Fashion Review: Emmy's 2012

It's that time again! I do love awards shows so much, and this time, I had a partner-in-crime! Ashleigh weighed in on the best/worst dressed, so today, I'm sharing some of her picks. Let's get to it!

Best Dressed

Only Julianne Moore could show up wearing a long-sleeved, skin-tight, banana yellow Christian Dior gown and look fresh, glamorous and perfect. Yellow was a huge color at this year's Emmys, and she wore it best. I also have to give her major credit for not making it compete with a statement necklace the way I know I would have!

Ashleigh was in love with Leslie Mann's Naeem Khan dress. I was a little on the fence about the matchy-matchy turquoise accessories and the macrame quality of the bodice, but Ashleigh thought it was fresh and fun.

Ever since The Good Wife put her back on the awards show circuit, Juliana Margulies has worn a series of weird dresses that made me unhappy. But girl brought it in this Giambattista Valli gown with pretty earrings. I knew it looked a little like upholstery fabric, but it reminded me of Monet's waterlilies and just looked unique and elegant.

She didn't get even a minute of TV coverage, but Girls' Allison Williams killed it in this emerald Oscar de la Renta that did all the right things for her and managed to bring out her gorgeous blue eyes. We have major girl crushes on her.

I thought Julie Bowen's hair was a bit rat nest-y, but Ashleigh liked the edge and we both found ourselves drawn to her electric lime Monique Lhuillier gown. Totally unexpected color, so easy to go wrong, but exciting!

She has horrible posture in this picture, but Emily Van Camp looked very elegant, ethereal and sexy in her J. Mendel gown. I think she looks a little washed out in this pic, but she looked lovely on camera, and her bow bracelet was killer.

Ash said Lucy Liu's Versace dress made her look like a robot, but to me, it was pure Terminator glam. It's futuristic, but pure sex. 

I love actresses like Edie Falco who can mine the depths of dowdiness in their roles and then look fierce and glam on the red carpet. She looks modern and sexy in this navy Stella McCartney, and I love the metallic belt + the red nails. She brought it!

Ash wasn't feeling Nicole Kidman's Antonio Berardi gown, but I loved it. It reminds me of Aztec jewelry, and felt like a little throwback to this amazing Christian Dior gown she rocked back in the day. P.S. Doesn't that pic make you wish she was a redhead all the time?

Red prints like this kinda remind me of the blood splatter on Dexter, but Ashleigh sold me on this Monique Lhuillier gown on Ginnifer Goodwin. It's whimsical, finely detailed and tangerine is such a great color.

On the Fence

I totally liked Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Vera Wang gown, but the hair felt a little off for some reason and the earrings felt forced. I'm not sure that counts as valid criticism, but whatever, it's my blog.

Love the color and design of Kat Dennings' J. Mendel gown, but as a fellow busty gal, I can just say that a) that looked uncomfortable and b) was seriously so distracting that I doubt anyone will remember the person or face that was attached to those globes. Her make-up and hair, however, are perfection.

Morena Baccarin is one hot piece, but I was seriously torn by her Basil Soda gray dress. On one hand, it's an elegant color, accessorized to perfection and fits like a dream. On the other hand, the fabric kinda looked like chambray from certain angles and it looked an eensy bit like shark gills.

Zosia Mamet's Bihbu Mahopatra gown was interesting on top and made me groan when my eyes reached the bottom. When are leg cutouts ever interesting? Also, her hair style is very severe here.

Worst

Claire Danes has rocked my best dressed list for the past few years, but this Lanvin was a serious disappointment. It had the flattering fit of a tangled shower curtain and looked like she just plain gave up. It made pregnancy look like a miserable curse.

I adore Lena Dunham. She is funny, self-deprecating, educated and mouthy, but good lord, I hated this Prada. It reminded me of a floor-length Forever 21 dress, and just looked twee/cheap. I also would love to see a sweet smile! Adore the eye make-up, though.

 Heidi's Alexander Vaulthier dress seemed to scream, "I'm just went through an awkward divorce that makes me look like a slut who sleeps with the help and I decided, hey, what's wrong with that?" It also reminded me of something Scuttle would design for Ariel (The Little Mermaid) in a desperate make-it-work moment with sailcloth and rope.

Dude, January Jones just rubs me the wrong way. Her eye makeup + crazy fly-away hair + frenetic Zac Posen gown was a serious Black Swan moment, in a bad way. Part of me kinda likes the fabric of the skirt (does it sort of have the effect of black brush strokes?), but the overall effect is ick.

Emilia Clarke's Chanel gown is just a big no. The bodice is lovely, but mullet dresses already weird me out, then paired with a tea-length half-dress, then nude shoes? This dress has schizophrenia. Also, she needs to give up on having an identity as a brunette; anyone who knows her from Game of Thrones was like, "Who is that?!"

 Sigh. How many times, friends, have I used this space to opine the plight of Christina Hendricks? She is a beautiful woman, with ample assets, and apparently no knowledge of what looks good on her or works for her. This Jessica Rabbit-goes-to-work look isn't cutting it. She also looks supremely uncomfortable in this Christian Siriano gown. Designers: I challenge you to dress this glorious woman to perfection by the Golden Globes! Am I crazy for thinking a variation of this might work?

All of the Mad Men girls were struggling! I like Elisabeth Moss' edgy blond cut, but this chintzy Dolce & Gabbana gown didn't do her any favors and had a slight Carmen Miranda thing going on with its shape. She either needs a stylist or a new one.

 Glenn Close's gown looks like it was designed by Edward Scissorhands, crafting the perfect Morticia Addamms costume in time for Halloween. I'm ready for her to BRING IT, because she is a fierce lady and I know she can do it.

Ashleigh liked this one, but I was not feelin' Hayden Panettiere's fussy Marchesa confection. Its haphazard quality looked less like purposeful design and more like the result of one of those dresses you end up designing with toilet paper at a bridal shower. The hair also looked too prom.

And in an oh-how-the-mighty-have-fallen moment, Ashley Judd showed up in this truly heinous Carolina Herrera gown with a beehive that, when paired together, looked like something out of the montage scene in 27 Dresses. I'm going to choose to remember her like this.

There were so many more dresses I really hated...that doesn't happen very often, but it's a good thing, because it means people were feeling really adventurous this year. What were you loving and hating? Leave it in the comments.