Terri Colombino (Katie, AS THE WORLD TURNS) knows what it takes to look good on the red carpet, so she invited fans to take a peek at how she worked with designer David Rodriguez and stylist Felix Mercado on dressing for the Daytime Emmys.

"A lot of big-name designers are not rushing to dress daytime people, so it's hard for daytime actresses to get those fabulous couture gowns that they have on the Oscars and prime-time Emmys," reveals Colombino. "I talked to David and Felix about that, and they thought it was ridiculous. The people are just as talented and just as beautiful. They may not get seen quite as much, but they do get seen. So he was excited to dress me, and his dresses were amazing."

Colombino did her homework before meeting with Rodriguez and Mercado. "I looked at his stuff online, and the [dress] I ended up wearing [to the Daytime Emmys] was my favorite," she smiles. "His designs fit so well for a woman’s body. I am more hourglass-shaped than some actresses. He works that and makes you proud of that and proud to show that. Felix was great, too. It was the first time I talked to a stylist about creating a look — especially on the red carpet — and stepping it up a bit."

Colombino chose the multi-colored sequin dress. "I loved the way it fit," she raves. "They didn’t have to do anything to it except take up the bottom, because Amazon women wear them on the runway, and I'm only 5'3"!"

The white dress Colombino wore to the SOAPnet pre-Emmy party was her favorite. "It was just hanging there, and I said, 'Let's try it on,'" she explains. "I love the back — that's stingray. It was a smash hit. I got more compliments on that dress than I ever have in my life."

Colombino was pleased with Rodriguez’s dresses. "David's stuff doesn't all look the same, but has the same flavor to it," she says. "You can tell it's his, but you don't go, 'Oh, that looks like what she wore the day before.' Look how different the white dress and the one I wore to the Emmys were, yet they both have the same form-fitting style and a little ass in there, which is good. Both were well-made and beautiful. I felt very honored to wear his designs, because I've been a fan of his for a long time."

Colombino did nix a feathered gown. "I looked like Big Bird in that," she exclaims. "There was a greenish-maroon dress too, but that felt more autumn-like to me."

When it comes to choosing a dress to wear to a big event, Colombino stresses, "It doesn't have to be a famous designer, it’s just how you feel in it. I always say, 'Go classy and classic,' because it always works. When people go crazy with these outfits it's always to get attention, and maybe that's a good thing every once in a while, but you're going to look back on the picture and go, 'What was I thinking?'

"Also, take pictures. We all have digital cameras now. Take a picture if you're not sure and then compare it. I loved a pink purse with the Emmy dress, but we took a picture with that and then a brown purse. The pink popped too much, so I went with the brown."

Although Colombino went down to the wire in picking out a dress, she didn't freak out. "I don't really get all that stressed about it," she shrugs. "It's a fun opportunity to dress up and get to wear beautiful things. It's not like it's my wedding or anything. That's when I would get stressed (laughs)! The thing I do stress about is posing. You don't want to look like you're posing, but you are. You have to make it look like everything is in the right place. I'm not comfortable with that, but I'm getting there."