“Mad Men” star Jon Hamm and his sweetheart, Jennifer Westfeldt, dressed in Armani attire.

LOS ANGELES — No one watching the Emmy Awards on Sunday night would ever think TV is less glamorous than film — when it came to the red carpet, the stars of the small screen looked larger than life.

“True Blood” star Anna Paquin created a runway moment for herself, wearing a warrior chic, Alexander McQueen black silk charmeuse gown with gold, armor-like detail on the shoulders and bodice. The gown is the work of Sarah Burton, who took over as creative director at the fashion house this spring, after McQueen committed suicide in February.

Kim Kardashian was a stylish surprise, in a goddess-like Marchesa white silk chiffon column gown with an embroidered collar. Kelly Osbourne looked cleaned-up and grown-up in a black Tony Ward gown with a draped bodice, plunging neckline and honeycomb textured skirt. Now that she’s co-hosting E! television’s “Fashion Police” with Joan Rivers, Osbourne’s fashion star is also rising.

Keri Russell proved that sometimes what’s old is new. She bought her late-1970s hot pink pleated chiffon vintage Jean Louis Scherrer haute couture gown from Los Angeles vintage store Decades about 10 years ago. The strappy gold Jimmy Choo sandals, Judith Leiber box clutch and Jennifer Behr flower in her hair were the perfect accents for this simple summertime look. And how refreshing it was to see someone dressing out of her closet.

Julia Ormond was ravishing in a raspberry silk gazar Escada gown with asymmetrical detail at the top. “Mad Men” bombshell Christina Hendricks evoked Old Hollywood in a lavender chiffon gown by Zac Posen, with a sweetheart neckline and marabou feather trim.

But the big color story was that blue is the new black. “Glee” star Lea Michele chose a navy blue Oscar de la Renta gown with a flamenco skirt, while Jayma Mays’ strapless, ruched ribbon Burberry gown was more sapphire, and January Jones’ quilted Versace number, which unfortunately brought to mind a bad satin bedspread, was an electric shade of royal blue. (Julie Bowen and Jane Krakowski dressed in blue as well.) Rita Wilson lived up to her reputation as one of L.A.’s most fashionable women, wearing a playful short, crystal mesh dress, and chandelier-like Lucite heels from Miuccia Prada’s Spring 2010 runway collection. (Hopefully, she didn’t have a problem sitting down.)

The men were mostly interchangeable in black tuxes by Giorgio Armani, Burberry and Brooks Brothers, but “Glee” writer-director Ryan Murphy’s Tom Ford ensemble broke the mold; it was an elegant green silk, shawl lapel jacket, black evening pants and an ample-sized black bow tie. In his gray Calvin Klein by Italo Zucchelli tuxedo with black satin lapels and matching skinny tie, Neil Patrick Harris contributed a little men’s fashion pizazz, too.