Fashion Review: 2024 Oscars

You didn't imagine it — I missed a few red carpets in the chaos of a busy, busy winter. But I would never skip my beloved Oscars (even if I still haven't seen half the movies, yikes). And if time allows, I might do a best-of awards season wrap-up!

Depending on your personal fashion taste, there was something for everyone, but it was an especially delicious night for fashion history nerds with lots of great theme-dressing and historical references. There were some big swings (thankfully) and some ho-hum disappointments (to be expected). Let's take a look!

Best Dressed

Nominated for her role as the glamorous wife of conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein, Carey Mulligan called back to the era of the film with this timelessly elegant Balenciaga, a recreation of a 1951 design. It's a dress fit for Rita Hayworth made modern by simple jewelry and a blunt short bob. The lines are so beautiful — a perfect sweetheart neckline mirrored by a scalloped hem, with tightly pleated layers of tulle fanning out. It looks like she stepped out of a Horst P. Horst photo.

America Ferrera capped an awards show season tour de force with an indulgent Barbie-referential gown of sequined perfection by Atelier Versace. This is a masterwork in construction, and the color is so beautiful on her. Her bob continues to be goals. 

Emma Stone's Louis Vuitton didn't quite survive the night (I'm sure the design house's workroom was cringing as she declared her dress had split in her acceptance speech), but it shouted loudly what I've known is coming: the return of the peplum! The embroidered mint gown accessorized with a canary diamond was interesting and different without trying too hard. 

My inner fashion history nerd swooned when I realized Anya Taylor-Joy's Dior gown was a modernized take on the designer's famous Junon dress, held in the collection of the Met Museum's Costume Institute. The jeweled petal motif is elegant and eye-catching, exactly how you want to look as a star on the rise.

Lupita Nyong'o won her Oscar 10 years ago wearing an ice blue gown fit for Cinderella. Last night, she returned to the stage to present an Oscar to Da'Vine Joy Randolph, also wearing Cinderella blue, and this time, she was playing the role of fairy godmother in this absolutely perfect Giorgio Armani gown. Its feathered hips and hem gave beautiful movement, and she looks like she's about to nail the role of Josephine Baker conquering Paris.

It is SO delightful to see Greta Lee, who has put in years of amazing supporting performances, as a leading actress and fashion star. She had a great and adventurous red carpet run this awards season, and I love this edgy-yet-classic Loewe gown that uses the same stretch of white fabric from the neck to the hips, beautifully draped. Her cheekbones are really the only accessory she needs. 

Cynthia Erivo is going to spend the next year reminding us why it's good to be wicked, and if we are kicking off with sculptural ruffled green leather by Louis Vuitton, I'm here for it. It's so singular and I truly cannot imagine anyone else wearing it.

When you are the star of not one, but two, Best Picture nominees and most Americans have never heard of you, it's a good idea to take up some space. In Schiaparelli sleeves wider than bat wings, Sandra Heller called to mind vintage Hollywood, looking ready to deliver Bette Davis famous line, "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night." I hope we get to see much more of her! 

Good

Things that ran through my head when I looked at Ariana Grande: It's a duvet. It's a Christo art installation. It's a sandworm. But ultimately, it's a really fun take on the Good Witch, and we better get used to a LOT of Good Witch fashion from Ariana in the ramp-up to the release of Wicked. It's custom Giambattista Valli, obviously. 

Zendaya is the reigning queen of surprises on the red carpet. She's never ever boring, but I will say this palm tree-motif Armani struck me as pretty, but not a personal best. It's all good, but I'm not sure it's memorable.

Hailee Steinfeld wore a classic Oscar night gown by Elie Saab. She was swathed in mint chiffon with a glamorous neck scarf and bejeweled bodice — perfectly lovely for a night when you aren't meant to be the star, but want to look the part.

I've loved seeing the thoughtful and elegant ways Lily Gladstone has honored her heritage through fashion during her historic awards season. Her Oscar gown was no exception; Gucci partnered with indigenous artist Joe Big Mountain to cover her velvet cape with quillwork, a form of embroidery incorporating the quills of porcupines or birds. Just incredible, and so regal!

Charlize makes it look so effortless to look this cool. I love the pairing of her diamond chokers and earrings with this loosely twisted Dior gown. It's always tricky when satin inevitably has some wrinkles, but on camera her look was perfect. 

Greta Gerwig went with a can't-miss sleek and simple silhouette of champagne sequins by Gucci. It reminds me of some of Jodie Foster's best Armani looks in the 90s — it's flattering, sporty and modern.

The couple we'd all most want to double-date with — Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemmons! They both are so chic in classic, modern Gucci. White spaghetti straps and red lipstick are all Kirsten needs to look fabulous.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph hopped on the statement sleeve trend with voluminous sleeves and a long train by Louis Vuitton. Her Cinderella take ended up being a beautiful complement to the gown worn by her award presenter, Lupita Nyong'o, and she looked luminous.

I LOVE polka dots, and I love this overall elegant look on Jennifer Lawrence, but it leaves me wanting more. I want to see polka dots on layers and layers of tulle or chiffon, or varying sizes of dots, or dots with jumbo paillette sequins or op art dots. Just maximalist polka dots.

No one looked more effortlessly chic than French director Justine Triet in a louche suit of rhinestone pinstripes by Louis Vuitton accented with nothing more than a red lip and classic French tousled waves. 

So many of the men were really adventurous, bringing back '70s silhouettes with slightly flared pants, but I was most impressed by how debonair Ke Huy Quan looked in his plum double-breasted suit and absolutely fabulous tinted sunglasses. He's giving Bond.

Best/Worst

Honestly, good for Emily Blunt. She knew she wasn't going to win, but she also knew she'd be on stage and she decided to wear this hilarious Schiaparelli underwear-outline gown with exaggerated, elevated straps. It's aggressively weird and styled completely seriously and I have to imagine it left a lot of people scratching their heads on whether it was "good." 

Andrea Riseborough wore what appears to be a formal gown by Loewe depicting the unraveling of a Stewart tartan. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see this at a holiday revue in Glasgow, but it isn't the most obvious choice for the Oscars. The purse only adds to the feeling she's wandered into the wrong event. It's giving J.Crew holiday.

Meh

Margot Robbie wore exactly what I would wear if I made the biggest movie of the year, an ode to womanhood that skewers how patriarchy holds us all back, and ended up not only not nominated but watching as Hollywood instead chose to honor a movie about the man who invented the atomic bomb. What was that about the patriarchy holding us back? Anyway — so yeah, I'd also probably wear a kind of boring and vaguely villainous black Versace.

Florence wore a futuristic gown by Del Core with some interesting details that feel fit for her role as Princess Irulan in Dune, but may ultimately prove forgettable. It makes sense for her overall vibe as a DGAF baddie, but it has a lot going on. It also features this strange phenomenon of straps that hover above the shoulders, plus a curving peplum at the hips and beading that looks like water droplets. 

Issa Rae looks predictably great in this sexy black sequined dress by AMI Paris, but it feels like a missed opportunity to really pull out all the stops. 

Danielle Brooks also trotted out a simple black corseted gown by Dolce and Gabbana that just feels a little ho-hum. 

Billie is giving a secretarial take on Barbie in classic Chanel. It's fine. It's grown-up for her — maybe too much so. 

Worst

Diane Warren has been nominated for 15 Oscars and continues not to win, but she stays winning as a perpetual resident on my worst-dressed list. I almost can't be mad at her commitment to being herself, and that vibe is costumey-Elvis. She was nominated for a song called "The Fire Inside," so naturally she wore a flame-embroidered pantsuit fit for Jerry Lee Lewis, because OF COURSE SHE DID. Can't wait to see her back on the red carpet next year. 

If you're an elder millennial, you may think of Erika Alexander as cousin Pam on The Cosby Show or Maxine on Living Single, but it's exciting to know she recently starred in "American Fiction." I'm happy to see her thriving, but this red carpet moment was ... a lot of look. It has a real "make it work" energy that implies she had a white dress but felt like she had to make it "couture" and tacked on a child's fairy tutu, added a vintage statement necklace and borrowed Carey's black gloves. It's frenetic, but I'll admit it's eye-catching.

Nicolas Cage's wife Riko Shabata wore some adventurous couture that makes it look like she's being attacked by a smoke monster, or molting, or being hugged by the corpse of Groot. On one hand it's daring, and on the other, it might be dark magic. 

I love how our male stars are being so, so adventurous now but mercury wrinkled satin is not a winning look, Dwayne.

With hair high enough to touch heaven and voluminous sleeves that appear to be attacking her other sleeves, Melissa McCarthy looked like she had just wandered off stage after performing "Love Will Build a Bridge" with the Judds in 1990. Should we be preparing for teased bangs again?

Fashion Review: Emmy's 2023...in 2024

Awards season is in full swing and, as a busy working mom, I am going to need them to slow down a bit! I conspicuously skipped Golden Globes fashion because I genuinely didn't realize they were broadcasting on television again until the show was starting. I didn't realize it was Emmy's time because they were delayed due to the WGA and SAG strikes. Thankfully, I managed to prepare enough to offer some commentary on what was a somewhat blah red carpet. Not much elicited a gasp or an "ooooh" from me, but a few looks felt close to great. Let's dig into it.

BEST DRESSED

Ayo Edebiri of The Bear has been knocking every carpet appearance out of the park this awards season, and this 3D-molded leather Louis Vuitton was the perfect mix of edgy and sweet. I love the demure diamond necklace, the edgy bob and how it matches her energy.

We should all have a moment to wear full glam feathers like Cher and I toast Issa Rae for going for it in Pamela Rolland. She clearly knew how to work it up and down the carpet, thank goodness.

Claire Danes has been an awards show fashion MVP for nearly 30 years and she still comes out swinging every time. I love the chic and deceptively simple cut of this bubblegum pink gown by Balmain. 

Rachel Brosnihan said she felt like a "purple warrior princess" in her custom Versace and I do think that's the perfect description for this plum corseted gown. It's a beautiful color, with great details, at a moment when '90s corsetry is everywhere.

God bless The White Lotus's Simona Tabasco for wearing this daring floral wonder by Marni that manages to bring a collage to life. It was a necessary shot in the arm of a night that felt safe or trying too hard to be edgy; it feels so very Italian and that's just what I want to see from her.

Juliette Lewis looked one shoulder roll away from starring in a Liza Minelli variety special in this slinky, shimmery, beaded red gown with a disco-perfect tie neck by Moschino. I think this is one of the best dresses she's ever worn, and fits like a glove.

Meghann Fahy, of The White Lotus, looks like a valentine in red velvet trimmed in roses by Armani Prive, continuing the velvet trend that's been absolutely everywhere this season. It's giving a little bit of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.

Many men opted for a daring side-button jacket, but I think Tyler James Williams' Eddie Murphy-inspired leather suit by Dolce & Gabbana was the best and most successful. He looks damn proud of himself!

GOOD

Christina Ricci knows exactly who she is, which is a spooky silent film-era star transported to our times, and I am always so appreciative of her ability to deliver that vibe. I love this simple deep-V velvet gown by Saint Laurent that serves as a vehicle to show off a fabulous emerald tassel necklace. 

This reads a little bit Cinderella, a little bit Disney on Ice, but I appreciate a pretty, pretty princess moment for Dominique Fishback. It's tempered by a goth makeup look, which is a smart contrast.

Hannah Waddingham is fitted within an inch of her life in this frothy seafoam Marchesa. It feels like something I've seen many many times before, but it is absolutely fabulous on her statuesque frame. 

Jenna Ortega could have easily shown up in some kind of Wednesday Addams glam but she smartly gave us a twist with a sweet caged Christian Dior gown dripping with wisteria blooms. It's a classic ingenue move to wear the tea length frou frou nude or pink gown, and this is a great entry into the canon.

Jennifer Coolidge seemed to pay tribute to her Italian adventure in The White Lotus with her pleated, long-sleeved romantic gown fit for a marchesa strolling the piazza. 

Keri Russell wore a classic black gown with a fluffy satin cape-train-type-thing by Alexander Vaulthier that is very elegant. The look, overall, is not her most memorable but it is lovely. It feels like it would have been absolutely perfect for opening night at the ballet.

Lizzy Caplan looked extremely graceful and elegant in her black gown by Yohji Yamamoto. She was attending for "Fleishman is in Trouble" and likely knew she wouldn't be appearing on stage, so this is the exact appropriate amount of glam.

Natasha Lyonne wore a silver, sleeved gown with built-in breast plates and I am HERE FOR IT. She looks like a disco Joan of Arc, and if you know anything about the surreal house of Schiaparelli, you know it's a perfect spiritual match for her irreverent brand of chic.

This red Vivienne Westwood gown is a career best for Sarah Snook, who took home an Emmy for her work on "Succession." The cascading petals of fabric and corseted bodice are classic Westwood, and extremely flattering.

I like this piecey Oscar de la Renta on Selena Gomez even if I don't know that it entirely works. I think a train would go a long way to balancing out the visual lines; you can almost be fooled into thinking it's pants based on the way the bottom hangs. I love that she accessorized with a matching necklace and dark lip. 

It's a testament to Taraji P. Henson's regular success on awards show carpets that this perfectly lovely purple gown feels kind of blah to me. It's great! Just kind of been-there, done-that. She even seems kind of bored with it.

BEST WORST

You have to hand it to Aubrey Plaza — it takes serious cojones to turn up in an incomplete gown secured with a giant pin by Loewe that does basically nothing for her but will get us all talking. It took almost zero time for someone to joke on Twitter that it looks like the famous Sex and the City break-up post-it: "I'm sorry. I can't. Don't hate me." I do rather like the idea of sauntering around with a giant weapon front and center, right where the male gaze would land.

I know many people probably loved this and I do give super kudos to Suki Waterhouse for wearing exactly what she wanted to wear to show off her bump, but I look at it and I just see a Lexus Christmas ad. It's remarkable in that she looks great and sexy and sultry, but the dress itself looks, to me, like an uncomfortable wrinkly mish-mash. I do like the idea of dressing her bump like a gift, though. 

On one hand, Donald Glover looks so comfy in his Asian-inspired velvet embroidered jams, but I also am so thrown off by his — are they flats? Are they jazz shoes? Are they the Day Glove by Everlane? I feel like this was the moment for a very good boot.

Meh

I can't really muster any emotions for this Louis Vuitton gown on Ali Wong that combines a floral with sequins and sheer tulle. It's fine! It's not totally boring, but not totally gasp-worthy. I'm wondering if a different earring or different hairstyle would make it pop more?

Camilla Morrone is HOT and she knows it and we know it, and the fit of this red dress is impeccable. However, it's doing all the work by itself; I'd love to see some fun jewels or a red lip or an inspired hairdo or something more to take this from a dress to a look.

I don't know how but this acid green, silver-tinged Gucci on Jessica Chastain feels a little boring to me. Only on her, only for this event. It's a testament to her recent fashions that this feels ho-hum when on anyone else it would be a standout!

Juno Temple's silver mesh bodice has some distracting construction/fit issues when you look really up close, and I don't know if I am sold on pairing it with a similar choker. I'd love to see her in something more eye-catching (eye-demanding even!) to befit her rising star. 

Riley Keough's Chanel feels like a lot of ideas, none of them particularly inspiring. I would have liked to see her channel her nominated performance as Daisy Jones with some kind of Stevie Nicks fabulosity, or even the dress Juliette Lewis wore. 

WORST

A tea-length gown is either your best friend or your worst enemy and it all comes down to stature. Unfortunately this Dior on Quinta Brunson has the effect of shortening her by several inches, and is an (intentionally) wrinkly mess. Pairing it with a nude pump makes it feel especially like a hasty off-the-rack purchase at Macy's. She looks like she's on her way to a Girl Scouts father-daughter dance, not to accept an Emmy.

Kathryn Hahn's Christian Dior look is like a greatest-hits gone wrong. The sheer blouse with a really distracting "CD" logo at her rib cage and frilly front is already plenty of look, but then it's topped off with a messy tulle tie and a skirt that resembles a beaded lampshade. In theory, all of these elements should work, but it adds up to a mess. 

Charlie Puth wore, essentially, pleated Hammer pants with a built-in cummerbund waistline topped with a coat that I'm sure a first lady has worn to an inauguration. It manages to be not only unflattering but appear unfinished.

Actress Sophie Thatcher, of Yellowjackets, wore this impressively shapeless, dour olive sleeping bag by YSL. It is so hard to imagine pulling on this dress, which has all the design of a pillowcase, and thinking it was the one.

Emma Brooks McAllister is a complete who to me, but I won't soon forget her nude illusion gown. It's like the very best costume at a toga party, or if Mystique from X-Men had a wedding.