Zooey Deschanel

There was some mega posing happening with Zooey D. at this party -- first, there was this artsy shot, as if they're going to airbrush out the background and plonk her atop a messy field, or a floor full of felled zombies.

Zooey Deschanel

"What, ME behead a zombie? LITTLE ME? NO."

Zooey Deschanel

"GASP. WHAT EVIL THIS WAY COMES?"

Zooey Deschanel

"Look presidential, Z. Think GRAVITAS. But with a spritz of lemon."

Zooey Deschanel

"What is Mel B WEARING? WHY IS NOBODY HERE FOR ME TO DISCUSS THAT WITH."

Zooey Deschanel

"Oh, uh, hey, Mel B. Um. How YOU doin'?"

Vanity Fair Oscar Party Well Played: Zooey Deschanel in Oscar de la Renta

In his preview of the show in which this dress appeared, OdlR referred to this as "dot-calm," and I liked that pun. I also still feel that it's apt: this is the most relaxing exhale on a warm spring day, the kind where you're pretty sure that no matter how awful your deadline is, or how deep your facial furrows, or how much everything is making you stressed-out and hungry and frustrated and frizzy and insane, everything is going to work out just fine, so your horoscope can pretty much SHOVE IT. [Photos: Getty]