OSCAR 2017: RED CARPET GOWNS MOST GLAMOROUS

 

 

Silver Screen Modes’ Most Glamorous Gown Award for the 2017 Oscars stars and their most glamorous red carpet gowns is designated again. I started this award in 2010  for my previous blog The Silver Screen Modiste  and have been awarding it annually ever since.This award celebrates the glamour of old Hollywood  and the best new (and vintage) designs.

The gowns this year have been a combination of classic glamour and creative flights of fashion fancy, with beautiful results. We see more and more gowns from couture designers and from the runway, with occasional vintage examples. There were many beautiful dresses and fashions at the Academy Awards. Some were very elaborate and  even overpowering. Among the beauties, here are my selections.

The Most Glamorous Gown Award goes to:

To Emma Stone  in a bare-shouldered gold fringed and beaded Givenchy Haute Couture gown. This was a beautifully fitted and visually stimulating gown, with the fringe providing movement and the silver bugle-beads adding sparkle. While I’m not usually a fan of pale coloration that matches flesh-tones, this gold-silver combination worked perfectly.    

 

As notable mentions, Jessica Biel wore a stunning gold sequin and crystal Kaufman Franco form-fitting gown. It is accented by slits throughout, accessorized with a serious necklace.

 

(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

 

 

 

Taraji P. Henson also looked beautiful and classy in a deep décolleté  black velvet by Alberta Ferretti.

 

And the beautiful Brie Larson was also in black velvet décolleté, this gown by Oscar de la Renta, including  a ruffled train.

 

Fashion trends have their place on the red carpet, although the bigger trend over the last several years has been the interplay between actor, stylist, and fashion designer. As stylists have taken on more influence, there have been fewer “what was she thinking” moments on the red carpet. The result has been an over-all improvement in the beauty (and glamour)of the gowns. But as some stars become more daring in their fashion choices in  a sort of revolt, we see gowns and outfits that don’t quite work.

The Golden Globes have also become more formal in recent years, increasingly competitive with the Academy Awards for the glamour of the red carpet gowns.  The January event showed the perennial glamour favorite looks of  the plunging bust line, backless gowns, or exposed leg exposing daring views and ample skin. This can be worn on a gown of satin, chiffon, or most popular of all, sequins of various colors and especially in gold or silver. Silver and gray in metallic finishes was popular this year, followed flashes of color in yellows,  reds and scarlet colored gowns. And there’s still nothing like sparkle. These trends continued at the Academy Awards of 2017.

 

The Oscar for Best Costume Design was awarded to Colleen Atwood for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This is the movie I had predicted would win, but my predictions are 50-50, so this doesn’t mean that much. I couldn’t have predicted however, the debacle at the end of the Awards ceremony. To be honest. I had favored La La Land.

6 thoughts on “OSCAR 2017: RED CARPET GOWNS MOST GLAMOROUS”

  1. Some stunning choices, Christian. While I think Ms. Henson’s look might’ve benefited had her cleavage been toned down a bit, she is still a vision in black velvet.

    I’m usually partial to looks that tend to be sleek or form-fitting and elegant – as all of these you have chosen are. This year, though, I also was taken by a gown that was opulent to the point of nearly over-the top: Janelle Monae In Elie Saab. In close-up, the gown’s neckline was a perfect frame for her lovely face.

    1. Good points Lady Eve. And the Janelle Monae gown was striking. There were many very good looks and few misses. I think all the stars have stylists these days. I was a bit disappointed that, while all well dressed, there was little daring among the men.

  2. My favorite – Haile Steinfeld in Ralph & Russo, followed by Janelle Monae in Elie Saab and Octavia Spencer in Marchesa. But most all the gowns this year were deserving of “Best”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *