Jada Pinkett Smith in Jean Paul Gaultier
I am divided within myself on this, but I will say: I applaud that Jada has punted ZERO TIMES this award season. She has never been boring. I have debated whether I'd have liked a column that continues from the top, or a regular rather than dropped waist...
... and I wondered if the train is TOO long, but then I imagined it looking a bit silly with the dropped waist and a just a regular gown-length crumply skirt. Honestly, in the end, it's just pointless tinkering -- the dress is a lot more fun in its fullest, biggest state, so have at it, Jada.
I will also repeat that it's amazing to me how MUCH dress a person so petite can carry as if it's no big deal. She is NEVER overcome or outweighed by the clothes. I also liked the hint of sparkle in Will's suit.
Tiffany Haddish in custom D&G
We need a D&G code word. RADISHES, or something. Can we just pretend it's Armani? (This reminds me of a boozy newspaper dinner in college where the managing editor asked the waiter to give us a receipt saying all the booze was cake. She was kidding but he looked alarmed.) She looks good in this, but it's also doing the two-layer bodice thing that only distracts me from all the good business.
Diane Warren
I feel for Diane. She's always nominated, and never wins, and one of these days will get an Oscar for a song she doesn't even like. This song, in fact, was not her best work. But I hand it to her for putting on her jazziest threads anyway, because you never do know. It happened for Susan Lucci; it can happen for you, Diane.
Reba McEntire
And at least she got Reba to sing the only-okay song. Reba looks like a bajillion bucks and I hope she and Kelly Clarkson are still friends after they each cut bait from the Blackstock family.
Wilmer Valderrama, Amanda Pacheco
This suit would have looked REALLY good on Will, next to Jada, on this night.
This would have been too much green on Will, though. But thank you, John, for delivering it to me. It IS my favorite color.
Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson
Someone, somewhere, is cutting down the Oscar telecast and revealing that there was in fact PLENTY of time to have Denzel give Samuel L. his honorary Oscar on-stage, rather than earlier in the weekend (the footage of this is so charming; they're SO HAPPY). I frankly would've liked to hear Liv Ullman, Samuel, Danny Glover, AND Elaine May say something. I have a lot of notes.
Maria Menounos in Celia Kritharioti
Celia is Greek and so is Maria, so this is nice support for her ancestral land. I'm not sure I would have done it in so many belts, though. One of them is right in her crotch. How is that comfortable for sitting?