GOOD TRY: Best Actress nominees Viola Davis (above) and Michelle Williams didn’t win, but they turned lots of heads. ( WireImage)
(
)
Talk about going for the gold.
The red carpet was awash in the color of Oscar at last night’s 84th Academy Awards, as the ladies of Hollywood dressed like the coveted statuettes.
Nominee Jessica Chastain, a virtual unknown until a slew of recent movies — along with a nomination for “The Help” — put her on the map, was one of the first on the carpet in the winning shade of the night. The newly minted fashion favorite was a real knockout in a custom Alexander McQueen gown with gold bullion and metal thread embroidery, making her look like a Renaissance painting.
She accessorized her golden-goddess look with a cool $2 million worth of yellow diamonds from Harry Winston.
PHOTOS: OSCARS’ BEST-DRESSED GOLDEN GIRLS
PHOTOS: STARS TWINKLE AT OSCAR PARTIES
PHOTOS: BACKSTAGE AT THE OSCARS
In an astonishing display of subliminal suggestion, George Clooney’s date, Stacy Keibler, decided to dress exactly like the trophy in a strapless, gold lamé Marchesa dress straight off the New York runway two weeks ago. Clooney didn’t win, but he still got to leave with “a statue.’’
Newcomer Shailene Woodley, the 20-year-old breakout talent who co-starred with Clooney in “The Descendants,” said she chose her white Valentino Couture dress because it was “long-sleeved and classy.”
Despite being a newbie, her fashion savvy was apparent: She also chose the other fashion color of the night, white.
Rooney Mara, the reigning hipster queen of the carpet and the one actress every designer wanted to dress for her Best Actress nomination, ditched her “Dragon Tattoo” black for white.
But she kept true to her severe edge, donning a sculpted white gown that, with her jet-black hair and red lips, made her look like the ice queen of an alien planet. The lucky winning designer was Givenchy Couture. “I only picked it this morning,” she said.
‘THE ARTIST’ NABS BEST PICTURE OSCAR
COMMENTARY: BAFFLING WIN FOR ‘THE ARTIST’
OOPS! J-LO’S DRESS REVEALS A LOT OF SKIN
Presenter Jennifer Lopez was on the same fashion page, wearing white and reprising her plunging-neckline moment of years ago in a pleated gown by Zuhair Murad. It was a feat of styling derring-do, sticky tape and all — until her apparent “wardrobe malfunction.
Octavia Spencer, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in “The Help,” joined the gang in white with a glittering Tadashi Shoji gown.
Best Actress nominee Michelle Williams broke free of the fashion pack. She donned a strapless Louis Vuitton gown with a little skirt at the waist called a peplum. Her color of choice was the subject of some debate.
“It’s some sort of a fruit,” said Ryan Seacrest.
“I think it’s coral” said Williams.
Another fashion favorite, Emma Stone, joined Williams in rosy tones in a Giambattista Valli red gown with a big bow at the neck — a refreshing break from the parade of strapless.
Bérénice Bejo, the French star of “The Artist,” also strayed from the memo but stayed on fashion message with the pastels of the season in a beaded, mint-green Elie Saab gown.
She was joined in spring green by Best Actress nominee Viola Davis, who wore a beaded, strapless Vera Wang floor-sweeper. Davis looked like money, despite losing out to Meryl Streep.