Red carpet heroes and villains

May 8 2008 by Emma Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

WHAT a great week it has been for red carpet watchers with fashion events on both sides of the Atlantic.

The fun started on Saturday, with the British Soap Awards in London, then on Monday it was over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, in New York.

Naturally, it was a tale of two cities.

In the past, I have been known to criticise our soap lovelies. Bless them, but they do have a tendency to throw on the first shiny thing a stylist shows them, accessorise it with the wrong shoes, flat hair and a high street bag and generally end up looking a dog’s dinner.

To be fair, that many of these actresses come over all magpie-like at the prospect of a big do is entirely forgivable – after all, barring the Hollyoaks babes, most of them do spend their working days teary-eyed and dressed like bag ladies.

But, at the weekend’s ceremony, most of the ladies seemed to go for elegant and sophisticated, rather than simply taking the “less is more” option and flaunting acres of tanned cleavage. Full marks to Hollyoaks’ Jennifer Metcalfe.

On the other side of the pond, things could not have been more different.

The theme for this year’s Costume Institute Gala – the East Coast version of the Oscars (only without the films or awards – but with plenty of posh frocks, the entire Hollywood A-list and then some) was Superheroes, only a good proportion of the women in attendance looked simply villainous.

Let us start with the good. Actress Naomi Watts looked dazzling in her diamante studded Marilyn-esque number, and Eva Longoria ruffled some feathers in her huge purple gown, while Scarlett Johansson was a pretty sugar plum fairy and Kate Moss (in Stella McCartney) was eyecatching as ever.

Then we have the bad. Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton continued her mission to steal Diane Keaton’s crown for worst-ever red carpet dresser, in a number which looked like she ran it up from the hotel curtains, and it was all going swimmingly for Katie Holmes in vibrant orange until someone persuaded her to wear her eyshadow on her cheeks (?).

Meanwhile, 22-year-old OC starlet Mischa Barton forgot the first rule of fashion – you wear the dress, the dress should not wear you – or fell for whatever flannel the stylist had to give her to persuade her to don such a monstrosity.

Oh, and note to supermodel Gisele Bundchen, just because you have got it does not mean you have to flaunt it.

Then we have the ugly, and while I realise it is fashion heresy to criticise the goddess that is Vogue editor Anna Wintour (may a Chanel thunderbolt not strike me down), her Karl Lagerfeld silver confection made her look like the evil spawn of a snail and a Cyberman.

But, as ever, leave it to Victoria Beckham to steal the show.

Hair scraped back, lips painted scarlet and dressed in what looked suspiciously like a see-through house gown, her look had scary echoes of Mommie Dearest Joan Crawford and Cruella de Vil.

However, at least Posh took the award for best arm candy – David Beckham beats an “It” bag any day of the week.