Pale and VERY interesting! Claire Danes, January Jones, Kerry Washington and Zooey Deschanel are the leading lights in pastel gowns at the Emmy Award red carpet

With their array of ornate pastel coloured gowns, the leading lights of the red carpet beat out the brighter hues at Sunday night's Emmy Awards. January Jones, Zooey Deschanel, Kerry Washington and Claire Danes led the way in a dazzling array of dresses, looking their glamorous bests as they stepped out at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.

Man Man actress January looked pretty in a pale coral pink Givenchy gown deigned especially for her and wore her blonde hair in a curled vintage style fitting the star of the 1960s drama.

Pale and interesting: January Jones, Zooey Deschanel, Kerry Washington and Claire Danes looked stunning in pastel gowns as they arrived on the red carpet at the Nokia Theatre for the 65th Emmy Awards 'They made this for me so I had to pick it,' January told E! about her frock, which featured an ornate lacy detail on the skirt. And the star seemed confident, that, even if Mad Men didn't win any awards, the cast would find plenty of time to party. 'We know how to celebrate pretty well even if we don't win,' she said. Zooey Deschanel, meanwhile, plumped for an icy blue J Mendel creation with a thigh high split showing off her toned legs teamed with towering platform heels and a Chanel tourmaline cocktail ring. Claire Danes meanwhile, looked striking in a ornate cream cloud-like backless Armani Prive dress, Neil Lane jewels and custom Christian Louboutin shoes, with her hair pinned up in a faux blonde bob. The ever-stylish Kerry Washington, who was this week named the Most Stylish Woman in the world by People magazine, looked typically glamorous in an unusual cream, gold and white floaty dress. Earlier, Maria Menounos and Kelly Osbourne were the first to grace the red carpet and both stars relied on plunging gowns in striking primary colours to make them stand out from the crowd. And it seemed to be the theme of the evening, as Honduran-born Rocsi Diaz and Nancy O'Dell both arrived in equally daring necklines.

Striking! Extra presenter Maria Menounos, 35, showed off her fabulous figure in a strapless midnight blue gown, which she accented with enormous emeralds

35-year-old Maria looked stunning in a midnight blue strapless number, which finished in a flattering train and emphasised her famous curves. The Extra presenter wore her brunette locks tin a trendy fishtail braid that fell over her right shoulder, revealing an expanse of bronzed skin. At her neck sparkled an elaborate necklace made up of what appeared to be diamonds and enormous emeralds, melded together in a peacock-feather formation.

Breaking fashion: Anna Gunn looked a far cry from her rather dowdy alter ego Skyler White in Breaking Bad

Blue beauty: Zooey Deschanel looked stunning in a pale blue gown with a thigh high slit

Meanwhile, red carpet commentator Kelly wowed in a scarlet dress with a plunging neckline. Cinched in at the waist and featuring red beading at the shoulders, the eye-catching gown flattered the 28-year-old's figure. She accented her look with matching red shoes and a heavy slick of fiery lipstick that clashed with her trademark lilac hair.

Perfect in plum: Heidi Klum arrived in a stunning Versace mermaid style glittering dress and matching heels with her blonde hair pulled into a ponytail

We've already won: Project Runway's Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn were triumphant on the back of their Creative Emmy win last week

A touch of gold: Padma Lakshmi added a bold gold bracelet with draped pale blue dress

Actress Rocsi Diaz, 29, wowed in a kingfisher blue number, that ended in a flamenco skirt that boasted a thigh-high front split and strapless neckline. Arriving at the same time, TV host and television journalist Nancy O'Dell, 47, was another star to go a bright look, opting for a grass green dress with a long train and trendy leather trim. E! red carpet host Giuliana Rancic, 39, mixed up the primary colour scheme in a powder-blue gown, elaborately embroidered with silver thread. The strapless neckline and swirling fishtail skirt flattered the star's athletic frame, and all eyes were on the dress as she eschewed all jewellery but for an enormous diamond ring. 15-year-old Modern Family actress Ariel Winter looked followed Rancic's pastel lead in a baby pink off-the-shoulder ensemble, which emphasised her glowing young skin.

Green goddesses: Sarah Hyland, Anna Chumsky and Nancy O'Dell all plumped for floor length emerald coloured gowns

Back to black: Lena Heady wore a daring sheer number split to the thigh, while Amanda Peet sported an unusual frock with sheer sleeves, Aubrey Plaza arrived in a long sleeved embroidered dress and Homeland's Morgan Saylor arrived in black and white

Heidi Klum said she had trouble getting out of the car in her ultra tight plum coloured tight Versace dress teamed with Christina Louboutin heels. Arriving with her Project Runway star Tim Gunn, the duo were happy and relaxed on the back of their win for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program at last week's Creative Arts Emmys. The cast of Breaking Bad were upbeat on the red carpet, despite the show ending next week. 'The ending is perfect, unapologetic,' said Bryan Cranston who received yet another Emmy nomination for Best Actor. His on-screen wife Anna Gunn ensured she glammed up on the carpet in a stark contrast to her more dowdy alter-ego Skyler White. 'We just wanted an old Hollywood kind of look she said about her stunning one shouldered baby pink gown with black detailing. 'I would prefer this kind of look to the Skyler look.'

Lady in red: Kelly Osbourne arrived in a plunging scarlet Jenny Packham gown which contrasted perfectly with her lavender hair

Pretty pastels: E! commentator Giuliana Rancic wore an embroidered baby blue strapless number, while Ariel Winter looked glamorous in an off-the-shoulder pink dress embellished at the waist

Pregnant in red: Homeland's Morena Baccarin dressed her baby bump in a crimson gown

Modern Men: Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his on-screen partner Eric Stonestreet looked dapper while Rico Rodriguez sported a suit and tie Mad Men stars Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks plumped for substantially different looks, with Moss looking more edgy with her cropped blonde hair, black and white Andrew Gn gown teamed with vintage Neil Lane jewellery. 'I did it and then Miley Cyrus did it like, literally a week late,' she said about her punky platinum hair. 'And obviously she is way more famous than I am so then everyone was like, "It's the Miley Cyrus!" And I was like, "No, I didn't copy her!"' Elisabeth, who arrived on the carpet with her mother, revealed she was still in shock at her double Emmy nomination for Mad Men and Top of the Lake. 'I haven't gotten used to it,' she said. 'I don't know if anyone is going to believe me on that, but it really is something I can't get used to. I'm still surprised.' Christina, meanwhile, dressed her famous curves in a more old-school Hollywood style Christian Siriano black gown which she described as 'beautiful and romantic.' Equally curvy star Sofia Vergara wore a typically plunging scarlet Vera Wang gown with oversized emerald jewellery. Stepping out on the red carpet with a large entourage including her son Manolo and boyfriend Nick Loeb, Sofia said the gown was 'doing a very hard job,' keeping her curves in place. Anna Faris arrived in one the most striking gowns, arriving in a bright yellow Monique Lhuillier number, confessing she loved 'the bold colour.' In stark contrast to the paler looks on the carpet, many of the stars arrived dressed in the brightest colours imaginable. Tina Fey looked stunning in a simple royal blue Narciso Rodriguez gown, which she told E! was 'made for her.' She also admitted to presenter Ryan Seacrest that she and friend Amy Poehler were keen on hosting the Golden Globes Awards again next year and were 'going to talk about it tonight.' 'The idea of getting to see Tina in any form is always nice,' added Amy, who wore a black high necked gown with embroidered side panels.