Alex Carrigan
The 90th Academy Awards recognized the best in 2017’s cinema, and while all the gold statuettes have been handed out, here at Rare, we still have some accolades to hand out. Because, let’s face it, when you step onto the Oscars’ red carpet, you are still in competition with everyone else who spent the last six hours getting ready for the event. Today, we’re going to look at the best and the worst of the looks to walk the red carpet, counting down the five best and the five worst looks. We’ve got some Oscar winners, some living legends and some real surprises in the mix.
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Without further ado, let’s begin with the worst outfits on the red carpet.
Top Five Worst Red Carpet Outfits
#5: Emily Blunt in Schiaparelli Haute Couture with Chopard jewelry
With some editing, this dress would be pretty gorgeous. If they cut off the shoulder and neck pieces, and possibly made it a slightly darker color, this look would be fabulous on her. This is at the bottom of the list because it probably would be more liked in other circles. As it is now, it’s a little too “Mary Poppins at a ball” for the new Mary Poppins.
The hair and jewelry are fierce, though.
#4: Lesley Manville in Anna Valentine
This actress was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for “Phantom Thread,” a movie about a London couturier in the 1950s. I’m kind of sad the impeccable fashions of that film didn’t translate to this red carpet. The grey, frayed fabric looks more like an old dog cushion, while the sleeves look like water wings. I also feel like the way the panels were cut for the dress itself is a bit confusing, making it hard to tell what path the eye should follow. It’s a bit of a miss.
#3: Whoopi Goldberg in Christian Siriano
Listen, I understand the Oscars are designed to celebrate and honor film history (in theory, some years), but why Whoopi Goldberg decided to pay homage to Scarlett O’Hara and Maria Von Trapp by wearing her curtains to the awards show, I don’t know.
I do generally like Christian Siriano, and I think it was bold for Goldberg to wear something this colorful on the red carpet. However, the ruching in the center of the gown cheapens an already cheap-looking fabric, only validating my curtain comment. It’s also somewhat difficult to make out Goldberg’s proportions with the large belt and the voluminous skirt, making me wonder where her waist starts and ends.
#2: Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton
I do not have a problem when actresses wear pants and suits on a red carpet. Most of the time, I think they look incredible. But I get the feeling that, since Emma Stone won Best Actress last year, she felt she didn’t have to try as hard this year.
The fabrics on this suit jacket look so shiny and strange that I’d expect to find them in the napkins folded on your plate when you arrive to dinner at a country club. The pink belt certainly looks like a dinner napkin or a napkin ring as well, and it’s so jarringly bright compared to the more subdued colors of the jacket and pants that it stands out even more, for all the wrong reasons. It’s a look that doesn’t really read as expensive or glamorous, but just passable, and I feel that’s a bit of a loss.
And the worst outfit of the 90th Academy Awards red carpet is …
#1: Maya Rudolph in Valentino
I can understand if Rudolph wanted to look modest and simple during last night’s red carpet, but I can’t totally accept this look. It feels like something’s missing. Maybe if Rudolph had an extra accessory to wear on her head. Maybe something like this:
Did she just come from a “Saturday Night Live” parody of “The Handmaid’s Tale?” She could have done better.
Now that we’ve gone through the worst, let’s look at the five best looks from the red carpet.
Top Five Best Red Carpet Outfits
#5: Abbie Cornish in Elie Saab Couture
The “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” star knew that Elie Saab was the best way to get red carpet attention, and she chose quite a stunning gown. The beading and the detail are quite stunning, and the gown itself is a gorgeous silhouette. Unlike some of the dresses on the worst list, the sleeves on this one are quite interesting and feel like part of the gown instead of a bizarre addition. It’s a great pick for this star and definitely a good sign of what’s to come.
#4: Gal Gadot in Givenchy and Tiffany and Co. jewelry
The “Wonder Woman” star continues to show more of that Themyscira glamour with this piece. The outfit moved beautifully with the fringe at the bottom, even as she was throwing Red Vines at an unsuspecting movie theater audience. She looks like she’s just dripping in jewels, an effect that would be further emphasized as camera flashes go off all around her. It’s a killer look.
#3: Lupita Nyong’o in custom Atelier Versace, Versace bag, Niwaka jewelry and Alexandre Birman shoes
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Lupita Nyong’o continues to slay the red carpet. It’s good to see she’s still carrying herself with that Wakandan pride and glamour that drove us crazy a few weeks ago. The gold looks great with her skin, with the shoulder piece and belt creating an interesting draw for the eye.
I also haven’t spoken a lot about it, but this was also some of the best hair on the red carpet. Apparently, it was inspired by the Amasunzu hairstyles traditionally found in Rwanda, which again demonstrates Nyong’o’s love for African-inspired clothing and hair. Absolutely amazing.
#2: Rita Moreno in a vintage gown
Leave it to EGOT-winner Rita Moreno to affirm that some things get better with age.
Moreno surprised the red carpet by wearing the same gown she wore to the 1962 Academy Awards, at which she won Best Supporting Actress for her role in “West Side Story.” The gown, which even Moreno admitted she was surprised didn’t tarnish, looks just as good now as it did 56 years ago.
The dress, made from Japanese obi fabric (which is used to make kimonos), has quite a neat design, and the shape still looks good on the actress. She paired it well with the gloves and the headband, and she definitely carried herself with that same Anita charisma she had back in 1962.
And now, the best outfit on the 90th Academy Awards red carpet. Congratulations to …
#1: Tiffany Haddish in a traditional Eritrean gown
BOW DOWN.
It’s quite hilarious that the best dressed helped present with the worst dressed in a show-stealing moment. Not only did Haddish make the presentation of Best Documentary Short Subject and Best Live Action Short Film way more exciting and humorous than anyone expected, she first came out by slaying in a traditional Eritrean gown.
Haddish revealed that she wore the gown to honor her late father, saying, “He said one day I would end up here, and if I ever ended up at the Oscars, to honor my people; so I’m honoring my fellow Eritreans.”
And honor she did. The gown, the wrap, the hair, the accessories are all exquisite and wonderfully detailed. Black and gold together made the winning combo of last night’s ceremony, and no one wore it better than Haddish.
