Emmys fashion: Not all risks paid off

(CBS/AP) Lea Michele and Julianna Margulies shot for red-carpet fashion heights with their statement gowns at Sunday night's Emmy Awards, but not all the fashion risk-taking paid off as theirs did.

Margulies took the biggest risk in a strapless Giorgio Armani Prive gown with a stiff crescent-shaped bustier and embellished with clear oval stones and shimmery paillettes. It's a look that required confidence and it's a good thing Margulies, who told E! she picked her dress late last night, has that.

Pictures: Emmy Awards press room
Pictures: Emmy Awards show highlights
Pictures: Emmys red carpet
Special section: The Emmy Awards

"If you watch the clothes she's worn since coming back to the red carpet with 'The Good Wife,' you'll see she makes incredibly sophisticated choices and she doesn't walk around asking 175 people for their opinions," said InStyle's fashion director, Hal Rubenstein, about Margulies. "She always looks like herself. There's something very grown-up and intelligent about her."

The early online buzz was about Michele's sophisticated Marchesa dress: She wore the look of a seasoned star instead of starlet. She wore a plain-front, low draped back with rosette sleeves that really let her work the crowd. She gave fans lined up outside the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles a big wink.

Less successful were Gwyneth Paltrow and Heidi Klum, who both have been stylists' red-carpet favorites in the past.

Paltrow, wore a belly-baring, black-sequin number by Emilio Pucci, that looked more like it came from the set of "Charlie's Angels." Then, she topped it off with platinum earrings by Neil Lane that boasted 7 carats of black-and-white diamonds, two platinum and diamond bracelets with a total of 100 carats, and a platinum ring with 5 carats of diamonds and black onyx. That's serious wattage for an already glowing gown.

Klum wore a short, strapless nude gown by "Project Runway" alum Christian Siriano. It ended with a burst of ruffles that appeared too heavy for the gown's short hemline.

Christina Hendricks also took some risks that didn't pay off, particularly when it came to showing off her cleavage. She told reporters the Johanna Johannsson gown with an open V-neck "was the only dress. I tried it on and it was perfect.'' Well, not really, stylists are saying.

Another miss that fashionistas are talking about was the blue gown and messy updo that actress Katie Holmes sported. The tank-top look of the Calvin Klein gown didn't suit her figure and the silver belt seemed all wrong. Statement jewelry might have made a difference.

"Glee" star Dianna Agron chose the right color, but the wrong style. Her bright blue Roksanda Ilincic frock bunched up in all the wrong places, giving her a decidedly matronish look.

If there were trends to emerge from the Emmy red carpet, it was the many red dresses worn by Michele, Nina Dobrev in Donna Karan and Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang. Kate Winslet and her red-as-the-carpet, cap-sleeve Elie Saab seemed the understated, sophisticated look until she flashed the significant cleavage on the bust line.

The other popular color was the straight-from-the-runway electric blue looks. Claire Danes wore a fully beaded strapless gown in bright blue by Oscar de la Renta, and Amy Poehler was in a T-shirt-style iridescent dress by Peter Som. Christine Baranski did sleek and chic in Zac Posen's midnight-blue, double lapel gown.

Rubenstein said all the best gowns were sleek, formfitting ones. "Virtually every single woman who looked good wore a body-conscious dress,'' he said, ticking off favorites Winslet, Vergara and Julianne Hough in a champagne and light pink, duchess satin strapless gown by Carolina Herrera. Elisabeth Moss in a second-skin Marchesa hit a personal best as did Julie Bowen in a beaded, silver lame Oscar de la Renta with a plunging neckline, he said, and the surprise was Kristen Wiig, whose deep V-neck copper gown was courtesy of Zac Posen.

"The man makes an amazing gown," Wiig said on the carpet. "I love the cut. It's comfortable and it's different. "

Some stars have been thinking about their outfits for weeks. Sarah Hyland collaborated with Christian Siriano to create her one-shoulder, coral-colored gown with a jeweled waistband

Zooey Deschanel did a little prom-queen turn in a pink strapless gown with a dropped waist and red ribbon belt.

Minka Kelly, one of those new "Charlie's Angels," is a red-carpet up-and-comer and that meant she got to wear a navy blue-and-black gown with long lace sleeves and a lace inset at the waist by Dior. Rachael Taylor wore a light pink-and-silver beaded column dress by Armani, and Annie Ilonzeh had on a draped, wine-colored strapless goddess gown by Romona Keveza.

Ceremony hostess Jane Lynch showed a preference for purple sporting at least three gowns in that shade by David Meister.

A handful of stars did the black thing, with Kaley Cuoco in a one-shoulder gown by Keveza, and Tina Fey in a wool-jersey gown with cap sleeves and an open neck from Tadashi Shoji.

Evan Rachel Woods did black, choosing an all-over beaded boat neck by Elie Saab. Her big bling came from her cuff bracelet, created for her by Fred Leighton, using a 19th-century diamond bow brooch.

Cat Deeley, wearing a metallic strapless Monique Lhuillier gown, wasn't all that eager to give back her $1.4 million in Bulgari jewels.

She told E!'s Ryan Seacrest, "Meet me in Rio tomorrow?''