12 statement-making looks from the 2023 Oscars carpet
On a night when many erred on the side of caution, these fashion choices stood out
The biggest news about this year's Oscars "red carpet" might be its new colour. According to the New York Times, after more than six decades the event producers decided to go with a carpet in a "soothing" champagne colour, instead of the traditional red, to better coordinate with the sienna-coloured tent covering the arrivals area.
Many celebs attending the 95th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood last night erred on the side of caution, fashion-wise. There were countless variations of the classic black tuxedo, many white- and cream-coloured gowns, and dresses with high leg slits proved popular too. Still, there were some clear fashion wins and statement-making outfits worn with confidence. Here are 12 of my favourite looks from this year's Oscars arrivals.
Cate Blanchett
Minimalist but with a commanding presence, best actress nominee Cate Blanchett's Louis Vuitton look was one of my favourites this year. It included an archival top paired with a skirt made of sustainable silk, according to Blanchett's long-time stylist Elizabeth Stewart. The padded shoulder is very trendy and this shade of blue reflected the light beautifully.
Florence Pugh
A presenter at this year's show, actress Florence Pugh continued to showcase her fun, je ne sais quoi sense of style on the red carpet. From the back, her Valentino Haute Couture number might have looked like a standard strapless gown, but from the front you could see that she was wearing black hot pants with pockets underneath!
Tems
Singer-songwriter and Oscar nominee Temilade Openiyi, known as Tems, caused a bit of a stir with her view-blocking gown — but I enjoyed it, at least on the carpet. There's something very ethereal and dreamy about the white, sculptural Lever Couture runway look, which was shown at Rakuten Fashion Week in Tokyo last September.
Sandra Oh
Canadian actress Sandra Oh wore a marigold-coloured Giambattista Valli Haute Couture dress on the carpet. Her stylist, Jordan Johnson Chung, paired the stunning Grecian gown with a vintage Harry Winston necklace, which really completed the look.
Sabrina Dhowre Elba
The Canadian model and actor, who walked the carpet with husband Idris Elba, wore a draped Stella McCartney dress in a standout shade of green last night. Lime green has been trending for a while, and the dress's padded, extended shoulders created a silhouette that also feels of-the-moment.
Jennifer Connelly
Presenter and Top Gun: Maverick star Jennifer Connelly stood out in a strapless black Louis Vuitton column dress, thanks to an embellished angular panel that drew the eye upward. The sleek and modern look was styled by Toronto-born Leslie Fremar.
Jessie Buckley
Women Talking actress Jessie Buckley looked sumptuous in a beaded metallic lace dress with extra-long, dramatically puffed sleeves from Rodarte's Fall/Winter 2023 collection. With minimal jewelry and her vibrant tousled red hair, the look reads as effortlessly cool and not costumey.
Riz Ahmed
In a sea of black tuxes, actor Riz Ahmed's blazer stood out thanks to its colourful and distinctive collar detail. The wool-and-mohair suit is from the Prada Fall/Winter 2023 menswear collection.
Hong Chau
Actress Hong Chau, a first-time nominee for her role in The Whale, also wore Prada. I liked her pink satin column gown even before I saw the dramatic fringed and sequined train, and she told E! News before the show that the Mandarin collar was her way of doing "a little shout-out" to her roots. The look was styled by Zadrian Smith and Sarah Edmiston, who also dressed Canadian model Winnie Harlow in a sleek Armani Privé archival gown for the event.
Zoë Saldana
Sometimes less can be more. Actress Zoë Saldana shone last night in a pretty cream-coloured silk gown with lace panels and a pleated skirt. The look was put together by her stylist, Petra Flannery, who paired the Fendi dress with a matching Tyler Ellis envelope clutch and vintage jewelry by Cartier.
Paul Mescal
The best actor nominee might have been in a tuxedo like so many others, but his custom Gucci extra long ivory tux jacket and wide-legged trousers really worked. The look, created by Mescal's stylist Felicity Kay, felt almost retro to me (in a good way).
Mindy Kaling
Presenter Mindy Kaling liked this custom Vera Wang look so much, she wore it in both white and black (there was a pre-show outfit change involved). The corset top, sleeve and column skirt combo, styled by Molly Dickson with oversized drop earrings by Boucheron, looks surprisingly modern, thanks to the matte, monochromatic palette and graphic cutout detailing.
Truc Nguyen is a Toronto-based writer, editor and stylist. Follow her at @trucnguyen.
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