Sandra Oh's best friend has come to her fashion defence after the Grey's Anatomy actress landed on Mr. Blackwell's annual worst-dressed list.

"She's almost always on the best-dressed list," says Margo Purcell, a Calgary mom of two who has been close to Oh since the pair first bonded at Nepean's Knoxdale Public School in Grade One. "And she's known to have such a good fashion sense, and such a good sense of what style's for her."

Blackwell didn't specify which frock that prompted his snarky, rhyming ire, saying only "drowning in beads bangles and prehistoric bows, she's layered lunacy -- from toes to nose!"

Purcell figures he had to be talking about the frilly, violet-hued Vera Wang frock Oh wore to the Emmy Awards last August, which she accessorized with silver medallions and a gold chain.

Purcell, who was Oh's guest that night and the Emmy's a year earlier when she wore a chic, cream strapless Nina Ricci fashion-watchers loved, said the actress herself joked about the look to entertainment reporters.

"She was saying that up and down the red carpet," says Purcell. "That was her whole thing, 'the Russian czarina meets Run DMC.' "

Though Joan and Melissa Rivers dubbed Oh the best-dressed of the night, other critics were not so kind. It didn't seem to bother Oh, though, who "felt great," in the dress, recalls Purcell.

And when the fallout started to hit afterwards, Purcell says Oh's reaction was "'I'm on two lists instead of one.'"

Purcell notes Oh's not a woman who is afraid to take risks in fashion or in life.

"If she had played it safe I doubt she'd be where she is," said Purcell. "She follows her instinct and her instinct serves her well."

Purcell hasn't talked to her friend since Blackwell's list came out, but the actress probably hasn't had much time to think about it. She told Purcell recently she has had a very heavy Grey's shooting schedule of late.

"She's got some good episodes coming up," said Purcell, who runs Oh's website. "She won't tell me anything because I'm a devoted fan of the show, and I told her not to tell me anything. I almost cracked, and she said 'No, I'm not going to give in Margo.' "


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