Nicole Kidman has donned quite a few unforgettable gowns at the Oscars—whether she's presenting, accepting an award, or just walking the red carpet—but this vivid red dress stands out in our minds the most. When Nicole arrived at the 2007 Academy Awards in this bright red Balenciaga number, the world stood still for a moment. It still kind of takes your breath away when you see it.
While red is a popular color on the red carpet, no one pulls it off quite like Nicole. This gown was absolutely ethereal on her tall form; and even though the gown didn't show much skin (it literally ties around her neck into a bow and falls down her back), it still managed to be effortlessly beautiful.
Click through to see more unforgettable dresses from the Academy Awards over the years!
This dress by itself is nothing special; but as soon as Angie stuck her leg out of that thigh-high slit, an iconic red carpet moment was born.
This dress and pose combo has been recreated several times since the 2012 Oscars, but no one can pull it off quite like Angelina does.
Talk about a total surprise…Zoe Kravitz’s 2022 Oscar look was a blush-pink Saint Laurent gown with a stylized knot on the bodice. This gown stops perfectly at the floor and drapes neatly on her small frame. We know Zoe for her edgy style, but this look marries her style with a Hepburn-like expression.
The soft color of this gown pops on Zoe’s olive skin tone. Her hair and makeup take this look to a whole new level. The girlish glam lets the look speak for itself. Every aspect brings just enough to the eye, and altogether it finishes out this soft glamour look.
Kate had all eyes on her at the 2014 Oscars when she wore this Atelier Versace gown that made her look like she stepped out of the golden age of Hollywood.
The off-white dress was tasteful and refined, which makes it one of our all-time favorites!
Janelle Monae's 2020 Oscar's Red Carpet dress was nothing short of iconic. Stepping onto the carpet in a shimmering silver ensemble, she captivated all with her futuristic elegance. The dress featured a striking hood, adding an avant-garde touch that set her apart.
Every detail was meticulously crafted, from the perfectly fitted bodice to the sleek sleeves, adorned with diamond-like studs that sparkled under the lights.
Tiffany finally hung up her famous awards dress and swapped it for this absolutely drop-dead gorgeous green Dolce & Gabbana gown in 2022. This strapless dress looks like it was made for her body in mind. The emerald green looks delicious next to her skin, and what says red carpet like a gown studded with crystals?
She styled this gown perfectly. Her jewelry was simple yet bold. She wore a Pomellato necklace and a sit of diamond rings that look like they cost a fortune. She’s rocking short platinum hair with this look, and if you ask us…she’s embodying old Hollywood glamour.
Cher wasn't nominated for an Academy Award in 1973, but she stole the show anyway in this now-iconic gold ensemble.
"Best Abs" clearly isn't a real category, but if it were she would have taken home the prize that night!
Lupita first came on the scene in 2014 for her work in "12 Years a Slave," and we were all floored by her Cinderella-esque, Prada masterpiece of a gown. The light blue, floaty fabric complemented her skin tone flawlessly. We would give anything to get our hands on this dress!
Jessica Chastain is just statuesque. In 2022 she all but won the red carpet with her Oscars look. Her fair skin tone looks stunning with this pastel lavender and champagne gown. This custom Gucci gown had gorgeous movement on the red carpet and if you ask us, this perfectly suits Jessica.
We love these soft colors melting into each other at the waistline. At this Oscars ceremony, Jessica was nominated for her portrayal of Tammy Faye Baker. This gown screams Tammy Faye, and we love that she paid tribute to her on the red carpet.
This look is from the 1992 Oscars red carpet, but Geena wasn't letting that ruin her '80s prom queen vibe!
Twitter was abuzz after Anne Hathaway hit the 2013 Oscars red carpet in this blush pink gown.
At first glance it's a pretty little number, but then you see...the point(s).
Zendaya’s stardom is on the rise! She’s become a style icon on the Hollywood A-list and her 2022 two-piece silhouette solidifies that fact. In this look, we have a stunning silver beaded skirt that hugs her curves perfectly. The skirt stops perfectly at the floor and trains behind her for an elegant finish.
On the top, we have a creamy collared crop top with peeking cut-outs on the sides. She always gives a unique twist to her red carpet looks, but this set of separates is a total knockout! Zendaya knows fashion, this subtle, almost ‘90s supermodel glam is to die for!
Unlike Anne Hathaway's accidental accentuation of her...assets...
Charlize Theron made no mistakes or apologies in this purple gown at the 2010 Oscars red carpet.
Grace Kelly was the human embodiment of fashion and style, and the 1955 Oscars red carpet was a testament to that.
When we saw Cynthia Erivo’s 2022 Oscar look we audibly gasped! This Louis Vuitton two-peice gown is fierce on Cynthia! The dimensions of this silhouette are powerful and commanding, and we love the play on menswear on the red carpet.
In all black with satin accents, you could tell that she felt confident…if not superior in this ensemble! The sparkling buttons and cufflinks add the perfect amount of bling to this outfit, elevating it to a whole new level. Her smokey eye and short hair bring this smoldering look to a perfect finish.
Penelope stole the show at the 2007 Academy Awards when she wore this blush, Atelier Versace gown.
This gown hugged her body in all the right places and somehow made ruffles look chic and elegant, which is something we never thought we’d see in our lifetime!
Helena is known for wearing outfits that are out of left field, but this velvet and taffeta gown made by costume designer, Colleen Atwood, takes the cake!
While she wore this trainwreck to the 2011 Academy Awards, we can all probably agree that this bizarre piece would fit in much better in a Tim Burton movie.
Queen Bey is known for her amazing and sometimes outrageous style choices, but one of our favorite looks is the Atelier Versace black velvet gown that she wore in 2005.
This look is simpler than most, but that’s what makes it unbelievably gorgeous to us.
At the 2010 Academy Awards, Zoe Saldana looked like she got lost on her way to her high school’s prom.
Her fluffy, purple Givenchy dress had an awkward slit and a weird ombre that made her look like a DIY gone wrong.
At the 2002 Academy Awards, Faith sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and wore a dress to match.
This pastel, rainbow-colored Versace disaster will live in infamy as one of the ugliest dresses to ever appear on the red carpet.
Audrey Hepburn's 1975 Oscar's Red Carpet dress remains an iconic and unforgettable piece, seamlessly blending elements of the 60s mod era with a timeless elegance. The gown exudes Hepburn's signature charm, featuring a coquettish bow positioned at the center of the bodice, adding a touch of girlish allure.
Evoking the mod trend of the 60s and the free-spiritedness of the 70s, Hepburn's ensemble epitomizes the fashion sensibilities of the era. The dress's clean lines and classic silhouette encapsulate Hepburn's enduring influence on style, cementing her status as a fashion icon for generations to come.
Olivia Newton-John's 1989 Oscars Red Carpet dress epitomized 80s glamour with its distinctive features. Adorned in lace, the gown boasted exaggerated elements typical of the era, including voluminous sleeves and intricate detailing. Newton-John complemented the ensemble with the quintessential 80s accessory: big hair, adding to the dramatic flair of her look.
A statement brooch served as a sophisticated accent, highlighting her refined taste. With this ensemble, Newton-John seamlessly blended elegance with the boldness of 80s fashion trends, making a memorable entrance that showcased her timeless style and enduring influence on red carpet fashion.
Gwyneth's style has improved, but we will never forget her Alexander McQueen dress from 2002. It was basically a see-through tank top and a voluminous maxi skirt sewn together in the worst way. But her 1999 dress was iconic and beautiful.
Designed by Ralph Lauren, the dress captivated attention with its simplicity yet striking silhouette, epitomizing timeless Hollywood glamour. That year, Paltrow won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Shakespeare in Love, solidifying her talent and status as one of Hollywood's leading actresses.
At the 2004 Oscars, Uma Thurman donned a Christian Lacroix creation.
Unfortunately, it appeared she would fit in more as a milkmaid in the Bavarian Alps than on the red carpet.
There's something about the chaos of Billy Porter's Giles Deacon Couture outfit at the 2020 Oscars that makes us want more. We've never seen someone pull off "phoenix rising from the ashes" so effortlessly.
The 24-karot gold-foiled feathered top deserves to be placed in a museum. The attention to detail in the top is breathtaking and when paired with the orange printed skirt, the outfit was simply iconic.
I don't think anything has ever represented the '90s quite as well as this classy black getup did at the 1991 Oscars.
It's a beautifully shining black paired with pearls and complementary hairstyles. It evokes Princess Diana's "revenge dress" in the best way!
Angelina made her first big impression as a style icon when she wore this Marc Bouwer white satin gown to the Academy Awards in 2004.
This dress had a stunning plunge and grazed over her body flawlessly. She looked like a Grecian goddess.
No one does classy-but-insanely-smoldering quite like Jennifer Lopez does.
This dramatic white gown at the 2010 Oscars red carpet stole the show.
Natalie Portman's 2020 Oscars red carpet attire spoke volumes as she donned a powerful black cape adorned with embroidered names of overlooked female directors. This bold fashion statement served as a poignant reminder of the glaring lack of diversity and representation within Hollywood.
By showcasing the names of talented women sidelined by the industry, Portman amplified the call for gender equality and inclusion on one of the world's most prominent stages. Her cape became a symbol of solidarity with the #MeToo movement and ignited crucial conversations about systemic biases, urging for meaningful change in the entertainment landscape.
Lizzy Gardiner is a costume designer. Who designed her own dress for the 1995 Oscars. Out of American Express Gold Cards.
...No, literally. We weren't joking!
In 2001, Bjork took the tulle trend a bit too far when she wore a dress that had white tulle at the bottom and what looked like a dead swan’s head wrapped around her neck.
We only wish we could forget this design disaster by Marjan Pejoski ever happened!
Mindy Kaling in Dolce & Gabbana at the 2020 Oscars is the best look she's ever given us. She is a vision in that shade of yellow, a bright light in a dark year.
The form-fitting dress gives her a beautiful shape, but the show-stopper is her statement necklace. It's bold without being gaudy, and it's everything we never knew we needed from her.
This purple dress is super cute...for a teenage girl's prom in 1999.
But you know Tyra; she can take a prom dress and make it fashion.
The 2020 Oscars gave us a lot of jaw-dropping looks, but this did it for all the wrong reasons. Gal Gadot in Givenchy Haute Couture felt like a child who was given free rein to choose their outfit.
Gadot is a natural beauty, but this dress (and choice of accessories) did her no favors. The black lacy top was a good start, but the pink tulle bottom took it from couture to comedy. Not to mention the giant necklace on top felt completely out of place.
Kate Winslet always keeps it classy and graceful on the red carpet...
The 2002 Oscars was clearly no exception.
Truthfully, Kristen Wiig in Christian Louboutin at the 2020 Oscars is a look that haunts our dreams. We're not completely sure if we love it or hate it, but it is definately "unforgettable."
There is just something inherently crustacean about the red dress with structures ruffles (legs? fins?) sticking out on the side. However, her slicked-down hair goes well with the ocean-theme.
Anne Hathaway wore a form-fitting, Armani Prive gown in 2009 that made her look like a demure, golden goddess. This magnificent gown sparkled and shined in all the right ways.
It also solidified Anne’s place in our hearts as one of our favorite red carpet queens.
The 2011 Academy Awards was Jennifer Lawrence's first Oscars nomination, and she definitely left a lasting impression on the red carpet.
She wowed the world, and nothing's been the same since.
Ciara exemplified "pregnancy glow" in her Ralph & Russo gown with her husband Russell Wilson at the 2020 Vaniety Fair Oscars party. She looked like a goddess in the black and silver emsemble.
Her bump was beautifully highlighted in the black, strapless bodysuit she wore underneath the sheer one-shouldered dress. The dress itself was covered in silver crystals, making her a walking disco ball.
Billie Eilish is someone who always has and always will loook like herself. The 2020 Oscars were no different. She donned an over-sized tweed suit made by Chanel, which happened to have nods to the brand all over it.
We truly admire Eilish's choice to stay true to her style, the oversized/baggy look. The white-lace gloves seemed like a nod to 80s Madonna, and we loved the delicate touch these added to the outfit.
Brad Pitt knows how to do classic. He looked absolutely dapper in a Brioni black tux. He's even a brand ambassador for Brioni, so you know he was decked out!
Pitt won his first ever Academy Award for acting on this night, taking home Best Supporting Actor for his role in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. So luckily he not only looked like a winner, he was one!
The lovable and iconic Tom Hanks donned a shawl collar and velvet jacket, and we'd lke to thank him for it. He looked like the classic gentleman.
The only thing that gives us pause is his bowtie. There's just something a little... off about it. A little too large and a little too droopy, the bowtie doesn't make for a bad look necessarily. But it does make it something we'll remember.
Keanu Reeves, wearing Dolce & Gabbana brought his beautiful mother, Patricia Taylor, to the 2020 Oscars. While he looked handsome in his classic suit, Patricia really stole the show.
Her cream colored suit with no shirt underneath just oozed elegance. Her diamond necklace brought the attention back up to her beautiful face, and the neutral tones of her outfit complimented her cropped blonde hair very well.
Spike Lee's custome Gucci suit on the 2020 Oscars red carpet brought a tear to all of our eyes. The suit was designed to honor the late Kobe Bryant, who passed in January of that year.
The suit was purple with gold trim and patches for Bryant's jersey number (24) sewed onto the lapels. This is how you make a fashion-statement.
We applaud Timothee Chalamet for trying to step out of the norm by forgoing the traditional suit and tie. We, however, cannot applaud his choice in attire.
Chalamet wore a navy Prada tracksuit to the 2020 Oscars. Sadly, however, the navy color and wrinkled details make him look more like a mechanic than an award-winning actor.
Margot Robbie in Versace at the 2024 Oscars was a highlight of the night. Her dress truly looks like it was sculpted for her body, beautifully highlighting her figure without being too revealing.
The shimmery black dress was strapless with fabric pooling ever so slightly below her waist. It was formfitting up top to give her an hourglass figure before falling delicately to the ground. When you look like this in black, who needs to wear Barbie pink?
We’ve seen plenty of interesting shaped dressed in Oscars history, but nobody has pulled it off quite as well as Emma Stone at the 2024 Oscars. She wore a custom Louis Vuitton dress paired with high jewelry. The dress was strapless and the top flared into a structured peplum skirt at her waist.
Stone went on to win the Oscar for Best Actress for her work in “Poor Things,” revealing in her acceptance speech that she had broken the zipper of the dress while dancing to Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken.” Not to worry, though, she was sewn back into it quickly!
Andrea Riseborough wore a long sleeve Loewe gown to the 2024 Oscars that that just screamed picnic blanket. Of all the colors and patterns in the world, this dress was plaid.
Not only did Riseborough choose to wear plaid to the Academy Awards, but the pattern also became blurry at her waist before transitioning into fully black for the bottom of the skirt. The gown is loud and in your face in the worst way possible.
Truthfully, Erika Alexander’s 2024 Oscars gown had the potential to be one of the best if only it didn’t have the dreadful tulle overskirt. The strapless white dress paired with the long black gloves had so much potential.
The Christian Siriano gown looks unfinished with the sheer overskirt, but we’re not sure we’d want to see it finished either. The top of the skirt was a sheer black tulle while the bottom was a gradient purple to pink to green patch of ruffles. It looks like a child’s drawing come to life.
Leah Lewis looked like she was walking in a delicate, blown glass dress at the 2024 Oscars. Although the color was somewhat similar to a flamingo, the structure of the dress should go down in history.
The gown was a high-low dress, showing off her legs and clear heels. Her shoulders were accentuated by the fabric before it gathered and flowed down to a sheer train. This dress is a cotton-candy dream!
