10 Best Leopard Shoes

Best Leopard Shoes in 2023

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Oscar Fashions Hits and Misses

From Helen Mirren's classy elegance, to Kelly Preston's awful walk through the jungle in leopard print, our panel of three reviews the hits and the misses of this year's Red Carpet Fashions. It is sure to have you talking for days!

OSCAR FASHIONS HITS AND MISSES

I was trying to find a new way to look at the Red Carpet fashions this year, so I recruited two unbiased people: my 45-year-old husband and my 12-year-old son. There is absolutely nothing more eye-opening than seeing today's fashions through the eyes of two different generations. So pen and paper in hand, we sat down and watched E!'s Red Carpet arrivals.

Let's start with what they liked. While they liked one part of the outfit, they hated other parts, like the hairstyles. Everyone was rated on a scale of zero to ten.

TOP TEN HITS:

Jodie Foster - Over the years, Jodie's maturity has come through in her taste in clothes. She has always looked very stylish in Armani, but this year she chose a periwinkle blue Vera Wang gown. We all thought she was absolutely breathtaking. She rated a 10.

Kate Winslet - In 1996, Kate wore a pink Vivienne Westwood gown, complete with a pink shawl and diamonds dripping everywhere. In 2002, she wore a crimson Ben de Lisi gown with a silk-rose-garland shoulder strap with small diamond earrings. This year, she did not disappoint in a sea-foam Valentino gown with a detached shoulder strap, with a small set of earrings and her wedding rings as her only jewelry. She, too, rated a 10 from the guys.

Cate Blanchett - anything this lovely lady wears absolutely shines. In 1999, Cate wore a beautiful purple knit gown by John Galliano that had a sheer back panel, with embroidered flowers and hummingbirds. This year, the statuesque beauty went for a silver crystal-mesh Giorgio Armani Prive dress topped with a tulle beaded floral overlay. She too, got a 10.

Reese Witherspoon - Last year's best actress winner for "Walk the Line" has always shown elegant taste in gowns: in 2002, she wore a beautiful beaded Valentino gown. Last year, she wore a vintage jewel-encrusted Christian Dior Gown. This year, she was simply elegant in a purple-layered chiffon gown from Nina Ricci by Olivier Theyskens. While my son was not too crazy about the layered ruffles, I thought she looked beautiful and gave her a 10.

Penelope Cruz - I have never seen this Spanish beauty look bad in anything she wears, and she did not disappoint this year. The first time Oscar nominee wore a blush-colored Versace gown with a feather train. My husband did not voice much of an opinion on the dress, but my son said "barf city" when he saw the feathers. She rated an 8 out of 10.

Jessica Biel - Jessica has certainly grown up since her turn as tomboy Mary Camden on WB's "7th Heaven". She has become one of the next generation's fashionistas. She wore a pink Oscar de la Renta gown with vintage earrings, a black handbag and a black belt around her waist. While I thought the color look beautiful on her, I had a problem with the belt. I thought it took away from the gown itself, something totally unnecessary. I gave her an 8.

Jennifer Lopez - Has there been any time when this beautiful lady has looked bad (besides that awful gown she wore to the Grammys in 2000)? She showed up at the Oscars in 1999 wearing a beaded Badgley Mischka with a fitted bodice and full skirt, reminding people of old-fashioned glamour. In 2001, she wore Chanel: a steel-gray see-through top with a silver satin skirt, and long, dangling diamond earrings to complement her diamond bracelet. This year, she had the three of us gasping in wonder at her empire-waist Marchesa gown that had strands of jewels wrapped all around her upper body. Of course, husband Marc Anthony looked dapper standing next to her in a Christian Dior tux. 10 for Ms. Lopez.

Helen Mirren - This year's best actress winner for "The Queen" was class personified, according to a friend (and I must agree with her) in a Christian LaCroix gown and Chopard jewels. She is a definite 10!

Queen Latifah - In 2003, I thought one of the most beautiful women on the red carpet was Queen Latifah. Wearing Bradley Bayou for Halsten, she looked like royalty in a smoky blue gown. $2.9 million in jewels certainly didn't hurt. This year, she went for simple elegance in a black Carmen Marc Valvo, a diamond bracelet and dangling earrings. 9 out of 10.

Abigail Breslin - first time nominee for "Little Miss Sunshine", Abigail looked lovely in a Simin pink dress, Harry Winston jewels and a square, silver handbag. 9 out of 10.

TOP TEN MISSES:

Our list of top ten misses has some surprises for people. The biggest things that were disliked were dresses with feathers (Penelope was the exception), an unnecessary bolero, and women who just didn't know what to do with their hair! Our hair offenders included Rachel Weisz, Cameron Diaz, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert Downey, Jr. They must have all rode over in the same convertible, because their hair was sticking up all over the place!

Nicole Kidman - this isn't a list I would normally put this Australian beauty on. From her 1996 Prada pale purple gown with an empire waist, 1997's Asian inspired chartreuse gown by Dior, to 2003's Jean Paul Gaultier black silk jersey gown that made her look like a Greek goddess, Nicole always looks good in whatever she wears. I'm sure that not everyone will agree with my choice here, but the red Balenciaga gown she wore this year was breathtaking, until she turned and I saw the most God-awful, big butt shoulder bow. It drew the viewer's attention away from the rest of the dress and placed it squarely on her shoulders (no pun intended). 6 out of 10. Stay away from big bows, Nicole!

Jennifer Hudson - This year's best supporting actress winner stepped onto the red carpet in a lovely brown Oscar de la Renta with Fred Leighton jewels. The big fashion faux pas was that awful gold lame bolero. A bolero jacket should be worn by someone with a slimmer build. It was totally unflattering to her. The gown she had on after the show while talking to the press was lovely, but showed a bit too much cleavage, as did the red gown she wore while performing with Beyonce. 4 out of 10.

Meryl Streep - I almost fell out of my chaise lounge when I saw Meryl on the red carpet. Remember last year when all the fashion police trashed Sandra Oh for covering up her beautiful gown with all those bloody necklaces? That was only part of Meryl's crimes tonight. She looked absolutely stunning in that lovely purple gown last year, but this year, she made everyone forget about that with an outfit from Prada: a black shirt over a black skirt, a green sash around her waist, and orange beads wrapped around her neck, attached to a piece of metal that only God knows what it was. You'd think she would have learned something from her movie "The Devil Wears Prada", but obviously not. A big, fat zero from the panel.

Gwyneth Paltrow - She walked the red carpet on the arm of then-boyfriend Brad Pitt, wearing Calvin Klein. When she won the Oscar for "Shakespeare in Love" in 1999, she wore a lovely pink Ralph Lauren gown and $160,000 worth of diamonds around her neck. This year, my husband referred to her as "Orange Sherbert Girl" wearing chandelier earrings. The orange, or apricot as described by others, Zac Posen gown seemed to overpower her pale features. And that red lipstick did not help at all. The only thing I liked was her hair. 1 out of 10.

Beyonce - Beyonce is a beautiful woman. She doesn't need flashy gowns to show off her beauty. No matter what she wears, she looks ravishing. My son took one look at her dress and said, "What the heck is that thing on her shoulder? It looks like a bunch of stones." She was wearing Giorgio Armani Prive, and depending on the light, looked either white or a light turquoise. The stones that she had draped over her shoulder to her waist drew our attention away from the rest of the dress. We really didn't even notice the rest of the dress because of that clunky mess she was wearing. If she had left off that unnecessary accessory, she would have made our top ten hits list. 4 out of 10.

Kelly Preston - I'm not sure where John Travolta flew in from, but it must have been near a jungle. While he looked very dapper in a tuxedo by Giorgio Armani, Kelly sent us screaming from the room in a Dolce amp; Gabbana leopard print dress. I'm sure there are tons of leopards out there hiding in shame. The only other thing my son had to say about it was "barf". A big, fat zero.

Sally Kirkland - Sally, Sally, Sally! *said as I shake my head sadly* She told Ryan Seacrest that the gown was still being altered two hours before she arrived. The seamstress should have sewn the bottom of the gown to the carpet of her bedroom. The black gown by itself was lovely, but the wild array of colors attached to her arms like a cape made her look a little too eccentric. Burn the dress, Sally!

Cameron Diaz - Alas, the red carpet has not always brought out the best in Ms. Diaz. 1997, she wore a Stella McCartney for Chloe two-piece gown that left the buttons of her blouse stretched to the limit. She showed better tastes in gown in 2003 in a black chiffon Prada gown, but chose to accessory with a clunky bracelet and opal necklace. She must have been too busy with the gown to worry about her hair because it was an absolute mess. This year wasn't her year, either, at least according to our three-judge panel. The Valentino off-the-shoulder gown reminded me of a tuxedo lapel. She added a touch of color with green teardrop earrings, but again, she didn't spend much time with her hair. She was either in a hurry or she rode to the Oscars in a convertible because it looked very unruly. 1 out of 10 (I liked the earrings).

Naomi Watts - Again with the black around the waist! Naomi wore a custom-made, empire waist, pale yellow silk gown with a chiffon bow by Escada. The pale yellow looked wonderful on her, but I hated the black bow around her waist and the sleeves that looked like straps that had slid off her shoulders. She is a beautiful woman who does not have to show her bare shoulders to get a photographer's attention. 4 out of 10.

Kirsten Dunst - Another dress with feathers, which prompted another "barf city" out of my son. Wearing a light blue tulle embroidered dress from Chanel, this gown was not that flattering to Kirsten. The see-through material at the bottom made me shudder, and the Peter Pan collar with the little bow seemed rather childish. Bangs covering her eyes did not improve the look. Cut the bangs and wear something a little darker next year, Kirsten. And dump the red lipstick!

We must give out an award for best-dressed family: The Smiths. Will and son Jaden looked dashing in David August tuxedoes, while Jada looked ravishing in gold Caroline Herrera gown. We loved Jaden's slip while giving out the Animated awards with Abigail Breslin, and we predict that he will have a future in comedies. A big 10 for this great-looking family.