At the 66th annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles this week there was the usual lengthy display of designer frocks to admire (or not) on the red carpet and the procession was dominated by, well red really! Amidst the black, silver and shocking pink there was a succession of scarlet gowns which caught the eye, sadly in the main for the wrong reasons!
Big Budget, Little Taste
It never ceases to amaze me how Hollywood’s finest with their not inconsiderable resources can
manage to fail so terribly in the fashion stakes. Personally I love a splash of spectacular scarlet but you have to be careful what you do with it, a fact which had obviously been overlooked by most of the glitterati on the night.
The Disasters
Christina Hendricks’ red satin number looked like it had been thrown together by a blindfolded and rather inebriated seamstress in a mood. January Jones was wearing a pair of curtains and Claire Danes had forgotten to change out of her nightdress! A couple of the plainer gowns merely faded into the carpet and I really don’t know what observation would do justice to the monstrosity sported by Lena Durham.
This ensemble was a neat combo of a huge tiered tulle skirt that could have walked out on its own with a cheap looking blouse like a well-worn school uniform piece.
Comforting Thoughts
OK I know that I am no fashion guru and I have made a few errors of judgement myself over the years but if I was about to be front page news I would have been a little more judicious in my choices. Actually this catalogue of disasters was quite comforting as it was proof positive that a meagre budget and a quick trip to the local market would yield an outfit to rival any of these!
The Successes
There were some great gowns on show but they were few and far between. Amidst the riot of red, a fiesta of Spanish style volantes and mountains of tulle, a few striking frocks made their way past. I loved Julia Roberts’ cute Elie Saab shortie and Camila Alves (Mrs Matthew McConaughey) dazzled in a mosaic style gown by Zuhar Murad. Should I ever find myself on a red carpet it will now be to Zuhar Murad that I turn!
On Another Planet
I have reserved my final attack of condemnation for Gwen Stefani who skilfully avoided the red hues that would probably have flattered her and opted for a hideous silver number that wouldn’t have been out of place on the set of Star Trek. It had the air of something knocked up in a rush by a school’s needlework department for a drama club production. Hideous!
This year’s Emmys were a veritable fashion disaster in my opinion. There were too many people trying too hard and only a precious few who managed to arrive with the elegance the occasion demanded. I can’t wait for next year’s lesson in how not to dress!
Sally Stacey is a keen writer and small business owner with an interest in the world of fashion, but perhaps not the fashion on the red carpet this season!
