KEY POINTS:
Would Angelina Jolie wear her dress upside down? Would Kate Winslet opt for a gown in waterproof fabric to prevent its inevitable ruin in a flood of tears?
Hundreds of fans braved the cold and drizzle outside the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden to end
their sartorial suspense and glimpse the stars. The big names arrived fashionably late.
Perhaps the celebrities and onlookers enjoyed a lucky escape; if the awards had been a week earlier the red carpet would have been a white one. Nevertheless, many arrivals - no doubt casting a shivering glance at the weather forecasters - still chose to accessorise their outfits not just with Jimmy Choos, but also clear plastic umbrellas.
The organisers of the Baftas made a smart move eight years ago when they brought the event forward. Now it captures the crescendo of glamour during awards season leading up to the Oscars, and fuels curiosity as to what the stars will wear to the landmark event in a fortnight.
The relationship between stars and labels is more important than ever.
As advertising revenues fall, fashion brands need the image boost the glitterati can provide simply for the cost of a loaned or "gifted" (to use the industry parlance) dress.
Equally, stars need the kudos that comes with wearing an "it" label, and in the age of the candid paparazzi no-make-up shot, they must work ever harder at maintaining a glamorous visage. Or rather, the dress needs to work ever harder.
So will this year's Bafta dresses help or hinder the stars' images?
Some of the dresses were vintage. British actress Thandie Newton wore black and gold, while nominee Meryl Streep wore a long black gown not dissimilar to her costume in the Bronx sermon Doubt.
Streep had dipped into her own wardrobe. The actress - known for wearing an understated rather than particularly arresting selection of outfits over the years - bought the black number she wore yesterday three decades ago.
Black was a popular choice among the big names. Kate Winslet oozed old world glamour in a black dress by Zac Posen, teamed with a vintage Hollywood "up do" and diamond drop earrings.
Penelope Cruz also opted for a black fishtail number, worn with a slightly severe bun, and Angelina Jolie went for a black satin pencil dress with killer heels.
While the Baftas provide more opportunity for experimentation than the Oscars, where a dodgy frock can haunt an actress for years, most played it safe. Although, given the soggy weather, a waterproof dress might not have been such a bad idea after all.
- INDEPENDENT