The Oscars red carpet is a time for stars of the screen to come dressed in their best looks to embody the elegance of the historically glamorous event. At this year’s red carpet, many stars chose to play it safe and wore looks that felt overall bland and uninspired.
When it came to wearing looks that were mundane, actress Zoë Kravitz was one such star as she wore Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent. In a boring pink column dress with a simple bow at the top — a signature of Saint Laurent — Kravitz seemed to usher in the plethora of blasé looks that walked the red carpet. Despite the carpet being bogged down by uninteresting looks — such as that of Zoe Kravitz — some stars were able to rise above the pack, while others plummeted.
Actress Jada Pinkett Smith proved she could embody the traditional glamor of the Oscars, as she shined in a ruched emerald gown by Glenn Martens for Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring and Summer 2022 collection. The ensemble also featured a militaristic-looking collar and form-fitting bodice anchored by a voluminous skirt in order to heighten the sense of drama. Smith stole the night in this garment, clearly demonstrating her penchant for serving a high-fashion look.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion arrived in a beautiful blue form-fitting gown by Indian designer Gaurav Gupta. This look was reminiscent of the surrealism that echoes throughout Dutch designer Iris van Herpen’s work. Megan seemed to float across the carpet with a train which showcased exaggerated circular ruffles that glided off her body. It was also refreshing to see the rapper wear a more independent designer after her appearance in Dolce and Gabbana at the Grammys last year. One of the most thrilling parts of a red carpet is seeing smaller designers like Gupta being given the chance to shine on one of fashion’s biggest nights.
Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal wowed on the red carpet with a black dress from Schiaparelli’s spring 2022 couture collection. The dress featured elaborate gold medallions throughout and was not only stunning on Gyllenhaal but also fit in line perfectly with Schiaparelli’s signature of using a relatively simplistic silhouette in order to show off its avante-garde jewelry pieces.
The choice of a black dress allowed for the medallions to pop out and further enhanced the opulent aesthetic. Schiaparelli has proven that it is a force to be reckoned with on the red carpet and tonight was no different.
Men’s fashion on the carpet was filled with the usual boring black tuxedos — however, actor Timothee Chalamet impressed in an embroidered jacket with lace details at the sleeves and high-waisted pants by Louis Vuitton. This isn’t the first time that Chalamet has worn the designer to a high profile event, but the look stood out amongst the otherwise forgettable looks of his peers through its eye-catching details.
When it came to the worst looks of the night, actress Amy Schumer’s look was a definite low point for fashion on the red carpet. Donning a navy Oscar de la Renta gown with an embroidered bow design, Schumer stood out for all the wrong reasons. A sense of awkwardness — particularly with the placement of the bow design — stifled the sense of whimsy the designer may have intended to evoke. Unfortunately, an attempted trompe l’oeil effect fell flat and looked cheap even with the crystal embellishment. Perhaps if the length of the dress were different or crystal embroidery was implemented throughout, the outfit might have had a bigger impact on the red carpet.
The disjointed looks continued with actresses Kristen Stewart and Penelope Cruz, both in Chanel. Stewart — a Chanel ambassador — opted for a black suit set and shorts that featured an unbuttoned shirt underneath. The proportions of the look seemed off, with the micro-shorts cutting her off at the thigh and drawing too much attention to the shoes. Furthermore, the heavy blazer Stewart wore seemed at odds with the rest of the outfit and resulted in a confusing mishmash of formal and informal elements. Chanel failed to meet expectations for its first attempt at a custom look.
Meanwhile, Cruz wore a floor-length navy gown with an exposed button-down and tweed bow around the neck. While the tweed detail was reminiscent of vintage Chanel looks, it appeared extremely disorganized in a look that unsuccessfully tried to combine menswear elements in womenswear.
In addition, the exposed button-down only added to this confusion, drawing attention to an unflattering line down the middle of the outfit. Chanel appeared to struggle to merge its preppy aesthetic with the high elegance of the Oscars red carpet, which led to a disappointing ensemble from Cruz.
Actress Ariana Debose also suffered from an over-complicated look as she opted for a monochromatic take on separates, courtesy of Valentino Haute Couture. Normally, Valentino pulls off fantastic red carpet looks, but this look could have been better served if it were composed of l fewer pieces. From the bra top to the wrinkled train to the wide-legged pants, the outfit lacked a central focus — the disconnection of the pieces led to an outfit that wasn’t fully realized.
Most of the stars at this year’s Oscars red carpet failed to impress amongst a sea of looks that lacked depth or creativity. However, some stars were able to rise above the otherwise uninteresting tone that the carpet displayed and proved that they could give an eye-catching look.
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