One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art. -Oscar Wilde

I'm starting to think that there's no movies getting made, songs being recorded, TV shows being filmed or plays being acted in the entire world right now, since it seems like all the stars have been busy this week either in Washington at the White House Correspondents Dinner and in New York at the Met Gala.  The Met Gala is one of my favorite fashion events of the year.  The stars and designers are a little more daring and fancy-pants (technical fashion term) than at the typical award shows.  Plus, fashion in New York is just better than clothes in LA -- even really beautiful and expensive clothes. 

That said, I think my best dressed picks are going to surprise some people. Here's the dresses I loved:

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(1) Jennifer Hudson really looks incredible.  This dress is absolutely gorgeous (my favorite of the night -- maybe the whole year) with the fitted bodice and full skirt.  The draping and construction is beautiful, and it's perfect on her.  Right girl, right dress, right occasion. The trifecta. (2) So I'm not totally crazy about the dress, but when was the last time you saw Liv Tyler look this good?  Not since like Empire Records and the Crazy video right?  She's glowing, her hair and body are fantastic.  I don't know if it's the outfit or not, but something is definitely working for Liv.  Maybe she can give her dad some tips. (3) I don't know, I just think it's cute.  I think Michelle Williams is sort of earthy and chic and I just dig it.  It can't be explained.  (4) And neither can this.  Ashley Olsen is wearing pirate sleeves.  And I like it.  I think someone may have slipped something into my Diet Coke, but I don't mind. (5) Am I the only person who thought that Ashley Greene and Nikki Reed were the same person for a long time?  I mean, they don't really look alike.  The only thing they really have in common is Twilight, but I couldn't for the life of me keep them straight in my head.  But that's neither here nor there.  I think this dress is pretty and sparkly.  It looks like something that I would have wanted to wear to an event when I was 20. (6) I'm in love with this Carolina Herrera on Sofia Vergara. It's so pretty and unexpected -- almost sweet rather than bombshell.  I really hope this means that Sofia has figured out that her boobs don't need to be the centerpiece of every outfit.  (7) It seems like it's rare that we see a true, bold yellow on the red carpet.  Zoe Saldana looks great in this classic Calvin Klein.  In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I have a bias for yellow strapless dresses because my oldest sister (and the most beautiful woman in the world to me since birth) wore one to her prom.  (8) We get it Tom Brady, you may have bad hair, you may not be able to play football this year, but you're still married to the most beautiful women in the world. Gisele packs the drama in this sweeping red number, and I think it looks great.  Mrs. Tom Brady has a tendency to show up naked or almost naked to events and, I get it, I'm sure I'd do the same if I had her body, but I wish she'd resist the urge more often because she really looks fabulous in clothes.

My worst dressed are probably not so surprising.  Events that encourage dramatic dressing evidently end up with winners and losers.  Here's the losers:

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(1) I could have gotten behind JLo's dress without the shrug.  The color's great, the drape is meh, but not terrible.  But with the floral wrap, intense hair and dramatic makeup, JLo ends up looking like she's auditioning to play the queen in some South Beach royal coronation movie.  That's not a compliment.  (2) Absolutely everything is wrong with Christina Ricci's dress. (3) Is it just me, or does this dress look like it's taped to Rihanna? It's like a taco shell wrapped around her.  I'm thoroughly confused.  And the Raponzel braid is not helping matters. (4) I think that Jessica Szohr is having trouble remembering that she's not actually Vanessa, red-headed stepchild of the Gossip Girl crew, in real life.  Every time I've seen her recently she's wearing something totally inappropriate (Is this dress too small?  Doesn't it seem like it wouldn't fit if she stood up straight?) and practically screaming "LOOK AT ME! NOTICE ME!" (5) This dress, like Brooklyn Decker in general, brings nothing to the table. (6) Someone needs to tell Kerri Hilson that the built-in bra strap look is not really appropriate for formal wear.  Nor, for that matter, is the stapled tulle look.  (7) Oh, Miss. Blair.  No. No. No. This is not good.  Both the dress and the shoes look like something from a bondage movie.  Plus, the dress is that really awkward length that makes people look short and stumpy.  And her hair looks like she just came from the gym.  I can't believe Dorota let her out of the house like this.  (8) So, I actually didn't think that Beyonce's dress was that bad (certainly not her best, but we all have off days) until I noticed the lace at the neckline that totally looks like her nips are showing.  And now I can't not see it, and it's all I can see.

There were, of course, many, many more at the Met Gala.  Who were your favorites and, more importantly, your least favorites?

xo kate