The CMT Awards Best Dressed List

DAHLINGS -

To put it in a way country music fans will understand, the pickin's were mighty slim at the CMT Awards earlier this week. Not quite as much of a snooze fest as the MTV Movie Awards, but there were a few pretties on display.

But before I begin, a question: why is David Spade allowed to live, much less attend the CMT Awards? What does he have to do with country music? Is owning an Ipod really enough?

And he looks so delighted to be there, too.

All right, on to the Best Dressed.

You all know my taste, which inclines toward the classics. However, my favorite outfit of the night belonged to Elizabeth Cook:

This had color, individuality, and for this fashion writer, the sense that a woman with style picked her own clothes. Others may think it bizarre, but I applaud Ms. Cook. More than anything, this ensemble is fun.

Next, we have Faith Hill, in a breezy chiffon creation by J. Mendel that both flatters her figure and projects a secure self-image:

I am not a fan of showing this much sternum, but Ms. Hill actually has something to show, unlike many of the other evening's participants.

Lady Antebellum singer Hillary Scott worked a little black strapless dress that fit perfectly.


Taylor Swift looked pretty if rather uninspired in this John Galliano dress. Much fuss has been made of the fact that she straightened her hair that evening. This just in: Taylor Swift's hair announces that it has solution for the Gulf oil disaster!


Jada Pinkett-Smith was the essence of confidence in this blue crushed velvet dress, a mashup of two different Emilio Pucci designs:

My only criticism is that velvet seems to be an awfully warm fabric choice, particularly under the lights.

In the "Close, But No Cigar" category I am sorry to put singer Trisha Yearwood. While I admire her for her womanly shape, why dress it in a black, ill-fitting, unflattering dress that looks like it was made of black garbage bags? There's a goddess's figure under there, Ms. Yearwood!


Sarah Buxton's Empire-waisted dress was nice; sorry, no more interesting word comes to mind, but I rather liked it:

Although she is extremely gaunt, a disturbing trend that is taking speed throughout all of the entertainment industry (yes, I'm talking to you, Jennifer Hudson. Thank you ever so much for letting down thousands of larger women. I cannot wait until you gain it all back and the tabloids go insane).

For the menfolk, my first choice is Trace Adkins, shown her with his lovely wife and daughter. (It is also so refreshing to see real women at these events, even if they are invariably wives.) To me, he looks authentically "country." Since I do not actually listen to country music, to me Mr. Adkins looks like he gave his outfit some, but not too much, thought.


I loved musician Danny Gokey's take on the tuxedo (his resemblance to Robert Downey Jr. doesn't hurt, either.)


That is it for my Best-Dressed list, dahlings. To be honest, I did not think I would be able to make this many choices. Even if some of them were a bit of a stretch.

Worst-Dressed List up soon, and there are, as the common folk used to say, some doozies.

Ciao,
Elisa & Bucky the Wonderdog