Mad Men's curvy star Christina Hendricks is a rhapsody in blue at Met gala

Old Hollywood glamour: Christina looked like a silver screen goddess in her floor-length gown

Ready for my close-up: Christina Hendricks' make-up was flawless at the MOMA event and her decolletage more under control

She was criticised for wearing a dress at the Golden Globes that barely managed to contain her curves.

And she admitted that the fuss made over her buxom, hourglass body made her feel very self-conscious.

But last night, Mad Men star Christina Hendricks silenced her critics as she stepped out onto the red carpet in a dress that flattered her figure in all the right places.

 
Stunning: Christina looked confident and happy in her L'Wren Scott design that showed off her radiant fair skin and gorgeous red hair

The offending dress: Christina in the peach ruffled Christian Siriano gown that she was criticised for wearing

Dressed in a blue gown by Mick Jagger's fashion designer girlfriend L'Wren Scott - with an unusual pom pom-style accessory on her shoulder - Christina arrived at the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala Benefit.
And the redhead looked happy and confident in her own radiant fair skin as she posed for pictures on the red carpet.

And it was an extra-special night for Christina, who is famous for her role as Joan Holloway in the hit US drama Mad Men, as she was also celebrating her 35th birthday
Christina came under fire in January for wearing a ruffled peach-coloured Christian Siriano gown at this year's Golden Globes awards.

She caused a flashbulb frenzy in the dress which clung to her hourglass curves, but she was slated by fashion journalist Cathy Horyn who insunuated that she was a large girl by observing: 'You don't put a big girl in a big dress. That's rule number one.'
The New York Times, which ran Horyn's piece, admitted the photo of Christina had been slightly distorted inadvertently due to an error during routine processing which widened the shot, and it was replaced.

And despite many - including her actor husband Geoffrey Arend - jumping to Christina's defence, the actress admitted that she was left embarrassed by the scrutiny.

Speaking to New York magazine, she said: 'It kind of hurt my feelings at first.

Anytime someone talks about your figure constantly, you get nervous, you get really self-conscious.

'I was working my butt off on the show, and then all anyone was talking about was my body!'

But last night her confidence was back as she attended the fashion event which was hosted by The Gap's Patrick Robinson, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, and celebrated the opening of the 'American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity' exhibition.

Christina was joined by her Mad Men co-star January Jones, who stood out in a short hot pink Yves Saint Laurent with a gothic black pattern, which she accessorised with long black gloves and towering black heels.

It was the sort of Mad Men match-up that will have fans in paroxysms of delight - and looking forward to many more.