SOME nights, you just can't win. This year, no matter how much effort a woman going to the Emmy Awards put into choosing a gorgeous gown, borrowing dazzling jewelry, having her coif styled and her telegenic face made up, competing with the "Desperate Housewives" was bound to be a lost cause.
Viewers who missed the red carpet pre-shows didn't have long to wait to see the quintet of faux suburbanites, since they pranced out en masse to present the first award. If you believe the modesty rap that actresses typically lay on interviewers, each housewife only wanted to look nice and avoid lipstick on her teeth. But just in case Vanity Fair is right and rivalry really does exist on Wisteria Lane, we'll rank the hausfraus on their big night out.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday September 20, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 33 words Type of Material: Correction
Emmy fashions -- A description of Emmy presenter Portia de Rossi's dress in Monday's Calendar section credited Ungaro with the design. The orange chiffon dress was designed by Lars Nilsson for Nina Ricci.
The winner (in her lead actress category as well) is Felicity Huffman, in a sleek strawberry bias-cut silk satin gown by Kevan Hall with Swarovski crystals adorning the waist and wide straps. Huffman manages to look comfortable and effortlessly sexy when she dresses up. Her grandmother obviously told her the same thing yours did: Wear a dress, don't let it wear you. The runner-up is Teri Hatcher, elegant in a deep purple strapless by J. Mendel with jewels circling an empire waist. Marcia Cross wore an overwrought deep emerald taffeta gown by Elie Saab. It fit beautifully (not always the case when designer duds are borrowed), but her flowing hair counterbalanced the dress' fussiness. Nicollette Sheridan's icy pink strapless satin Armani was washed out by the television lights, but her simple ponytail and understated jewelry -- diamond earrings smaller than grapes -- contrasted nicely with the slutwear her character favors.
It wasn't Eva Longoria's best showing. She's the youngest and arguably most beautiful in the cast, and undoubtedly has years of awards shows ahead of her. Her coral crepe column by Angel Sanchez didn't look bad -- Longoria could make baggy overalls look fetching. But with its deep, deeper, deepest slit baring the chest and its neckline laden with blobs of gold and turquoise, the dress looked a little \o7mall\f7.
Magnolia pins made by Los Angeles jewelry designer Michelle Roy were worn by men and women to show support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The white blossoms looked suspiciously like the classic Chanel camellia. Whatever. Better to show support for the displaced with a flower associated with a major fashion brand than not at all. Portia de Rossi pinned hers at the waist of her weightless orange chiffon gown by Ungaro. Orange was a popular color, also worn well by Lauren Graham and Mariska Hargitay.
