The 98th Academy Awards, commonly known as The Oscars, took place last night. Celebrating the cinema and the rigorous work that goes behind it, the night was marked with historic moments, cheeky comedy bits, and glamorous fashion. Speaking on the latter, here are some of our favourite looks.
Most stars this year went the strapless neckline route, opting for dresses and gowns with a simple tube neckline. Nicole Kidman appeared in a Chanel gown, which on first glance looked like a two-piece set. The bodice and skirt were bright with champagne pink feathers that fluttered into a small train. Whereas Anne Hathaway took a darker route in a Valentino Haute Couture black velvet dress, a tribute to the late designer. Hand-painted pink satin floral embroidery stood out against the black, while black opera gloves tied the look together. While the slightly raised hemline raised eyebrows, the floral train that followed counteracts the asymmetry. Another actress who took a darker turn with her outfit was Demi Moore, who appeared in a striking feathered Gucci gown. Paired with earrings from Boucheron, it allowed the dress to speak for itself, leaving behind the right amount of bling. And our final favourite tube gown look came from Elle Fanning, who wore a Givenchy piece by Sarah Burton. Almost like a wedding dress, the drop waist princess gown made Fanning look absolutely angelic! While strapless necklines aren’t exactly the modest dresser’s first choice, we can easily make this look modest fashion-friendly with a capelet, bolero, or scarf, especially since the straight hemline leaves behind a blank canvas to work with.
However, the red carpet wasn’t completely devoid of modest wear. Actress Amy Madigan snagged the award for Best Supporting Actress in a stunning gold and black Dior jacket. Whereas actress Maya Rudolph’s look for the night was a fluttery tiered black dress from Chanel’s pre-fall 2026 collection. And actress Sigourney Weaver also went the gilded route, wearing a gold Valentino gown paired with minimalistic jewellery from Buccellati.
Actress Saja Kilani stepped on the carpet wearing Saudi designer Ziyad Buainain. The black gown focused on a high neckline and a sweeping train that Kilani carried, almost cocooning herself. On her left, an Artists4Ceasefire pin, continuing the conversation about the current regional conflict and subsequent Palestinian genocide.
This was also the season where those behind the scenes came forward with the best fashion serves. Costume Designer Miyako Bellizzi made her red carpet appearance in a vintage Dior gown, simple jewellery and a high bun to fully emphasise the high neckline.
Whereas singer Audrey Nuna from K-pop Demon Hunters fame took the movie’s song Golden quite literally. Coordinating her look with fellow castmates, EJAE and Rei Ami, Nuna appeared in a custom Thom Browne jacket and skirt. The fitted black jacket is embellished with gold beads (which also appear on her nails!) before fading into a black, larger-than-life skirt.
And finally, cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw took a more masculine turn with her outfit. Wearing a black suit paired with an intricately embroidered Thom Browne jacket, Arkapaw made history as the first woman and the first woman of colour to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography.
When it came to hair and makeup this year, makeup was kept relatively minimalistic while hair fell into two trends: half-up dos and chic pixies and bobs. Sporting half-up dos were Anne Hathaway, Bella Thorne, Auliʻi Cravalho, and Isha Ambani, among others. Whereas Zendaya, Gracie Abrams, Emma Stone, and Teyana Taylor were all rocking super short pixies and bobs.
Sweeping side parts were also prevalent this year, marking a change in hair trends from the middle part. Stars like Mikey Madison, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas all let the hair down with a side part, taking up all the attention. While Nicole Kidman and Chase Infiniti stuck to the standard middle part, along with loose waves, bringing that effortlessly chic energy to the carpet.
