HOLLYWOOD, CA(Hollywood Today/RushPRnews) 22/22/09 – For many of us, half of the anticipation on Oscar night has more to do with fashion glamor than award glory. Despite the decision this year to keep the night’s award presenters off the red carpet, there was still plenty of eye-candy to be had.
Early arrivals on the red carpet included the cast of “Slumdog Millionaireâ€. Actress Freida Pinto knocked it out of the park in a sapphire blue gown by John Galliano. Her escort, fellow cast member Dev Patel was in a Burberry tux and Brooks Brothers reportedly and adorably outfitted the children.
Nominees Melissa Leo and Taraji P. Henson’s silk chiffon gowns complimented each other as they posed together; Leo in a burnished bronze, and Henson looking somewhat bride-like but lovely in ivory.
Best Actress Nom Viola Davis looked every bit the serious contender in a gold lame Reem Acra gown she made look quite elegant, even with the hint of Marilyn Monroe’s famous forerunning look.
In the Best Actress category, Kate Winslet tried for maturely elegant and got too mature in a periwinkle St. Laurent gown with black beading details. Meryl Streep was in simplistically elegant form in a dove-grey, off the shoulder gown, and Anne Hathaway was for some the surprise hit of the evening in an Armani gown that flowed and shimmered stunningly.
And of course, Oscars night is not complete without Valentino who is known for dressing the most beautiful woman in the world on this big night, dressing wide-generations of woman as he did tonight with Mamma Mia! sweetheart Amanda Seyfried in a signature red Valentino gown, which was both playful and deadly elegant.
As for the Gents, Dominic Cooper, who performs this evening, wore a subtly detailed black Burberry tux, accessorized by a little facial scruff. But no one, perhaps of either sex, was as individually stylish and just effortlessly cool as Mickey Rourke in his off white Jean-Paul Gauthier suit, complete with retro black waistcoat and gold chain pocket watch.
This years’ much talked-about “recession glamor†didn’t materialize in any remarkable way, except perhaps in the dour-looking Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie dressed in Elie Saab, both in understated and unremarkable black. Trying to escape notice, perhaps?