The best dressed stars at the 2021 Academy Awards

It’s been a weird year, and a weird award season. Stars have been either dressing in ballgowns at home for awards held on Zoom or dressing in pyjamas, like Jodie Foster, or hoodies, like Jason Sudekis. According to a letter sent to nominees, producers Steven Soderbergh, Stacey Sher and Jesse Collins were keen to avoid that behaviour at the Oscars. “You’re wondering about the dress code (as well you should),” it read. “We’re aiming for a fusion of Inspirational and Aspirational, which in actual words means formal is totally cool if you want to go there, but casual is really not.” This marks 93 years of the Oscars getting it wrong, but not to worry. The nominees on the red carpet very much understood the assignment.

Zendaya wore electric yellow Cher-inspired Valentino, complete with flowing hair and Laura Dern wore Bjork-esque feathers. Margot Robbie wore Chanel as per with some new bangs, Carey Mulligan’s Valentino deserved its own Oscar, Amanda Seyfried wore a bubble of Armani Privé red tulle and I think we can all agree that Regina King.

This year, it’s possible that the men beat everyone for best dressed. LaKeith Stanfield wore perfection in a feminine Saint Laurent suit, Colman Domingo in hot pink Atelier Versace lit up social media, as did Paul Raci’s black fingernails and Daniel Kaluuya’s Cartier necklace.

Check out the best dressed below, and the full list of winners here.

Photography by The Academy Awards.