The 86th Academy Awards red carpet was all about conformism: personality was erased by current trends, the wow factor was nowhere to be found and we were left with very little to speak about.
Too bad the most important cinema event in the world, strong with a glorious past, has been reduced to this. This time I’ve picked my top 3 best-dressed celebrities, followed by others I’ve appreciated but not really *loved*.
The Winner
She won a golden statuette for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, but Lupita Nyong’o won something more important: the admiration of the public, an it-girl status and a role model status for younger generations (her emotional acceptance speech was heartfelt and inspiring). She may be a freshman in Hollywood but she showed everybody how to work the red carpet with elegance and grace.
She was definitely the best-dressed of the evening, wearing a Prada custom-made baby blue georgette pleated dress, with plunging neckline and tiny crystals embellishing the long skirt. The Cinderella-like quality of the dress was emphasized by her accessories – Fred Leighton diamond jewels and headband, Prada satin platform sandals and matching clutch.
“You put them on and you click your heels three times and…”
Pink didn’t walk the red carpet but was among the performers of the evening. She gave an intense rendition of Over the Rainbow as a homage to Judy Garland in occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Hollywood classic The Wizard of Oz. The singer was charming, wearing an Elie Saab ruby red dress from the Haute Couture fall 2013 collection.
The iconic slippers of the film inspired this dress, featuring a deep V-neck, satin full skirt and all-over beaded embellishment. She completed her flawless look with Forevermark diamond jewellery.
The Lady in Black
I was surprised to learn that Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ frontwoman Karen O had been nominated for Best Original Song thanks to The Moon Song, from the soundtrack of Spike Jonze’s Her. During the evening she performed with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koening, but earlier she walked the red carpet wearing a lovely Old Hollywood-style dress by Camilla Stærk.
The plunging neckline was accented by a Forevermark diamond brooch. Karen completed her outfit with an architectural clutch by Rauwolf, her trademark glossy hairstyle and orange red lips.
Ladies in Powder Pink/Nude
Powder pink/nude is a peculiar shade which has quickly replaced black on the red carpet as the passe-partout colour. Many celebrities wore nude dresses but few of them managed to pull them off. Among them, Cate Blanchett, who won the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role award for her performance in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine.
She was a vision, wearing an Armani Privé tulle dress from the fall 2013 collection: short-sleeved, it was embellished with Swarovski crystal baguettes. She accessorized it with show-stopping Chopard jewellery (see her opal earrings, to die for), a side-swept wavy hairstyle and Roger Vivier shoes.
I have a soft spot for Camila Alves, Matthew McConaughey’s wife: she’s beautiful and never fails to impress on the red carpet with her classic and well-balanced style. It was a special evening for them, since he won the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role award for Jean-Marc Vallée’s Dallas Buyers Club.
She celebrated in style, wearing a Gabriela Cadena gown with long sleeves, structured shoulders and a dramatic stole embellishing one side. She completed the outfit with Charlotte Olympia shoes, a satin clutch and Lorraine Schwartz diamond jewellery.
Ladies in Grey-ish Nude/White
I’m looking forward to seeing Angelina Jolie back in the game as the protagonist of a film and not as supporter of her husband. Maybe 2014 will be a lucky year for her (she’s the leading actress of the upcoming Robert Stromberg’s Maleficent), so let’s keep fingers crossed. Whatever her role on the red carpet, her star power is always there, highlighted by refined outfits. This time she opted for a sparkly tulle number from Elie Saab Haute Couture fall 2013 collection, featuring a beautiful crystal degradé embroidery.
I wish she wore the thin belt seen on the catwalk to emphasize the waist-line, but she looked beautiful nonetheless. Her accessories included Salvatore Ferragamo shoes and Robert Procop diamond jewellery.
I’m not a fan of Jennifer Garner’s style because she’s the epitome of boredom on the red carpet, but this time her Oscar de la Renta beaded fringed dove grey dress literally stole my heart.
The silver tulle tiered fringe gown with micro bugle and bead embroidery, inspired to 1920s style, looked perfect on her. She completed the outfit with Brian Atwood shoes, Forevermark diamond jewellery and an Oscar de la RentaGoa silver clutch.
Last but not least, Kate Hudson, who probably wore the only, real show-stopper of the evening. The blonde actress wore an icy white custom-made Atelier Versace dress, featuring a plunging neckline, an intricate draped knot at the waistline, a dramatic wrap covering the shoulders and all-over fine beaded embroidery.
She sparkled like a goddess! She also wore Neil Lane diamond jewellery. She styled her hair in a wavy, side-swept style and looked so beautiful.
The evening had some important moments, especially the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year award to Paolo Sorrentino′s La grande bellezza, a film I love. Moreover, other Italian artists were paid homage to: the mention to the honorary award to the great costume designer Piero Tosi and to late artists who passed away recently (composer Riz Ortolani and screenwriter Vincenzo Cerami).
I was happy for the awards to Lupita Nyong’o and Jordan Catalano…ops, sorry, Jared Leto, but I was so sad for Leonardo Di Caprio, who wasn’t given a statuette for his performance in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. I hope he will finally achieve every actor’s goal next time!
C’mon, Martin, it’s time to make the boy win!