There's something that this Oscar Class of 2013 can take from the award show veterans that have, and continue to, grace the red carpet before them. Notably, Jessica Lange, Glenn Close, and Helen Mirren are red carpet wonders that have worked their best features at numerous award shows over the years.
These award shows don't celebrate real women, or those who work to advance our interests. It's fine for a character in a movie to go against the norm in Hollywood, but when the actress who portrays her accepts an award wearing a low-cut dress, thus bowing to Hollywood convention, I put a little less stock in her ability to influence the perception of women or their roles in society.