The 92nd Annual Academy Awards brought out all the stars — and all the styles. Big trends this year included one-shouldered gowns, statement necklaces and capes galore. Check out our picks for the best and worst looks:
BEST DRESSED AT THE 2020 OSCARS:
Jen: Sister Night shone bright! The Watchmen’s Regina King, who has never once disappointed me on a red carpet, glowed at the Oscars in a dusty rose Versace gown. Love the unusual neckline!
Nicole: I’m not sure anyone would have taken a bet that Cynthia Erivo would wear white to the Oscars but her sculptural Versace gown was absolutely breathtaking. The voluminous skirt framed a gorgeous bodice and I think this was the best of the many, many one-shouldered dresses of the night.
Jen: Bow down to our queen, Janelle Monae! This gorgeous A-line Ralph Lauren dress paid homage to Grace Jones with its dramatic hood. The perfect fit, the architectural structure, the Swarovski crystals that sparkled when she moved, the cut out back = elements that all combined to kill me dead.
Nicole: Wow, I loved Rebel Wilson‘s Jason Wu gown. The shape and neckline were supremely flattering and she glowed on the red carpet. Her hair was styled down in soft waves and the overall look was pulled together with a pop of red lipstick.
Jen: Mindy Kalling glowed in Dolce & Gabbana. Yellow is a tough colour in a gown because it easily veers into Belle in Beauty and the Beast territory but I think she made it work thanks to the one-shoulder neckline, the Ocean’s 8-inspired necklace and the impeccable tailoring.
Nicole: Holy, Geena Davis in Ramona Keveza showed us what true Hollywood glamour looks like. She posed so casually with her hands tucked into pockets as though she wasn’t pulling off a crazy elegant and daring gown. It looks like she even pulled this off without the ubiquitous netting that seems to plague gowns with cut-outs or plunging necklines. She completed the outfit with a soft wavy bob and loads of diamonds. Loved the whole look!
Jen: Not all superheroes wear capes…but this one does! There were a lot of capes on the red carpet but no one did it better than Captain Marvel’s Brie Larson in this sleek and sexy Celine dress that screamed Old Hollywood glamour.
Nicole: Florence Pugh continued her awards season run with yet another brilliant colour, this time glowing in turquoise Luis Vuitton and matching strappy shoes that showcased the asymmetrical tiered skirt. The draping was perfect and she looked fresh and young, especially with the edgy topknot and beautiful necklace.
Natalie Portman embroidered her Dior cape with all of the female directors who weren't nominated for #Oscars. Check out her explanation here. pic.twitter.com/kyyo2wVMZf
— Amy Kaufman (@AmyKinLA) February 10, 2020
Jen: Natalie Portman’s regal Dior look already put her on my Best Dressed list, but then she made me love it even more when she revealed that she had the names of female directors who weren’t nominated embroidered on her cape.
Nicole: I might be alone in putting Gal Gadot in Givenchy Couture on my best dressed list but I loved the black lace bodice, collar necklace sitting on top of the high lace neck and the soft pink tulle skirt. She tied the look together with simple pulled-back hair and a bright lip.
WORST DRESSED AT THE 2020 OSCARS:
Jen: I’m here for the Dernassance, but I am not here for the tassels on Laura Dern’s Armani Prive dress. She’s been killing it all season leading up to this, so I’m so sad that my first thought when seeing her Oscars look was “dripping boobs.”
Nicole: I think my theme tonight for the worst dressed is: well, *parts* of this dress are great. Sandra Oh in Elie Saab epitomized this as the dress would have been lovely without the giant tulle sleeves. Unfortunately the sleeves overwhelmed her slight frame and small details like the belt were lost in all the volume.
Jen: Look, I’m probably just too old to get it, but I didn’t love Billie Eilish’s look here. Sure, the Chanel tracksuit fits her usual style, but this is the Oscars! Dial it up with a crazy colour or blinged-out shoes or something!
Nicole: There was lots of peplum tonight and Saoirse Ronan’s Gucci added tons of unnecessary volume at her waist that then segued into a completely different dress below. With her lacklustre hair and makeup doing nothing to redeem her overall look, it was a confusing and disappointing end to her campaign season.
Jen: Rooney Mara continued to support her beau Joaquin Phoenix with funereal looks. The witchy wear sad train chugged on in McQueen – this time with 30% more ribcage!
Nicole: Yawn, Renee Zellweger. Another awards show, another simple and nearly boring dress, this one Armani Prive. She had the one-shouldered trend covered but I wish she’d worn a pop of lipstick to brighten things up instead of staying so neutral. At least we had her epic toned arms to enjoy all season long.
Jen: There were a lot of big nominees whose dresses bored me (Margot Robbie in Chanel, Renee Zellweger in Armani Prive) but I think Charlize Theron disappointed me most in Dior. It was pretty but even the small hints of interesting details like the falling-off-the-shoulder strap, the big slit and the tiny peplum still couldn’t keep it from seeming very basic.
Nicole: Dressed in Chanel as expected, Margot Robbie’s off-the-shoulder gown with embellished arms came across as sloppy and the weird chest ornament drew attention to the droopiness of the top of the gown. I too am not a natural blonde and am I crazy for wondering why she didn’t get her roots done? It’s the Oscars!