The first week of the Venice Film Festival was a cornucopia of fabulous, over-the-top fashion.

DAKOTA FANNING
gown by Elie Saab

Dakota Fanning made an impeccably fabulous return to the red carpet with a stunning navy blue Elie Saab couture. The straps and plunging neckline are mega-flattering on her, and the result is classic yet stunning.

DAKOTA FANNING
dress by Alexander McQueen, shoes by Rupert Sanderson

It’s a little strange – do the pockets extend beyond the width of the dress? – but in an endearing, adorable, ethereal sort of way, which is what the Fanning sisters always look like when they’re at their best. It’s appropriately youthful, and the brown pointy heels were a great touch.

NATALIA BORGES
skirt by Fausto Puglisi, necklace by Shorouk, shoes by Casadei for Puglisi

Fabulous model Natalia Borges brought some much-needed fun and funk to the Venice Film Festival, rocking this crazy mixed-print skirt with a chunky necklace and unstoppably fierce shoes. It should be too much, the combination of all those attention-grabbing statement pieces, but somehow it works. Maybe because there’s apparently a giant fucking bubble machine on the red carpet, which is possibly the most fantastic thing I’ve ever heard of.

NATALIA BORGES
gown by Fausto Puglisi, shoes by Christian Louboutin

If you’re going to announce to the world that you’ve opted to go commando for this particular red carpet event, at least do it in a more creative way. Maybe a neon sign that says “PANTIES ARE FOR LOSERS” or something. Anyway, the two-tone aspect of this gown is cool, though I’m not convinced the pastel yellow and lilac work so well together, at least not with those shoes. I love a studded Loub as much as the next diva, but there’s a time and place for them.

EVA RICCOBONO
gown by Armani Privé

Italian actress/model Eva Riccobono opted for not one, but two off-white looks from Armani Privé’s Fall 2013 couture collection. Since she’s one of the Venice Film Festival judges, she gets to diva out as much as she damn well pleases. This delicate lace flower of a dress was magnificently romantic and event-appropriate, especially with her laid-back beachy waves and natural-looking makeup.

EVA RICCOBONO
gown by Armani Privé

Definitely not as remarkable as the gown before – I don’t love the cake-like layers on the skirt, or her slightly deflated old Hollywood hair.

EVA RICCOBONO
dress and shoes by Christian Dior

Meh. Even if she goes to a hundred events of the course of the festival, this is still kind of a waste of a look, don’t you think?

SANDRA BULLOCK
gown by J. Mendel, purse and shoes by Roger Vivier

I probably would not have opted for black accessories at all; I certainly wouldn’t have recommended such chunky, attention-grabbing pieces, which only distract from the simple yet modern beauty of Sandra’s gown. Don’t get me wrong, she still looks utterly gorgeous in her red J. Mendel gown, but the purse and shoes are a little pedestrian for such a glam look.

SANDRA BULLOCK
dress by Alex Perry, shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti

A solid daytime film festival look, but maybe a statement piece of jewelry would have helped complete this a little bit more.

MICHELLE DOCKERY
dress by Miu Miu

So, Lady Mary has a bob, and it’s phenomenal. And since her red dress is more casual and fun than Sandra Bullock’s dramatic gown, the chunky black accessories work well here.

GEORGE CLOONEY
tuxedo by Giorgio Armani, watch by Omega

Delish.

SOPHIE KENNEDY CLARK
gown by Stella McCartney

Model/actress Sophie Kennedy Clark appears to be Scotland’s version of Kirsten Dunst: unkempt dirty blonde locks, a hipster-chic loose-fitting gown, and natural-looking makeup. You’ll never sell this diva on those silly putty shoes, but I actually kind of dig the minimalism of the pink Stella McCartney gown.

MIA WASIKOWSKA
dress by Proenza Schouler

First of all, that hair didn’t work on Alexa Chung, and it doesn’t work on you, Mia. Second, I would like this look about a thousand times more if it even remotely fit her. The sleeves are too loose, the skirt is too long and hits in a terrible place on her leg, and you just can’t wear shoes like that on the red carpet if you’re not going to get a pedicure first.

MIA WASIKOWSKA
gown by Nina Ricci

Again, the fit is off and the styling is basically nonexistent. Someone please do something with this poor girl’s hair.

CAREY MULLIGAN
dress by Miu Miu, sunglasses by Prada, shoes by Roger Vivier

I’m over her dorky-chic shtick, especially since Carey has worn near-identical versions of this dress and shoes to half the red carpet events of the last year. And those sunglasses just look stupid.

CLOTIDE COURAU
gown by Alberta Ferretti

I want to like this, but the placement of the belt doesn’t make any sense, and the skirt too short for a gown, but too long for a dress.

FREIDA PINTO
dress by Miu Miu

I could definitely get behind this dress in a street style context, or maybe styled differently, but something about this look just doesn’t do it for me.

SARAH GADON
dress by Mulberry, shoes by Roger Vivier

I happen to love the super-dark lipstick. But with a matching dress and shoes, it’s absolutely overkill, and depressing overkill at that. If you’re going to go over the top, do it with something fun and ridiculous, not mournful and sad.

GABRIELLE UNION
dress by Miu Miu

Awkward and ill-fitting.

MORAN ATIAS
dress by Dolce & Gabbana

Israeli actress Moran Atias is crazy fucking beautiful, but someone needs to tell her that her gloves went out of style approximately fifty years ago. I could love an evening glove if it’s really flawless and adds something to the look, but this Morticia Adams-goes-to-the-opera thing really isn’t working for her.

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© Democracy Diva, 2013.
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