Best dresses of the Costume Institute Gala 2010

Instead of getting on with my own design work, I've been too busy looking at who wore what on Monday's Costume Institute Gala in New York.  In fact that was the first thing I did when I opened my eyes and read about it from the comforts of my bed. So here they are, my picks of the best dresses on the most fashionable red carpet of the year....

 This Marchesa dress worn by Blake Lively a.k.a Serena Van Der Woodsen is the only cocktail dress that I liked and the colour is so flattering.  Paired up with Christian Louboutin heels, of course.

Eva Mendes in a mermaid Dolce and Gabanna dress.  The huge rose print is so sexy and I think that this mermaid-like shape can often go very very wrong (bridesmaids at weddings etc) but this one is just to die for.  It reminds me of traditional Russian chochloma pattern (refer to my post about Denis Simachev).

Eva Longoria Parker in Marchesa.  This photo doesn't capture the beauty of this dress because you can't really see the enormous trail and all the detailing.  Google it and you will see why I loved it.  Expect a post about Marchesa in the near future because 99% of its designs are to die for.

The whole look is just WOW.  The hair, the make-up, the dress by Zuhair Murad is stunning.

SJP being a walking advertisement in Halston Heritage who shares my love of wearing flowers in her hair.  This dress is almost the same colour as the Chanel one that she wore to the Oscars.

In Russia, we have an expression "A cobbler never has a pair of boots" which is totally applicable to this photo.  The beautiful dress on the left is Vera Wang worn by Mila Kunis.  The lady on the right in a boring, hanging, washed out dress is...Vera Wang.  Maybe she just didn't want to outshine her clients.  Or you know how you always have the best advice and theories in life for other people but never for yourself? It might be that...

I was trying to find out what the men wore as well but there's hardly anything about that.  What a shame, I love a man in a good suit.  I have this perfect picture in my mind about what it should look like and no one seems to be wearing one!  Karl Laggerfield always looks dressed the part (unlike Ralph Lauren who came in jeans) and this is purely dedicated to my friend who has a major crush on him.

Coco Rocha in Zac Posen.  Beautiful dress but isn't it VERY similar to the Elie Saab one that some one wore to the Oscars? Hmmm..

Keeping true to the tradition, I present you with the worst dress of the evening worn by Helen Lee Schifter who looks like a giant macaroon from L'aduree. 
Back to work.

Miaw.