Baftas 2010: Liz Jones on the night we gave Oscar a lesson in red-carpet fashion

IT was wet. It was freezing. But my goodness, the dresses on the rather moist red carpet have given the Oscars a lot to live up to. First, though, the inevitable nit picking. There was a lot of gloomy, funereal, ageing and drearily safe black, which was a shame when we all needed cheering up.
Kristin Scott Thomas looked severely beautiful in a black, beaded gown by Louis Vuitton, while Olivia Williams's black jersey Catherine Walker was a tad too clingy.

Long and dark: Actresses Kate Winslet in a Stella McCartney gown and Tiffany diamonds, Meredith Ostrom and Joely Richardson in Catherine Walker

Trudie Styler's tight black bodycon bandage dress only made her look pale and tired, while Erin O'Connor's black lace Louis Vuitton was ageing.

 

More...

• Baftas 2010: Prince William, the new leading man... and his ladies
• Baftas 2010: British stars Carey Mulligan and Colin Firth triumph in best acting double
• The inside scoop: Read Baz's blog from the Baftas

We were crying out on such a grey and stormy night for an injection of colour, when at last along came Audrey Tautou, breathtakingly pretty in sugary pink Lanvin.

Black and white: Actresses Vera Farmiga in Marchesa, Kristen Scott Thomas in Louis Vuitton and Olivia Williams in Catherine Walker

WICKED WHISPERS

St Trinian's actress Tamsin Egerton's zip broke moments before the red carpet, forcing her to switch outfits

There were the common big occasion mistakes: Red gowns on the red carpet (Anne Marie Duff, showing off her bump in scarlet Alberta Ferretti), too many women who resembled over decorated Christmas trees (stand up Mrs Jonathan Ross, Jane Goldman, in leaf green satin with clashing red hair), too much make-up (Kimberley Walsh, you are not a drag queen).
There were far too many awful warm day coats over gowns and a great deal too many young stars, such as Twilight's Kristen Stewart, in nude beaded Chanel, and Vera Farmiga, in far too weddingy Marchesa, who were lambs dressed as mutton: Hopelessly old before their time.

And baby came too: Pregnant director Sam Taylor-Wood, with fiancé Aaron Johnson, wore Alexander McQueen, while expectant actress Anne-Marie Duff wore Alberta Ferretti

Only one young star, Saoirse Ronan, luminous as Susie Salmon in The Lovely Bones, got it right: Deliciously fresh and simple in strapless Burberry Prorsum.

Too many women, too, chose difficult, clumpy shoes, which meant the procession along the red carpet was cumbersome, with many clinging to the crash barriers.

All white: Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright, Twilight leading lady Kirsten Stewart in Chanel and Lovely Bones actress Saoirse Ronan, in Burberry

WICKED WHISPERS

  Many stars admitted to wearing fur in the freezing conditions, including Kristin Scott Thomas in a mink shrug

But on the whole it was a fabulous night for British fashion  -  even though the timing of the ceremony, in the middle of London Fashion Week, meant so many movers and shakers were forced to miss shows by Vivienne Westwood, Aquascutum and Julien Macdonald.
Quite a few actresses, including Jaime Winstone, had chosen gowns by the late Alexander McQueen, while Bafta nominated director Sam Taylor Wood (with handsome toy boy in tow) chose one of his simple black lace gowns because: 'There really was no designer to match him.'
She added: 'I managed to get into this, which was great....I just wish it wasn't so cold.'

Pretty and pale: Actresses Claire Danes in Burberry and Tiffany diamonds, Jaime Winstone in Alexander McQueen and Jodie Whittaker

Kate Winslet patriotically chose Stella McCartney instead of her usual Yves Saint Laurent, Joely Richardson was statuesque in a navy satin column by Catherine Walker, while that black bodycon worn by Trudie Styler was by none other than Victoria Beckham.
Romola Garai wore a strapless floral hour glass cocktail by London designer Erdem (Sarah Brown's favourite, and showing at Fashion Week on Monday).

Bright: Audrey Tautou in Lanvin, Anna Kendrick in Pucci and Romola Garai in Erdem

WICKED WHISPERS

The Bafta guests drank 1,500 bottles of Tattinger champagne, 1,750 of wine and 3,100 of beer

Cilla Black, yet another star to choose black, made me laugh when she said, 'What label am I wearing? I have no idea. I just put on something warm!'
But the last word goes to Tom Ford, newly bearded designer turned film director. How does the world of film compare with the world of fashion? 'Um, it's brainier.'
And the biggest entourage and scream of the night? It belonged to Prince William. And we didn't even care what label he was wearing.

Different looks: Trudie Styler in Victoria Beckham, Carey Mulligan in Vionnet and Jane Goldman in leaf green satin

Mistakes: Kimberley Walsh in a too fussy outfit, Rebecca Hall in black and Lynn Collins blends into the red carpet