A little black dress is pretty much the standard and fail-safe attire for any female celebrity attending a glitzy event.

Not for Zoe Salanda though, who made sure all eyes were on her last night as she arrived at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

The Avatar star looked stunning in a short white, ruffled dress that showed off her enviably long legs as she posed on the red carpet at the Crystal Lucy awards.

All white on the night: Avatar star Zoe Saldana shows off her enviably long legs in a short white ruffled dress at the Crystal Lucy Awards in Los Angeles last night

The actress, 31, arrived at the event, which took place at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City, with her mother Asalia Naszario.

She gave her mum a kiss after her proud parent gave her daughter, who teetered on Christian Louboutin heels, a twirl for the cameras.

Zoe was named Face of the Future at the event which honours women in film.

Give us a twirl: Zoe shows off her dress with a little helping hand from her mother Asalia Nazario

A mother's love: Zoe gives Asalia an affectionate kiss

As the Avatar and Star Trek star picked up the award, which was sponsored by Italian fashion house Max Mara, she said: 'I'm so honored and proud that a line like Max Mara has been so supportive, not only in fashion but also for other fields in the arts like film.

'And to have the one award a year, where women get together and celebrate each other in Hollywood, is amazing.'

But it was Zoe's little white dress that was the centre of attention among a sea of little black dresses favoured by other guests, including actress Emily Blunt.

Elegant: Actresses Emily Blunt and Debra Messing pose in their little black dresses at the event last night

The Devil Wears Prada star, 27, won the Face of the Future award at the event in 2007.

Last night she looked very elegant in a lacy black dress which she teamed with a nude clutch bag and brown platform heels.

She was joined on the red carpet by Will and Grace star Debra Messing who hosted the event and looked gorgeous in an LBD and towering white strappy Louboutin heels.

Glamorous: Actresses Vanessa Hudgens and Rachel Griffiths also attended the annual event

Former Friends star Courteney Cox Arquette was also honoured at the event and was given the Lucy Award for Excellence in Television.

Cox, 45, said: 'So many good things have happened in my career when I least expected them to. Who knew that a Bruce Springsteen video would lead to a role on Family Ties and that to the sleeper hit Ace Ventura, which probably helped land me the role on Friends?

'I wish I could take credit for plotting and planning my career, but there's a lot of luck involved. I guess it's important to be prepared when you do get those big breaks.'

Overjoyed: Former Friends star Courteney Cox Arquette looks thrilled as she collects the Lucy Award for Excellence in Television