People's Choice Awards - A Jewelry Fashion Recap

Last night’s Queen Latifah-hosted People’s Choice Awards kicked awards season off in style, as the red carpet at LA’s Shrine Auditorium positively glittered with stars, frocks and new jewelry looks for our drooling pleasure.

Maybe it’s the economy or maybe it’s the event itself, which celebrates the power of the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, but it looks like we’re seeing an end to the bigger, bolder statement trend and the beginning of a more, shall we say, subtle era. In other words, the celebs kept the ice quotient to a minimum last night - perhaps to keep us in their good graces? And it worked. For the most part.

The World Gold Council recently reported that gold jewelry is seeing an upturn in sales even in these tough economic times, and the stylists proved their point last night. Fashion icon, Debra Messing, glowed in a sculptural Donna Karan number and H.Stern's new Hera earrings in 18K gold. House star Jennifer Morrison honored the metallic trend with a Gianfranco Frere dress and H.Stern's Zephyr earrings in 18K Noble gold; and Jewel, Chandra Wilson, Jordin Sparks and Olivia Wilde rocked their own subtle yellow gold looks.



























While there were some signs of the statement trend hanging in there, like Marissa Tomei’s stunning teardrop necklace and Kate Hudson’s oversized earrings and Jack Vartanian black and white cocktail rings, most celebs opted for understated diamond looks instead.













Dancing With the Stars host, Samantha Harris, is usually dripping in diamonds, but this time she dazzled in small chain-link diamond earrings. A nice touch. Our favorite 90210-er, Jenny Garth, wore a tasteful little boring, I mean, black dress, as did fellow blonde Reese Witherspoon – yet thankfully each of them sprinkled right hand rings and simple diamond earring styles to take things up a notch.



















The most unfortunate misstep of the evening did not go to Kathryn Heigl for the pants suit (I’ll let it pass for the Populist Choice awards), but rather to Malin Ackerman, whose sculptural, chunky accessories did nothing to make the unfortunate frock choice any less 'wrong'.




























My favorite jewelry fashion star last night, though, had to be Samantha Who?’s Christina Applegate. Again. The A-line Jenny Packham gown sparkled with just enough crystals, and her matching vintage diamond cuff was the right amount of bling to remind us that she’s a star. Who doesn't love this woman is the question? Bravo!















With the Critics Choice Awards tonight on VH1 and the Golden Globes this Sunday, the jewelry hound brigade is in for a long magic red carpet ride right up to the Inauguration - where all fashion hell will surely break loose.

What will the Divine Mrs. Obama wear for gosh sakes already? Diamonds and de la Renta? Gemstones and Gucci? A pearl strand from J. Crew and a pants suit (god forbid)? I can't wait!