While lupita Nyong’o wowed in a pale blue Prada goddess gown, the red carpet dazzled with Jennifer lawrence’s Neil lane necklace and Cate Blanchett’s Chopard earrings
That’s a wrap, lupita Nyong’o, but may all the best dresses keep coming your way. With a supporting actress Oscar now in her possession, a tearful Nyong’o concluded a red-carpet season as a fashion darling for sexy silhouettes and colours that wow.
She didn’t disappoint at the 86th Academy Awards, wearing a pale blue Prada goddess gown and a sparkly gold-and-diamond headband from Fred leighton.
Nor did Jennifer lawrence disappoint in a 100-carat diamond necklace from Neil lane to accent her girl-on-fire orange-red strapless dress from Dior. On Cate Blanchett’s ears were 33 carats of opal in a huge drop design that did justice to her beaded Armani gown in a light tan colour.
Blanchett’s heavily embellished gown sparkled under the lights at the Dolby Theatre in los Angeles when she collected her Oscar for best actress in Blue Jasmine.
While she’s not under contract by Giorgio Armani, Blanchett does favour the house. Muted colours, like those worn by Blanchett and Nyong’o’s ice blue, were one of the night’s big trends, said Estee Stanley, a stylist who worked with Portia de Rossi, in a regal Naeem Khan halter with beads and lace, and Jessica Biel, dressed in a metallic sparkler from Chanel dripped with diamond jewellery from Tiffany.
Fitted, body-conscious gowns prevailed on the red carpet, said fashion bloggers Tom Fitzgerald and lorenzo Marquez. “The colours of the night were pinks and blues. Statement necklaces were back,” Fitzgerald said.
But Marquez mused: “A general sameness hung over the whole thing. There was not enough experimentation.”
While some of the necklines plunged, said Rubenstein, “There was nothing overtly sexy. They were all fairly reserved.”
Amy Adams wore a strapless, dark blue Gucci couture gown. Sandra Bullock wowed in a strapless, deep blue Alexander McQueen gown that showed off draping below the waist and included a short train. The evening belonged to solid colours and classic rather than edgy looks, Rubenstein said. “There were columns, columns, columns,” he said of that time-tested silhouette. “And black made a reappearance. Most every person was in a solid colour.”
As did the pregnant ladies, looking lovely, as usual. Olivia Wilde went for a chic black sleeveless Valentino that draped rather than hugged her baby bump. It was a switch from the tight green — but still gorgeous — look she wore at the Golden Globes in January. Fellow pregnant lady Kerry Washington went for a loose-fitting pleated plum Jason Wu dress as her bump accessory this time around.
Classic dark blues and blacks were joined by jewel tones, including a bright green Escada for Viola Davis, along with paler looks like Nyong’o’s for Portia de Rossi, who wore an ivory Naeem Khan with a beaded halter.
Idina Menzel, among the evening’s performers, showed off a diamond collar necklace with her black gown.
A few men abandoned black jackets for white ones, including Jared leto, Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Seacrest. Nyongo’s fashion goal, she said, was to wear her fashion, rather than the other way around. “I want to feel more present than the garment I’m wearing,” she said.
Kate Hudson went full-on Hollywood in draped white Versace, while the night’s more subdued looks included Julia Roberts, in a dark Givenchy with a ruffle at the waist. Anne Hathaway presented during the ceremony as the lights set the sparking bodice of her black Gucci gown dancing.
Even lady Gaga went for classic, in a gold strapless gown she wore with a long sash around her neck.
“Everyone is dressing very kind of Audrey Hepburn classic. Nobody was doing anything too out there. It’s more about the fact that this is the way to look good, rather than for shock value,” Rubenstein said. “People just want to look beautiful and be noticed for themselves.”