While this year’s awards ceremony has been marked by controversies over the exclusion of several awards categories from the live telecast, the red-carpet portion of the evening went blessedly, blissfully uncurtailed. The juxtaposition of classic tuxedos and funkier variations seemed to mirror the feel of an evening that was both reverting back to tradition and evolving. Actresses wore sparkles and iridescent touches in a seeming embrace of the return of unabashed glamour to the Oscars.
Below, read about the evening’s memorable statement looks and trends.
Lily James, star of Hulu’s “Pam and Tommy,” and “King Richard” actresses Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton all wore pastel gowns with sparkly appliqués — youthful, delicate choices for a trio of actresses that includes two teenagers.
The silhouettes, however, varied: James’s slim ballet-slipper pink Atelier Versace featured a flowing train, while Singleton’s Miu Miu tea-length lavender dress showcased her ankles, and Sidney’s pink-and-blue strapless Armani Privé glided elegantly over the red carpet with a full skirt.
Best actress nominee Nicole Kidman, too, wore a smattering of shimmery bits on the two-tailed train of her own strapless periwinkle Armani Privé.
It’s the style rule that every Ferrari owner knows well: When it’s red, you don’t need to do much more to make a statement. Rosie Perez, a presenter at the ceremony alongside her “White Men Can’t Jump” co-stars, appeared on the red carpet in a caped, halter-neck Christian Siriano gown of the same color.
Kirsten Dunst, nominated for best supporting actress for “The Power of the Dog,” wore a ruffled, strapless Christian Lacroix. Tracee Ellis Ross, meanwhile, accessorized her plunging, strapless Carolina Herrera with just a bright-white choker of pearls.
And Amy Forsyth, star of “CODA,” wore a tomato-hued single-shoulder Marchesa with ruffles draped across the bodice.
All four women paired their looks with a bold red lip.
Ariana DeBose, nominated for best supporting actress for “West Side Story,” skipped that particular makeup choice — but accessorized her two-piece Valentino Haute Couture pantsuit with a dramatic red cape.
The traditional black-and-white tuxedo was alive and well at the Academy Awards, but it didn’t turn nearly as many heads this year as its more daring variant. Presenters Josh Brolin and Jason Momoa of “Dune” wore black with black dress shirts (Momoa’s ensemble was an upcycled Henry Poole accessorized with a pocket square in the colors of Ukraine’s flag).
Wesley Snipes, presenting alongside Perez, wore a shiny burgundy Givenchy shorts-suit with matching tights underneath. “Encanto” singer Sebastián Yatra and “The Power of the Dog” actor Kodi Smit-McPhee took the trend into a power-pastel realm: Yatra paired a blush-colored Moschino tuxedo with a black bow tie, while Smit-McPhee went head-to-toe powder blue Bottega Veneta.
While his colleagues on this list decided to forgo the traditional white dress shirt, Timothée Chalamet, star of “Dune,” decided to lose the shirt entirely, appearing on the red carpet in a black Louis Vuitton ensemble with a sequined jacket, cropped black pants and a bare chest ornamented only by a Cartier Panthère pendant necklace. Let’s hope he brought a blanket for when the ceremony moved indoors.
The tuxes weren’t just for men: Co-host Wanda Sykes wore an all-white Pamella Roland tux.
Kristen Stewart has always been Hollywood’s cool, offbeat indie kid, known for bucking expectations. Nominated for best actress for her performance as Princess Diana in “Spencer,” Stewart chose an ensemble that both isn’t a gown and transcends the category of tuxedo: a black Chanel mini-suit, dress shirt open to the waistband and black stiletto heels.
Lupita Nyong’o’s celestial party dress
Over the last few years, “Whatever Lupita Nyong’o wears” has become an evergreen spectacle to look forward to at any awards show. This year’s Oscars was no exception, as the “Us” star shone (literally) in a three-quarter-sleeved, textured gold-and-pink Prada — replete with gold tassels shimmering in the Los Angeles sunshine as she walked.