Oscars drown in rays of blue

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="1" width="46.2%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1035503.cms" alt="/photo/1035503.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Hilary Swank in her high-cut, dark blue, long sleeve backless gown </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">(AFP Photo)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br /><br />Blue seemed to be the predominant colour at the most fashionably extravagant event of the year – the 77<span style="" vertical-align:="" super="">th</span> Annual Academy Awards.<br /> <br />Strapless, backless or deep-V necklines, blue went well with all shades of skin on display at the event.<br /><br />Best Actress winner Hilary Swank looked anything but a baby in her daring high-cut, dark blue, long sleeve backless gown by Guy Laroche.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="1" width="35.6%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1035481.cms" alt="/photo/1035481.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Kate Winslet’s blue gown was an expensive affair </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">(AFP Photo)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />The evening’s best dressed category had Kate Winslet as the top favourite in a slinky periwinkle dress by Badgley Mischka with a $100,000 custom made Cleopatra Clutch.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script> </div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="1" width="29.8%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1035514.cms" alt="/photo/1035514.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Charlize Theron glittered in her alpine blue crepe dress</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Charlize Theron stuck to the strapless theme of the night in an alpine blue crepe dress, while veteran diva Barbara Striesand bared a little in an ashen blue strapless gown. <br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section4"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="1" width="20.8%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1035521.cms" alt="/photo/1035521.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Virginia Madsen</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Virginia Madsen too stuck to the strapless theme, mixing in beautifully with the blue brigade, in her mermaid gown.<br /> <br />Salma Hayek''s choice of the night remained, predictably, blue as well.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section5"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script> </div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="1" width="32.1%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1036857.cms" alt="/photo/1036857.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Johnny Depp’s style statement in blue </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">(AFP photo)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Men weren''t left too far behind as actor Johnny Depp made his style statement loud and clear in a blue suit with black trim. <br /><br />And, as usual, you could trust the style icon to carry it off with style. Oscar winner Jamie Foxx received his Oscar in a simple navy suit with a black tie.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section6"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script> </div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="1" width="34.2%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1035543.cms" alt="/photo/1035543.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Penelope Cruz.Yellow finished as the second favourite color of the night </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">(AFP photo)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Yellow finished as the second favourite color of the night with Penélope Cruz in her pale yellow starpless gown and Cate Blanchett in a canary yellow one-shouldered dress, with a diamond brooch on the sleeve, which gave some relief from blues and blacks.<br /> <br />Rest of the fashion favourites including Kirsten Dunst, Beyonce Knowles and Renee` Zellweger played it safe in strapless black dresses. <br /> <br />While, Gwyneth Paltrow, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Laura Linney stayed neutral and boring as all showed up in champagne strapless dresses. </div> </div>