The Standout Looks From The 2026 Oscars
From Left: Emma Stone, Jessie Buckley, Teyana Taylor, Rose Byrne, Chase Infiniti, and Demi Moore
How can I sum up this year’s Oscars red carpet? In one word: nice.
Many of the outfits were nice. Few were disastrous. None were especially groundbreaking. Almost everyone looked lovely enough, if not a bit boring. And it does get me wondering: what makes for an exciting Oscars look, anyway?
I recently filmed a video recapping some of my favorite Oscars ensembles from past ceremonies, and daring looks like Barbra Streisand’s transparent jumpsuit and Cher’s Bob Mackie headdress easily made the list, decades after their debuts. Even now, those looks feel as bold and daring as they were in their respective times. More recent dresses, like Gemma Chan’s voluminous pink Valentino dress in 2019, or Zendaya’s bold yellow cutout dress from 2021, also made my list; both brightly-colored and seared into my memory. Penelope Cruz’s Atelier Versace in 2007 and Lupita Nyong’o in Cinderella-esque Prada in 2014 were also longtime favorites. Though all these dresses are incredibly different, they all had a wow factor, a differentiating je ne sais quoi that elevated them beyond “pretty dress” to “unforgettable”.
Cher in Bob Mackie; Penelope Cruz Atelier Versace; Lupita Nyong’o in Prada; Gemma Chan in Valentino
When I look back on this year’s dresses, I don’t know if I’ll be able to recall any singular look so easily.
Trusted fashionistas of the season, like Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, both looked lovely, but I felt ultimately played it safe with their Oscars dresses. Jessie Buckley and McKenna Grace opted for homages to Grace Kelly and 1990s Gwyneth Paltrow, respectively. Elle Fanning and Odessa A’zion rocked looks that I swear I’ve seen them wear before, even though I know that isn’t true. Timothée Chalamet did wear the same Givenchy suit he’s been wearing all season, just in different colors; how did we go from iconic Haider Ackermann designs to the same suit all season!? Emma Stone and Gwyneth Paltrow stuck with minimalist chic moments.
Chase Infiniti and Emma Stone, both in Louis Vuitton; Jessie Buckley in Chanel
Even my choice for best dressed, Rose Byrne, was wearing a dress that was relatively safe by style standards: black Dior with delicately beaded flowers and a striking bright lip. It was elegant and fitted to perfection, but will it make my favorites list in 10 years’ time? I’m not sure.
Rose Byrne in Christian Dior Haute Couture
A few stars managed to break from the expected. Demi Moore looked fantastic in a feathered Gucci number; the feathers at the bust were just a tad too long for it to be a perfect 10. Chloe Zhao embraced the themes of mourning in her film, Hamnet, by wearing a gothic Gabriella Hearst design complete with a mourning veil; I thought it was fun, but maybe a bit dour given the state of, you know, everything else in the world. And Hamnet’s costume designer, Malgosia Turzanska, wore a dress embellished with hundreds of safety pins. More of that, please!
Demi Moore in Gucci; Chloe Zhao in Gabriella Hearst
Regardless of how I felt about this red carpet, the best part, as always, was posting silly polls and other commentary on my Instagram Story for all my friends and followers to voice their opinions. It’s always fun to see how varied fashion opinions are, and I love chatting all things fashion and award season with everyone! If you missed out, I’ll be back for the Met Gala to recap all the goodness there.
Until next time!