The Best Dressed Stars At The 2018 Oscars

Happy birthday to Oscar, everyone's favorite golden statuette!

On March 4, 2018, Hollywood's most exciting night celebrated its big 9-0 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hosted by late-night talk show funnyman Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast live on ABC, the 90th Academy Awards recognized achievements throughout the filmmaking industry within various categories, such as Best Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Picture. While no Oscars were given for Best Dressed, the red carpet saw a bevy of celebs donning designer fashions who could certainly be considered for the award. 

Since its first-ever awards ceremony in 1929, the Academy Awards has garnered a reputation for being the movie industry's glitziest, most glamorous occasion. According to the Los Angeles Times, the 2018 Oscars saw the likes of 200 nominees — which means there were at least 200 opportunities for red carpet hits or misses. From Jennifer Lawrence's sultry sequin number to Lupita Nyongo'o's marvel of a gown, here are the most memorable fashion moments from the 90th Academy Awards. 

At the 1999 Academy Awards ceremony, Gwyneth Paltrow stepped onto the red carpet in a bubblegum-pink Ralph Lauren ball gown, looking every bit the part of a bonafide princess. Nearly 20 years later, Saoirse Ronan seems to be following in the fashion footsteps of the Oscar-winning actress. The 23-year-old star of the critically-acclaimed coming-of-age-flick Lady Bird — written and directed by Greta Gerwig — was simply stunning in this bubblegum-pink ball gown of her own from Calvin Klein By Appointment. 

Speaking to Vogue, Ronan's stylist Elizabeth Saltzman explained how the (what is sure to be) iconic dress came to be. "I want this [dress] to be timeless," she said. "It's what girls are made of, and what women can wear. It's just so beautiful." 

Ronan's gown wasn't just beautiful — it was designed for maximum efficiency. According to Saltzman, the gown's train is completely detachable, saving Ronan a wardrobe-change before she made her way to the after parties!

For many celebrities, the Academy Awards is a road well-traveled. Oscar nomination or not, the Academy Awards is — at the very least — an opportunity for celebrities to get all glammed up and have a night on the town with some of the world's most famous faces. However, for I, Tonya star Allison Janney, the 90th Academy Awards ceremony was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in the days preceding the ceremony, the now-Oscar-winning movie star told the late-night host that she'd never once been to the Oscars. "Someone asked me to go as their date once, and I said [no]," Janney said. "I only want to go if I'm nominated. I wanted to wait." 

Some things are worth waiting for, and Janney's stunning Reem Acra gown is definitely on that list. The bright red, figure-hugging gown with the plunging neckline and oversized angel sleeves left no room for mistaking Janney for anything less than the supremely talented leading lady that she is. 

Nicole Kidman arrived to the 90th Academy Awards' red carpet wearing a gown that quite literally made the star look like an actual present tied with a big, blue bow. The gorgeous gown, designed by red carpet regular Armani Privé, was a structured cobalt-blue masterpiece perfectly fit for a Hollywood star like Kidman.

The dress featured a defined sweetheart neckline and mermaid silhouette, with a giant bow rounding out the front of the dress. However, the oversized bow was not the star of this show. How could that be true, you ask? Because Kidman's beautiful, blue ball gown had a leg slit that would put even Angelina Jolie's infamous 2012 Oscars dress to shame. The sky-high slit sat directly in the center of the gown, exposing the actress' long and lean gams. This kind of gown requires a special, immensely graceful, kind of person to successfully wear without incident — and the ever-elegant Kidman was the perfect gal for the job.

Leave it to 12 Years a Slave and Black Panther star Lupita Nyong'o to make an unmistakable statement with her 2018 Oscars appearance. While Nyong'o may have been taking a short break from promoting the box office hit, Black Panther, it seems the breakout star wasn't quite ready to leave behind the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Honestly, who can even blame her? 

The charming Nyong'o, who previously won an Academy Award for her incredible performance in 12 Years a Slave, stunned the crowd at the red carpet with a black and gold gown fit for a Wakandan warrior. The gown, a Vibranium by Versace piece, featured a single, crystal-encrusted cap sleeve which descended into a sash as it wrapped around the actress' svelte figure. The floor-length gown also featured a long leg slit which showcased Nyong'o's black, strappy pumps and toned legs. The star took to Twitter to post a picture of the head-turning number, captioning it with the hashtag #WakandaForever. You go, girl. 

Wonder Woman breakout star, Gal Gadot, looked every bit the part of the classic Hollywood actress when she stepped onto the red carpet at the 90th Academy Awards. The superhero starlet opted for a metallic-silver Givenchy gown that sparkled from her head down to her toes — quite literally. Not only did Gadot's dress feature an array of sparkling sequins, the bottom of her gown featured layers upon layers of gunmetal fringe that moved as she glided down the red carpet, catching the light along the way from the crowds of flashing cameras. 

However, Gadot's jewels are what really made her outfit shine. According to Vogue, the incredible diamond and aquamarine necklace worn by the stunning starlet is a handcrafted Tiffany & Co. piece featuring 17 aquamarines and over a thousand diamonds. It's no wonder why all eyes were on Gadot throughout the evening. 

Let's be honest — yellow is a difficult color to wear without putting yourself at risk for resembling a certain big, yellow bird from a particular street. However, Lady Bird writer and director Greta Gerwig has proved herself to be more than capable of achieving what many thought to be impossible. After making the switch from starring in mumblecore indie flicks to writing and directing a movie of her very own, the trailblazing beauty earned herself two Oscars nominations — one for Best Original Screenplay, the other for Best Director.  

So when Gerwig stepped onto the red carpet (amongst a sea of mostly neutral colors) wearing a floor-sweeping, canary-yellow Rodarte dress with intricate beading and floral detail, she didn't stick out like a sore thumb. Instead, Gerwig's unconventional Academy Awards style was both a breath of fresh air and a much-needed pop of bold and bright color. This woman is trailblazing both film and fashion. 

Jennifer Lawrence may not have been nominated for any Oscars at the 2018 Academy Awards ceremony, but the Red Sparrow starlet certainly could have passed for one of those golden statuettes in the metallic Dior number she donned for the evening's activities. Lawrence, known for her quick wit and entertaining red carpet interviews, sparkled in the sequined column dress with every step she took. As for jewelry, less was more for Lawrence, who opted to leave her neck bare and wear only a single diamond bracelet with her glittering ensemble. 

Lawrence's 2018 Academy Awards aesthetic closely resembled the warrior-chic appearance of other attendees, such as Lupita Nyong'o and Tiffany Haddish. With her loose waves, sun-kissed skin, and smokey, smoldering stare on the red carpet, Lawrence could have easily passed for a modern day Helen of Troy. Of course, the smoldering red-carpet stare could only last for so long. Lawrence's infamous charm was in full-swing by the start of the show when she could be seen laughing with (and at) her BFF, Emma Stone.

Margot Robbie, who stars as the titular character in the critically-acclaimed I, Tonya, wore an icy-cool Coco Chanel ensemble to the 90th Academy Awards fitting of an ice skating queen such as Tonya Harding herself. Robbie stole the show on the red carpet in a floor-length, snow white Dior gown, complete with a draped garland neckline featuring sparkling crystals. 

Kate Young, Robbie's friend and stylist, spoke with Vogue regarding the process of choosing the charming Chanel number for Robbie's biggest night of the year. "I wanted it to be couture, the most fancy and luxurious, but also cool," said Young. She continued, noting that the plastic material of Robbie's handbag helped to keep the classic Chanel ensemble modern. Other than a small pair of diamond earrings, Robbie and Young opted to keep the jewels at a minimum and let the gown speak for itself — and speak, it did. 

Viola Davis, winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2017 for her groundbreaking performance in Fences, wasn't nominated for any awards at the 2018 Academy Awards ceremony — but that certainly didn't stop her from stealing the show. Davis looked simply jaw dropping in a sparkling hot pink Michael Kors gown that flattered the star's curves so well, one might assumed she'd been poured into the dress. 

With some help from celebrity stylist Elizabeth Stewart, Davis was serving up some serious Barbie girl vibes in the floor-length, sequined gown featuring a plunging sweetheart neckline and a matching hot pink Roger Vivier clutch. A pair of diamond hoop earrings from Norman Silverman completed the ensemble and confirmed once and for all that, yes — hoop earrings are most definitely making a comeback in a major way. Davis' Oscars aesthetic is totally keeping the dream of the 90s alive in all its hot pink, glittery glory. 

If red carpet royalty were an actual thing, there's no doubt that Meryl Streep would be our queen. The bonafide A-lister arrived to the 90th Academy Awards wearing an absolutely beautiful, bright red Christian Dior gown with a plunging neckline and belted waist. In early 2018, Streep broke her own record for most Oscar nominations ever when her performance in The Post earned the chameleon-like actress a 21st Oscar nod. After 21 nominations, you'd think the Academy Awards would be old news for Streep — but our queen looked as regal as ever as she walked the red carpet and posed for photographers, basking in the glow of her record-breaking nomination as if it were her very first. 

It seems that Streep's celebrity peers think she's a total queen, as well! Tiffany Haddish, comedian and breakout movie star, jumped over the ropes on the red carpet to curtsey for her queen as she walked by.