Prop. 22 on Marriage

When Courtney Love is trying to tell you about her John Galliano dress, it’s wise not to answer your cell phone.

“Hey! You’re talkin’ to me!” said the lovely Love, while grabbing this reporter by the lapels. She had a fun story to tell at the Golden Globe awards Sunday about how she was supposed to be wearing a Vivienne Westwood gown, but there was this kooky couture dress from Galliano’s recent collection, a controversial homage to the homeless. Galliano shipped it to her as it appeared on the runway--adorned with sewn-on stuffed pigeons, bottles of booze and switchblades.

“I started slashing at it, and there was this great dress under there,” Love said. Before she released me from her death grip, Love flashed her massive, $1.5-million, 15-carat diamond ring, on loan from Ashford.com, a Web site that’s donating money to a charity that supports all-girl schools, “because it works! Like all-girl bands!”

Big diamonds were only one of the fashion trends on display at Hollywood’s dress rehearsal for Oscar night. Richly colored gowns with beading, embroidery, full-length hems and fishtail trains are gaining momentum. And stars weren’t afraid to compete with the red carpet for color.

Bare legs, perfect pedicures and high, strappy sandals peeked from beneath hems that swept the damp carpet like some sort of sequined sponge. Beaded bags, often created to match gowns, hung like oversized jewels from celebrity wrists. But the compact clutch bag is the new fashion shape.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Lara Flynn Boyle looked out of place among their elegant peers. Paltrow’s fanny-hugging pants and gold-chain-strung halter top by Chloe, and Boyle’s sequined Bob Seger concert T-shirt made the actresses look like wanna-be rockers. Maybe Love has a place for them in her all-girl band.

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All Dressed Up

* For Golden Globes party coverage, see F10.