The Oscars are the biggest night for movies, but they are also the one of the biggest nights for fashion moments to remember for decades to come. Wearing that “perfect dress” can be one of the most life changing moments for designers and actresses alike.
No one can forget the backless navy Guy Laroche dress Hilary Swank wore, or the shear red Elie Saab gown worn by Halle Berry, or the pink Dior worn by Jennifer Lawrence. These dresses make a statement and are forever remembered. The speculation and anticipation to see what the actresses and actors are wearing and the trends on the carpet are at an all time high for the Academy Awards. This year was no exception.
The biggest trend of the night was shoulders: bare shoulders were everywhere. Julianne Moore, the winner for Best Actress, wore a custom white strapless Chanel gown. The entire dress was intricately beaded and sequenced. It was signature Karl Lagerfeld and one of a kind.
Reese Witherspoon, a nominee for best actress, also went with white in Tom Ford. The dress was off the shoulder and had accents of black at the waist and shoulders. It was simple, pretty and safe, like most dresses Reese wears. Kerry Washington also shined in a white strapless Miu Miu peplum dress. Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, Rosamund Pike, Jennifer Hudson and Nicole Kidman were just a few of the other stars wearing a dress to show off their shoulders.
Another trend that hit the carpet was beading. Lupita Nyong’o, the winner last year for Best Supporting Actress wore a custom Calvin Klein gown entirely encrusted with pearls. It was reported that the gown was made intricately of 6,000 individual pearls. Behati Prinsloo and her husband Adam Levine both wore Armani. Her maroon two-piece ensemble was made of black tulle with small red beading all over it. The necklace was an odd choice with the style of the dress, but her hair and makeup were perfection.
Another trend seen was a lack of color; most times, the only bright color was the red in the carpet. Felicity Jones, a nominee for Best Actress, wore a beautiful Alexander McQueen gown that was embellished on top with 3D flower embroidery. The dress was gorgeous, and certainly fit for a movie star. Naomi Watts was another star in minimal color with her grey Armani Privé gown. Though some people compared it to a ton of bricks, the dress was a modern silhouette, and one that has never been done on the carpet. Particia Arquette stayed true to herself in her white and black gown designed by her friend, Rosetta Getty. The draping in the back was gorgeous, and it was completely age appropriate and classically chic.
As always, the jewels were just as beautiful as the dresses. Margot Robbie and Cate Blanchett wore the night’s prettiest jewels. Robbie wore a simple black long-sleeve Saint Laurent dress with a Van Cleef & Arpels vintage necklace. Blanchett, last year’s winner for Best Actress wore black velvet custom-made Margiela Couture gown, paired with a Tiffany & Co. turquoise and diamond necklace. Everything about it was modern and perfect for the occasion.
However, the real stand out of the night was Emma Stone. She wore a yellow long sleeve Elie Saab gown that was entirely sequined and beaded. It was the one risk on the carpet that made complete fashion sense. With her dark red hair and porcelain skin, the dress enhanced how beautiful she is, and it didn’t look like anything else on the carpet last night. Emma took a fashion risk, and it paid off. Does anything look better than a long sleeve, completely backless dress? No.
Some stars turned heads in the wrong way. Lady Gaga added her signature one of a kind style to the red carpet. Wearing an Alaïa gown and gloves in the weirdest silhouette, Lady Gaga made a bold statement. The silhouette wasn’t flattering, it was simply too strange for an award show like the Oscars. Though the Givenchy gown on Jessica Chastain was beautiful, the styling was all wrong. Jessica Chastain is gorgeous, and the gown didn’t make her seem as beautiful as she is. The dress simply didn’t fit well, and her hair looked like it was done in five minutes.
The men of the Oscars proved to be risk takers. Different styles of tuxedos in all shades of the rainbow graced the red carpet and Oscars stage last night. Eddie Redmayne, winner for Best Actor, Ansel Elgort and Dwayne Johnson all wore navy blue tuxedos with black bow ties; each of them looked perfect. David Oyelowo, nominated for his portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, wore a burgundy three-piece tux that stood out and added a different flare to the carpet.
The most unique look of the night was Jared Leto in Givenchy. With his long hair, Jared Leto looked like a ’70s Jesus going to prom. In his the pastel blue tux, stark white shoes, combined with his hair past his shoulders, it was a unique look that only Jared Leto could have pulled off (and he did.)
However, the best dressed amongst the men was Benedict Cumberbatch. Nominated for his performance in The Imitation Game, Benedict looked classy, handsome, while still remaining unique in his white dinner jacket and black bowtie. For men, too, taking a fashion risk means being remembered.
Photo courtesy of: Getty Images / Joe Klamar
