The unrelenting rain at the 2010 Golden Globes last week made the presence of cheerful, spirit-lifting color an especially welcome sight. The perfect weather at the 2010 SAG Awards on Saturday, six days later, proved that the return of color was not merely a response to bad weather. Color is back, and what color!

Almost every color of the rainbow was represented in the women’s gowns at the two awards shows, from bright primary hues to pastels, metallics and soft neutrals. Black and white, both separate and together, were well represented. Navy was a flattering substitute for black. Women who made the effort to determine and wear their optimal personal colors looked terrific; those who haven’t yet learned the power of color made some poor choices that will live on in photographs. Bold prints made an appearance. Short dresses made a strong showing, and worked ever so much better than long gowns with trains on the rain-soaked red carpet at the Globes.

In earrings, which are practically de rigueur on the red carpet, white diamonds were the favorite, as always. There were some exceptional style choices in diamond earrings along with plenty of more modest (though not necessarily less precious) and a good number of frankly ho-hum designs. There are times for earrings to play a supporting role, particularly when they accompany an eye-catching necklace, but necklaces were few and far between at the shows. With a whole world of jewelry designers ready and eager to showcase their designs, there is no good reason for some of these lazy, uninteresting choices.

One standout in the category of white diamond earrings was Jennifer Garner at the Golden Globes, who wore a double drop of bamboo shapes by Bulgari that complemented the parallel lines on her spiral-beaded Versace taupe gown.

In non-drop style white diamond earrings, my pick is Chloe Sevigny, who chose leaf-shaped diamond cluster earrings by Buccellati to wear with her Valentino ruffled gown.

Emerald earrings continue to have their day, with Julianne Moore and Lea Michele wearing enormous emerald drops by Bulgari and Chopard respectively. Meryl Streep chose exceptional emerald cluster earrings by Fred Leighton for the SAG Awards.

Emeralds are now getting some competition from another colored gemstone with superior versatility.

More to follow in Part 2. . . .

JCK