Face of Nation : Something new and fresh was in bloom at Sunday night’s Academy Awards ceremony. In contrast to the shadow of the #MeToo movement looming heavily over last year’s Oscars, where women attended in all black to support their fellow filmmakers and the movement’s message, this year marked a return to the feminine and frilly. The red carpet featured just about every shade of pink and red you can imagine, serving a cotton-candy spectrum of winners and presenters all night.
Fresh off her big Grammys win, country singer Kacey Musgraves served a lot more “yee” and a little less “haw” in a Giambattista Valli gown with three thick layers of tulle, capped off with a little silver bow and a tall tulle collar. It’s unclear how many ballet tutus were sacrificed to master the look, but the dress floated onto the stage like a confection on a conveyor belt.
Crazy Rich Asians’ Gemma Chan followed Musgraves’s lead, taking inspiration from Killing Eve‘s Villanelle in a large, pillowy bubblegum pink Valentino dress. The petal-decked collar added a touch of gentle detail to a look that was louder (and brighter) than most.
There, too, was Maya Rudolph in big punch-coloured florals; Angela Bassett in a strongly bowed Reem Acra dress with pink lips to match; Hannah Beachler, the Oscar-winning Black Panther production designer, in an aggressively and stunningly ruffled scarlet gown. Her best detail? A face chain and coordinated glasses.
Not that everyone hit it out of the park, though. It’s tough to say whether Linda Cardellini, who co-starred in Best Picture winner Green Book, pulled off a win, but she certainly took a risk. Her Schiaparelli look was more frills than actual gown, with an over-the-top bow holding the outrageous fuchsia piece together; the neckline plunging, black heels glaring.
And Rachel Weisz, accustomed to wearing flawless ensembles, came draped in ruby red Givenchy, flanked by a bright latex long-sleeved crop-top, which are not words you’ll ever see in the same sentence again. Only Rachel Weisz.
Julia Roberts served as the cherry on top of the sundae, closing the ceremony in an off-the-shoulder, creamy taffy-coloured Elie Saab gown with matching pink heels. Take note, Cardellini!
