By NICKY CHAMP
It’s the morning after the biggest award ceremony in Hollywood, so naturally we want to dissect the biggest fashion and beauty trends from the night. Deciding who nailed (and who failed) the red carpet must clearly be one of today’s priorities.
But don’t let my opinions sway you, I want to know who gets your vote for best dressed. And if you’re wrestling with your conscience about whether or not it’s possible to discuss celebrity fashion without being ‘anti-women’, do not fear – click here to read Mia’s awesome column about it today.
It could be that everyone is so terrified of ending up on worst dressed lists at the actual awards night that they play it safe or more specifically play it strapless. Consequently, those of us at the Mamamia office were completely underwhelmed by the Oscars red carpet fashion and I was forced (forced, who am I kidding? It was great fun) to delve into the Oscars after parties to find my hot list.
Thankfully the fashion got more exciting at the after parties, as most celebs changed into party frocks and it seemed the pressure was off the other A-Listers to get it right: Heidi Klum I’m looking at you.
Right, lets get straight to it (and scroll down for a breakdown of the trends):

Fashion
TREND BREAKDOWN
STRAPLESS
The dress style that only suits a narrow percentage of the population was worn by well, nearly everyone: Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Aniston, Amy Adams, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Kerry Washington… we could go on and on. Actually, there were so many sleeveless frocks on the red carpet we started to wonder if there was a fabric shortage in Hollywood.
Plus an honorable mention goes to Helen Hunt who wore a strapless navy dress from H&M (a cheap European chain store) and accesorised it with $700K worth diamonds – as you do. Although as one Mamamia commenter pointed out it could’ve done with a bit of an iron.
WHITE
You could’ve easily mistaken the Oscars red carpet for a bridal convention last night. Celebs like Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart ticked off two trends at once wearing white AND strapless. Expect to see these three looks on fashion forward brides in Spring.
BACK JEWELLERY

I don’t know about this one. I mean, in theory it seems like a good idea; if you’ve got a good back, you should flaunt it – decorate it even. But I think Anne Hathaway’s dress had too much going on with the satin straps to showcase the incredible piece. And Jennifer Lawrence’s necklace – while stunning- seemed like it had accidentally slipped back and she hadn’t got around to readjusting it.
MOST INTERESTING ACCESSORIES
So what were you doing when you were 9-years-old? I’m guessing you weren’t attending the Oscars as a NOMINEE! Quvenzhane Wallis rocked the red carpet (and won us all over) with her cute puppy dog purse.
Anne Hathaway’s pointy-in-the-front Prada dress sparked a voracious ‘Nipples or Darts’ internet debate. The offical verdict: it was fabric darts not just really chilly. Not so well played.
So Kristen Stewart is probably the only celebrity in Oscars history to arrive on the red carpet with a pair of crutches, apparently injuring herself days earlier. She gets bonus points just for turning up and for later hobbling up the red carpet sans crutches.
Beauty
PALE PINK LIPS

It’s safe to say a memo went out to celebrity make up artists about pale pink lipstick last night. Everyone wore a pale pink or flesh coloured lipstick. The only exceptions to this were Olivia Munn and Jennifer Chastain who both opted for bright red lips (that matched perfectly with their baroque and pale metallic dresses respectively). Since lips were downplayed most celebs opted to play up their eye make up with smoky charcoal shadow with metallic highlights. Yes, the smoky eye is back.
QUIFFS/UP STYLES:
Elvis was in the building last night. Amy Adams and Naomi Watts sported a Rockabilly updo made modern by pulling loose strands around the face.
I loved what Amy Adams did to transform her hair from the Oscars (soft, elegant) to the after party (sleek and slicked down).
CASCADING HAIR:
Phwoar! Jessica Chastain Reese Witherspoon, Helen Hunt and Kerry Washington all brought an old-Hollywood glamour to the night with their cascading barrel-curled hair. And if Jessica Chastain had’ve donned a red glittery dress? Jessica Rabbit personified.
TOPKNOT BUNS: 
Topknot fans rejoice! Kelly Rowland, Kristin Chenoweth and Salma Hayek (whose topknot defied gravity) ensured the easiest hairstyle to copy will be around for a few more seasons.
And if you missed the main event, check out all the best frocks from the Academy Awards red carpet (and after parties) below.

Anne Hathaway in Prada, Armani and custom Saint Laurent






Comments
19 Comments so far
LOVED J-Lawrence dress/dresses – the after party dress was flash and fun.
Amy Adams looks tired and over-it in a cant be bothered kind of way?
Jen Anniston & Reese Witherspoon I LOVED the colours, Royal Blue and Orange!
Anne Hathaway looks like the dresses were wearing her.
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Marissa Tomei hair out was a good choice I think. 1000 points for jumpsuit!
Ps where is Jasmine? Her fashion writing is great.
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Sorry, but there is nothing ‘Rockabilly’ about Naomi Watts or Amy Adams hairstyles AT ALL!
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I disagree – Naomi Watts definitely has an understated quiff going on!
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I know I said it elsewhere, but Anne Hathaway looks so awful in all three of those dresses, I really can’t believe it.
Amy Adams would have looked even lovelier in a stronger colour – that one is a bit pale for someone of her complexion.
A better neckline for Sally Field would have nailed it for me – that one is a little on the unflattering side.
I particularly liked Helen Hunt. She looked stunning.
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I only read much much later that Jenifer Lawrence was wearing a backwards necklace. And *maybe* it works for those looking-backwards-over-one-shoulder red carpet shots, but it didn’t work at all for the facing-the-camera TV footage. I kept thinking she needed much more of a necklace.
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I thought the new trend was all the beautiful, slithery sequins! All my favourite dresses were almost liquid with sequins and looked pretty fresh to me. I loved Nicole Kidman’s dress, though not her total look. Strapless is so tired, when will they stop and hoik (sp?) up their boobies a bit?
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I’m sorry. I love Jackie Weaver and it’s awesome that she’s getting some cred in Hollywood. But that dress makes her look like a midget. The proportions are all wrong for her height. If the dress had lost the fishtail on the way there it would have been SO much better. Which is a terrible shame really because the colour is gorgeous on her and her hair and makeup are beautiful.
Oh, and my fave was Naomi Watts (surprise surprise) – both the awards and after party dresses. Divine.
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In the red lipstick department, you overlooked Jackie Weaver. I love Jackie, terrific personality, great actor, but waaaay too much makeup and that dress was not at all flattering for such a short person who’s not a size 8.
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Do you guys realise there are FOUR Oscars articles on the Mamamia front page today? Yawn.
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Naomi Watts was most definitely my favourite last night! She looked amazing! Perfect.
As for Anne Hathaway’s necklace, it’s on backwards. She would have chosen that necklace before she decided on the dress, as she only chose the pink one shortly before she started getting ready. I imagine the original dress was lower cut and would have let her wear the necklace properly and not have it interfere with the front of the dress. But she had likely already promised to wear the necklace and promote whatever jeweller made it.
I would hate to have seen the monstrosity she was going to wear before this pink thing, if she deemed the apron-with-nipple-darting a better choice though! Worst of the night, easily!
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Actually she is styled by Rachel Zoe, who always has a lot of final accessory options for her clients. Zoe also styled Jennifer Lawrence, who also wore a necklace backwards. In both cases it would most likely have been a planned styling choice for those particular dress options.
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Geez, that’s pretty bad then, I have to say! Anne’s necklace really doesn’t look right with the dress at all, at least from the back. From the front, it looks fine.
And I can’t believe Zoe got it so right with Jennifer and so wrong with Anne!
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Wow, I almost catagorically disagree with all your picks! I loved Naomi Watts and Lily Collins, but I really didn’t like the styling of most the rest of the women you picked (even though I loooove most of them as actresses – and often what they wear). Eg Amy Adams is so gorgeous, but her dress just completely washes her out – she’s completely the one colour. Octavia looks like she’s wearing an 80s prom dress, Charlize Theron is incredibly stunning and would look gorgeous in anything, but her dress and hair are extremely standard and uninteresting – I feel like I’ve seen them a million times.
Don’t get me wrong – I have a break out of pimples and lunch spilled on my dress, but if we’re choosing the best dressed, I think there were some much stronger contenders. But then, disagreement is why fashion is interesting!
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Jackie Weaver’s dress would have been much better if it went straight to the ground in a column rather than mermaid style. She really is petite! Loved Naomi Watts dress but she needs to lay off the botox, just like Nicole!
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Agree on Jackie Weaver’s dress. And on Naomi Watts. I actually couldn’t believe how much she looks like Nicole Kidman at the moment.
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Salma Hayak looked stunning as did Jennifer Garner – but they would look good in anything.
With fear of being un-Australian I didn’t think Jackie Weaver looked good at all – that dress chopped her body in weird ways and made her look shorter than she is. She is a great actress though and always likeable and refreshing in interviews, but not a fashion icon from these Oscars I don’t think.
Whilst Naomi Watts looked stunning, I watched an interview with her and Lisa Wilkinson on the Today show and it made me really uncomfortable, her top lip didn’t move and she was just strange – i wondered if it was too much botox? Did anyone else see it and know what I mean?
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Naomi Watts looked amazing, and I think Nicole Kidman looked stunning too.
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My fave was Kelly Osbourne. Her dress rocks! I liked Nicole Kidmans, except the front centre section looks like it has a batman logo.. :/
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