2009 Oscars: The Clothes, Part 1

I'm tired after the epic marathon that was the 81st Academy Awards.

The winners were quite predictable, but the show felt fresh and new, totally different than last year. Hugh Jackman was good, but absent for too-long stretches of time. The man is quite dapper in a tux, and add to that his ability to sing and dance ... fun! silly! tongue-in-cheek humor!

Beyonce was superfluous. I would rather have just watched Hugh Jackman doing all the dancing and singing for both of them. Girl seems like she is just everywhere lately! Her hideous red-carpet dress and even more atrocious performance ... leotard ... made me cringe. I'm on Beyonce overkill, and ready for a break.

I did enjoy the new format of the show. It felt more structured, and it was a nice touch that they had Hugh Jackman walk the audience through a film's production, the awards given in the order in which that specific department contributed to the movie (except for the acting awards, which were bookends of the show, as usual).

I'm not ready to delve into the awards, so I'm focusing on the easy stuff: clothes!

Only posting what I liked. I don't have the wherewithal to deal with the (many, many) outfits that I did not like.






















Taraji P. Henson, nominated for Best Supporting Actress in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

I thought her Roberto Cavalli dress was divine. Ethereal without being too whimsically sweet, the raw, uneven edges giving her just enough modernity. I loved the Fred Leighton necklace, which was pretty while avoiding preciousness.

Her bob is perfect, not too severe (remember Victoria Beckham's insanely fake-looking bob?) and not too touseled.






















Viola Davis, nominated for Best Supporting Actress in "Doubt."

Unusual Reem Akra dress, no? I love pleats, but they tend to make a girl look wide. I am not a fan of halters, because they tend to widen the shoulders. Somehow, Viola Davis got herself a pleated metallic halter dress and she looks gorgeous. The color works so well on her, and the dress hits her in all the right places.

Not a fan of that clutch, but the dress, jewelry, and hair look great.






















Angelina Jolie, nominated for Best Actress in "Changeling."

Her Elie Saab dress was boring, pretty standard Angelina Jolie fare (would it kill her to wear some color?!). I was much more impressed with the jewelry. I love emeralds, especially those huge honkin' emeralds that Angelina had.

Lorraine Schwartz earrings and ring- the ring is 65 carats, the earrings are 115 carats.

To die for.























Marisa Tomei, nominated for Best Supporting Actress in "The Wrestler."

Her Atelier Versace dress was really beautiful in a very structured, clean way. Flat pleats, intricate sewing- but it didn't look fussy or over-wrought. It looked deceptively simple, and she looked great in the very subtle color.






















Mickey Rourke, nominated for Best Actor in "The Wrestler."

The man is brave.

A white suit.

Jean-Paul Gaultier knows how to cut a suit, sure, but it takes some major confidence to wear it well. Mickey Rourke is quite the victim of plastic surgery mishaps, but he still has good taste. I really appreciated the splash of white in the sea of black-clad men (John Legend's brown suit was nice, too).

I also really liked Nicole Kidman's dress, which was a wispy off-white confection. Her hair and make-up were really soft, which is a look I think works for her. She needs to stop with the bright red lipstick and stick-straight hair, because I liked her so much more tonight. Can't find a photo, though. Just 'cause she wasn't nominated doesn't mean people won't want to see that dress!

Overall, it seemed like the women went retro. There were lots of patterns, bright colors, traditional silhouettes with a little twist, and way more metallics than I remember from previous years.

Make-up seemed pretty subtle- none of the harsh reds and pinks of last year and the year before. Going back to a more natural look, I think, and it's about time.

I thought the hair was outstanding this year. Loose curls, unstructured updo's, none of the stiffness and precarious styles of years past. Sarah Jessica Parker's dress may have been a wreck, but her hair was lovely. Same goes for Jessica Biel (she was wearing a modified toga ... post-frat party).

Dresses seemed less starched, more flowing. A nice change.

Good show this year, mostly thanks to Hugh Jackman and the producers!

No more typing for me- I'm knackered. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'll have that stupid "Slumdog Millionaire" song stuck in my head until Tuesday, at least.