Hot Styles That Beat the Heat

Oh, who cares who won, as long as everyone looked good. And they did.

Emmy nominees, presenters and friends braved Sunday’s tropical heat by wearing as little as possible, gowns that bared backs, arms and chests to the stinging afternoon sun outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Green, the color of cucumbers, ripe honeydew melon or lime juice, was at least cool to the eye. Metallic and beaded dresses sparkled like ice, but only their wearers risked melting.

The sleek simplicity that dominated the evening’s dress code reflected the changing definition of Hollywood glamour, a shift that occurred a few years ago when the designers of high fashion began courting actresses and vice versa. Before Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Vera Wang and Richard Tyler became the glamour gods of choice at awards shows, the men hauled out their trusty tuxedos and women went to costume designers for custom gowns.

Now that evening dresses travel directly from the runway to the podium, actresses are as in style and as stunning as models.