The Most Memorable Oscars Dresses of All Time

Stone heralded the return of the peplum dress at the 2024 Oscars where, when accepting the trophy for Best Actress, she hilariously reacted to her Louis Vuitton look breaking along the zipper. She handled the snafu like a pro.

Rihanna arrived at the 95th Academy Awards on March 12th, 2023 wearing a sheer, latex halter top with an elongated train from Alaïa—but not for long. The star and soon-to-be mother of two changed into a glittering Maison Margiela number to perform her Oscar-nominated song “Lift Me Up” from the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Nicole Kidman embodied red carpet chic in this sequined gown from Armani Privé—a look that also featured one of the biggest trends of the night: rosettes.

...and a different kind of red carpet chic from Cate Blanchett, who wore custom Louis Vuitton. The asymmetric velvet blouse comes from a never-before-seen archival LV collection; the actress paired it with a jet black skirt made from sustainable silk.

A Sharon Stone reference? We love to see it. At the 2022 Academy Awards, Zendaya wore a satin cropped button-down and a sequined silver column skirt with a bustle train on the back reminiscent of Stone’s famous Oscar ensemble from 1998—comprised of a Gap button down and a purple satin Vera Wang shirt.

Jessica Chastain clearly had Tammy Faye, the character she embodied for The Eyes of Tammy Faye (which, incidentally, won her the Best Actress Oscar) in mind when she wore a custom Gucci gown—which channeled Alessandro Michele’s vision for his spring 2022 collection—to the 2022 Oscars.

Billie Eilish attended the 2022 Oscars—where she and her brother Finneas received the award for Best Original Song—in full reverence of the Goth community. (She did the very same one week later at the Grammys.)

Zendaya channeled Cher in this bright yellow Valentino dress at the 2021 Academy Awards.

Not only is Portman’s Dior dress from the 2020 Oscars classic Maria Grazia Chiuri, but the added addition of the embroidered edge of the overcoat, which features the names of snubbed female directors, turned the look into a feminist statement.

Monáe wore Ralph Lauren to the 2020 Oscars—a hooded gown comprised of 168,000 Swarovski crystals that required 600 hours of hand embroidery to construct.

Chan’s place in the red carpet canon has only gone up since she wore this bubble gum pink Valentino gown to the Academy Awards in 2019.

In 2019, Gaga donned custom Alexander McQueen and a 128-carat diamond necklace by Tiffany & Co. that has only been worn by three other people, including Beyoncé and Audrey Hepburn.

Lopez managed to stand out while sticking to her usual aesthetic in this disco ball-inspired Tom Ford column dress at the 2019 Academy Awards

Fonda proved herself to be a worthy member of the Balmain Army at the 2018 Academy Awards.

In 2018, Moreno walked the Oscars red carpet in the same black and gold gown she wore to the Oscars in 1962, when she took home the award for Best Supporting Actress.

Blanchett stunned in this sea-foam Armani Privé gown at the 2016 Academy Awards.

The Alaïa dress—and gloves—Gaga wore to the 2015 Award ceremony inspired a thousand memes.

The Euphoria actress fielded unsavory commentary about her choice to wear her hair in locs to the 2015 awards, where she stunned in Vivienne Westwood.

Lawrence’s Dior gown at the 2013 awards will be remembered for many reasons—it’s gorgeous structure, yes, but also the major fall she took while walking on stage in it to accept her award.

The Us actress looked like Cinderella in Prada at the 2014 Academy Awards.

Streep looked jaw-dropping in this beautifully draped Lanvin dress at the 2012 Oscars.

At the 84th Annual Academy Awards, Paltrow wowed in a caped Tom Ford column gown.

Many have tried to recreate the leg moment this dress allowed from Jolie at the 84th Annual Academy Awards in 2012, but so far, no one has succeeded.

Lawrence could have gone big for her first Oscars in 2011, but instead she said so much more in this beautifully simple Calvin Klein dress.

The actress chose an Atelier Versace gown for the 79th Annual Academy Awards in 2007.

Cotillard stunned at the 80th Annual Academy Awards in 2008 wearing Jean Paul Gaultier couture.

Kidman’s Balenciaga gown with a bow detail at the back of the neck from the 2007 Oscars proved that stars shouldn’t be afraid to wear red on the carpet.

The real magic of this Guy Laroche dress comes from the complete open back, which Swank showed off at the 77th Annual Academy Awards in 2005.

Lopez wore this one-shoulder mint green dress to the 75th Annual Academy Awards in 2003.

To collect her Best Actress award—as the first Black woman ever to do so—Berry wore a sheer Elie Saab gown at the 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002.

We know. We can’t believe it’s taken this long into the gallery to get to Julia Roberts wearing Valentino at the 2001 Oscars, either.

To really drive the point home at the 2001 Oscars, Björk mimicked giving birth to an egg on the red carpet wearing this unforgettable Marjan Pejoski dress.

At the 71st Annual Academy Awards in 1999 Blanchett opted for this intricate John Galliano dress with an open back.

Paltrow was wearing this iconic Ralph Lauren gown to the Oscars in 1999 when she took home the award for Best Actress.

Who could forget the backward Dior tuxedo at the 71st Annual Academy Awards in 1999?

Ever the envelope-pusher, Stone wore a Gap shirt paired with a Vera Wang skirt to the 70th Annual Academy Awards in 1998.

No one was as cool as Ryder in the ‘90s. Case in point: this black beaded Chanel dress she wore to the Oscars in 1997.

Tiara or no tiara, Hayek still looked like a princess in this Armani column dress in 1997.

At the 69th Annual Academy Awards in 1997, Kidman would forever change red carpet dressing by sporting this flawless, devastating silk gown in iridescent chartreuse that immediately appalled Joan Rivers and upstaged Tom Cruise.

The Pulp Fiction actress was nominated for her role in Quentin Tarantino’s film in 1995—but it was her lilac Prada dress designed by Barbar Tfank that made headlines following that year’s Academy Awards.

Madonna wore Bob Mackie and $20 million worth of Harry Winston diamonds at the 63rd Annual Academy Awards in 1991.

Who could forget Cher’s one-of-a-kind Bob Mackie headpiece from the 1986 Oscars?

The only way Ross could have made this beaded, sheer gown more fabulous was by adding a fur stole, just as she did in 1982.

The actress, known for her golden blonde locks, chose slinky and metallic for the 1978 Academy Awards.

Hutton’s sherbert-colored Halston gown she wore to the awards in 1975 is the epitome of ‘70s fashion.

The Roman Holiday star stuck with her go-to designer of the era, Givenchy, in 1975.

Kim Kardashian recreated this look, which Cher wore to the 45th Annual Academy Awards in 1973, for Halloween.

Streisand shocked some when she accepted her Best Actress Award in sequin see-through bell-bottom pants with a matching top at the 1969 Academy Awards.

Kelly wore mint Givenchy at the 1955 Oscars, where she won Best Actress for her role in the 1954 film The Country Girl.