By Joy Kraft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
For a supposedly "subdued" Oscars, the diamonds were out in full force for the Academy Awards Sunday night.
Most were dripping from stars' ears or winding around wrists rather than trimming their elegant necks . . . except for Joan Rivers, captaining the red carpet show in a 75-carat Harry Winston diamond to mark the 75th anniversary of the Oscars.
But, despite the glitter and the unexpected color (everyone was predicting a toned-down black-and-white fashion show) "it didn't have the flash and glamour I was used to," says Jacquelyn Y. Edwards of Pleasant Ridge, one of our five Enquirer fashion panelists who volunteered to watch the preshows and give up some gossip on the look of the evening.
"I was expecting a little more glamour even though they said they were toning it down," says Chris Maurice of Cheviot. "It was a little disappointing."
The other panel members
agreed, including Ryann Amanda Ascherman, 16, of Aurora; Melinda Callahan, 52, of Green Township; and Brennee Hatcher of Deer Park.
We asked the five to give us their picks in seven categories: best dress, worst dress, most daring or outrageous dress, dress I'd most want to wear, best hair, worst hair, best male outfit.
• Best dress: Halle Berry was followed by Nicole Kidman, Diane Lane and Renee Zellweger with a tie by one member with Jennifer Garner. "I liked the color and the way Halle Berry's dress fit," says Hatcher.
• Worst dress: Julianne Moore's green ruffled number was chosen worst idea by four out of the five.
"She looked like a mermaid," says Maurice and Hatcher. Hilary Swank's short pink dress with longer tulle overlay was Callahan's least favorite.
"It looked too much like a prom dress. It was just inappropriate," says Callahan.
• Most daring or outrageous: Zellweger's "whole back was bare to just above her behind," says Edwards, "but she looked really nice." Others mentioned Kidman's baring design and saluted Swank for taking a chance on her short-long look, though they weren't quite sure of its success.
• Dress you'd most like to wear: Jennifer Garner's sky blue dress was Ascherman's favorite "because it looked like a fairy tale dress," she says. Hatcher wanted Geena Davis' black number. Maurice wanted Marcia Gay Harden's turquoise chiffon, and Callahan would have worn Sissy Spacek's silk pant suit.
"I'm just not into cleavage," says Callahan.
• Best hair: Most agreed the hairstyles took the back seat to clothes this year, but Halle Berry's hair was Maurice's choice; Salma Hayek's head of curls was Hatcher's pick, and Nia Vardalos' stack of curls was Callahan's choice.
• Worst hair: Cloris Leachman's bed-head hair was the unanimous choice. "She looked like she was trying to make contact with someone from another planet," says Maurice. "It was way too sci-fi."
• Best male outfit: Sean Connery got the most votes.
"You have to be very sure of yourself to wear something lacy like that," says Edwards. "He came off very well."
Other favorites were the black-on-black shirt and suits worn by Louis Gossett Jr. and Berry's singer-husband, Eric Benet.
