Red Carpet Watch: Oscars

Greetings, dear readers (all two of you). As promised, it's time to talk Oscars. First of all, I have to say, the Oscars are my absolute favorite television event of the year, and other than that supremely odd ode to musicals in the middle of the telecast, I thought this year's show was really great. I think Hugh Jackman was a bit under-used as host, although they probably had to give him ample time to catch his breath between those intense musical numbers. Now, on to the red carpet!

Before we get to the vintage goodies, I'd like to make my pick for favorite ensemble, and that honor would have to go to Amy Adams, in Carolina Herrera:

This color is absolutely gorgeous on her, and really stood out from all the creams and black on the carpet this year. Not only that, but she chose a funky, bold piece of jewelry to accent this already-awesome outfit:

Temptalia described this look as "a cross between Talouse Latrec’s dancing girls and the watercolor feeling of a Gustav Klimt painting," and I couldn't agree more. Her simple, elegant hairstyle really lets her dress and necklace take center stage, and overall I think she pulled this off with grace and ease. (Is it obvious I have a girl crush on her?)

Speaking of grace, the biggest vintage splash at the Oscars was made by Penélope Cruz, who won the Best Supporting Actress statuette for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She also won a lot of best-dressed awards for her more than 60-year-old Balmian gown:

Cruz said she saw this dress eight years ago, and it made such an impression on her, she vowed to find it again and wear it for a special occasion. I'd say being the first Spanish actress to take home an Oscar is a fitting occasion indeed.

Finally, on the accessories front, Natalie Portman carried a vintage Rialto clutch to the ceremony:

The pearly, brushed silver bag nicely accented her flowly, sophisticated look without pulling attention from her dress.

(Thanks to Getty Images, AP Images, and Gossip Rocks for the photos.)

Red Carpet Watch

We're deep in the throes of awards season (my own personal favorite time of the year), and inspired by Go Fug Yourself's Fug Carpet, I want to talk about some of the vintage style we've seen so far this year.

First, at the Golden Globes on January 11, actress Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) wore a bright red vintage tulle dress:

In a sea of blacks and pastels, this color really pops, and the unique straps add a quirky, visually interesting element to this silhouette. Plus, this color is gorgeous on her, and really compliments her skin tone. Elisabeth, if you're reading this: I loved your work on The West Wing. Would you mind hooking me up with this dress? Keep in touch.

Also at the Golden Globes, Heidi Klum wore vintage Galanos:

This is classic Heidi -- cute, whimsical, and just short enough to show off those killer legs. I love the flower, which the petals of the skirt echo nicely. Not too crazy about the detailing on the fabric (kind of resembles scales), but overall this is a fun look.

At the Screen Actors Guild awards on January 25, Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) wore a Chanel 1980s couture dress from RARE Vintage:

This is simple and elegant. But while I'm usually a sucker for classic black and white looks, this one strikes me as a tad boring. It looks great on her, but if she was going to wear vintage, I would have liked to have seen her take more of a risk.

And speaking of risk-taking, we come to our final look, from Thandie Newton at the BAFTAs on February 8:

This dress has been pretty polarizing, but I have to say, I really like it. Maybe it's a bit long, but overall, I think Thandie wears it well -- she owns this look, no doubt about it. I love the black and gold contrast, and the ribbon detailing on the tulle gives the dress a funky texture. The bodice is cute and flirty, and the full skirt gives Thandie some flattering curves (something she could use more of -- this woman is SKINNY).

So far the vintage forecast has been mostly sunny. Check back in next Monday for the next installment of Red Carpet Watch, when I discuss the Holy Grail of awards shows, the Oscars. Bring your A-games, A-list-ers.

(Thanks to Debutante Clothing, RARE Vintage, and Popsugar for the photos.)