The Best Bridal Gowns from the Oscars 2012

It was all about WHITE at the Oscars 2012. I'm not a big fan of the color for red carpet dresses as I think they tend to look a tad bridal. But I must say that this year's crop of white were nothing short of chic sophistication and hardly anything that conjured up walking down the aisle. In fact, I hope that this will serve as a cue for any future bride to consider something other than an overdone STRAPLESS and "screaming" bridal gown at their forthcoming nuptials. I mean, can you imagine walking down the aisle in a Givenchy like Rooney Mara's? If I had a more formal ceremony, I would have totally opted for something as stylish and well, bridal white, as this. I loved it.

 Another big white moment came courtesy of Gwyneth. It was sleek and modern but not boring. I liked the minimalism, and the long shoulder duster full length "cape" was dramatic without being over-the-top.

Milla Jovovich wore an Elie Saab sparkly white creation with a one-shoulder trend that was very popular.  We haven't seen Milla in years but she really made a bold statement with her return on the red carpet with her matching scarlet lips and a dress that really made me appreciate Elie Saab. Another bridal stunner if you were doing a splashy evening wedding. Like on New Year's Eve.

Octavia Spencer's gown by Tadashi Shoji was a sunburst of elegance and drapery. Again, I think this would make a beautiful gown for a particular bride-to-be who's looking to get married with some oomph and magic. I used to pull Tadashi gowns for In Style's "Oscar gowns for less stories" back in the late 90s. I'm so thrilled that this longtime dressmaker is now the creator of an Oscar gown himself and not just a "copycat" look for less.

The E! News commentator Giuliana Rancic, a recent breast cancer survivor, looked breathtaking in her Tony Ward dress with "flamenco" styling details. I couldn't help but comment to myself how that shoulder detailing was so great for someone who is mostly being filmed from the waist up for TV. It just framed her face and the television screen perfectly and she was totally on trend with wearing the shade of the night.

For the non-white dresses, I was a fan of Rose Byrne's one shoulder sequin number by Vivienne Westwood. I think her severe bangs, a la Rooney Mara, was a great way to finish off the look. This is definitely a dress if you're a guest at an upcoming evening wedding. Way to make an entrance!

Penelope Cruz looked like Grace Kelly in To Catch A Thief and that didn't bother me one bit. Some people commented on Twitter, "Hey Penelope, Grace wants her look back," but I just loved her short romantic curled 'do and the soft 'wisteria' color of her Armani Privé dress was simple, soft and pretty. Sometimes it's just nice to see "pretty" on the red carpet and this was my favorite moment for that. Reminded me of that Uma Thurman Prada dress from way back. This is a serious option for a bride who wants color at her wedding. It's that perfect grayish, purplish blue that would be fitting for any bride-to-be following the "something blue" guide.

It's not my least favorite look of the evening but it was definitely something that I thought wasn't quite right. I loved the idea of this Glamour magazine editor's dress but it ended up just looking really matronly and mother-of-the-bride to me. So since we've talked about the white dresses of the night being great bridal options, I would say that Louise Rowe's dress should definitely get top honors for the mother-of-the-bride. But I don't think that this 20-something or 30-something would be very happy to hear of this award...do you?



source for all photos except Milla Jovovich

source for Milla Jovovich photo