Thanks to seasons upon seasons of new trends, what's "hot" and what's "not" is a perpetually changing idea. The same can be said for Oscar dresses—what was cool in the 1990s may give us shivers now. From the Armani number Julia Roberts wore in 2004 to Zoe Saldana's lavender Givenchy gown, The Daily Beast scanned the best dressed lists of Oscars past and found a few that made us wonder: what were we thinking?!
French actress Juliette Binoche, who won the Best Supporting Actress in 1997 for her role in The English Patient, scored big with style critics for her regal, copper-colored velvet dress-coat with an overly-accentuated popped collar. In retrospect, her ensemble may have been a bit too Dracula-meets-Shakespeare for Hollywood.
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The audience went crazy when Julia Roberts stepped onto the 2004 red carpet in a silky, tan Giorgio Armani number. But, these days, the dress—with its ruched waist and oversized diamond brooch—would fall into the tacky prom category.
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Harper's Bazaar called Nicole Kidman's baby blue Chanel gown "a standout." People dubbed it a "traffic stopper" and "simply elegant." While Kidman's dress for the 2004 Oscar's wasn't awful, there's something a little odd about the flowery bust and mermaid-bottom, as well as the fit of the silky fabric. Are those Spanx we see?
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Alba's Versace gown wasn't the worst part of her look for the 2006 Academy Awards. Sure, the mix of fabrics and halter top looks a bit tacky, but it's hard to believe the actress landed on a slew of 'Best Dressed of the Decade' lists with an up-do like that.
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2013 wasn't the first time Anne Hathaway walked the fine line between "gorgeous in couture" and "high-fashion that missed the mark"—how can anyone get over the perky nipples of her Prada dress? Back in 2007, Hathaway experienced a similar issue, sporting a strapless, white lace Valentino gown. The crafstmanship was impeccable, but the front and back bows were just too much. Wear the dress, Anne. Don't let the dress wear you.
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Marion Cotillard donned a Christian Dior gown with too much tulle to the 2009 Oscars. She received strong style accolades for the haute couture number, but, today, it seems like a weird mix of gothic and glittery.
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"I just loved this dress," actress Charlize Theron said of her lilac John Galliano for Dior gown. Were rosette bustiers really cool in 2010? How did we let that one fly?
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Actress Zoe Saldana was praised for taking a risk at the 2010 Academy Awards. The purple Givenchy dress's sparkling top is gorgeous, but the flow of ombre ruffles on the train are a bit too daring and bold for any occasion—or year.
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How anyone thought Vera Farmiga's Marchesa gown was a winner is hard to imagine. The ruffled magenta dress the actress wore to the 2010 Oscar's is barely even a dress—rather, it's a mess of fabric that's swallowing her!
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