the oscars

fashion friday by evie kemp

This week started with the Oscars and though we might pretend not to care, it's difficult to resist sitting down and doing a full on fashion critique. It's easy for us to gasp, ooh and pretend to gag while sitting in our pyjamas in front of the TV (or is that just me?). Slamming a persons outfit is mean but these for these events it's accepted (even encouraged, ask Joan Rivers).

This years Oscar fashions fell flat. Usually there are more blatant displays of absurdity and bad taste, where this year even the ugly dresses felt somewhat tame. Similarly in the past there have been a number of stars who dressed amazingly and totally knocked us out, this year I feel there was only one.

Starting with the good and then moving through the bad to the downright ugly I would like to volunteer Cate Blanchett for Best Dressed. She is one person who seems to always get it right, which is irritating but true. Her beaded Givenchy gown was both fashion-forward and incredibly flattering on her. Highly commended would be Mila Kunis in her Lavender Elie Saab gown.

Amy Adams , Florence Welsh and Sharon Stone all get an A for effort from me as comparatively they looked like they'd made a real effort to be different. None of them totally pulled it off. But I admire their attempts (sure Sharon Stone looked like Cruella Deville but I thought that was quite becoming of her).

Now it starts to get dull as a bevy of undeniably gorgeous ladies in light, metallic frocks trail past. Gwyneth Paltrow, Michelle Williams, Mandy Moore and Halle Berry all took on this look. You can imagine all the over paid stylists uttering 'ethereal' to their clients, apparently unaware that between them they created an entire hoard of angels. When the aim of the Oscar game is to stand out this wasn't good.

I think we can all agree that it was better to be a member of the above glittering, glowing club than the early 90's flashback that Reese Witherspoon, Penelope Cruz and Jennifer (who is this person?) Lawrence were channelling. Skin tight, full-length lycra that even the best body can't make interesting. For us at home wanting to be wowed these seemed so lacking in style or direction. Reese Witherspoon went a step further dressing how Elle Woods (Legally Blonde) would for the Oscars.

I'll finish with the worst dressed. Scarlett Johanssen. This is all the more damning as someone who has dressed so well in the past. This outfit is so unflattering, so ugly and such an awful colour. Her relationship with Sean Penn should have told us that she has no taste (couldn't resist).

These are just my opinions so feel free to share and debate your choices in the comments - it's half the fun!

And check out this gallery of the worst Oscar outfits in history too.