Growing up it was tradition for my mom and I to watch the Oscars together. Sit there like everyone else, critiquing and commenting on the gowns, the hair and the makeup. There are always the actresses who make you sit in awe of how beautiful they look, and those that leave you confused by their choices. Unfortunately this year I wasn’t able to head back home and watch the Oscars with mom, but my friend and I did not let the opportunity to watch and wonder pass us by.
I genuinely liked the majority of the dresses this year, but there were a few that left me a little unsure of how they made me feel, and one leaving me endlessly undecided.
First off, clearly this was the year of red. While some wowed, others didn’t woo so much.
Anne Hathaway had a lot of wardrobe changes as the host of the Oscars. This red vintage Valentino was my favorite. Followed in close second by this Atelier Versace maroon red piece she wore while actually hosting.
Unfortunately, Jennifer Lawrence’s Calvin Klein dress was a red one I wasn’t too fond of. It looked too much like a maxi dress many of us would throw on in the summer. A little too Pamela Anderson as C.J. Parker. Despite not loving the dress, I did think her hair and makeup looked gorgeous.
Although Scarlett Johansson’s Dolce & Gabbana gown was unique and quite stunning, her hair I was not in love with. It looked like an attempt at the bed head look Meg Ryan made famous, but ended up just looking messy and wrong for such an elegant dress.
Two dresses that left me baffled were Cate Blanchette’s odd Givenchy geometrical number and Anne Hathaway’s blue pleather looking Giorgio Armani Prive dress. I am sure Armani would never make a pleather Oscar dress, but whatever material it actually was, reminded me of costumes I saw made for Comic-con. Cate Blanchette of course looked gorgeous regardless of her dress, and I think from the waist down it was lovely, but the oval cut out in the center just felt a little too space-shippy for me.
Of course there were tons of other dresses that were hits and misses, some gorgeous jewels and beautiful makeup and hair. Amy Adams’ sapphire blue L’Wren Scott dress, I found quite stunning (without the awkward green bauble that didn’t match the flow of the dress). Michelle Williams looked dazzling and demure in her white pearl-beaded Chanel Haute Couture dress. Then of course, there’s my ‘female crush’ Mandy Moore in her sparkly nude hued Monique Lhuillier. Although, the blush might have been a bit too much, the dress was angelic.
Before I mention the dress that left me so perplexed, I must mention the shoes that I cannot stop thinking about; wishing money did really grow on trees and I could buy these instantly. The custom-made Swarovski crystal, individually hand studded, Brian Atwood pumps. I am in love.
Last but not least is the dress that left me so indecisive I cannot put it in a love or hate category. It is Mila Kunis’ much talked about lavender Elie Saab gown. I loved the draping, the color and the lacy skirt. What I cannot wrap an opinion around is the lace detailing at her cleavage. It kept reminding me of those petal things or lingerie accidentally sticking out of the dress like a fashion faux pas. I felt it distracted from the rest of the dress and how striking her hair and makeup looked. In the end, I think I like it. I think…
This year was definitely a pleasant surprise, no more swans, iridescent rainbows, backwards suits or see-through goth numbers. There’s always next year!
