Oscar red carpet fashions: Shades of pale

Missing in action on the planet's biggest fashion runway? Color.

Not to say there was none, but Hollywood bombshells -- particularly young Hollywood -- turned out in every shade of pale at the 85th Academy Awards.

Some went the way of heavy metal. Literally, in the case of Adele, wearing a sequin-drenched black Jenny Packham frock that she said weighed "15 kilos." Catherine Zeta-Jones was woman warrior in a gold Zuhair Murad that read like armor. Halle Berry, a former Bond girl, chose a glowing black-and-silver bondage-style Versace. Nicole Kidman wore L'Wren Scott and Naomi Watts rocked the red carpet in metallic Armani Privé, while Stacy Keibler did Naeem Khan proud in her mega-beaded, glittering gown.

Happily, not everybody snubbed the vibrant shades. Kerry Washington (in Miu Miu), Sally Field (Armani Privé) and Jennifer Aniston (Valentino) went for fiery takes on red. Jane Fonda wore marigold. Jennifer Garner looked plum stunning in purple (Gucci).

And then there were the girls in blue. Jennifer Hudson was killer in Roberto Cavalli lace and sequins; Robin Roberts, glowing in Marc Bouwer blue velvet; Reese Witherspoon in Louis Vuitton cobalt and black; and darling Quvenzhané Wallis in a fluffy little Armani Privé, worn with a sparkly headband and perhaps the accessory of the night: her Poochie & Co. puppy purse she named Sammy after her own doggy. Love it.

Speaking of love . . . How about that Helen Hunt, who proudly admitted to wearing an H&M dress -- this a simple navy column -- amped up with $700,000 worth of jewels.