From PEOPLE Magazine Click to enlarge
THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM rock and roll," said reformed grunge queen Courtney Love, looking downright demure in a scooped-neck navy Valentino at the 54th annual Golden Globe Awards. "The grooming is much more high-end." No kidding. With the Globes now a prime-time celebration of TV and movie stars, attendees at the Jan. 19 event, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, made an extra effort to arrive in style. "It took two people to help me get into this dress!" said Chicago Hope's, Christine Lahti of her skintight, navy Hervé Leger. "It's like a full-on girdle." Added best actress in a TV comedy nominee Brooke Shields of her Diego Delia Valle stilettos: "My heels are very, very high, but that doesn't matter. Pain is okay," she joked, "as long as you look good."

Still, the Globes (where stars table-hop between dinner courses) are historically more fun than the Academy Awards, which they often presage. Most celebs kicked back quickly once inside the Beverly Hilton. "Whoosh!" exclaimed Sharon Stone as the bottle of Moet champagne she uncorked sprayed best comedy actor nominee Eddie Murphy. Later, as stars headed to the seven after-show soirees, spirits stayed high. Madonna clutched her best actress statuette for Evita ("I feel like I'm dreaming," she told reporters) to the bodice of her Dolce & Gabbana gown, while Mad About You's Helen Hunt, best actress in a TV comedy, triumphantly flaunted her award: "I'm going to put it on the hood of my car."