I thought Amy Adams looked absolutely magnificent on Oscar night. She had the whole vampy Jessica Rabbit thing going on while maintaining the poise and grace of one of Hollywood’s early leading ladies. But Kimora Lee Simmons, who was playing fashion critic for E!, disagreed.
While I thought Amy’s simple emerald green dress looked amazing with her red hair, Kimora thought the whole ensemble was “plain.” I though she perfectly encapsulated the classic Hollywood look—the gently curled hair, the boob-alicious yet tasteful neckline. She looked just perfect. Kimora, though, dismissed poor Amy as boring and moved on to her next victim. At the time, I was able to dismiss the snub because really, what does Kimora Lee Simmons know? She can’t even go one sentence without using the word “fabulous.” The simple fact that the majority of actresses chose to go with classic, elegant gowns in neutral colors (even Cameron Diaz was understated in pale pink Dior) is evidence enough that Kimora’s brand of criticism has no place at the Academy Awards.
Unfortunately, that mindset didn’t keep me pacified for long. When I wrote Kimora off as unqualified, I never really specified what the fashion critic’s qualifications actually are, which begs the question, what makes my opinions more legitimate than hers? After all, I have been known to overuse the phrase “simple silhouette.” She’s also spent a considerable amount of time in the public eye, while I spend a considerable amount of time in my Village B bedroom. Kimora might know a little more than I do about what looks are photo friendly.
While I still can’t help but think that she dresses like a drag queen and shouldn’t be a fashion barometer, I might have to suck it up and share my lofty position as judge of all things stylish. After all, while it makes sense for me, a devotee of classic colors and yes, simple silhouettes, to comment on the fashion of a campus full of girls who share my tastes, Kimora doesn’t live in my world. The trashy nouveau-riche need their own voice, and if that voice has to be someone like Kimora Lee Simmons, then who am I to judge?
