Quick SAGs, Bests and Tilda Swinton

Dear Jamie,
I know you thought the SAGs were a sartorial improvement on the Globes.  I think I, however, feel equally ambivalent toward both.  Of course, it didn't help that the SAGs lacked this shining star:

Apparently, he's retiring.  Uggie, star of The Artist, as he appeared at the 2012 Golden Globes.

But at least there were three redheads:

Firecrackers, no?

They, for better or for worse, helped keep things interesting.  I say "for better" because they were all stunning from the neck up.  For worse because, again, I want more from Jessica Chastain.  The dress just didn't quite flatter, though the candy blue color was divine.  Emma ensemble-dressed, again, which I understand.  Begrudgingly.  She was not dressing for my attention; she was just showing up to support her larger film and have fun with people she likes.  Spiral candy cane earrings and 1950s Alexander McQueen prom is fun, after all. At least Jayma Mays--one redhead the Globes lacked--really took things up a notch with a train and padded shoulders and mounds of sequin.

And she was not entirely alone in the taking-things-up-a-notch department:

Emilia Clarke in Chanel; Jayma Mays in Reem Acra; Alec Baldwin in his best Jack Donaghy (and Ermenegildo Zegna)

Rose Byrne in Elie Saab Haute Couture; Judy Greer in Collette Dinnigan; Viola Davis in Marchesa

My favorites.  Obviously.  Because look at Rose Byrne in that jumpsuit!  She makes the SAGs better than the Globes.  She and Emilia Clark (from Game of Thrones, have you tried it?  I tried it, for hours and hours, but no) in Chanel.  Take Byrne and the Chanel out?  I'm not sure.  Viola was glowing and Judy Greer has never looked better, but the other two were tied as my favorite ladies. 

But I also think, and I almost hate myself for saying this, that the impact of these two looks were somewhat dulled by the expectations I had for the wearer.  What I mean is: Byrne is always about this interesting to me and I had no expectations for Emilia Clark.  I wasn't familiar with Emilia Clark.  So she's a beautiful girl in a beautiful dress.  Thankfully, she has a classic Botecelli beauty, so I don't feel like I'm looking at a Chanel runway model, but, still, there's very little context.  And I don't know that the dress is big enough, brilliant enough, to transcend my need for context.  Does that makes sense?  If Emma Stone wore it, I'd be floored.  I almost said "if Michelle Williams wore it, I'd be floored," but I'm not so sure I would.  It would be typical for her--she loves the monochrome--and she'd be missing Emilia's dark hair, which is in great contrast with the white bodice. 

But Michelle did surprise me:

One note.  A red note.

She wore red!  And died her shoes to match!  (Nooo!)  Despite the color, she did not move me.  Now I'm starting to wonder if she can move me.  She has:

  2006 Oscars, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams in Vera Wang

But maybe that's not what she's about anymore.  Maybe that;s good.  Maybe I need to move on from that Michelle in that dress.  (It was, in her present-day-self's defense, one of the best Oscar looks in the last fifteen years and, therefore, almost impossible to follow up, let alone improve upon.)

Digression: Another great Oscar lady in yellow:

I just like yellow.  Cate Blanchett at the 2005 Oscars in Valentino.  Photo from InStyle.

And we're back to the SAGs:

The 2010 SAGs!  Diane Kruger in Jason Wu.  Yellow + red lippy = Win

And we're back to the 2012 SAGs versus 2012 Globes sartorial smackdown.

There's also the fact that Tilda Swinton didn't quite bring it:

Tilda Swinton in Lanvin. Looking normal, not Swintonian, in something Angelina Jolie might wear.

Because she was not this:

Bowie coiffure, green eyes, pink lips, metal blazer.  Tilda Swinton at the 2012 Oscars in Haider Ackermann.

So we had Rose Byrne and The Chanel, but we lost Uggie and Tilda at her Bowie best.  We did gain a good redhead, but we lost Nicole Kidman.  Wash?  Oh, but Jessica Chastain wore color and their was a bejeweled couture jumpsuit.  So, sure, I'll give it to the SAGs.  You were right.  You are always right

Love,
J. Benny