One glamorous night ; No big shockers -- only pretty gowns at this year's Oscars



  

Pretty, pretty, pretty -- and pretty safe, as well. Beautiful gowns and soft hairstyles ruled the red carpet at last night's Academy Awards ceremony.Red, in fact, reigned, with a number of actresses donning head-to-toe scarlet - some more successfully than others.In my book, the most stylish woman of the night was Anne Hathaway, who looked drop dead gorgeous in a dramatic red gown from Valentino; very old Hollywood.

Anne Hathaway

But she wasn’t the only scarlet woman - Jennifer Hudson made an entrance at the Oscars in a deep tangerine Versace gown, while Sandra Bullock's beautifully cut Vera Wang gown looked refined and elegant, letting the vermillion shade do the talking.There were other colours as well. Reflecting current fashion trends, pale tones such as lilac and peach made appearances as did ivory and other soft neutrals -- often jeweled at the neckline.

 



 Twenty-four　karat　fashion also proved surprisingly versatile, as demonstrated by golden girls Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Biel. While Gwyneth went for a metallic Calvin Klein dress and stick-straight hair, Biel’s sparkling Versace ensemble had an art deco vibe thanks to its artful draping and her slicked-back bun. Hey, just because you aren’t up for a trophy doesn’t mean that you can’t look like one.

Gwyneth Paltrow

This year saw the classic movie star magic with leading ladies stepping out in style in dresses which swept the floor. Favourite colours were soft creams, nudes, pure whites and silvers, with a dash of metallics and the odd bit of bold red and purple. Gowns were long and embellished with plenty of lace, embroidery and beading detail, gathered waists, ruffles and pleats.



Halle Berry

And if you want to look like a superstar, there is plenty of fashion in store which takes its inspiration from the big screen. Think glamour - don't be afraid to dress up in your best silk and satin, add a few gemstones round your neck, drip a little gold from the wrist and you are away. And think beyond the peg, checking out bridal collections, ballgowns and independent stores.

Here's a few of my favourites - straight from the Irish highstreet.



Dominica blue one shoulder maxi dress with embellishment £170 -
€190





Pierce Fionda special edition dress £375
€565
Debenhams



One-shoulder maxi dress £89 -€99
Kaleidoscope



Ben de Lisi coral maxi
£200 €300
Debenhams



 

　

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." Coco Chanel