Of the varied fashion themes this year in red carpet couture for ladies, a few trends stand out: Intricate beadwork, a la Salma Hayek; high-necked dresses, a la Jessica Chastain; sweeping floor-length pseudo prom dresses, a la way too many ladies who should know better. But what of the humble, noble bustle?

Two ladies faced off with competing bustles at the 2012 Globes, but there can only be one winner: Did Natalie Portman wear it best, in her satiny mauve strapless number, gathered at the right hip like a saddle?

Or was it the luminous Charlize Theron who owned the fashion statement with her delicately bunched baby pink gown, tied elegantly just so with plenty of room for those stems to peek through?

VERDICT: Advantage Theron, by a mile