Updated ,first published
The surprise appearance of US Vogue chief Anna Wintour at the Oscars made the red carpet prelude to this year’s awards ceremony feel like the Met Gala.
There was no official theme, but Hollywood stylists joined forces and appeared to decide that feathers, florals and embellishment were compulsory attire. Here are the outfits that made fashion Christmas come early this year.
1. In bloom: Rose Byrne
With Anne Hathaway presenting on stage alongside Wintour, you would think that The Devil Wears Prada actress would be a Christian Louboutin shoo-in for best dressed in her Valentino gown. Then along comes nominee Rose Byrne.
Both wore black strapless gowns with floral embellishments, but Byrne’s less is more approach to her Dior dress let the swirling and sparkling details, alongside a yellow diamond necklace, shine.
Hathaway swung big with a gigantic belt, opera gloves and dazzling earrings and necklace. Byrne was wise to let the drama of her dress dominate.
2. The drama: Teyana Taylor
Nicole Kidman and Demi Moore showed how difficult it is to make an excess of feathers look contemporary, chic or even sexy.
One Battle After Another actress Teyana Taylor made it look as simple with her Chanel spaghetti straps, supporting a mermaid silhouette and feathery train.
Taylor’s larger-than-life personality, honed in over-the-top Schiaparelli, Tom Ford and Balmain, was as obvious as her abdominal muscles through sheer panels.
3. Bridal wars: Emma Stone
Along with being confused for the Met Gala, this year’s Oscars could have been a wedding, with Elle Fanning and Emma Stone saying “I do” to bridal dresses.
Fanning adopted a classic approach in a strapless white drop-waist fairytale Givenchy gown, with an excess of tulle and wisteria details. Stone turned to Louis Vuitton in a silver cap-sleeve dress that took 600 hours for the atelier to execute.
While Fanning’s dress is a beautiful step back in time, Stone’s simple silhouette is timeless.
4. Come undone: Odessa A’zion
Timothée Chalamet who? Marty Supreme actress Odessa A’zion missed out on a nomination for the Josh Safdie movie, with Chalamet receiving the lion’s share of attention, but on the red carpet she was the real star.
While Chalamet went monochromatic in a white Givenchy suit that could have been borrowed from KFC’s Colonel Sanders, A’zion turned to the dark side in a billowing robe from Valentino.
A’zion wore the embellished fringed robe loosely over bootleg pants, with an air of insouciance and the weight of three diamond necklaces from Pandora, totalling 148 stones and 54.95 carats.
There’s an ease to A’zion’s red carpet approach, which might have something to do with the actress’s preference for styling herself.
5. Suit yourself: Amy Madigan
In a structured Dior jacket strewn with black and gold petals, best supporting actress Oscar winner Amy Madigan showed that frippery doesn’t have to be excessively feminine.
With simple black trousers, Madigan was as stylishly suited as Jacob Elordi and Michael B. Jordan.
Anne Hathaway in Valentino.
Elle Fanning in custom Givenchy.
Nicole Kidman in Chanel.
Demi Moore in Gucci.
Jacob Elordi in Bottega Veneta.
Michael B. Jordan in Louis Vuitton.
Jessie Buckley in Chanel.
Pedro Pascal in Chanel.
Leonardo Dicaprio in Dior.
Mikey Madison in Dior.
Gwyneth Paltrow in Armani Privé.
Timothee Chalamet in custom Givenchy.
Ethan Hawke in Giorgio Armani.
Maya Rudolph in Chanel.
Gracie Abrams in Chanel.
Paul Mescal in Celine.
Mia Goth in Dior.
Sigourney Weaver.
Kirsten Dunst in Celine and Jesse Plemons.
Kathy Bates.
Hudson Williams in Balenciaga and Bulgari.
Zoe Saldana in Saint Laurent.
Channing Tatum in Versace.
Kate Hudson in Armani Privé.
Chase Infiniti in Louis Vuitton.
Wunmi Mosaku in Louis Vuitton.
Joe Alwyn in custom Valentino.
Ellie Kemper in Jenny Packham.
Ginnifer Goodwin in Monse.
Barbie Ferreira in Gap Studio.
Renate Reinsve in Louis Vuitton.
Ava DuVernay in Louis Vuitton.
Wagner Moura in Zegna.
Shaboozey in Campillo.
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