FASHION / SENSE OF STYLE : Cheers and Jeers : At Sundance, Women Appearing on the Golden Globe Awards Show Were Like Movies--Under Critical Review

Perhaps something passed on through our DNA explains why we react to televised awards shows the way our ancestors did to gladiators pitted against hungry lions. That thought occurred to me while watching the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night with a lively group of movie buff/skiers gathered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Whenever a female presenter or nominee was caught on camera, the living room audience responded with thumbs up or down and such comments as, “Great dress,” “What’s with her hair?” or “Boy, has she put on weight!”

A trend toward elegant understatement, first evident at the CableACE awards in December, works against such visceral judgments; a simple column of satin swathing the slender figure of an actress with lovely shoulders hardly inspires strong emotions. It’s those striking abominations the crowd loves to hate, the get-ups Kim Basinger, Geena Davis and Demi Moore forced some hapless costume designer to create that arouse spectators’ blood lust.

At least Fran Drescher understands the need for some wretched fashion excess to enliven the proceedings. She smiled gamely under the weight of a headdress that looked like a flower arrangement. Pretty little Heather Locklear, in a one-shoulder silver number, her hair teased into a platinum cloud, embodied Hollywood glamour as imagined by a prepubescent girl playing with her Barbie.

But most of the other women at the Golden Globes, broadcast from the Beverly Hilton, suffered from an attack of good taste that could be blamed on all those well-known designers scrambling to have Hollywood celebrities appear in their clothes.

Emma Thompson, looking slim in a long, narrow, black Armani, said, “The gowns were middling,” in a Jane Austen parody. The gowns, in fact, were stunning, from Joanna Kerns’ sparkling black, long-sleeved Donna Karan dress to Faith Ford’s sleeveless, gold, high-necked sheath. But, in keeping with fashion’s current romance with minimalism, they weren’t showy. A few hairdos were, including Nicole Kidman’s impeccable beehive. Regrettably, Jodie Foster and Mira Sorvino stood under the mousse tree too long.

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Don’t Forget the Boys: The tuxedo used to be a stylistic no-brainer. All a man had to do to look studly in the evening was keep track of his studs and learn to tie a bow tie. Now, as seen at the Golden Globes, there are so many options to consider. To wear a tie or go tieless. To button up a collarless shirt (Anthony Edwards, Daniel Benzali, Eriq LaSalle, Gary Sinise and Paul Reiser) or, as Brad Pitt did, flaunt an open, ‘70s jumbo white collar.

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Twinkling Toes: A designer providing an actress with a gown for an awards show is taking a chance. If a beautifully dressed nominee doesn’t win, she may never ascend the stage or be photographed in her finery. Shoe designers risk even more, because even when Sharon Stone accepts her best actress award in her black-and-white Vera Wang gown, there’s no guarantee that her black suede Diego Della Valle pumps will be seen peeking out from beneath her hem.

Della Valle, a popular Milan-based shoe designer, must be an optimist. He welcomed Sandra Bullock (black satin sandals with jet beading), Julianna Marguiles (black velvet lace-up evening shoes), and Jennifer Aniston (high-heeled silver ankle straps) to his new Rodeo Drive shop. Paul Reiser picked Della Valle’s J.P. Todd loafers in black patent. The same shoe will be available in black velvet in time for the Academy Awards in March.

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Beauty Tip: Nine years ago, Clinique introduced seven shades of Workout Makeup, a waterproof, sweat-proof foundation with an SPF of 6. The product was invented for swimmers, hikers and makeup-loving gym goers, but skiers quickly discovered it. As humiliating as a face plant can be for a woman intent on executing a graceful slalom, it’s even more annoying if a fall leaves her with pale, naked skin that’s at the mercy of the elements.

Clinique’s new Almost Makeup, with an SPF of 15, is a lighter alternative: A sheer, waterproof foundation that resembles a tinted moisturizer. Another alternative, the cosmetic-hating she-devil points out, is to stay indoors when it snows. Obviously she’s never experienced the thrill of executing perfect short-radius turns right down the fall line of a steep slope covered with fresh powder.

* Sense of Style appears Thursday in Life & Style.