People were gaga over Jennifer Garner’s bright blue Versace gown last night, which could have been a home run with the right styling. I love the long chiffon train, fitted bust and asymmetric neckline. The gathering at the waist and side of the skirt are perfection. Her hair hung loose with too long but very well done extensions. In her red carpet interview on ABC Garner gushed about working with Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, she has a show on HBO coming up with them, and I was reminded of how extra she is. Still, she looks so much better after ditching 230 pounds of dead weight. (Credit to the Twitter userwho wrote that.) Her arms looked so toned and strong too, you can tell she’s been training for a starring action role. Garner introduced the In Memoriam segment. Jennifer Aniston had that gig last year, just saying.
Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd walked the red carpet together and were there to represent the MeToo movement. Ashley and Salma Hayek appeared on stage with Annabella Sciorra, whose career was ruined by Harvey Weinstein after he raped her. (I’m not using the qualifiers “allegedly” or “accused” f-k that.) Mira appeared in the video montage which the three women introduced celebrating diversity in film. It was the best video of the night. In terms of fashion, Mira is in Romona Keveza and Ashley is in Badgley Mischka, both gorgeous gowns. I would have liked to see Mira in a brighter color, but washed out pastels were on trend last night.
I know that Phantom Thread is somewhat controversial in that it’s a weird film about an abusive relationship but I absolutely loved it. Lesley Manville, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, gave an incredible performance that should have received more attention. She was in Anna Valentine, a couturier from London whom she also wore to the BAFTAs. While I don’t like the color or cut of this dress and find the puff sleeves overdone, the craftsmanship is exquisite. This is a nod to the film and the design is much different than the BAFTAs gown she wore. This may not be wholly flattering, the contrasting stripes are strange, but it’s a thoughtful gown with risky details. Also, I just learned that Lesley was married to Gary Oldman from 1987 to 1990. That’s probably ancient history to her.
Photos credit: WENN.com
The hair and make-up ruined the look for me. It’s so 80’s, and not in a fun way, just in a really outdated way.
absolutely. The dress on its own is wonderful, but the rest is borderline tasteless. And don’t start me on the shoes.
I didn’t see Jen’s comfy shoes, I will quietly imagine them in a terrorized jealous way. However, she looks very pretty, fit and sexy. She’s been through a lot, I hope she’s feeling good.
Ok, I had to look at the shoes. (Like looking at the inevitable break-up text after sending drunk midnight text to new lover). I so wanted to like this woman, but HER SHOES WERE DIED TO MATCH THE COBALT GOWN. NO. Chunky sandals. Ugh. Girl. Did she steal her stylists’s BF??? what happened. NO.
I find her hair and makeup gorgeous! What’s 80s about it? I mean she has some volume at the roots but that’s something that has been done for decades, wouldn’t call it an 80s-specific look.
Honestly this is flat-out the best she’s ever looked to me, full stop. She’s super pulling it off.
I agree! She looks AMAZING. I see nothing wrong. She’s had some hits and misses but this is definitely a HIT.
I love her hair and make-up also, nice change. She looks beautiful, imo. The shoes are weird…now those look like the ’80 bridal shop rentals that were dyed to match the dress, or maybe a la Romy & Michele’s HS reunion…
I agree – having lived in the 80’s, I can’t really say that this is nearly big enough to qualify as “80’s hair”.
I loved the colour choice and, really, the whole look.
ITA, and her arms are amaaaaaazing.
Word. Best she ever looked.
Completely agree. I thought she looked absolutely stunning and was at or near the top of Best Looks last pm.
I thought she looked gorgeous. What was she supposed to wear?
She looks fantastic!
AGREE!!!!! She looks amazing …..being free from that douchebag is making her good
People saying ii is 80s hair, curious as if they were even born in the 80s. cause… that my internet posters isn’t 80s hair lol. Not sky high enough, not stiff enough, not curly enough, not bad enough.
I think her gown is one of the top three for me, her hair and face look great!! I think she hit it out of the park. And love those earrings!!
What did she do that was Oscar worthy? Why does she always go to this and also present? I can’t even remember most of her work.
she was one of my favorite dresses for the night
@runcmc
Totally agree. She looked amazing.
Being without Affleck suits her…
I loved the hair and makeup. It was sexy and big and va-va-voom and something she needed to “say” post break-up. She looks gorgeous and like a sexual, sexy, wanted woman – something I think she needed for herself post-marriage to Batffleck. Angelina does this look all the time (but pale not tanned) and no one complains.
I don’t like the shoes but they’re mostly hidden so I think this look is a big WIN for her!
Garner just doesn’t have the same, I don’t know, confidence? to carry off this hair. The hair is wearing her. It’s just 80s bridesmaid IMO.
@minx I think the same. Her hair looks like my oldest sister’s hair did in her yearbook in the 80s. I don’t like it at all. It’s too much.
Yeah, this is the best I’ve seen her look in years (maybe ever). She was one of the best dressed of the night for me!
Agree minx…
Idk what it is, but she doesn’t fit… something always looks off…
I agree. Bad 80s.
Hair was way too much for that dress. Pulled back would have been best!
I think she was trying to look very va-voom instead of suburban mom for a change. You know, show Ben what he’s missing (like he would care). 😂
I remember hidious perms and blue eyeshadow in the 80’s. Her hairstyle and makeup here don’t look like the 80’s I remember
Yes i instantly thought she brought an old Cindy Crawford picture to her stylist and said “this hair please”
Hah, yes. It’s borderline too much, but I love it anyway. Even if her boobs look a bit off centre. There, I said it.
Yes, it is very Cindy Crawford, which makes it more 90s than 80s. If it was 80s, her hair would have the volume at the top AND it would be curly.
Exactly what I was thinking. The 80’s were my least favorite decade for fashion and style.
I have to grudgingly admit that I, who usually hates everything about the 80ies, loved how she looks. and I’m far from her loyal fan.
she looked like I wamted abrunette Barbie to look when I was little and all we had were usual, buxom blonde, blue-eyed Barbies.
Jennifer Garner’s dress is absolute perfection. I have adored her since Alias, and will always adore her because of Alias!
I thought she looked amaze-balls! I loved the dress, the colour, the fit and the big vavavoom hair with the sexy make-up. I don’t get the critiques of the hair and makeup being too much, bad or 80s – Angelina does this hair and make-up all the time and people fall all themselves praising it. I thought to myself: take that Ben Affleck! The woman looked FINE. Her arms look amazing. She looked confident and sexy. Good for her!
I’m not in love with Ashley or Mira’s dresses but the colours were great with their colouring and they both looked lovely so that’s nice.
Lesley’s dress is bizarre but I like it when people with eccentric fashion taste own it and so I give it a thumb’s up. the colour looked beautiful on her, the sheer bits were elegant and pretty. I also think a lot of women over a certain age want dresses with sleeves and those can be hard to find (Helen Mirren has bitched about this before).
She looked amazing! It’s the effect of losing the dead weight.
I think she looks so fabulous!!! The hair is not big enough to be 80’s (I say this as someone who lived the big hair, aquanet of the 80’s) she looks wonderful, great color, great dress, great make up!!!
I agree with all of you! She looked wonderful from head to toe. I too lived through the Aquanet, fried ends, big haired 80s, and her hair looks nothing like this. (Why does everybody talk crap about the 80s anyway? I remember it fondly.) That color on her is just fabulous.
Agreed. I remember wearing my hair EXACTLY like this in HS back in the mid to late 90’s. Not big enough for 80’s hair. At least two more inches of height and width is needed. LOL
I agree! I’m also so happy she’s gone back to action with that Peppermint movie coming out.
But gosh separation looks good on her. It’s like a weight has been lifted.
I ADORED her in Alias. So much so that I began to resent her real-life persona of doting soccer mom and obsequious wife. Sydney Bristow would NEVER have put up with scumbag Affleck. Bristow was such a badass.
Honestly, when I saw this outfit I suddenly remembered that yeah, I DID love Alias! It’s true: The one thing I really disliked about her these past few years really WAS Ben. This Oscar look is a RELIEF. Go get it, mama!
P.S. Also, I loved her hair on sight. I like how the “extreme hair-part” takes it from Everyday Jen to Glamorous Bombshell Jen. I’d love to see her with some fingerwaves, but I can definitely get down with the loose “moveable” waves too
When I first saw her I did not recognize her, she looks so different and harsh. She looked much softer before.
Well, she’s getting older. My face has gotten thinner as I get older. She might have had fillers before too and stopped. Plus she looks really toned. My face is the first thing to get skinnier when I work out. Just saying all this cause I have a similar bone structure.
I think she’s lost a bit of weight and, as you said, toned up, which accounts for the slight change in her looks. I loved her dress but wasn’t a big fan of the hair. I would have liked to see a hairstyle similar to Allison Williams’s, I think. But that’s just me. 🙂
My sister wore her hair like that in the 80s, but she was preppy. She has super thick hair, and that was her day style. Parted on the far side with a little lift at the root.
I didn’t recognize her either. I thought it was Kate Beckinsale!
She’s been working out like crazy for months because she’s been filming a big action movie. But she looks amazing, her arms are incredible!
Was there something weird going on with Garner’s eyes? Botox misfire maybe?
That plus some crazy ass contouring. I think the whole look is super dated.
I think it’s mostly a lot of fake tan and contouring that looks a bit strange.
Yes, I think so. The forehead botox caused her brows to drop a little too much, which happens (it can cause the brows to lift or drop, depending on how it’s done). It makes her whole face look odd. The dress is stunning though, and I loved seeing how fit she is right now.
A softer look would be more attractive at her age. She’s not far off from the extreme look of a competitive female body builder with exaggerated tan, makeup, hair and costume.
I disagree, don’t think there’s any need for soft. I prefer badass.
Her body looks very fit and healthy.
Her doctor can’t seem to get the Botox right. Last November she had that weird over arched eyebrow thing going on.
KBB, this is what scares me about injectables. If someone with the money to hire the very best can’t get it right, what hope do I have, ha ha.
I thought she looked stunning. But her gown was the same color as the backdrop for the In Memorium segment, which looked strange.
Jennifer Garner get her Sydney Bristow’s body back again kuddos on ditching the deucebag
Très Jennifer Lopez as a look, I thought. The Vanity Fair party must be like a speed dating event when you’re single, so frouffing up I guess.
Jlo would have a lot more skin showing. A thigh high slit as a minimum. The skirt would probably be less flowy and more clingy as well.
Her arms look great. Was prom dress shopping yesterday and my daughter refused to entertain that color. She said year everyone wore it and she called it “basic Betty blue”.
I thought she looked stunning. She is very thin now and I think it really shows in her face.
The hair did not work with her forehead and shaped face. The gown was breathtaking, and looked great on her.
When she was presenting she kept tilting her head to the side, like her hair was so heavy she couldn’t hold it up. Or if she held her head straight it would fall into her eyes. It was distracting.
Yes, the head tilt! I think the head tilt is what threw the whole look off for me. I assumed it was because she had such an extreme side part she was worried the part wouldn’t hold if she held her head straight. She needed confidence to pull this look off and the head tilt ruined that.
Aside from that, the color is fantastic and her body is insane.
Dress was amazing but the styling was a miss. And Ashely and Mira looked great.
Also over Hollywood because they awarded at least two known abusers with big awards. So I guess time is not up for a guy who paid off a rape victim and another that beat his wife with a telephone.
Mira is a beautiful woman but I thought the flouncy pink flowers were too ingenue-ish. Would have preferred to see her go bold and strong in her fashion choice this year.
I really disliked Mira’s dress. Generally, I’m not much of a fashion maven, I just buy clothes I like (well, ones I can afford) and I couldn’t be less interested in, for instance, things like shoes. That said, I can appreciate the allure of a dress that really complements a woman’s body/coloring perfectly, and I thought Sorvino’s dress was completely off. It was too voluminous, I thought, almost dwarfing her, so that there seemed to be less person than fabric inside it. Also, on her pale skin, that drab, moth colored dress seemed to wilt all around her, and to drain her of much needed color. Ashley’s solid violet dress was vibrant, and in contrast to Sorvino, she looked younger and charismatic, and bold. Sorvino looks more like she wanted to blend into a room that’s partitioned with dull curtains, to fold them around and all over herself, and disappear…Though perhaps I’m projecting, a bit. Certainly my dislike of Hollywood—such a bright, thin shiny veneer above such intractably deep rooted cruelty and ruthlessness and misogyny–leaves me cold. And so there seems something eerie and odd about a bunch of its women being paraded around, trying to look as beautiful and desirable as possible, under the still-coveted and powerful, objectifying and condensing male gaze.
I thought this was a pretty generic red carpet look
I agree. This dress style has been done to death and her styling looks dated.
Jennifer Gardner’s dress made her breasts look insane. One was way higher than the other. Ashley Judd overdid the Botox a bit but looked great. Mira Sorvino looked beautiful. I hope we see a lot more of her.
@pix – My first thought is that the dress gave Jennifer Garner Crooked Boob.
I think Jennifer looks STUNNING. Best she’s looked on the red carpet in a long, long time, for my money, and probably my favourite look of the night.
I haven’t actually watched the ceremony yet, so I don’t know how it looked on screen in motion, but I did see some pictures of her presenting, and the overall look of her being in the same colour as the backdrop actually looked AMAZING in the pictures I saw- the lighting and angles and stuff probably helped, but it was just a beautiful colour effect. (At least in photos!)
Garner looked like Melissa Rivers.
That dress reminds me of something she would have worn pre-Affleck. It would have been better to go a bit more modern instead of rehashing the past.
I love Jennifer’s gown! Especially the gathering at the waist, and the color. I think she looks gorgeous.
I like Ashley‘s too, though it’s a bit bridesmaid-ish.
They all looked great. I liked some better than others.
I think Jennifer looks great, and I want her arms, damn!
My thoughts exactly. She looks great and I love how strong her arms look.
Jennifer looked fab- loved everything about the dress. I want her arms!!
I didn’t recognize Mira S at first. Her gown is lovely.
I agree about Sorvino. I saw her speaking on the red carpet and from the side she looked like a completely different person. It was disconcerting. Looking again, I think it’s her eyes that are so different now. I loved her gown, too.
I don’t think she’s done anything drastic to her face other than maybe Botox, I think she has just put on some weight. Her face used to be a lot more angular and it made her eyes look bigger. I could be wrong though.
Manville’s dress is beautiful and very unique but it seems too loose on her overall. I think if it were more tightly fitted it would have looked more chic.
I loved the cut and color of her gown, but her hair was putting me off. I wish she had pulled it back of her face.
Mira Sorvino is too beautiful to be wearing that washed out color (I just can’t stop whining about how much I hate it when this trend keeps turning up like bad penny). The cut is good on her though.
I love Lesley Manville and she is an amazing actress, but she looks like she’s wearing a shiny version of her gran’s wallpaper here.
Her Oscar dress looked amazing, contrary to her gushing over Lena Dunham’s rape apologist self. Is she really going to work with that awful woman?
Exactly. If Garner wasn’t a big nope for me before, she is now.
I think she looks absolutely gorgeous here. Inna weird way I think Jen and Lindsey look strikingly similar, just different coloring.
Why is Garner even at the Oscars? Does she even still act, or is her entire career just dragging out her marriage for tabloid headlines and calling the paps to come take photos of her playing soccer mom?
Ouch. I think she’s still pretty A-list. And she does still act, lol.
She is considered B list and always has been about there but with a higher profile because of her marriage. She isn’t someone the studios think of first when they greenlight a movie. She’s never had a HUGE hit, and her career has been spotty.
However, I think she is fine with that because I think she chose to be there with her children as much as possible. I can appreciate that because I made the same choice. I work some, not much but I enjoy motherhood, so it is a tradeoff I am happy to make.
She has a movie coming out this month called Love, Simon. I don’t think she has a giant part- she and Josh Duhamel play the parents to the main character- but it’s had good buzz around it, and been getting some really good early reviews. I think it looks like a lovely film, and I hope it does well.
Love Simon looks cute.
I’ve got mad respect for Garner’s hustle. The disconnect between her acting work and her level of fame is crazy. She leveraged her husband’s fame and her Mom likability to make herself a high profile celebrity. Looking at her IMDb, she would never be in the same room as most of these people and yet somehow she is thought of as A-list.
I thought Garner looked like a mess. One boob is higher and smaller than the other. She pretty clearly got a boatload of botox recently and the wonky eye was super wonky. Her face even looks crooked. The extensions look ridiculous and in no way natural, which is the point of them. Whoever said that she looks like Melissa Rivers now was right. And seriously, must Ben Affleck always be mentioned in every Garner post? He wasn’t there, doesn’t have anything to do with anything, why even bring him up? Is that the only way that she clings to relevancy on here, her connection to him? Move on.
I’ve been observing that 80’s swoop coming back in celebrity styling for a while…….it’s coming back.
Jen looks great. I think this is a home run for her fan base.
Jennifer, 80’s prom!!!
What 230lb deadweight has Garner ditched? Last I checked she was still married to him and refusing to move on. He’s the only thing that has kept her remotely relevant over the years and the proof of that is this CB post and everything on social media for continuing to mention him. She is apparently nothing without him.
As for the dress, I thought it was wasted on someone like her. Half her foot is hanging off of her shoe in the top pic FFS. I did LOL when I realized that she was doing the In Memoriam segment. Of course, like her film career.
@ T
I think Affleck & Garner are divorced now. On both of their IMDb pages, there is a termination date listed now. That is just a recent listing, I think. I wonder why TMZ never commented on that or did I miss it?
What date is listed? If it’s April of 2017 that is just when they filed, I don’t think it’s official yet.
Jennifer looks beautiful! I love the color and the style. It’s really rare to see such pretty dresses at award shows these days, and I sometimes wonder if people try hard to find the ugliest dresses
That ugly-ass nude colour trend really needs to die, it the people who wear it look dead.
Yeah, Gary Oldman is one of those guys like Sean Bean who’s been martied a whole bunch of times.
I admire her hustle more than the actual look. Thumbs up for the dress, other styling is meh. But it is definitely a look that says: my Oscar winning husband cheated on me and is legitimizing his side-piece and I’m no longer an A list wife but I’m aware I have to up my game and get back to work and I didn’t skip arm day and people will love my dress and check out my upcoming projects and I’m fine…really! No really!
Good for her. Hate the game, not the player.
I agree with everything that you wrote.
Yes, good analysis.
I wish Ashley would leave her face alone and let all the injectibles dissipate. They are so aging.
Ashley’s a pretty woman but the chipmunk cheekbones are awful and so obvious. Like her dress and jewelry.
I agree, did think the dress was lovely though.
Gorgeous dress but not good choice make up and hairstyle
Thought that was Kate Beckinsale
I loved Jennifer’s gown and thought it looked great on her.
JG looks amazing.
I thought her Red Carpet interview was the most Garner moment. They asked her to comment on her past Oscar dresses, specifically one that was asymmetrical and she said it was an anomaly since asymmetrical shapes make her “nervous” and she likes things to “all be the same.”
Although the baby voice was out in full force, I did think the color was a great choice for her but the styling was off. It all just seemed a very curated effort to try to relaunch Garner.
There’s also the meme circulating about her concerned face in the audience. I personally think it’s just the moment when she realized the camera was on her.and she was attempting to put on her typical “oh gosh, isn’t that heartwarming” expression.
I don’t like the dress much – it’s dated and has a bridesmaid/ prom kind of feel. But I love how fit she looks and she looks like she’s feeling herself, which is always nice to see.
I thought she looked great. Loved it.
Thought she looked great, gorgeous dress – great hair and makeup….but on my, her VOICE is SO annoying! I had to mute her!
Mira is still beautiful. Remember the rumors after she won for mighty Aphrodite that it was an Oscars mistake? I look back on that and think Weinstein. With her beauty, talent, and connections, she should have been so much more active /famous than she is.
I’m not sure why this posted here, I tried it under a Mira comment.
I do agree tho, I wish Garner all the best but omg that VOICE! All her airline c.c commercials kill me.
I think she looks gorgeous, and, even better, she looks like she FEELS gorgeous. I’m getting a little bit of a Kate Beckinsdale vibe here, which is a compliment to both women.
Lesley Manville is so great! She was fantastic in Another Year.
Ashley Judd looks a lot like Gal Gadot.
Jennifer Garner looks great but as if she’s starring in Dynasty. But she looks really good.
I think everybody looked quite lovely.
I hate the cups on the bust of that dress – looks like a super-padded bathing suit top. Honestly, I didn’t recognize her – it’s a very other-the-top look for her.
Jennifer looks so so SO much better all dolled up, than in her frumpy mom clothes. She should get her hair and makeup done more often. Don’t get me wrong, she’s naturally beautiful, but this just accentuates her looks a lot more and makes her look confident
I know what you mean. She has great features for makeup. High cheekbones, full lips, and great eyebrows.
Loved Ashley Judd’s dress. The color, the style and the fit were all perfect.
I thought so too.
I loved Garner’s dress (that colour – wow!) but I thought the neckline was a bit hidden by the mop of hair. If it had been styled a bit more, like a Veronica Lake side part or something, it would have been a home run for me.
Ashley Judd looked fantastic in that purple gown. The necklace was a great choice.
Jennifer looked gorgeous, dress, everything!
It dies something weird to.her boobs but I think she looked great anywsy. I like Lesley dress a lot. It was pretty on camera. Mira’s washed her out but Ashley’s looked great. I like Annabelles too what I could see in camera.
I don’t know. I thought JG looked a little too tan and sinewy and the neckline combined with the hair looked suffocating. Also, she did a terrible job presenting the in memorium, too fast/rushed and shocked to be on live. It was disappointing.
Wow. I didn’t recognize Ashley Judd… or Mira Sorvino, until I saw the 2nd pic with her trademark side-eye pose.
Jen is giving me Elle MacPherson in her heyday vibes.
Better than in past years. I’m just not a fan of J Garner. Can’t relate to her and I’m a parent so there’s that… If she is feeling herself good for her.
I lived the 80s. Stop and google 80s hair and makeup images right now. Garner’s look isn’t that. She looked better than she has in a very long time.
I was amazed at just how spectacular she looked!!
The earrings were outstanding. A giant sapphire with descending diamonds. Who saw the dress?
This was the 90th Academy Awards. Her dress was Old Hollywood glamour! The color looked great on her! ( She should wear more jewel tones).
Unfortunately, I had to go to bed so I did not see who presented in place of Casey Affleck.
Who was his replacement?
Jennifer Lawrence and Jodie Foster replaced Casey Affleck which is kind of amusing because they’ve both been accused of being apologists for bad men.
Ah, great point KBB.
This dress makes her boobs look like they live on different floors of the same apartment building.
Implants?
I’m just glad she’s trying and not in a hideous pair of loafers.
Ashley needs to step away from the fillers, stat.
Best she’s looks in YEARS!
Jennifer looks stunning. She looks similar to Jolie. Ashley’s face looks terrible from too much tweaking. Her purple gown is beautiful, however. Sorvino and Leslie look beautiful.
I think she looks great! I love that dress and that color on her – is it even possible to be too try-hard for the Oscars?
I had to google search her age. 45? I bow down girl you look fierce!
I’m am here to comment on Phantom Thread. I could stand it, and thought it was boring! I thought it was going to be a movie about fashion, but it was the farthest thing from fashion. About this one man who was obsessive compulsive and a horrible person! Really do not like this movie. Worst movie ever!
Stunning. She looked stunning. You need to check your eyes if you think she doesn’t.
She looks trashy