celebrity sunday special edition: the oscars

unless you've been living beneath a rock, you know that tonight marked the 83rd annual academy awards. to be honest, I didn't care nearly as much who won as I did who wore what and the shoes to match!

what's too bad, though, is that the gowns (beautiful though they are) are usually so long and flowy that they cover the shoes. it's a shame, but even so, I've done my best to round up the kicks (the ones that I could see, anyway) that I thought made the evening. hope you enjoy!

imagie via fabsugar

1. of course, everyone is talking about how natalie portman "glowed" on the red carpet. maybe people feel compelled to say that, given that she's preggers? in any case, the "black swan" star and oscar winner showed up in a plum rodarte dress with matching tiffany earrings and jimmy choo sandals.

I liked the sandals, but I wish they weren't so matchy matchy with the rest of her getup. I mean, shoes are the perfect opportunity to introduce a pop of bright color, some contrast or simply a complementary hue. in this case, it would've been nice to see a self-effacing silver sandal.

incidentally, I'm surprised her dress wasn't more...daring. I mean, I know she's pregnant and all (and this is the typically traditional oscars), but rodarte is known for its visually interesting designs. the dress itself was a little...blah.

image via the guardian

2. they just keep getting younger and younger, do they not?! hailee steinfeld, 14 and nominated for best supporting actress for her role in "true grit," looked adorable in her nude-pink marchesa gown and ferragamo nude satin pumps. of course, I'm rather partial to this look because I adore tea-length dresses that show off the ankles and, ahem, the shoes! 

really, though, I think hailee looked very cute and managed to dress her age without appearing too young or immature. the headband was a nice touch, and satin peep-toe pumps?! I die.

image via the huffington post

3. you know, I'm rather surprised that "black swan" co-star mila kunis' shoes weren't sky-high! and I must add, it's kind of a refreshing thing, considering everywhere you turn at these events is another pair of 5-inch platform heels. 

sadly, I do not know who made the sandals that complement her lavender elie saab dress, but they're a gorgeous shade of lilac, aren't they? here's a case where what I said in natalie portman's little write-up (the part about treating the shoes as a chance to introduce a new color) wouldn't really work. I think the dress has a lot going on by itself (the neckline, the lace, the overlapping fabric), so keeping the shoes the same shade works rather well. 

image via just jared

4. though I didn't love her dior dress, oscar-nominated nicole kidman illustrates that whole "shoes as a pop of color" thing I keep mentioning tonight. after perusing the dress, your eyes immediately go to her tomato-red pierre hardy peep-toe sandals. her riviere necklace was also quite stunning. 

incidentally, I loved nicole's charlotte olympia vera pumps at the 2011 spirit awards, held saturday in santa monica. aren't they lovely? they have such a vintage feel, and again, nice to see a toned-down heel height.  

image via star and style

5. last but never least is halle berry. it's no secret that this woman always looks completely flawless. sometimes I wish we'd see her in dresses that were a tad less form-fitting, but hey, I guess she knows she's got it, so flaunt it, woman! 

so, here's the deal with halle: I really, really, really wanted to see which shoes she paired with this amazing marchesa gown, but I can't seem to find a pic anywhere on the world wide internets. do any of you know? I'd love for you to share. :-)

image via harper's bazaar