The yearly fashion post

Life's been challenging lately and I haven't decided what, if anything, I'm willing to say about it. So, instead I thought I'd do a puff piece on the fashions at the Golden Globes (yeah. I bake pastry, write poetry and pay attention to fashion. I'm a Hello Kitty lunchbox and unicorn poster away from complete girlhood).


The major trends at the Golden Globes were: strapless, purple and flounces. Of those that followed those trends, Olivia Wilde pulled it off best - LAST year.

This, however, is what she wore this year:

For a dress that's being auctioned to aid Haiti, you'd think there'd be a better photo that's not licensed.











The other common color was salmon/peach; Maggie Gyllenhaal ended up looking like a boiled shrimp, but it was perfect for Christina Hendricks.

Talk about golden globes! Designer Christian Siriano must've sewn a cantilevered bridge into that dress. I think we have the answer here to Ginger vs. Mary Ann.



The rules for strapless gowns: you either have to have breasts or want to look flat-chested (which is why it works on wedding gowns; it's extra-virgin). You have to wear a light color to accentuate the outline of the bust. I'm pretty sure there's another rule, but I'm a little distracted...





Added analysis:

Color: The best color for Hendricks is probably a light blue, but the colors of the night were purples and oranges. There was an ocean of purple, so orange was the right choice. A pure orange would've clashed with her hair. A redder or pinker orange would've taken away from the peaches and cream complexion. This was the right shade - the lipstick's a shade two bright, but that's not the fault of the dress.

The flounce: Flounces are difficult to get right and few attempted it. The dress Chloe Sevigny wore had one that ran vertically up her sides and across the bosom and it kind of worked, even though it fell apart in the rain and got stepped on. Usually, they get added to the hem and look like a dust ruffle. Other horizontal choices would fail completely. This diagonal manages to take a simple dress interesting, taking away the monochromatic by subtle shadings in the ruffles. The flounce would've looked tacked on if not for the gathers running the opposite diagonal across her breasts - so one's eyes, once they stop staring there, get pulled one way and then the other, taking in the whole.

These gathers do bring another problem, pointed out by others: they make the dress look tight and uncomfortable, though, from Hendrick's comments (and ability to move and sit), it was okay. I think this is a good compromise. Hendricks is known for her voluptuous form, but she wears padding on her show "Mad Men;" this dress allows one to see her actual shape. Though she's probably a size 6/8 at most, the room was filled with size 0's and 2's and there's a risk of looking fat by comparison. This dress shows her curves, but also the tapered waist and the flounce keeps her from looking "hippy."


Best hair goes to penelope Cruz. Too bad about the dress, though.

Armani Prive should at least flatter

The best dressed overall is an easy choice. Some women look good no matter what they're wearing, like Anne Hathaway. At this function, it was Jennifer Garner. Even the earrings are perfect. Unfortunately, I can't find a flattering photo; trust me, it looked better than this:





Um, Christina's married, isn't she? I love that she told reporters that after the show she was getting a cheeseburger at a drive-through and then going home and eating it in that dress. My kind of woman!