It was Prada and it was perfect. And the styling, the earrings, the clutch, her hair, it was perfect. Truth: am not feeling the shoes. The dress was so ornate, something simpler on the bottom seemed more appropriate. Having said that, they’re not totally objectionable upon closer inspection. And the thing about Carey, as Duana noted earlier, is that she was genuinely thrilled to be there.

At the conclusion of award season, and with nothing to lose, having already won a BAFTA, acknowledged at home for her work, it was like Carey was finally able to shake it all off. Her expressions last night were delightful, her unbridled awe at the momentousness of the occasion was evident to everyone. She was like we would be: wide eyed and open, like she needed to be pinched all the way down the carpet, to remind her that this was real.

Carey has been captivating all season. We will hear more from her. And soon. She’s co-starring with Keira Knightley in Never Let Me Go. And that Wall Street movie with the sh-tty title. And she’s not hurting for scripts either. There will be another appearance by Carey Mulligan at the Oscars. So for those who’ve written expressing outrage that she wasn’t honoured for An Education, no doubt, she will be back. And there are better things ahead.


Photos from Wenn.com