Last night's Oscars were a good time for the country fans out there. Ryan Bingham rightfully took home the award for Best Original Song. Jeff Bridges got Best Actor for his riveting portrayal of the washed-up Bad Blake.
But, well, I have to admit--my personal favorite Oscar moment didn't have to do with Crazy Heart at all. It was Faith Hill's arrival with Blind Side star/husband Tim McGraw.
I just love Faith Hill. For more than her obvious talent, and the fact that she apparently actually likes to watch football and cook nachos (two of my favorite things). I love her for something completely different than these things.
Faith Hill is one of those enviable types who don't have to do a danged thing to attract the spotlight. Quite simply, she's physically stunning; the kind of beauty that can walk into a room wearing Levis and a T-shirt, and easily outshine the most glittery crowd of couture wearers.
Ironically, however, she doesn't seem to enjoy relying on this God-given gift of hers. The woman has a long history of pushing fashion boundaries--often to the direct detriment of her natural prettiness. She's not afraid to chop off her hair in a rather goat-chewed fashion, don a borderline-tacky outfit that makes absolutely nothing of her stunning figure, or generally turn her nose up at the cliche of beauty-queen Southern belle-ness.
And then, of course, she does a 360 and appears as a squeaky-clean cheerleader type radiating normality and sweetness yet again.
It's Jekyll and Hyde, Mississippi-style, I tell you. And, it's this very irony that I find quite appealing about Faith. It endearingly separates her from the crowd of lovely, talented country gals out there. (Nashville is not a town exactly hurting for female beauties.)
Although I like her tendency to be unexpected, this does not mean I actually like what she is wearing at any given event. But it's sure fun wondering what she's going to try and pull off next.
That said, last night at the Oscars, Faith's gothy black-lace number won few fans in the press. Entertainment Weekly summed it up rather neatly by calling the look "a little bit red-light district."
Here's my guilty secret: I actually liked the dress. I think she carried the look off well. It veered on the naughty side, but somehow I think Faith managed to hold her own in it--rather calling out the side of her who is a seasoned 40something, wife, and mother of three children.
If anything, it beats what she wore to the 2002 Academy Awards.
Now. Didn't I tell you so?
Anyway--let's hear it from the crowd. Did you like Faith's 2010 Oscar gown, or do you agree with EW that she veered into hooker territory? Let me know what you think.
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