Belated Oscars Fashion Overview... A La Lebanese

I totally missed the boat on Oscar 2009 fashion commentary and this despite the Lebanese coming out with a very solid showing this year - really great for such a teeny tiny little country in a pocket of the planet not exactly renowned for its aesthetic sensibilities (not in this particular century, anyway). 

I might have forgone commentary entirely this year had it not been for my mother (hi, mom!). Unrelenting in her efforts to broker a peace agreement between me and the Arabic-language-only satellite broadcasting television set in the kitchen, together we watched a lot of SCOOP! (Arabic version of ET, Access Hollywood, etc…) over my recent trip home, and I saw too much to let it go unacknowledged.

Disclaimer: I did poke a bit of innocent fun at the Lebanese tendency to go overboard on paillettes, gold lamé, and glitter makeup in my first novel, Fashionably Late, but you’ve got to admit - it makes for good showmanship. These stars agree - here’s a sampling of gowns designed by Lebanese at the Academy Awards:

Miley Cyrus in Zuhair Murad

Viola Davis (gold) in Reem Acra

Queen Latifah in Georges ChakraAnd Ms. Jolie in ( heavily altered) Elie Saab

(Hmm.. might Angie have gotten better reviews had she not taken an hatchet to Mr. Saab’s original design?…)

The Money Shot - what I would wear, should I one day be up there for Best Adapted Screenplay for Fashionably Late:

Elie Saab - Summer 2009

And kudos to a fantabulous blog I unearthed in my search for Lebanese fashion online - Baba Gannouj and La Zaytouni, a male/female duo of hip, hilarious, and seriously opinionated Lebanese bloggers. For more Lebanese fashion (and political commentary, if you are so inclined), check out La Zaytouni’s posts.