Dramatic

How to Win—and Lose—the Oscars Red Carpet (Photos)

Charlize Theron was a red queen, Brie Larson went inexplicably frilly, and Cate Blanchett fought with feathers—while Jared Leto redefined the tux.

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By Tim TeemanPublished Feb 28, 2016 9:45PM EST

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-19_o2gzd4 — Red, dramatic, boom. We all fall down. The dress of the evening.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-01_xwqeq0 — “Dusty yellow,” the Oscar winner told E! Custom Louis Vuitton, and very pretty.

Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-02_zexkhw — We foresee fashion postmortems on this until we are all dust. ABC’s fashion team went a little mad over “front boob, side boob” and “origami” in Wilde’s dress.
Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-03_ndvpei — Strapless, metallic, fish-scale shimmer: fabulous.
Jason Merritt/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-04_cuvxqv — She has spent awards season in charming hippie chic, but not Sunday night for Ronan. Disco-era glamour, Calvin Klein Collection, and green as a nod to her native Ireland.
Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-05_wv8q06 — No stylist required for Redmayne’s tux. Redmayne is beautiful, and so is his suit.
Todd Williamson/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-06_mzml1y — This stunning dress is rebelling against wearer Olivia Munn: It wants to go one way, she wants to go the other.
Todd Williamson/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-07_vrgpui — Dear Brie Larson, You totally deserve the Oscar for Best Actress, and you have looked amazing on every red carpet during awards season. UNTIL OSCAR NIGHT. The most important one. The biggie. In which you show up in a very lovely and ethereal gown ‘n’ all. It begins well up top, but then becomes slash and more slash curtains down below. Bleurgh.
Jason Merritt/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-08_los1so — The best kind of moths reside in Rooney Mara’s wardrobe: This is a stunning, beaded, patterned white gown from Givenchy Haute Couture.
Todd Williamson/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-09_wkthxr — As Spandau Ballet sang: “Always believe in gooooold! You’re indestructibllllleee...”
Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-10_o7b1vp — The world's hottest couple continue their efforts to seduce men, women, plants.
George Pimentel/WireImage/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-11_eqdpoz — The fashion critics loved this. To me, it looked like strangulation by chiffon.
Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-12_osvrph — The dress that is also a prison: also inexplicably loved by the critics, it looks like a very heavy set of drapes.
Todd Williamson/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-13_aucssr — Emerald, stunning, excellent slit. Needs a Martini in hand, and good to go.
Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-14_ez0f6t — Jared Leto, you are a renegade, a wonderful renegade, in this new version of a tux, with petals instead of bow tie.
Todd Williamson/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-15_seql8t — Flattery was lavish for this fabulous monstrosity, too. Blanchett can wear anything, of course, but this dress brought to mind the feathers flying after the Swedish chef had finished tormenting the chickens on The Muppet Show.
Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-16_dt6hej — Commanding, gorgeous, inventive, unique: the best of Gaga at the Oscars.
Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-17_u9bmeq — This Jennifer Garner dress brings to mind the “revenge” dress Princess Diana wore the night Charles confessed his adultery. Garner has just given a tell-all interview to Vanity Fair following the breakdown of her marriage to Ben Affleck. This dress says: I’m back.
Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-18_iivqbj — Playing it safe, very. And that’s fine.
Jason Merritt/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-20_qkoamb — Kerry Washington said she was presenting to ensure her voice was heard, and hoped that Hollywood would never face the same situation as it did this year, with no black nominees.
Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty

galleries/2016/02/28/how-to-win-the-oscars-red-carpet/160228-oscars-red-carpet-21_ghdkav — Thank goodness for Oscar winner (for Costume Design) Jenny Beaven. Redefining red carpet everything, with delicious attitude.
Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty

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