iMag Slide Show

by Ilona Braverman

As a fashionista, I can barely contain my excitement at the thought of a new year of gowns at the Academy Awards show. Year after year, actresses and ingenues walk down that red carpet at the Shrine Auditorium, with millions of eyes all over the world watching. They wear couture designed by the likes of classics such as Valentino, Lagerfeld and Dior, and newer staples like Stella McCartney, Reem Acra and Jason Wu. 

Looking through decades of Oscars fashion, dating back to the first presentations with legends like Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh, I can't help but be amazed by how stunningly beautiful some of the starlets were. No need to worry, though - our modern-day starlets don't disappoint. A-list actresses ranging from the always gorgeous Halle Berry, to Penelope Cruz and the always regal Nicole Kidman have made us ooh and ahh year after year.

We all cannot wait to see what the nominees will wear this year but, in the meantime, let's take a little tour through some of the most incredible, and sometimes confusing, fashions of Oscars history.

Presenting the Oscar for Best Costumes, Elizabeth Taylor set the standard for Hollywood royalty early on in a tiered white taffeta gown that makes all princess-inspired bridal gowns pale in comparison.

Oscar-winner Hepburn, posing with her Best Actress award for her role in "Roman Holiday," wore Givenchy as usual, which was elegant, refined and sexy, all at once.

The actress, who won an Oscar for her role in "The Country Girl," would marry Rainier III, Prince of Monaco just a month later to become Princess of Monaco.

The actress/singer, who won an award for her performance in "Funny Girl," showed the fashions of the times in an outfit designed by Scaasi, with sparkly bell bottoms and voluminous hair.

A streaker ran across the stage as British actor, David Niven, presented an award, creating one of the most famous moments in Oscars history. Immediately after, Niven quipped, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was almost bound to happen. But isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?" Later identified as Robert Opal, the streaker's gutsy display of nudity earned him a place on my list!

Pictured with Best Supporting Actor Don Ameche, Cher wore won of her many bizarre Bob Mackie designs, complete with bejeweled loincloth, and a huge feathered Mohawk headdress.

Just two years later, Best Actress winner Cher (for her role in "Moonstruck") rocked our worlds in yet another Mackie getup, this time wearing a sheer gown with strategically-placed crystal beads.

A presenter that year, Basinger couldn't even seem to put her arms down at her sides in this odd, white satin gown. Starting with the stringy hairstyle, down to the confused one-sided top and single glove, it's quite clear that the actress designed this all by herself.

Alright, exactly how cold is it in that auditorium? How else can I explain why Keaton was completely covered from head to toe, starting with a beret, down to a full-length coat, gloves and pantsuit? While I fully support the tuxedo or pantsuit option for women at awards shows (in fact, it's encouraged, if it's done right!), this all-white ensemble was a bit too much. At least show us a finger or two, Diane!

Oh, I get it. Gardiner was up for Best Costume Design for "The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert," and won, so she came to the Oscars dressed all costume-y.  Yeah, I still don't get it, actually.

Now we're talking. Wearing a Dolce & Gabbana-designed copper ball gown, the Best Actress winner LOOKED like a winner, and sexy, too.

Back when Kidman was still Tom's arm candy, she shined in this beautifully embroidered Galliano for Christian Dior shift gown. Oscars fashion often helps set trends, and as a result of Kidman and others' red carpet choices, Asian-inspired dresses became all the rage that year, as a result.

Why is this amazing? Because Sharon Stone took her husband's white button-down shirt from the GAP, tucked it into a lilac Vera Wang skirt, and looked better than everyone else, AND, she made it look easy. This is a classic Oscars fashion moment. 

If I were actually there, I would have come up to her, tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, Celine? You have the voice of an angel. And, your suit is on backwards." Luckily for her, she has one of the best singing voices ever, because this fashion flop will live for eternity in Oscars fashion history.

Best Actress winner for her role in "Shakespeare in Love," Paltrow channeled a young Grace Kelly in this perfectly-pink Ralph Lauren gown.

The Best Actress winner, for her role in "Eric Brockovich," blew everyone away in this vintage Valentino gown, placing herself on a short list of most memorable Oscar gowns of all time.

It's so tough to master a bright yellow dress (only three actually made this list), but Zellweger did it masterfully and elegantly in a lemon-yellow vintage Jean Deeses gown.

She's fun, she's quirky, she's ... wearing a bird.  She's actually wearing a swan, to be exact. The singer ruffled a few fashion feathers in this Marjan Pejoski dress, thereby firmly planting herself on the worst-dressed list for fashion eternity.

A Best Actress winner for her role in "Monster's Ball" that year, Berry was also a fashion winner in this stunning Elie Saab gown. 

While she usually gets it right, the fashion icon got a lot of flack over this support-challenged Alexander McQueen top and skirt. Ladies, this just goes to show that no matter how blonde, tall and thin you are, you just can't make some things work.

The actress put the then-unknown designer, Ben de Lisi, on the map with this beautiful red gown.

I really, really want to just focus my attention on the sexy, pink Versace gown. I really, really do. But it's so hard with that awful hair, which reminds me of the Cowardly Lion from "The Wizard of Oz." 

It's difficult to look this gorgeous and glowing when you're almost nine-months pregnant unless you're Catherine Zeta-Jones, who achieved it effortlessly. The Best Supporting Actress winner, for her role in "Chicago," looked gorgeous in a chocolate-brown Versace gown.

A double-nominee that year (for her roles in "The Hours" and "Far From Heaven"), the beautiful actress wore a Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche gown, which perfectly complemented her red hair, cementing her place on best dressed lists everywhere.

Arriving in full "Bennifer" mode, the actress made up for the hair debacle of the year prior and got her fashion mojo back in this sari-style green Valentino gown.

This is amazing, because it's part Swiss Miss, part Tibetan goddess, part too-much-fabric. One thing's for sure, it's all parts no good. The usually ethereal, gorgeous Thurman just plain got it wrong with this confused Prada ensemble.

Just wows across the board. Wow, for the glimmering Gucci gown. Wow, for the glamorous 40s-style curls. Wow, for her glowing skin, which offset it all perfectly. Theron won that year for her role in "Monster," for which she gained 20 pounds and looked almost-unrecognizable, but the South African beauty bounced back quite nicely for Oscar night. Wow.

Kidman, who presented at the Oscars that year, looked regal and stunning in this gray Chanel gown.

It takes serious fashion sense, and a fabulous figure, to pull off a body-hugging white dress on the red carpet, and Lane did it so beautifully in a Grecian-inspired, bejeweled Azzaro number.

It's easy to see why many have called this fiery, rich-red Atelier Versace gown unforgettable and iconic. 

The Best Actress winner, for her role in "Million Dollar Baby," looked sexy and stunning in a navy blue Guy Laroche backless gown that only someone with an incredible figure could pull off this stunningly well.

Cate Blanchett wowed fashion critics all over the world in this vibrant Valentino gown, and she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, to boot.

Williams erased all memories of her days on "Dawson's Creek" that year, both with her Oscar-nominated performance in "Brokeback Mountain," and especially with this stunning, bold yellow Vera Wang gown. The bold red lip added the perfect touch of glam to the ensemble.

The Best Actress winner for her role in "Walk the Line" looked simply dazzling in a vintage Christian Dior gown, which she apparently had restored after she found it in a vintage store in Paris.

A Best Actress nominee for her role in "Pride and Prejudice," the gorgeous young starlet looked fabulous in a burgundy, taffeta Vera Wang gown.

Alba showed off her gorgeous figure in a glittery Versace gold dress, which was both sophisticated and elegant, placing her at the top of most best-dressed lists that year.

Cruz was a standout in a blush-pink Atelier Versace gown, which she topped off perfectly with Chopard diamonds and a Swarovski clutch.  A special mention goes out to that stunning train, which seemed to go on and on.

Newly separated from then-husband Ryan Phillippe, Witherspoon simmered in a hot Nina Ricci tie-dye gown.  The chic gown finished off Witherspoon's awards-season fashion run that left everyone talking.

Some may not love this Chanel Haute Couture gown, but I think Cruz, who always seems to make exciting fashion choices during awards season, looked gorgeous and fashion forward in this black strapless gown.

The Best Actress nominee (for her role in "Changeling") showed how you can make a beautiful black dress exciting, simply with the right accessory. Offsetting a black strapless Elie Saab gown with 115-carat emerald earrings from Lorraine Schwartz, Jolie instantly made herself a standout (although she hardly ever needs huge gems to accomplish that).

She didn't win the Oscar that year (for "Rachel Getting Married"), but she did win a spot at the top of best-dressed lists everywhere wearing a statuesque Armani Prive gown.

The "Avatar" actress received mixed reviews for her over-the-top Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci gown, but it was a daring, bold choice and for that she should be commended. It was unique, and it remains a standout among the many monochromatic, predictable dresses that walked the red carpet that year.

A presenter that year, Diaz put a new spin on old-school glamour in this Oscar de la Renta gown, topped off beautifully with bright lips and voluminous locks.

The Oscar-winning star (for her starring role in "Black Swan"), showed off her baby bump in an empire-waisted Rodarte gown.

The beautiful "Black Swan" star combined elegant and sexy in a plunging lilac Elie Saab Haute Couture gown, in one of the best looks of the night.

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