The Emmys: Fashion Triumphs & Failures

Oh, the Emmys. Not as glamorous as the Oscars, not as fun as the Golden Globes, not as funky as the Grammys. Television actors often seem to have inferiority complexes, and it shows up in their fashion choices on Emmy night – was it just me, or did a lot of the women strolling the red carpet look like they were trying to hard? Luckily, there were a few actresses who made impeccable choices, so let’s start with the good. (** To enlarge collages, simply click on the photo)
(Top: Julie Benz, Emily Blunt, Kim Kardashian – Bottom: Claire Danes, Jennifer Carpenter, Kyra Sedgwick)

These were some of my favorite gowns of the evening. Julie Benz really took my breath away in her white gown, and her sleek ponytail perfectly complimented the look. Emily Blunt looked the part of a movie star (because she is one) in her lavender gown. Also, she had the perfect accessory – John Krasinski. Kim Kardashian looked like a mythical goddess in her Grecian-inspired gown. For me, the Grecian look will never be out of style. It’s one of my favorite cuts. Claire Danes is a popular pick for “Best Dressed” this year, and rightly so – her sparkling strapless gown was stunning, and her hair and makeup was flawless. Jennifer Carpenter hasn’t been getting enough credit for her look, I think. Her sleek, sparkling, gun metal dress with one full sleeve was edgy and glamorous. Finally, Kyra Sedgwick – this was one of my favorite dresses. The deep burgundy color really stood out, and the dress fit her like a glove. It was so flattering and very classic. I’ve got to say, though, I didn’t love her hair.

There were some gowns that received good reviews from others, but I’m undecided on them.
(Top: Edie Falco, Jewel, Toni Collette – Bottom: Maura Tierney, Nina Dobrev)

Edie Falco looked OK, but there’s just something off about that gown to me. And I wish she would wear a little more eye makeup on the red carpet. I still haven’t made up my mind about Jewel’s gown. During the red carpet broadcast I thought I hated it, but in photographs it doesn’t look half-bad. Thoughts? I’m 90% sure that I like Toni Collette’s gown. It fits her well and it’s very different, but at first glance it looks like she trudged through a swamp on her way to the Emmys and got the bottom all dirty. I liked Maura Tierney’s gown at first, but upon closer inspection I thought the fabrix reminded me too much of a couch. Finally, Nina Dobrev. It looks young and fun and it suits her, but it’s not really my style.

Sometimes, bad clothes happen to good people. There were several actresses at the Emmys on Sunday night who caused me to moan “Nooo, I love her! Why couldn’t she have dressed better?”
(Top: Kristen Wiig, Mindy Kaling – Bottom: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lauren Graham, Betty White)

I love all of these women. They’re all funny, beautiful, talented people. So why couldn’t they have looked better on TV’s most important night? I can actually handle the pattern on Kristen Wiig’s dress, but the top is too loose and I can’t forgive the black pom-pom shoulder pads she’s got going on. And Mindy Kaling. Mindy Kaling! I love her! I follow her every tweet and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of her first book. So why dress up like Bollywood’s answer to Madonna? Why? And is the Snooki hair a joke? Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ dress just bothers me. I’m not 100% sure why. It’s just not doing her any favors. And Lauren Graham. I love her as an actress, I think she’s hilarious in interviews. Gilmore Girls is my favorite show and I’m now addicted to Parenthood. So why make a dress out of curtains and safety pins? It was so ill-fitting, it truly looked like she threw together a few pieces of fabric and headed out the door! And finally, Betty White. Betty is so beloved that it truly breaks my heart to say this, but I’ve seen her look better. She’s never looked like she was dressed for a single’s dance at a Boca Raton retirement home before, so why start now?

Two of the most fashionable TV shows currently on TV are Glee and Mad Men. And I hate to say it, but one cast brought it and the other cast didn’t.
(Top: Heather Morris, Jane Lynch, Dianna Agron – Bottom: Amber Riley, Jayma Mays)

How fantastic do these people look? SO fantastic! Every one of them wins a “Best Dressed” award from me. Let’s start with Heather Morris. Holy Hollywood glamor! Absolutely. Stunning. It would impress even the most critical gay shark. Jane Lynch also looks fabulous. As L-A over at Fashionable People, Questionable things pointed out, the dweebs who work the red carpet (I should totally have that gig) always seemed surprised to see Jane in a gown. Either they have trouble separating fiction from reality and expect her to show up in an Adidas track suit, or they think that all lesbians dress like Ellen Degeneres. Either way, they’re way off – Jane Lynch often rocks the red carpet. I also thought Dianna Agron, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful people on TV, looked stunning. I didn’t love the tiered skirt, but I’m a fan of the overall look. Amber Riley gave Kim Kardashian a run for her money in her white gown. It was super-flattering and might be one of her best fashion choices yet. Finally, Miss Emma Pillsbury herself, Jayma Mays. I think the deep blue hue of the gown looks beautiful in contrast to her red hair, and the fit of the dress was perfect. (Note to January Jones: This is how you leave your hair down.)
(Top: Jenna Ushkowitz, Lea Michele, Jesslyn Gilsig – Bottom: Naya Rivera)

I didn’t love these Gleeks’ gowns as much as the first set, but they’re still almost all better than the most other gowns I saw. I know a lot of people loved Lea Michele’s gown, but I only felt OK about it. Maybe it was her intense posing on the red carpet that turned me off, but I just find her way too dramatic. Jenna and Jesslyn both looked good in red, but I’ve seen them both look better. The only real misstep came from Naya Rivera. Sorry Santana, but the dress looked like it was worn to an 80s prom and the hair was just way, way too much.

Naya’s massive bun aside, the Glee ladies beat the Mad Men ladies hands down.
(Top: Kiernan Shipka, January Jones – Bottom: Christina Hendricks, Elisabeth Moss)

OK, let’s get this out of the way first – January Jones, hands down, wins “Worst Dressed” for the night. What the hell was that? The Madonna cones/paper umbrellas on her chest. The plastic, weird material. Was this dress recycled? And her hair! Did she arrive in a chopper? Did she come in a convertible and forget to put a scarf over her hair? I rarely like what she wears, but this was an all-time low. The other Mad Men ladies didn’t do much better. I love Christina Hendricks, but sometimes I wish she’d put her boobs away. You know, just to change it up. I didn’t like the feathers on the dress either. I had high hopes for Elisabeth Moss, but the dishwater hue of her gown and the weird seam at the knees ruined the look for me. The best dressed of the whole Mad Men group (other than John Hamm, who would be swoon-worthy in a paper bag) was 10-year-old Kiernan Shipka who plays Sally Draper. How adorable was she?

Now for the worst of the night. January Jones wasn’t the only one on the red carpet who had me scratching my head.
(Top: Padma Lakshmi, Anna Paquin – Bottom: Jane Krakowski, Tina Fey)

These women just had too much going on. Padma’s dress was so-so, but that necklace ruined it. It looked like she’d left the price tag on. And with her hair down, it all just looked too sloppy and overwhelming. Anna Paquin managed to detach Stephen Moyer from her side long enough to pose for a photo, but that might have been a mistake. She appeared to be wearing a bib made of melted Emmys. I know True Blood is supposed to be a really sexy show and everything, but I don’t find any of the cast members remotely attractive. Jane Krakowski and Tina Fey both failed for 30 Rock. Jane’s dress had WAY too much going on. Sparkles, a belt, a shoulder poof, a hip poof. I almost gave Tina Fey a pass because this was a major step up from a lamp shade, but there was still too much going on. Perhaps if the top was patterned and the skirt was plain black, I would have liked it.

These ladies could have looked worse, though. They could have looked like skanks.
(Left to right: Heidi Klum, Maria Menounos, Sofia Vergara)

Did these ladies come right from their gigs at the brothel? I had already awarded Maria Menounos the “Skank of the Night” award when I saw her conducting interviews, but Heidi and Sofia gave her a run for her money. Maria’s dress had a very, very low cut back but also had exposed sides. I could have dealt with the backless gown if she’d kept her abs to herself. Heidi’s dress was just too non-existent, plain and simple. And Sofia’s just looked tacky. Too much ruching and glitter. She’s so beautiful, I wish she’d worn a more classic gown.

All of the following women were victims of poor tailoring and bad decisions. Though only one gave January Jones a run for her money as “Worst Dressed”.
(Top: Julianna Margulies, Glenn Close and daughter, Keri Russell – Bottom: Emily Deschanel, Kate Gosselin, Julie Bowen)

Perhaps it was harsh of me to include Julianna on the worst dressed list, but on TV that dress did her few favors. The most unflattering gowns, though, were on Glenn Close, her daughter, and Keri Russell. Glenn and her daughter appeared to be wearing matching metallic garbage bags, and Keri’s dress was both an awkward length and too baggy in the chest. Kate Gosselin’s look was too severe, which along with her awkward, harsh-sounding interviews did nothing to aid her image. She should have gone classic and pretty. Julie Bowen’s dress was too tight with too many weird ruffles. And Emily Deschanel came close to stealing the “Worst Dressed” and “Epic Fail” titles away from January Jones with her fringed purple dress and bangs.

Who were your favorites on the Emmys red carpet? Do you think there was someone who managed to look worse than January Jones? Give your own critiques below!

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Haligonia Sports: August 30 2010