Opinions about Heidi Klum's look (not pictured) at the Emmy Awards this year were divided. I've seen the model on both worst-dressed and best-dressed lists for the event in her wine-red sequinned Versace gown with its oddly severe high collar growing out of a strapless bodice.

I thought she looked like a very glamorous dragon - rather as I picture Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, because I'm reading the books before watching the TV series, so I can imagine it all in my head first.

One of the reasons I'm loving those books is that they have some of the most vivid descriptions of elaborate clothing I've ever read. I can totally picture the golden armour, the lavish velvets and embroidered silks (and that's just the men).

In fact, if I were still a magazine editor, I would be sending the author, George R.R. Martin, to Paris to cover the couture shows. It would be great copy. Plus, he could meet a few real-life dragons, ha ha ha.

Anyway, back to the Emmys … In one shot I saw of Klum, she'd been carefully positioned in front of the sponsors' wall and the cropping of the photo against one particular logo made it look as though she was wearing a winged helmet. I did enjoy looking at that. So, after lots of in-depth analysis, my red-carpet rating is that, with her marvellous stature, she belongs to the elite of women who would look good in a bin bag, but the frock she picked for the occasion was a bit overwrought.

I think Donatella Versace must have eaten a hot curry the night before she designed that one. It's a dyspepsia dress.

And I reckon actress Mindy Kaling - of The Mindy Project and formerly of the United States version of The Office - was wearing a design that was a much better take on similar elements. Her gown, by Beirut-based couturier Georges Chakra, was also a deep ox-blood shade - very on-trend this season. It also had an ornamented neckline, but it was a much more subtle number than the Versace and all the better for it. The drape of the skirt was beautiful.

Even more important, Kaling's gorgeous lady curves balanced out the action at the top of her dress much better than Klum's lean physique did for hers.

Kaling is a perfect example of that feminine ideal of ''curves in all the right places'' - the kind of iconic woman's shape that men in old movies used to describe.

Those unreconstructed men were just responding to an instinct relating to women who have wider hips than waists, which over millennia has made them more attractive for mating. Or to put it more simply: va va va voom.

And there's another thing about Kaling's picture that fascinates me - her arms.

The actress does not have the skinny and firm upper arms that so many of us beat ourselves up for not having, but when I look at her, I don't think, ''Eeeeew, chubby arms, you're a bad person'' (which is obviously what I think when I look at myself in anything sleeveless).

I think she has lovely arms. The fullness of her arms is as appealing as the fullness of her hips, which makes me wonder why I'm so tough on my own upper limbs - and other body parts. I can't help thinking that Mindy Kaling is at peace with her shape.

That confident pose, one hip slightly pushed out, with the hand carefully placed to accentuate it and the direct gaze, tells us this is a woman who feels very comfortable in her skin.

That's something you can't buy in a dress shop - but you can give it to yourself.

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