Fashions Were Black & White & Bad All Over At The CFDA Awards

Yes, all the stars of stage, screen and runway were at Lincoln Center's 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards. Yes, it's one of the biggest fashion events of the year. So why was this year's such a snoozefest?

The Good:

There were disappointingly few getups at the event that made you catch your breath; Devon Aoki and Zac Posen were a pleasingly chic exception.

It's true, I'm a sucker for Alexa Chung's granny-chic...especially when most of the assembled duds are so snooze-worthy.

Michelle Trachtenberg, quietly lovely in Rebecca Taylor.

There were a few of the obligatory sparkle-togs; Alex Bledel's sleek Behnaz Sarafpour stood out.
Black and White

Ashley Olsen, Sasha Pivovarova and Mary-Kate Olsen demonstrate the evening's dress code: stark black and white, with a twist.

In basic LBD, Bernadette Peters

Also typically unfussy, Harper's Bazaar's Glenda Bailey.

Having gone froufrou at the Met ball, Doutzen Kroes scales back to basics.

Vera Wang, sleek and simple.

Molly Sims, short and disco-glitz.

On to not-so-basic black: Jessica Stam in Yigal Azrouel.

Gwyneth Paltrow is polished and elegant - if not reinventing the wheel - in Michael Kors.

Iman's fishtail Giambattista Valli is on the fussy side, but since it's Iman - accessorized with the starman himself- she still rocks it.

Betsey Johnson and daughter Lulu, in their version of unembellished basics.

Anna Wintour, bridging black and white camps in her signature silhouette.

A stark masterpiece: the man, the legend, the Quinto.

When the fashions are this safe, Hana Soukupova's tree-ear-like embroidery gains points for innovation, at least.

I kind of love how Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the toasts of the town behind Rodarte, are frequently not afraid to look both shleppy and pissed off.

Allison Pill does a kimono-esque take on the evening's color-palette mandate.

Irina Lazareanu, per usual, gives things a rather gratuitous hipster twist. Personally, I think the Philip Lim would have been statement enough on its own. But whatever, she's a scenester.

Speaking of making the scene, you just know Paz de la Huerta is longing to rip off her dress and slather herself in raw honey. (Then Yigal Azrouel might take it personally.)

The world's ostrich population will breathe a sigh of relief when the feather craze - as modeled by Rachel Roy - dies out.

Dakota Fanning shows that "bridal" is still going weirdly strong.

Dree Hemingway marries whites, le smoking, and a dash of kookiness. The result is...somewhat incoherent.


Color

While most of the assembly was a sea of Rorshach, there were bright spots, like Kate Mara's tomato-hued mini.

Daisy Lowe channeled Cyndi Lauper in D&G.

Also in buttercup: Amanda Hearst.
Prints

Rachel Weisz, demure enough for a palace tea in Jason Wu.

I like to think Jessica Biel's DVF was a Golden Girls tribute.

Diane Von Furstenberg herself dips a toe into Loehmann's leftovers territory.

Tracy Reese defies the somber peer-pressure with a riot of florals.


Sparkle

Whitney Port does 70s goddess in lame.

Carmen Kass' column dips sexily low in the back. In case you were wondering.

Nanette Lepore: not afraid to channel Klimt, The Snake Pit. (Never bad things.)


The Bad:

I don't actually like proclaiming things "bad." I especially don't like to when, as in the case of SJP's Alexander McQueen, the designer has recently passed on. Nevertheless. If and when the fever-dreamy shoe fits...

[Images via Getty.]