As John Cena showed us on stage, costumes are important. The Oscars is undeniably one of the most important nights for pop culture, film, and fashion each year. 2023 was a year full of the unexpected, and its fashion followed.
As the awards season is wrapping up and the new year is settling in, stars were showing up to the Pre-Oscars red carpet in an unspoken theme: corseted, pale colors adorned with shimmers and exaggerated proportions.
The main trends seen on the 2024 Oscars red carpet were peplum silhouettes, opera gloves, proportion play, and reimagined classics.
In order of arrival (from where I began watching) at the Live with E! Red Carpet:
First, we saw Gabrielle Union in a stunning Carolina Herrera dress. The dress was embellished with clear stones. The top half came out to a peplum shape while the bottom of the dress was in column shape. The Herrera dress matched with Union’s choice of jewelry (Tiffany & Co.) was a dazzling pair and beautiful start to the night.
Following, we were given Billie Eilish in a classic Chanel skirt suit. The ensemble reinforced Eilish’s signature loosely-fitting clothing. Her black blazer was adorned with a call for ceasefire pin, paired with a houndstooth midi skirt and accessorized with a matching purse, crew socks, and mary jane heels. This was a tasteful and classy way to not only express herself but also usher in the rest of the night’s looks.
Next, Anya Taylor Joy stunned E! host Laverne Cox (and all of us) with a reimagined version of Dior’s 1949 Venus dress paired with Tiffany & Co. jewelry. The pink and silver gown also seemed like a slimmer, pinker version of Dior’s Junon dress (also known as Glinda’s bubble dress) of the same year. Joy’s gown could easily be the third sister of these two iconic pieces of the Dior House.
America Ferrera stayed true to her Barbieland citizenship and rocked a floor-length, hot pink and shiny Versace gown.
Cynthia Erivo, the newly appointed Vice President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Oscars presenter, and the green gal in “Wicked,” also paid homage to her character. Erivo wore a leather emerald dress that hugged her body. It had sleeves that puffed out and back into what created a cascading scale effect. Erivo completed the look by donning elaborately decorated green acrylic nails.
During Erivo’s interview on the carpet, Erivo ran into Danielle Brooks, and they showed each other love for each other’s nails. Brooks got “26” written on one of her nails to symbolize her being the 26th Black woman to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. With her symbolic nails, she wore a custom Dolce & Gabbana dress. Her stylist called it a deconstructed tuxedo: the bodice was corseted and pinstriped with rhinestones and paired with a black satin floor-length skirt with a slit at the thigh and bow at the back.
Next, the now Oscar-winning actress (!!!) Emma Stone showed up in a mint, silk jacquard peplum waist Louis Vuitton dress (of which the zipper would break “during [the live performance of] “I’m Just Ken,” according to Stone). The choice of color, fabric, and silhouette suited and enhanced Stone’s features perfectly.
Lupita Nyong’o arrived in an icy blue Armani gown, purposefully derivative of her 2014 Prada gown at that year’s Oscars. The Armani Prive dress featured beading and feathers at the waist and hem.
Emily Blunt came next, dressed in a Schiaparelli nude sequined gown with floating straps and what the E! Hosts described as “a sort of chastity belt.” Blunt also accessorized with Tiffany & Co. jewelry.
Carey Mulligan, “Maestro” actress, wore a replicated version of Cristobal Balenciaga’s 1951 Mermaid dress. The black trumpet gown came down into a scallop hem over white tulle at the floor. Again, we see the accessory of diamonds and black gloves.
Blunt’s “Oppenheimer” co-star Florence Pugh later arrived in a Del Core shell pink floor-length gown with a corseted bodice. It was adorned with makeshift water droplets and floating straps. Pugh wore a silver and diamond snake around her neck (presumably Tiffany & Co. as she is an ambassador for the brand).
Oscars performer Becky G wore a custom Vera Wang dress with a nude rhinestone bodice and a black skirt paired with black opera gloves.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appeared in a satin gray suit with burgundy lapels.
Ariana Grande showed up in a pink sheath, shirred dress with a matching puffer cape to truly get into the bubble witch image.
Michelle Yeoh showed up to the red carpet in a Balenciaga ombre-sequin asymmetrical gown and black opera gloves.
The last look we saw before the awards began was Margot Robbie. Robbie took a step back from her pink press tour and donned a black Versace pressed metal dress with draping at the hip.
This year’s Oscars red carpet reminded us of a few things: you can never have too much glamor, gloves are always a good idea, and when in doubt, stick to the classics.