Did you watch the Oscars last night? I have to say, the most enjoyable part for me was seeing the dresses on the red carpet. All eyes are on Hollywood, and these celebrities have a lot of pressure on them to look their best. After all, people still talk about dresses that Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and (for better or worse) Cher wore to the ceremony decades later.
Thankfully, this year there weren’t too many style flops, and I adored Michelle Williams’ coral-red Louis Vuitton and Gwyneth Paltrow’s stark white Tom Ford gown with matching cape. Both dresses were age-appropriate, perfectly tailored, and surprisingly simple. When you’re wearing such a bold hue, you don’t need piles of ruffles or a train that trips up everyone on the red carpet.
I was especially curious to see how the more “mature” stars dressed for the evening. I thought Glenn Close looked fantastic in her shimmering dark emerald Zac Posen gown with a matching tuxedo jacket. It was glamorous, yet suitable to her style and didn’t try to be overtly sexy. And though her gold Lanvin may not be to everyone’s taste, I thought Meryl Streep looked stunning. If you can’t wear gold to the Oscars, when can you?
By contrast, Viola Davis, who, by the way, looked great with her hair worn naturally rather than in a wig, caught flak for a strapless green Vera Wang gown that was too busty. And though it was a plunging Versace gown that put Jennifer Lopez on the map, the 42-year-old appeared to have a wardrobe malfunction in her racy Zuhair Murad number.
When dressing for a big event, whether it’s the Oscars or a company gala, you should pick a dress that doesn’t wear you. Comfort and fit are key. If you don’t feel right, you won’t feel confident. And if something is too sexy, or too wild, people will notice that and not you or what you are saying. Think about it–even Angelina Jolie got ribbed for flashing too much leg.
The next time you have a big dressy event to attend, ask friends for feedback on your dress. Can you move around in it? Does it only look okay if you’re loaded down with double-stick tape? If you bend down or raise your arms, are you revealing too much? Take photos of you wearing the dress. Does the camera’s flash expose your undergarments? Is the dress too sheer? These are all important considerations that can save you from winding up on someone’s worst-dressed list!
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