Emmys '09: Best and Worst Fashions

Drew Barrymore
What's blush and bashful? The Grey Gardens nominee and her devastatingly romantic Monique Lhuillier confection of a gown.

Blake Lively
In a Versace slit down to there (and up to almost there), Lively definitely couldn't be called subtle. But at least the girl commits, adding a Princess Leia braid to complete her red-hot for the red carpet look.

Leighton Meester
Might this be one from Mama Waldorf's closet? Because dowdy isn't a word we'd expect to use in conjunction with Meester, who has sometimes delighted, sometimes puzzled, but always challenged red-carpet-watchers over the past year ... until now.

Olivia Wilde
The riskiest look to walk the red carpet, Wilde's Marchesa (fresh from Fashion Week) had us intrigued on first sight, with a split as wide as the San Andreas fault fracturing the otherwise fairytale gown. But when the House star turned to reveal nothing but net — and a creepy nude zipper stretching up her spine — we lost some love for the look.

Watch Michael Ausiello's interview with Wilde on the Emmy red carpet

Chloë Sevigny
We can always expect the unexpected from Sevigny (and often it involves shorts). Thankfully, this time the Big Love star brought just the right amount of unorthodox — polka dots! — wrapped in a still-chic silhouette to the Emmy carpet.

Tina Fey
Yes, it would be great if the 30 Rock mastermind decided to wear a color for once (and silver, while lovely, doesn't count). But we guess it's time to give up that fight, and give into the sophisticated cut and drape of Fey's Gucci gown.

Watch Michael Ausiello's interview with Fey and Jane Krakowski on the Emmy red carpet

Sarah Silverman
Unfortunately for the funny lady, the awkwardly placed bustles on the hips of her cobalt-blue dress were a laughing matter.

Rose Byrne
Taking the time-honored ''princess'' approach to dressing for award shows, the Damages nominee stunned in ethereal Valentino.

Padma Lakshmi
It's hard to make former model and Top Chef nominee Lakshmi look bad. But this purple Badgley Mischka with its puzzling garland and braid details did the job.

Kaley Cuoco
In her first outing to the Emmys, Big Bang Theory's girl next door looked anything but in a knock-out dark-gold David Meister halter gown.

Watch Michael Ausiello's interview with Cuoco and her costar Jim Parsons on the Emmy red carpet

DEBRA MESSING (Emmy Awards '09)

Red can be a difficult color to pull off on the red carpet, because one can become obfuscated. This sublime column with its one-shoulder neckline is a perfect collaboration between Debra Messing and Michael Kors.

Elisabeth Moss
Oh, Peggy, we want to love you, but the drab color and draping/wrinkling of this Reem Acra just makes it so hard.

Sandra Oh
The Grey's Anatomy star continued her Best Dressed Emmy streak with a form-fitting Marchesa gown.

Kristen Wiig
In the immortal words of Seth Meyer and Amy Poehler, Really, Kristen Wiig? Really!?! We'll make this easy: Just hand over your sleeves and no one gets hurt.

Mariska Hargitay
Letting her hair down — a rarity on the red carpet for Hargitay — the SVU nominee was all sophistication in a silver Carolina Herrera.

Jennifer Love Hewitt
Yes, yellow has been a major trend on the red carpet — but not this shade. Verging on pastel, the Ghost Whisperer's gown — not helped by her prommy locks — was all wrong.

Mila Kunis
Uneven hemlines can deliver uneven results, but in the case of Kunis, the layered tulle — and merlot hue — helped bring edge to her otherwise balletic Monique Lhuillier.

Hayden Panettiere
The fussy updo and overly lipsticked ensemble instantly aged the usually freshfaced Heroes star — we're talking Benjamin Button territory here, people.

Heidi Klum
Putting other recent maternity fashion to shame, the Project Runway nominee — and her third-trimester bump — sparkled in an ultra-fitted black Marchesa.