Anita Ekberg, Fellini’s luscious La Dolce Vita bombshell, died today in Italy. Call it a coincidence, but several actresses took up the Swedish-Italian beauty’s mantle at tonight’s 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards. Their va-va-voom, plunge-front dresses stood out in a familiar sea of strapless styles and one-shoulder numbers, Jessica Chastain’s Atelier Versace most of all.
Commonly held red carpet wisdom says that the Globes are the awards show where stars should play it low-key, saving the big guns for the Oscars. Emma Stone got the message. She wore a glittering strapless bustier and trousers from Lanvin that looked laid-back, but wasn’t boring. Lorde and Patti Smith get points, too, for their pantsuits. Were Smith’s combat boots the first to stride the Globes’ carpet? Talk about a woman who knows what works for her.
Diane Kruger is one woman who’s got an A game. Her tailor deserves a prize of his own for the perfect fit of her silvery Emilia Wickstead. Silver was one of the evening’s popular colors. Dakota Johnson and Best Actress in a Drama winner Julianne Moore looked terrific in shimmering Chanel haute couture and Givenchy haute couture sequins, respectively. Red, white, and blue also had strong showings, but our vote for color of the night goes to yellow. It’s not an easy shade, but when it works, it works, and work it did on Naomi Watts and Leslie Mann. We also liked the green Prada column worn by Ruth Wilson, which got some stage time when she won Best Actress in a TV Drama.
Not everyone had as much luck. Rosamund Pike’s strappy Vera Wang could’ve used fewer cutouts and a little more bodice. Jennifer Lopez’s revealing caftan was a callback of sorts to the legendary tropical-print Versace number she wore to the Grammys in 2000, but where that one came off effortless, her Zuhair Murad haute couture looked like a lot of work. So much so as to invite her stage mate Jeremy Renner’s unevolved observation about her own remarkable golden globes.
As for the guys, Selma’s David Oyelowo looked sharp in his metallic-blue Dolce & Gabbana three-piece, and Jared Leto proved as irresistible as ever in a white tux by Lanvin. Did you get a look at Wes Anderson’s crooked bow tie? Calculated insouciance has never come off so well. George Clooney, the evening’s Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement winner, wore a “Je Suis Charlie” pin. His line we’ll all remember is, “Amal, I’m proud to be your husband.”
The fashion moment of the night was without a doubt Prince’s surprise appearance to present Common and John Legend with best original song for “Glory” from Selma. He didn’t say much, but man, that metallic lamé suit and crystal-encrusted walking stick.
