By Megan Riedlinger
7:00am PST, Dec 24, 2023
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The 2023 Academy Awards certainly served up some interesting fashion on March 12. From a flurry of wedding-ready white dresses to beautiful ballgowns fit for a princess, we rounded up the 20 best and worst looks of the night…
Despite a plethora of white dresses on the red carpet, only a few understood the assignment. Mindy Kaling's was one of them, bringing the perfect amount of glam and drama to the big event. Her Vera Wang selection included spaghetti straps and the illusion of a two-piece silhouette held in place by equally thin straps. Structured sleeves that started above the elbows and a sharp peplum detail added even more personality. Get a better view next…
Then keep clicking for more of the best and worst Oscar fashion…
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Mindy Kaling's Vera Wang design brought just enough drama to the big night, and her dazzling drop earrings infused a little color to the look — which complemented her lip shade perfectly!
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We appreciated the break from the flurry of white gowns on the red carpet when we saw Lady Gaga. The superstar took the opposite route — selecting this stark black Versace number. It was plucked right off the runway earlier in the week and included long sleeves, a full skirt and a corset-style bodice. A low-slung belt flashed the fashion house's signature Medusa logo. Her accessories and beauty look took this one up a notch — see what we mean next…
MORE: Worst Oscar fashion moments of all time
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Lady Gaga added a vibrant red lip and dramatic smokey eye to her gothic Versace number. A diamond collar necklace infused some sparkle and received more attention thanks to Gaga's slicked-back hairstyle.
MORE: Best Oscar jewels of all time
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Bridal white was trending on the Oscars red carpet. Emily Blunt embraced the color in this impeccably tailored Valentino design that proved sometimes less is more. The straightforward frock included a strapless neckline and detached long sleeves that flowed effortlessly alongside the figure-skimming silhouette. Now let's take a look at the jewels…
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Emily Blunt added a subtle pop of color when it came to her jewelry, sporting these drop earrings by Chopard crafted from stunning pink gemstones.
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Allison Williams served up a confusing look on Oscar night. Though her Giambattista Valli frock started out so so strong — look at the pink and silver floral embroidery and the fun feather trim! — but it took a strange turn with the pink opera coat she rocked on top of it. Let's see this one from another angle…
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How incredible is the back of Allison Williams' Giambattista Valli gown?! It makes it all the more painful that she was swallowed up by that low-slung coat.
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This angle of Allison Williams' look shows the truly odd placement of that opera coat, which obscured the pretty base of her long-sleeved gown. We would love to see this look without that top layer! Next up? A look at her jewels…
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Allison Williams added dazzling diamond earrings from Fred Leighton, but they weren't enough to salvage her Giambattista Valli look.
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Nicole Kidman brought some glitz to the red carpet in Armani Prive. Though we're not typically fans of sparkly floral accents (paging Halle Berry!), the fact that these over-the-top additions were in the same shade helped their cause. Aside from those flowers, we loved the solo long sleeve balanced out by the thigh-high slit. Next, get a better view of the detailing on this couture piece…
MORE: See all the stars on the red carpet at the 2023 Oscars
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Nicole Kidman almost made us a fan of dramatic floral embellishments, as these shimmery additions sat atop her shoulder and at her hip. And we loved how the star opted to wear her hair simple and straight, keeping the attention on her glam gown.
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A swing and a miss! Florence Pugh took a fashion risk on Oscar night with this Valentino mess that didn't pay off. The beige frock included dramatic off-the-shoulder ruffled sleeves that had a split up the center revealing… tiny black shorts? Let's see this from another angle…
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Underneath Florence Pugh's Valentino gown? A black jumpsuit with super short shorts. The strange decision at least paired well with her black platform pumps, but overall left us wanting a whole lot more. Her jewels weren't much better…
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Florence Pugh accessorized with Tiffany & Co. jewels, but nothing traditional. She kept with her punk Valentino vibe with edgy picks from the jeweler, selecting drop earrings, a curved necklace and a septum ring in her nose.
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Halle Bailey clearly got inspiration from her character Ariel when it came it picking this seafoam green Dolce & Gabbana confection for Oscar night. We loved the strapless neckline paired with a full tulle skirt — so much so that we've got to take a closer look at this one…
MORE: Best Oscar fashion ever
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From the perfectly pleated border to the corset-inspired bodice, Halle Bailey's Dolce & Gabbana gown was one of our favorite looks of the night. She wisely paired it with a stunning diamond necklace.
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Angela Bassett arrived looking regal in this beautiful purple number from Moschino. With an asymmetrical neckline that included one short sleeve, a fitted waist and a dreamy mermaid-style skirt complete with a subtle train detail, this purple pick stood out amongst a sea of dull dresses. Let's take a closer look…
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Angela Bassett didn't stop with an eye-catching dress. She also added a statement necklace — a diamond-studded Bulgari serpenti necklace — and diamond earrings to infuse a little shimmer.
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Nope. Halle Berry has served up some phenomenal Oscar fashion over the years, but this Tamara Ralph creation didn't meet that criteria. The unfortunate dress included a keyhole cutout down the bodice, a sky-high slit and the addition of cheesy flowers along the halter neckline and at the hip. Let's take a closer look…
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Halle Berry's frock included glittery floral embellishments that made the frock feel more amateur art project than couture gown ready for Hollywood's biggest night.
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Sofia Carson brought an unexpected bridal vibe to the champagne-hued carpet on Oscar night. The beauty arrived in this stunning Giambattista Valli design complete with an off-the-shoulder neckline with a tiny triangular cutout and a frothy full tulle skirt. Sofia managed to accessorize with a piece of jewelry just as exquisite as the gown…
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Sofia Carson accessorized her white Giambattista Valli gown with an incredible Chopard piece — this emerald and diamond necklace from their Haute Joaillerie Collection. The necklace featured a total of 122.49 carats of emeralds and 92.57 carats of diamonds… which wrapped all the way around. Let's see it from another angle, next…
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Sofia Carson's Chopard necklace even sparkled from the back with stunning diamonds that covered every inch of the piece.
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What is happening here? Rooney Mara turned up in yet another white dress, but this one by Alexander McQueen left us with a whole lot of questions. It started out simple and underwhelming enough, with a slightly off-the-shoulder neckline and an empire waist, but everything went awry at the hemline. It was strangely gathered at the base so that it flowed into a train, showing off her shoes.
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If the bizarre Alexander McQueen gown wasn't enough, Rooney Mara accessorized with chunky silver jewelry to cement this look as a major miss.
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That's a whole lot of sequins, Salma Hayek! The star sported this wild Gucci gown with a halter-style neckline, keyhole cutout and incredibly dramatic sequined fringe skirt. Despite the much appreciated pop of color, this one was an instant miss for us.
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Ready for another snoozy white frock? Michelle Williams served one up in this Louis Vuitton mess. From the sheer veil-like overlay that flowed over top to the shiny silver bodice, everything about this one fell flat. One element of her look we appreciated? The cheery red lip she added to the mix.
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There must have been a bridal memo sent out, because Tems also arrived in a dress ready to head down the aisle. The star's Lever Couture creation included a slit and a dramatic tulle skirt — complete with train — but the part that lost us was that wild structured detail that wrapped over her head and served as a halo trailing behind her… leaving us feeling sorry for whoever had to sit behind the singer.
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Cara Delevingne looked ravishing in red on Oscar night in this show-stopping Elie Saab selection that evoked Old Hollywood glamour. A dramatic bow detail at the sleeve paired with an asymmetrical neckline struck just the right balance while a thigh-high slit showed off her matching Stuart Weitzman sandals perfectly. And her jewelry choices were just as fabulous…
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Cara Delevingne added these stunning Bulgari jewels — including a subtle serpent diamond necklace and beautiful diamond-covered hoops.
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Silver was also trending on Oscar night. Eva Longoria embraced the sparkle in this Zuhair Murad design. The embellishments were beautiful but the plunging neckline paired with that odd scarf detail are what threw us for a loop. See what we mean next…
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Eva Longoria's Zuhair Murad gown included a super-low neckline and a thin sparkly scarf element that felt mismatched with the elegance of the long-sleeved design. Despite not loving the dress, we really adored her earrings…
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Eva Longoria's dazzling Chopard ear cuffs almost made up for the disappointing dress!
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Michelle Yeoh can always be counted on for a stellar red (or champagne!) carpet moment. The best actress winner arrived in this stunning Dior number that featured delicate white feathers throughout, which was so eye-catching that it stood out amongst the sea of other all-white looks. Though it appeared to be a strapless design, it actually had a sheer sleeveless bodice, which we'll get a better glimpse of next…
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The radiant Michelle Yeoh's Dior frock included a sheer and sleeveless top that flowed into a feathered sweetheart neckline. She then added diamond drop earrings from Moussaieff for some sparkle and a Richard Mille watch. But there was one sweet accessory Michelle sported that you might have missed…
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Michelle Yeoh also added a delicate diamond headband from Moussaieff to complete her regal Oscar ensemble.
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Snore seems like appropriate commentary for Zoe Saldana's Fendi frock… considering it looks like pajamas! The star's slip dress, which featured lace detailing and semi-sheer panels, may have been better in a brighter shade, but in this pale pink hue it was instantly forgettable.
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Ana De Armas's metallic confection was a work of art… literally! Not only did it take more than 1,000 hours to create, but the Louis Vuitton masterpiece included 3D scalloped edges at the base and all-over beaded embellishments down the mermaid-style silhouette. This one deserves a closer look at the impressive detailing…
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Ana De Armas's Louis Vuitton gown featured a sleek scoop neckline. This angle gives a better view of the beautiful beaded detailing throughout. The actress opted to wear her dark hair down, the simplicity of her hairstyle serving as a good foil to the intricate dress.
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Almost, but not quite! We were ready to love Molly Sims' beautiful green Georges Chakra gown — that cutout! the sheer sleeves! — but the unnecessary feather boa really missed the mark.
