Amy Adams for W

34-year-old, Oscar nominated actress, Amy Adams graces the cover of the May issue of W.  Here’s some tidbits from the interview:

• On her Doubt Oscar nomination: “I just was so reflective the whole evening on how I came to be sitting in that room. At one point my fiancé was like, ‘You feel distant.’ And I said, ‘I am! I can’t even talk to you!’ I was there at the Oscars thinking, ‘What if I never left the Gap?'”
• On landing a job at the GAP when she was 18: “[It was] a huge deal, because with the 40-percent-off discount I could finally buy things that weren’t on sale!” 
• On trying to be cool in high school: “I’d hated school.  The people were indifferent toward me, and that’s the worst thing in my mind.  We were defined by the clothes we bought at the mall.  If I didn’t get things on clearance, I wasn’t getting them.  I would make fake Guess jeans by buying a cheaper brand with a triangle label and then cutting it off so you could still see the triangle outline. It’s so sad that I did that! But I really wanted to be one of those girls.” 
• On planning her wedding for almost a year: “I have a reputation as a poor planner, so expectations are pretty low. When I have people to my house for dinner and tell them it’s casual, they think that means don’t wear high heels, but I mean, ‘You’ll be getting your own forks out of the drawer.’”
• On looking young:  “I ordered a glass of champagne on the plane today, and the flight attendant asked, ‘Are you old enough to drink?'” I was like, ‘I’m old enough to worry about being infertile, so yes!’’“

The issue goes on stands April 21.

Best & Worst Dressed at the 81st Annual Academy Awards

The Good

• Angelina Jolie looked flawless in a black strapless Elie Saab Couture.  It’s definitely the best she has looked all award season.  Finally no more loose drop waist dresses.  The emerald green jewelry were the prefect touch of color.  It was mesmerizing.  
• All award season long, Taraji P. Henson has hit it out of the park and it was no exception on Oscar night.  She looked absolutely stunning in a strapless, buttercream Roberto Cavalli gown.  I love the pleated tiered organza that cascades throughout the the dress.  There’s also a slight train to the dress that is absolutely lovely.  The Fred Leighton statement necklace was the perfect way to accessorize the dress.  I like how she kept her hair and makeup simple.  The look was very fresh and young.  Taraji added a punch of color with a burgundy Mary Norton clutch.
• Anne Hathaway brought some Old Hollywood glamour to the red carpet on Sunday night with a sparkling Armani Prive strapless gown.  The gown was covered in Swarovski crystals and clear paillettes.  I do have one problem with the gown though, the bodice doesn’t quite fit.  Another thing was, her hair was too flat.  But otherwise, she looked great.
• Finally, Marisa Tomei got it right this time.  No more pirate look.  This time around, she went a dove-gray organza origami Versace Atelier gown.  She was on trend with the origami – it’s all the rage in the fashion industry right now.  
• While the other actresses opted for neutral colored dresses, Natalie Portman went for bright pink – one of the few pinks on the red carpet that night.  The orchid Rodarte gown has an asymmetrical ruched bodice with Swarovski crystal detailing.  She looked sweet and dreamy. 
• As for the men, Brad Pitt and Hugh Jackman looked hot.  Brad in a classic Tom Ford tux with Tom Ford’s signature oversized bow tie.  Hugh Jackman was in a custom three-piece tux with a Burberry dress shirt.

The Bad

• Beyonce Knowles let her mother dressed her for the Oscars – literally, since the dress is from the House of Dereon.  The dress was a disaster.  The print was hideous – it looked like it belonged on a slipcover of a couch that I would never go near.  She has done this silhouette time and again, I wish she would mix it up.  I do have one good thing to say about the dress though, it fits her well.  
• Here Miley goes again, dressing as if she’s in her 30s, rather than in her teens.  Seriously, when is Miley Cyrus gonna dress her own age?  Don’t get me wrong, the Zuhair Murad gown is beautiful – the beading is spectacular.  However, the dress is too much for the girl, it overpowers her.  
• Jessica Beil was a mess from head to toe.  Her silk Prada gown was towel-esque.  The length of her dress is all wrong.  Her shoes, were a disaster.
• Amy Adams’s Carolina Herrera red dress with black piping on the bodice was pretty – it looks better in person, than in photographs.  However, she did herself a disservice pairing the dress with the Fred Leighton statement necklace.  The necklace, adorned with emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds fought with the red dress instead of complementing it.  The necklace overpowers the dress because of the color.  It’s an example of how accessory overload can kill a look.
• We’ve seen this Dolce & Gabbana many many times before.  Melissa George’s dress is a little much.
• Whoopi Goldberg’s leopard print dress was just a hot mess.

The Blah

• Kate Winslet’s two tone Yves Saint Laurent Atelier dress was disappointing.  I didn’t like the lace panel overlay.  She changed it up this time around, which is a good thing, however, the look didn’t work.  Even her daughter didn’t like the dress.
• A lot of actresses wore neutral cream colored dresses, so Jennifer Aniston didn’t particularly stand out.  She looked lovely, but I didn’t really like the beading of the Valentino Haute Couture dress, it looked a little too pageantry for me.
• Freida Pinto looked great in the blue asymmetrical John Galliano gown.  The blue looks great on her.  Although, the beading is a nod towards her Indian heritage, I think it’s a little too literal and a little too Bollywood.  I’m also not a fan of that one piece that goes across the décolletage.  
• I love, love, love the Elie Saab gown that Evan Rachel Wood wore.  There’s only one problem, the color is wrong for her.  She’s too pale for the dress, she disappears – which is not a good thing.  The dress would have looked fabulous on someone with a darker skin tone.  Her hair was also a little too bridesmaid-y.  However, I do like the fact that she paired her classic dress with dark nails.
• Penelope Cruz deviated from the black velvet halter that she’s been favoring of late and went with a 60 year old vintage Pierre Balmain.  Now, while I like the sweetheart neckline and the scallop lace at the bottom hem, I thought the whole look was a little too wedding-y for the Oscars.  She looked like she belonged on the top a wedding cake.

How-To: Amy Adam’s Hair at the 81st Annual Academy Awards

I really like the hairstyle that Mark Townsend created for Amy Adams on Oscar night.

 

1. Spray hair with Matrix Biolage Bodifying Spray Gel and blow dry with a large Spornette Mixed Bristle Round Brush
2. Once hair is dry, rake Matrix Biolage Molding Souffle through hair to create a soft, piecey texture
3. Gather hair at the nape of the neck.
4. Loop hair into a sideways figure eight stretching the length of the hairline, letting the ends of the hair fall over the chignon.
5. Secure with several bobby pins.
6. Finish with Matrix Vavoom Shape Maker Shaping Spray.

Makeup Breakdown: Amy Adams at the 81st Annual Academy Awards

Makeup artist, Molly Stern created Amy Adam’s glowing look on Oscar night.  The inspiration behind the look is a cross between Talouse Latrec’s dancing girls and the watercolor style of a Gustav Klimt painting.

FACE

• prep skin with Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist
• apply La Mer The Moisturizing Lotion for a light facial massage
• Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch Foundation in #2
• Chantecaille AquaBlush Oil-Free Gel in Frivolous for a base blush
• Chantecaille Lasting Eeye Shadow in Sesame on top of the blush

EYES

• use NARS Cream Eye Shadow in Maracaibo as a base
• blend Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow Pearl in Gray (960) and Purple (700) on the lid up to the crease
• NARS Single Eye Shadow in Ondine applied on the inside corner of the lids
• line eyes with Trish McEvoy Eye Definer Powdered Eyeliner in Arabian Nights

LIPS

• La Mer The Lip Balm
• CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain Lip Color in Bit of Blossom
• Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in Wine (265)
• dab CoverGirl Westlicks Amazemint Lipgloss in Plum Crazy onto the center of the lip

Best & Worst Dressed at 2009 SAG Awards

BEST DRESSED

• Amy Adams – I love the deep plum color of the Giambattista Valli gown.  I liked the corseted bodice and the gathered detailing on the front.  I just love the dress!  I liked that Amy left her neck bare and just went with H. Stern earrings instead.  
• Anne Hathaway – Anne is one of my favorite celebrity to watch on the red carpet, she always wears something different at every award show.  This time around, she went for a feminine, goddess look with a figure-hugging white Azzaro gown.  She looks stunning.  Love the hair.  The whole look is soft, feminine, simple, and chic.  
• Evan Rachel Wood – The teal Monique Lhuillier off-the-shoulder gown was quite breathtaking.  She looked stunning.  Love the look – well, except for the hair color.  The dress, though, is stunning.  It’s simple and timeless.  The whole look is very feminine and romantic.  The purple Sergio Rossi shoes and clutch added a pop of color.
• Taraji Henson – There were lots of white gowns on the red carpet on Sunday night, and this stunning Herve Leroux gown ties with the Azzaro gown that Anne Hathaway wore for my favorite of white gown of the night.  The figure-enhancing halter gown was made of silk jersey.  The dress fitted her amazingly.  She looked spectacular.  

WORST DRESSED

• Emily Blunt – Well, supposedly the Pamella Roland dress looks better in person than in photograph.  It’s a good thing, because the dress is not flattering at all in picture.  It looks cheap.  The liquid metallic color, though, is totally on trend.
• Marisa Tomei – Well, this is a step up from her pirate look at the Golden Globes, but it’s still not working.  The canary yellow Elie Saab gown totally washes her out.  The color and skintone just doesn’t go together.  The floral detailing that cascaded down her back from her shoulder was also a little bit too much.
• America Ferrera – America should fire her stylist.  And if she doesn’t have one, maybe it’s time for her to hire one.  The color of the silk chiffon with tulle sash Vera Wang did nothing for her skin tone.  It completely washed her out.  The draping at the hips were unflattering.  Makeup was too hard and hair was not good.
• Marcia Cross – The good thing about the Carolina Herrera dress?  It fitted Marcia perfectly.  The bad thing?  Um, about everything else.  There’s too much going on.  There’s too much fabric.  And it’s way too dark for her.  It’s totally overpowering her.  The dress is wearing her and not the other way around as it should be.
• Nicolette Sheridan – The Roberto Cavalli dress just wasn’t right for the Desperate Housewife actress.  It’s too young for her.  It wasn’t fresh.  And most of all, it was too much dress for her, it overpowered her.
• Rosario Dawson – The pewter Dolce & Gabbana mermaid gown is completely unflattering.  The cut is weird – it totally cuts her body in half.  Her foundation was also off, it was too light for her.
• Oliva Wilde – The House actress totally killed it at the Golden Globes, so it was disappointing to see her in the white, halter Ralph Lauren gown.  I don’t mind that it too plain or simple, but it didn’t fit.  The shade of white also wasn’t flattering.
• Freida Pinto – The Slumdog Millionaire star stepped it up from her Golden Globes gown, but there’s still problems with the dress.  However, if she keeps improving like this, she’ll likely wow us at the Oscars.  This blue Marchesa gown, however, is unflattering for the Indian actress.  The dress adds unneeded bulk to the frail actress – she looks frumpy.
• Eva Longoria Parker – The color of the coral Jenny Packham dress wasn’t working for Eva on Sunday.  The dress also had too much fabric.  But the most offending aspect of her look was her hair.  Her hair added years to her – it was just too old.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• Christina Applegate – I go back and forth with this look.  Now I love the color.  It’s vibrant and it totally pops.  But I’m not sure about the asymmetrical cut of the Emanuel Ungaro dress.  One thing for sure, though, it’s a step up from her Golden Globe look.  She should have done without the necklace though, it’s distracting.
• Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie – Brad looked dapper and dashing in the Tom Ford suit.  I like the no tie look, it was very casual and effortless.  The look was very smart.  Angelina, on the other hand, proves that she looks good in anything, even a potato sack – not saying that the Max Azria dress is a potato sack or anything, but it’s not the most figure flattering dress out there.  She’s loving the draped, dropped waist look at the moment, since she wore the same silhouette at the Globes.  Hopefully, she’ll go for something different at the Oscars.  Nevertheless, she still looks fab.  On an interesting note, she’s wearing the dress backwards, since on the runway it was presented as a plunging neck dress – but I do that sometimes too.
• Kate Winslet – A lot of people are raving about Kate’s electric blue Narciso Rodriguez dress, but it’s not my favorite.  For me, there’s something a little off with the whole look.  She looks good, but she has looked better.  I do like the color though.
• January Jones – The Mad Men actress wore an ornate halter Andrew GN gown.  The gown was architectural and fashion forward yet very simple.
• Claire Danes – Red was a major trend of the night, but my favorite red gown was that of Claire Danes’s.  The asymmetrical Nina Ricci gown was darling.  And her hair was effortless.