Many people were upset at The Academy Awards for neglecting to honor Lupe Ontiveros in its In Memorium program this year. Frankly, it’s not that surprising considering the amount of brown faces (or lack there of) who are nominated or even attend the ceremony each year. As a small homage to the beautiful ladies who represent our people at The Oscars, I present to you My Favorite Hispanic Red Carpet Looks of The Oscars.
5. A relative new comer to the American red carpet, Bérénice Bejo looked gorgeous for her 2011 debut at the Oscars. This light mint green Elie Saab gown was beaded to perfection and the color complimented her fiery red hair. Elie Saab can do no wrong in my book. This is a great example of the designer’s intricate work.
4. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not Jennifer Lopez‘s biggest fan. Lets just say Jenny hasn’t been around the block for quite some time and, as someone who has worked in The Bronx, there are plenty of communities who could use some of that money she casually spends on all sorts of nonsense. Don’t even get me started on these “proud Latinas” who never learned a word of Spanish and only started to use a few Spanglish phrases here and there after the big Latino boom of the 90s (what some of us refer to as the post-Ricky Martin era). And you really shouldn’t ask me what I think of her singing.
All the criticism aside, no one can deny Jennifer Lopez looked stunning in this Zuhair Murad dress at the 2012 Academy Awards. The lines of this dress focuses your eyes to the smallest part of Jennifer’s body while also draping over her curves in a super flattering way. Some didn’t like the sleeves on this dress but I can always appreciate a good cut-out.
3. Penelope Cruz is no stranger to red carpets. Here she blew me away in this breathtaking blush colored Versace gown in 2007. The color looks amazing over her tan skin. The elaborate pattern on the top portion create wonderful shapes that emphasize (or create the illusion of) every curve of Penelope’s body. The skirt brings the drama that every Academy Award attendee should strive for.
2. The number two position on my list has to go to the most successful Latina actress to cross the border into the American zeitgeist, the flawless Salma Hayek. I was incredibly fortunate to have met Ms. Hayek once and let me tell you…she is just as beautiful, graceful, sweet and kind as she seems on screen. I was stuck between these two dresses for a while before finally deciding to post them both. Why not? It’s my blog and I’ll PicFrame if I wan to!
The dress on the left is by Versace, which she wore in 2006. This look oozes old Hollywood and stands out from amongst the crowd for its eye-catching color and detailed draping. The dress on the right is by another amazing Latina, Carolina Herrera. This dress was a show stopper at the 2003 Academy Awards. It’s black and white color scheme is classic. The exquisite lace top is incredibly feminine and super chic. This looks just exclaims elegance from top to bottom. The gown is a celebration of the refined woman.
1. My number one pick is Catalina Saldino Moreno in Dior. I decided I would get married in this dress exact dress the moment I saw it in 2005. This of course was years before I met my husband and before I realized how completely unforgiving that kind of material can be to a new mom. Clearly these were not issues for Catalina who looks absolutely stunning in this white crystal embellished gown. This dress exquisetly displays that famously curvy Colombian figure, showing off every asset this young and talented actress has.
Full disclosure: my family is Colombian and I’m bound by blood to support every artist, business, etc. to come out of our magical Tierra del Olvido. But after seeing the dress above, who can dare say I only chose this look out of Colombian pride?
I’ve also been told that I look like Catalina which is one of the best compliments I’ve ever received.
Disagree with my picks? Can you remember an even better red carpet dress worn by a Latina or Hispanic woman? Let me know in the comments section below.
