I was really worried about all the perfection at the Emmy’s. Metallic was the new black, yada yada. I had a deadline and the task of labeling the three best and worst get-ups. I was lacking on the lackluster. Then with glee I spotted a photo of “Alyssa Milano” and my heart skipped a beat. The glowing white ensemble was horrid from the overdone make-up and lop-sided up-do to the huge asymmetrical ruffle collar, and that goofy fan handbag and the shoes, the shoes, the horror, finally. Milano was destined for a true hall of red carpet shame alongside Bjork and Cher, but then something funny happened. The real Alyssa Milano stood up.
Her sign says, um… “That was NOT me in that white dress!!!” The Associated Press mislabeled a photo and unjustly condemned her to many, many blogs and entertainment television programs on her presumed fashion crimes. The culprit of this misdeed is being reported as Christina de Rossi (a name also identified as Cristina de Rossi), the only credit listed on IMDB is for a make-up artist under that name. Whoever this misguided fashionista is, she probably would have gone by paparazzi otherwise and would have had a lovely evening to remember in what she perceived to be a beautiful white gown.

I’ll look in my crystal ball and say that what probably happened goes something like this: She’s been compared to Alyssa endlessly and she’s a little miffed at being second fiddle (There is an amazing resemblance, no?). So this was her moment to make a splash in the spotlight. As the boisterous, ravenous photographers called out “Alyssa over here,” “Over here,” “Look this way,” she must have been loving the limelight and glamor of it all. And if her ensemble had been passable, it would have been a funny joke among friends, maybe she thought that she’d even make a best dressed list or to, what a coup.

But, oh, how she must have withered under the chorus of fashion critics, like me, looking anxiously for someone to pin a worst-dressed label on. Wouldn’t it be great to be a celebrity if you only received adoration.

By the way, the Post-Dispatch is running a correction on this tomorrow. Sorry, Alyssa, but we’re so glad that it wasn’t you. And welcome to St. Louis, she’s here promoting her new line of sportswear for female sports fans called Touch. She’ll be appearing today at the Official Cardinal’s Store, see info here. And be sure to tell her how good she looks.