These are photos of Michelle Williams and Colin Farrell at last night’s US-Ireland Alliance Oscar Wilde Pre-Academy Awards in LA. Michelle wore Givenchy, a silhouette and style we’ve seen on her a million times before. So although it’s nothing new, I do kind of like it on her. I mean, I’m exhausted with the high-collared Rosemary’s Baby look, but if you’re hellbent on doing it, this dress is pretty cute. Plus, it’s shorter than her usual dresses, and I don’t think I’ve ever noticed how nice her legs are. She has a better figure than most people realize – does she get credit for not throwing her boobs in our faces on every red carpet?

But really, don’t you wish and hope that Colin Farrell made his way over to Michelle and they had a little moment? Michelle is fully ensconced in her second virginity right now – whether it’s part of her Oscar campaign or simply a phase she’s going through, I don’t know. But she acts like she’s much, much too fragile to even handle being touched by a boy. Is that Colin’s type? Or is his type still “two legs and a pulse”?

I have to say – I’m not into Colin in these photos. He’s showered, he’s groomed, he’s got a haircut like Mark Harmon on NCIS. His suit fits. He looks pleasant. Not sexy! I need an unbuttoned shirt, some scruff and some necklaces to find him hot. And I’ve never been that girl – the girl who goes for the scruffy poet. But that’s the one way I really find him hot these days. Still, I am hoping that he and Michelle had a moment at this event. I’d really like for them to have some kind of torrid, dirty, Oscar-weekend hookup. Right?

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Here are some more photos from last night’s QVC event – I already covered photos of Kim Kardashian, her plastic Barbie-like kat-face and Kris Jenner here. I didn’t realize this when I was covering those Kardashian photos, but the event got a decent turnout. Why are all of these people at a QVC event? Was there no other decent party in town? WTF? So, to start off, let’s talk about another Barbie doll, this one “Oscar-Date Barbie”. Otherwise known as Stacy Keibler, George Clooney’s girlfriend. Stacy wore this Herve Leger (I’m assuming) dress in a lovely shade of lavender. I really like this color on her, and hey, the girl’s body is wicked. But the hair! Stacy has hair issues, but that’s no reason to pull your hair that tight. Does anyone else think Stacy won’t make it a month after the Oscars? Contract renegotiations will not go well, I fear.

Good God, Nicole Richie looks awful. She’s lost weight, those bangs are doing her no favors, and if you told me she was on drugs again, I would believe you.

I like Jennifer Carpenter a lot. I think she’s pretty too! But I don’t really care for this long hair, parted down the middle, hanging limp down her face. Also – the dress would be cuter if Jennifer was standing up straight.

Molly Sims is pregnant! She looks nice, but I don’t like her hairstyle either. I’m also not crazy about the earrings.

Is Chris Noth’s hair completely grey? Are those his grey roots? I’ve always loved Chris, but he’s looking kind of beat here. And I’m beginning to be concerned that he’s going to age like Sam Waterston – ALL EYEBROWS.

LOVE Allison Janney. Hate the dress.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

I keep noticing various sites are running Oscar fashion retrospectives, so I thought we should try it too! And yes, it’s really slow today. The dresses I’ve chosen to profile aren’t my picks for “Best Oscar dresses ever!” Nor are they my choices for “Best Dresses of the last 20 years or so.” Our photo agencies have archives, sure, but there are limits, and those limits seem to be “The Year 2000.” So these are some of my favorite dresses of the past dozen years (or so). Retrospect is a powerful thing – some of these dresses didn’t blow me away when I actually saw them for the first time, but I admire the choices more and more over the years, as I see that some of them were prescient, ahead-of-the curve, harbingers of styles to come.

Some of my picks might seem like I’m trying to avoid “the obvious gowns” – which is true. I truly hate some of the “popular” gowns – like Sandra Bullock’s hideous Marchesa in 2010, or Michelle Williams’ mustard Vera Wang in 2006 (it was an unflattering color, and an unflattering cut). Which brings me to another point – I’m not opposed to doing a “Most Hideous dresses of the last dozen years” post, so we’ll see how this one turns out. Let’s begin!

Angelina Jolie in 2004 & 2009. Angelina in 2004 was maybe the best she’s ever looked. She’d just filmed Alexander, and she was strong from training for Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Her body looked gorgeous, and the white dress was just perfect on her. At the time, I hated the overdone necklace, but in retrospect… it worked. It totally worked. As for her black gown in 2009 – I liked the simplicity of it. It was tailored beautifully, and she kept her jewelry stunningly simple with those emeralds.

Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab, 2009

Angelina Jolie in Marc Bouwer, 2004.

This Renee Zellewger choice is not my first one – I loved that yellow vintage gown she wore, but this one is a good choice too. Renee was filming the second Bridget Jones movie, so she was carrying some extra weight, and it looked so, so good on her. Plus, this was the beginning of her long-time collaboration with Carolina Herrera, and that pairing is magic. I loved how classic she looks here – and she won too!

Renee Zellweger in Carolina Herrera, 2004

Nicole has so many strong Oscar moments, it’s hard to choose just a few. So I went for the more unconventional picks – her Gaultier in 2003, which is when she won for The Hours, and the Chanel in 2004. The Gaultier is great because Nicole used to love black so, so much, and it really was an unconventional choice for her, especially because she won. This is dark, goth Nicole that I miss. As for the Chanel – it was just exquisite. It was simply a gorgeous dress.

Nicole Kidman in Jean-Paul Gaultier, 2003

Nicole Kidman in Chanel, 2004

Like Kidman, Cate has so many great Oscar red carpet moments. These are just two of my favorites, although I really wish we had photos of her black Gaultier in 2000, which was so amazing. Here we have Cate’s Valentino – a fascinating combination of yellow and red, and Cate looking so glamorous and old-Hollywood. Also, her metallic Armani, which is even better years after the fact.

Cate Blanchett in Valentino, 2005

Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive, 2007

This is the one CB and I were debating – CB didn’t think Halle’s Elie Saab was anything great. I think it is – even more so in the history of Oscar fashion. I didn’t think much of it when I first saw it on the red carpet, and I couldn’t believe that she had chosen it. But then she got on stage when she won… and all of a sudden, I understood the dress. The dress looked PERFECT on the stage. Plus, I love that she wore a little-known designer (at the time) – Bradley Bayou.

Halle Berry in Elie Saab, 2002.

This is maybe my favorite thing that Kate Hudson has ever worn. I’m not a huge fan of hers, nor am I Hudson hater, but this fashion moment was timeless. I almost always hate blondes in these pale, beigey shades, but Kate had just the right amount of tan, the perfect makeup, the perfect hair and the perfect body for this gown. Instead of looking fussy, the beaded lace looks expensive and gorgeous.

Kate Hudson in Versace, 2003

I said I hated Michelle’s 2006 mustard gown that always makes everyone’s top ten. And here’s why – because she can pull off this kind of strong, glamorous, perfect look. This is how a movie star should look at the Oscars.

Michelle Williams in Chanel, 2011

Charlize is a red carpet all-star, and what she wears to the Oscars always manages to make headlines. I feel like Charlize, Nicole Kidman, and Penelope Cruz were in a style death-match for several years, each one trying to out-do each other for the “strongest” look. Charlize’s strength is that she can wear clothes that look like they came right off the runway – her looks is “editorial” as they say. Here’s Charlize bringing two HUGE style trends to the carpet. We’re still seeing variations on these gowns today.

Charlize Theron in Christian Dior, 2005

Charlize Theron in John Galliano for Christian Dior, 2006

Some people thought Penelope was copying Charlize’s look in 2007. But I don’t think so. I remember when I saw this for the first time, I wanted the gown to decide what it was – I wanted it to be all-fitted, or all-frou-frou. But in retrospect, Penelope looked amazing and everyone is still trying to copy her.

Penelope Cruz in Atelier Versace, 2007

This dress still holds up, and it will hold up for years to come. This is one of those moments, where a celebrity simply looked their absolute best. Nowadays we know Alba is miserable, but back then? She was the hottest thing, and she looked perfect on the red carpet.

Jessica Alba in Versace, 2006

Reese’s Nina Ricci is still a marvel of simplicity, smart design and minimalism. She was post-divorce, and she gave up the cotillion styles and this was the culmination. I’m still completely in love with this shade of purple too.

Reese Witherspoon in Nina Ricci by Olivier Theyskens, 2007

Here’s what I love about Oprah’s Oscar fashion: Oprah knows it’s a big deal. She gets a gown specially made. She goes on a diet. She wears huge diamonds. I also love that Oprah shows the world that you can be a “bigger” woman and still look gorgeous at the Oscars.

Oprah in Gianfranco Ferre, 2004.

Oprah in Vera Wang couture, 2005. Shown with Halle Berry in Atellier Versace.

Photo credit: WENN, Fame and PRPhotos.

Amanda Seyfried gets yet another stab at trying to make this whole “lead actress” thing happen in her latest film, Gone. What’s sketchy to me that Amanda is in one of the best positions in Hollywood to actually have a major break out – this girl gets so much work, and she even has some hit films under her belt. She has the career that Blake Lively, Megan Fox and Jessica Biel wish they had, you know? I tend to think that Amanda would actually be a more established “celebrity” actress if she was just a tad more interesting. Instead, her interviews are usually as interesting as watching paint dry. Same with her style – I can’t recall Amanda ever wearing anything that made me sit up and take notice. For last night’s premiere of Gone, Amanda wore this completely boring Nina Ricci which manages to do nothing for her figure and it washes her out completely, and yet… it’s not even interesting enough to be considered “hideous.”

I also think Amanda has great hair, but I don’t get this style at all. And she looked so pissed off in so many photos. Does she think her film is going to bomb? It might. The trailer looks awful.

Just so we don’t have to only discuss Amanda, here’s a photo of Wes Bentley, who costars with Amanda. His eyes are so… intense.

And I had never heard of this actor, Sam Upton, but I became enchanted with him in these photos. His brows are kind of crazy, but that face is… mmm…my type.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Here are some of the fashion photos from last night’s BRIT Awards in London. They’re sort of like the Grammys and the American Music Awards, I’m guessing. They give out awards to musical acts and there are lots of performances too. I already covered Adele’s multiple victories earlier. Rihanna also took home an award for International Solo Artist of the year. Rihanna wore this Givenchy gown which… is unexpected? I’m not used to seeing Rihanna in formal eveningwear, so it takes a moment to adjust. I’m not crazy about the gown on Rihanna – it seems like the dress is wearing her, and the gown is too “old” for her. I do love the leather gloves, though. Those are gorge.

Here’s Florence Welch in Alexander McQueen. Ugh. I love Flo, totally and completely, but I feel like people are trying to make her “happen” as a Fashion Girl, and I almost always think she looks like hell. Bad hair, bad makeup, and the dress does nothing for her. It looks like a tattered doily.

Lana Del Rey won the Breakthrough Award. She wore this pretty Vivienne Westwood gown which feels really plain on her, right?

Call me cray-cray, but I love this pale yellow Versace on Nicole Scherzinger. The fit is weird at the bust and the waist, there’s something “home sewn” about those beads, and yet… it all kind of works. She looks really good here.

I really like Jessie J’s voice. I feel like she’s trying to follow The Gaga Path – have a great voice, since dance tracks that the gays will love, wear shocking things, try to be provocative, and see where it goes from there. She would be more interesting if she wasn’t trying to be so “provocative” though. Her dress is Falguni & Shane Peacock – meh.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

Last night the stars came out for the Costume Designers Guild Awards. Winners included “Downton Abbey,” “Glee,” Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Here’s a link to the complete list of winners and nominees by category. I’d love to talk about the incredible costumes on “Downton Abbey” for a moment. Kaiser and I are both big fans, and we were chatting about how some patterns and dresses were re-used during the recent season. Like I noticed that Lady Mary was win a certain modern green pattern dress that Livinia was seen wearing in future episodes. Kaiser clued me in to the fact that they were probably recycling outfits to underscore how hard it was to get material and outfits during the war. It was clever, and was a small detail in an intricate show filled with costumes and set designs that transport you to another time and place. The win for “Downton Abbey’s” costumers was well deserved and I’m just disappointed that none of the actresses from that fabulous show came out for this event. Now let’s get to the fashion!

First off we have Rooney Mara in deep purple J. Mendel. I feel like she has one look, contemporary, and she works it on every red carpet. It’s striking, though, and she pulls it off. Those shoes sort-of look too heavy with that dress, and they feel like the wrong style, but the nude color kind of makes them work. I really like her makeup too, it matches this style dress perfectly.

Kate Beckinsale also does one look, overdone, and it’s getting a little old for me. Still, this woman is absolutely gorgeous. I think we’ve seen this draped bodice style on Kate before – but no, she just usually dresses to the hilt in white or black dresses. This is a Vivienne Westwood gown. I find it a little much with those giant earrings, but that’s Kate.

Also in Vivienne Westwood was Chloe Moretz, who is all of 15. I like this dress on her and find it cute and age-appropriate. Plus she’s got a little pink streak in her hair! That just reminds us that she’s a kid.

Penelope Ann Miller is trying to bring back the 80s in this ridiculous full length gold gown with a sequin cut out on the bodice and pirate sleeves. At least she fixed her gray hair.

My girl Erika Christensen from “Parenthood” was styled beautifully with sideswept perfectly curled hair, red lips and pretty makeup. This red satin dress isn’t flattering on her, though. These type of straight-down dresses rarely are, and I know not to even bother trying them on in the store because they inevitably emphasize my hips. Kaiser mentioned to me that this dress may have worked with better tailoring.

Jane Lynch wore a striking floor length red gown with a sweetheart neckline. We’re always seeing her in navy and black dresses and this color really pops on her. She looks elegant.

Some of you may disagree, but I covet these awesome shoes that Amber Valetta from “Revenge” is wearing. Business in the front, sexy party in the back! How amazing are these open starburst wedges? I could stare at these for hours, preferably on my own feet. Excuse me while I take a little break and fantasize about wearing these shoes.

As for Amber’s tight salmon high-neck dress, I love it. I feel like some different styling would have completed the look, though, and I’d like to see her with her hair down. A quick image search shows that she usually wears it down, so maybe she wanted to switch it up. Simple dress plus killer shoes.

Oh here’s Rooney posing with Trish Summerville, the costume designer for Girl with The Dragon Tattoo.

Photo credit: Nikki Nelson / WENN.com

These are some photos from the weekend that I’ve only just seen – I’m sorry about that! Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett were two of several judges at the TropFest short film festival in Sydney, Australia. Quick, without looking it up – which one is older, La Blanchett or La Kidman? I had to look it up too – Cate is 42 years old, and she’ll be 43 in May. Nicole is 44, and she’ll be 45 in June. So Cate is younger by two years. Does Cate look it? To me, Cate’s face is timeless. She’s looked pretty much like this since her 20s. She’ll still look like this a decade from now. As for Nicole… she’s fighting and she’s Botoxing and she’s injecting… still? Or has she eased up? I don’t even know. But I like what the Australian humidity (I’m assuming) has done to Nicole’s hair – I get tired of her straight-ironed locks.

Anyway, the event was easy enough – Nicole and Cate and the other judges had to watch a lot of short films and announce the winners. Cate and Nicole sat with each other – I wonder if they get along? I think Cate gets along with everyone. So they probably had a nice time. Nicole’s dress is Gucci, by the way, and Cate is wearing Hussein Chalayan. It feels like Nicole is too dressy, but I kind of dislike Cate’s outfit too. Still, it’s Cate and she can pull off anything.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News.

I’ve said it before, and I shall say it again – Burberry is one of the best clothing lines out there. If I was a celebrity with my pick of the runway collections (and invitations to the shows), my first choice would always be Burberry. I feel like Burberry’s PR is usually pretty good too – their clientele is upscale, but not showy. It’s not like C-list Kardashians feel the need to own something Burberry, and yet Duchess Kate has a few Burberry coats, you know? They’re in a good place – worn by royalty and supermodels… and Kate Bosworth? That’s a failure of PR, having The Bos as one your front-run celebrity “gets”. But here’s The Bos in London for yesterday’s Burberry show – I’m assuming she’s wearing head-to-toe Burberry. And she makes it look like something out of K-Mart. Damn it, Bos!

Sidenote: The Bos has a Twitter account. She was shilling for Burberry all of yesterday, in addition to endlessly tweeting photos of herself like she’s the second coming of LeAnn Rimes.

Here’s Alexa Chung, looking less wonk-eyed than her appearance at the Stella McCartney show. I still don’t get why this girl is a thing, though.

And here’s Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Burberry. Gah! I love this entire outfit. I want that jacket. I want those pants. The whole thing is gorgeous.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

Oh, Duchess Kate is going to work her fingers to the bone! Kate has done yet another royal gig – since Prince William left for the Falklands, she’s averaging one a week, isn’t she? It’s not a breakneck pace, but it’s still better then she’s ever done before. These are photos of Kate visiting The Art Room today in Oxford, England. Kate wore shades of cream and chocolate – her dress is by Irish designer Orla Kiely, and the print is allegedly “doves”. Kate paired the dress with brown tights and brown ankle booties, with her hair down of course. Her raccoon eye makeup seems more subdued, as does her usually overdone sausage curls. Maybe she’s relaxing a bit? Here’s more about Kate’s visit:

As a history of art graduate she has always had a passion for the subject. Today the Duchess of Cambridge put her love into practice on her first public engagement as royal patron of The Art Room, which encourages confidence in disadvantaged children.

Wearing the now sold-out Birdie jacquard shirt dress by designer Orla Kiely with brown opaque tights and brown suede ankle boots, Kate, 30, was greeted on her arrival in Oxford by dozens of children waving flags and holding flowers during a short walkabout.

The Duchess’s first visit of the day was to Rose Hill Primary School, where she donned a special pinny with the name ‘Miss Catherine’ embroidered on the front. The area is one of the most deprived in the country and of the 340 pupils at the school 48 per cent speak English as a second language and 50 per cent have a special need. Many are challenged by both.

The Art Room works with children to increase their self-esteem, self-confidence and independence through art. Many of the children are disengaged from mainstream education, disruptive or withdrawn and all have been identified as needing time away from their school. The charity’s emphasis is on teaching life skills while encouraging children and young people to both relate and engage with each other.

The Art Room employs senior practitioners who are trained in psychotherapy, art, teaching and social work. The charity currently works in Oxford and in north London.

At Rose Hill Primary School, The Duchess of Cambridge will join eight children who will be working on the poem The Owl and The Pussycat by Edward Lear. This is a poem that The Art Room uses regularly to incorporate literacy and to discuss travel, relationships, fantasy and ultimately a good way of getting the children to talk. The children will be painting part of the story that they wish to represent onto a canvas.

The Duchess will have the opportunity to talk to all the children as well as observe how The Art Room uses ‘art as therapy’ to help the children manage their difficulties and challenges and help them to communicate and ultimately to re-engage into mainstream education. The Duchess of Cambridge became Patron of The Art Room in January 2012.

Later she will visit another Art Room project at the Oxford Spires Academy School. The round-table session will begin with a presentation by two teenage graduates of The Art Room. The Duchess will then be invited to take part in a training session and round-table discussion about what art as therapy is.

Juli Beatie, who founded the charity ten years ago, said she was thrilled by the Duchess’ s patronage: ‘It is overwhelming. We are one of the smallest charities in the country and the difference she has made already is incalculable. She is a young, independent, intelligent woman who really wants to make a difference.’

[From The Mail]

Yeah, let’s not go overboard, Ms. Beatie. Kate made a good appearance, she seemed engaged and interested (as opposed to just staring blankly at people, playing with her hair and blinking furiously, otherwise known as “The Middleton Method”), and I’ll give her solid marks for showing such an interest in such a wonderful charity. But don’t describe Kate as “independent.” Please.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Help me. I’ve become like all of those dude bloggers who immediately start drooling as soon as they see new photos of Kelly Brook in a low-cut dress. But seriously, look – Kelly Brook in a low-cut dress! Isn’t she adorable? She has one of my ideal body-types. Curvy, healthy-looking, zero gristle, and she looks like she eats, all with that gorgeous rack. Sigh… perfection! These are photos of Kelly last night in London, where she was attending a London Fashion Week party for Giles Deacon, a designer friend of Kelly’s. She even walked on his runway a few years ago! I’m actually not completely crazy for the dress – it seems like a too-tight vintage piece that Kelly was forced into. Her boobs look great (as always), but an extra inch of fabric might let them breath a bit.

In other Kelly Brook news, she was recently named the latest spokes model for Reebok – well, I think she’s been with the brand for a few years, but there’s a new ad campaign in which Kelly talks about how she finds “satisfaction.” Hint: it involves food. YAY!

Kelly Brook is following in the footsteps, quite literally, of supermodel Helena Christensen with a campaign for Reebok footwear. The much sought-after star shows off her enviable hourglass figure in the series of sexy shots which see her eat strawberries and pose with sports equipment.

In an interview for the campaign which centres around the idea of ‘satisfaction’, Kelly describes hers.

“The first thing I think of when I think of satisfaction is food!” she said. “I love to eat, so for me it would be lovely fresh fruit or a big dinner of some sort.”

The 32-year-old is a bag fan of the new shoes that promise to tone you up with every step.

“I’ve been wearing EasyTone shoes for the past few years,” she said. “They’re so comfortable and look great. They make a great addition to my work out and every day routine. I am really happy to be joining Helena Christensen and Eva Mendes in the campaign.”

Helena and Eva are ambassadors for the brand.

[From Hello Magazine]

She’s so wholesome. Isn’t that weird? She’s famous for being a pin-up girl – not even a high-fashion model or anything, she’s just known for posing nude or in her underwear, and she’s built her career on her body, and yet she always seems so… wholesome. She’s like a really sexy glass of milk. With big boobs.

Oh, and here are some shots from the Reebok campaign. SOLD!

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, WENN.