Monday 23 February 2015

Academy Awards 2015 Best Dressed

Awards season ended on a dizzying high at last night's Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

As far as awards go, everything either went exactly as predicted or was surprisingly tense. There were the obvious and expected lock-ins: many technical awards going to the outstanding The Grand Budapest Hotel; 3 of the acting awards merely completing a formality and actually handing over the virtually pre-engraved golden statues to J.K. Simmons, Julianne Moore and Patricia Arquette; and CitizenFour taking home Best Documentary. But at the end it all boiled down to a clash of the titans: it was Eddie Redmayne Vs Michael Keaton; Richard Linklater Vs Alejandro G. Iñárritu; and the main event, Boyhood Vs Birdman for Best Picture.

I might have been sleep-deprived and a little delirious by the time the winners of the major awards started to be announced, but I found them to be as tense as last week's episode of Broadchurch. I clutched the arm of the sofa and hid behind a cushion with my heart in my throat as Redmayne - brilliantly - won for his turn as Professor Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything (I was fearful either Keaton would clinch it or in a nightmare scenario Bradley Cooper would sweep from nowhere and be rewarded for American Sniper…). Honestly though, I was majorly disappointed that Birdman soared to victory in such a spectacular manner - scooping Best Picture/Directing/Original Screenplay/Cinematography. I loved it as a film but was ultimately routing for Boyhood: the astonishing 12 year masterpiece. It's a shame, but not the end of the world!

The red carpet was pretty impressive too: fashion-wise every awards show over the last few months has led to this point, and the stars pulled out all of the stops, as anticipated.


As ever my Best Dressed list is below. There was a movement on the red carpet this year with the hashtag #AskHerMore - pushing for the press to ask women at these sorts of events more substantial questions (the questions typically asked of their male counterparts) rather than purely who they're wearing and their diet/fitness regime in order to look so stunning in their gowns. I wholeheartedly support this, and think it made for much more interesting viewing to watch women talking about the films they were in and their careers rather than see them only jumping through hoops reciting the name of a designer they can barely pronounce.

However, I love fashion, and I simply adore the whole awards industry, including the red carpet and admiring all of the looks on show. These events give designers/stylists/hair and make up teams a chance to shine on a global platform, and although I wish women weren't reduced to merely their appearance  by the press I think it's important to acknowledge the effort that goes into this aspect of the industry as well as everything else the women have done to get them to this point. I don't think it has to be one or the other - why can't we celebrate both exceptional career achievements as well as a brilliant cumulative team effort for the red carpet?

(GIF SOURCED FROM www.giphy.com)

Many galleries of the red carpet contain over 100 pictures, so if you fancy seeing even more looks from the 2015 Oscars then you can't go wrong with these: Vogue UK; Grazia; Harper's Bazaar; Buzzfeed; E! Online; Red Carpet Fashion Awards; Stylist.


BEST DRESSED WOMAN: ROSAMUND PIKE
Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci gown // Lorraine Schwartz jewellery

Finally! Rosamund Pike killed it last night with this stunning scarlet Givenchy Couture gown accessorised with beautiful Lorraine Schwartz jewellery. Head-to-toe red can often look overwhelming (particularly on a red carpet…) but Pike pulls it off with aplomb and becomes my Best Dressed of the evening in the process. The lace overlay, strapless neckline, daring thigh-high split and perfectly positioned satin detailing accentuating her enviable waist make this both glamorous and utterly show-stopping. By keeping her make-up simple and having her hair styled in an elegant ballerina bun, Pike ensured all the attention was on the gown and with good reason! She may not have walked away with the Oscar for her formidable portrayal of Amy Dunne in Gone Girl but she triumphed with her fashion!


(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)


BEST DRESSED MAN: CHRIS PINE
Giorgio Armani

Wearing a double-breasted suit will always catapult a man to the top of these sorts of lists for me, and in this case Chris Pine's perfectly tailored Giorgio Armani tux hit all the right notes last night and thus took the top spot. It's an extraordinarily classic look but he wears it well, managing to both simultaneously stand out from the crowd and stick to the rules. Very well done, indeed!

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.harpersbazaar.co.uk)


BEST DRESSED COUPLE: EDDIE REDMAYNE & HANNAH BAGSHAWE
Alexander McQueen

I love this couple. Eddie Redmayne has done as expected and pushed the boat out with his navy Alexander McQueen tux with black lapels, and his lovely wife Hannah Bagshawe finally proved her fashion credentials with a stunningly detailed gown! What a pair!

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)


NOTABLE MENTION: EMMA STONE
Elie Saab

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.harpersbazaar.co.uk)

NOTABLE MENTION: REESE WITHERSPOON
Tom Ford

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.glamour.com)

NOTABLE MENTION: MARION COTILLARD
Christian Dior Couture

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.graziadaily.co.uk)


THE BEST OF THE REST…

LUPITA NYONG'O
Calvin Klein Collection

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)

JULIANNE MOORE
Custom Chanel Couture gown // Chopard jewellery

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.graziadaily.co.uk)

JENNA DEWAN TATUM
Zuhair Murad Couture

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.buzzfeed.com)

CHRIS PRATT
Tom Ford

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM uk.eonline.com)

ANNA FARIS
Zuhair Murad Couture

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)

NAOMI WATTS
Armani Privé

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)

LAURA DERN
Alberta Ferretti

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.harpersbazaar.co.uk)

SIENNA MILLER
Oscar de la Renta

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.harpersbazaar.co.uk)

CATE BLANCHETT
Bespoke John Galliano for Maison Margiela gown // Tiffany & Co. jewellery

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)

DAVID OYELOWO
Dolce & Gabbana

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM uk.eonline.com)

ANNA KENDRICK
Thakoon

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.harpersbazaar.co.uk)

ZOE SALDANA
Versace gown // Harry Winston jewellery

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.buzzfeed.com)

KERRY WASHINGTON
Miu Miu

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.stylist.co.uk)

CHRIS EVANS
Gucci

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.gq.com)


Overall, it's a brilliant red carpet! Lots of white gowns and an awful lot of love for embellishments and extensive detailing - Lupita Nyong'o's Calvin Klein Collection dress had 6000 pearls, which is both insane and utterly incredible. Men seemed to play it safe, but at least David Oyelowo (criminally snubbed for Selma) flew the flag for bold colour choices!

What do you think of the winners? Who was your Best Dressed? Do let me know in the comments below!


(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.popsugar.co.uk)

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