THE EMMY AWARDS - Few risks and a lot of return on the red carpet...

THE EMMY AWARDS

Few risks and a lot of return on the red carpet...

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By Samantha Critchell

Even with many looks ripped from the high-fashion runways, the risks were few on the red carpet at Sunday night's 60th annual Emmy Awards.

Still the payoffs were big for some stars. Christina Applegate, Mariska Hargitay, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Sandra Oh were among the confident women who best combined elegance with some personality.

What else ruled the red carpet? Gowns in shades of purple; dresses with one shoulder or none; and sweeping updos that helped stars beat the Los Angeles heat. There also were black dresses, white dresses, black-and-white dresses and a lot of shine.

"Grey's Anatomy" star Oh was one of the big fashion winners, redeeming herself for time previously served on a few worst-dressed lists. Lisa Rinna, TV Guide Network's style commentator, picked Oh as the most improved star.

She came in a retro-style black lace dress by Oscar de la Renta with a ribbon sash and a few sparkles on the skirt. They matched her gleaming 5.5-carat (each!) emerald-cut diamond earrings by Bulgari.

Applegate, star of ABC's "Samantha Who?" didn't disappoint in her much-anticipated red-carpet return after breast-cancer surgery in a dramatic, sweeping gown in ice blue with metallic patches by Reem Acra.

"I think Christina Applegate was one of the best-dressed of the night," said stylist Mary Alice Stephenson. "She was glamorous, elegant and she pushed it."

Her dress also picked up on an emerging catwalk trend, the asymmetrical look. "Law & Order: Special Victins Unit" star Hargitay worked the same style in a very different way: She wore a soft one-shouldered, marigold-yellow gown by Carolina Herrera.

Another ripped-from-the-runway look was "Desperate Housewives" star Marcia Cross' nude-colored Elie Saab dress with flower appliques.

Rinna pointed out the good looks didn't melt in the heat: "It's hard to walk that red carpet when it's so hot and stay looking fresh and great--yet they all did it."

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