Low necklines top Emmys fashion

Jennifer Love Hewitt

'She's looking really amazing and feeling really good. The dress was so spectacular that we decided to go with a classic balance for the face,' said Matthew vanLeeuwen, makeup artist for Christian Dior.

'She's a tough New York woman on the show, but you see the feminine side of her on the red carpet. That's who she really is,' vanLeeuwen said.

Megan Mullally wore an otherwise conservative blue long-sleeve gown by Badgley Mischka but it had a deep V neck that went to a waistband adorned with a jewel. Debra Messing wore a strapless gown with tiers of delicate white fabric.

Allison Janney's red tiered gown by Elie Saab was reminiscent of a 1920s flapper, and she completed the look with strands of platinum and diamonds by Neil Lane.

On a red carpet where stars mainly played it safe, Portia de Rossi took a slight risk - that paid off - with a slate gray gown by Zac Posen with rosettes around the open neck, cutouts on the bodice and an open back.

She was pleased with the outcome. 'I love the way he uses fabric,' she said.

De Rossi's romantic red lips and red handbag worked well with her otherwise soft look, said Kaufman.

Jennifer Love Hewitt said she was trying to break out of her usual award show look with a full-length beaded metallic gown by Collette Dinnigan. 'I wanted to do something different because I usually do something short and 1950s.'

Other risk takers? Barry Manilow in a white suit and black shirt and Simon Cowell, doing his best Tom Ford imitation, in sunglasses and an unbuttoned white shirt showing off his chest hair.