We’re wrapping up red carpet season with everyone’s favorite on Sunday on Feb 22—the 87th Academy Awards. As always, award ceremonies are a fabulous mess of fashion failures and triumphs, endless gossip, and, naturally, an influx of criticism and praise for winners and losers alike.
So, let’s talk outfit predictions. After all, it’s going to be hard to top some of the stunning dresses of the 2014 Oscars last year, especially that of princess-esque Lupita Nyong’o in her ‘Nairobi blue’ Prada dress.
Best Supporting Actress Nominee for “Birdman,” Emma Stone, has been killing it in the fashion department as most successfully experimental. She’s bold, she’s brave, and she’s classy, especially in her glamorous Lavin jumpsuit for the Golden Globes. Pants seem to be the new daring fashion statement for women at events like these, and Stone absolutely rocked it.
Here’s to hoping she sticks to breaking out of the norm as tastefully as she has. Dior seems to be working right up her ally lately, especially considering her profoundly unique tuxedo-inspired Dior Couture dress for the SAG Awards.
Next up is our girl Rosamund Pike nominated for her ever-celebrated role in “Gone Girl.” Like Stone, Pike seems to be in an experimental stage. Unfortunately, her outfits tend to end up on either extreme.
Her Giambattista Valli floral white and red gown for the 8th annual Women In Film pre-Oscar cocktail party was met with immense praise, while her baby doll black puff of a Dior dress for the SAG awards was a bit of a bust. Perhaps she’ll stick with elegant and daring over straight-up glitzy—Giambattista Valli again, maybe? But hey, when you’re in the running for an Oscar for Lead Actress, it’s go big or go home.
Don’t get me wrong, though—flashy can work if it’s done right. Reese Witherspoon, nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for “Wild,” has got an interesting blend of classic but out-there going on. Let’s not let go of the fact that the Tiffany & Co. diamonds she was wearing with her glorious silver Calvin Klein gown totaled up to $1.5 million.
Besides cost, however, she tends to hold back as far as dress designs go—her simple, white one-shouldered Armani dress for the SAG Awards was dazzling but still restrained. Calvin Klein would definitely suit Witherspoon for this year’s Oscars. Klein designers are excellent at balancing the glamour but simplicity Witherspoon seems to be drawn to.
The ever-charming Keira Knightley, nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for “The Imitation Game,” has still been keeping up the elegance despite her pregnancy. Although her flowery Giambattista Valli dress for the BAFTA Film Awards was a little too frumpy and cut at an awkward length, the look overall suited her. It was definitely better than her grandmotherly, butterfly-printed Chanel dress for the Golden Globes.
Still, to be fair, red carpet fashion is a bit trickier when you’re got a baby on the way, and Knightley could definitely work some more Giambattista Valli, with her apparent taste for floral this season.
Finally, it’s been an interesting blend of outfits for the female lead of “The Theory of Everything,” Felicity Jones. She made some poor decisions here and there, like her Christian Dior outfit for the 2015 Academy Awards nominee luncheon. A forest green leather dress with a sequined blue collar and sleeves? Eek.
But let’s not forget her teal Christian Dior Couture dress for the Golden Globes—bold, elegant, and undoubtedly made for her. Although Christian Dior seems to be her go-to, she’s shown up this season clad in Alexander McQueen, Prada, and Valentino, ranging from glitter and glam to solid colors. Hopefully she sticks to something like her Golden Globes triumph or her angled and queenly light pink Balenciaga dress for the SAG Awards from January.