Met Costume Institute Gala 2012 -- Best & Worst Dressed

I always look forward to the Costume Institute Gala at the Met because it's the one time of the year when celebrities feel they can really go out on a limb and take chances on their red carpet looks. So even if it turns out to be a trainwreck, at the very least, it's an entertaining scene. Well, in my case anyhow. What usually happens is that there are some fierce looking women (and men) who make me think twice about what I previously thought about their fashion sense and I start following for the rest of the year, and there are some who just make you sit back and wish you could rewind time. Unfortunately what has been seen cannot be unseen, and what has been worn on the red carpet will live for all time on the interwebs.

This year definitely did not disappoint in entertainment.

Best Dressed:


Rooney Mara in custom Givenchy: Of course she's wearing custom Givenchy. Of course she's killing it. Givenchy is such a no brainer for Rooney Mara. It's the perfect marriage of sexy and goth. My pick for best dressed of the night. I think it was the hair that did me over -- it's a sleek, chicest of chic chignon.
Carey Mulligan in Prada: Best dressed was a toss up between Rooney and Carey. Carey is always the picture of perfection. I literally had to look twice when I saw her in this dress. I just covet this look.


Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada: I will always, always, always be a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow on the red carpet. She knows exactly how to dress her body. This dress is a '90s minimalistic throwback in the style of Calvin Klein and it is fabulous in every sense of the word.
Scarlett Johannson in Dolce & Gabbana: I'm normally not a fan of tulle, mermaid styles, or an abundance of sparkly embellishment, but this somehow works on ScarJo. I think it's her body (read: her decolletage) that's mesmerizing me.


Christina Ricci in Zac Posen: First words they came out of my mouth when I saw this dress: OH MY GOD, YES. It was just icing on the cake that she walked down the carpet with Zac Posen. THIS is how you do daring on the Met red carpet.
Jessica Alba in Michael Kors: The simplicity of this dress and the styling is what makes this look so amazing. Plus, it doesn't hurt that it literally looks like Jessica Alba is dripping in gold.


Worst Dressed:


Kristen Stewart in Balenciaga: Let me put this out there first. I love Balenciaga. I love love love Nicholas Ghesquiere and all the work he's done at Bal, but this is just atrocious on Kristen. While I appreciate the fact that she's wearing Balenciaga, particularly since she's the new face of their fragrance, but this is just so wrong and I am so sad. So very, very sad. This is what I would imagine you would wear if you threw an '80s themed party where your entire getup had to be purchased from Goodwill or stolen from the back of your mom's closet.
Emma Stone in Lanvin: First thing I want to know: how did she sit down in this thing? Does it not feel like your sitting on a bed of crushed Christmas ornaments? These are the important questions I have for Emma Stone. I'd also like to know what compelled her to wear this to the Met. It's such a shame too, because I usually love what she wears on the red carpet.


Florence Welch in Alexander McQueen: I'm sure this is self explanatory.
Sarah Jessica Parker in Valentino: Oh my lord, SJP. WHY? I tried looking at this dress from several angles, and not one is forgiving. I'm sure all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder/Little House on the Prarie references have been exhausted at this point, so I'll just stop here.


Mary Kate Olsen in The Row: I wonder where MK stored her sickle for the night. The grim reaper is coming for you all in the form of an Olsen twin.
Jessica Chastain in Louis Vuitton: Jessica Chastain is a fiery ginger with a crazy body, but from my vantage point in this photo, she's just a red head. I wish this dress wasn't so wrinkly. I wish this dress wasn't so close in color to a pair of awful denim jeans. I wish the cut wasn't so unflattering. I wish the beautiful Jessica Chastain had not worn this dress. I wish, I wish.