We’re pleasantly surprised – the ‘soap actress’ stereotype of orange tans, caked-on make-up and a few too many inches of cleavage has been put to rest in favour of ladylike looks.
Hollyoaks’ Gemma Merna was one of our highlights; she’s mastered sexy-yet-classy by opting for a short length, but made sure the neckline wasn’t too low-cut.
A touch of metallic accessories added some glamour to the look. She went for statement hair, but it wasn’t overstyled or WAG-esque.
Gemma’s Hollyoaks co-star Loui Batley may have stuck to the ‘short on bottom, long on top’ rule, but we’re not the biggest fan of this dress.
Velvet is an autumn/winter trend, but we’re not sure that this is the way to do it. The dress’ Peter Pan collar and loose-fitting cut means that there’s too little definition for her fab figure.
Can we also get a second opinion on the sheer, lacey knee-high socks? Because we are really not sure about a) what to make of them as an individual garment and b) why they should be worn with a midnight blue velvet dress - so if you know, please enlighten us!
'Corrie had a contender for a red carpet highlight... with Jenny McAlpine scrubbing up rather well!'
Corrie had a contender for red carpet highlights as well, with Jenny McAlpine, who plays scruffy Fizz on the show, scrubbing up rather well!
Jenny opted for a knee-length blue dress that complemented her red hair and pale skin, and details on the shoulder helped emphasize the hourglass shape of her dress.
She also did animal print the right way, with a tiny hint of leopard print on her clutch bag. Thumbs up!
Eastenders’ Lauren Crace went demure, with a 50s-style scoop-neck dress that featured clean lines and neutral colours.
The bow detail on her cinched-in waist belt added a cute touch to the ensemble – she might not have picked up any awards, but we’ll give her Most Wearable Outfit!
'Michelle Keegan justified her Sexiest Female award with her black sequinned number'
Michelle Keegan justified her Sexiest Female award with her black sequinned number – is it just us, though, or does she look like a brunette Becki Newton (Amanda from Ugly Betty)?
The dress is appropriately fashion-forward as well, with the length showing off her uber-toned legs, while the off-the shoulder cut kept things looking classy.
Michelle has also given a nod to the trend for platform boots – her peep-toe lace ups might not translate to day-to-day fashion, but they’re great to stop glamour from getting too girlie.
Closer columnist Carol McGiffin certainly enjoyed the party – she was photographed on the red carpet with her Loose Women co-star Sherrie Hewson with a glass of champers!
From what we can see from the outfit, she’s working animal print, while sticking to opaque tights rather than bare legs.
The only thing we’re not wild about is the accessory worn on her wrist… we can’t say for sure, but it looks like a watch. Gasp!
While there’s nothing wrong with being punctual, it does bring the glitz of the red carpet back down to earth! Of course, we could be wrong – if it’s a chunky accessory, props to her for keeping the outfit tough.
Like Michelle, Sherrie sported black sequins, but she’s rocking them in a different way – switching to a looser fit keeps it sexy and makes it age appropriate.
Overall, there’s been a shift in red-carpet dressing – when even the soap stars aren’t flaunting the cleavage anymore, you know that’s a signal to cover up!
Indeed, fashion seems to be more about legs these days, as the glitterati were all about perfect pins this week!