2023 Oscars Fashion Review
Marcel The Shell Ate
Before we get into the fashion, I need to voice my Oscars opinions that no one asked for. Jamie Lee Curtis winning Best Supporting Actress is insane. People were like, “but she’s been in the game for so long, she deserves it!” Angela Bassett WAS LITERALLY RIGHT THERE. You’re telling me her performance in Wakanda Forever didn’t destroy you?! Also, I don’t know how you watched Everything Everywhere All at Once and decided to vote for Jamie instead of Stephanie Hsu. There is something very fitting for the Oscars about a white woman getting an award for a movie about the Asian-American experience in which she barely made an appearance. Listen, I have nothing against Jamie Lee Curtis, I think she’s great, but are you serious?
My next complaint, that is only half a complaint, is about Best Actor winner, Brendan Fraiser. I love Brendan Fraiser with all of my heart, as does everyone else. He’s been through IT, and I am so happy for him and this comeback. However, The Whale was a tough one. I could write a whole 500 words on why that movie is awful. I can accept that we all hate The Whale and all love Brendan Fraiser, but also did y’all watch Aftersun? Because Paul Mescal had me sobbing to the point of dehydration. I know he’ll get the chance again, but he was just so good.
The screams that came out of my body when Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan won probably woke my neighbors, and they would be so valid for filing a noise complaint.
Finally, the editor for Everything Everywhere All at Once is kind of…
This is so fucking ugly, I refuse to start this review on such a negative note, so we’re swiftly moving on!
This isn’t that much better of a start, but I rather save my strength for this one. Given the fact that Anna was nominated for her performance in Blonde, I’m going to heavily assume that this is LV’s take on the iconic “Happy Birthday” dress. It’s not good. You know how I feel about a seam at the waist, and the scalloped train could have been a fun idea but it just feels too disconnected from the rest of the dress. She just can’t get these Louis looks right.
It’s a black suit.
What a lovely Moschino dress! I think this organza is draped so beautifully, and I love how the bow at the top is just naturally formed with the way it’s draped instead of just placing a precise bow on it. I think that swatch of fabric at the bottom creating the same effect is fun and a smart way to create a trumpet silhouette by just manipulating the fabric. It fits perfectly and that color is stunning.
Subjectively, I don’t love this, but I do think it’s a nice dress. It fits her incredibly well, the draping is nice, and the embroidery is really beautiful. I don’t think the slit was necessary, because it interrupts the pattern, and we already have a train, so I think that’s enough design elements. I love the way that same embroidery is strapped in the middle of the deep v as well. The most insane part of this look is the watch. Who put that there?
The waistline of this is really intriguing, but the skirt is too long and I wish it had been a sheer fabric instead of a fishnet, because there’s just too much happening here.
I just love that he gave us nothing during this Elvis press run(: Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent is obviously simple, but go look at that Spring 2023 menswear collection and tell me there wasn’t something more interesting than this. I will say, it does fit perfectly, and I love a heeled boot, so I’ll give him that. If he’d been more exciting even just one other time, I’d take this, and I’d understand it’s his “i’m a serious actor and I’m nominated for an Oscar” outfit.
This is simple, but it fits beautifully and I think the black velvet and silver sequins interact with each other very nicely— the look feels balanced. Am I obsessed with a band around the waist? No, but I’ll take it here.
I’m not blown away. This powdery lavender color is lovely, and I like the little sunburst buttons, but something about this feels off balance. He never gets the shoe right, and I think that’s the issue here. I also think having the sleeve peak out from under the jacket would have been beneficial here.
I am so soft when it comes to this man, lmao. I mean, it’s Armani so the least they can do is make a suit that fits well, which they did. I believe this is a navy blue number, and I’m here for that. Listen, it’s nothing crazy, but it’s nice. I don’t understand the black bow tie, but at least it ties in the black shoes, I guess. Can you imagine Brendan Fraser in S. S. Daley? Omg.
This woman’s PR team deserves a raise. I think Cara looks really beautiful. I don’t know if this was the reference, or if Cara is even aware of it, but tell me this isn’t giving Zsa Zsa Gabor in Moulin Rouge? I think that’s why I like it.
Lydia Tár did not come to PLAY. In all seriousness, this is a beautiful LV look. Cate is still on her sustainable queen wave with a skirt made of repurposed materials, and this draped top creates such a stunning trompe l’oeil velvet curtain effect. Also, this reads very Tilda Swinton to me, which is always a good thing.
This top of this fits incredibly and I love the neckline— the sheer frayed material at the top is a nice touch and almost makes it look like a paint stain. The skirt is tricky. Here I feel like it’s too long, but when I saw her on stage, it looked really good. Other than that, it’s quite simple, but I don’t hate it.
Well this is confusing. It’s essentially, and oroton chainmail dress that seems to have some velvet fabric on the side, a frayed hem, weird straps, and sheer panels of fabric hanging down? If we wanted to do oroton chainmail, I imagine Versace should be the obvious choice. Like, picture her in the dress Imaan Hammam just wore during the Fall 2023 show with the floral embroidery and cone bra? Stunning. I like the cowl neck!
When I saw this photo, I was like wow, so crisp, so clean. It’s simple, but it fits incredibly and is tailored to the millimeter. Or so I though. When she walked onto the stage, the fabric was incredibly bunched around her waist. I get it, people move, fabric moves, but also, no.
I’m not a pretty, pretty princess gown kind of girl, but this is stunning. The embroidered column dress fits her incredibly and that green pleated cape is gorgeous. It creates a lovely frame for her body and I like how the ruching at the hip adds a bit of texture and lift.
This is a tough one. I don’t hate the idea of this. The bust fits really well, even better than it did on the runway, and I love these large cream puff sleeves. That taffeta is a rough material to work with and here I think it’s winning the fight. I’m also not obsessed with the idea of this being a constant go-to style for her? Like, I feel like I’ve seen her in open skirt/cape with short or undies underneath repeatedly. This is a look from the ‘Le Club Couture’ collection, and Florence feels like a perfect person for that collection since she loves something a little punky, but there were better looks.
It’s actually concerning how much Dolce there was at the Oscars and the Vanity Fair afterparty. Halle obviously went for an Ariel colorway, but if we wanted to do a pretty little tulle dress, Giambattista Valli is right there— Molly Goddard for something a bit more interesting! Halle rarely gets a good look, and it’s so upsetting because she would EAT. When the little mermaid press tour starts, I really hope there’s more thought an effort put into her looks. Imagine her in a look from Lee’s Plato’s Atlantis, I’d pass out.
I don’t love this. it fits quite well, but the draping across the waist feels pointless and the rosettes feel very random here— I don’t understand what they have to do with the rest of the dress.
Oh, how nice! This is a great take on menswear suiting, and it fits nicely. Harry and Adeam wanted to mix Eastern and Western culture with this look, and for a brand that hasn’t really done menswear before, I think this is good. I love the lining on that jacket an dhow the lapels are different, but I don’t love the shoes.
Best dressed of the night, hands down. This Prada dress is tailored to the MILLIMETER. It’s so crisp and it’s simple done well. The little mandarin collar and darts in the bust are so wonderful and sweet— adding the collar is actually the only note Hong Chau had to Miuccia and Raf after they showed her a few sketches. Then she turns around and you get an incredible plastic fringe train that’s supposed to resemble feathers. It’s very Prada, and I like that it ties in this style of train they’ve been exploring with the past few seasons, as well as calling back to the plastic pieces in FW2007. Miuccia also admires and looks to YSL, who looked to Elsa Schiaparelli, who is no stranger to a feathery moment. I mean, this is just so special, I’m obsessed.
Yikes. I mean, where do we begin? It’s awful. Those darts on the “corset” are so stupid and I don’t understand why they brought them to the outside if they weren’t actually going to make them do something, or at least make sure they were straight. The seam at the waist and the crinkling at the hip are painful and the color is not good. It’s also an interesting choice to wear Dolce & Gabbana, a brand that has a history of anti-Asian and racist remarks, when you’re nominated for a movie about the Asian American experience!
Not my fave Janelle Monáe look. There’s just nothing super memorable about this, but I do think that orange color is lovely, and the pleating on the bias is done quite well.
Louis Vuitton LOVES this woman. Name one person that wears Louis Vuitton like her, I’ll wait. Anyway, this is very simple, but it’s fitted beautifully, and the simplicity of it allows the faux halter to be the star of the look. That embroidered pieces adds that bit of technical, sci-fi that we’re used to seeing from Nicolas LV in a really elegant way.
The thing about wearing a simple, black dress is that it has to be done perfectly, and this is done perfectly. I’m also a slut for Thom Browne, so. Regardless, it’s tailored to perfection and the subtle pannier at the hip with the most snatched corset is too good. There’s also this clear defined line at the waist, as if the skirt is being wrapped around, which is something we often see from Thom Browne. It’s scrumptious.
We have to go out of alphabetical order for one second to talk about my kind, Marcel the Shell (voiced by Jenny Slate). He also wore Thom Browne, and when I saw this, I screamed at my phone. The little suit, and derby shoes? Shut up right now. No on else matters. I hysterically explained this moment to my dad later on and he looked at me like I was insane; rude.
This custom look is nice, but it’s nothing groundbreaking. I think it’s one of those moments where they’re trying to prepare us for Sabato’s Gucci, but we’ve seen Jessica in Gucci looks that are a lot more interesting than this, so. Either way, it does fit well, and I like the way the dress gathers at the waist— it defines it nicely without needing a belt or seem. I also like how the black velvet used for the train also trims the neckline, because it ties that into the dress nicely.
I love the idea of this. It takes traditional menswear suiting, but from a 19th century lends, and it’s great— I especially love that revealed necktie. While I don’t mind the shorter pants, I do wish the jacket had fit better. We love a good arm, but we want that arm to fit in the jacket, you know?
This is fine. I don’t hate it, but I’m not obsessed with it. I think the off-the-shoulder moment is sweet, but the tulle coming out from under her armpits is silly. That cross across the bust area and the the straps is really wonderful, though.
Okay fresh off the runway. We saw this medusa belted style quite a bit throughout the Fall 2023 collection, and I believe this gown closed the show. Honestly, I think it’s really nice. Gaga loves something more elegant for a movie related red carpet, but this has a bit of that fun Gaga style we see her in otherwise. That boned top fits beautifully, and it almost warps the body in a really intriguing way. The skirt is tailored well, and I think the drop waist works. What I love the most about it though is that the skirt actually fulls underneath her butt in the back for a little bumster moment.
Not even Laverne could sell me on this one. It’s just so bizarre. These colors make no sense together, the extra fabric under the glove is strange, and the skirt puckers. I feel like this would have been a lot better if there was no brown corset, and the turqoise tulle had just been covering her torso.
I’m giggling and kicking my feet. No, but Lenny Kravitz being hot as hell aside, I loved this Saint Laurent menswear collection, and I love to see it. That silk draped top is really stunning, and I think the longer pants work here— I like that they’re cuffed.
Apologies to this man, as I do not know who he is, but I have to talk about him because this is stunning. Sure, it’s a simple black suit, but the way it fits is incredible, and then underneath you have a fully beaded, shirt, tie, AND gloves. Not to mention the little red turtleneck peaking out from underneath. Also, what a great shoe! Very Prada, very good.
This is very lovely. Ralph Lauren is a simple American designer, so I don’t expect anything crazy, but this is a great take on a conservative evening wear look. I think that starburst draping on the side is really wonderful.
It’s a win for everyone when Margot doesn’t wear Chanel, truly. This custom Armani look is stunning. It’s an all black dress, but the details add a really stunning dimension. Not only doe sit fit beautifully, but it’s fully sequined, and has a pinstripe designs, as well as a little tulle at the bottom that just glides across the floor. Gorg.
It’s a simple black suit, and it fits great for the most part, but why do I feel like everyone’s arms are struggling.
I promise no one from the Chanel team is holding a gun to my head when I say this, but this is stunning. It’s probably my favorite “bridal” look of the night. This sheer cape is stunning and I love the way the embroidery on it ties in the embroidery on the strapless dress. The tulle also creates a lovely dimension towards the bottom that just makes her look like this floating angel. The placement of the necklace is smart, and overall, a great moment from Chanel.
Unfortunately, Michelle Yeoh didn’t blow me away the same way, in this Dior gown. It’s essentially a tiered ballgown made from, what I believe is, tulle and feathers. With all the wonderful Michelle Yeoh looks we’ve gotten during this EEAAO press run, this is just so underwhelming in comparison. I was really hoping we’d see her in something from Schiaparelli. I would have even preferred if she’d worn the Armani Privé dress she wore to the Vanity Fair after party. It’s just not very memorable, and I think that sheer panel of fabric up top is too distracting.
This is a really lovely gown. The color story is scrumptious and I love the way that skirt shapes the rest of the body and the perfectly draped blue fabric.
Nicole said, tonights not about me, I’m here to have fun and wear what I want. It’s not my favorite Armani look, but it is a fun Armani look, and I don’t know, Nicole sold me on it.
I love this! It takes classic menswear suiting and gives it a bit of a retro feel with the flared pants, white jacket, and rosette boutonniere. It fits really well, love the cuffed pants, and the heeled boot is nice. Paul seems to be having a bit more fun with his style recently, and I think he’s headed in a good direction.
While this is made to measure, this man continues to never tailor his pants and I just want to understand why. The jacket, on the other hand, fits great and I love the choice to forgo a tie and have a high collar.
For the red carpet, Rihanna opted for a scrumptious chocolate brown Alaïa number. Azzedine Alaïa was the king of cling and loved highlighting a woman’s body. When asked to design a dress for a pregnant woman, he once said he would design the tightest dress in order to highlight the woman’s pregnant belly. I think this does a great job at incorporating Alaïa-isms to create an evening wear look that is still sexy, and brings attention to an “accessory” you only have for nine months. The braided leather that opens a bit on the hips is a great touch, and overall, it’s a great look.
To perform, she wore a custom look by John Galliano for Mairson Margiela, and it’s beatiful. I love the embroidered top and how it has a bit of an Art Deco feel. Not only are the pants a brocade, but she also had brocade tabi heels to match! Really lovely.
Rihanna’s last look of the night was this custom, mint green Bottega Veneta dream. That floral embossed, fur shawl top is stunning, and the simple skirt allows it to shine. I just love how Rihanna continues to allow her belly to be a focal point of her pregnancy looks.
Look how easy it is to make menswear interesting. LOOK. I’m not saying every man needs to wear a ballgown that’s fully embroidered, this is literally all I’m asking for. Although this is custom, it clearly takes elements from the most recent menswear and ready-to-wear collections. You’ll notice that there is this brown collar peeking out, with a bit of a pink mohair knit that is actually attached to the jacket. The idea was to have the appearance of a shirt, but not actually need one. It’s simple, but it’s interesting enough, and fits well.
Rooney Mara’s pull at Alexander McQueen is truly unparalleled. Here she’s wearing a dress from Lee McQueen’s FW2008 collection, entitled ‘The Girl Who Lived In The Tree’. This collection was essentially about a feral girl who lived in a tree and later went on to marry a prince and become queen. Inspiration for the clothing was taken form the British Empire and Queens of England, which naturally means the British Raj must have led to the incorporation of empire waistline here. This dress is so beautifully draped, and I love how unhinged the tied train is. Later on for the Vanity Fair after party, Rooney added a red jacket by Sarah Burton, that complimented the theme of this collection, as Lee was also inspired by toy soldiers. One of my favorites of the night for sure.
I accepted long ago that Salma prefers a simpler look, and for a brand her husband owns, they truly don’t give her good looks often enough. This, however, is wonderful. The color is stunning, it fits well, I love the the keyhole cutout into halter, and the fringe is fun.
Sandra is WEARING this dress! The draping here is so stunning, and the way it’s done at the hip adds a lovely dimension. I love that she placed her hands on her hips, because it really allows the sleeves of the dress to shine. My one complaint would be the neckline, it just doesn’t make sense with the neckline.
This girl loves a pretty princess ballgown. I mean, it does fit really nicely, and it’s very her. Will I remember this tomorrow? No, probably not. I also feel like she looks ready for her quinceañera.
I know this got mixed reviews, but I think it’s wonderful. Taffeta is a difficult fabric to work with and often tends to wrinkle, but that’s why Valentino creating these pleats up top that pour into the skirt was smart. The bubble hem is also sweet, and I feel like it’s something we don’t see on long gowns often. I do wish it was a touch shorter just to let that hem shine, but I still think it’s nice. The drop waist works here, and I actually think it looks better here than it did on the runway.
Finally, we have Tems in Ukrainian designer, Lever Couture. She looks like she’s caught in the loveliest gust of wind. I love the way the fabric is gathered at the waist before flowing out into a large train. The way it wraps around her head is structured really beautifully as well.
So that was the Oscars! What did we think? My best dressed goes to Hong Chau, Lukas Dhont, Riz Ahmed, and Rooney Mara. Worst goes to Jamie Lee Curtis, Allison Williams, Laverne Cox, and Ana de Armas.
Vanity Fair afterparty coming to you soon.
TTYL!!!
xx