The Associated Press

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Never mind that it's January - the red carpet at the Golden Globe Awards was lined with springlike gowns in light colors and floral patterns.

Nicole Kidman

Cameron Diaz

Lara Flynn Boyle

Debra Messing

Nicole Kidman wore a strapless lilac dress by Yves Saint Laurent that was short in front and featured a long tiered train in the back, which Glamour magazine editor-in-chief Cindi Leive called "not a shrinking violet kind of dress."

"It was really sexy. ... It said I'm in center stage," said Leive, who was tracking trends at the awards ceremony Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Leive also noted the hip, short dresses on young actresses, such as Cameron Diaz's black lace micromini, and Maggie Gyllenhaal's high-necked white lace dress with a pink ribbon belt by Chanel Couture.

"It's kind of mod '60s mixed with the '80s," the "Secretary" star told Joan Rivers on E! Entertainment Television.

Meanwhile, Lara Flynn Boyle told E! that she was going for either a "prima ballerina or prima donna" look in a pink tank bodice, a tutu skirt and pink shoes that crisscrossed up her legs, resembling a dancer's pointe slippers.

Debra Messing was in an ivory-colored sleeveless gown by Vera Wang with layers of sheer fabric cascading down the bodice to form a plunging V that led into a beaded waistline.

Beyonce Knowles

Queen Latifah

Halle Berry

C. Zeta-Jones

Beyonce Knowles was one of the belles of the ball in a strapless gown that featured floral embroidery at the bust and a full skirt. Rapper Queen Latifah wore turquoise-and-white pants by Escada that also featured a floral design.

The straps of Halle Berry's sky blue dress had small beaded flowers but she, like Catherine Zeta-Jones, opted for an old Hollywood glamour look. Visibly pregnant, Zeta-Jones' black gown with illusion sleeves was custom-made by Donatella Versace, according to Leive.

Cynthia Nixon of "Sex and the City," who gave birth to a son only a few weeks ago, chose a flowing, pale yellow dress, while fellow new mother Jane Kaczmarek of "Malcolm in the Middle" wore a sleeveless, V-neck, halter gown with tiered ruffles in navy by Escada.

"I took my pajamas off for the first time," Kaczmarek joked.

S.J. Parker

Salma Hayek

Renee Zellweger

Sharon Stone

Well-known fashionista Sarah Jessica Parker, also with a new baby at home, wore black pants with a black corset top that she sometimes covered with a jacket.

Allison Janney's outfit by Gianfranco Ferre paired a seemingly subdued white collared shirt - that was opened to form a sexy V - with a black skirt and floral sash around her waist.

White was another popular trend, with Goldie Hawn and Bonnie Hunt among the actresses in light-colored dresses.

And Meryl Streep sparkled in Giorgio Armani's collarless jacket adorned with silver beads and black evening trousers.

While some stars shy away from red to avoid blending into the carpet, Salma Hayek, Susan Sarandon and Kim Cattrall stood out in red tank dresses with plunging necklines.

Lisa Kudrow wore a red strapless column gown at the suggestion of designer Heidi Weisel.

The process of developing the right dress for Kudrow was a collaboration. The "Friends" co-star has a "very good sense of what styles work for her," Weisel said. "I wanted color because it's a festive night."

She added: "Color and simplicity on someone tall, blond and gorgeous works. What could be more dynamic?"

But black was anything but boring on Jennifer Garner, who wore a black silk crepe gown by Ralph Lauren with a deep neck and back, and Diane Lane, who wore a strapless draped gown by Donna Karan.

"If it works, wear black," Leive said. "It's difficult to be a glamour 'don't' when you're wearing black."