And the gown goes to…

I’ve been browsing through the spring collections and I can’t stop oohing and awwing over all the lovely gowns. From long and flowing to short and clingy, the options are incredible and never-ending. And that’s a good thing. Because in less than a week the Oscars will descend upon Hollywood in a flurry of glamorous activity and we’ll finally see who’s wearing whom and why. In the meantime the stylists are collecting, the designers are tweaking and everyone is in a massive state of stress.

Like most people I have been glued to the red carpet specials. I’m determined to uncover a distinct direction with regards to the current trends. And they’re wildly apparent. Short, long, empire-waisted, full- skirted, body hugging and bold, the variety is vast and the allure is endless.

So who’s standing out? We all clapped loudly when Reese graced our screens in her splendid Nina Ricci— oh the joy of having a label revived by someone as talented as Olivier Theyskens. Her look is fresh and modern and will most definitely prove memorable. And Renee Zellweger—the Queen of vintage couture—made quite the entrance. Her dress, a dramatic emerald Dior with a calf-length hem, was talked about for days after. So is short the new long? I can’t say for sure if this is Oscar appropriate but I for one would love to see it. Less fabric certainly does not mean less impact. Actually it could suggest more.

Naomi Watts shined in her teal Gucci with gold accents as did Kyra Sedgwick in creamy white J. Mendel. Ah, the empire waist! Now this is a trend I can embrace. The unforgiving shape lends to the romantic, billowy silhouette we’re all clamoring for while the finer points of this cut are commendable for their comfort. Not only will we continue to see this look on Oscar night, but it’s sure to be a constant on the runway for many seasons to come.

As with fashion, classics always please. And celebrities who aren’t vying for attention tend to stay true to tradition. You only need to look to the spring collections for a peek at what we’ll be seeing. Ralph Lauren has black crepe with plunging v-necklines, while the ever-graceful designs of Badgley Mischka include an array of white, silver and chartreuse so perfect it’ll be hard to choose one gown from another.

The appeal of this less-is-more sophistication is always tempting. Take Hayden Panettiere in her Monique Lhuillier at the Globes. The white and metallic gown was a standout amongst the wide, sweeping skirts on Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz. Likewise, Drew Barrymore in Dior Haute Couture by John Galliano shined in her simple pink Grecian gown. The clean lines further enhanced her figure instead of hiding it, which is what dressing up is all about anyway, right?

Oscar night continued

I just read that Giorgio Armani is planning to take his Privé spring/summer couture collection, shown last month in Paris, to Los Angeles later this month. The collection is to be unveiled to an exclusive audience the night before the Oscars on Saturday, February 24. Mr. Armani is doing this as a way to celebrate both his new couture line (which debuted in Paris earlier this year) and the many actors and actresses nominated whom he counts as friends.

Giorgio Armani debuted his first haute couture collection at Paris Fashion Week in 2005. After years of requests from women for “event dresses” he designed a collection around real women with real bodies and the press went nuts. Since then we’re seeing him at all the black-tie to-dos. Not only has he dressed Katie Holmes for her wedding but more recently celebrities like Mary Louise Parker, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Sandra Oh.

The actors and actresses will have chosen their gowns by the time of Armani’s show, but that’s not the point. Armani is catering to his clientele and I imagine in the coming years we’ll see a lot more of him on the red carpet.