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Monday, March 24, 2003

By LaMont Jones, Post-Gazette Fashion Editor

The stars faced a fashion quandary at the Academy Awards last night.

Conventional wisdom dictated fairly low-key attire, because too much extravagance would appear unseemly in a time of war. But then again, it's the year's biggest show-biz affair and Oscar's 75th birthday, and most actresses had their favorite looks picked out before the United States attacked Iraq.

So glitz won.

In fact, some actresses even continued the tradition of wearing two outfits -- one for the red carpet photo-op entrance and the other for the formal presentation inside the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.

One-shoulder gowns, beaded lace, long or large earrings and ample cleavage were the most frequent looks for women.

Here are the evening's kisses and hisses, plus a new category: qualified thumbs-up.

Kisses

Salma Hayek: Beaded black lace top and an A-line ballskirt. (Kevork Djansezian, Associated Press)

Cloris Leachman: a lovely standout in a blue, Asian-style, long skirt and matching jacket with Asian motifs.

Mira Sorvino: elegant in perhaps the evening's numero uno little black dress.

Julia Roberts: a close second in a curve-hugging black halter gown with ruching.

Salma Hayek: understated glamour in a beaded black lace sleeveless top and a white A-line ballskirt.

Julie Andrews: queen of the single powerful piece, this time a dazzling black-and-white floral beaded jacket.

Halle Berry: pretty in a fitted, sparkly, gold, one-shoulder gown with a sheer overlay.

Diane Lane: great up do and shoulder-duster earrings topped off a tastefully sexy, feathered, pale gold gown.

Renee Zellweger: all red was the right choice, and she sizzled in a Corvette-red dress with a beaded top.

Hisses

Marcia Gay Harden: too much turquoise and proof that not every woman can do one-shoulder looks.

Nia Vardalos: her black frock looked as if she had stitched it up on a broken Singer an hour before the show.

Julianne Moore: in a snug, strapless jade gown, she looked as if she were trapped inside a giant green bean.

	Queen Latifah: Pale pastel with a heavy dose of sparkles. (Kim D. Johnson, Associated Press)

Qualified thumbs-up

Jennifer Lopez: a dream, from hair and makeup to chandelier earrings and a breezy pale green toga-style gown. If only she had taken the time to learn how to walk more smoothly.

Queen Latifah: Little Miss Muffet goes glam in a pale pastel with a heavy dose of sparkles. It may be impossible to downplay that much bust.

An honorable mention goes to Sean Connery, the most daring fellow at the affair. He was dressed like a Revolutionary War-era aristocrat in black, complete with a ruffly, lace-trimmed white shirt.