Today is another day when I could use an emotional break, so although I did not watch the Emmy Awards last night, I did browse through all the red carpet looks this morning. On the whole, they were somewhat disappointing, ranging from simply poorly styled or tailored to simply bad taste. There were a few good looks, however. Since there are so many looks I want to comment on, I'll run through them alphabetically and make just a few brief remarks on each one.
Let's begin!
Uzo Aduba struck just the right balance in a gown with a geometric black strapless bodice and an asymmetrical blush pink full skirt.
Shabana Azeez wore a red off-the-shoulder mermaid gown with a short train and a large rosette on one shoulder. I liked the way the bodice was wrapped, but the waist seam pulled too tightly and broke the line of the silhouette, and the flare at the bottom was a bit too long, which caused it to crumple and not spread out evenly.
Elizabeth Banks wore a black halter gown with interesting shoulder straps, a flared front peplum, and silver carwash panels in the front. The individual details were fine, but they didn't work together and made the gown look like a mishmash of different styles.
Angela Bassett wore a metallic gold beaded and sequin strapless column. The textures and seaming added just the right amount of visual interest to the simple silhouette, and I loved the way the texture of the fabric was echoed in her diamond cuff bracelet.
Kristen Bell wore a gown with a black criss-cross bodice that resembled jacket lapels, with dainty crystal straps, and a semi-sheer crystal-embellished silver column skirt. While I loved the lines of the bodice, the look would have felt more balanced with a little more coverage, and especially a higher front that would have drawn attention towards her face. Not a bad look, it just fell a little short.
Leslie Bibb wore a sleek black velvet strapless figure-hugging gown with a deeply plunging neckline and double narrow silver belts. I loved the flared shape of the bodice, which was revealing but held securely in place, and the tailoring, which clung to her figure without being overly tight.
Cate Blanchett looked effortlessly chic in a black jumpsuit with squared shoulders, a plunging neckline edged with sheer black bands, a narrow black belt, wide-legged trousers, and subtle cutouts at the waist.
Hannah Bos looked out of place in a black-and-white polka dot frock with a four-tiered ruffled skirt, a high neck, and elbow-length sleeves ending in overly full ruffles. The length and style both felt too casual for the occasion, and it also felt overly youthful.
Quinta Brunson wore a black column with criss-cross halter straps and a wide keyhole opening. I liked the overall silhouette and the glittery details on the straps, but the keyhole opening was too wide, making her figure look droopy and unsupported.
Gwendoline Christine rocked a white tuxedo, featuring a double-breasted jacket worn unbuttoned with one lapel flipped up, and wide-legged pants. Perfect for her stature and coloring. Bonus points for the striking deep red lip!
Jennifer Coolidge wore an off-the-shoulder black gown with a ruffle across the top of the bodice, paired with long black gloves. The dress itself was pretty and flattering, but the choice of black gloves brought the visual weight of the look down, so that she looked like a disembodied bust floating above the dress.
Meghann Fahy wore a slim black dress with long sleeves, a broad and deep scoop front, and a thigh-high slit. I liked the way the skirt overlapped at the top of the slit, but the front opening of the bodice was too wide and pulled attention away from her face.
Sara Foster wore a one-shouldered red gown with crushed detailing on the bodice and an A-line skirt with a high slit over one leg. The silhouette was very flattering, but the hem of the skirt was just a little too long, so it crumpled at the floor instead of floating and forming a more graceful line.
Selena Gomez wore a gorgeous red halter column with a scarf wrapping the neck and falling to a long train. It reminded me very much of
Nicole Kidman's 2007 Oscars gown. Stunning.
Kathryn Hahn wore a round-necked black gown with sheer long sleeves, a bow belt over a peplum, and a short train. It was pretty, but a little bland. A more interesting neckline would have helped.
Zuri Hall wore a burgundy column with an amazing liquid look. The sleek silhouette was complemented by a bubbled train at the back. The fabric itself was gorgeous, and emphasized the lines of the gown beautifully. This was one of my favorite looks of the night.
Mariska Hargitay opted for a strapless burgundy velvet gown with a slightly curved neckline and a skirt that flared softly into a round train. Simple and elegant.
Janelle James wore a beaded eggplant halter gown with a tiny train. It was gorgeous and flattering, and had the added advantage of looking like it was really comfortable to wear. Fabulous.
Scarlett Johansson wore a fitted ivory and white bandage gown. While it was very pretty, it was a bit bland, and the peeps of white under the ivory looked like a mistake. I wish there had been more contrast in the wrapping, perhaps a pale coral or ice blue, to add some texture and visual interest.
Kristen Kish wore a slim black tuxedo with a narrow black necktie, a floating white collar, and no shirt. I loved her diamond brooch, and I loved the concept of the look, but the lines of the white collar over visible skin made her neck look unnaturally long.
Mona Kosar Abdi also wore a gown made from a liquid-looking fabric. I liked the line of the bodice, but the skirt was too bulky and full, and felt too busy and heavy for the rest of the look.
Lisa wore a bubblegum pink organza gown with an off-the-shoulder bodice and a sculptural high-low skirt that swirled over one thigh and fell to a frothy train at the back. It was a visually-balanced look and worked really well for her.
Justine Lupe wore a sheer silver beaded column with a plunging neckline. Although the silhouette was lovely, the sheerness, revealing skimpy bikini underwear, didn't work for me.
Wendie Malik sported a two-piece ensemble comprising a flared black floor-skimming skirt with a white blouse with puffed sleeves, accessorized with black suspenders and several long strands of beads. The accessories felt like a bit much to me. It would have worked better with either the suspenders or the beads, and in fact might have looked best without both. But still, a fun and different look.
Krys Marshall wore an ivory gown with a structured strapless bodice and a skirt that gathered beautifully in the front, creating flattering and elegant lines. But it was completely spoiled by the padded...letter m? horns? earthworm? attached to the waist.
Cristin Milioti wore a red gown with a structural crushed satin bodice that flared away from her body, wrapped at the hips, and fell into a long narrow train, over a matte skirt with a knee-length back slit. While it was a lovely look, the bodice was just a hair too tall and too far from her body to look comfortable or flattering.
Shannon Murphy was simply a hot mess in a clingy Quiana-looking dress in a drab mauve, with 1980s-inspired puffed short sleeves and dropped waist, and an odd hem length. It was accessorized with a wrap made of tulle ruffles in black, white, mustard yellow, and mauve, and ugly sequined butterflies in the same shades appliqued on the bodice. The diamond seaming on the bodice had a lovely 1930s vibe, but the overall look mixed way too many ideas to work.
Ruth Negga wore a simple and sweet off-white A-line gown with a swirly border print in black and yellow. I loved the black piping on the neckline and straps which framed her gorgeous face.
Bronwyn Newport wore an ill-fitting nude gown with silver sequined patterns. The illusion fabric looked heavy and uncomfortable, didn't fit snugly and smoothly, and was at odds with both the delicate silver detailing and the frothy ostrich feather boa.
Jenna Ortega was stunning in a drop-waist black skirt with a thigh-high slit, topped with a sheer crop top encrusted with oversized gemstones and pearls. This was by far the most memorable (at least, in a good way) look of the night for me.
Phaedra Parks channeled Marilyn Monroe in a clinging white strapless gown with crystal bead accents. Unfortunately, the clinginess of the fabric revealed both her Spanx and the elastic of her panties at her waist. Always skim, never cling!
Sarah Paulson is still hated by her stylist, who had her wear this awful, shapeless, brown feathered dress. The color is wrong, the silhouette is wrong, the texture is wrong, the length is wrong, the hairstyle is wrong, the necklace is wrong, the neckline is...okay, actually. But that's about it. Poor Sarah.
Parker Posey almost pulls off this quirky lavender gown, which features three tiers of ruffles finished with white lace, a white lace bodice outlined in lavender satin, and a sheer capelet hemmed with marabou. It's kind of Little House on the Prairie meets Norma Desmond, and I can't imagine anyone other than Posey wearing it so adorably.
Sheryl Lee Ralph looked both glamorous and comfortable in this one-shouldered vivid blue gown, which featured a slightly flared skirt. Simplicity done right.
Keri Russell wore a black velvet halter gown with a short train and an oversized bow covering the bodice. The concept was good, and I loved way the beaded inset panel defined the waist, but the bulk of the fabric looked heavy and uncomfortable. If the bow had been a lighter-weight fabric, like satin or organza, it would have worked.
Hunter Schafer stunned in a clinging cherry red halter gown with a fitted basque bodice and a semi-sheer skirt. The fullness of the sheer skirt created a sexy but covered up peekaboo effect, and the weight of the fabric moved beautifully. Another really great look, and perfectly tailored.
Jenny Slate's strapless black and white gown was all out of proportion, with a plunging neckline ending at a large red flower that was just above her natural waistline but not quite high enough to be an empire waist, and a diagonal seam at the top of the flared skirt which ended at an awkward length and flared lopsidedly into an oddly-shaped train. This look was just a mess all over.
Jean Smart wore a high-necked, fitted black gown with a slightly flared skirt and sleeves that puffed oddly at the forearms. The sleeves pulled the visual weight of the look down and away from her face, but otherwise this was a fine if not memorable look.
Sydney Sweeney wore a candy apple red satin strapless gown with a matching wrap. I liked the twisted detail of the bodice, and the fabric was eye-catching enough to balance the simple design.
Jackie Tohn wore a pale mauve satin off-the-shoulder column with a matching wrap. I loved the textural contrast of the wrapped gown and the crisply smooth wrap, and the gown was beautifully tailored, if not quite the right color for her.
Ginna Torres wore a softly draped white long-sleeved gown with a narrow plunging neckline, full sleeves with deep cuffs, and a skirt that flared slightly at the knee. I loved the looseness of the bodice and the cling of the skirt over the hips. Lovely.
Bresha Webb wore a bright blue satin off-the-shoulder gown with a notched neckline and a flared skirt. The skirt was a little too tight, as evidenced by the crinkling of the fabric across the hips and crotch, and the hem was too long, so the short train didn't puddle properly, but the gown itself was very pretty. Fitting matters!
Michelle Williams wore a white strapless gown with a fitted, wrapped bodice paired with a skirt that appeared to be made of handkerchiefs attached at the point, paired with a rectangular train. Although I liked the look of the "handkerchiefs," they created a strange fullness at the hip and an awkwardly-shaped silhouette that didn't work for me. It was very close to being a good look, but fell just a little short.
Lainey Wilson combined country style with Hollywood glamour in an awful mishmash of sheer, silver-studded wide-legged trousers paired with a white halter bodice falling into a ruffled train, topped with a white cowboy hat. It just didn't work for me.
Aimee Lou Wood wore a tea-length strapless pink dress with red flaps at the edge of the bodice, and a short train. I liked the concept, but the bodice wasn't well fitted, and the style of the dress didn't feel like it worked with a train, certainly not the bulky train here. I'd also love to see it with a narrow red belt.
Catherine Zeta-Jones wore a black sequin column with a semi-sheer lace bodice with corset seaming and beaded accents. I loved the lines of the gown, but the sequined skirt felt like it was competing with the lace and beading of the top. If the skirt had been velvet. it would have been perfect.
To sum up, the best looks of the night were Jenna Ortega, Zuri Hall, and Hunter Schafer, and the worst were Shannon Murphy, Sarah Paulson, Bronwyn Newport, Hannah Bos,
Krys Marshall, Lainey Wilson, and Jenny Slate.
And to end with a little bit of fun, there was a whole series of crazy outfits worn by the stars of Drag Race that are worth taking a look at.
Kori King, as Michael Jackson
Hormona Lisa, as Miss Piggy (accompanied by Kermit)
Suzie Toot
Lexi Love
Acacia Forgot
Lucky Starzzz
Princess Poppy
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