There was not a swan nor a parasol among a sea of cautious fashion choices on this year's Oscar red carpet. But there was plenty of blue, bling and busts.
Sparkling jewels abounded, as did various shades of blueberry and marine blue on stars such as Jodie Foster, Maggie Gyllenhaal and "The Devil Wears Prada" co-star Emily Blunt. Even Melissa Etheridge donned a navy tuxedo.
And it wouldn't have been a red carpet without a few plunging necklines.
While many stars chose the classic strapless gown, there were also plenty of unusual necklines. Gyllenhaal, "Dreamgirls" star Beyonce and "Notes on Scandal" star Cate Blanchett chose asymmetrical necklines, while Rachel Weisz picked a Versace dress adorned with rhinestones along the bodice's edge.
Jennifer Lopez looked resplendent in an empire-waisted, silver Marchesa gown with sweeping rhinestone beading gracing her collarbone.
Helen Mirren, considered to have a lock on the Academy Award for best actress, glowed with confidence as she glided down the carpet. She looked slim and stunning in a shimmering champagne gown as she revealed to eTalk's Ben Mulroney who designed her dress.
"It's a Christian Lacroix that was made for me and fits me like a glove. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever had in my life," she gushed.
Canadian director Deepa Mehta, whose Hindi-language film "Water" is in the running for best foreign language film, turned heads in her fashion choice for the evening: an exquisite vintage red and gold sari.
"This sari belongs to my mother," Mehta told Mulroney. "She got it from her mother. So it's three generations old."
Joining Mehta were "Water" co-stars John Abraham, in a Nehru-collared coat, and Lisa Ray, who donned a gold satin gown with a plunging neckline.
"I hope my double-side tape isn't showing," Ray joked as she twirled for the camera.
The Oscars' legendary red carpet is considered the Super Bowl of style. The nominees begin fussing over their outfits the minute the nominations are announced, often hiring a team of stylists to find the perfect outfits to keep them off the worst-dressed lists.
Many have complained in recent years that professional stylists have taken all the fun out of the red carpet, with their sensible fashion decisions that tend more to the conservative than the original.
But Jennifer Hudson proved this year that even hiring a professional stylist doesn't guarantee a winner.
Vogue's Andre Leon Talley chose Hudson's chocolate-coloured Oscar de la Renta gown but chose to ruin it by pairing it with a large-collared, too-short gold lame jacket.
Meryl Streep was also a definite fashion don't. Many had been expecting the Oscar winner to offer an homage to her "The Devil Wears Prada" villain Miranda Priestley, by donning a Prada gown herself.
She didn't. Instead, she wore a rather dowdy black Prada coat capped off with a bohemian-style necklace.
Jessica Biel also struck a sour note with a too-bright fuchsia dress, severe black belt and not enough supportive undergarments.
Nicole Kidman's red gown with giant red bow at the neck could have had her confused with a Christmas present, but eTalk's Mulroney had a different take.
"You look like the Canadian flag," he declared.
"Oh. Well, that's okay with me," the statuesque Oscar winner replied, adding that the dress was designed by Balenciaga.
Penelope Cruz made a risky choice in a pale salmon Versace gown, that was flattering on top but exploded into feathers below.
eTalk's own resident blogger "Lainey" had one word to sum up Anne Hathaway's white gown with oversized glittery black bow at the bust.
"Wrong."
