I guess it’s about time I rally and write about all the fab fashion that happened at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. Thankfully, the celebs came out and proved to make much better choices than those who showed up at the Grammys, and I commend them for it. Some obvious trends from the red carpet: nudes, sparkles, cap-sleeves, higher necklines, lower necklines, and bright red for spring!

Hits

Amy Adams

A lot of people were not too fond of Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominee, Amy Adams’ choice of dress, but personally, I feel like she can do no wrong. Okay, I take that back…I hate the jewelry she has on, but otherwise this L’Wren Scott dress looks absolutely amazing on her, is a gorgeous color, and had just the right amount of glam for the Oscars. Way to go Amy!

Hailee Steinfeld

Best Actress in a Supporting Role nominee, Hailee Steinfeld, had on one of my favorite dresses of the night! A custom-designed (that she helped design, by the way) nude Marchesa ballgown, accessorized with no jewelry, a small clutch and a headband, was totally age appropriate for the 14-year old actress who was quoted in Parade saying “‘I don’t know many designers,’ when asked, several weeks before the show, what kind of dress she want[ed] to wear. ‘As long as it’s fun and really special!’” Special, indeed, Miss Steinfeld…designing your own dress for your first Academy Awards!

Halle Berry

When Halle Berry first appeared on the red carpet in this number, I thought, “Oh no! Not again with another bad dress Halle! You’re better than that,” after her atrocity at the SAG awards that looked like a nightgown someone had forgotten to finish sewing. It wasn’t until Halle got on stage to present the Lena Horne commemoration at the show that I realized how gorgeous this Marchesa dress actually was. Halle, you’ve redeemed yourself for now…but be careful!

Mandy Moore

Another one of my favorite dressed celebs was Mandy Moore, who made an appearance to perform a song that was nominated for an award. Looking glowing, gorgeous and very svelte in a sparkling, nude Monique Lhuillier gown, with a pop of color on her lips, Mandy definitely made a comeback from her bedridden character (who was killed off in her second episode appearance) on Grey’s Anatomy.

Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank has really been hitting the nail on the head with her fashion choices lately! She looked incredible at the SAG awards, and does it again in this beaded and feathered grey Gucci dress. I love, love, love!!

Jennifer Hudson

Another lovely lady making tons of excellent fashion choices in the recent weeks is definitely Jennifer Hudson, who has been accessorizing her new, slim figure with some of the most fabulous dresses she can possibly find! She looks ravishing in this low v-neck, tangerine-colored Versace, and damn, does that girl look happy or what?! I want some of her happy pills. Seriously.

Marisa Tomei

Another dress I seriously adored was Marisa Tomei’s a vintage, 1950s-era navy gown by Charles James from Lily et Cie. She always makes such interesting choices, which occasionally flop–but at least the girl takes a risk! This one paid off for her. The color was gorgeous, and the simplicity of the dress until the hip really ups the “wow” factor of unexpected burst of tulle at the bottom.

Natalie Portman

FINALLY NATALIE PORTMAN!! Finally!! I’ve been waiting for you to make a good choice at an awards show for 2 months now!!! I’m so proud of you. Natalie looks stunning in this violet/plum color child Rodarte dress with Swarovski crystals around the neckline. The dress is seriously the most perfect color on her. Ever. And…it hides the growing baby bump (while still showing that you’re obviously pregnant). It just looks so much more comfortable than her SAG dress, and so much more put together than her Golden Globes dress. I’m so happy to have her back on my best dressed list. THANK YOU!

Michelle Williams

Best Actress in a Leading Role nominee, Michelle Williams, definitely redeemed herself in this striking Chanel gown from the Golden Globes awards where she opted for some whimsically ugly daisy-covered Valentino gown. This dress didn’t photograph well, but the closeups of the beading on this dress are just absolutely stunning.

Mila Kunis

Last, but certainly not least, Mila Kunis in a peekaboo, lilac-colored Elie Saab gown takes the cake. The combination of lace and ruffles, with the lace detail on the bust was sweet and sexy at the same time, which oozed a great deal of glamor for the Oscars. I love this dress!

Misses

Cate Blanchett

I’m not sure what everyone “loves” about this couture Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci dress. From the waist down the dress looks lovely, but it looks like the bust is missing something critical and the squared-off shoulders threw me for a loop! And the back was really pretty…but it was too tight, because it created back-fat overhang that the obviously, very svelte Cate Blanchett, doesn’t normally have.

Jennifer Lawrence

Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominee, Jennifer Lawrence was the first nominee to hit the carpet. At first I thought she looked great in this super simple red Calvin Klein gown, and then as I started reading through Twitter, someone commented, “it looks like the Baywatch bathing suits were repurposed to make her gown.” Damn, straight: They were right. Jennifer Lawrence looked as though she should be running through the sand carrying her buoy-thing to save some drowing hottie, just like Pam Anderson. Poor kid, better luck next time.

Melissa Leo

Winner of Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Melissa Leo looked like an absolute mess, just like her acceptance speech, in this hideous lace-layer over-metallic Marc Bouwer gown. I’m not sure what happened…did the doilies on the end tables and Christmas wrapping paper have a child? Nothing about this dress is right–the neck is too high, the sleeves are too stiff.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman has been so disappointing lately. While everyone loved her gown at the Grammys, I thought she looked like a trainwreck, and this beaded, printed…peacock-esque Christian Dior dress is no exception. As far as I’m concerned, nothing about this dress works, and it does nothing for her.

Penelope Cruz

As she and hubby Javier Bardem sashayed down the red carpet, all anyone could gasp about Penelope Cruz was how great she looked after just giving birth a few weeks ago. I’m sorry, but she still has major baby weight going, it shows in this L’Wren Scott dress and the dress looks like something a Vegas showgirl would wear. I think Penelope could’ve gone with a far more flattering dress to accomodate the baby weight she hasn’t lost quite yet. Sorry, P!

Reese Witherspoon

It pains me to put Reese Witherspoon on my worst dressed list because normally I’d consider her a style icon, one who I’ve often tried to emulate. And she’s one of my favorite actresses. While I like how “fresh” she tried to be channeling Brigette Bardot with her hair-do, there was something all off about her. The hair was way too 50′s, and her Giorgio Armani Prive gown looked very similar to a vintage Valentino that Julia Roberts wore just a few years ago.

Scarlett Johansson

Oh, ScarJo…what is this Dolce & Gabbana mess you’re wearing? The peek-a-boo lace clearly is not as tasteful as what Mila Kunis managed to pull off, and I just can’t appreciate the black undergarments happening under the gown. While I admit her bravery in wearing this, it just doesn’t work. In addition to the dress not working, her eyeshadow is completely not even in the right color family, and her hair was a hot mess…no really…she looked like she just rolled out of bed.

Well, friends, that’s about it for awards show season! Who were your faves–best and worst dressed? What did you think of the “Frankaway” (yeah, someone named Anne Hathaway and James Franco, Frankaway. I kind of love it.) hosts?