Lena Dunham in graphic floral Prada at the Emmys: bold or goofy?


Lena Dunham does not often get it right on the red carpet. She’s not as bad an offender as her co-star Zosia Mamet, below. Mamet is a staple at Go Fug Yourself. Dunham just takes fashion risks, which often do not pay off. Dunham chose this blue very full Prada gown with a bright red graphic floral print. It’s a bold dress, and it’s also goofy, so I guess the answer to the title question is not either/or. I just checked out what Lena wore to last year’s Emmys and it was also a Prada gown with a full skirt, but it was lace and much more flattering. Girls was nominated in a few categories this year but didn’t take home any Emmys.

Zosia Mamet, Shoshanna on Girls, makes me question whether she deliberately trolls with her fashion. She’s in a custom Honor gown, which may have been made to her specifications. It looks like she’s wearing a tiny black balconette bra on top of her dress. Without that mesh and leather overlay thing this would have been very pretty.

Allison Williams was in cobalt blue strapless Ralph Lauren. This is a perfect, very safe Emmys look. I like clean lines and classic dresses and I appreciate this look. Some may call it boring.

Alyson Hannigan of How I Met Your Mother was in a purple Marchesa mermaid gown. This is the dress that Betsy Brandt should have worn. I’m not saying it’s a particularly nice dress or even that it’s flattering, it’s just the perfect shade of purple for Breaking Bad’s Marie. I do like the top of the gown down to the part where it flares out like a bad table skirt. I like Hannigan’s sideswept hair.

Cobie Smulders of HIMYM was in pale pink J. Mendel. She’s so pretty and this dress would be gorgeous except for the top. Why are these mini bustlines a thing? Her styling is very good here though.

Photo credit: WENN.com and FameFlynet

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139 Responses to “Lena Dunham in graphic floral Prada at the Emmys: bold or goofy?”

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  1. GlimmerBunny says:

    I have such a girl-crush on Allison Williams. I wish I looked like her!

  2. Faye says:

    Why does Lena Dunham do this to herself? She’s not obese, but nor is she thin, and she insists on wearing clothes that were clearly made for super-skinny women and that look horrible on her. She looks like an opened umbrella here. I feel like her red-carpet choices must be some James Franco-esque “performance art” attention-seeking gimmick – how else to explain their ever-escalating atrociousness?

    I love Alyson, but that satin dress makes her look pregnant. She can look so much better.

    Coby looks amazing. The bust part is weird, but her hair and makeup are so beautiful, and that color is so pretty on her, that she gets a pass from me.

    • gg says:

      Opened umbrella! I like that better than giant lampshade.

    • colleen says:

      I believe the bust-upon-bust embellishment is often favored by woman who feel their relative lack of endowment will benefit from the optical illusion. Which it doesn’t. But hey, our insecurities often lead us astray.

    • karen says:

      DREADFUL! ALL OF THEM!!

      The pale pink gown was the best of the bunch but mis-portioned with the tiny bust design.

      And the hair… The stylists should be fired.

    • Noone says:

      Is Lena another sofa look?

  3. ldub says:

    lena. gurl, just. NO.

    • Lady D says:

      I thought she had lost a bet or something, and had to wear that.

    • sqs says:

      2 twee 4 me

    • Jane says:

      Lena looks like someone went up in the attic and got some old curtains from the 1940’s and made her a dress. All she needs is the curtain rod across her shoulders.

      Not only that, the cut is so unflattering to her that she looks like those cakes back in the day with the Barbie doll sticking out of the top from the waist up, with the cake being her skirt.

      She not only looked much better last year, she also had a beautiful and natural smile on her face instead of that posed, phony looking attempt at looking hot and serious at the same time.

  4. Jacqueline says:

    Wow, Dunham succeeded in looking wider than she is tall. That is really, really a hideous gown.
    Williams is beautiful.
    Smulder’s boobs look non-existent. Why would you do that??

    • velourauzre says:

      lena dunham needs a fashion intervention.

    • Jules says:

      The only thing I liked is that she had that little bit of matching eye shadow. Other than that, why wear a giant WIDE dress that makes you look WIDER.

      And Mamet’s dress definitely looks like she lost a bet.

  5. Virgilia Coriolanus says:

    Wasn’t Cobie the who was/is seeing the dude who plays as Carlisle in Twilight? Peter Facinelli–that’s his name. I know it was her or some other girl–no it was Jamie somebody—who plays as Sif?

  6. GMarchetti says:

    Sorry, but I hate ugly people who knows they’re ugly and still try to look great no matter what. Accept it, Lena, you might be talented (which I think you’re not) but you’re damn ugly!

    And stop getting naked all the time, that’s not helping you or anyone else.

    • m says:

      I dont think shes ugly per say, she just does absolutely nothing to help accentuate her beauty. She only hides it with ugly clothes and bad hair and makeup.

    • Merman says:

      “but I hate ugly people who knows they’re ugly and still try to look great no matter what.” Yeah you damn ugly people,trying to look good and stuff,wearing dresses instead of garbage.Know your place!

      • GMarchetti says:

        Why take it so personally? Is she related to you or something?

      • megs283 says:

        With ya, Merman!

      • Merman says:

        Ugh…

      • ncmagnolia says:

        I agree with both of you to an extent.

        Although, certainly NOT with the sentiment “I hate ugly people who know they’re ugly and still try to look great”. What the WHAT?? Duuurrr, so she should just try to look her worst, instead?

        That being said, I’m sorry b-b-but I just can’t with Lena’s overall look. Agree that she is extremely unattractive and without any discernable talent. I’ve tried. I really have. But not even her impassioned fans can explain her to me so that her existence as a “star” makes any good sense. Just, UGH.

      • Janet says:

        The thing is, she doesn’t have to look ugly. The potential is there. She has lovely eyes. If she styled her hair better, got some decent clothes and lost 20 lbs. she’d be a knockout.

    • Word says:

      @GMarchetti
      Amanda Byrnes! So nice of you to join us

    • SW says:

      Lol, so “ugly” people should just stop trying to look nice? Or just not go to awards shows? Haha, sorry ugly people, you’re ugly. Don’t try to pretty up! *eyeroll*

    • Lady D says:

      Fortunately for you GMarchetti, ugly on the inside can be hidden. (briefly)

    • Suki2 says:

      And I pity illiterate people who ‘doesn’t knows’ how to write one sentence without revealing how trashy they are.

    • Regina Lynx says:

      Thankfully, Lena Dunham (or any other people you deem ugly) doesn’t need your permission to do, well, anything.

  7. Willa says:

    Lena looks like she’s sneaking in some of her hipster friends under her skirt! Awful dress!

  8. Pastyousayyouneverknew says:

    Lena’s was the look that really stayed with me – for all the wrong reasons. I just can’t understand why some people make themselves look absolutely awful, all in the name of originality. And yes that bra thing on Zosia’s dress ruined what would have been a really cool and original look.

  9. Mabs says:

    WTF is up with these dresses? Looks like someone slapped arm rests on chests. And the first dress…Dunham? My gawd, who’s telling these women they look amazing? WHO? lol

    • Chicagogurl says:

      Lena has the same problem mindy kahling has 1. Bad taste, 2. It’s difficult to dress for petite curvy when you have no bust (I feel their pain) but both women wore dresses so completely terrible. It’s called a fit and flare ladies, look into it..

  10. paranormalgirl says:

    That dress does absolutely nothing to flatter Lena Dunham.

    • Froggy says:

      +1
      Hard to look at

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      It’s so bad…and the eye makeup. Yikes.

      Bums me out because she doesn’t have to look like this.

      • Meredith says:

        I feel your burn. She doesn’t have to look like this. She is wearing a dress meant for a 105 lbs. 6 foot tall model. And even then it might look like crap. Get a good stylist, girl, who knows how to make you look good.

        Note to all women : know your strengths. hide the rest.

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        That’s the thing-it really doesn’t have to do with her size. I saw a full-figured girl just this morning wearing the most amazing periwinkle knit dress. She looked better in it than my skinny ass ever would.

        You just have to know how to dress for your body. Eh. Maybe Lena knows and this is just her big FU to everyone.

      • Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

        The matchy-matchy aspect is very 1986, isn’t it. Paging Stephanie Vanderkellen, Stephanie Vanderkellen to triage.

        I like the Ferdinand story but that tattoo has always looked like a big fungus rash to me. I think it should be smaller and somewhere else on her body, I don’t know. It’s just too intricate and colourless to work (to me).

    • bijlee says:

      There’s a poor naked sofa out there somewhere.

      • dena says:

        I actually like the material/pattern of the dress. What it is is that the dress is the wrong cute and style for the material/pattern. For the material/pattern to work, I think you’d need a kimono styled dress (the type of “Chinese/Asian” themed dresses that were big in the 80/90s that fits close to the body and has a contoured look/shape) instead of that circus tent look she’s wearing.

        Now . . . about Lena and being unattractive or ugly (as someone said), she could simply be so self-conscious about her looks to the point that “the plain Jane” in her won’t let herself really dress up for fear of being no more than, well, a plain Jane. So, this way she stays psychologically safe by ridiculing it all and/or not “really” taking it seriously. You know?

  11. Kate says:

    I like the dress on Lena in theory, but it clearly was just sent to her as is as it doesn’t fit her at all. It’s too small in some areas and way too big in others.

    Zosia is at least always interesting, Allison always bores me to death, Alyson would have looked lovely if it weren’t for that hideous skirt and Cobie looks good except for the hair.

  12. Buckwild says:

    Lena looks terrible. I rarely think this outright about someone, but she actually looks ugly. :S

    • Caz says:

      Lena looks awful. Is that dress Prada? Michelle Dockery’s dress had far too much fabric in the skirt too.

      I appreciate that not everyone has a model figure…who seriously dresses these ladies? Of all the dresses they have to choose from they choose these?

  13. Dhavynia says:

    Lena’s dress looks like an oversize apron and she decided to wear matching make up as well. I think she’s nasty and not that talented and she managed to wear her stupid personality through the dress. Just no, no, no

    • phillkatt says:

      I agree. She’s unpleasant and entitled and if she didn’t come from a very wealthy, very well-connected family I doubt if she would even be on television. I don’t think she’s ugly, she’s plain, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

    • Meredith says:

      Interesting theory. I had just assumed her awful dress was some kind of performance art!

      OR “Screw the Man! I reject your sexist fascist society which values only how a woman looks and deliberately dress to look ugly! I am triumphant!”

      Or both.

      • ZigZagZoey says:

        Hello! This is what I think ~ I thinks she TRIES to look awful, and is daring people to say it. I cannot stand her.
        Tries to look even fatter than she is so she can yell at people for saying anything…
        Yet she really does seem to think she is fabulous. GAG

  14. lucy2 says:

    I love the red on teal of Lena’s fabric, but otherwise dislike the look completely – very unflattering, and her hair and makeup were bad too.
    Zosia looked like she had a big mustache on her boobs.
    Alison looks amazing – I don’t think there’s anything wrong with simple and classic now and then.

  15. Sisi says:

    Alyson wore Marchesa? Wow, it looks very un-marchesa, I’m surprised.

  16. SpaceDonkey says:

    Lena isn’t ugly. She just isn’t Hollywood perfect. It’s refreshing and real . I hope she doesn’t get jaded by all the negative criticism and do a Kathy Griffin (awful plastic surgery overload). Her dress isn’t great but clearly she doesn’t have a stylist, unlike the majority of red carpet ladies.

    • Zoid says:

      If you have absolutely no sense of fashion, or what looks good on you, then you should have a stylist. It’s that simple. She looks awful in that dress.

    • Feebee says:

      She may not have a stylist but I’m pretty sure she’s has her eyesight. I’m beginning to think she’s pulls this stunt on purpose cos she does it just about every time.

      Of course I’m biased. I have a totally irrational dislike of this woman.

      • Musey says:

        It’s not an irrational dislike at all–she’s a smug, ignorant a-hole who prides herself on being balls-out racially insensitive, because she knows her legions of fans will back her up and tell all the justifiably-offended people that they’re oversensitive and overreacting. Her smugness is what makes her ugly.

        I’m similarly-shaped but a couple sizes bigger (and much bustier), and I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the ridiculously unflattering messes she drapes all over herself. She has no excuse. Just a total unwillingness to listen to any kind of criticism, in any area of her life.

    • Aras says:

      Isn’t she friends with Zac Posen? He can’t hook her up with something flattering?

  17. Bex says:

    In the thumbs Zosia’s dress looks like she has a black bar drawn over her chest. I guess that’s one way to avoid headlights!

  18. Cody says:

    I think she purposely dresses that way, because she knows how everybody is going to react to it. It is her mini rebellion. She has the money and fame right now to hire the best people to style a look for her and she doesn’t do it. She pretends not to care.

    • judyjudy says:

      She looks frumpy on purpose so she can pretend to be intellectually above looking nice.
      Isn’t that the hipster code or something?

      • bluecalling says:

        ***winner***

        she is trying too hard… and for a fairly normal-to-plump chic, who should know how to fit her bod by now, she made herself look hideous… but it happens to the best of us… just not on national tv.

  19. grabbyhands says:

    I said this on yesterday’s post. Either Lena Dunham has no stylist or she has one that really hates her. I have yet to see her in a red carpet outfit that doesn’t make her look dumpy. She doesn’t have the easiest body type to dress, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing out there that she wouldn’t look cute in. The hair isn’t helping her either.

    And Zosia Mamet-were they having a contest to see who could be frumpiest looking hipster? Yeesh.

  20. QQ says:

    Although Lena’s hair and makeup ( and that RIDICULOUS VAMPING) are execrable this is a GREAT Showing for her!! She is usually showing up in place with too tight, ill fitting over precious hipster shit or greasy looking hair, This Is PROGRESS

    Zosia is OlsenTwinsing us, you know? Where we are too plebe to “get it”?

  21. MisJes says:

    Cobie looks AMAZING. I love her entire look, flawless. Allison’s Ralph Lauren is pretty spectacular too.

  22. Elisabeth says:

    Lena is just hideous. bad haircut, dress and face

  23. eliza says:

    I cannot sts n Dunham or her show. Both overrated messes.

  24. HK9 says:

    Jesus take the wheel!! Lena, no more Prada for you. Oh gawd…..

  25. marina says:

    Lena, please stop. Her shade bating is so transparent. I actually like her hair and makeup so if she was trying to look bad on purpose she failed. But of course the dress is hideous but she wanted it to be hideous. So, well done.

  26. Talie says:

    Goddamn, those arm tats! Tacky as hell!

  27. Janet says:

    Allison Williams’s dress was total perfection. Lena Dunham looked like a nightmare. And the tattoos didn’t help the look any.

  28. Tish says:

    it’s just the perfect shade of purple for Breaking Bad’s Marie.
    HAHAHA

    Yeah, what’s up with those bustlines! Horrible!

  29. Ag says:

    Lena’s dress seems very ill-fitting and too casual. I like her make-up and hair, though.

  30. luffy says:

    lena looks truly awful here. the makeup is wrong, the dress is terrible, and did she even bother with her hair? who styled this girl? they need to be fired.

  31. Nev says:

    kinda love it!!!

    Lena is different…i like that.

    Zosia is fashion.

  32. Deb says:

    Zosia and Lena are pure fug

  33. Tig says:

    I thought Lena’s hair and makeup weren’t so bad. I actually liked the dress, but why wasn’t it altered to fit her? If you are anti-fashion, fine- but it appears she isn’t doing that, and resists alterations for whatever reason.

    Allison looked lovely, but a gorgeous necklace would have been nice.

    • Sputnik says:

      I think it’s a beautiful dress. But it doesn’t fit her. The proportions are all wrong and make her waist look thick. Had it been tailored, it would have been stunning.

  34. Leigh says:

    Dunham looks like one of those toilet paper holding dolls my grandma had when I was a kid, the kind whose huge skirt acts as the holder. And I hate Cobie Smulders’ hair, she looks like an early 90’s news anchor.

  35. JennJenn says:

    Lena! I just cant with this girl! I do kinda like her eye make-up.

  36. Megan says:

    I freaking loved Colbie’s look! She was flawless.

    Lena Dunham’s mere existence offends meat this point! i can’t even with her, this dress makes her look like she weighs 5,000 pounds and the tattoos showing is just disrespectful. Then adding in the fact that she comes across beyond arrogant and like she believes she is the greatest thing to ever hit hollywood. It is actually impossible not to hate her.

  37. Algernon says:

    I would actually like Lena’s look if she had tailored the bodice of the dress. It’s clearly too big, and is making her look a lot bigger than she really is.

  38. Sisi says:

    Lena’s dress was poorly fitted. When she was posing on the carpet sideways she pushed her shoulders a bit forward (how all the ladies pose on the carpet to show their protruding collarbones) and the dress was folding open at the bust and everything was showing.
    Also her waistline should have started an inch lower to look more flattering.
    the person who tailor this dress should be fired.

  39. chaine says:

    i actually like the print and the color on her, and i also like her eye makeup. it is the proportions of the dress that are wrong. different neckline that would be more flattering to her bust, and it should have been very much shorter, maybe a just-above-the knee length with some heels and she would have looked very cute.

  40. emmie_a says:

    I think if Lena changed her posture she wouldn’t look so dumpy. The dress isn’t horrible it’s just horrible on her.

    I love the material on Zosia’s dress. The top w/the leather and mesh is too fussy – the dress didn’t need that.

    The bust on Cobie’s dress is awful. It’s like a couture uni-boob.

    Alison looks the best of this bunch but the color of her dress makes it look a little cheap.

  41. RHONYC says:

    dig Lena’s eye makeup & haircut. 😉

    i feel like Zosia should have some ‘yo whaddup?’ hand gestures a la ‘Beastie Boys’ to match her posture. 😆

  42. Shelly says:

    I really love Lena’s eye makeup! I also like her dress, but I’m not sure if it was the right dress for her.

  43. Madriani's Girl says:

    Lena: No.

  44. smee says:

    Lena looks like she put on her grandma’s ill-fitting sun dress. Just terrible.

    And I don’t care if I sound like an old lady or not – that tattoo on her arm is awful and will kill just about anything formal she puts on.

  45. amp says:

    Why does Lena always pose with her mouth open like that? Not a cute look.

  46. Crabcake says:

    Did Lena dress herself? Is that allowed? Who allowed this to happen?

  47. Carrie says:

    I am so underwhelmed with all the Emmys looks this year, I haven’t seen a single dress yet that I liked.

  48. prettylights says:

    I love Lena’s eye makeup. I’m trying to figure out if it’s Urban Decay, a brand that I’m in love with that makes super fun bright colors. I might have to see if I can recreate this look with my UD palettes 🙂 Her hair is cute too. The dress is obviously not flattering, but I’m guessing she did that on purpose – even her poses are making her look more frumpy. Either she doesn’t have a clue or doesn’t care.

  49. Dusty says:

    Lena Dunham is one of those narcissistic types much like the Kardashians who see themselves in a unrealistic light and are surrounded by “yes” people who don’t have the guts to tell them the truth.

  50. UmamiMommy says:

    Love Lena’s eye makeup. Hate her dress. With her tats and her avant-garde eye makeup, I’d love to see her in a solid-colored dress with classic lines for pure contrast.

  51. Annie says:

    I think Lena looks pretty in the face here. The dress could have been lovely on her had it actually fit – it’s too big for her.

  52. TherapyCranes says:

    I see I’ve come across the god awful dresses. The cobalt blue one is a bit boring but nice. The rest of these are terrible. They are either unflattering or look like they’re bridesmaid dresses.

  53. Tiffany says:

    Does Lena know how to keep her mouth closed in photos. Its like the one with it closed was by accident.

  54. Little M says:

    I had some health problems and put on like 15 pounds in all the wrong places (big pregnant like belly, does it ring any bells?)

    Since then, I just have a terrible time whenever I have to get dressed up. I mean, I just prefer to hide in some oversized T-shirt and jeans. A dress? Not for me anymore.

    Lena does look horrible in that blue curtain and I wonder if I am as chubby as she is. But I do admire her for not being ashamed of her body. She wears whatever she fancies and does not seem to care what the rest of the world thinks of her fashion choices.

    I really wish I could be like that. Except for the hair, the hair she can keep to herself.

  55. lisa says:

    she goes out of her way to look bad and is just punking us

    there’s no other explanation

    the eye makeup is all kinds of wrong on her and her dress reminds me of tracey’s bug dress at the end of hairspray

  56. Penelope says:

    I like Lena’s dress but it does nothing for her whatsoever.

  57. LaurieH says:

    Inexplicably, Lena Dunham is landing on a lot of “best dressed” lists today, WTF?! When I saw the dress, I nearly choked to death on a cheese Chex I was laughing so hard. Supposedly, it’s Prada, but in reality is looks like it either came from the $29.95 sale rack at Anthropology or is one of those cutesy things you buy at Home Goods to cover your toilet paper rolls. As for Sosia Mamet – it’s like her boobs are wearing a caped crusader mask. WTF is she supposed to me? Super Watercolor Girl?

  58. DB says:

    Lena Dunham never dresses well. I don’t know why people are still “oh honey no” with her. It would be shocking if she actually dressed well in something that flattered her.

  59. Dulcinea says:

    She looks like Lilo from Lilo and stitch

  60. Aurelia says:

    The older chick in purple at the end looks like something the cat dragged in.

  61. JH says:

    Why wasn’t my comment posted? It wasn’t rude or mean spirited .

  62. JoeSchmoe says:

    Lena. What were you thinking?
    No one wants to look that fugly on purpose.
    Her eye makeup was applied by a palsied blind child. Her hair was cut with hedge clippers. And that dress? Someone somewhere is missing a bad tablecloth.
    Lena Dumptruck needs at least one honest friend to tell her how stupid she looks.

  63. campbell says:

    Lena Dunham: The term “putting lipstick on a pig” applies.

  64. anet says:

    i think ld is doing it on purpose. then bam! she loses weight and wears the same dresses and looks bada bing. yes she has pretty eyes.

  65. Amy says:

    Doesn’t Zosia Mamet’s dress look like it is wearing a moustache? That’s all I can think of when I look at it!

  66. raincoaster says:

    Dunham’s makeup is pretty amazing. I mean, it’s bold, but it’s also extremely well-done and works with the dress. It’s not its fault the dress itself doesn’t work.

  67. Kiddo says:

    It’s bold and goofy. I kind of like it, even though I’m not a fan. I think the make-up enhances her eyes and is dramatic without being overdone and it works with the crazy dress. Yeah, the shape of the dress isn’t super flattering, but the colors are unusual and it’s a bit of fun.

  68. Becca W. says:

    Ugh. Lena. I’m sorry — I don’t get the infatuation. Can she just straighten up and fly right in a nice black dress? Her eye makeup is gorg, however!

  69. skeptical says:

    Shade-baiting as per lena’s usual tactic.
    Without the “haters” would she even be known? She’s not a good writer. She makes her mark by being defended.

  70. Str8Shooter says:

    Man, could this girl do anything to make herself even more unattractive???

    Between the Moe haircut, the hooker eye make-up and that hideous dress thing, she gets my vote for Worst Dressed….EVER!!!!

  71. GByeGirl says:

    I love the print of Lena’s dress. I have an old-lady couch pattern fetish, but it should be in a column or slight A-line with wider shoulders and actual “finished” straps instead of ties. Sometimes I feel like Prada has an amazing design and then when it’s almost finished it’s like, “meh…just tie it together” or something.

    The eye makeup is atrocious, which is unfortunate because she has such pretty eyes.

    Her hair is like a 5 year old hipster who drinks out of a PBR logo’d sippy cup.

    Mamet’s dress was NOT custom. Also super stupid and her hair looks like she did it whilst riding her fixie.

  72. Kas says:

    These photos and dresses are a snore fest of basic, boring, b**ches.