beauty addict

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Check out what the stars wore--and what we thought about it.

Ultraviolet
By Jennifer Riley

Despite host Conan O’Brien’s best efforts, any jokes at the 58th Annual Emmy Awards were far outweighed by more sobering and introspective moments. From Barry Manilow’s poignant Dick Clark ode to the moving Aaron Spelling tribute (widow and daughter seated at opposite ends of the Shine), the evening proved less cheerful than tearful for most TV viewers. But fortunately, there were several red-carpet ensembles that brought a smile to our faces—as well as a few that kept us laughing for days.

Purple Reign
The biggest Emmy surprise wasn’t doled out on stage; it came hours earlier when countless celebs strolled the red carpet in various shades of violet. The most memorable purple moments came courtesy of Evangeline Lilly, in a chic strapless Versace dress with minimal accessories; Jaime Pressly, in a chantilly-lace Badgley Mischka gown with vintage Fred Leighton jewels; and Leah Remini in a one-shouldered eggplant Versace number. Some stars even used plum embellishments; Virginia Madsen's dangerously sexy Kevan Hall gown, for example, was demurely wrapped with a wide purple ribbon around the waist.

That said, not every purple princess fared so well. Although we love her as Larry David’s long-suffering wife, Cheryl Hines’s glitzy amethyst George Chakra ensemble curbed our enthusiasm considerably. Ellen Pompeo’s ill-fitting velvet aubergine dress by John Galliano for Christian Dior looked more suited to a New Year’s bash than a sweltering August day (Megan Mullally’s and Jessica Walter’s long sleeves were equally mind-boggling). And then there were those who sported stylish violet gowns but still missed the mark: Jean Smart’s ruched lavender halter might’ve been becoming had it not been for the ratty hair, and Sandra Oh’s periwinkle Vera Wang was no doubt lovely before she piled on a truckload of necklaces.

Color Field
Purple wasn’t the only hue that made a splash at the Emmy’s. Heidi Klum’s red draped Michael Kors gown set a fashionable new standard in maternity eveningwear. Also eye-catching were Jane Kaczmarek’s classic crimson halter dress and Allison Janney’s burgundy Elie Saab. Kim Raver’s frothy yellow Pamela Roland was equally dazzling, while other vibrant shades included Kelly green (Mary McCormack) and navy blue (Amy Poehler). But ironically, neutrals made an even bigger impact. Katherine Heigl was the epitome of old Hollywood glamour in a vintage champagne Escada gown, Portia de Rossi was stunning in slate gray Zac Posen, Alfre Woodward looked flawless in a mauve Pamela Roland halter, and Felicity Huffman’s draped taupe gown was an unexpected yet elegant choice.

But colorful ensembles also accounted for some of the night’s greatest missteps. Vanessa Minnillo’s beaded teal number resembled gaudy pageantwear, Jennifer Love Hewitt’s blingy gray gown failed to flatter the actress’s curves, and while Elizabeth Perkins and Lorraine Bracco both went for the gold, their metallic dresses were less than prize-winning. Although Kyra Sedgwick’s strapless Giorgio Armani gown was pure perfection on top, the voluminous tulle skirt with supersize rosette was cringeworthy, and Melissa Rivers’s baggy beige silk gown was far more shapeless than chic. But the truly heinous multicolor moments came courtesy of Phoebe Price, Gretchen Bonaduce, and Paula Abdul. The next time a celebrity even thinks of sporting a floral print on the red carpet, their stylist should not so subtly point to Abdul’s off-the-shoulder, over-the-top garden-party disaster.

Black and White
As expected, many stars opted for ebony and ivory, and the most stellar example was Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s sleek two-toned Empire-waist gown with sparkly black straps. The “Most Improved” award goes to Lisa Rinna for her chic, body-hugging black dress with sequin detail, while other noir beauties included Joan Rivers in a cap-sleeve column gown, Lisa Kudrow in a timeless Valentino design, and Morgan Fairchild in a sexy scoop-neck dress (the train and gloves were a little much, but we thought she looked gorgeous nonetheless). Only two months post-pregnancy, Mariska Hargitay lit up the red carpet in a black Carolina Herrera with appliquéd blooms, while Annette Bening’s cream cocktail dress with crystal spaghetti straps was a refreshing alternative to the evening’s mostly floor-length fare. In addition, Maria Menounos’s black Monique Lhuillier and Sarah Chalke’s cream Beccaria were both shining examples of one of the evening’s biggest trends: lace.

Still, the black-and-white set committed its own fair share of fashion crimes. Although Debra Messing’s tiered ivory Alberto Ferretti gown was fabulous in theory, the look stalled on the red carpet (we’re still debating whether the hair, accessories, or the dress’s fit were her downfall). More perplexing was Geena Davis’s tuxedo pantsuit accessorized with $20 million worth of jewels, including a showstopping diamond lariat (it seemed like a waste of carats to us). Although Tyra Banks is always stunning, her $50,000 one-shoulder black lace George Chakra gown and $3.5 million worth bling was entirely too heavy for the heat of the summer. And Eva Longoria’s bubbly white dress looked as if it might had been crafted on the fly out of papier-mache (no doubt Tim Gunn, who was in attendance, would have been proud).

Photo credits: Getty Images

The Beauty Report

Thanks to an army of stylists and oversize fans, most of the Emmy coiffure was impressive. The night’s biggest winner was Heidi Klum, whose loosely braided updo exuded modern romance. Jaime Pressley also scored with a sleeker plaited style, and several other stars opted for elegant upswept looks, including Portia de Rossi, Sandra Oh, Lisa Kudrow, Calista Flockhart, and Virginia Madsen. While Julia Louis-Dreyfus wore her bun a little lower, the effect was no less dazzling; Katherine Heigl’s finger-waved coif was the perfect complement to her glamorous ensemble; and Desperate Housewives Eva Longoria and Felicity Huffman both wore winning swept-back styles. But not all of the evening’s updos fared so well: Debra Messing’s oversprayed bangs seemed to weigh the actress down, while Tyra Bank’s sculpted style looked as if has been doused in shellac (our guess is that her crowning glory was actually a lace-front wig, hence the unnatural hairline). But both were infinitely more attractive than Paula Abdul’s ratty, bird’s-nest bun. In the 100-degree heat, of course, loose strands could’ve taken on a life of their own (and did for Jean Smart), but Evangeline Lilly, Leah Remini, Elizabeth Perkins, and Kyra Sedgwick all managed to keep their flowing manes looking fresh and flawless. Unfortunately, Ellen Pompeo’s severe half-up, half-down style fell tragically flat.

With the threat of makeup meltdown, it’s no surprise that most of the stars opted for lighter palettes than we usually see on the red carpet. Some of the evening’s best showings came from Evangeline Lilly, whose well-balanced look combined sexy shimmering eyes with fresh pink cheeks and lips; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who looked radiant with simple brown eye shadow, black liner, and clear gloss; and Katherine Heigl, whose smoldering eyes, glowing skin, and nude lips could’ve given Charlize Theron a run for her money (to get Heigl’s glamorous look, check out our Emmy Giveaway). Virginia Madsen also looked gorgeous in a dewy mauve palette, Leah Remini’s and Maria Menounos’s bronzy looks were standouts, and while Portia de Rossi was the only star to opt for bold red lips, it was a risk that paid off. Other risks, however, weren’t to be rewarded. Tyra Banks sabotaged an otherwise flawless makeup job with frighteningly long, spidery lashes, and if Sandra Oh’s accessories didn’t ruin her look first, the matchy-matchy eye shadow surely would have. And then, of course, there was Paula Abdul whose makeup was about on par with her hair and gown (in other words, dreadful).

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