The Best BAFTA Looks

The fashion theme at London's BAFTAs last night was surprising conservative and retro, with many nods to the 40s and 50s, sober, one-color outfits and masses of extremely valuable but unchallenging diamonds nestling in cleavages and particularly down bare backs. There were enormous numbers of sequins, in all sizes and shapes, that lent texture to otherwise rather plain column frocks. Black was unusually popular, with some witchy, long-sleeved gowns that gave proceedings an Addams family air. The red carpet itself was 100 yards long, very wide and covered, so the press and public had to plead loudly from the pens for attention.

Diablo Cody

Ex-stripper Diablo Cody, who won best screenwriter for Juno, sported a clinging, swirling leopard-print dress by Cavalli, displaying Juno-esque curves, fine cleavage and tattoos. Her Snow White coloring set off by deep red lips.

Emily Blunt

Rising British star Emily Blunt wore a sea-blue dress by Marc Bouwer that reminded me why I still feel a primitive attraction to mermaid Barbie. All over sequins, one-shoulder, form-fitting, it set off her auburn hair and white skin. She rather sweetly hoped for George Clooney to appear, saying she want to 'corner him, and follow him around like a bad smell' - very British humor.

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton was the only star who pushed the couture boat out last night, with a glorious Dior confection worthy of Christian himself in his heyday. Her long white neck rose out of an elaborate old-gold, billowing satin bodice, encrusted with sea-urchin-like long black sequin clusters. The skirt was so tight she had trouble getting on stage to collect her 'best supporting' award: 'Proof that I am astonished - I would never have worn this skirt!'

Sienna Miller

Sienna Miller did that blonde-in-black thing that suits her so well. Also in Dior, long-sleeved, plunging into deep Vs back and front, frosted with multiple strings of Chopard diamonds.

Thandie Newton

Thandie Newton was in black duchess satin Alexander McQueen - one arm and nearly the whole of one breast lightly covered with black lace - apart from the virtual wardrobe malfunction, and a shiny fuchsia belt (very on trend) - it seemed a safe choice for this beautiful woman who could wear any vibrant colour and interesting shape.

Eva Green

Glorious, witchy (I can't get her Golden Compass performance out of my head perhaps) Eva Green was also in black Dior, long-sleeved and spattered with discreet black sequins that caught the light, with 40s shoulders and deep plunging v-neck. Inside the dress, draped loops of diamonds lit up her cleavage like a dewy spider's web.

Rosamund Pike

Rosamund Pike's soft fair hair was fascinating - draped and looped, it was caught up with strings of diamonds that glittered, and also fell from her ears in matching chandelier earrings. It would not have been out of place in 1910, but she was wearing a very 1940s, knee-length Roland Mouret frock in French navy that suited her slender figure.

Keira Knightley

The stars usually come out at night with all possible flesh on display, regardless of the weather, but Keira covered her sweet, white sequined Valentino Couture frock with a narrow Alexander Wang black jacket, which she kept on for most of the evening. When she did take it off, we had a chance to see the tiny tucked strapless bodice and tiered silvery skirt - all she needed was a snake in each hand like the Minoan goddesses who wore a similar style of skirt 4000 years ago.

Anne-Marie Duff

Anne-Marie Duff, married to nominee James McAvoy, looked amazing in Alice Temperley's deconstructed men's evening dress - the front of the white bodice pleated like a man's shirt, done up with tiny black buttons and topped with a pie-frill collar, the rest black, fitted, flowing and discreet. Unobvious and chic.

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson wore the most obviously 'red carpet' dress of the night. By Dior, it was a narrow waterfall of the brightest gold sequins you can imagine, behaving like a glitter ball in a disco, shedding illumination wherever she went.

Marion Cotillard

Best Actress winner Marion Cotillard looked as if she had stepped down from those Raphael murals in the Vatican - her short, structured tunic by Chanel, a mass of large silver sequins like heavenly armor, topped with sequined epaulettes. The deconstructed sleeves' great whooshes of lightly sequined white chiffon gathered under her arms and floating out out behind her as she moved like wings. Silver sandals on her feet by Jimmy Choo. All that was missing was her sword of righteousness, but Chopard had only supplied jewelery.

Viggo Mortensen, AP

Sir Ian McKellen, AP

Many of the men, dressed by Paul Smith, Armani and Prada, chose to wear narrow black ties - as opposed to black tie (the UK dress code demands a black bow tie, worn with black tuxedo and trousers). This gave the whole event the air of a 1960s gangster's funeral, as the suits and ties were both sharp and narrow. Rhys Ifans, rumored to be engaged to Sienna Miller, went one step further with a skew-whiff leather affair that had been tied in a hurry. Winner in the tie stakes was Viggo Mortensen, who sported a small piece of conifer in his buttonhole, and a rich, properly tied, black, gold-patterned knot. Second was Sir Ian McKellen - his tie sported large black spots on white and was also neat and smart.

Comments

[anghiari]

Thandie Newton was absolutely beautiful...as did the other women.

[greymen]

Hail to the Lord of the Rings men!