Every year, the Oscars attract the biggest names in the industry to celebrate the best in cinema. The show has been especially significant for the fashion industry as it gives fashion designers a platform to showcase their talent. Celebrity red carpet outfits have been the talk of the town ever since the Academy Awards were first instituted. This year too, Best Dresses Oscars 2021 trended throughout the season.  Some of the Best Dresses Oscars 2021 this year were Zendaya in a stunning yellow Valentino creation, Laura Dern in an unusual contrasting Oscar de la Renta feather dress and Viola Davis in an elegant floor-length white Alexander McQueen gown. The latter is set to become a trendsetter for brides in 2021. Carey Mulligan in a golden Valentino also stole the show this Oscars season.

Several Oscar outfits have become trendsetters over the years. They have catapulted the designer and actors wearing the label to fame. Many of these outfits are regarded as iconic. 

Here are the five best Oscars dresses that captured the eye of fashion designers around the world.

1. Gwyneth Paltrow, 1999

This dress designed by Ralph Lauren became synonymous with Gwyneth Paltrow’s tearful acceptance speech at the 1999 Academy Awards.  Baby pink with a V-shaped neckline, this gown was paired with a silver diamond choker by Harry Winston along with diamond earrings. She won the Best Actress Award for Shakespeare in Love at the ceremony and was credited for bringing pink back into style.

2. Julia Roberts, 2001

The inspiration for all black dresses to follow, this Valentino dress had the world staring wide-eyed when Julia Roberts wore it in 2001. This floor-length dress had a single white stripe running down its black front, before splitting into thin straps. The night was a milestone for both the designer and the wearer. Julia Roberts won Best Actress for Erin Brockovich, and Valentino many years later called seeing her in the dress the highlight of his career. This kind of praise truly puts it in the list of best Oscar dresses worn. Not dissimilar to praise heaped on Carey Mulligan in Valentino, for one of the Best Dresses Oscars 2021.

3. Halle Berry, 2002

The next year’s awards saw another spectacular dress gracing its carpet, now in the form of Halle Berry’s embroidered red dress by Ellie Saab. The dress was exquisite, with the top half made of light mesh with a swirl of flowers embroidered across, and the bottom half a red flowing satin skirt. Worn while winning Best Actress for Monster’s Ball, the dress is now iconic and historic since it was worn by the first black winner of the award. The dress is now known as the “original naked dress” and has inspired hundreds of red carpet gowns after. 

4. Angelina Jolie, 2012

This was one of the first dresses to find a home in the halls of fame of both the fashion world and popular culture. Angelina Jolie’s Atelier Versace gown truly stood out. She attended the 2012 Academy Awards, and wore the dress with one pale leg famously sticking out, and it is now one of the best dresses Oscars has seen. While some may find her pose amusing and a tad unnecessary, there is no doubt the dress is iconic now.

5. Lupita Nyong'o, 2014

Simple yet sophisticated, this baby blue dress by Prada looked ethereal on Lupita Nyong’o at the 2014 Oscars. Collecting the Best Supporting Actress trophy for 12 Years a Slave, this first-time nominee had heads turning with her pleated silk gown. Many media outlets were quick to praise the dress, calling it “princess-like” and gushing over the fantastic Nairobi blue. The outfit was not dissimilar to Regina King’s pale blue Louis Vuitton which catapulted her to the Best Dresses Oscars 2021 list.

Conclusion

Picking the best dresses from an array of mesmerizing outfits worn in the award show’s rich history can be a difficult task. But there is no doubt that these five are absolutely iconic, and some of the Oscars’ best dresses. With each upcoming ceremony, the choice becomes more difficult, as the dresses become more exquisite by the year. 

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