Lizzy Caplan, Lena Dunham: Emmys highs and lows

LEANNE ITALIE
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The gowns came in all shapes at Monday’s Emmy Awards, dominated by reds, blues and whites.

And then there was “House of Cards” actress Robin Wright, dazzling in a cream Ralph Lauren jumpsuit with a plunging tuxedo jacket front and virtually no back at all.

“Of all the stars wearing head-to-toe white, Robin Wright stole the show,” said Eric Wilson, fashion news director for InStyle magazine. “It was the ultimate power look from the front with a sexy backless surprise.”

Wilson, a fan of on-trend crisp, monochromatic looks, called it “anything but boring,” proving once again that a clean approach can still pack a lot of drama.

A look at a few highs and lows from the red carpet:

LIZZY CAPLAN

Wilson wasn’t alone in loving the “Masters of Sex” star’s Donna Karan Atelier — backless, black, and with a long white train. Quite a difference, he said, from her days playing the shaggy haired, frumpily dressed Janis Ian in his favorite movie, “Mean Girls.”

The gown balanced a traditional full skirt with a skintight swimsuit-inspired bodice. Wilson called it the best example of a major trend on the red carpet: halter necklines. Others offering interesting takes on the halter were Julie Bowen wearing a blue-and-white patterned Peter Som, Laverne Cox looking like a goddess in white Marc Bouwer and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a fitted Carolina Herrera in raspberry red.

Joyann King, digital director for Harper’s Bazaar, was also a fan, granting Caplan the “award for best graphic glamour of the night.”

CHRISTINA HENDRICKS

Who can go wrong in Marchesa? Christina Hendricks, that’s who. The “Mad Men” star’s gown, a one-shoulder in red satin, had a gaudy gold floral design embroidered above the waist on one side, an abundance of draped fabric and a strange seam that tightened the full skirt above the knees. And there was a train somewhere in there.

JULIA ROBERTS

Roberts was a pop of something different on an otherwise mostly lackluster carpet. She made a statement in a dark blue Elie Saab Haute Couture with balls of beading, long sleeves and a flouncy, mid-thigh skirt. The neckline plunged, but the look was classic and fun.

“It’s nerve-wracking to wear long,” she told E! News. “There’s the tripping factor.”

The frock, with a peplum frill that showed off her narrow waist and curves, got a nod from King. Roberts was refreshing in navy and “boasting legs for days,” King said.

LENA DUNHAM

Lena is Lena. And she never fails to surprise on red carpets. This time around, she wore a bulky tulle skirt in ombre — pink-to-red. It was awkwardly high waisted and paired with a button-down, cap-sleeved blouse in a lighter shade of pink. And she had new hair: a platinum bob.

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Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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