Red Carpet Review

Ok, mamas, you've been waiting all week and here it is - my best and worst-dressed list from the 2009 Oscars.

This was a great year for Oscar fashion. The overall look was elegant with a return to Hollywood glamour. The mood was low-key, much a reflection of the mood of the nation at the moment, but there was very little black (a pleasant surprise!). Nudes and neutrals, with metallic accents, Swarovski crystals, pleating and beading were the trend and I thought this was a lovely look. I was a little surprised there weren't more vivid colors on the red carpet this year, but not terribly disappointed. A few of those who did sport bold colored dresses didn't do it in the most flattering way, so it's probably for the best.

So here they are - drumroll, please!

Best Dressed:
1.Ann Hathaway - She looked simply stunning in her champagne colored Armani Prive strapless dress that was encrusted with paillettes and Swarovski crystals. The dress was in a color very close to her natural skintone and made her look radiant!

2. Taraji P. Henson - Her ivory strapless gown by Roberto Cavalli was simplistically modern. She accessorized beautifully with a floral diamond statement necklace and a chic red clutch.

3. Kate Winslet - A true starlet, she looked stunning in her Atelier Yves St. Laurent blue satin one shoulder dress with black lace overlay. The blue repeated her eye color and made the dress that much more flattering to her.

4. Penelope Cruz - Wearing a vintage Balmain strapless dress, Penelope looked like the pinnacle of vintage Hollywood glamour. A lovely color for her and a cut that really accentuated her great shape.

5. Evan Rachel Wood - This Raleigh, NC native evoked the starlets of the 40's with her skintone hued pleated gown. Her dark nail polish gave the look a modern edge.

Honorable Mentions:

Diane Lane, Marisa Tomei, Miley Cyrus, Angelina Jolie and Vanessa Hudgens all looked wonderful.

Worst Dressed:

1. Mickey Roarke - With all they hype about Mickey lately, I just had to include him. I will say that I loved his outfit - just not on him. The white suit with black vest were too harsh for him in terms of color. A cream would have looked much better with his warm coloring. And what happened to his hair? It took center stage and ruined his look.

2. Beyonce - A beautiful lady, but was she inspired by Scarlett O'Hara to turn her draperies into a dress? Enough said.

3. Amanda Seyfried - The dress wore Amanda. The bold orange dress made a big splash and overtook her petite frame. The fact that her hair was down and muddled with the neckline AND the necklace just created distractions. This dress so easily could have been a winner with a chic up-do and some simple diamond earrings. Sigh...

4. Tilda Swinton - Long known for her avant garde fashion, Tilda flopped as a presenter. In a color that was just enough away from her skintone to cast a wan pallor on her, the fit was frumpy and the dress was just not red carpet-worthy.

5. Meryl Streep - There is something to be said for wearing an age-appropriate dress. However, age-appropriate and frumpy are NOT synonomous. And no, Meryl, dishwater brown is not your shade.

Honorable Mentions:
Heidi Klum (was she losing her dress or did it come that way?), Amy Adams, Melissa George, Viola Davis and Natalie Portman (yes, dear Natalie made the list - that color was not becoming to her and her tan lines were unflattering, to say the least).