Laura Bennett's new book provides easy-to-follow instructions to create chic accessories.

When the third season of Project Runway aired, we were pulling for designer Laura Bennett to win the reality TV fashion design competition. Though she lost to edgy L.A. designer Jeffrey Sebelia, we preferred Bennett’s elegant designs and twists on the classic silhouette, and we admired the seemingly effortless style and cool poise always exuded by the mother of six (during the taping, she discovered she was pregnant with child No. 6).

So we knew we’d find enviable designs in Handmade Chic: Fashionable Projects That Look High-End, Not Homespun (Rodale Books, 2012). And one lucky VIVmag reader will win a copy!

To enter the giveaway, simply fill out this form by February 29, 2012. For an additional chance to win the book (a $24.99 retail value), follow VIVmag on Twitter and tweet the following: “Enter to win ‘Handmade Chic’ by Laura Bennett. Follow @vivmag & retweet!”

The book features 35 designs for accessories, such as covers for tablets and e-books, shopping totes, wallets, bags, clutches and even bead embellishments for shoes and a dress. The items progress from easy projects, such as a leather business card holder and a chain belt, to the more complicated undertakings of a feathered frame clutch or furry slippers.

We know crafting has become more hip in the past decade, but these accessories surpass hipster cool, all infused with Bennett’s signature elegance. (And they’re miles away from the crocheted toilet paper covers topped with doll torsos or macramé plant holders of yore.)

The step-by-step instructions are pretty foolproof, with diagrams that are detailed but not intimidating. “As complicated as they look, the items I made on Project Runway and continue to make today are actually quite simple: I’m still in the ‘Very Easy Vogue’ state of mind,” Bennett assures us in the intro.

The materials and tools you’ll need for each project are listed. While things like tailor’s chalk, fabric lining, tape measure and needle-nose pliers should be readily available, other necessary items for projects — a blade cutter, twist-lock hardware and other bag clasps and leather itself — probably aren’t available at the local craft store.

Though the directions are simple, we’re not sure we’d recommend starting on leather if you’ve never operated a sewing machine, which is needed to complete the majority of the projects. (We recommend at least a few practice runs with the machine, and make sure you have enough materials for a mistake or two.)

If you are a novice, then the first few chapters really provide you with the basics. “Sewing is a lot like cooking: You can have drawers full of exotic gadgets and an extensive knowledge of advanced techniques, but there are actually only a few essential tools and skills you need to get the job done,” Bennett says.

You’ll find sewing-machine basics, the difference between slip-stitch and running stitch, and tips about working with beads, rhinestones, feathers and leather (as well as leather alternatives.) Since there are a few items that call for fur, Bennett also tackles the fur controversy, providing a section on faux fur and making a case for vintage fur as a form of upcycling. “Nothing says middle-aged Mafia wife like a full-length fur coat,” she observes.

Somewhat crafty, yet a little clumsy around the sewing machine, we’d feel comfortable tackling the projects in this book. (Provided we didn’t have to do so in a small allotment of time with a crazy twist and then be judged by fashion icons on television.)

Would you feel comfortable making your own accessories or do you prefer to buy them?

Madeleine Stowe chose a strapless Vera Wang in bold purple for the 69th Annual Golden Globes.

With a rainbow of vibrant color, dramatic silhouettes and a blinding array of megawatt gems, the 69th Annual Golden Globes red carpet was a feast for our fashion-hungry eyes. For starters, there was Angelina Jolie, regal in a white satin Atelier Versace with a bold splash of red; Charlize Theron, elegant in a plunging soft pink gown by Dior Haute Couture, and Sofía Vergara, gorgeous in a curve-hugging navy Vera Wang and $5 million in Harry Winston jewels.

Some of the Globe victors were fashion winners as well, including Enlightened’s Laura Dern in a sparkling long-sleeved emerald Andrew Gn, Mildred Pierce’s Kate Winslet in a simple black and white Jenny Packham with a cleavage-exposing cutout, and The Help’s Octavia Spencer in a gathered lavender Tadashi Shoji. But we scratched our heads over the cowgirl-inspired Alessandra Rich that Iron Lady Meryl Streep chose, and the ill-fitting black number Jessica Lange wore to accept her American Horror Story prize. As for Best Song winner Madonna, we loved the metallic top of her Reem Acra gown, the forest green bottom, not so much.

Other ladies rocking the metallic look included Salma Hayek, striking in a strapless black and gold Gucci; Diane Lane, dazzling in a gold beaded Reem Acra, and Felicity Huffman, stunning in a shimmery gown from the Romona Keveza Collection. We also loved Nicole Kidman in a deco beaded Versace.

Shades of maroon, burgundy and plum flattered nominee Viola Davis in a one-shoulder chiffon Emilio Pucci; Tina Fey in a strapless Oscar De La Renta, and Julianna Margulies in a sparkly Naeem Khan, while Madeleine Stowe was a vision in vivid purple in her strapless Vera Wang.

There was the usual contingent of black dresses, worn best by Debra Messing in a one-shoulder Monique Lhullier, Julianne Moore in a tiered strapless Chanel, Michelle Pfeiffer in an off-the-shoulder J. Mendel, and Jane Fonda, fabulous in a beaded Jack Guisso gown that showed off the best 74-year-old body we’ve ever seen!

Primary colors were also well represented, with Reese Witherspoon, red hot in a fitted, fluted Zac Posen and Paula Patton brightening the carpet in a yellow mermaid-style Monique Lhullier. On the blue spectrum, Tilda Swinton, in a jacketed ice blue Haider Ackermann; Jodie Foster in a teal strapless Giorgio Armani, and Helen Mirren, in a midnight blue Badgley Mischka, won fashion points.

So did women who went for paler shades, like Julie Bowen in a beaded nude Reem Acra and Kate Beckinsale in a striking strapless Roberto Cavalli. But we weren’t crazy about the too-sheer Theyskens’ Theory ball gown Piper Perabo chose, or the over-the-top white corset-style Zac Posen Elle Macpherson picked. The gold beaded Roberto Cavalli that Macpherson changed into for the afterparty, however, was fab!

Want to replicate some of the red carpet looks? Rent the Runway, which offers dresses from top designers for rental to its members, has seven looks to choose from — including Bowen’s Reem Acra.

Who do you think was the best dressed on the red carpet?

Photo credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage

"Project Runway All Stars" will be hosted by Angela Lindvall (left) and will have rotating guest judges, including Miss Piggy (shown), model Miranda Kerr and hip-hop artist and producer Pharrell Williams.

We’re big believers in second chances, so we’re thrilled that some of our favorite Project Runway designers who were eliminated from the show are getting another shot on Project Runway All Stars, premiering on Lifetime tonight at 9 p.m. ET. Mondo Guerra, Austin Scarlett, Rami Kashou, Anthony Williams, Kara Janx and eight other returning favorites will vie for the title and prizes including $100,000 cash, $100,000 in technology and office space, a feature and yearlong guest editorship in Marie Claire, and a showcase boutique at Neiman Marcus stores and online.

“The competition is higher and the challenges are tougher. They had just six hours for one challenge,” notes Angela Lindvall, the supermodel taking over for Heidi Klum in this edition as host and judge, alongside Isaac Mizrahi, Georgina Chapman and a weekly guest celebrity. (Marie Claire editor-in-chief Joanna Coles plays the Tim Gunn mentor role). “I know Heidi pretty well and really admire her as a woman and a mother,” says Lindvall, who has two young sons and, like Klum, has branched out from modeling into branding and product lines, including Angela by John Hardy, a collection of recycled-silver jewelry for QVC. “I know people will want to compare us, but Heidi and I are very, very different, and I hope people will love me for who I am.”

Lindvall admits she hadn’t watched Project Runway before being hired as the All Stars host and was somewhat apprehensive about taking the position. Nervous about public speaking and the responsibility of hosting the show, and nonjudgmental and nonconfrontational by nature, she had to conquer her fears and learned a lot about herself in the process. “It taught me how to constructively say what I like and what I don’t like and be able to voice my opinion,” she says, noting that this new assertiveness has spilled over into everyday life. But even she was surprised by how outspoken the editing process made her seem. “They’ve definitely chosen my harshest things, but that’s what makes it interesting,” she says. “They didn’t hire me to be super-sweet.”

The Oklahoma native says she met her branding, design and TV work goals last year, as well as launching a website. This year, she’s resolved to focus on “mind, body and spirit”. She’s taking a Kundalini yoga instructor training course, “and it’s been transforming my life and bringing things into a new perspective for me.”

Do you have a Project Runway All Stars favorite to win?

Photo credit: David M. Russell/Lifetime

Spa Week is giving away a trip for two to the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara.

Every now and then, when we have 15 or so browser windows open at the same time, we feel a bit overwhelmed, like we’re in the technology loop skit in Portlandia. But ’tis the season for giveaways, and Twitter, Facebook and our email inbox yielded some opportunities we want to share — all on one handy page.

For those who need to decompress from the holidays and enforce some healthy-living resolutions, Spa Week and Keri Glassman, R.D., are giving away a four-night stay for two at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. The package includes two spa treatments per person, private cooking classes and two dinners, a personalized nutrition counseling program, $100 Spa Week gift card and a two copies of Glassman’s book The O2 Diet (Rodale, 2009). The winner, named in mid-January, will also get a three-day supply of Nutritious Life Meals, if they are within the delivery area (see rules). Airfare is not included. To enter, simply “like” Spa Week on Facebook and fill out the form.

Spa Week also has partnered with Rioja wine to give three winners the choice of three prizes: an iPad 2, a pair of Manolo Blahniks or a wine-tasting party for 20, which includes appetizers and a wine education. Simply provide your email and ZIP code to enter by Dec. 31.

We’ve also spotted a few prize-a-day contests, such as the Anthropologie’s 20 Days A’Gifting, now on day 13. Each day, Anthropologie gives away a new prize; past items have included an array of whimsical ornaments, vintage tapestry boots and a Beauty by the Bagful set that included a weekender bag, Julie Hewett makeup palette and lipstick, a Happ & Stahns 1842 Rosa Alba Parfum Tear Catcher and a Cross-Continent passport case, wallet, pouch and luggage tag. To enter, simply fill out the form on the Anthropologie website.

The Adidas by Stella McCartney All I Want for Christmas giveaway, on day 13 of 25, also has a new prize each day. Among the past ones: Procera ballerina shoes, a Firebird track top and Monogyna running shoes. Every entry to the daily prize also counts as an entry for the grand prize — a new wardrobe from Stella McCartney, worth $1,000.

And don’t forget to enter VIVmag’s giveaways by the end of December! Win a pair of SUBJEKT HerPhones, earbuds designed for a perfect fit for the ladies; a copy of 1,000 Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of Kindness Can Heal, Inspire, and Change Your Life (Seal Press, 2011) and an assortment of wellness blends from Kusmi Tea!

What type of giveaway luck are you hoping for?

Not only does 25 percent of the profits from the Kahina Giving Beauty Gift Set go to Berber women in argan cooperatives, but an additional $10 of online purchases goes to buying livestock for the women.

When selecting holiday gifts this year, we found that some of the best were those that benefit good causes. Some of our favorites are featured in “A Gift for Giving” in the latest issue of VIVmag, but we wanted to call your attention to a few more worthy picks.

During a recent facial at one of our favorite Brooklyn shops, Shen Beauty, we discovered Kahina Giving Beauty products. Founder Katharine Phillips L’Heureux was in Morocco when she discovered that local Berber women harvest the oil from the nuts of argan trees for its beauty properties (as well as for local cuisine); the light, nongreasy organic oil is moisturizing and high in vitamin E, among its other benefits. Kahina donates 25 percent of profits to support the Berber women of the argan cooperatives and their families.

Kahina has a variety of products including the argan oil ($36–$82), toning mist ($36) and eye cream ($65). The Kahina Gift Set ($65) includes argan oil and argan soap, as well as a cotton zipper bag, hand-stitched by Indian women rescued from human traffickers. The set is a collaboration with NEST, a nonprofit that provides artisans with education and interest-free loans. Kahina is offering free ground shipping until Dec. 31.

December is AIDS Awareness Month, so a gift from Same Sky is especially appropriate this holiday season. The glass-bead bracelets and necklaces, Prosperity Bracelets and fabric wraps are handmade by women who survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide, many of whom were raped and infected with HIV. Same Sky aims to empower the women in Rwanda, and now in Zambia, where at least one in seven adults has HIV.

Among our favorites: the Deck the Halls Prosperity Set ($175) of three bracelets in cherry, paprika and Chardonnay and the White Tiger glass bead bracelet ($160). Gift wrapping is available for an additional $3.50. Special holiday sets ($450) in ivory and caviar include a glass-bead necklace and bracelet, as well as two signed artisan cards, an information card and a gift box and ribbon. Domestic ground orders ship free through December.

Whether you have an avid gardener, an animal lover or a human-rights advocate on your holiday list this year, Altruette has a gold or silver charm that benefits a corresponding organization. For example, 50 percent of the net profit from the sale of the watering can charm ($115–$145) benefits the American Community Gardening Association, while the dreidel ($115–$145) benefits the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. The charms can be attached to necklaces ($75–$125) or bracelets ($130–$150), which like the charms, are made in the U.S. with repurposed gold and silver. We love the Year of Charms ($1,295–$1,500) option: a new charm delivered every month.

After we told you about the Miss Representation documentary and “The Independent Woman” segment of PBS’ America in Primetime series, it should be no surprise that one of our favorites is the TV charm ($95–$125), created by actor Geena Davis to benefit her See Jane nonprofit that advocates for gender balance in children’s programming. Speaking of gender equality, there’s an option for men, too: a set of silver cufflinks ($180).

We also like this gift idea for men: the Pacific Shaving Company works with Trees for the Future to plant a tree for every purchase of its organic shaving essentials, which are made in the U.S. Simply go to the company’s website and enter the barcode of the product. The gift pack ($30.99) includes shaving cream, shaving oil, a nick stick and blade oil. Pacific Shaving Company also works with the Red Cross, offering free product samples to those who donate blood at participating drives. The company offers free shipping for orders over $20; see the site for the code.

Some holiday music also benefits various good causes; check out our picks for the season. What are some of your favorite gift selections that give back this holiday?

The Versace for H&M runway show was held Nov. 8 at Pier 57 in New York City.

A few years ago, we noticed an ongoing trend of high-end designers creating lower-priced lines for budget stores, such as Target and Kohl’s. Since the start of this fashion-for-all movement, there have been many high-profile collaborations with H&M, the Swedish retailer that prides itself on offering fashionable items at affordable prices; Jimmy Choo, Sonia Rykiel, Stella McCartney, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons and Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz have all created collections for the store. The next H&M designer collection is with Italian label Versace, released in the U.S. on Nov. 19 in select stores.

When we think of the House of Versace, we envision over-the-top glamour and provocative styles, with body-conscious silhouettes, often with plunging necklines or flesh-flashing cutouts. This collection for H&M takes iconic Versace designs and reinterprets them for the H&M customer. For the women’s collection, that means lots of silk, bold prints and studded leather. The men’s collection will feature tailored pieces, including suits and tuxedos. There will also be home items like a comforter and pillow set, a first for an H&M designer collaboration.

We first got a sneak peek at the women’s collection when Versace creative director Donatella Versace wore one the dresses she designed for H&M — a fitted black leather sheath with gold studs arranged in an ornate pattern — to her spring 2012 menswear show. The H&M for Versace runway show was held Nov. 8 at Pier 57 in New York City’s Meatpacking District, showcasing gold-studded pieces and prints that are bold, to say the least. But it wasn’t all leopard print meets silhouettes of palm trees against a sunset; tamer pieces include a classic LBD with cut-out sleeves and gold buttons. Preview the collection on H&M’s website.

Be sure to check the H&M website prior to the November launch to see which stores will carry the collection — only about 300 of H&M’s 2,300 worldwide locations will offer the pieces. Price points are on the higher end of H&M pricing due to the higher level of detail and quality of the fabrics. The aforementioned studded leather dress costs $299, a pleated skirt is $69.95 and several sheath dresses are $129. Though it might seem pricey for H&M, when compared to the typical cost of a Versace piece (which can run in the four- to five-digits), it’s a bargain.

As with every other limited edition designer-for-less line, items will most likely sell out quickly. (If the previous Lanvin for H&M is any indication, there will be scant pickings after just a few hours.) And once items sell out, they will not be restocked.

If you’re trying to snag a Versace for H&M piece or two on the debut day, you should plan to get to the store early — very early. The release of Versace for H&M will be similar to that for Lanvin for H&M, with a wristband system for the women’s collection and designated shopping times and limits. The first 280 customers in line will get a wristband and be divided into 14 groups of 20. Once inside, they will have 15 minutes to shop, and can purchase only two of the same item.

Our advice: Know your size, and have an idea of what pieces you want beforehand to make your shopping experience less frantic. Also keep in mind that shoppers were in line by 6 a.m. for the Lanvin sale, so the early fashion bird gets the black faux-fur vest. If you want to take your chances, anything left will be available to shoppers after all banded groups go through, and the store will be open to all for the rest of H&M clothing and the Versace for H&M men’s collection.

Do you think Versace for H&M will be worth the effort, or would you rather have only the high-end designer styles?

Photo credit: Dan & Corina Lecca

HerPhones are available in red, blue and black and all come equipped with mics for use with smartphones.

Tired of our iPod’s shuffle mode, we decided to listen to our songs alphabetically, A-Z. For this undertaking, we need just the right headphones that provide both great sound and comfort, with earbuds that stay nicely in place. (We don’t want one falling out on an inopportune track, lest the stray strains of Winger or the Spice Girls suddenly embarrass us on the train.) Thankfully, we discovered HerPhones ($24.99), petite earphones designed to stay securely in place. And 10 lucky winners will receive HerPhones of their own — simply fill out this form to enter!

Ben Sedaghat, who founded Subjekt headphones in 2009, decided to create earphones for smaller ears after hearing women complain that many earbuds on the market were too big and uncomfortable. The new HerPhones are about 40 percent smaller than the typical earbuds, and each pair comes with three pairs of silicon ear tips in different sizes that can be swapped for the most secure fit, as ear canals vary between 5 to 10 mm in diameter.

HerPhones have a small microphone attached to the cables, so you can use them with most smartphones. We actually just got a nasty neck cramp the other day from trying to hold the phone with our shoulder as we did in the olden days, so we’re happy to have a new solution to use with our Droid. The mic also has a button that allows you to pause, play and skip tracks on any Apple music product.

We love HerPhones’ sleek design and sound quality and aluminum earpieces, available with accents of blue, red or black. Each winner of the VIVMag giveaway can select the color of her choice! Simply enter by midnight on Dec. 31, 2011.

Do you have trouble finding earphones that fit?

Atlanta-based jewelry designer Cotrice seemed confident that she could handle creating items outside her comfort zone as a contestant on "Project Accessory."

We’re looking forward to not only seeing how the ninth season of Project Runway wraps up tonight on Lifetime, but also watching the debut of Project Accessory, a competition for designers of shoes, handbags, jewelry and other accessories.

The spinoff, which airs after the Runway finale, is hosted by actor/model Molly Sims, who is joined at the judges’ table by Kenneth Cole, In Style editor Ariel Foxman and, for the premiere episode, guest judge Debra Messing.

Taking on the Tim Gunn mentor role is Swiss-born Vivre catalog founder Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti, an accessories-biz veteran and passionate collector of everything from Yves Saint Laurent shoes and Alaïa belts to the unique cocktail rings, scarves and bags she’s found in her travels. The show’s challenges are similarly eclectic, requiring the contestants to design items they may not have previously made. Jewelry designers, for example, will have to create bags and shoes too, under deadline pressure.

“It’s not just about creativity and imagination,” says Jeanbart-Lorenzotti. “They had to work outside their comfort zone and use a different skill set every time. Attention to detail is very important, as is a vision that will represent you as an artist.”

Atlanta-based designer Cotrice, a contestant on the show, doesn’t seem fazed by this challenge. “My strong suit is being able to create any sort of accessory,” she says, adding that she regularly works with materials ranging from wood, metal and plastic to safety pins, coconut husks and broken shells. The only one of three friends who auditioned for the show in Miami to make the final cut, Cotrice says she researched how to make unfamiliar items before taping started “just in case.” But the self-professed renegade admits she struggled with the “crazy deadlines” and following the guidelines.

Contestant Shea Curry, a Los Angeles-based actor and jewelry maker, says that the show is “an incredible experience, the hardest thing I’ve ever done and the most rewarding.” At first, making jewelry kept her occupied during breaks on the set of The Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement in 2004, then kept her afloat and sane during the 2007–2008 Writers Guild strike that halted Hollywood production. “My design style is very edgy, a bit flashy, not subtle,” she says. “My pieces are statement pieces.”

While continuing to act, Curry plans to expand her Shameless Jewelry brand. She recently launched a new collection called Twisted Love and created a “Go Pink” ID bracelet ($40) with pink ribbon and heart charms for the Breast Cancer Charities of America, donating 20 percent of its sales to the cause.

When it comes to a show about designing accessories, do you think Lifetime can “make it work” — as Gunn would say?

Photo credit: Richard McLaren/Lifetime

Rhonda Shear's line offers comfortable, sexy solutions for problem areas.

We like our lacy lingerie as much as the next girl, but sometimes we need a bit more control than a mere thong can provide. So when a box of what was touted as “sexy shapewear” arrived on our doorstep, we were happy to give it a try. The line is designed by Rhonda Shear, 56, a name that might ring a bell if you were an insomniac back in the ’90s. Shear, who has logged time on both the pageant and the stand-up circuits, hosted USA Up All Night, USA Network’s tongue-in-cheek B-movie series, for most of the decade.

“My job was to keep people tuned in until 2 a.m. so they could watch commercials in between really bad films,” Shear says. “I decided to lure people in with lots of cleavage, so I hosted the show in completely over-the-top campy lingerie.”

Even after the show went off the air in ’98, Shear kept up with the lingerie market, especially with innovations in seamless control. Born in New Orleans, the former Miss Louisiana used to design her own gowns for Mardi Gras, and she was always on the lookout for materials that would hide trouble spots. “Being in front of the camera is all about the art of illusion,” she says, “and that can mean fabrics that help conceal cellulite or a style that draws attention away from your less-than-perfect areas.”

Nine years ago, when Shear heard that HSN was looking for a celebrity shapewear specialist, she sprung into action, and had a few hundred pairs of control briefs manufactured. “I really started out catering to myself initially,” she says. “Being a curvier woman at a certain time in my life, I couldn’t find any shapewear that was comfortable, sexy and that fit well without creeping up or rolling down. I figured if I needed a new kind of undergarment, other women probably did, too.” Shear was given a trial on the home shopping network and her stock sold out almost instantly. Today, she sells as many as 400,000 pieces a day.

We test drove the Blossom Jacquard Panty ($15.90) under an unforgiving pair of white pants. We slipped the longer-cut Pinup Girl Lace Control Panty ($19.90) under slightly snug jean slacks, and paired the Smooth Moves Underwire Control Tank ($36.90) with our favorite clingy Trina Turk shift. Muffin top, bra flab and all other manner of unbecoming excess flesh disappeared, and with a lot more comfort than we’d experienced with other brands of shapewear.

Shear says she created her line to allow women to feel free and fabulous and be uninhibited in their dally routines. “I want a woman to know that if her skirt lifts up in the wind or when she’s climbing into a taxi, she’s wearing something underneath that provides full coverage but gives the illusion of showing a little bit,” she says. And, should a B-movie scenario occur — a cocktail party turns unexpectedly into a pool party, for example — you’ll be glad to be wearing the Heartthrob Shelf Tank ($29.90), a seamless tank with a built-in shelf bra. “It stretches to go over your derrière,” she says. “So, you can strip down to just that and jump right in.”

What’s most important to you when looking for shaping lingerie?

Sofia Vergara wore a form-fitting Vera Wang gown to the Emmys, where the red was the overwhelming fashion favorite of the night.

Did someone send out a memo to 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards attendees about matching the arrivals carpet? Sure seems so, since so many women, dazzlingly dressed in shades of claret, crimson and tomato, had us happily seeing red.

Cases in point: Kate Winslet, Emmy winner for the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce, looked fabulous in an Elie Saab gown with a plunging slit neckline, while Sofia Vergara of Modern Family rocked a fiery, form-fitting coral Vera Wang (and huge Colombian emerald earrings). Kerry Washington (of the upcoming ABC series Scandal) sparkled in a fire-engine sequined Zuhair Murad, with a strapless bodice, a style also seen on ladies-in-red Kathy Griffin (in satiny Oscar De La Renta), Connie Britton (in gauzy Maria Lucia Hohan), Giuliana Rancic (in Roberto Cavalli), Elizabeth McGovern and Nancy O’Dell.

Other bright hues were in evidence, on actor Jennifer Westfeldt, who arrived on the arm of partner Jon Hamm in a sunny yellow vintage strapless Helena Barbieri. Dancing With the Stars co-host Brooke Burke wore a knockout magenta strapless dress, and The Good Wife’s Archie Panjabi chose a green Angel Sanchez gown.

Beading was another trend, worn best by Julie Bowen of Modern Family in a silver and black Oscar de la Renta with a plunging neckline, Maria Bello of the new Prime Suspect in a cream and gold one-shoulder Kaufmanfranco, Taraji P. Henson (Person of Interest) in a shimmery silver Blumarine, and Raising Hope nominee Martha Plimpton in a sparkly Bordeaux-colored Zac Posen that flattered every curve.

Silky, shiny metallic fabrics were the choices of Saturday Night Live’s Kristen Wiig, who wore a somewhat underwhelming bronze Zac Posen with a deep neckline. Jane Krakowski of 30 Rock chose a silvery J. Mendel to show off her toned post-baby figure. Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi accessorized her golden-bronze Armani Privé with garnet and sapphire jewelry from her own line.

Of the four David Meister gowns that Emmy host Jane Lynch wore, we liked her burgundy strapless arrival look the best. Our least favorite was a too-voluminous silver gown that resembled a Jiffy Pop top and bogged down her athletic frame. The Good Wife winner Julianna Margulies was stunning in white Armani Privé, though the structured bodice had an odd fit. Her co-star Christine Baranski cut an elegant figure in a fitted, fluted midnight Zac Posen.

We weren’t wild about the uneven-hemmed cancan skirt on Heidi Klum’s oyster-colored Christian Siriano. While we loved the color of Katie Holmes’ blue Calvin Klein, we were surprised to learn the dress was a custom design, since it didn’t seem to fit the actor properly. The Big C nominee Laura Linney’s simple, short Céline dress wasn’t glam enough for the Emmys, but on the other end of the spectrum, Christina Hendricks’ (Mad Men) beaded, slit, cleavage-baring Johanna Johnson gown was just a little too much — of everything. Speaking of exposure, Gwyneth Paltrow (Emmy winner for her Glee guest role) has great abs, but her sheer, intricately beaded black Emilio Pucci two-piece would have looked better sans the bare midriff. And while we love Drew Barrymore, the colorless, high-necked, Givenchy half-mini/half-maxi she wore washed her out. Maybe she should have worn red!

If you loved the red looks on the Emmy red carpet, you’re in luck: Red is the hot color for fall. For bold autumn fashion statements and accessories, check out “Scarlet Fever” in the latest issue of VIVmag.

Who topped your best-dressed list?

Photo credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage