Gorgeous gowns and frock-ups

AWARDS season kicks off with the 68th Annual Golden Globes in LA this weekend — but never mind the gongs, it’s the winners and losers on the red carpet we’re really interested in.

With nominees including stylish stars Anne Hathaway, Julianne Moore, Angelina Jolie and Mila Kunis, the real battle will commence posing for paparazzi outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel, not at the podium inside.

But even with the world’s most talented designers and stylists on speed dial, some celebs still manage to frock up on the big night. Here, we recall some of the best — and worst — Golden Globe looks ever.

Lara Flynn Boyle: Most little girls dream of being ballerinas when they grow up — few women actually follow through with the fantasy by playing dress-up at one of the biggest nights on the fashion calendar. But that’s exactly what the bobble-head actress did at the 2003 awards in this Swan Lake-inspired disaster by David Cardona. The leotard, the lace-up slippers — it’s all just tutu much.

Sharon Stone: Displaying no Basic Instinct when it comes to style, serial offendor Sharon Stone chose a see-through shocker at the 2003 bash. From the dominatrix dress to the scary stilettos, it’s an ensemble you might expect to find in the bargain bin of a (low-rent) adult store — not the red carpet. We’re only surprised she didn’t accessorise with a whip.

Renée Zellweger: Poor Renée must’ve accidentally received an invite to fashion’s funeral instead of a glitzy Tinseltown get-together — why else would she turn up in her best Victorian-widow chic? The frocky horror may look like a dress, but it’s actually a Caroline Herrera two-piece — making it twice as wrong. Meanwhile, her nest of tresses looks like somewhere sick birds go to die.

Scarlett Johansson: Look carefully and you can see the precise moment Scarlett Johansson went from simmering starlet to fully fledged silver screen siren. Poured perfectly into red-hot Valentino at the 2006 awards, even gay designer Isaac Mizrahi couldn’t resist copping a sneaky feel of the leading lady’s very own leading ladies on the red carpet. And frankly, who can blame him.

Angelina Jolie: She hit headlines in 2000 for snogging her brother at the Oscars — luckily it was only Angelina Jolie’s dress that hogged the limelight at the following year’s Globes. Abandoning her signature Morticia Adams gear, the Salt star looked positively angelic in platinum satin Versace that carressed every inch of her to-die-for curves. Shame about the tatt.

Jennifer Aniston: Now that’s what we call an LBD! Flashing just the right amount of toned and tanned flesh in vintage Valentino, Jennifer had just wrapped up her role as Rachel on cult sitcom Friends in 2004. But looking carefree and fabulous, her loose waves, minimal Fred Leighton jewellery and that strategically placed buckle showed the world she wasn’t sobbing into her pillow at night.

Reese Witherspoon: Legally blonde and criminally sexy, yummy mummy Reese shirked convention in this canary-coloured cocktail dress at the 2007 ceremony. In knee-skimming Nina Ricci, bright-red sandals and bang(s)-on trend tresses, the sunny look was a defining red carpet moment for the recent divorcee. She may have just split from husband Ryan Philippe, but there’s no guessing who got custody of the stylist.

Elizabeth Taylor: If you can’t wear a tiara to the Golden Globes, when can you? Dripping in diamonds and a pearlescent prom dress fit for a princess, the then 25-year-old actress attended the 1958 awards with third husband Mike Todd. Hollywood royalty Taylor has two Golden Globes and been nominated for three more, but it’s glamour like this that assures her place in style history.

Helen Mirren: Helen took home two awards at the 2007 ceremony, but it was her own gongs that created all the excitement. Putting the ‘sex’ into sexagenarian, the 65-year-old dropped jaws in a low-cut custom-made Donna Karan dress. “I was never going to be anyone’s mum or grandmother,” she said. “But I can dig that beautiful earth-mother thing.” Touché.

Kate Hudson: Stepping on to the red rug in this racy Atelier Versace creation in 2002, Kate Hudson had arrived in more ways than one. From Almost Famous to A-lister, the shimmering plunge-neck number tagged the 31-year-old actress as more than just Goldie Hawn’s daughter. And the bone fide blonde bombshell has rarely put a stiletto wrong since.

Sienna Miller: Kate Moss isn’t the only trendy Brit out there, y’know. That was the subliminal message stitched into Ms Miller’s 2007 Golden Globes get-up. Part Maid Marian, part Alpine milkmaid, on paper the white Marchesa gown with metallic overlay shouldn’t work — but how it did. Bold but brilliant, just add bronzed skin, Cartier jewels and, er, a medieval braid.

Marilyn Monroe: Accepting an award for Female World Film Favourite in 1962, sex symbol Marilyn was frozen in fan memory one final time before her death later that year. Although detractors said the 36-year-old was all washed up (she had lost so much weight her dress had to be altered into a halter gown), she still looked a million dollars in the floor-sweeping green sequined number by Norman Norell.