Sparkling Oscars

IT was a blue day on the Oscars red carpet for Hollywood�s hottest starlets.

Reese Witherspoon, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emily Blunt were among the babes that plumped for this season�s sapphire styles.

The dramatic midnight blues competed with gowns in ethereal blush colours,

champagnes and even mint greens on the Oscars red carpet.

While bling jewels and diamonds dazzled nearly as much as the A-listers.

The Elizabeth Taylor award for best sparkle has to go to Naomi Watts, who wore an 85-carat triple-strand diamond necklace, 12-carat cushion cut diamond earrings and a 16-carat oval blue sapphire-and-diamond cocktail ring, all from Chopard.

Best dressed of the evening goes jointly to Penelope Cruz and Cate Blanchett.

Spanish siren Pen went for all-out drama in a peachy Atelier Versace gown with a feathered full skirt. She completed the look with, you�ve guessed it, Chopard diamonds.

Cate shimmered up the red carpet in a silver crystal-mesh Giorgio Armani Prive gown, topped with a tulle beaded floral overlay.

Brit winner Dame Helen Mirren chose a regal champagne scoop-necked frock by Christian Lacroix. The 61-year-old Best Actress called it her �dream dress� topped off with yet more bling from Chopard, a 62-carat diamond brooch.

Fellow best actress nominee Kate Winslet, wore a Grecian-influenced single-shouldered Valentino mint green gown and chunky diamond earrings.

Cameron Diaz also picked Valentino for her fabulous white gown, topped off with $2.9m of Cartier jewellery.

But it wasn�t all understated colours and whopping sparklers. Standing out from the crowd were Nicole Kidman in a bright red Balenciaga halter gown with an oversized bow, and Jessica Biel who accentuated her assets in hot pink Oscar De La Renta.