Oscars 2019 Fashion Review

The Oscars are arguably the most anticipated celebrity event of the year. Along with receiving some of the prestigious awards, A-list celebrities line the red carpet, showing off their most ornate designer apparel. This year’s Oscars were full of firsts; it was the first Oscars to be televised without a host, a record-setting 13 women accepted awards, and “Roma” was the first film from Mexico to win Best Foreign Film and the first Netflix film to win an Oscar. Not only were the awards unprecedented, but the outfits the celebrities sported were equally astonishing.

Here are our awards for 2019 Oscars’ fashion:

Best Dressed: Lady Gaga (during the show)

We all know Lady Gaga for wearing a dress made of meat or an outfit that looks like a glittery nightmare, but she toned her outfit down for her performance during the 2019 Oscars. She wore a simple, black racerback dress for her performance of “Shallow” from A Star is Born with Bradley Cooper. She also won “Best Original Song” for “Shallow.” Additionally, Lady Gaga’s look featured a stunning necklace by Tiffany and Co. The focal stone of the necklace is the same one worn by Audrey Hepburn in a Breakfast at Tiffany’s promo shoot. Gaga’s look was a beautifully elegant nod to the film icon.

Most Mediocre: Charlize Theron

The only way I could describe this look is with a shrug. Charlize herself looks beautiful, but her dress falls flat. The color of the dress is stunning, but the entirely open back with a turtleneck just doesn’t make the cut. Overall vibe: meh.
Most Loofah-Like: Linda Cardellini

The competition was tough for this category. So many Oscars outfits are layered with tulle or other puffy materials, but we had to pick Linda Cardellini, most known for her role in Mad Men, who stepped onto the red carpet in a hot pink high-low dress with a light pink bow on the front. Honorable mentions for this award were Kacey Musgraves and Gemma Chan.

Sharpest Dressed Man: Rami Malek

Not only did Rami Malek win the coveted Best Actor award, but he also wins our equally as desired “Sharpest Dressed Man” title. Malek sported a black tux with an adorable black bowtie and classic vest underneath. Malek won an Oscar for his portrayal of the iconic Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.

Most Surprising Look: Billy Porter

Needless to say, this outfit was shocking. Billy Porter, who is best known for his work with the TV show Pose, astonished everyone with his red carpet ensemble. Porter wanted this Christian Siriano look to “start the conversation of what is masculine? What is feminine?” We loved this show stopping look! For more information on this fashion statement, see Ben Schleifer’s article here.

Overall “you could have done better:” Sarah Paulson

Is it a duvet cover? Is it a deflated hot air balloon? No. It’s just Sarah Paulson at the Oscars. Sarah, honey, why? The jeweled collar and exposed midriff combined with a magenta fabric that reminds me of my grandma’s curtains just isn’t working.

All in all the fashion at this year’s Academy Awards was inspired. Even though some of the outfits fell flat, the 2019 Oscars truly were a night to remember. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. For more information on diversity in the Oscars, see Alexa Freedman’s article here.