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Sandra Bullock, best actress nominee for The Blind Side - Source: Reuters -
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The Oscars' red carpet swung into fashion action ahead of the Academy Awards and while there were some hits, there were some usually stylish ladies who will end up on the wrong side of the fashion police.
"We saw a heightening of the glamour we've seen all awards
season. For the Oscars, we saw actors pull out all the stops,
taking hair, jewels and make-up to the next level," said Melissa
Liebling-Goldberg of People Magazine's Stylewatch.com.
OSCARS PHOTOGALLERY
Vera Farmiga, nominated for best supporting actress playing a
travelling businesswoman in Up In the Air, looked every inch the
classic movie star in a ruby red strapless gown from Marchesa with
a dramatic ruffle.
Recording star Mariah Carey, who has a role in best film nominee
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, showed off a
plunging neckline and much leg in her navy gown, joking that she
feared a breeze might raise the bottom and make her look like the
iconic photograph of Marilyn Monroe.
"I love Marilyn but I was concerned about a Marilyn moment," she
joked with reporters on the red carpet, all the while tinkering
with the fabric that fluttered at her leg.
Unfortunately for Mariah the dress made her look top heavy and the thigh high split (a look worn so well by Jenifer Aniston at the Golden Globes) just looked trashy.
Joining Farmiga on the best dressed side of the red carpet were Nicole Richie who went for a metallic form hugging number with a dramatic plunging back and Sarah Jessica Parker in a vintage Chanel, champagne coloured gown.
In the "what was she thinking?" category, the usually stylish
Charlize Theron went for a lilac number with what looked like
rosettes on her bust line.
"People have held back, but now they want to have fun and want to
escape," said Lawrence Zarian, TV Guide fashion expert, but he said
some went too far.
"A lot of celebrities missed the mark," he said noting Theron looked like she had two hands holding her breasts.
Another normally well dressed lady - Diane Kruger - looked like a bride dragged through a bush backwards in an off-white dress that could have been made from cheesecloth!
As for Best Actress nominee Sandra Bullock, the jury is still out on her ensemble. The shiny silver velvet dress with brocade bodice may have been an okay choice for someone but the colour washed poor Sandy out and had a touch of Fleetwood Mac about it.
Maggie Gyllenhaal's Dries Van Noten strapless blue and black patterned gown got our thumbs down, and other agreed.
"She looked like she was dressed for a luau not the Oscars," he said.
Comedian Mo'Nique won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role as an abusive mother in Precious, claiming her first Academy Award in a questionable floor-length blue number - we love the flower hairpiece though.
Best actress nominee Gabourey Sidibe of Precious, wore a blue-grey Marchesa gown with silver flowers at the bodice and said her first Oscars were "like Hollywood prom!"
Most actors stuck to traditional tuxedos or dark suits, but played nice supporting parts to the women on the carpet.
George Clooney, asked by TV host Ryan Seacrest whether he had
anything in common with the "lonely guy" he plays in Up in the Air
quipped: "I am not a lonely guy. I am surrounded by stunning women
in long dresses."
Who's winning the awards? Find out with our live
Oscars blog.
