My favourite red carpet frocks are usually the ones with strong, sleek, simple and retro lines. I don’t fancy the looks that are overly revealing, ruffle-y, shiny, voluminous or ornate nearly as much. But picking red carpet favourites is a subjective thing and I wouldn’t be surprised if we had completely different lists.

This year, Emmy’s style belonged to the gents because they generally dazzled more than the ladies. A first! Just for kicks, here are my lists:

Blokes:

• Jon Hamm could not be beat. Classic, immaculate, clean cut and very movie star handsome. A sight for sore eyes.
• John Krasinski looked fabulous in his satin trimmed tux and skinny black tie. Utterly adorable.
• Steve Carell was wearing a similar satin piped tux and looked just as dashing. He’s a scream.
• Seal’s all black suit ensemble with straggly polka dot tie was dark and edgy. He pulls this look off like no one else can.
• Kevin Bacon was delicious in his mod tux, messy hairdo and geeky black framed specs. So cute.
• Alec Baldwin looked distinguished in his tux with broad lavender tie which matched the colour of his hair and eyes. Very fab.

Lasses:

• Debra Messing in a magnificent one-shouldered electric red gown was my favorite of the evening. A redhead in tomato red is pure perfection.
• Heidi Klum was flawless in a classic strapless, beaded black fish tail gown. It’s easy to make the best dressed list if you can look like that when you’re 8 months pregnant. Seal accessorized her ensemble perfectly.
• Sandra Oh in a vintage gold strapless gown was stunning from head to toe. The corded low slung belt was an elegant touch and I loved how the clutch matched her hair.
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler was beautiful in a cowl front halter-necked metallic gown. A superb take on modern retro glam.

Did you see the show? If so, let’s hear your favourites for the night.

Click the thumbnails to see the red carpet fashions at E! Online and MSN Entertainment.

I was blown away by the number of entries to the Zina’s painters shirt giveaway. My guess was that this level of garment deconstruction would not be popular on YLF. What a surprise!

Congratulations to Rebecca, who was the lucky entrant chosen by our random number generator. Rebecca said:

“Yes, I would wear it. I’ve worn this look for years, starting with a linen jeweler’s smock that I bought in a work wear shop in Paris. Slim trousers or a long, skinny skirt look good below”.

Rebecca, we’d love to see you sport the look if you’d like to post a picture of your outfit on the YLF forum. Enjoy your new acquisition!

I love Cate Blanchett. In my book she is the best actress on earth and sports one of the best styles in Hollywood. Her avant-garde, theatrical and haute couture clothing often takes my breath away. Cate is not only beautiful, but so daring in her fashion choices. She is always the first person I want to look at, at a celebrity event because her outfits are exciting and inspiring. Seeing Cate glide with confidence in her innovative creations is like watching a walking work of art.

So I’m going to turn a blind eye to the bizarre crocheted blanket dress Cate recently wore at a red carpet event in Melbourne. I’m not even going to try to defend the frock because it’s hideous and she’s getting a lot of flak for it already. But it is the one and only Cate Blanchett sporting the ugly dress and if anyone will come out of this situation shining like a star, it’s her. It took courage to sport the look and I support Cate’s risk taking style.

Click the thumbnails to see Cate’s dress in all its crocheted glory.

There is no “one look is best” approach to nail style. Different looks work on different people at different times of the year. My own nail style is deliberately plain and this is more a question of aesthetic preference than time or maintenance.

• Hands: I might be alone on this one but I really like the look of short nails, sans finger nail polish. Once a year, I might venture out and pop on a bit of clear vanish, but never colour and I don’t do French manicures. I like to keep my hands and nails well moisturized, neat and au natural.
• Feet: I wear toe-nail polish from April to August. For years, my choice of toe colour has been either a shade of blue or green, and very occasionally a soft pearly white. I do not wear pink, red, purple, orange or brown toe nail polish and once again, French manicures are not for me. I also have this weird idea that for the rest of the year, my nails need to breathe so come the first week of September, my toe nails are stripped of their polish and we’re back to au natural.

What’s your nail style? Do you even have one? Would you like to make a change? I look forward to loads of variety in the responses.