A freshly bobbed Lena Dunham has faced a lot of flack for her choice: a gargantuan, business-at-the-top, gala-ball-at-the-bottom Giambattista Valli creation. But at least it isn’t another column dress, and to judge it as such is to misunderstand: this is a frock to make you smile. Photograph: Stewart Cook/Rex Features

Continuing his fashion run – first it was an Armani-clad Esquire cover, then an Annie Leibovitz shoot for Vanity Fair – Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage is dapper in a three-piece suit. Photograph: PA Wire/PA

Gwen Stefani’s shimmering gown is just so incredibly Versace, continuing Donatella’s run of styling her celebrity ambassadors in her own image. Photograph: David Livingston/Getty Images

From the lace side-panels to the belt, there’s more than a touch of Kim Kardashian’s wedding dress to Claire Danes’s red lacy extravaganza – and yes, it is by Givenchy. Photograph: PA Wire/PA

See? Hot pink can look sharp and grown up. Evidence: Zooey Deschanel in Oscar de la Renta. Photograph: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

A mid-blue, black-lapelled Dolce and Gabbana suit with matching waistcoat is quite a look from Matthew McConaughey. Coming in the wake of the actor’s comments about bum bags last week (“I’m not afraid of the fanny pack,” he said), it proves that McConaughey is blossoming into a bit of a fashion innovator. Photograph: Startraks Photo/REX

A sleek, decidedly Claire Underwood Ralph Lauren jumpsuit from Robin Wright. It’s open at the back, which is quite saucy, and suggests a clear red-carpet strategy for the label in 2014, when it has produced some sharp, unexpected dressing (see: Lupita’s cape, January). Photograph: Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP

Not entirely sure about the modesty under-skirt, but there are few better fashion combinations than Kerry Washington and Prada. Photograph: Startraks Photo/REX

Unlikely heartthrob of the night? True Detective director Cary Joji Fukunaga, who caused a stir not with his tux but with his hair: his ‘man braid’ was the talk of Twitter. Photograph: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Yes, this two-tone Donna Karan gown is sleek and refined, but Lizzy Caplan’s finest style moment will always involve Janis from Mean Girls as far as we are concerned. Still. This is nice. Photograph: Stewart Cook/Rex Features

There’s something a little red-carpet-by-numbers about Christina Hendricks’s frock, which is Marchesa (tick), one-shouldered (tick), and features golden embroidery (tick) and a mermaid train (full house). The wavy, centre-parted hippy hair gives the look a bit of quirk, though. Photograph: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Amy Poehler takes a leaf from the Jennifer Aniston red-carpet styling book: sparkling silver Theia dress, wavy blond hair, tan. Done. Photograph: Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Always a joy to see the cast of Orange Is the New Black out of their jumpsuits. This Opening Ceremony gown is terribly cute, worn with Natasha Lyonne’s trademark gap year jewellery. Photograph: Evan Agostini/Invision for the Television Academy

And more from OITNB: let’s face it, actress Uzo Aduba looks like a proper superstar. Photograph: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

... meanwhile, OITNB’s Yael Stone and Lea DeLaria work excellent hair and mischievous looks, like the duo most likely to actually have a lol at the ceremony. Photograph: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Ricky Gervais is mixing up the menswear formula a little bit here with a navy jacket and black trousers – and he’s also doing that trick of covering almost his entire head with facial accessories (namely a big beard and huge dark glasses). There’s no disguising the David Brent grin, mind. Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Breaking Bad’s Skyler – AKA the actor Anna Gunn – is dramatically out of character here in a refined one-shouldered gown by Jenny Packham. Photograph: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Sometimes, a smart tux with a crooked bow tie is all that is required. Chiwetel Ejiofor. Perfectly dishevelled. Photograph: Startraks Photo/REX