Academy Awards Red Carpet 2018
Mar. 11th, 2018 04:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smofbabeDidn't have time until the weekend to put together my 2018 Academy Awards red carpet review.
Terrific fit through the hips on Allison Williams but the color is a big mistake and the paneled skirt is too stiff to flow nicely.
Oh, dear. Gina Rodriguez seems to have two extra skirts attached to hers. Plus the pale color. Plus the deep bodice plunge, which reveals a slight tummy bulge.
Object lesson in trying to judge dresses from photos: in this shot the swooping sleeves and good fit on Abbie Cornish (plus a necklace!) seem to work and the interesting fabric looks almost bronze. In this shot a belt weirdly bisects the interesting beaded bodice and the color looks much worse.
The shoulder and bodice bling looked good when Margo Robbie was in motion but wish the dress had been in an actual color.
Not much good on Elizabeth Moss: washed-out color, belt that squeezes her in, and drop shoulders making the whole top seem to droop.
Great fit, flattering bodice, impressive embroidery work, terrible color on Mira Sorvino.
Not a fan of baby pink on Saoirse Ronan - also, the hem is too short and the giant bow and train weigh her down. Plus, no jewelry at neck or wrist.
In addition to the terrible washed-out color on Zoey Deutch, the lampshade ruffles make her look hippy, which she really isn't.
Like the dots, like the fit, like the design, hate the color on Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
This *should* work on Jennifer Lawrence and love the hair and make-up but the not a fan of the shield-like bra cups and the design at the hips makes her look like she has a tummy and cut her in an unflattering place.
Someone did a nice job with Beanie Feldstein: nice fit and the shaded interesting fabric draws your eye downward for a slimming look. However, loses points for the constraining belt and lack of necklace. (Trivia: she's Jonah Hill's sister!)
Despite its odd scaly side-ruffles and unnecessary net sleeves, I find myself liking this funky parrot-themed number on Amatus Sami-Karim (here with husband Mahershala Ali, who won Best Supporting Actor last year for Moonlight).
I'm generally not a fan of pants to major red carpet events but I thought Emma Stone worked reasonably well. However, minus points for the too-low neckline for a tailored look and the inexplicably pink bow-belt on a red jacket.
Nice color on Kelly Marie Tran and interesting beading on the flattering halter bodice, but the design emphasizes her short waist and the chiffon in the skirt doesn't really go with the style of the top. Not a big fan of the milkmaid-braid hairdo either.
Samara Weaving in beautiful shades of pink and pale red but the toga look is undercut by the feeling that the silver criss-cross tape-look is barely holding the dress together, plus, as you can see in this shot, it actually loops above the drape under her arm.
I like the color on Octavia Spencer but the shoulder drape and belt make your eye move horizontally rather than vertically.
Apparently the couturier for Lesley Manville got a special on upholstery fabric ends - terrible color for her, bizarre sleeves, and unflattering fit.
Great color on Nicole Kidman but I really don't understand her obsession with having big bows poofing out of dresses: usually it's the shoulder but this year it's her hips (possibly because she is now the approximate width of a swizzle stick). Even weirder from the side.
Shame her dog apparently attacked Renee Bargh's dress and shredded it into various pieces.
Taraji P Henson in Chiffon Supervillainess: a ridiculously high slit, drapey weird unattached sleeves, and netting on the shoulders that shouldn't have been necessary.
I wish another designer had gotten this material to make a dress for Betty Gabriel: this one is a horror, from the ridiculously exposed top to the yards of unflowing heavy fabric in the skirt.
Not only does this cherry-blossom number on Paz Vega with it's odd bodice-into-sleeves design look like kitchen shelf paper, it even has the line-up squares on the back!
Mazal tov to Camila Alves on her wedding, which she apparently came directly from. I'm assume the out-of-nowhere garnet necklace was her "something borrowed" item.
Sofia Carson in a Frederick's of Hollywood boudoir special.
Whoopi Goldberg: People with wider waistlines shouldn't be trying for hoop skirts, especially ones in bold patterns, plus either they should have provided boob support or a better bra for that neckline.
I'm guessing that Salma Hayek and Gucci were trying for a Salute to Frida Kahlo but it comes off more like tacky ruffles on parade with some tacky crystal bling thrown over it. Not any better from the back.
Lindsey Vonn in a mash-up of sheer mess checks, fringed sleeves, and a shredded chiffon thin train that looked like a large furry animal crawling up her legs.
Perhaps Blanca Blanco thought these were the *Adult* film awards?
Armie Hammer in a 1970s red velvet throwback with wrinkly skinny trousers. I really didn't think you could *make* him look bad!
Adam Rippon gives the impression that usually this outfit is worn without the shirt under and jacket over it.
Sorry, Zendaya but "my dress is falling down one shoulder" and wearing brown when you have brown skin tones does not equal "edgy."
Not sure whether Maya Randolph looks like she was trying for a Salute to the Handmaid's Tale.
Haley Bennett looks like she's going to the Fur Trapper's Ball. And the visible neck seam is a disgrace.
I cannot imagine how Sally Hawkins looked in the mirror and thought: "This shapeless color-draining grey dress with a skinny belt roping it in, ridiculously wide shoulder pads, and elastic-bound sleeves that bunch up because they're too long is definitely the most flattering thing I could wear to the Oscars."
Worst of the Night: Andra Day in a bedspread tied on with shoelaces. (Plus red velvet shoes with a baby blue and pink fabric.)
Great color on Greta Gerwig plus a good fit, an interesting fabric, and a necklace.
The perfection of Helen Mirren: great color, great fit, great figure, great jewelry. And she's 72 years old. *envious sigh*
And another point for the senior citizens: 80-year-old Jane Fonda in well-fitted white with an interesting zig-zag neckline and terrific hair and earrings.
Let's not forget 86-year-old Rita Moreno, who wore the same dress (with an altered bodice) that she wore when she won for West Side Story in 1962!
I've got a couple of guys in Worst so thought I'd include a couple in Best: first is Winston Duke.
Here's dreamboat panther Chadwick Boseman in a long black coat with interesting shoulder embroidery and cool shoes.
More good color, this time on Ashley Judd, and a nice fit. The point normally given for a necklace was lost because it needed to be shorter to work with the neckline.
Sandra Bullock in shiny gold and black with a flattering high neckline and an interesting knot just below the waist. (Not sure what the deal is with slicked-back hair this year, though.)
Yay, we got the good Viola Davis this year, in well-fitted candy pink with fabulous hair.
Also glad we got the good Laura Dern this year in a well-fitted, occasion-appropriate dress with great hair. I only wish it had been in another color.
Tiffany Haddish in an authentic Eritrean princess dress as a salute to her father, a native of that country who passed away earlier this year. (Sorry, folks, she did not actually wear her SNL dress on the red carpet, although it was amusing when she wore it during her presenting stint.)
Mary J Blige looking good in silver and white with interesting design choices at the shoulders and hips. (And as if that were not boss enough, take a look at her dress for the Vanity Fair after-party!)
I thought Jennifer Garner looked terrific in bold blue with an interesting neckline, good fit, and fabulous hair.
Best I've ever seen Allison Janney look (and she picked a good year for it!): terrific shade of red, flattering neckline and waist, nice jewelry, good hair and makeup.
No context this year: Lupita Nyong'o in gold Versace with a nod to African design.
Astride a Pale Dress
Oh, so close: This style and fit on Keala Settle are terrific but I can't give it a total win because of the washed-out color.Terrific fit through the hips on Allison Williams but the color is a big mistake and the paneled skirt is too stiff to flow nicely.
Oh, dear. Gina Rodriguez seems to have two extra skirts attached to hers. Plus the pale color. Plus the deep bodice plunge, which reveals a slight tummy bulge.
Object lesson in trying to judge dresses from photos: in this shot the swooping sleeves and good fit on Abbie Cornish (plus a necklace!) seem to work and the interesting fabric looks almost bronze. In this shot a belt weirdly bisects the interesting beaded bodice and the color looks much worse.
The shoulder and bodice bling looked good when Margo Robbie was in motion but wish the dress had been in an actual color.
Not much good on Elizabeth Moss: washed-out color, belt that squeezes her in, and drop shoulders making the whole top seem to droop.
Great fit, flattering bodice, impressive embroidery work, terrible color on Mira Sorvino.
Not a fan of baby pink on Saoirse Ronan - also, the hem is too short and the giant bow and train weigh her down. Plus, no jewelry at neck or wrist.
In addition to the terrible washed-out color on Zoey Deutch, the lampshade ruffles make her look hippy, which she really isn't.
Like the dots, like the fit, like the design, hate the color on Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Almost There
Meryl Streep has certainly looked worse but this boring red number is not very flattering or well-fitted at the bust.This *should* work on Jennifer Lawrence and love the hair and make-up but the not a fan of the shield-like bra cups and the design at the hips makes her look like she has a tummy and cut her in an unflattering place.
Someone did a nice job with Beanie Feldstein: nice fit and the shaded interesting fabric draws your eye downward for a slimming look. However, loses points for the constraining belt and lack of necklace. (Trivia: she's Jonah Hill's sister!)
Despite its odd scaly side-ruffles and unnecessary net sleeves, I find myself liking this funky parrot-themed number on Amatus Sami-Karim (here with husband Mahershala Ali, who won Best Supporting Actor last year for Moonlight).
I'm generally not a fan of pants to major red carpet events but I thought Emma Stone worked reasonably well. However, minus points for the too-low neckline for a tailored look and the inexplicably pink bow-belt on a red jacket.
Nice color on Kelly Marie Tran and interesting beading on the flattering halter bodice, but the design emphasizes her short waist and the chiffon in the skirt doesn't really go with the style of the top. Not a big fan of the milkmaid-braid hairdo either.
Samara Weaving in beautiful shades of pink and pale red but the toga look is undercut by the feeling that the silver criss-cross tape-look is barely holding the dress together, plus, as you can see in this shot, it actually loops above the drape under her arm.
I like the color on Octavia Spencer but the shoulder drape and belt make your eye move horizontally rather than vertically.
A Thousand Times No
Emily Blunt in a dress titled "Disney's Alice in Wonderland Goes to the Oscars" with an improbable light-blue chiffon fake shoulder-pad effect, a lace picture-frame for her boobs, and a high neck that looks incredibly itchy.Apparently the couturier for Lesley Manville got a special on upholstery fabric ends - terrible color for her, bizarre sleeves, and unflattering fit.
Great color on Nicole Kidman but I really don't understand her obsession with having big bows poofing out of dresses: usually it's the shoulder but this year it's her hips (possibly because she is now the approximate width of a swizzle stick). Even weirder from the side.
Shame her dog apparently attacked Renee Bargh's dress and shredded it into various pieces.
Taraji P Henson in Chiffon Supervillainess: a ridiculously high slit, drapey weird unattached sleeves, and netting on the shoulders that shouldn't have been necessary.
I wish another designer had gotten this material to make a dress for Betty Gabriel: this one is a horror, from the ridiculously exposed top to the yards of unflowing heavy fabric in the skirt.
Not only does this cherry-blossom number on Paz Vega with it's odd bodice-into-sleeves design look like kitchen shelf paper, it even has the line-up squares on the back!
Mazal tov to Camila Alves on her wedding, which she apparently came directly from. I'm assume the out-of-nowhere garnet necklace was her "something borrowed" item.
Sofia Carson in a Frederick's of Hollywood boudoir special.
Whoopi Goldberg: People with wider waistlines shouldn't be trying for hoop skirts, especially ones in bold patterns, plus either they should have provided boob support or a better bra for that neckline.
I'm guessing that Salma Hayek and Gucci were trying for a Salute to Frida Kahlo but it comes off more like tacky ruffles on parade with some tacky crystal bling thrown over it. Not any better from the back.
Lindsey Vonn in a mash-up of sheer mess checks, fringed sleeves, and a shredded chiffon thin train that looked like a large furry animal crawling up her legs.
Perhaps Blanca Blanco thought these were the *Adult* film awards?
Armie Hammer in a 1970s red velvet throwback with wrinkly skinny trousers. I really didn't think you could *make* him look bad!
Adam Rippon gives the impression that usually this outfit is worn without the shirt under and jacket over it.
Sorry, Zendaya but "my dress is falling down one shoulder" and wearing brown when you have brown skin tones does not equal "edgy."
Not sure whether Maya Randolph looks like she was trying for a Salute to the Handmaid's Tale.
Haley Bennett looks like she's going to the Fur Trapper's Ball. And the visible neck seam is a disgrace.
I cannot imagine how Sally Hawkins looked in the mirror and thought: "This shapeless color-draining grey dress with a skinny belt roping it in, ridiculously wide shoulder pads, and elastic-bound sleeves that bunch up because they're too long is definitely the most flattering thing I could wear to the Oscars."
Worst of the Night: Andra Day in a bedspread tied on with shoelaces. (Plus red velvet shoes with a baby blue and pink fabric.)
Way to Go!
Bling silver and black work on Gal Gadot with a flattering bodics for smaller boobs, and I liked the interest in the beaded skirt when she moved. Extra points for the necklace!Great color on Greta Gerwig plus a good fit, an interesting fabric, and a necklace.
The perfection of Helen Mirren: great color, great fit, great figure, great jewelry. And she's 72 years old. *envious sigh*
And another point for the senior citizens: 80-year-old Jane Fonda in well-fitted white with an interesting zig-zag neckline and terrific hair and earrings.
Let's not forget 86-year-old Rita Moreno, who wore the same dress (with an altered bodice) that she wore when she won for West Side Story in 1962!
I've got a couple of guys in Worst so thought I'd include a couple in Best: first is Winston Duke.
Here's dreamboat panther Chadwick Boseman in a long black coat with interesting shoulder embroidery and cool shoes.
More good color, this time on Ashley Judd, and a nice fit. The point normally given for a necklace was lost because it needed to be shorter to work with the neckline.
Sandra Bullock in shiny gold and black with a flattering high neckline and an interesting knot just below the waist. (Not sure what the deal is with slicked-back hair this year, though.)
Yay, we got the good Viola Davis this year, in well-fitted candy pink with fabulous hair.
Also glad we got the good Laura Dern this year in a well-fitted, occasion-appropriate dress with great hair. I only wish it had been in another color.
Tiffany Haddish in an authentic Eritrean princess dress as a salute to her father, a native of that country who passed away earlier this year. (Sorry, folks, she did not actually wear her SNL dress on the red carpet, although it was amusing when she wore it during her presenting stint.)
Mary J Blige looking good in silver and white with interesting design choices at the shoulders and hips. (And as if that were not boss enough, take a look at her dress for the Vanity Fair after-party!)
I thought Jennifer Garner looked terrific in bold blue with an interesting neckline, good fit, and fabulous hair.
Best I've ever seen Allison Janney look (and she picked a good year for it!): terrific shade of red, flattering neckline and waist, nice jewelry, good hair and makeup.
No context this year: Lupita Nyong'o in gold Versace with a nod to African design.
