Another week, another score of red carpet looks to evaluate.

CATHERINE, DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE in London // gown by Roland Mouret, purse and shoes by Jimmy Choo

Hello, gorgeous! Duchess Kate got her sexy on – the dress has a slit! her shoes are strappy sandals instead of pumps! and they’re Jimmy Choo! and her clutch is sparkly! – and I am loving it. Her hair looks like it was spun from silk by angels (I’m imaging a scene not unlike “Beauty School Dropout” from Grease). And while her under-eyeliner is still kind of bothering me, the makeup at least looks as if it was applied by a professional, and her eyebrows have never looked better. (I’ve brought up eyebrows in a lot of posts recently. Is that weird? Do I have a thing about eyebrows?)

ELIZABETH BANKS in New York City // dress by Peter Pilotto, purse by Judith Leiber, shoes by Walter Steiger

Another day, another totally-risky-but-totally-worth-it red carpet look from Elizabeth Banks. This is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of look, but I am firmly on the side of loving it. The keyhole cut-out is super-sexy and shows off her fan-freaking-tastic rack. Not many women can rock a print this wild, this glittery, this complicated – with black mesh side cut-outs, mind you – but Lizzie knocked it out of the park. The old Hollywood glamour of the hair and makeup juxtaposes beautifully with the mega-modern dress. And the black sparkly accessories are the perfect combination of subtle and chic.

CHLOË MORETZ in New York City // dress by Christopher Kane, shoes by Jimmy Choo

Ms. Moretz seems to get more and more fabulous by the moment – so-called fashionistas twice her age are lucky if they can eat her dust. This dress and those shoes are gorgeous on her. Love the subtle navy animal print with the leather trim – it’s very modern and chic.

CHLOË MORETZ in New York City // dress by Stella McCartney, shoes by Jimmy Choo

Little Ms. Moretz loves those strappy Jimmy Choo shoes –  she apparently wears them with everything – and I don’t object to that, because they’re fierce and they really do go with almost everything. She’s managed to make me like a Stella McCartney dress, which is no easy feat. But the long sleeves and the little pleats in the skirt are totally adorable. I’m never a fan of the stick-straight hair, but other than that, she looks as put-together as ever.

CHLOË MORETZ in New York City // dress by Dolce & Gabbana, shoes by Jimmy Choo

She owns the same Jimmy Choos in nude! I find it so charming that, like a normal fifteen-year-old, she has a favorite pair of shoes that she can’t give up on. (They’re just a wee bit pricier than the shoes most fifteen-year-olds buy – or thirty-year-olds, for that matter.) I’m not loving the floral print on this dress, which reads a little too “grandma’s couch” for me, but she of course looks adorable in it.

ZOË SALDANA in New York City // dress by Elie Saab, purse by Bottega Veneta, shoes by Brian Atwood

I have the utmost respect for Zoe because she can seamlessly transition from romantic, feminine chic to badass avant garde couture without blinking an eye. I love the lacy bodice, the cinched waist, and the double-skirt. The purse is too adorable for words, and let’s get a close-up on those shoes:

LOVE. IT.

EVA MENDES in New York City // dress by Jonathan Saunders, sunglasses by Thierry Lasry, purse and shoes by Prada

I’m usually very underwhelmed by Eva’s fashion choices, but she is working the hell out of this dress. The nude pumps were actually a good choice, and the white tote is gorgeous, but it’s the color and cut of the fantastic dress that makes me really love this look. Cute shades, too!

DEREK BLASBERG and EMMA WATSON in London // ensemble by Gucci

Emma, looking too cute for words decked out in black Gucci, poses with Derek Blasberg, Editor-at-Large of Harper’s Bazaar and all-around fabulous fashionisto. I know I’m not a proponent of the black stockings/black shoes combo as a rule, but when deployed rarely and precisely, you can look schoolgirl chic instead of just schoolgirl. (Zooey Deschanel, I’m talking to you.) Anyway, love her blazer, love her shorts, OBSESSED with her shoes, and loving her delicious fashion editor man-candy. Keep it up, Em!

SCARLETT JOHANSSON in Hollywood // dress by Preen, shoes by Christian Louboutin

It’s a modified version of my Fall 2012 red carpet prediction for Diane Kruger, but I like it on Scarlett (though the lace in the runway version makes it so much more beautiful). It’s body-conscious but not revealing, and it’s modern and chic. I don’t love the sideswept hair or the red peep-toe platforms, but styling aside, she looks pretty darn fantastic in this gorgeous little dress.

BROOKLYN DECKER in New York City // gown by Calvin Klein

It’s a little too minimalist for me – she really could just be wearing a very well-fitted bedsheet – but she knows how to style it for maximum California girl chicness. The messy waves, the gold choker, and most importantly, the Wonder Woman cuffs – they’re beach babe beautiful, and that’s an aesthetic that works well for Brooklyn. It’s possible that I like it because of Cher Horowitz’s mini-skirted version of this in Clueless (also by Calvin Klein, of course), because I can hear Cher’s dad yelling “It looks like underwear!” in my head and it’s making me giggle.

NATALIE PORTMAN in Hackensack, NJ // dress by Giambattista Valli, shoes by Christian Dior

The ruffled dress is actually adorable on her, and the pointy pumps keep it from seeming too child-like and precious. The hair and makeup are just lovely and the low-key styling is clearly event-appropriate. Natalie, come back to the red carpet! We miss your darling little face.

EVA LONGORIA in New York City // dress by Victoria Beckham, shoes by Brian Atwood

Eva Longoria loves her some Posh Spice dresses! She wears Victoria Beckham constantly, and honestly? It’s improved her wardrobe quite a bit. I mean, she always looks the same, but she also looks pretty consistently chic. Though her makeup is borderline ridiculous, the dress works well on her and the red cuff bracelet is fierce. Let’s get a close-up of those shoes, though:

They’re sort of hideous and fantastic at the same time. The fringe is downright absurd, but I love a two-toned shoe, even if it’s got a masquerade ball mask stuck to the back of it.

SOFIA VERGARA in New York City // dress by Victoria Beckham, shoes by Casadei

Sofia Vergara jumped on the Victoria Beckham train, and I’m thankful, because Posh’s designs are infinitely less tacky than anything I’ve ever seen Sofia wear. Of course, she manages to partially ruin a perfectly nice dress with off-white platform pumps (why?) and, as always, way too much jewelry. We saw the same dress on Jennifer Morrison in March – Sofia clearly should have taken a few tips in more subtle styling from Ms. Morrison.

MALIN AKERMAN in New York City // gown by J. Mendel, purse by Nancy Gonzalez, shoes by Chrissie Morris

Jesus, what’s with the hair? Has Malin been wig shopping with Lindsay Lohan? And yes, Malin, we get it, the Angelina leg-pop is huge right now, but on you it’s just exhausting. The dress isn’t bad, and neither are the accessories, but she doesn’t carry this look particularly well.

AMBER HEARD in New York City // dress by Zac Posen

I find nothing more disrespectful than when starlets hit events in a beautiful, expensive dress and killer heels – with bedhead and no discernible makeup. Amber, darling, your new bestie Zac Posen is not going to keep throwing tens of thousands of dollars worth of free dresses at you if you put no effort into your styling. You got this for free so you could get photographed looking good in it, not so you could roll out of bed directly into your limo and throw the dress on in the car on the way to the party.

LUCY LIU in New York City // blouse by Etro, skirt by Dolce & Gabbana, purse by Honor, shoes by Casadei

I love a voluminous shoulder, but it has to be done correctly, and this is NOT. The puffiness of the sleeves would be great if it weren’t so tightly tapered at her elbow – she looks like she’s wearing swimmies, for God’s sake. And it’s a shame, because the necklace is stunning, the purse is absolutely killer, and the rest of the outfit is chic and simple. But you don’t want to hit the red carpet looking like someone had to pump up your dress with an oxygen tank.

JADA PINKETT SMITH in Tokyo // gown by Alberta Ferretti

Ill-fitting illusion netting is by far the worst kind of illusion netting. Jada, any gown with cut-outs and illusion netting needs to fit precisely or you end up looking like your skin is falling off your body. You’re far, far too petite for this gown, which looks cheap and tacky to begin with. I do love your boxy little purse, though!

LADY GAGA in Hong Kong // dress by Moschino

And we’re back to the black stockings/black shoes combo looking ridiculous on a grown woman. But perhaps the Johnny-Depp-as-Willy-Wonka glasses and the Donatella Versace wig are adding to the problem.

JANUARY JONES in New York City // dress by Mary Katrantzou, shoes by Sergio Rossi

Oh, January. This is not a dress for you. Certainly not with that awful hair and those basic pumps. Your classically beautiful features are not best served by these crazy hipster girl mixed-print peplum-skirted monstrosities.

DITA VON TEESE in Berlin // gown by Jean Paul Gaultier

I nearly always love the unique, old Hollywood, dramatic flair that Dita von Teese brings to everything, but this is a nightmare. Chocolate brown is SO not her color, and why she would pair it with black gloves is beyond me. She always wears a lot of makeup, to doll herself up in vintage styles, but this makeup makes her look more terrifying than vintage. And the belly-dancing skirt? I know she’s a burlesque star, but it looks ridiculous.

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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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