Every year, stars descend upon the Côte d’Azur with dreams of topping a best-dressed list at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
Some Cannes, while others just get canned. Because with all the beauty that surrounds the affair, there are inevitably a handful of blunders.
Here are the best and the worst of what we’ve seen so far.
The hits:
Most effortless: Amber Heard
The word “effortless” may be hackneyed and outright fallacious, but doesn’t Heard look like she was just birthed from sea foam like some modern Aphrodite? The future Mrs. Johnny Depp pared it down with a simple, serene Vionnet ensemble — one of the festival’s most refreshing.
Most on-the-money: Blake Lively
OK, Blake, you win. Your aggravatingly forced presence aside, this Gucci dress looks phenomenal. Grace Kelly would be proud.
Most true to herself: Cara Delevingne
Delevingne likes sweatpants and selfies, so it’s good that she kept it on the casual — yet still classy — side in a strapless Chanel minidress and loosely tousled side swoop.
Most obvious: Cate Blanchett
As if she were going to show up and not stun. Blanchett plus Givenchy: done.
Most “wow”: Freida Pinto
The dress is Oscar de le Renta. That’s all you need to know.
Most likely to have eaten a burger afterwards: Hilary Swank
Just kidding . . . maybe. Swank may have famously celebrated her Oscar win with a double patty, but this is Cannes, dahling — she probably just had French fries. Here’s hoping she didn’t get ketchup on this gorgeous Versace gown.
Most successful use of color: Jessica Chastain
The ivory-white actress with fiery red hair killed it in this sapphire Atelier Versace dress.
Most unfair to everyone else: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Oh, c’mon! The only thing more fortunate than the model’s genes is the dress Gucci gave her to flaunt them in.
Most iconic: Sofia Coppola
Dress, shmess. Coppola’s consistent, subdued, supremely tasteful approach to dressing transcends dress code, and here she looks especially chic in Valentino top and shorts.
Most improved: Marion Cotillard
Cotillard must have been smoking something before she slipped into this shapeless Dior dress, which she paired with peep-toe ankle booties. Fortunately, she came to her senses a few days later with an infinitely more flattering dress by Dior, and stuck to ladylike pumps.
Simply the most: Sonam Kapoor
Sorry, but the Indian actress outdid all the Western ones, shutting it down in a semi-sheer sari-inspired gown by New Delhi-based designer Anamika Khanna.
The misses:
Most “Oh please”: Alessandra Ambrosio
Ambrosio, here in Atelier Versace, looks ready to do some figure eights, or flip the letters on “Wheel of Fortune,” or flash a body part no one wants to see. Whatever she’s trying to do, it’s not pretty and it’s not sexy and she really needs to stop.
Most unflattering: Christina Hendricks
Christina, sis, no. We get that you’re forever trying to find what works for your voluptuous frame, but this Alberta Ferretti dress — bleak and ornate like a Victorian couch — is definitely not it.
Most absurd: Elena Lenina
After you finish chuckling, remember that this actress comes from Russia, where ball gowns and tiaras and general outlandishness are sartorial status quo in some circles. Remember Kira Plastinina?
Most desperate: Eva Longoria
A slouchy peek-a-boo breast slit was the last thing this oversized Vionnet turtleneck needed, but hey, Longoria wanted some kind of press (when was that show canceled, again?), so she went for it. And it worked.
Mostly just gross: Hofit Golan
Illusion sheer is one of the most tired trends around, but that’s the least of your worries when you look like you’re covered in gilded black scabs.
Most confused: Irina Shayk
Shayk, being the brilliant woman she is, must have mistaken Cannes for Comic-Con in this Atelier Versace Sith Lord getup.
Most commendable fail: Julianne Moore
Moore isn’t afraid to take chances on edgier outfits, efforts we freely applaud. Nonetheless, this Louis Vuitton outfit didn’t quite cut it. She seems slightly uncomfortable, and must have been sweating under that leather top.
Least hot: Paris Hilton
But if Lord Liquorice were looking for a wife, he’d choose you, Paris. Promise.
Most inappropriate: Sharon Stone
Sharon, Sharon, Sharon! Love you, but you know this is sloppy. It looks like the actress had a couple of drinks before hitting the red carpet in Emilio Pucci, which she paired with cow-licked hair and aviators. (It was bright, we know.)
Most likely to have next year’s invite revoked: Valeria Marini
The Italian actress showed up for a New Jersey wedding — fried hair, bronzed skin, bad ruffles and all.