Ok ok ok. So, I’ll admit that I’m going to try to calm down a bit when it comes to my criticism of tonight’s Academy Awards red carpet even though I feel ROBBED and want to SLAP whoever put that thing on Anne Hathaway. If you’re a regular reader, you know that I’ve been very underwhelmed by the fashion and beauty turn-out of this year’s awards season, and tonight was frankly no exception and I just KNEW this was going to happen because whoever has been styling these people lately still needs to wake up from their fifty-year NAP and get QUALIFIED already. However, I don’t want to be so negative but really I do. I think I’m just not easily impressed when it comes to red carpet styling, but here are a couple things I’m trying to keep in mind:

1. A lot of my favorites were missing entirely from tonight’s festivities. Marion Cotillard (who was too busy KILLING IT at the Cesar Film Awards in THIS … check those shoes!), Diane Kruger (only to be found later at the Vanity Fair party in THIS awesomeness), Angelina Jolie, Keira Knightley, Kate Bosworth, Rachel Weisz, and Cate Blanchett–each of them were missing and each of them are favorite players of mine on the red carpet (though they may have shown up at some of the after-parties). This gave me the sads, so I had to bear in mind that my frustration with tonight’s red carpet would probably have been tempered with the appearance of one of these ladies. And I think I’ve finally picked up on something– I not only favor how Europeans do beauty, but I also prefer how they do red carpet gowns. But there’s hope for me! This week is Paris Fashion Week, and I’ve a feeling I know exactly where I might find Marion …

2. Gowns that initially look boring actually look way better in Hi-Def. The texture and bounce of Jennifer Lawrence’s Dior Haute Couture gown really stood out as I watched her on T.V. in HD, but at first glance online, the gown looked structurally nice but perhaps aesthetically dull. The color and sparkle of most gowns really stood out much more as I watched them move on T.V. as opposed to when I just checked out shots of them on the web.

Alright, so I admittedly have very few gowns that I’m featuring in this post, but there were still a couple that got me doing the happy dance. I’d rather be brief and to the point than ramble on about how so-and-so looked … so-so. Let me know what you think!

Kerry Washington showed up in the kind of dress that I’d wear to an event like the Oscars- hands down. The coral-red-pinkishness of this Miu Miu gown was unexpected and feminine, and it stood out in a sea of beige and muted tones. If I had to choose a style champion of the 2013 awards season, it would most certainly be Washington.

This scarlet and gold Marchesa gown couldn’t have been a better choice for Olivia Munn. I love a dress with drama, and this delivered (score ten points for premium use of alliteration). I also love that this gown works so well with Olivia’s coloring. Celebrities so often seem to make the mistake of choosing a gown that doesn’t complement their skin tone or physical features to their best advantage, but this color and design make the very best of Olivia’s look.

Do I still miss Charlize’s longer hair? Yes. Do I still think she looks amaze-balls regardless? YES. The woman is the picture of goddess-like beauty in Dior Haute Couture, structured to perfection with a sparkly peplum bodice. And because I’m such a sucker for minimalism, this one quickly found a special place in my heart. I love the lack of jewelry and utter simplicity to the whole look- I compare it to last year’s Tom Ford caped look that Gwyneth Paltrow stunned in.

Aaaaaaand that’s it! Yep. That’s it. Octavia Spencer also looked gorgeous, and Amy Adams’ gown was, of course, a real princess moment that Giselle herself would be proud of. But Anne Hathaway’s Prada apron gown was a huge let-down for me. No joke, the glorious red Valentino gown that Sally Field wore was the exact gown that I had hoped to see Anne in, but instead we got a pink apron with funny darting at the nips. I had also really looked forward to seeing more color in general from Jennifer Lawrence or Zoe Saldana, but whatever. I’m over it! The MET Ball is only a couple months away! I’ll survive! And I mean, like I said, there were others that were lovely, but the three mentioned above are the ones that felt like clean wins. Oh, but I do have one more thing to discuss. After all, this is, first and foremost, a beauty blog.

That makeup and that hair!! Get outta here! Adele has never, ever looked better than she did tonight performing Skyfall and accepting her Oscar for it. Those false eyelashes! That contouring! That eyeliner! The bounce in her hair! The sensational glittery black gowns and the way she moves with such conviction when she sings! Forget Jennifer Aniston (and I mean it- her look was a snore tonight) — I want to look like Adele. xo, MR