The Best Red Carpet Moments of 2008

OK, so Anne Hathaway wasn't lucky in love in 2008, but she was truly fashion blessed. The sumptuous Atelier Versace gown that the actress wore to the Venice Film Festival premiere of Rachel Getting Married was the boldest choice of her nearly perfect red carpet year.

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At the Emmy Awards Mad Men's Christina Hendricks let her curves do all the talking. She called her revealing green Tadashi "my perfect dream dress." We can understand why.

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Calvin Klein's designs are timeless and undeniably sexy, and so is Eva Mendes, the new face of his brand. At the Calvin Klein 40th anniversary party, the actress looked flawless in a dress by creative director Francisco Costa and jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels.

Steve Mack, FilmMagic

To all those who whispered that her cover shot on the December cover of Vanity Fair was seriously air-brushed, Kate Winslet has just one thing to say to you: Ha! Showing up in a jaw-dropping Herve Leger dress for the premiere of "The Reader," the tanned and toned Winslet did far more to silence the naysayers than all the denials ever cranked out by her publicist.

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Katherine Heigl has lots of fashion ups and downs, but when she gets it right, she gets it REALLY right. Case in point: Her fire-engine red Escada for the 80th Annual Academy Awards. It landed her on everyone's best-dressed list.

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Natalie Portman got nearly as much press at the Cannes Film Festival for this unconventional Lanvin mini as Angelina Jolie did for her massive baby bump.

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On anyone else, this delicate Temperley London dress could have easily gone unnoticed. But on Nicole Richie, the curve-hugging gown made a splash -- or, perhaps more accurately, the fact that she had curves to hug made a splash.

Jean-Paul Aussenard, WireImage

With chart-topping hits, trend-setting haircuts and adventurous red carpet appearances, Rihanna owned 2008. The ruffled yellow sundress by Giambattista Valli that she wore to the BET awards was one of the many style gambles that paid off. On anyone else, it would have come off as a country-fair reject.

Jason Merritt, FilmMagi

In 2007 Taylor Swift won the CMA Horizon award for the best new artist. In 2008 she essentially won best dressed. Newly -- and very publicly -- single, Swift lit up the red carpet in this Kaufman Franco gown and Lorraine Schwartz jewels.

Bryan Bedder, Getty Images

It's gotta be tough being saddled with a TV show called "Ugly Betty." Everyone wants to tag your off-screen look with the same moniker. But, this year, "Betty" star America Ferrera finally grabbed the fashion spotlight for all the right reasons. At the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Ferrera chose a romantic Monique Lhuillier gown and finally shook off those pesky comparisons to her fashion-tornado of a character. Instead, she proved that she knows exactly how to play up her hourglass figure.

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