Last Monday, a billion pairs of eyes saw the return of Billy Crystal as emcee of the Oscars, as well as the full comeback of Old Hollywood glamour on the red carpet.
It was only fitting for our best dressed actors to be decked out in Old Hollywood style without the va-va-voom clichés. The winners were in structured, stark simplicity; they delivered superb style statements.
The hottest colors were whiter shades of pale. The queen of the scene was Gwyneth Paltrow in an icy-white Tom Ford gown and matching cape, complemented with sleek hair and a pavé diamond cuff. “This was it. It was just this one,” Paltrow said.
Others who wore white wonderfully were Cameron Diaz in a strapless Gucci Premiere, and Octavia Spencer, who won best supporting actress, in a silver beaded Tadashi Shoji gown gathered softly at the bust.
Angelina Jolie was in a black velvet Atelier Versace, perpetually posed with a leg out and hand on her hip. (Before the night was done, that leg had its own Twitter account.)
Michelle Williams was pretty in a peplum tiered custom frock by Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs; she carried a Bottega Veneta clutch. Tina Fey also wore a peplum bespoke gown by Carolina Herrera.
Natalie Portman was in a sweetly dotted vintage Christian Dior dress circa 1954, and Penelope Cruz was in a lush lilac cloud of a strapless Armani Privé, looking like Sophia Loren last mid-century.
But it was Meryl Streep who set the gold standard, accepting her third Oscar in a glittery draped Lanvin by Alber Elbaz. “I understand I’ll never be up here again,” Streep said in her acceptance speech. “The thing that counts the most with me is the friendships and the love and the sheer joy we have shared making movies together.”
The “Iron Lady” proves she is an eternal golden girl. Thanks for the memories, Meryl.
