Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears, it’s time to discuss my favourite night of the year!
As I’m sure you know, the 88th Academy Awards took place a week ago in Los Angeles, California and as per, the evening was truly spectacular. I am not joking when I say that I’ve rearranged plans with friends before in order to be home for the Oscars. I know, I know, it seems crazy to some, but I’ve always been a huge fan of arts & culture, especially visual media likes television and cinema, and seeing all of my favourite actors and actresses all glammed up and together for one incredible night of celebration, honour and fun is actually one of my favourite things in life.
The show itself was fantastic, in fact, I’d even venture to say that it was the best ceremony they’ve had in the last few years. I loved the pacing of the show this time around, and even though it went nearly an hour over what was scheduled (what else is new), I never felt bored; my brain was consistently stimulated and I was thoroughly entertained. I thought Chris Rock was an incredible host, with charm, wit and humour that was, shall I say, close to the knuckle — albeit fun, entertaining and light-hearted enough to edge him out of some tough spots. Plus, though I didn’t necessarily agree with all that came out his mouth, I think some of the more gripping “Hollywood leans on the racist side” thoughts truly needed to be vocalized.
Speaking of thoughts that simply need to be shared, did you see some of those red carpet looks, friend!? Talk about g-l-a-m! So, today, instead of getting engrossed in an hour of tense, tough and thought-provoking writing, I’m here to talk about the important, hard-hitting part of Oscar evening: the fashion! 😉 These are some of my picks for the most conversation-worthy outfits at the 88th Academy Awards! Whether you loved them or you hated them, I’m pretty sure they got you gabbin’ in some fashion or another (no pun, of course! ;))!!
The Different
Sunday’s red carpet had some real headturners – and I mean that in every which way. Some of these outfits are GREAT, some of these outfits are…umm, not, but all of them strike the same chord, they’re unexpected and unpredictable, and I can certainly appreciate the beauty in that!
I can’t remember the last time I saw orange on the carpet, and Olivia Munn was perfection in this chic gown by Stella McCartney. LOVE the shoulder, so minimal and yet so lovely!! Plus, that orange pout, though! 😍
Though the gorgeous Isla Fisher was at the Oscars to support her husband, Sacha Baron Cohen, she stole the spotlight the second she stepped onto the carpet in this light, airy & feminine number by Marchesa. Stunning!
Photo via Hollywood Life
While I truly love & admire Jennifer Lawrence, I actually have NO IDEA what happened on Sunday night. I don’t really like overstated looks, so I’ve been loving Jennifer’s more understated and minimal looks this year, but then she showed up in this Dior gown! What the!? Again, I love you and your work JLaw, but please remember: this is the OSCARS, aka the biggest night in cinema for the whole year. Show up with your A-game ON, please!! 🙁
UPDATE: If only she’d worn this at the Oscars, instead of the annual Vanity Fair afterparty! Sure, it’s a little casual, but I think it works much better than…this ↑. Sorry, Jen.
I have to be honest, I’ve been a big fan of Alicia Vikander since the moment she drunkenly danced on screen in one of my favourite movies of 2015, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Therefore, you might think I’m biased as I share what I am about to, but I simply must: ALICIA rocked the house in this gorgeous yellow gown by Louis Vuitton! Alicia paired this unexpected pop of spring-toned yellow with minimal jewellery and simple hair and makeup, and she was the Belle of last night’s ball (do you get it!? She looks like Belle from Beauty & The Beast!).
Photo via E! Online
Simply put, WHY, Olivia, WHY!?!? Perhaps Olivia was trying to be bold or trying to stand out from the pack on the red carpet on Sunday, which she most certainly did, but unfortunately, it wasn’t in the best way. Olivia is usually someone who knocks it out of the park on the red carpet, with an effortless, timeless glam factor that few naturally have, but I’m afraid that this time, she missed the mark. This Valentino original might be pretty on the bottom, but all I can think as soon as I look at her from the waist up is “suspenders.” Sorry Liv, not your best look. 🙁
Alright Kate, I’ve witnessed your phenomenal talent time-and-time again, not-to-mention your warm, friendly, kind-hearted and seemingly genuine personality in interviews, but….errr, what, what’s goin’ on here, girl!? Don’t get me wrong, I think Kate looked good, and I think her fashion choices are usually spot on, I’m just a little confused about the material her shiny custom Ralph Lauren number is made of. I don’t know where I stand on this one…meh! 😕
I looked at the always stunning Lady Gaga walking down the red carpet and two thoughts kept finding their way back into my head, over and over. The first, I suddenly realized how much the presence (or lackthereof) of a great bra can totally make (or break) a killer outfit. The second was a far less complicated thought: pick a lane. If the incomparable Miss Gaga had worn this without the weird dress skirt addition, simply as a jumpsuit, my goodness, it would have been unexpected and spectacular. Likewise, if she had opted for a simple white ballgown, it would have looked great. However, I’m not really such a fan of this confusing outfit by Brandon Maxwell. I never really know where to look, and surely, that can’t be good. Maybe next year, Gags?
Far and away, Cate Blanchett’s GORGEOUS dress was the first and most divisive on last night’s red carpet in my household. Mom hated it, I loved it, Dad couldn’t decide (yes, my dad has pretty good fashion sense, and he’s FULL of opinions! 😂), and my cat Lucky, who was the deciding vote, had a quick look, then turned onto her back for a quick nap. 😉 No matter how you feel about it, this custom Armani Privé gown is a show-stopper, with its unique floral appliqué pattern and magnificent mermaid blue colour, and the way it hugs Cate’s beautiful body so perfectly — yea, it’s guaranteed to make you feel strongly, one way or another!
The Divine
Now we get into the real fun, the looks that were so darling, so lovely, so precious, I want to see them over, over and over again! Bring on the stunners!
Photo via Huffington Post
Starting out the list of contenders STRONG here, with the beautiful Ashley Graham. If you follow me on Snapchat (shameless plug – beautybylaws is my snapchat username and we have some fun on there! 😉 Come hither! :P), you aren’t surprised because on Sunday, I would NOT STOP GOING ON ABOUT ASHLEY’s incredible look. Everything about this look — the hair, the makeup, jewellery, and that bombshell of a dress (by Bao Tranchi) on that bombshell of a woman — PHEW!!!! Heart. Racing. Well done, Ashley, way to make a statement on one of the biggest nights of the year! ♥
Having been a fan of Brie Larson’s since Sleepover, the little ditty of a movie she starred in alongside Alexa (then) Vega and Sara Paxton in 2004, again, you might think this next comment is totally biased. However, I assure you from the bottom of my haute couture loving and beauty blogging heart, I remain as neutral as I can be when I say: this look is perfection. Again, the simple hair, stunning makeup and MAGNIFICENT royal blue custom Gucci gown is and was a showstopper. I love every detail on this lovely gown, and that belt!? OMG. 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
It goes without saying, every year, some fine actress shows up looking like an Academy Award herself. It’s been done time and time again, so the trick is, doing it right. Well, Margot Robbie didn’t do it right, she did it FLAWLESSLY. The snake-like texture of this classic Tom Ford gown is what steals my heart every time I look at her, and the super laidback hair and makeup compliments it well. Plus, I hear that Margot is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside, which, I bet is really hard to accomplish when you’re this easy on the eyes. I’m telling you, she better be careful, because if she continues looking so glam in every way, George Clooney will be divorcing Amal and going after her gorgeous soul sometime soon! 😉
I’m pretty sure Jennifer Garner is one of the most classic beauty’s in Hollywood, and I SWEAR she doesn’t age! I was wowed by this gorgeous one-shoulder number, which she had custom made by Armani Privé, and her hair, makeup and jewellery perfectly completed the glam look. Love!
Photo via International Business Times
Lest we forget the men who stepped up their games entirely for Oscar’s big night!! Seeing as it was literally impossible to find a photo of Kevin Hart alone without his stunning fiancé on the carpet, I had to resort to this one of him on stage. However, whether he’s on the carpet or on the stage, Kevin is simply rocking it in a Dolce & Gabbana suit that shined bright like a diamond. I LOVE this look!
For a solid 45 minutes of watching red carpet coverage last week, Daisy Ridley’s breaktaking dress was my favourite. What I appreciate about it most, is that though this Chanel dress has a simple cut and an “average” colour, the texture/detail and length are what takes it over the top. I absolutely LOVE this dress, and Daisy did it justice with a bright red lip and pulled back hair. The force is strong in this one (sorry, I had to. :P)!
Speaking of breathtaking, I had to rewind the TV a few times to get more than one glimpse of Naomi Watt’s amazing Armani Privé gown. There’s so much that’s good here, I truly don’t know where to begin. The gorgeous navy/burgundy colour, the incredible metallic detail and trim, and the way it hugs Naomi’s great bod, OH MY! Pair all that greatness with a beautiful necklace and a chic and timeless red lip with simple but flattering hair…yea, it’s no mystery that Naomi is at the top of a lot of best dressed lists for this year’s awards. STU-NNING.
Photo via Independent UK
I don’t believe that Chris Rock even walked the carpet last Sunday, so again, we’re left with a photo of the funny man on stage. Though apparently Chris wore this great white tuxedo for a reason (to support his “Oscars So White” monologue), I thought he looked fantastic! It really suited him (no pun) and he more than pulled off this look! Good job, Chris!
Every single aspect of this gorgeous look on Saoirse Ronan is perfection. First, let’s talk about the detailed metallic pattern on her custom Calvin Klein Collection gown, wowza! I feel like I’m looking at Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, but, dare I say, better! Oh, and the lovely jade colour of Saoirse’s gown? Apparently, she wore it to represent her homeland, Ireland (which I LOVE! Maybe if I ever get to the Oscars, I’ll show up in something red because, girl, I look good in red AND it represents my home and native land, Canada! 😜 #agirlcandream #youneverknow #patrioticastheycome). Finally, you have the beautiful plunging neckline and the quirky added touch of mismatched earrings, oh my goodness, I know I’ll be talking about this look for years to come! A++!
Photo via Mirror UK
This man could make a paper bag look like pure gold, and I have to say, he did it again. Leonardo DiCaprio is by far one of my favourite actors of all time, and I’ve seen every single one of his films, including ones I’d rather not have seen (hello, Shutter Island!!!). He is a great man and I’m not ashamed to say I shed a little tear when he FINALLY won his Oscar (and if you follow me on Twitter or Snapchat, you know that I went on and on about it for days). It’s true, ACADEMY AWARD WINNER Leonardo DiCaprio (oh my, that feels SO good to type, after all these years!!!), may have opted for a classic tux, but daaannnggg, he makes it werk. Brav-ah!
Photo via People Style Watch
I absolutely adore Chrissy Teigen and her/her stylist’s incredible dress sense (have you SEEN some of the sexy numbers she dons on Lip Sync Battle!?). Though some are calling this worst dressed or a “fashion risk,” I think it absolutely worked! I don’t know, because I’ve never been and aren’t planning on being pregnant for hmm, about a decade, but I reckon it’s hard to dress a bump, especially when the world is watching! I think Chrissy did it wonderfully, in a charming and beautiful embroidered Marchesa gown, with a matching clutch and neutral makeup. All of that puts her not on my worst dressed list, rather, near the top of my best dressed list! Oh, how lovely!! PS- her husband, John Legend, didn’t look too shabby either! 🙂 #winningcouple
Photo via US Magazine
This pick was another controversial one in my household last Sunday night. While I absolutely adored this stunning Zuhad Mohair gown on the one-and-only Priyanka Chopra, both my mom and my dad weren’t such fans. My mom kept saying over and over again that it looked “too bridal,” however I think it was just right. I love the sheerness of the gown, the embroiderd detail, the belt, the glimmering accessories, and in my opinion, the white colour took it over the top. To me, she doesn’t look like she’s about to get married, but she does look like a million bucks. Hats off, Priyanka, you look enchanting!
Well, we’ve reached the end of the road here. It’s time to talk about the most divine dresser of the evening, my best dressed, which, without a doubt, goes to the incomparable Charlize Theron. Between the gorgeous hot red colour of her Dior gown and that incredible deep plunging neckline, my eyes simply can’t get enough! Plus, the cut of the shoulders and that fantastic train, and that smoking hair, makeup and jewellery?! Charlize didn’t knock it out the park with this look, she knocked it out of the universe. The goddess strikes again! ♥
Well, folks, there you have it, the looks that I, personally, had a little too much of and the looks that I couldn’t get enough of! There were some honourable mentions I left off of this list, like Charlotte Riley, Angela Bassett and Serena Armitage, because girl, I didn’t want this to be an essay! All in all, it was great night of fun, admiration and some truly gasp-worthy moments that I, personally, will be talking about for weeks to come. 🙂 Only 357 days until we do it all again! 😉 ♥
What were some of your favourite looks for Oscar evening? Which looks could you not stop talking about!? Who do you think could have done better?! Leave your thoughts below ↓, let’s start a conversation!
Love always,
S♥
Unless otherwise noted, all images via People Style Watch.
