Last year it took womanly Sophia Loren in Giorgio Armani to show young Hollywood a thing or two about looking like a true movie star. This year another mature actress led the fashion ranks -- Jane Fonda was radiant in a strapless champagne satin gown by Vera Wang with opera gloves. (Jane loved the dress so much she went back on an earlier promise to auction it off to charity after the awards -- she's keeping it)
But it was Best Actress Hilary Swank, luminous in a strapless bronze ballgown and Asprey & Garrard 17th century diamond necklace, who wins style points and takes over from last year's winner in the same category, Gwyneth Paltrow.
"South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker came in drag, spoofing both Gwyneth's pink Ralph Lauren and Jennifer Lopez's Grammy Versace.
Cher came out tripping and cursing her Bob Mackie dress, which was a surprisingly modest Goth number. "You probably noticed I dressed like a grownup," she said gracefully covering up her trouble with walking in the fishtail dress. "I apologize to the Academy and promise never to do it again."
"It Girl" Chloe Sevigny chose a grown-up number herself, from Yves Saint Laurent, commenting that the fashion thing had gotten "kinda out of hand."
In the wake of Lopez' plunging Grammy dress, many fashionistas predicted an unprecedented show of skin for the Oscars. But with a few exceptions, the styles were fairly modest and there was nary a showstopper among the nominees or presenters.
That doesn't mean that some of the stars didn't look fabulous.
Looking good
- Lucy Liu in a stunning one shoulder, fish tail red Versace
- Queen Latifah on the red carpet in silver shimmer (by Kara Saun) and singing in black and red
- Chloe Sevigny in black halter Yves Saint Laurent
- Ashley Judd in purple Valentino (the hair scrunchie has to go, though)
- Hilary Swank in strapless bronze ballgown by Randolph Duke
- Heather Graham in beaded Gucci gown
- Salma Hayek in a lavender halter gown by Erik Gaskins
What happened?
You've seen them look fabulous before, but something went wrong on Oscar night 2000:
- Cameron Diaz looking cleavage--challenged in Versace
- Gwyneth Paltrow -- in Calvin Klein, flapper girl or movie star?
- Angelina Jolie as the anti-starlet in Versace, sporting witchlike hair and somber clothes
- Julianne Moore in Chanel -- sure, it was couture, but that didn't make it flattering
- Tyra Banks' frou frou lavender dress from Vera Wang was fit for the prom
- Diane Keeton -- what was that rose thing?
- Nicole Kidman, often a stunner, bombed in gold by Galliano for Christian Dior
Oscar Trends
- Metallics
- Halter necks
- Plunging necks and backs
- Elaborate diamond necklaces
- Anything but the bowtie for him
- Shine for him
- Red
- Strapless
- Lavender
- Black
- Fish tails
