. Luscious.
Ho Yeon Jong wore a simple column with a thigh-high slit that could have been boring but for the lovely colorful fabric and how amazing the silhouette worked with her slight figure. Perfect pairing of dress and wearer.
Issa Rae's geometric black-and-white gown had interesting lines from the front, but I suspect it may have been less flattering at other angles. But I really liked that the black at the hem wasn't a straight line, and I loved the white lining of the little train. Nice details.
Jasmin Savoy Brown's black vinyl dress had great lines, but unfortunately it didn't work with vinyl. It had too much body to move with her and instead looked stiff and
sweaty - as well as surprisingly wrinkled. It's a shame, because the cutouts and the side chains and chain straps were really nice details.
By far my favorite look of the night, Jean Smart's white gown was somehow both soft and structured. The lovely wrapped portrait collar, the extra-long sleeves, the hip wrap, and the cascading ruffle are all exactly right. Wow.
As I mentioned during the telecast, I would have loved Julia Garner's gown with either the diamond cutout or the lace flowers, but the two together felt like clashing styles to me. But I will admit that the more I look at it, the more it grows on me.
Kaley Cuoco's pink minidress was a good concept but a little overdone with the hugely full short skirt, full train, and puffy flowers all over the front. Tone down the volume a bit on all those details and we'd have a winner.
Keeley Hawes' look was an interesting combination of retro/50s tea-length full skirt and sheer puffed 3/4 sleeves and a Grecian-inspired bodice. I loved the way the sparkly bands with bows on the bodice were echoed in her shoes.
I adored Kerry Washington's white mini-down with giant flower accents and long train, but pairing it with stark black hose and shoes didn't work for me. It dress the viewer's focus down and made the look very bottom-heavy. But the dress itself is *chef's kiss*.
Oh, Laura Linney. You are so beautiful, yet so hit or miss on the red carpet. As much as I love the concept of echoing ruffles at the shoulders and hips, the high-necked cape comes off as matronly and the hip ruffles are just a hair too low to be flattering. You're gorgeous anyway, though.
Laverne Cox went very
haute couture in this elaborately structured futuristic dress. The bust details were very 1990s Madonna and the "panniers" were an interesting concept that just looked uncomfortable and awkward. The silver lines on the fabric emphasizing the structure were magnificent, however. I'd love to see an "accessible version" of this dress
a la Making the Cut.
I still haven't quite gotten used to Lily James as a brunette, but this dark copper halter gown with its wrapped waist was absolutely striking on her. Love.
Linda Morel's look intrigued me. I loved the demure, retro white pointed collar and lines of big buttons, especially paired with multiple graduated-length silver chains. I liked the way the structured overskirt was lined with white, but I wish it had been pants underneath instead of a narrow skirt. But I absolutely adore her shoes!!
Liv Hewson's chartreuse silk tailcoat with slightly cropped pants was perfectly tailored, but the marabou at the jacket cuffs were too oversized and appeared to be devouring her hands. But points for being able to pull off such an unusual color.
Oh, Megan Stalter, Just NO. Your hair and makeup is so fabulous but this dress is doing you no favors. Droopy boobs and granny panties look good on no one. Sadly, the expression on your face makes me think you know it, too.
I adore Melanie Lynskey's gown from the waist up - the wrapping across the bodice and the slightly asymmetric "sleeves" are magnificent. But there are so many ruffles at the bottom that you look weighted down. Lose the top two ruffles and this look is perfect.
Natasha Rothwell's dress was a stunning color and I loved the way the bodice was pleated into a slightly curved waistline. The sleeves look good in this photo, but when I spotted her during the broadcast the shoulders were puffed up a little high, so this may be a good example of a dress you need to practice sitting in.
Nicole Byers' two-piece blue outfit was a great concept but not well-tailored. The crotch of the pants didn't hang right, making the lines baggy and awkward, and the hem of the crop top looked tucked under rather than properly finished. It also bothered me that the two fabrics weren't quite the same blue. But I loved the little collar with the notched front and the long, narrow side train.
Patricia Williams rocked this midnight blue velvet gown with spangles at the waist and a rhinestone-buckle belt. I loved the way the skirt wrapped over the slit for a peekaboo effect.
I loved the petals on the bodice of Quinta Benson's clingy copper column, and I loved the way the skirt twisted in at the right hip. I just wish the bodice were just a hair higher or curved in to her body just a bit more. It looked like a wardrobe malfunction about to happen.
This photograph does not do Rachel's Brosnahan's blue column justice. It was accented with long lines of pearls studded with pearl "brooches" and tufts of tulle. She has just the right figure to pull off this type of plunging neckline.
Rachel Lindsay's dress featured a high-waisted skirt with a wrapped slit which I loved, plus a barely-attached bra top, which I didn't as much. Actually, the top itself was fine, it was just the visible skin below it fell at an awkward level with the high waist of the skirt, which made her look very short-waisted. The color and drape of the fabric was great, though.
Reese Witherspoon wore a simple black-and-blue strapless gown that could have been boring if not for the pretty curved lined of the hem and the way the different colors in the fabric caught the light and created movement. Gorgeous fabrics do well with simple lines.
A different take on the copper gown, I simply adored Rhea Seehorn's full watercolor chiffon skirt and wraparound pleated top. This is how to do a peekaboo bra/skirt combination!
I loved the color and overall line of Robin Thede's look (another marvelous wraparound slit!), but the pleating of the bodice made it look like a corset that was tucked into the skirt, which just didn't feel right. Leave the pleating just on the bust and this look would be a perfect 10.
Sandra Oh owned this glorious cobalt blue pantsuit with a short jacket over her shoulders. I love that the top was satin and the jacket and pants were sequined. The pants were just a little too long (I wanted a peek at her shoes!), but otherwise she looked absolutely amazing.
As structured gowns go, Sarah Niles' dress was amazing - I loved the fabric, I loved the looped lines, I loved the standup shoulder detail, and I especially loved the overall silhouette of the skirt. But it also looks kind of uncomfortable and cumbersome, and I want to know how she sat down in it!
Sarah Paulson is one of the most hit-or-miss red carpet walkers I have ever seen, frequently opting for a look that's a bit
avant garde but somehow boring. I love that she took a risk with this look and it nearly works. The full yet straight skirt with it's structured hip ruffle and long belt detail is terrific, but the stiff, square top looks like it belongs to a completely different outfit, and the tailoring is so different that the pieces appear to be different colors under the lights. But it's a wonderful color on her and it's much better than many looks I've seen on her, so I'm still giving it a thumbs up.
Selena Gomez' wonderful white halter column was perfectly accented by the pop of color in her emerald-green tassel earrings. And she looked magnificent on the red carpet (top). But when she came up to present (bottom), the underlining of her skirt was all rucked up on one side under her dress. This is why you always tack your linings at the hem, people. It's also why women go to the bathroom in pairs: check each other before you go back out in public, girlfriends.
Sheryl Lee Ralph clearly understands the power of a pop of color. The skirt of her wonderful strapless black velvet gown cut away to turn into a fabulous coral-lined train, accented by her matching bag. I especially loved the glittery rhinestones running through her hair and her long braid. She simply sparkled.
Sydney Sweeney is an example of how a terrific dress can be spoiled by being poorly fitted. From the waist down, her snugly-fitting dress with rear train is immaculately tailored, but the bodice is so tight that it looks uncomfortable. I did see her during the broadcast and when she sat down her girls were so squished I cringed in sympathy.
Nothing sells a look as much as the wearer's obvious delight in wearing it, and Zanna Roberts Rassi clearly adored her white ensemble, which paired a plunging tailored jacket with a fringed column skirt that she happily showed off by shimmying for the paparazzi.
Zendaya has the most amazing style, and her black ballgown was no exception. Accented only by a slight peplum and a small bow at the waist, plus a short, stiff (in a good way) train, the dress was gorgeous and yet the viewer's focus went directly to her gorgeous face, where it should be.
