Say the word “Oscars” and one thing comes to mind: dresses.
That’s right, it’s not the films or the songs or even the statuesque men in tuxedos that I look forward to. It’s the gorgeous gowns that I wait for every awards season. No matter what happens during the show, the gowns remain a constant, their beauty and elegance carrying the formality and status of the event. This year, along with the typical black strapless gowns, the red carpet was scattered with handsome Grecian silhouettes, shimmering metallics and pretty pastels. It’s always difficult to wade through the masses of beautiful dresses, but I did my best to narrow it down to the finest few. And so, without further ado, my picks for the best dressed of 2014.
Lupita Nyong’o
Between wowing viewers with her moving performance in 12 Years a Slave and walking on stage and to deliver her gracious Best Supporting Actress speech, Lupita Nyong’o walked the red carpet in one of the best dresses of the night. The quietly confident color choice stood out against the masses of neutral dresses, and the plunging neckline accentuated her glowing face. Lupita, if it were up to me, you would win the entire 2014 Oscars. Cheers.
Charlize Theron
Now this is a gown. It walks the line between classic and interesting, while still allowing Charlize to shine through. The hemline stood out as my favorite of the entire night.
Cate Blanchett
After her powerful performance in Blue Jasmine, I hoped that she would wear something that matched her incredible year. While I would have loved to see her in a jewel tone or unexpected pastel, Cate wowed in the hue of the night. The ethereal Armani Privé gown blended beautifully with her skin and the sheerness was right on trend. She could have used a hint of color in her jewelry to break up the monotony, but she looked gorgeous all the same.
Jennifer Lawrence
We all knew it would be Dior, but until she stepped (okay, tripped) on to the red carpet, J-Law’s gown remained top secret. The chosen one, a fiery red-hued strapless dress, was an upgrade from last year’s underwhelming princess pink. And can we talk about that unexpected backwards necklace? Also, sidenote: while I had initial hesitations about her decision to chop her beautiful locks off, it framed her face perfectly tonight. I’m sold.
One final note: there is a fine line between individuality and disrespect. Pharrell, I’m looking at you….and your “formal” shorts. At least they were Lanvin.