As I watched the pre-show, I was practically drooling. There were so many beautiful gowns, more beautiful than usual it seems to me! I'm so used to seeing that overdone, sparkly kind of stuff (a la Taylor Swift) at awards shows that seeing some of the more simple but richly colored and structured gowns this year made me giddy!
This year, there was everything from Vera Farmiga's ruffled rouge Marchesa to Carey Mulligan's totally cute glam-rock Prada ensemble, which her hair was the perfect accessory to. And, I have to admit, even though Miley Cyrus was a stuttering, fidgeting mess, her dress was pretty gorgeous.
My favorites :
Amanda Seyfried in Armani Prive
The color is fantastic, although I'm not sure I like the texture of the skirt.
It reminds me of bubble wrap. Pop, pop.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwYrseQb7LaZbEe3ZWBmvm67JgTA95kgFibzVwO4MYKUWkSdE1qEMyhIl7Cce08ZZxWDiuMn3ke1Taf_CNFuVr4fiBCuVV3EuQUhsUGcM3aq6w2Rdh1lwMCKKVKfeLHzfbm24KI0CoC4/s400/annakendrick.jpg)
Anna Kendrick in Elie Saab Haute Couture
OH MY MY MY! This dress is probably my favorite from the whole show. I'm loving the peachy color, the delicate details. It's a dress like a goddess would wear! If I could, I'd get this and wear it to prom. Seriously. The only thing I'd change is the train. I feel like the dress would look better without it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dptGDuSQrLvW2mHLTAUbV5t2EuOIxJ-pwL-pHRnCvJHDcJyjIaulVsu7AKBmPXL9nxN4Niw7RyQPLpeeV3_-CjrjJE4ZPmOIXnZB3VcIRcvN6LVwb4LEFiK0kAj1cNxD823AU4ZP1eE/s400/careymulligan.jpg)
Carey Mulligan in Prada
Ow, ow! This look is so different from the things all the other stars were wearing. It looks so beautiful on her, and it incorporates what's fashionable NOW into an elegant, formal gown. Smart girl. And her little pixie cut just completes everything.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJ9wfNz9KHTm99daQyTibNHvGClAbfZx69QBcyMN2rTvrQ8w-QmNsHfuKdYocbzg7UcCnjTxegSddRhBe-kLefCjGBUUB7l4otbPzxjmjZ7aSbAA6ArA81EL4RjNNBeeJcnljInzrEHo/s400/kristinstewart.jpg)
Kristin Stewart in Monique Lhuillier
Everything about this dress makes me happy. The mermaid silhouette, the alternating pattern leading to the bottom of the skirt, the midnight sky color, ugh. Amazing. And the bottom of the skirt is great because it isn't overbearing. Penelope Cruz was wearing a similar gown, but her skirt was totally drowning her.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryiOxJOxBDUyCsiVMM1Hj7m6dg9RVixKWICQRJGBAgbxebFxBLgWVCyjFIqvqjEcRo5Tlpd0b7uIBXC_jr1VBQgLSg9rhYaph-6Ex3RbDGfTIzvVzBuKa1YJuuodT6pCWIu55rSMVotY/s400/verafarmiga.jpg)
Vera Farmiga in Marchesa
At first sight, I poo-pooed this dress as being too ruffly/flouncy/etc. However, as the show went on, I found myself admiring the structure of it. It's almost aquatic - the ruffles remind me of coral, or maybe algae, and that's always a plus for me. Final verdict: I like it!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7_PR6kV_d209U2VIkmFtGssGvdtULTLdWu_7DMIcFyHOlD8DhBoSmzFCrQVnqNFWTbufNo3Yiz1msST_yEMu6x5Up162j_18NDX3Wp5gGIH-NkVWail9CDNbRNNRsbZM0HaVqgOQlqI/s400/zoesaldana.jpg)
Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Haute Couture
Funny story. The first time Zoe was on the screen during the preshow, all they showed was the top half of her dress. Immediately, I thought, "Ohmygosh, pretty!" because all I saw was the pink/lavender combination. But...they showed the rest of the dress and I kind of gagged. A little. The train reminds me of Party City accordion centerpieces. Eep.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9YaRzRDWY48shhxSEz1hC_GI2eB1iFArkvUflMsooiYdeqP6jivhSyDqScC3nK6M6IXsQXXGRxXBg5JOfHCn8EgB3hmcrPU7TfJ09GBI4KNo4wecKZ8UVmjtYBSHFL7dCXbQrKHm6gs/s400/mileycyrus.jpg)
Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham
Okay, okay. I'm going to admit I love her dress. There.
The color is fantastic, although I'm not sure I like the texture of the skirt.
It reminds me of bubble wrap. Pop, pop.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwYrseQb7LaZbEe3ZWBmvm67JgTA95kgFibzVwO4MYKUWkSdE1qEMyhIl7Cce08ZZxWDiuMn3ke1Taf_CNFuVr4fiBCuVV3EuQUhsUGcM3aq6w2Rdh1lwMCKKVKfeLHzfbm24KI0CoC4/s400/annakendrick.jpg)
Anna Kendrick in Elie Saab Haute Couture
OH MY MY MY! This dress is probably my favorite from the whole show. I'm loving the peachy color, the delicate details. It's a dress like a goddess would wear! If I could, I'd get this and wear it to prom. Seriously. The only thing I'd change is the train. I feel like the dress would look better without it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dptGDuSQrLvW2mHLTAUbV5t2EuOIxJ-pwL-pHRnCvJHDcJyjIaulVsu7AKBmPXL9nxN4Niw7RyQPLpeeV3_-CjrjJE4ZPmOIXnZB3VcIRcvN6LVwb4LEFiK0kAj1cNxD823AU4ZP1eE/s400/careymulligan.jpg)
Carey Mulligan in Prada
Ow, ow! This look is so different from the things all the other stars were wearing. It looks so beautiful on her, and it incorporates what's fashionable NOW into an elegant, formal gown. Smart girl. And her little pixie cut just completes everything.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJ9wfNz9KHTm99daQyTibNHvGClAbfZx69QBcyMN2rTvrQ8w-QmNsHfuKdYocbzg7UcCnjTxegSddRhBe-kLefCjGBUUB7l4otbPzxjmjZ7aSbAA6ArA81EL4RjNNBeeJcnljInzrEHo/s400/kristinstewart.jpg)
Kristin Stewart in Monique Lhuillier
Everything about this dress makes me happy. The mermaid silhouette, the alternating pattern leading to the bottom of the skirt, the midnight sky color, ugh. Amazing. And the bottom of the skirt is great because it isn't overbearing. Penelope Cruz was wearing a similar gown, but her skirt was totally drowning her.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryiOxJOxBDUyCsiVMM1Hj7m6dg9RVixKWICQRJGBAgbxebFxBLgWVCyjFIqvqjEcRo5Tlpd0b7uIBXC_jr1VBQgLSg9rhYaph-6Ex3RbDGfTIzvVzBuKa1YJuuodT6pCWIu55rSMVotY/s400/verafarmiga.jpg)
Vera Farmiga in Marchesa
At first sight, I poo-pooed this dress as being too ruffly/flouncy/etc. However, as the show went on, I found myself admiring the structure of it. It's almost aquatic - the ruffles remind me of coral, or maybe algae, and that's always a plus for me. Final verdict: I like it!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7_PR6kV_d209U2VIkmFtGssGvdtULTLdWu_7DMIcFyHOlD8DhBoSmzFCrQVnqNFWTbufNo3Yiz1msST_yEMu6x5Up162j_18NDX3Wp5gGIH-NkVWail9CDNbRNNRsbZM0HaVqgOQlqI/s400/zoesaldana.jpg)
Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Haute Couture
Funny story. The first time Zoe was on the screen during the preshow, all they showed was the top half of her dress. Immediately, I thought, "Ohmygosh, pretty!" because all I saw was the pink/lavender combination. But...they showed the rest of the dress and I kind of gagged. A little. The train reminds me of Party City accordion centerpieces. Eep.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9YaRzRDWY48shhxSEz1hC_GI2eB1iFArkvUflMsooiYdeqP6jivhSyDqScC3nK6M6IXsQXXGRxXBg5JOfHCn8EgB3hmcrPU7TfJ09GBI4KNo4wecKZ8UVmjtYBSHFL7dCXbQrKHm6gs/s400/mileycyrus.jpg)
Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham
Okay, okay. I'm going to admit I love her dress. There.
There were so many dresses I liked, but these were by far the best. Even Zoe Saldana's dress is pretty, in its strange little way. Hopefully the stars will drop the sparkly-sequins look from now on and continue to be as sophisticated as they have been at the Oscars 2010.