Golden Globes fashion: Amy Adams takes the plunge; Emma Watson legs it

Red ruled the Golden Globes red carpet on Sunday as Hollywood's A-list stars bared their shoulders in eye-popping gowns for the first major awards show of the season.

Cate Blanchett. (AFP)

A sprinkler malfunction almost rained on the fashion parade at the Beverly Hilton, but Tinseltown's top film and television actors successfully strutted their stuff after workers scrambled to mop up the mess.

Jennifer Lawrance. (AFP)

"American Hustle" star and best musical/comedy actress winner Amy Adams chose a two-tone burgundy-red Valentino halter dress with the same only-if-you-dare plunging neckline seen in the 1970s-era crime caper.

The key to pulling off the wide V neck? "Good posture," Adams quipped to E! television's Ryan Seacrest.

Julia Roberts. (AFP)

Lupita Nyong'o, a best supporting actress nominee for her searing turn in "12 Years A Slave," stunned in a red Ralph Lauren column dress with matching cape, all off the shoulder.

Host Tina Fey wore several gowns throughout the night, but all of them had at least a hint of red. On the red carpet, she donned a strapless black Carolina Herrera ball gown with a long train, sprinkled with red flowers.

Amy Adams. (AFP)

During the broadcast, she wore a sleeveless burgundy dress with a jeweled V-neckline, and another strapless frock in fire-engine red.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, a nominee for her work in romantic comedy "Enough Said," also wore bright red -- a curve-hugging Narciso Rodriguez number.

Mila Kunis. (REUTERS)

Pop starlet Taylor Swift also wore Herrera: a strapless gown with a black bodice and a flowing red skirt.

Other bright colors were seen -- "Girls" star Lena Dunham sported a strapless canary yellow Zac Posen frock with a sweetheart neckline, and "Orange Is The New Black" star Taylor Schilling wore an emerald Thakoon dress with spaghetti straps and a lacy neckline.

Anna Gunn. (AFP)

And best supporting actress winner Jennifer Lawrence of "American Hustle" again wore Dior -- this time, a tiered gauzy white gown with two black bands.

Basic black, always a red carpet staple, of course had its place at the Globes.

Emma Watson. (REUTERS)

Australian actress Cate Blanchett, who won the best drama actress prize for "Blue Jasmine," wowed in a lacy Armani number. Rock star Bono called her "a goddess."

Fey's co-host Amy Poehler -- a winner for best TV comedy actress for "Parks and Recreation" -- sported a sleek black Stella McCartney gown with a stomach cutout, and "August: Osage County" star Julia Roberts chose a black and white belted dress from Dolce and Gabbana.

Singer Taylor Swift. (AFP)

"I just didn't want to break her," Roberts said of her epic fight scene with Meryl Streep in the film about a dysfunctional family harboring secrets in Oklahoma.

Hollywood's A-list men did not disappoint: "Wolf of Wall Street" star Leonardo DiCaprio -- a winner for best actor in a comedy -- wore an Armani tuxedo, while "Hustle" star Bradley Cooper sported Tom Ford.

Sofia Vergara. (REUTERS)

Nominated for best drama actor are Ejiofor, Hanks, Idris Elba for "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom," Matthew McConaughey for "Dallas Buyers Club" and Robert Redford for "All Is Lost."

A trio of British actresses are vying for the drama award -- Emma Thompson in "Saving Mr Banks," Judi Dench for "Philomena" and Kate Winslet for "Labor Day" -- along with Cate Blanchett for "Blue Jasmine" and Bullock.

Best director nominees are Alfonso Cuaron for "Gravity," David O. Russell for "American Hustle," Alexander Payne for "Nebraska," Paul Greengrass for "Captain Phillips" and Steve McQueen for "12 Years a Slave."

Actress Kate Beckinsale. (REUTERS)

On the television side, fans of "Breaking Bad" will be hoping it can beat rival nominees "Downton Abbey," "The Good Wife," "House of Cards" and "Masters of Sex."

"Good Wife" star Julianna Margulies -- a nominee for best actress in a television drama -- chose a black Andrew Gn gown with cap sleeves and gold accents.

Amber Heard. (AFP) 

One of her rivals, "Scandal" star Kerry Washington, glowed in pale flowing Balenciaga, and had perhaps the best accessory -- a baby bump.

The Globes are run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), and voted on by barely 80 journalists -- in contrast to the Oscars, chosen by 6,000 members of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Nominations for the Oscars will be announced on Thursday. The Academy Awards will be held on March 2.

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