On March 2, the 97th Academy Awards took place. This awards show is entertainment’s biggest night, which means that some of the most notable celebrities are in attendance, and they are always dressed to the nines. There is always a wide variety of looks at these awards shows, from elegant simplicity to the most wild and eccentric of looks. You never know what the stars could possibly be wearing until they show up. Of course, with hundreds of people in attendance, the outfits are not always going to be winners. Some of them can be a bit too weird looking, or they have a shape that just does not suit the human being that is wearing it. Fortunately, that is not the case for all of the looks. There are many celebrities who are able to absolutely nail their awards show looks. These celebrities, and their stylists, are able to understand what they will look best in and what will grab attention in the best of ways. That was the situation for many celebrities, as a lot of them have had a lot of practice in awards shows. Nevertheless, there were some outfits that I thought were absolutely amazing. These outfits truly stunned me in a positive way, and I would even want to wear some of them if I was at the Oscars (the dresses, that is). I could talk about what I love about dozens of looks that fit this criteria for a long time, but for now, I will just share some short descriptions of some absolute favorites. Let me tell you, it took me a long time to narrow down to these favorites, but I am happy with what I have picked.
Because of the status of this event, with over 19 million people watching, everyone wanted to look their best. For the most part, people were able to achieve that goal. Nevertheless, there were some outfits that stood out much more than the others. One outfit in particular was the one worn by Demi Moore, who was nominated for Best Actress for “The Substance.” Moore was dressed in a custom Giorgio Armani Privé and looked absolutely dazzling on that red carpet. The sleeveless gown was embroidered with crystals, had a plunging neckline with a pleated hip and cascaded behind her as she walked. She completed the look with matching dangly earrings and a bracelet. This look was one for someone who wanted to stand out, and Moore was able to achieve that goal without looking too showy. Even with the sparkly crystals, the look still had a simple and classic style to it, and it could have easily been worn decades ago. Even though Moore did not win, she knew she had a strong chance, and this dress is definitely one of a winner. Another dress I appreciated was Michelle Yeoh’s, who won Best Actress two years ago for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Even though she was not up for anything at this year’s ceremony, she was still able to turn some heads in a custom Balenciaga gown. The dress was strapless and in a bright cobalt blue, topped off with a lovely silver necklace. There was nothing particularly extra or unique about this gown, and that made it so great. The color was able to do all of the work and shine, while the simple lines made Yeoh look effortless. Add Yeoh’s natural poise and grace, all together this look is one meant for a queen. Another look that I adored was the one worn by Elle Fanning, who was in the Best Picture nominee “A Complete Unknown.” Fanning wore a sleeveless Givenchy dress, which was made out of white lace that trailed behind the actress and also included a long black bow tied around the waist. She also wore a silver chain choker to finish the look. The look had elements of a fancy Victorian look, but it also had some modern touches to make the dress feel truly original. Specifically, the bow in the middle provides a great contrast with the soft lace that helps make this dress feel special and grabs attention. There is an overall feminine glamor with this dress, and Fanning looks like a star in it. These women definitely understood the assignment and succeeded at getting all eyes on them.
Another dress that I appreciated was the one worn by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who won Best Supporting Actress last year for “The Holdovers,” and presented the same award this year. The actress wore a custom Tamar Ralph Couture gown made in black. The strapless gown had a crystal embroidered top with a silky skirt that had a chiffon train behind her. Randolph also had a matching black scarf on top that cascaded to create a complete look. The combination of textures while maintaining the all black look made for a look that was timeless, while also having some contemporary elements. The crystals allowed Randolph to shine, while the silk added some maturity and the chiffon made the actress look like royalty. The dress was sleek and stylish, and I would love to see more gowns like this one in the future. Another gown with a lot of classic elements was worn by Isabella Rosselini, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Conclave.” The actress wore a velvet dress in a dark shade of blue, which had long winged sleeves, a rectangle neckline and was long enough that it would follow her as she dressed. Rossellini also wore a matching silver and blue necklace and earrings that belonged to her mother, Ingrid Bergman. Not only was this gown glamorous, as it absolutely was, but it was also a gown that served as a tribune to the late director David Lynch. One of Rossellini’s breakthrough roles was in Lynch’s 1986 thriller film “Blue Velvet.” Therefore, since the director passed away not too long ago, Rossellini decided to honor the man with a blue velvet dress. Fortunately, her tribute was both heartfelt and stylish. It is a timeless look that could have been worn decades ago, yet it is still able to look stylish today. It is a look that screams power, and the flowing arms and long skirt give the dress the right amount of drama. Rossellini has been in the industry for a long time, meaning she has been on the red carpets for a long time. Therefore, she knows what looks best on her, which is likely why she knew this blue velvet gown would be sensational on her.
Of course, we can not leave the men out of the fashion fun. While many of the men stick with the classic black suit white shirt combo, there are many men that like to have fun with what they wear. I encourage this movement, as we have seen the black suit millions of times. Actors need to get creative. Fortunately, many men got that memo and were absolute visions on the red carpet. For starters, there was Timothée Chalamet, who was nominated for Best Actor for “A Complete Unknown.” The actor wore a custom Givenchy leather suit in a bright pastel yellow. He almost looked like a stylish Peep marshmallow. Seriously though, Chalamet has a history of wearing fun and exciting looks, and the Oscars were certainly not going to be an exception to that rule. He picked a happy color that stands out and ran with it. It is his confidence that helps this whole look work, and the youthful spirit made everything about his appearance so exciting. Another actor that stood out on the red carpet was Colman Domingo, who was nominated for Best Actor for “Sing Sing.” He wore a custom Valentino suit with red double breasted silk blazer which was tied in red just above the waist on top, with a matching shirt and sleek black pants on bottom. Over the years, Domingo has mastered the art of standing out on red carpets with his outfits, which are always the perfect combination of playful and sophisticated. This look is peak Domingo. The red on top is striking, along with the intricate little elements that make the top more than just a red suit jacket, and the pants compliment the blazer perfectly, to create a balanced look. Domingo does not mess around on red carpets, and I look forward to what he wears next. Then, another suit that I appreciated on the red carpet was the one worn by Andrew Garfield, who presented Best Animated Feature and Best Animated Short Film. Garfield wore a chocolate brown Gucci suit, and kept the jacket open to show off the silk shirt underneath, which was in a lighter shade of brown. In this look, there are some elements of the classic black suit that everyone wears, but the subtle color change elevates the suit into something more. It is not a bright color, but it is still an alluring one. In addition, the silk shirt is the star of this outfit, as it gives the suit some character, and also shows that his fashion sense has a bit of a wild side. Garfield was absolutely rocking this suit, and he showed that while some men may be afraid of going bold in how they dress, they should at least dip their toes into creativity.
The fun men’s looks do not stop there. In this modern era, plenty more men have decided to have fun with the way they dress at awards shows, and a lot of their efforts are paying off. For instance, another outfit that I appreciated was the suit worn by Jeremy Strong, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for “The Apprentice.” Strong wore a Loro Piana tuxedo, which was in a shade somewhere between bronze and light brown with hints of olive. This tux had classic lines and a cut that people would expect from a fancy tuxedo, but the quirky color elevates the look that gives the suit some extra pizzazz. The color is also on a line between too simple and too loud. Not there is anything wrong with either extreme, but this middle area for the color brings forward some playful maturity, a delightful oxymoronic vibe. This type of tux has existed for a long time, and Strong is bringing it into 2025. Another men’s look that stood out on the Oscars red carpet was the suit worn by Jeff Goldblum, who was a part of the main cast of Best Picture nominee “Wicked.” Goldblum has become known for his quirkiness by this point, and that personality has transferred over the actor’s fashion sense. Goldblum wore a wool Prada suit, which was made up of an ivory jacket, black pants, a multicolored shirt, a black bow tie, a lilac scarf and a bright purple orchid pinned to his lapel to complete the look. There is a lot going on with this outfit, and yet, somehow, it all still works. Similar to Domingo’s look, the black pants on the bottom allow the top half of Goldblum’s outfit shine, as they serve as a nice neutral. In addition, the various hints of purple are a cute touch, and they really pop against the white. Particularly, the flower is able to take the common pins and brooches to the next level, showing that Goldblum is not afraid to add a little femininity to his suit. The multicolored shit is always nice to see, as it feels like many people like to stick to more plain/single color fabrics. Frankly, there should be more patterns at these award shows as they can add some boldness to any outfit. In addition, the multi-colored shirt also has hints of purple, meaning that it is able to pair well with other parts of the outfit while still being able to stand out. Basically, every element of this suit brings something different to the table, creating an outfit that is zany in the best ways. It is no wonder Goldblum was caught looking at his red carpet look on his phone from his seat; this outfit is one that deserves attention. Honestly, there were a lot of men’s outfits this year that deserve a lot of attention due to the fashion risks that were involved. So, men that stick to the typical black and white suits, take some notes if you want people to remember you.
This year’s Oscars attendees were quite the fashionable bunch. Some were able to keep things simple and straightforward, while others went bold in a big way. Overall, the event was certainly a feast for the eyes. As the years go on, the looks are becoming more unique and creative, for both women and men, leading to the red carpets becoming more fun. Through the precursor events to the Oscars, such as the Golden Globe awards and Screen Actors Guild awards, it became clear that this was going to be a stylish year (Chalamet wore lime green at the latter, so it was clear that he was having fun). It is hard to believe that the stars will only wear their outfits once, due to how most of them believe that every event needs a unique look (shout out to Lily Gladstone who rewore her dress from last year’s after party to this year’s Screen Actors Guild awards, we love a frugal queen). There are so many looks that I would want to see again, many of which I did not even talk about in this article, as there are only so many words that I am allowed to write. Talk to me directly if you want to hear more of my awards show fashion opinions (especially if you want to know what looks I abhorred). Now, all I can do is wait for the next awards show to admire the styles of the biggest celebrities, and see if it is possible for them to be even more glamorous than they were at the 2025 Oscars.
