Published in the Leeds Student:
Last night’s highly anticipated 84th Academy Awards was the glamorous finale to a whirlwind month of red carpet events including the BRITS, Golden Globes Awards and many star-studded parties in between.
Lana Del Ray picked up her International Breakthrough Act BRIT award in a gorgeous red dress and then the award ceremonies carried on in style across the pond. The Beckhams were bastions of British fashion at the Vanity Fair party and at Elton John’s party, Heidi Klum highlighted this spring’s neon trend in a fluorescent yellow mini-dress.
The Oscar’s red carpet saw a lot of stunning floor length numbers by a vast array of fashion designers. Gowns were in a multitude of colours, from feminine pastels to show stopping reds. Whites and pastels were the most popular choice, Gwyneth Paltrow exuded simple elegance in a Tom Ford dress and Cameron Diaz wore a stunning fish-tailed Gucci gown. Emma Stone went for a demure dress in a stunning red whereas Angelina Jolie’s black velvet Atelier Versace dress thigh high split drew much attention. Glenn Close’s bustier dress teamed with a tuxedo jacket flattered her enviable figure.
Old Hollywood glamour was present among the stars; Milla Jovovich and Penelope Cruz both wore timeless feminine numbers but Natalie Portman chose real vintage with a 1954 haute couture Christian Dior gown. The Artist picked up an Oscar for Costume Design so it was no surprise that the most popular man in Hollywood at the moment, Jean Dujardin, looked as suave as ever. However, the night was almost stolen by the furrier members of the audience, Miss Piggy was dressed in Zac Posen and Uggie the dog wore an 18 carat gold bone bowtie. After this visual feast of sartorial elegance, next year’s Oscars can’t come soon enough.
Babette Radclyffe-Thomas 