Let's get one thing clear: I do not accept Katie Holmes as a fashion icon; she has not earned it, IMO (which counts for exactly nothing, but still). And yet: this is pretty fab.


Emily Blunt, on the other hand, has shown chic and confidence and a distinctive style from the get-go. And yes, I'm psyched about The Young Victoria.


Speaking of signature looks: Renee's sticking with the classics that won her that "best-dressed-list" inclusion.


And while the furbelowed trousers may confuse me a bit, no one does suits better than Robin Wright (Penn?).


Willa Holland's super-flattering LBD is one of the night's prettiest.


Unlike Sofia Vassilieva, I rarely feel that leather trim adds that hard-edged je ne sais quoi.


Kind of digging Jenna Elfman's consistent commitment to flapper-maternity.


Miranda Cosgrove's take is more questionable, although she pulls it off by a hair. (Not the Chris March kind.)


Not digging? Julianne Moore's bizarre earth-mother sack. Although it's very...nurturing.


Speaking of "not the most flattering thing she's ever worn," I give you... Diane Kruger.


It's hard to know how to feel about Kat Dennings' trench-dress, because her 10-ton shoes draw all attention, gravity.


Why so modest, Zoe Saldana? You look gorgeous!


It's nice to see Dianna Agron out of a cheerleader's uniform. Not, specifically, in these shoes.


Obviously, everyone's a winner. But if we had to have a least-favorite? Might be Cat Deeley's 90's nostalgia.
shoes.


What more could we ask? Answer: nothing. Maybe an umbrella.

[Images via Getty]

Are we getting a little weary of jewel satin WNTW "reveal" coctail ensembles? Yes. But Rebecca Mader's emerald still pleases on a visceral level.


Jessica Weixler is not afraid of pattern. Or evoking Roxy Quiksilver circa '97. I am.


Rutina Wesley goes slightly Medieval on her frock - or at least Arts and Crafts.


I can't tell you how much I love that this color's hot, whatever that means. It even allows me to get over my ambivalence over Jessica Lucas' fit!


Is 90210 still an issue? Cause Shenae Grimes' sleeves, kind of are.


I'm just gonna say it: I thought Rosemarie DeWitt was totally miscast on Mad Men. And her retro-modern number's my favorite thing at this event.


I like Busy Philipps. She seems down to earth, I said with no evidence save a brief jumpsuit.


Do I like Yvonne Strahovski's getup? Not as such. But I like any chance to reference the "Ascotte Gavotte."


When the fairies gathered around her cradle, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon was given the gift of "pulling things off." Believe me, it's a good one.


Can you find all the ugly things in Eliza Dushku's dress? I counted five! It's like Hilights!


As if we needed more proof that booties need to go: they make Gabrielle Union look frumpy!


If Kat Deeley were instead Marianne Faithfull, getting married, in the late 60s, this would be amazing.


Maggie Grace's belt and brocade combo is so odd that I really love it.


Jennifer Morrison's color is not easy to pull off - and she goes way beyond that, IMO.


Wait, did I say that Midge's dress was my fave? Cause Sanaa Lathan's might be, actually.


Yeah, maybe I do love Freaks and Geeks. But I also genuinely love Linda Cardellini's pretty, easy number.


Would I maybe like to see Kat Dennings move away from "Madame X?" Sure. But I get it.


I wanna love Mindy Kaling's frock, but I suspect it may be unflattering.


Ashlee Simpson-Wentz: Miss Hannigan called. She wants her seduction suit back.

[Images via Getty]

The Good
No, that's not Kid Rock next to Leslie Mann (whose dress we think looks totally Mad Men and beautiful). That's actually director Robert Rodriguez, who is wearing a crushed velvet sports coat with what appear to be black leather appliqués. (We do not actually want to encourage anyone to wear a crushed velvet sports coat with black leather appliqués; left to our own devices, Rodriguez would be in the Bad. We just liked this photo of them together.)


Budding actress Yara Shahidi shows them how it's done. Perfectly age-appropriate without being cutesy. And she looks like she's having so much fun!


Kat Dennings — the starlet who reads books, everybody! — plays it extremely safe here in an LBD. However: the structured, 50s-style cut is very flattering, and the clutch is a nice touch.

We are pretty sure that "Jolie Vanier" is a made-up name. But whoever this girl is, she knows how to pick a dress. Our only niggle with this one is the non-functional belt on the bodice that threatens to mess with the cool drop-waist silhouette; the color is perfect on her, the cut is interesting but demure, and she looks like she can definitely walk in those shoes. Adorable.


The Bad

Lorielle New, we have three words: Too. Many. Butterflies.

Ashley Edner's outfit wouldn't be an actual Bad, if those outdated slouch cowboy boots didn't give off an I'm-From-A-Large-Discount-Retailer volatile organic compound stench we can smell from here; if cropped black leggings under tunics were not so boring; if Gothic black nailpolish were not so trite; and if those bracelets around the 90s-born actress's wrists did not look like bar bands. That is all.


It's hard to make a balloon-sleeved shrug work. Something with that much volume should probably only top a long, lean silhouette — a column dress, or skinny pants and a long blouse. But Kate Lindor looks like she's not even trying: the shrug is twisted up and hanging wrong, the proportions are wrong, the colors are all wrong. And, if you are going to wear a leather dress, the most important thing is that it fit well. Hell, the only important thing is that it fit well.


Oh no, Leo Howard. We are sure some awful stylist gave you these clothes and said this is how real Hollywood kid actors do it for the red carpet, and you replied, incredulous, "Really?" And the stylist grinned and said, "Yuh-huh!" and you slowly let yourself be convinced. But no. No to the fedora, no to the hoodie — it is August in Los Angeles, remember? — no to scrunching up the sleeves on the hoodie, no to the blinging watch that weighs more than you do, no to the sneakers — do those even fit? — no to the tee shirt with the no-doubt lame, generically off-center, screen print. The pants can stay, if you insist.


What Say You?

Is Lexi Ainsworth wearing an awesome outfit that looks fun without being either too old or too young, with extra props given for a truly great pair of vintage boots? Or is this a naff denim romper, and a borderline-inappropriate slogan tee shirt that appears to say, "Madonna Boy Toy"?

[Images via Getty]

[Los Angeles, August 16. Image via Getty.]

So, Norah (Kat Dennings) takes Nick (Michael Cera) to the studio her dad owns on New York's Lower East Side. Nick is fondling a sweet Stratocaster but making goo-goo eyes at Norah. Norah decides to take matters into her own hands (quel surprise!) and makes a move on Nick. They start making out and the camera pans off them. Nick makes some cute comment about how her pants are hard to unbutton, and Norah makes some satisfied orgasm noises and the camera pans back to them in post-fingered bliss.

While most movies about teens show them ripping off all their clothes and fornicating pornily after 30 seconds, Nick's awkward third-base meanderings are so much more like what happens with real seventeen-year-olds in the flush of their first hook-up with a new person. Norah later admits she's only kissed one other person before, and this is additionally realistic, as she's brainy and goes to an all-girls school. Also, I've never seen a movie where someone got fingered (well, except for Reese Witherspoon in Fear, and that's on a rollercoaster and then Marky Mark ends up being a terrifying stalker). And also! Norah doesn't touch his penis, and I was glad that for once, a teenage girl is shown getting some pleasure. Far too often teenage girls in narrative cinema and television are only allowed to have the pleasure of a sexual experience if they are later punished with a pregnancy (or having their boyfriend turn into a terrifying stalker).

Final verdict on the film: moderately amusing, good soundtrack, accurate portrayal of teen sex.

Earlier: Why I Already Irrationally Hate Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
The Earnest Fumbling Manchildren Of Film Make Crappy Boyfriends

Though there is some truth to what Garr says, she did manage to work with the best directors in film history: Coppola, Scorsese, Sydney Pollack among them, and she got props from Tina Fey, who said earlier this year, "There was a time when Teri Garr was in everything. She was adorable, but also completely real — her body was real, her teeth were real, you felt like she'd be your friend.''

Though there is a notable lack of "Teri Garr" types in today's cinema, there are still some actresses who fit the bill: funny, smart, real women with whom you'd totally want to drink margs and make filthy jokes. Here are five of them!

Judy Greer: our girl Judy has the same quirky look and comedic chops as Garr, and her star has been on the rise for several years now. She's played second banana to the best of them including Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30 and Katherine Heigl in 27 Dresses, but she holds a permanent place in my heart for her role as wonky boob-job recipient Kitty in Arrested Development.

Lauren Ambrose: I have loved Lauren Ambrose since she played the disgruntled teen who gets it on with Seth Green in Can't Hardly Wait. Of course she was the awesome in Six Feet Under, and we'll try to look past the Jezebel James incident.

Emma Stone: Emma Stone is more of a proto-Garr. She's only 20 and though she stars in the upcoming House Bunny which looks like an insult to womanity, Stone was so effortlessly cool and fun as Jonah Hill's love interest in Superbad that she gets to be included on this list. Don't let us down, little missy!

Kat Dennings: She played Catherine Keener's daughter in the 40 Year Old Virginand she's going to co-star in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with Michael Cera. From reading the synopsis, Nick and Norah might be the best comedy of 2008 (you heard it here first people!). In addition, Kat has an amazing blog that you must start reading forthwith and a fucking sweet YouTube channel.

Mindy Kaling: Another 40 Year Old Virgin alum with a blog that I love, Mindy is a triple threat: Writer, Actress, Bff-material. Her character on The Office, Kelly Kapoor, is a parody of all those lady-mag loving bitches we love to gently mock, and even so we still want to go shopping with her fictional self and gab about Justin Timberlake.

Random Roles: Teri Garr [AV Club]
Kat Dennings [Official Website]
Things I Bought That I Love [Mindy Kaling Blog]

Earlier: Tina Fey: Comedienne, Cover Girl, And Great Role Model For Women