Best Dressed at theOscars 2026
The most stunning red carpet looks from Hollywood’s biggest night — feathers, florals, and a frankly disrespectful amount of carats
By the time Conan O’Brien took the stage at the Dolby Theatre, the real competition was already over. The 98th Annual Academy Awards red carpet had quietly crowned its winners in sequins, feathers, and an almost theatrical quantity of diamonds. From full-skirted fantasy ball gowns to sleek, body-skimming slips, the 2026 Oscars red carpet was a masterclass in haute couture ambition — unapologetically romantic, maximally jeweled, and impossible to look away from.
The Definitive List
The Best Dressed Stars of Oscars 2026
Teyana Taylor
Chanel Haute Couture · Tiffany & Co.
The unanimous favorite of the evening, Teyana Taylor delivered a look that stopped conversations and froze social feeds in their tracks. Her custom Chanel gown — the first by new creative director Matthieu Blazy — featured a semi-sheer beaded bodice embroidered with intricate black and white glass pearls and crystals, exploding into a dramatic feathered skirt that moved like smoke across the carpet.
Fashion expert Zanna Roberts Rossi noted she had worn a staggering 50 carats of diamonds in total, anchored by an 18-carat Tiffany & Co. necklace. But the detail that truly captured hearts: her children’s names were quietly embroidered into the gown itself. The full package earned an “A++” from fashion watchers worldwide.
Jessie Buckley
Custom Chanel · Best Actress Winner
Lipstick red and peony pink aren’t an obvious pairing, but Jessie Buckley and her stylist Danielle Goldberg made it look completely effortless. The Irish actress, who went on to claim the Best Actress statuette that evening, wore a strapless custom Chanel gown that was equal parts daring and deeply considered.
The look paid deliberate homage to Grace Kelly’s iconic 1956 Oscars gown — a detail that only deepened the magic once Buckley walked up to accept her award. An off-the-shoulder neckline framed the bold colour clash with architectural precision, and a red satin stole draped effortlessly behind her. History and modernity, distilled into a single dress.
Rose Byrne
Christian Dior Couture · Best Actress Nominee
Fashion insiders immediately named Rose Byrne’s Dior the “fashion girlie’s choice” for best look of the night. Her black strapless column gown by Jonathan Anderson was cut with extraordinary precision, then covered in delicate floral embroidery that read like a couture botanical ink drawing.
Her stylist Kate Young recalled that when Byrne first tried on the gown, her immediate reaction was pure wonder at wearing what felt like a garden. Bridal designer Hayley Paige was captivated by the “restraint” — the disciplined silhouette paired against embroidery so intricate, yet so sophisticated. A bold red lip and an asymmetrical statement diamond completed one of the most quietly devastating looks of the season.
Demi Moore
Custom Gucci by Demna · Presenter
“She wanted to feel like a work of art” — those were the words of stylist Brad Goreski, and it’s hard to argue the mission wasn’t accomplished. Demi Moore was among the first to arrive on the step-and-repeat, and she set the tone for the evening in a custom gown designed by Demna for Gucci.
A plume of long jet-black feathers bloomed dramatically at the bodice before transitioning into iridescent emerald-green feathers at the cinched waist, giving the gown a moody, almost otherworldly quality. Fashion expert Zanna Roberts Rossi singled out the green color and the feathers as two of the night’s defining trends — Demi wore both simultaneously. Theatrical, unmissable, and utterly original.
Emma Stone
Louis Vuitton · Bugonia Star
Proof that the most breathtaking things can also be the simplest. Emma Stone’s Louis Vuitton gown had fashion circles talking — not for its drama, but for its extraordinary craftsmanship. The shimmering white dress reportedly took 600 hours to bead by hand, and every hour was justified.
Stone wore the gown with the easy confidence of someone who understands that true luxury never needs to shout. A masterclass in understated maximalism, and one of the most technically impressive dresses of the entire awards season. The backless design with a body-skimming cut let the beadwork do all the talking — and it spoke volumes.
Anne Hathaway
Valentino Haute Couture · Bulgari Jewels
Fashion insiders called it a “showstopper,” and when you see it, you understand why. Anne Hathaway arrived in a black lace Valentino gown featuring a sculptural silhouette and the season’s defining microtrend: intricate floral embroidery that wound across the fabric like a botanical illustration.
The choice of Valentino was widely understood as a personal tribute to the late Valentino Garavani, who passed in January and was a close friend of Hathaway’s. Paired with Bulgari jewellery, the look was simultaneously mournful, magnificent, and utterly timeless — one of the most emotionally charged fashion statements of the entire evening.
Wunmi Mosaku
Louis Vuitton · David Yurman Jewels · Sinners
Nine months pregnant and arriving at the Oscars? Wunmi Mosaku made it look not just possible but utterly spectacular. The Sinners star glided onto the red carpet in a gown tailored to perfection by stylist Shameelah Hicks — bold, striking, and entirely her own.
Mosaku told Marie Claire exclusively that she had long felt excluded from the fashion industry, and that this moment represented the first time she truly felt embraced by it. Her look was a triumphant statement — proof that red carpet fashion, at its best, tells stories that go far beyond the dress. Paired with David Yurman jewels, she was the night’s most powerful presence.
Elle Fanning
Custom Givenchy · Archival Cartier Necklace
The most romantic look of the evening — and one with a deeply personal story at its heart. Elle Fanning’s custom Givenchy gown shimmered in periwinkle blue and silver, fully encrusted with hand-applied crystal embellishments that caught every flash of the evening light.
The crystals on the bodice were carefully arranged to mimic wisteria trellis patterns — the exact flowers that bloomed around Fanning’s childhood home. An archival Cartier necklace sealed the look in old Hollywood splendour. Fashion editors immediately declared it the most copied look for Spring 2026 weddings — and it’s not hard to see why.
The 2026 Oscars red carpet was the night fashion remembered it was supposed to be unapologetically, breathtakingly, historically itself.
— Grazia Magazine, March 2026
The Gentlemen
Best Dressed Men of the Evening
Timothée Chalamet
Custom Givenchy
The Best Actor nominee opted for an all-white custom Givenchy suit — a chess-piece contrast to girlfriend Kylie Jenner’s crimson Schiaparelli. The ivory blazer and wide-leg trousers were impeccably tailored, turning the entire carpet into his personal board game.
Michael B. Jordan
Custom Black Ensemble
Mirroring Chalamet’s white, Jordan went all-black — a dapper Nehru-collar button-up jacket that signaled the death of the standard necktie. Fashion TV personality Elaine Welteroth instantly named him her best-dressed man of the night.
Jacob Elordi
Bottega Veneta
The Best Supporting Actor nominee has made Bottega Veneta his go-to for significant occasions — and his tuxedo for the Oscars was sharp, considered, and quietly excellent. A modern haircut added the right note of studied nonchalance.
Paul Mescal
Celine
Arriving alongside girlfriend Gracie Abrams, Mescal in Celine offered a lesson in how to make a classic suit feel genuinely modern. A loosely slung bow tie — the breakout menswear accessory trend of the evening — was the perfect finishing touch.
Pedro Pascal
Chanel
No blazer. No tie. Just a perfectly tucked-in white shirt, his signature tiny glasses, and an enormous Chanel silk-and-feather corsage brooch at the chest. Pascal single-handedly made the bold brooch the defining menswear accessory of the 2026 awards season.
Damson Idris
Multi-Textured Long Coat
Fashion expert Elaine Welteroth had no difficulty choosing: Idris’s multi-textured long coat in a deep jewel-tone blue with fur detailing at the lapel was the most fashion-forward menswear choice of the entire night. Every detail delighted.
Fashion Report
The Biggest Trends of Oscars 2026
Trend 01
The Feather Faction
Plumes ruled the evening. Teyana Taylor in Chanel, Demi Moore in Gucci, Nicole Kidman in Chanel, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in custom Dior all embraced feathered embellishments — an homage to Old Hollywood glamour that drew a direct line back to the theatrical costumes of 1930s cinema. Even Pedro Pascal joined the flock with his Chanel corsage. 2026 was their definitive coronation.
Trend 02
Embroidered Florals
From Anne Hathaway’s Valentino to Rose Byrne’s Dior column gown, botanical embroidery was the microtrend of the season. Fashion editors at Who What Wear named it the look they’d actually copy at home this spring — a rare compliment for a red carpet trend.
Trend 03
The Green Moment
Every shade from mermaid teal to emerald had a starring role. Wunmi Mosaku in Louis Vuitton, Kate Hudson in Armani Privé mint, and Demi Moore in Gucci emerald all contributed to fashion’s declaration that green is the new red — romantic, verdant, and charged with the natural world.
Trend 04
Bridal White & Ball Gowns
Something matrimonial was in the air. Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton, Elle Fanning in Givenchy, and Gwyneth Paltrow in strapless satin all committed to the bridal white palette. Meanwhile the full-skirted fantasy brigade proved that volume, handled with precision, still reigns supreme at the Oscars.
Trend 05
Diamonds as Drama
The 2026 carpet was, in the words of Grazia, sponsored by diamonds. From Teyana Taylor’s 50 carats of Tiffany stones to Misty Copeland’s $1.8-million emerald diamond ring, the jewel game was played at the highest possible level. Brooches made a significant comeback on the men’s side.
Trend 06
Menswear Rebellion
The standard necktie was officially declared dead on arrival. Paul Mescal wore the ultra-slouchy bow tie. Michael B. Jordan went full Nehru collar. Pedro Pascal pinned a statement brooch to a white dress shirt. The collective message: dress codes exist to be creatively subverted.
Also Stunning
More Looks Worth Celebrating
Nicole Kidman
Chanel by Matthieu Blazy
Strapless column with feathered peplum
Nicole Kidman arrived as a presenter and left as a red carpet headline. Her strapless Chanel gown featured decorative feathers, crystals, and a sculptural peplum bodice. Styled by Jason Bolden, she “just leveled up,” as the internet declared.
Kate Hudson
Giorgio Armani Privé
Sparkling mint gown, architectural neckline
Best Actress nominee Kate Hudson arrived in sparkling mint Armani Privé with an architectural neckline and Garatti jewels. Accompanied by mother Goldie Hawn, the duo was singled out as the best-dressed pair by fashion expert Zanna Roberts Rossi.
Zoe Saldaña
Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello
Lace and satin slip, Cartier necklace
Saldaña made the lingerie trend look genuinely expensive. Her lace and satin Saint Laurent slip draped instead of clung, and a single breathtaking Cartier necklace made for one of the evening’s most quietly devastating moments.
Renate Reinsve
Louis Vuitton
Red monochromatic column dress
The Sentimental Value star went gloriously, unapologetically monochromatic. A strapless red Louis Vuitton dress cut from a single piece of fabric, paired with red strappy heels and a red lip, was so assured it barely needed to try.
McKenna Grace
Vera Wang
Pink sculpted ball gown
Bridal designer Hayley Paige described McKenna Grace’s pink Vera Wang as “modern princess couture” — a sculpted origami-fold skirt met a corseted bodice for something simultaneously architectural and utterly dreamy.
Chase Infiniti
Custom Louis Vuitton
Lavender gown with dramatic ruffles
Making both her Oscars debut and her first-ever film appearance, Chase Infiniti’s custom lavender Louis Vuitton gown featured cascading dramatic ruffles that trailed behind her as she walked. A star arrival by every measure.
A Night That Fashion Will Not Forget
The 98th Academy Awards red carpet reminded everyone why Hollywood’s biggest night remains fashion’s most important annual stage. Feathers floated, diamonds dazzled, embroidery bloomed, and the men finally buried the necktie. From Teyana Taylor’s 50-carat Chanel triumph to Jessie Buckley’s Grace Kelly homage to Emma Stone’s 600-hour beaded gown, this was a carpet that rewarded the details, celebrated the stories behind the clothes, and elevated fashion to exactly the level of art it deserves to occupy.