So far in our analysis of the 2009 Oscar red carpet, we’ve seen women wearing gold, diamonds, coral, and even some wearing nothing much at all!

But I think that, when it comes to the ultimate accessory, Penélope Cruz and my downest girl Kate Winslet have the contest in the bag.

I mean, look at Penélope. Doesn’t she look simply ravishing?

Actress Penélope Cruz at the 2009 Academy Awards.

I loved the vintage feel of her lacy ivory dress. And it certainly set off her accessories perfectly!

And let’s have a gander at Kate, shall we?

Actress Kate Winslet at the 2009 Academy Awards.

Her gunmetal blue dress is beyond elegant. As usual, Kate looks just flawless. And don’t you agree that her ultimate accessory is the ultimate accessory?

What’s that? You don’t know what I’m talking about?

Maybe you just need to take a closer look.

Or maybe you need to see these two ladies from a better angle. How’s this?

Actress Penélope Cruz accepting the 2009 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

And imagine my satisfaction at seeing this:

Actress Kate Winslet accepting the 2009 Academy Award for Best Actress.

Gold doesn’t get any better than this accessory. With Oscar on your arm, everyone knows that you look like a million bucks.

All kidding aside, congratulations to Ms. Cruz and Ms. Winslet on their huge wins!

Elatedly,
Olivia

I told y’all yesterday that I was glad that the stars toned down their jewelry on the red carpet — possibly in response to our country’s recent economic downturn.

But I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t secretly glad that some starlets decided to go for it in a big way on the red carpet.

Actress Amy Adams at the 2009 Academy Awards.

I mean, look at Amy Adams: she’s glowing! Her milky white skin is the perfect canvas to show off her multicolored Fred Leighton statement necklace! It was a risky move, considering that so many other actresses opted not to wear necklaces at all. If you were going to wear a necklace on Oscar night, it was going to have to be fabulous.

Fortunately for the luminous Ms. Adams, Fred Leighton absolutely knows what he’s doing when it comes to statement necklaces. The rainbow of jewels on her neck is what saves her from blending right into the red carpet.

Actress Taraji P. Henson at the 2009 Academy Awards.

Actress Taraji P. Henson went for this fabulous diamond necklace (also by Fred Leighton). But she still kept in touch with old Hollywood by choosing a vintage piece. I love how it perfectly complements her creamy gown; it adds sparkle and shine to the softness of her frock.

Model Heidi Klum at the 2009 Academy Awards.

Finally, for your consideration, take a look at Heidi Klum’s stacked coral bangles and matching earrings by Lorraine Schwartz. Klum was dressed in red — a nod to Diet Coke’s Heart Healthy campaign — and also wore a Diet Coke Red Dress charm bracelet in support of her cause. A celebrity using her red carpet clout to support a worthy cause — now that’s what we call beautiful!

I love that the 2009 Oscars had a little bit of everything: compassion, drama, class, and charity.

Well-Rounded,
Olivia

Ahh, the Oscars: the night of the year that shines brightest because of all the stars.

In this time of economic hardship, I was wondering how Hollywood would respond. Would the troubles of the rest of the country be reflected by the red carpet styles of the rich and famous?

It looks like the movie industry has really been paying attention to current events and are actually being sensitive to the plight of everyman. The red carpet was largely devoid of in-your-face, “look how rich I am” jewels (although there were just enough statement pieces to keep it interesting. Hey, we watch these people so that we can escape our own humdrum existence). The result was reminiscent of old Hollywood, back to a time when an actress could rely on her class to generate buzz, and not on gaudy jewels.

Clockwise, from top left: Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, Beyoncé Knowles, Evan Rachel Wood.

Most notable to me was the lack of necklaces. An unusual number of actresses opted to forego necklaces altogether, and wore modest, but gorgeous, earrings and bracelets. It was just enough to put the finishing touches on these beautiful looks without screaming: “I don’t ever have to worry about getting laid off!”

Clockwise, from top left: Freida Pinto, Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep, Jessica Biel.

It was refreshing to see that even the cream of the Hollywood crop didn’t need to bury themselves in jewels in order to feel important. In fact, I think that allure of a radiant complexion might give the sparkle of a statement necklace a run for its money.

Clockwise, from top left: Marisa Tomei, Queen Latifah, Miley Cyrus, Sarah Jessica Parker.

Most of all, I enjoyed the sense that these women, whom I sometimes feel live such different lifestyles than I do that they might as well be from Jupiter, understand that I can’t afford the same luxuries that they can, and they chose not to rub it in on Oscar night.

Perhaps a beautiful soul is still a treasured accessory in Hollywood yet.

Modestly,
Olivia