Golden Globes 2011: Fashion and Jewelry Trend Predictions

In case you haven”t heard, Hollywood and the Foreign Press are gearing up for the Golden Globe awards tomorrow night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Every year, I reserve time to watch The Golden Globes. What’s so cool about watching the Golden Globes (if you’re in “Recessionista lock-down” spending mode) is that you get to live vicariously. The show provides all of the fashion, none of the guilt. You just get to watch the fashions and wonderful jewelry and it doesn’t cost a penny. It’s guilt- less glamour, free at home entertainment.  Last year’s ceremony was a bit somber.  If you remember it was raining buckets and the Red Carpet was flooded. Remember Penelope Cruz holding her umbrella?   The gowns and jewelry were very subdued with many black or white monochromatic dresses, highlighted by simple pieces like emerald drop earrings or a diamond tassel necklace.  So what can we expect this year when the sun is finally shinning?  To help answer that question, I visited the Golden Globes Stylelab Jewelry suite yesterday evening to interview jewelry and style expert, Michael O’Connor.

Unlike last year’s ceremony, Michael thinks we are going to see lots of colorful dresses this year paired with statement pieces of jewelry.  “With the gowns, look for a wide range of colors, ” notes Michael. ” I think we’ll see more simple dresses but with more exaggerated accents like ruffles.  That means, the stars will usually look for bigger pieces pieces of jewelry to standout.”  InStyle‘s Fashion Director Hal Rubenstein agrees. “This is going to be a big color season,” he says.

To help attendees pick the right pieces of jewelry, the Golden Globes jewelry suite features everything from vintage looks to more whimsical pieces like butterfly pins and frog rings. Yes, you heard me a Georland Frog ring was on display, which I was told several actresses wanted.  All pieces are offered on loan to the attendees, and must be returned the day after the ceremony.  Prior to my arrival at the jewelry suite, stars from TV’s The Office, Modern Family and True Blood had all stopped by to select pieces. The suite featured stunning pieces from jewelry designers Neil Lane, Dena Kemp, AGTA Collection, Georland (the butterfly brooches and the frog ring), Platinum Guild International, Jewelry by Gail, and men’s watches by Perrelet.  All were lust worthy, but I particularly loved this dazzling cuff by Dena Kemp.

Stylist Michael also thinks we’ll see more men on the Red Carpet showing off jewelry in the from of lapel pins and cuff links. “This generation of male stars are more comfortable wearing jewelry and they grew up with it,” notes Michael.  Check out some of the jewelry shown at the suite for men to choose in the picture below.

It will be interesting to see who wears what this year.  “It’s a cleaner moment in fashion and accessories right now,” said Hal Rubenstein, In-Style Magazine Fashion Director in an interview on Golden Globes Fashion with CNN today.  I take that to mean we won’t see any over the top, excesses tomorrow night.  Instead, let’s hope for full-on tasteful Hollywood glamour from nominees Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Annette Benning  and Halle Berry.  Halle Berry can be credited for kicking Globes Red Carpet fashion into the Haute zone after wearing a red and white Valentino gown a few years back.  She always makes interesting choices.   And I can’t wait to see what my favorite Mr. Darcy, and Best Actor nominee for The King’s Speech, Colin Firth wears.  Maybe a lapel pin ala the King he played, George VI? 🙂

Look for my picks on the “looks for less” after The Golden Globes airs.