AisleDash

We love it when funny girls get fashionable, so we were delighted to see Ashley Jensen, who plays the witty Christina McKinney on Ugly Betty, look so completely fabulous at the BAFTA Awards. She really stood out on the red carpet, and we think this dress could be a fantastic look for a bridesmaid, mom, or guest. Here's why:

• Flaunting a flattering hue -- This shade of blue is stunning on Ashley. Look at how her eyes pop, and how the bright color contrasts against her skin and hair. It's truly a perfect choice for her.
  
  
• Cute cut -- The wide but modest v-neckline is really flattering to her shape, and we love the fact that the rest of her dress fits snugly, but not so tightly that she can't move. She looks elegant and classy, but still like she might be someone you'd want to split a bottle of champagne with.
  
  
• Adorable additions -- Her earrings are just to DIE for, but that's not all we love. She had some fun with her purse, selecting a clutch in a slightly different hue than her dress. The shoes are a great choice -- the metallic shade goes with just about anything, and by opting for the open style in bronze, she elongates her leg.

Want to get this look going for your bridesmaids, mom, or yourself? No problem!

By all accounts, Eva Longoria Parker's new restaurant, Beso, is a seriously stylish place to grab a tasty bite to eat. And, it's no surprise at all that Eva herself looked pretty sweet at the restaurant's opening. Here's what we loved:

• Ladylike and lacy -- Part of what makes this dress so darn pretty is the frilly lace -- it's completely girly and gorgeous! And then, of course, there's the fact that it's short, so it just looks like she's ready to have fun.
  
  
• Played up accents -- The satin in the bow at her waist (another girly touch) is played up by her shiny silver clutch and the silver in her jewelry. This way, she incorporated some stylish metallics without taking anything away from the pristine nature of the dress.
  
  
• Innocently sexy -- From the lacy dress to her hair and make-up, Eva looks part ingenue and part sex-kitten. It's all about contrast -- the dress is lacy and sweet, but a little short and sexy. Her make-up isn't bold and full of color, but her eyes pop and her lips shine, like she's ready to give you a big ol' beso.

Want to incorporate this study of opposites into your wedding day look? Here's how:

We know that this plum Marchesa dress isn't everyone's favorite look, but we just love how Renee Zellweger pulls it off at the European premiere of her new movie, Leatherheads. Except we wish she would stop standing so weird. And we'd like to get our hands on her hair.

But the dress is fabulous.

• Classy couture -- This dress is a high fashion piece, and not for the faint of heart. Between the various fabrics and the complicated design, the dress has a lot going on. That's why it's important that Renee wears the dress -- she doesn't let it wear her. Her straight posture and posing skills (although, seriously, why such weird poses? Why?) show that she's comfortable wearing high fashion.
  
  
• Perfect plum -- This deep shade is so gorgeous against Renee's fair skin and light hair. It brings out the rosiness in her cheeks and lends some drama to her look overall.
  
  
• Glitz it up -- We love Renee's right hand ring and sparkly clutch, but we really wish she had grabbed a pair of earrings, too. Oh, well. She's smart to avoid a necklace, as it would detract from the interesting neckline of her gown and would look busy next to the flower. Her shoes were a perfect choice -- gold, strappy, and sexy, so they compliment the look without competing with the dress.

Wondering how this look can translate into your personal bridal style? Here's how to do it:

• Feminine and flattering cut -- The style of this dress is amazing -- the wide, deep v-neck, the twisting detail at the waist, and the full skirt all come together to let you know that you have set your eyes upon a woman who knows how to dress.
  
  
• Pretty print -- The floral print is unexpected and adds a gorgeous touch. While other women wore heavy beads and sequins, Wei kept it light and airy. However, the black keeps the flowers from looking too springy, so it's just perfect.
  
  
• All the right accessories -- We adore the red clutch she's carrying for a pop of color, and we're equally in love with the Bulgari jewelry, which is heavy enough to make an impact, but not so much that it takes away from her magnificent gown.

This is a look we would love to see on a bride. Here's how you can achieve this mix of classic and modern:

It's easy to love Jennifer Garner. She's a talented actress, she (mostly) stays out of the tabloids, and have you seen her adorable daughter? Plus, Jen knows how to dress, and that's something we always love. This dress, worn at the Paris premiere of The Kingdom, is a great example of how she can rock a trend.

• Hot (pink) mama -- Bright colors are huge this year, and Jennifer wisely goes for a bright pink that looks great with her skin tone.
  
  
• It's in the fit -- One of the things we love about Jennifer is that she's fit, but doesn't seem to be wasting away. This dress accentuates the curves of her body.
  
  
• Keepin' it a little casual -- It's not the Oscars, so while she chose a dramatic gown, she doesn't overdo it with the rest of her ensemble. We would have liked to see her hair pulled back a bit to show off the flutter cap-sleeves on the dress, but otherwise she gets it just right with fun earrings and a metallic clutch.

This overall look could easily be modified into your bridal style. Here's how:

For the premiere of a movie with "angel" in the title, Kate Beckinsale certainly wore the right dress. This white, columnar gown is only lacking a harp as an accessory. And, while it's not our favorite dress of all time, it does have a certain bridal look that appeals to us.

• Empire is elegant -- You can't look at a gown like this and keep your mind from imagining eras gone by, with romantic balls to attend and your sisters helping each other to put flowers and ribbons in each other's hair.
  
  
• Jazz it up with jewelry -- The dress itself is quite simple, and Kate makes a great choice by layering on some detailed and heavy-looking jewelry.
  
  
• Make it up -- Because of this ensemble's ethereal look, Kate has to avoid any really heavy or dark makeup. She plays up the overall effect by going with a fresh, dewy face and natural looking makeup palette.

Would you like to achieve this angelic aura for your Big Day? Read on to see how:

Thandie Newton is just too cute, especially in this dress at the L.A. premiere of her new movie, Run, Fat Boy, Run. The look isn't for everybody (I mean, could you picture Angelina Jolie pulling this off?), but for the girly-girl bride, bridesmaid, or guest, it might be just perfect.

• Getting all ruffled isn't so bad -- This neckline on a bright, springy, swingy gown really works -- it's soft and feminine while still being a little playful. With her dark hair and olive complexion, the bright color is perfect.
  
  
• Wrap up the fabric -- There is a lot of fabric in this dress considering it's only knee length, but it works because of the defined waist. The sash ties to the side and the flowing fabric drapes perfectly into the tiered hem of the dress.
  
  
• Smartly accessorized -- As we've already discussed, this dress has quite a lot going on, so Thandie makes a smart move in avoiding any distracting accessories.

If you love this look half as much as I do, read on to see how to make it work for you:

Right now, I think Katherine Heigl is the person I'm most excited to see on the red carpet. She takes chances but ends up with far more hits than misses, largely due to her commitment to old school Hollywood glamor. At this year's Academy Awards, she got it right once again with this one shoulder red Escada gown (encompassing two of the biggest red carpet trends, by the way).

If you're hoping to capture her look for your Big Day, there are a few things to keep in mind:

So, if I thought I would look like this pregnant, I'd start popping out kids now. Jessica Alba just makes me ill.

Alright, I'm over my little jealous fit, and I have to say that Jessica Alba is truly a gorgeous pregnant woman and she's really well-dressed at the Paris premiere of The Eye. And, what's fantastic is that she is a great example of how fabulous a (very) pregnant bride can look with the right gown. She's certainly not letting that pregnancy cleavage go to waste (and, is that a given for all pregnant women? Because if I'm guaranteed boobs like that, I might give having kids a little more consideration). Here's how you can achieve a pregnancy and bridal glow like Jessica:

First off, yes, it looks like 300 big white fish had to die in order for Marion Cotillard's Oscar gown by Jean Paul Gaultier to come to fruition. And, the girl was a hot topic of debate on the red carpet -- is she Best Dressed? Worst Dressed? Most Likely to Get Eaten by a Shark?

Whichever list you choose to put her on, you can't deny that Marion knew how to work that gown. I wasn't really digging the gown until her speech, when she said, "You rock my life!" If you're cute enough to say something like that, you're cute enough to pull off this mermaid look.

Is it for you? If you intend to wear a straight-off-the-runway look like this, there are a couple things to keep in mind:

I am always so excited to see Penelope Cruz on the red carpet. Not everyone can pull off the gowns she chooses (like the fabulously frilly pink number she previously wore), but she certainly knows how to work couture. At this year's Academy Awards, Cruz wowed me once again with a Chanel haute couture gown that was anything but a classic Little Black Dress.

If you're looking for a traditional gown, this isn't the look for you. However, if you are seeking inspiration for an exciting, unexpected bridal style, Cruz's ensemble might be just the thing you need. Here's how you can achieve her red carpet glamor (and perhaps she'll keep this type of look in mind if she and Javier Bardem take things to the next level):

Just over a year ago, Keri Russell gave me a huge disappointment -- she got married without any fancy pictures being leaked. You know, good for her and all, but doesn't everyone want to know how Felicity looked on her wedding day?

A year later, I'm over it. Keri Russell looked practically like a princess bride at the 2008 Oscars, other than the fact that, for a good portion of the time she was the red carpet, she was standing in a really weird, hunched over position. I think she was trying to look skinnier, but it really looked more like she'd eaten a bad egg salad sandwich and was feeling the effects. But, overall, she was glowing and gorgeous, and you can capture her romantic red carpet look! Here's what you need to do:

Anyone could have guessed that Teri Hatcher would wear Badgley Mischka to the SAG awards -- after all, she is the fashion label's most recent muse. But knowing who she would wear still didn't give us any hints as to what she would wear, and I have to say that I was very impressed with the choice.

The Desperate Housewives star wore a sexy, yet mature gown to the 2008 SAGs. It flattered her lithe figure and gave her a youthful air without making her look like she was trying to look like a teenager. If you're no longer a dewey 22-year-old, and you want a dress that falls in the perfect spot between teeny-boppery and matronly, here's what to look for:

Katie Holmes really doesn't need to hang around and go shopping with Victoria Beckham anymore. She has become a full-on fashionista in her own right, as demonstrated at the 10th Annual Costume Designer Guild Awards. Can you imagine picking out a dress to go hang out with a bunch of costume designers? Oh, the pressure! But Katie pulled it together and hit a home run in this slinky, gunmetal gray number.

It's outside of the box, but it's seriously glamorous. I know, that makes it confusing -- how do you pick something off the beaten path without risking the fashion police beating on you? It's not as hard as some celebrities make it seem -- let me break it down for you:

The first thing I feel obligated to point out about this dress is that it won't work for everyone. However, on the lovely Eva Longoria Parker, seen here at a premiere for her movie, Over Her Dead Body, it is just divine. Although, I'm rather hating her for pulling it off so well.

Why wouldn't it work for everyone? It's slightly demure, what with the sleeves and full skirt, and it's certainly feminine, to be sure. And, the overall look in a modified version could be gorgeous -- however, often when people see a dress with a little more coverage, they automatically think it would be a great look for a bridesmaid with a few areas she'd like to hide. Here's what to watch out for to make sure you look like red carpet royalty and not a 1960's prom nightmare: