Living & Arts

Oscar fashion: beautiful simplicity or simply boring?

In print | March 5, 2009

Though presumably the biggest awards show of the year, the Oscars are not just about film. From the hour-long red carpet pre-show to the presenters and nominees themselves, everyone is under the scrutinizing gaze of viewers and critics, not for their acting prowess, but for their sartorial choices. Every media outlet, from publications as big as The New York Times to humorous websites like Go Fug Yourself, all the way down to individual blogs, has its own obligatory post-Oscars fashion commentary. Best and worst dressed lists are compiled and no judgment is spared. Suddenly, even those who normally do not care about the fashion industry are griping about the dreadful ruffly number that so-and-so wore. Sometimes I think it gets more coverage than the awards themselves — I can’t remember off of the top of my head who won what awards at the 2001 Oscars, but I can certainly remember the details of Bjork’s infamous swan dress. With all the risks and backlash involved in making bold fashion statements, one would think that playing it safe would be just fine, right?

Wrong. The biggest critique of the 2009 Oscars was not related to Miley Cyrus’s ridiculous tiered Disney-princess-esque dress, but rather to the general dullness of the fashion. Lots of asymmetry, nude fleshy colors, fishtail hems, and a snooze-fest all around, say the critics. I do agree that Oscars fashion was a little understated this year, but maybe it’s because we’re in a recession. And regardless, there were still plenty of zany dresses to be witnessed. The best dressed, in my opinion, probably were the most boring, but at least they weren’t wearing the bizarre combination of ill-fitting dress and pants that Jessica Biel donned. Yes, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood both had pale gowns, but the architectural designs and intricate detailing were enough to keep them interesting. I could not say the same for Amy Adams’s dress, the detailing of which made the bodice look odd and awkward. Of course, this is all based on my own preferences, but considering what has ended up on best and worst dressed lists in the past, there seem to be clear guidelines for how to nail the perfect red carpet look.

No one likes costumes at the Oscars. Bjork’s swan dress falls under this category, as well as Uma Thurman’s milkmaid getup in 2004. There are plenty of other award shows where celebrities can push the standards (think J-Lo at the 2000 Grammys), but the Oscars are about as traditional as it gets. In that same vein, sheers should also be avoided. Although there can be ways of incorporating sheer fabric tastefully, such as on Halle Barry’s 2002 gown, most often it makes one look saggy and unattractive. This was the case with the gown worn by the beautiful and normally elegant Gwyneth Paltrow that same year. Lack of color can be a problem, especially when one is blending into the color of one’s dress, as was most recently exhibited by the very pale Anne Hathaway. But too much of a heinous color can also go very badly in a different direction — Whoopi Goldberg’s 1993 ensemble of bright purple and lime green was verging on both costume and just plain bad taste (the designer responsible remains unknown).

On the other hand, a smart choice of an unexpected color can elevate even simple dresses to the top of the best-dressed lists, such as Michelle Williams in saffron chiffon in 2006 and Charlize Theron in peach silk in 2000. Both were Vera Wang gowns that were bold but still retained simplistic elegance.

Perhaps even worse than the wrong color, however, is a wrong fit — if fashion is meant to celebrate the beauty of the human body, then one should not ruin an enviable figure like Scarlett Johansson did in 2005. Not every look works with every body type, so the trick is to find out what looks good and to then stick with it. Natalie Portman has worn strapless dresses with sweetheart neckline at awards shows for years now, and she never fails to look fabulous.

Who gets the blame for not following these “rules?” The actress or actor, not the stylist. Yes, actors and actresses hire stylists and have input on what they want the stylists to do, but the stylist acts as both a guide to choosing the right outfit and a buffer from the wrong one. It is the stylist’s job to make his or her client look good, and when the client doesn’t, blame can rightfully be placed. But not many stylists are household names, except for the controversial Rachel Zoe, who is probably more famous as a result of of her and her clients’ eating habits than for the actual clothes she picks out. Even so, Zoe does have it right in her dramatic description of the awards show season — it’s a “Cinderella moment” for stylists like her, as well as for designers and actors, but it’s a lot harder to create red carpet magic than it is to ruin it altogether.

Ming is a sophomore. You can reach her at mcai1@swarthmore.edu.