Oscars 2015 - who won for best dressed?

The awards season always culminates in the Oscar ceremony, so the ladies keep their best bets for impressive (or disastrous) appearances for this night. Who wore whom has managed to upstage who won what, and with the choices the Academy makes each year, deservedly so. Let's check some of the best dressed ladies on the 87th Academy Awards red carpet (all photos courtesy of wwd.com and Donato Sardella, and Getty Images).

Update: The best dressed lady was not even on the red carpet (of the actual ceremony that is): Diane Kruger went to the Vanity Fair Party in a smashing Donna Karan pants/dress outfit:

Mark Seliger portrait in a special set/photo booth inside the VF party - Joshua Jackson accessory optional

Look at that train! Photo by  Billy Farrell/Bfanyc.com

Cate Blanchett is the undisputed Queen of Hollywood. She probably surprised most of the nominated for Best Actress ladies in picking a simpler dress to wear (Galliano for Margiela, a first for Oscars) - you can see it in the outfits they picked, thinking of how to upstage Cate who would be giving them the award. Tough luck ladies. Cate is never upstaged. The necklace is a one of a kind piece from Tiffany's in their signature colour. It doesn't get more regal than this.

Lupita Nyong'o is resplendent in a custom made Calvin Klein dress covered with 6000 pearls. She's becoming the heir to Cates' throne. 

Margot Robbie wore a laid back Saint Laurent dress with a 30s Van Cleef and Arpels necklace that suited the plunging neckline so good. I think if she had piled some big hammered gold cuff bracelets on it would have looked even better - next time check Loulou De La Falaise on how to wear YSL.

Thankfully Rosamund Pike did not disappoint - I was afraid it would be yet another disaster like some of her recent appearances. But she rose to the occasion with this magnificent Givenchy Couture. One of the rare occasions that red looks good on the red carpet.

When I read that Emma Stone, one of my favourites, would be wearing Elie Saab, I flinched. I do not like most, if not all, the clothes Saab makes, so it looked as a disaster in the making. Fortunately it wasn't. My only objection is the light shade of green - she would have looked so much better in a darker one.

AP IMAGES

Marion Cotillard picked an unusual shape (at the back at least) for the red carpet - and it was a breath of fresh air. I love the texture of the (lasre cut?) fabric and she looks great in it. So beautiful and French. Dior Haute Couture.

Scarlett Johansson is the embodiment of "whoa" here. I love her short hair (although it looked as if she skipped the hairdresser this time) and the shade and shape of the dress suits her to a T. Versace Atelier with Piaget necklace.

Sophie Hunter looks gorgeous in this red Lanvin - another proof that red can look great on the red carpet as long as you have an amazing dress. Cumberbatch accessory optional.

I love Patricia Arquette and she always looks great on the red carpet. Simple, elegant, real. She's wearing Rosetta Getty who designed this especially for her.

How stunning can Viola Davis look? Very. Even though a stronger colour would have suited her better (a violet?), she nails it once again. Zac Posen should research some fabrics that do not crinkle that easily.

Naomi Watts (Naomi fookin Watts) got some flack for this Armani Prive gown, but I really like it. Texture, metallics, cut, all work well on her.

A knight in shining armour. I love this encrusted metallic gown Laura Dern is wearing, like a modern Joan of Arc. Only missing a sword. Custom made Alberta Ferretti,

Tegan and Sara, nominated for best song for the Lego movie, stayed true to themselves and their style. And won hands down. Tegan is wearing  a The Kooples suit and Barbara Bui shoes, while Sara is in a Public School dress. Everything is awesome indeed.

So who won the Oscar for best-dressed?

The red carpet has become a major advertising opportunity for fashion brands, who will do anyhting possible to get their stuff on the most famous and likel to be awarded people attending. It is a battle field strewn with the "corpses"of stylists, hairdressers, make up artists and personal assistants, who wage the war behind the scenes. Let's see who won this year (all photos courtesy of wwd.com and Donato Sardella).

For me the first place is a tie - Two amazing women ruled the red carpet. First up it's Lupita Nyong'o in custom made Prada (she said she helped design the dress with a concept of bubbly champagne and the blue she was surrounded with growing up in Kenya) and Fred Leighton jewelry. Absolutely stunning. The way she moved with it showed an amazing command of the dress. She's an Audrey Hepburn in the making.

The second lady up up up there at the top of the best dressed is Charlize Theron. Wearing black Dior Haute Couture and Harry Winston jewelry, she is pure Hollywood royalty.

Naomi Watts in Calvin Klein Collection by Francisco Costa and Bulgari jewelry is a vision in white. Elegant, stunning, gorgeous.

Usually her fashion choices leave a lot to be desired but last night she was a winner in the fashion category. Sandra Bullock nailed in Alexander McQueen and Lorraine Schwarz jewelry. Her hair looks great too. I think it needed a cuff instead of a bracelet though.

 

This one combines a 70s vibe with that old Hollywood glamour of the 30s we know and love so much. Kate Hudson is breathtaking in Versace and Neil Lane jewelry. It looked equally good without the cape.

Wonder how she got to wear Chanel Couture while not being nominated - maybe just presenting an award clinched the deal. Ethereal. Her hair looked better on TV. Her jewellery is by Tiffany & Co. Pity she did not have her best accessory with her (Justin is on tour).

Amy Adams looks stunning in blue Gucci Premiere Couture and Tiffany & Co. Blue was the colour of choice this year, particularly in navy or ultramarine shades. Darren Le Gallo looks dashing too. More elegant gents at the end of the post (ladies first always!).

I really love Karen O and she did not dissapoint me at her first Oscar ceremony - her performance was great, singing The Moon Song from the film Her gown is by Camilla Stærk, with Forevermark jewelry. She looks like coming out of an old Holywood film, very Art Deco-late 20s-early 30s. Her red gown during the performance was great too. 

Speaking of the 20s, Jennifer Garner's Oscar de la Renta dress has that flapper vibe but her hair-don't misses the point completely. Otherwise it looks fantastic.

I love Jennifer Lawrence and this Dior Haute Couture dress with Neil Lane jewellery (back necklace again, feels so last year). looks good on her but I think she needed something better for the ceremony. Her Hillary Clinton (thanks Peter Davis for the comment!) hair does not help either. 

Emma Watson's Vera Wang dress, with Chanel jewllery, is one of those dresses that look great in movement and on film but not in photos. She looked absolutely stunning walking down the Oscars stage to present an award. Love the bold red lipstick too.

Cate Blanchett's Armani Privé dress would have been perfect if it did not have those weird things embroidered on it - there is such a variety of things ot pick when embroidering a couture dress. Her giant opal drop earrings from Chopard are stunning. Amazing hair and make up too. Divine.

Kerry Washington was one of two gorgeous pregnent ladies attending (I know there was a third but the dress was a disaster). She is in a custom made Jason Wu dress (his first Oscar dress) and Jennifer Meyer jewelry.

The second beautiful and elegant pregnatn lady was Olivia Wilde with a dashing Jason Sudeikis bu her side (in Prada). Olivia is in Valentino and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

On with the gents now - Ewan McGregor wins hands down, with his sharp tux. Could not find where it's from. Wouldn't mind seeing him in a kilt on the red carpet too. His lovely wife Eve Mavrakis is wearing Marni.

Joseph Gordon Levitt is elegant and sharp in Calvin Klein Collection.

 

You can do no wrong with Tom Ford. Yes Bradley Cooper, you got it right this time.

Oscar winner (much deserved) Jared Leto looks dashing (if only he'd cut that hair) in Saint Laurent.

 

Kevin Spacey was a bit drunk but looked smart (and a bit retro, reminding me of his Bobby Darrin role) in Burberry.

Most handsome actor ever (they should give him that award at least) is always Michael Fassbender. Wearing a Tom Ford tuxedo does not hurt either. With him is his mother (we thank you Ms. Adele Fassbender for giving us Michael).

Last, but not least, Benedict Cumberbatch in Spencer Hart. Of course a Brit would wear a Saville Row suit and look dapper, wouldn't he?

Inspiration: Tilda Swinton

In honour of one of my very favourite actresses: Tilda Swinton. The incredible Scottish (her mother is Australian and Tilda's family is one of the oldest in Scotland) actress with her indomitable style and incomparable talent, inspiring not only for directors (she was Jerek Jarman's muse and inspiration) but also for designers (Viktor & Rolf were inspired for their 2003 collection, Stefano Pilati for YSL & others).


She was awarded the Oscar for supporting actress last night, for her role in the film Michael Clayton. Always a formidable presence on screen and off, she mystifies audiences with her otherworldly physique and unique ability of transformation for each part:she inhabits the part completely.


Her bold choices of roles has resulted in a roster of films that vary from Derek Jarman΄s War Requiem to Disney's Narnia. Never one to shy away from demanding parts, she eerily portrayed Orlando in Sally Potter΄s film, playing an immortal that changes gender throughout the ages.


In a much talked about project, The Maybe, in 1995 she was herself an installation in London's Serpentine Gallery, on public display, asleep, or so it seemed, in a glass box. The following year, the performance/installation was repeated in Rome, at the Museo Baracco.


She lives in Scotland with her painter boyfriend and father of her twins. Her unconventional life has been talked about in Britain, as well as her radical political views.


In a magazine interview, the reporter asked her if her daughter plays with Barbies (as Tilda has talked against capitalism many times). Tilda answered that the little girl has never asked for toys except for one Barbie. Asked how she felt about that, she replied with a laugh:"Defeated".


Tilda studied Social and Political Science at Cambridge University, but changed courses and graduated in 1983 with a degree in English Literature.


Apart from film she has played on stage, notably with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She does not like the theatre though.


She has also appeared in the video clip for The Orbital's song "The Box"


She was declared one of the ten best dressed women in the world by Vanity Fair in 2007.