GOLDEN GLOBES STYLE

It's that time of the year again, so take out your nomination cards, put the kettle on and tune in to award season! I love watching the Golden Globes because they acknowledge television series as well as movies. This year there was some pretty stiff competition in terms of both movies and fashion. It seemed like every actor, director and producer put their best style-foot forward. Here are some of the fashion highlights that I enjoyed:

There were some obvious trends at the Globes this year. The mermaid silhouette featured heavily as usual, but this time textured trains were particularly popular. Sofia Vergara, Tina Fey and Elle Macpherson all wore mermaid dresses with frilly, frothy trains.

Another big trend was defined hip silhouettes. Natalie Portman's pink number had a particularly odd asymmetrical shape, which I might have liked had it not been for the prom-ish fabric. Meryl Streep also wore a dress with exaggerated hips, as did Reese Witherspoon (love that shade against her skin - well played Reese, well played.) 

Nudes ruled as the go-to colour on the carpet this year. Hands down. I'm usually undecided about Charlize Theron's red carpet style, but she really rocked her Dior dress and sparkly headband. Speaking of headbands, they also featured pretty prominently at this year's Globes. Other leading ladies with a nude attitude included Kristen Wigg, Kate Beckinsale and Diane Lane.

Furthermore, the Globes seemed particularly sparkly last night with a wide display of metallics, shimmer and shine on the carpet. Evan Rachel Wood sauntered through the show in a shimmery, custom-made Gucci creation, while Nicole Ritchie, Leah Michelle and Claire Danes all appeared in varying degrees of bedazzlement. All in all, I was pretty impressed.

In the spirit of award shows, here are my top five female fashion winners of the evening:

Evan Rachel Wood looks like a crazy amphibian in this dress and I absolutely love it. Custom-made by Gucci for the starlet herself, this look really has it all. Visually, it's stunning. I was actually surprised by how seamlessly the multiple textures flow together - this dress is really a work of art. Moreover, the fit is sublime. Emerald green was pretty popular on the red carpet last night, but it looks particularly beautiful against Wood's fair complexion. *Side note: I was surprised by how tall Wood is when I saw her on television last night. Am I the only one? Maybe she has a penchant for dating tall men, but for some reason I always pictured her to be short... Anyways, I also salute Wood for not going overboard with styling and letting the dress take center stage. This look definitely takes the cake.

Laura Dern comes in at number two with another great emerald dress. It's safe to say that she really nailed the sparkle trend. I love the fit of this dress - I can only hope I look half this good at 45! The plunging neckline highlights Dern's chest and collarbone without going overboard on the cleavage front and the long sleeves are a nice touch. Although I'm usually not a sparkly belt kind of girl, I have to admit that I like the waist detailing in this dress. The baby train is the perfect finishing touch!

Coming in at number three is Glee's Dianna Agron with a stunning Giles Deacon creation. I instantly fell in love with the amazing detailing on the bodice and the tiered lace skirt. The little flashes of skin keep this dress from being too overwhelming and the colour is particularly lovely. Agron's look is another great example of the tasteful styling at yesterday's event. While the accessories and hair are simple and chic, the bright red lipstick is the perfect pop of colour to keep her face from getting lost behind the bold dress. This look was especially refreshing in the sea of nudes on the red carpet.

For a woman with a knock-out body, I find that Selma Hayek tends to dress a tad boxy on the red carpet...but did she ever prove me wrong! Let me first say that I love her hair. It's big and bouncy and perfect. Now that I have that out of my system, yesterday was definitely a big night for Gucci. The cinched waistline and flowing train on Hayek's dress are perfect for her curvy figure. The silhouette was complimented by the great metallic detailing. I love the way that it guides your eye to create perfect proportions - wide at the bust and then narrow in the waist, before spilling downwards to add height to her small frame. Brilliant!

Last but not least is Homeland's (or "Firefly's" if you're a sci-fi nerd like myself) Morena Baccarin. I love the combination of fabrics between the patterned silk panels on the sides of the dress and the sheer cutouts on the front and back. The green clutch is a nice pop of colour, although I could do without the white bracelets. Moreover, the extra volume on the bottom half of the dress nicely balances the exposure around her neck and chest. Lovely!

And let's not forget the boys - here are my top three male fashion winners of the evening:

Christopher Plummer easily takes my number one spot with the blue and black tuxedo he wore to yesterday's Globes. Pairing navy and black is no easy feat, but Plummer made it look both effortless and distinguished. I also love the small details in this outfit. The brushed suede shoes and lapel pin really show an attention to styling that is sometimes lacking from an ordinary tux. Christopher Plummer stole my heart forty seven years ago as the devilishly handsome Captain Von Trapp and it's safe to say that he's still got it. *Side note: His dedication to his wife ("a lady called Elaine, my wife of 43 years, whose bravery and beauty haunts me still") was heart warming.

I know that it's difficult, but if you can see past the dashing smile and charming accent long enough to notice what he's wearing, you'll be pleasantly surprised by Ryan Kwanten's outfit. I really love the use of texture in this look. The contrast between the rich velvet jacket and the suit-style collar and pants is a refreshing break from the average black tux. Not to mention, Kwanten's jacket is very nicely cut and he manages to pull off a bow tie without looking goofy. This look is both sophisticated and fun. Definitely one of my favourites!

While it would hardly have hurt him to comb his hair, Johnny Depp snags my number three spot for actually wearing colour. The vast majority of the men at yesterday's Globes stuck to black. There was some dark blue. There was some grey. But mostly, there was black. Now don't get me wrong I love a well-cut but black suit, but sometimes it's nice to spice things up a little. And for that reason alone - and maybe the fact that he sported a pocket watch...and maybe the fact that he looks roguishly disheveled - I salute Mr. Depp's kooky sense of style.

What did you think about yesterday's showing?
Talk soon,
Vi