Emmys Red Carpet: Color FTW

Awards show red carpets are in my top ten of favorite things. Maybe even top five. Behind the Oscars and the Golden Globes, the Emmys round out the trifecta of celebrity fashion extravaganza. I really care little about the awards themselves since my TV viewing is basically limited to Real Housewives, cooking shows, and soccer and I see few good movies, but I will bake a cake and throw a party to watch couture parade down a carpet.

I love celebrities who take risks at awards shows. Even if their look is hideous I will probably appreciate it anyway just because they didn't step out in the same old cookie cutter black strapless, formfitting thing that I could buy at David's Bridal.

Top Picks:

Leslie Mann In Naeem Kahn

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This dress walked down Naeem Kahn's Spring 2013 runway just two weeks ago, but we're lucky enough to already be able to see it in action. I Pinned this dress as one of my favorites of New York Fashion Week so I'll be smug about that validation :) The color of the skirt is amazing and the styling with the blue earrings is gorgeous and brilliant. The look is stylish and not too out there so as to put off the masses. And it has pockets!

Ginnifer Goodwin In Monique Lhuillier

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Ginnifer Goodwin is always a risk taker and I love her for it! This dress is part of Monique Lhuillier's Resort 2013 collection and I think it's a total showstopper. Orange is a hot color right now and it's great with her fair skin and dark, cropped hair. I love the peekaboo hem because if I was wearing Louboutins like that, I would want to show them off too. I think she and her stylist made a smart move by not doing an orange lip like the model because it would have been a bit of overkill. I love everything about this!

Julianne Moore In Christian Dior Couture

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I'm pretty sure I'm going to be the only one that likes this, but I don't care. It's Dior, it's couture, it's chartreuse/yellow, her lip color is perfect, her hair is perfect and she is perfect. This is a striking look and I'm so, so happy someone had the brass to wear it. Julianne is a true fashion lover and it shows in her taste and selections. Slow clap.

Julianna Margulies In Giambattista Valli Couture

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Another risk, another pay off! This dress is part of Giambattista's Fall 2012 Couture collection and I think it's stunning. I would expect this on a best actress Oscar nominee, but if I had the opportunity to wear this work of art, I would wear it to Trader Joe's. So fair play, Julianna. She kept her jewelry simple by just wearing earrings. A necklace would have been totally unnecessary with such a strong print. The dress should be the only focus and it was. Also, pockets!

Claire Danes In Lanvin

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I debated this one for a while, but upon waking up this morning I decided that I like it. Blonds can wear yellow! As long as it's a bright yellow/green hybrid. Claire is pregnant and while I have no issues with pregnant women wearing form-fitting clothes, I like that she went a little more modest and chose something drapey from the best draper in the business (Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, natch). Plus, Claire said both "holla" and "baby daddy" in her acceptance speech for Homeland so she's automatically cool.

Tina Fey In Vivienne Westwood

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There were many stars in burgundy, but I think Tina Fey did it best. This might be the best she's ever looked on a red carpet before. The lack of necklace is, again, a smart move and I like that she went with a nude lip color and made-up eyes. It would have been so easy to match her lipstick to the dress, but that would have been overkill. It annoys me that her make-up artist didn't do a better job at covering up her tan lines (a HUGE pet peeve of mine), but I'll let it slide. Well done, Tina.

Kerry Washington In Vivienne Westwood

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My taste right now is definitely skewed more towards colored dresses with more high fashion details, but this is a sequined dress I can appreciate. It is absolutely perfect for her skin tone. I wish she would have worn a lipstick with a little more pink in it, but that's not a deal breaker. She does not look country in this (name that movie).

January Jones In Zac Posen

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I should amend this to say "from the neck down." I think this is a gorgeous dress! I'm not sure, but I think January was the only star to wear black. A black dress will always be my last choice, but this one is special. January loves high fashion and 9 times out of 10 she's on the best dressed list. That one time being the scary red Versace car wash dress at the 2011 Golden Globes. I'm not sure what's happening with her make-up and hair, but it's too severe for this dress. I get what she was trying to do by going for goth make-up with a feminine dress, but it doesn't work for me.

Bottom Of The Barrel:

Sofia Vergara In Zuhair Murad

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Sofia needs a style intervention as far as I'm concerned. She doesn't look bad, per se, but I wish she would try something different. Every red carpet look of hers is form-fitting, strapless (or close to it), with her hair down in curls. She is a curvy, sexy woman, but we get that by now. Shake it up a little! This dress is far too tight for her anyway as evidenced by the fact the it SPLIT UP THE BACK later on in the night. Also, maybe you should not tweet pictures of your ass cheeks. Just a thought.

Zooey Deschanel In Reem Acra

Image via Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images North America

I LOVE Zooey Deschanel and I think New Girl is hilarious, but I have a real issue with how she dresses. I get her schtick, but I would much prefer that she dress like an adult on a regular basis. This dress was custom made for her by Reem Acra with the idea that she had to look like a princess. Why? Look like a 32 year-old woman! She wore a gorgeous high fashion Prada dress to the Golden Globes last year (that I don't think anyone but me liked.. whatever) and I wish she would do that more often. She also needs a new make-up situation because a red lip and black eyeliner does not go with everything.

There are only two in the bottom of the barrel this year! That's not so bad. I think on the whole everyone looked pretty good. I'm thrilled that there was a lot of color and a lot of couture and I hope that continues throughout awards season! I'm surprised there was no Elie Saab, as he is the red carpet king. His most recent couture collection was one of my favorites of his in a long time. Maybe we're just saving them for the Golden Globes and the Oscars?

Are you an awards show junkie like me? Tell me who your favorites were! US Weekly has a pretty comprehensive gallery here.