1Jessica Chastain in Gucci
Kevin Mazur//Getty ImagesThe Eyes of Tammy Faye star and Best Actress nominee stayed true to her character’s exuberant, drag queen-adjacent style in this colorful, flamboyant Gucci gown. We loved it for being such a bold, borderline tacky choice. There’s a history of actress nominees dressing in toned-down or conservative styles on Oscar night, so we love a lady who says no to all that.
2Lupita Nyong'o in Prada
David Livingston//Getty ImagesOnce we saw Lupita on the red carpet, sparkling and shimmering, just as God intended, we sighed in relief. Nature really is healing, you guys. While we think the design is a little overwrought and probably could’ve used some editing, she just looks so amazing in it. And her hair is everything.
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3Tracee Ellis Ross in Carolina Herrera
Momodu Mansaray//Getty ImagesTracee, what happened here? Is this some sort of sly Disney branding exercise? Because we love you, but the mouse ears aren’t working.
4Kodi Smit-McPhee in Bottega Veneta
Kevin Mazur//Getty ImagesThe Best Supporting Actor and The Power of The Dog star has a quietly commanding presence on screen and his red carpet style is no different. We fell in love with this aquamarine double-breasted custom tuxedo but we truly flipped for the gigantic footwear. It’s such a modern silhouette and boundary-pushing style without being overly flashy. True male elegance.
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5Renate Reinsve in Louis Vuitton
Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesIt’s weird. It’s a little creepy. It’s got a sort of gothy, Bride of Frankenstein vibe to it—and we think we love it. The star of The Worst Person in the World caught our eyes and got our respect by refusing to go the expected route for her Oscar red carpet debut. It’s not glam and we’re not even sure we’d call it pretty, but it sure is hard to look away from it.
6Alana Haim in Louis Vuitton
Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesThe Licorice Pizza star traded in the groovy fashions and rock star looks she’s been favoring this year for straight up, old-school elegant glamour. This was a pleasant surprise and we think it makes a quietly memorable declaration of her own bona fide movie-star status.
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7Ariana DeBose in Valentino
Momodu Mansaray//Getty ImagesAfter spending most of awards season in a series of thigh-slit gowns that showed off her dancer’s legs, the West Side Story star and Best Supporting Actress winner switched up her style and made history as an Afro-Latina queer woman picking up her trophy in a killer pair of pants. We love that she paired them with a cape to elevate the drama. Wish we could say the same for that top.
8Nicole Kidman in Armani Prive
Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesSometimes, a legend needs to step out onto the Oscars red carpet to show the rest of the stars how it’s done. The Being the Ricardos star and Best Actress nominee stunned in this drop-dead gorgeous gown, custom dyed to her specifications by her good friend Giorgio. The color looks amazing on her and we love the trailing sparkle on the train. That cherry red lip is the perfect finishing touch.
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9Timothee Chalamet in Louis Vuitton
Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesThe boy-prince showed up looking every inch a rock star by ditching a shirt, baring his sternum, and probably changing the rules for menswear at the Oscars forever. Plenty of people will loathe the idea of shirtlessness at the Academy Awards, but we think the Dune star looked insanely stylish.
10Zendaya in Valentino
Kevin Mazur//Getty ImagesMaybe there was some sort of anti-shirt pact made among the Dune cast, because Zendaya showed up in the teeniest little baby blouse you ever saw, which felt like a clear homage to Sharon Stone's white men’s shirt at the 1998 Oscars. She and her master stylist Law Roach made magic again, by pairing the quarter-shirt with a gorgeously shimmering skirt with an enormous, dramatic flounce. It was cool and hot and modern and classic all at the same time.
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11Jada Pinkett Smith in Jean Paul Gaultier
David Livingston//Getty ImagesCombining Gilded Age grandeur with space queen drama, Jada re-affirmed her status as one of the most uniquely stylish stars in Hollywood. We adore this wild and luxurious look. She comes off every inch a queen.
12Andrew Garfield in Saint Laurent
David Livingston//Getty ImagesThe Tick, Tick…Boom! star charmed everyone and made a lot of folks swoon throughout awards season with his suave, sexy, playful sense of style. He capped a perfect red-carpet run with this adorably dandified take on a classic look, pairing a sophisticated velvet double-breasted jacket with a fun and fabulous floppy bow tie.
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13Venus and Serena Williams in Elie Saab and Gucci
Kevin Mazur//Getty ImagesThe legends and executive producers of King Richard came out to support the film and its nominated stars in these impossible-to-ignore looks, each pretty much perfectly suited to the wearer. We love the way Serena’s Gucci look combines romance, softness, and sexy fierceness. We think Venus’s Elie Saab gown is strong and sexy, but just didn't love the neckline.
14Olivia Colman in Dior
Mike Coppola//Getty ImagesThe star of The Lost Daughter and Best Actress nominee has always had a fascinating preference for modest coverage combined with high glamour. What’s even more interesting is how often she pulls it off. This is a spectacular and fun look that delivers so much visual punch with relatively little fuss or effort.
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15Kirsten Dunst in vintage Christian Lacroix
Kevin Mazur//Getty ImagesThe star of The Power of the Dog and Best Actress nominee has long had a true fashionista’s love of vintage, so it’s no surprise to see her in it on the biggest night of the year. She’s also a fan of softly romantic elements with vaguely retro undertones and we adore that she looks like a rose in this pretty and simple gown.
16Aunjanue Ellis in Atelier Versace
Mike Coppola//Getty ImagesThe King Richard star looked regal, powerful, and dramatically elegant in this exuberant orange custom Versace gown. She asked Donatella Versace to embroider “Jax Baby” on the left shoulder as a tribute to her mother, so this is both fabulous and touching.
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17Kristen Stewart in Chanel
Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesThe long-time Chanel muse and Spencer star managed to surprise everyone and make a case for a new way of approaching the Oscars red carpet by not only ditching a skirt, but coming halfway to ditching pants as well. She served up killer coolness and queer excellence in a style that only she could have pulled off with such ease. We love that she switched her pumps out for loafers before she even hit the end of the carpet.
18Maggie Gyllenhaal in Schiaparell
Kevin Mazur//Getty ImagesThe director of The Lost Daughter served to a T— literally—in this striking and totally weird Schiaparelli look. We think she’s always at her best when her style is off the beaten path, so this really appealed to us. We’re always going to love when someone gets goofy on the Oscars red carpet.
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19Penelope Cruz in Chanel
Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesThe Parallel Mothers star and Best Actress nominee has long been a Chanel ride-or-die, but we thought this gown, while lovely and elegant, was a bit of a letdown.
20Caitriona Balfe in Louis Vuitton
David Livingston//Getty ImagesWe’re sorry to say that this look from the Belfast star was not one of our favorites of the night. She’s been really great about staking her claim as a big-time movie star in looks that evoke old school stars. This white gown just doesn’t pop in pictures and the straps look too widely placed.
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