Best and Worst Dressed from the 2015 Oscars Red Carpet

Sam:

I am so excited to be back in the saddle, judging the expensive gowns of strangers while I lounge in my sweats. The Academy Awards telecast is always a pleasure to watch, for the fashion as well as lackluster comedy. Maybe not so much for the latter, but the fashion, bad or good, never fails to entertain. Here are my picks for the best and worst dressed on the red carpet this year.

Best:

Naomi Watts stuns in Armani Privé. I love that she wore a print, which is always refreshing on the red carpet. The sporty cut and minimal styling make this a winner for me.

Emma Stone is flawless. I love the dramatic cut of this gown, and the color perfectly complements her red hair.

Sometimes being the face of Dior does not work in Marion Cotillard's favor. This is not one of those times. 

Gwyneth knows what works for her. The fit alone is enough to put her on any best-dressed list. But the color and shoulder detailing make this my favorite look of the evening.

Worst:

Lorelei Linklater is adorable in Boyhood. In fact, she was probably the best part of that movie. But this dress is rough. That slit is waaayyyy to close to exposing her lady bits. The whole thing reads way too much like a sexy geisha Halloween getup. 

I really want to be friends with Keira Knightly. She seems down to earth, witty, and polite. A delight to be around. Which is why it pains me to say that she is consistently poorly dressed at almost every publicized event she attends. Keira, call me. Let's play dress up.

Leah: 

I'm so excited to have my fashion partner in crime back to help me judge some Oscar gowns! And boy were there a lot of easy targets on the red carpet last night. But first, my favorites.

Best:

Pearls were a big trend on the Oscars red carpet, and no star wore them in a more original way than Lupita Nyong'o in Calvin Klein. I do suspect this was not the most comfortable dress to wear, but as they say, it hurts to be beautiful. 

Dakota Johnson shines in this red Saint Laurent despite some of the worst hair and make-up on the carpet last night, which is saying a lot. 

Like Samantha, I loved Naomi Watts in this Armani Privé. So refreshing to see a print on the red carpet, especially with such exquisite beading, which unfortunately doesn't really show up in the still photo. It looked dazzling on television, though.

Worst:

I'm wondering what would make Nicole Kidman choose a gown with such an unflattering palate for her coloring. It completely washes her out. The nude lipstick and red belt aren't helping matters.

I probably could have let Giuliana Rancic's fishnet appliqué Mireille Dagher gown slide if I hadn't been forced to look at it over and over while watching E's red carpet coverage. Of all the unflattering gowns last night, hers was by far the most reminiscent of an ice dancing costume.

I'm normally down with Solange's brand of crazy fashion, but this Christian Siriano...outfit...is as confusing as it is unflattering. We need a new word to describe this garment. It isn't a jumpsuit or a dress. Perhaps it is best described as a frumpsuit.

I must agree with Samantha yet again about Lorelei Linklater in Gabriela Cadena. If Hot Topic made red carpet gowns, I imagine they'd look something like this.

Who were your best and worst dressed last night?