Torrential downpours threatened to flood the red carpet at the Oscars this year—certain planes flying in with designer cargo from Paris were even said to have been delayed due to adverse weather conditions—but that didn’t dampen the spirit of Hollywood glamour in the air at the Oscars. Amy Adams in Gucci Première and Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior channeled that feeling with peplum dresses that propelled an old-school notion of movie-star elegance a step forward, even if Lawrence did take a tumble for the second time running.
Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o had her Cinderella moment in a custom Prada dress that was nothing short of magical, and the cool hue that she described as Nairobi blue set the tone for the night; it was the warmest color for fellow nominees Sandra Bullock and Amy Adams too. On the other hand, Meryl Streep did make a strong case for monochrome with a stunning off-the-shoulder Lanvin look that was a refreshing antidote to the ubiquitous strapless neckline. Ditto for Penélope Cruz’s asymmetric Giambattista Valli Haute Couture dress.
As far as unexpected winning moments go, both Olivia Wilde and Kerry Washington, in Valentino and Jason Wu respectively, showed that a baby bump can in fact be your best accessory. And Jennifer Lawrence made her exit as strong as her entrance with a draped back-to-front necklace.
If there was one accessory that everyone had their eye out for, though, it was Pharrell’s hat. The topper took a backseat on the red carpet this time around; nevertheless, the singer still made a splash with a Lanvin shorts suit. As far as fine tailoring goes, the award should go to mc Ellen DeGeneres—in a blue velvet Saint Laurent three-piece or all-white tux with matching box-fresh sneakers for the win.
