As I turned on the 88th Academy Awards, I was ready to narrow down my top five red carpet picks. As I watched, I began to realize that narrowing down my favorites would be much harder than I thought. The variety of designers, deep plunges and chandelier drop earrings was enough to make my fashion-obsessed heart stop.
After the carpet coverage ended, I was left stunned. It was almost impossible to choose the best. So, as I still contemplate my favorite gowns of the evening, let’s first talk about the men of the Oscars red carpet.
The crusader of men’s tuxedos at the awards was proper tailoring. Tailoring can make or break a tuxedo. Sam Smith looked dapper and slim in a sleek Dunhill tuxedo. Eddie Redmayne (who has no stylist) looked incredibly handsome in a black velvet Alexander McQueen with matching velvet loafers, a more mature look than last year’s navy McQueen tuxedo. I cannot even stress how much I loved this look on him.
Leonardo DiCaprio, the big winner of the night for Best Actor, kept it classic in an Armani coat that gave him a broader shape. Not as closely tailored as his younger counterparts’ tuxes, DiCaprio’s tuxedo gave him a look of maturity that I had not seen before.
Before I explain my top five picks, I have some brief honorary mentions. One of the most unexpected outfits of the night was Lady Gaga in an asymmetrical, strapless white Brandon Maxwell jumpsuit that draped her like a gown. Classic yet modern.
Another standout among the crowd was Cate Blanchett in Armani Privé. The sea foam dress had a deep plunge and was ruffled with flowers. She exuded elegance in the complementing gown, complete with silver chandelier earrings.
My final honorary mention goes to Naomi Watts. The Armani dress was a sequined gown that had various shades of blue and purple. I cannot even assign a color to the dress (it was that unique), but it looked absolutely stunning paired with her chunky, beaded necklace.
Onto my top five. Rachel McAdams wowed in a jade August Getty Atelier halterneck gown. The dress was simplistic, slip-like, with a high leg slit, showing off her long legs. Her blonde hair was swept back, the absolutely flawless look completed with drop earrings. McAdams rocked the Oscars with simplicity.
Coming up at number four is everyone’s favorite Chrissy Teigen. Teigen came to the Oscars on her A-game, rocking a stunning body-hugging mermaid gown by Marchesa. In my opinion, pregnancy never looked so good. The dress featured a deep V and long sleeves. The entire gown was adorned in a maroon rose print and she held a matching maroon clutch, with hair pulled back in a lovely braid. Overall, Teigen killed this look, as per usual.
Third is the adorable Saoirse Ronan. The Irish actress enthusiastically proclaimed that she wore her emerald dress for her country of Ireland. The deep V Calvin Klein dress was adorned in emerald sequins and had spaghetti straps, with a ribbon crossed on her back.
Ronan wore a subtle green eye shadow as well as emerald dangle earrings, all of which brought out her stunning green eyes and beach-like waves of blonde hair. Her gown perfectly hugged her body and her whole ensemble was an impeccable mix of cute and classy.
At number two, I have Best Actress winner Brie Larson with her stunning royal blue custom Gucci. The gown was so simple, yet complex. Another deep V with spaghetti straps, the dress cinched at the waist with a bedazzled belt embedded with pearls and a purple flower, and fell into a unique, beautiful mixture of ruffles and pleats. Larson wore a gorgeous purple-pink lipstick and pearl earrings to bring the whole outfit together.
And, finally, my top pick.
Alicia Vikander, a newcomer who took home Best Supporting Actress, stole the show on the red carpet. She took my breath away in a custom dusty yellow, Louis Vuitton gown. I cannot think of any other person that could pull off that color. Beading was scattered through the strapless dress. Vikander’s hair was pulled into a small bun with the rest down, and chandelier earrings hung from her ears. The dress was tailored to show off her strappy heels, also giving the gown more volume.
Vikander looked like a princess in the gown, exuding elegance. I cannot find words to explain how much I loved this dress. She changed into a sexier ensemble for the Vanity Fair Oscar after-party. The second dress was also by Louis Vuitton, and had a deep plunge, sleek black material and sleeves. A chunky silver necklace completed the look. Yet again, she left me breathless.
The Oscars fashion this year was simple, elegant and breathtaking. I cannot remember a better red carpet and am already counting down the days until the next Academy Awards.
Emilia Beuger can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @emm_mi.
