Academy Awards Beauty

The Academy Awards!  The Oscars!  Whatever you want to call them, the Academy Awards are the Holy Grail of Hollywood events, the highlight of award season, and the most exciting night of my life, ha ha.  I, of course, posted up for my annual Oscar celebration in the comfort of my living room, and could not be more excited to watch the show.  I feel that the celebs on the red carpet departed from traditional style this year, with many of the ladies choosing column dresses and leaning toward avant-garde styles.  Not to say that I didn't find any of the looks beautiful, but I am more of a traditionalist and would have loved to see a ball gown or two (or an updo!).  This evening, the Academy Awards churned out the usual stunners: Mila Kunis was tan and radiant, opting for a softer look than she has lately, and Amy Adams was a picture of perfection with brushed-out waves and a sparkling gown.  And how about all of the red!  Definitely the color of the year.  Of course, with the good comes the bad.  Jennifer Hudson sported a hideously lopsided updo, and Reese Witherspoon looked like she went out and bought a ponytail clip instead of styling her hair.  Tonight, I chose three favorite looks: Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence, and Halle Berry.

The lovely host Anne Hathaway had a million costume changes, and each was more beautiful than the last.  Here she is on the red carpet, sporting a loose, low bun, porcelain skin, and ruby lips.  I really think the lighter hair shade suits her well.  Anne followed the most basic rule of keeping the rest of her face relatively simple when wearing a red lip.  For a similar look, try Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color in Smoke Red.

Talk about a bombshell!  Jennifer Lawrence evoked Scarlett Johansson (circa Golden Globes 2006) in a long red column gown, loose blonde waves, and a sexy smoky eye.  It's no secret that I am a giant fan of big hair, and Jennifer goes for lush volume without looking over-the-top (pay attention Reese!).  The eye color here is soft, smoky, and sultry.  Want to try it?  I'd suggest MAC Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe.

Halle always looks flawless, if you ask me.  I like her return to the cropped hairstyle (I didn't think long curls did much for her).  This evening, Halle opted for bronze tones, choosing to go heavy on the shadow and light on the lips.  I would love to try this look on myself soon.  If you would too, try NARS Single Eyeshadow in Galapagos.

Did you watch the Academy Awards?  No surprises as far as the awards go, I know!  What were your favorite looks?

Photos from Getty and Wire Images