"Tina and Amy are gonna crush it." We heard that twice on the red carpet before the 71st Annual Golden Globes ceremony got rolling tonight. Fey and Poehler were as sharp as they were last year, zinging their best jokes in the direction of Hollywood's leading men and the industry's double standards. On Gravity: "It's a story about how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age." On Dallas Buyers Club: "Matthew McConaughey was great. He lost 45 pounds, or what actresses call 'being in a movie.'"

That's as good a transition as any to talk about the evening's dresses, which were a step above the ones we saw at this show last year. Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama winner Cate Blanchett takes this writer's best-dressed award for her black lace Armani Privé; it'll be a more exciting awards season for red-carpet watchers because she's in it. But that's not to say the Blue Jasmine star didn't have any competition. Girls' Allison Williams still qualifies as a newcomer, but her feathered and striped Alexander McQueen column was as sophisticated as anything on the red carpet.

Red was hands down the color of choice on a night that saw more colorful dresses than usual. Amy Adams' two-tone Valentino Haute Couture gown and matching cape looked plucked from the wardrobe department of American Hustle. "I was kind of influenced by my character," the Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy winner admitted before the show. The black pants Emma Watson wore under her backless red Dior Haute Couture dress had their fair share of Twitter detractors, but we think the look suited the young actress. Julia Louis-Dreyfus looked smashing in her Narciso Rodriguez, notwithstanding the hot dog she was stuffing in her face while gamely playing along with Fey and Poehler. And we were very happy to see 12 Years a Slave's Lupita Nyong'o glide onto the stage in her cape-back Ralph Lauren gown alongside her director, Steve McQueen; it was a beauty.

Another big trend of the evening: baby bumps. Kerry Washington debuted hers in custom-made Balenciaga by Alexander Wang. Drew Barrymore was as fearless as ever in an embroidered Monique Lhuillier. And Olivia Wilde fulfilled all clichés, glowing in emerald sequins from Gucci Premiere.

And we've got to hand it to Emma Thompson. What better way to accessorize Christian Louboutin pumps—or bare feet, for that matter—than with a martini?

Nicole Phelps

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