We may not remember what the presenters were wearing, or what nominees in other categories had on, but we will remember that amazing gown the best actress winner strutted on stage. That dress and it's lucky designer will become iconic in the history of Oscars fashion and fashion in general.
So I thought I would dedicate this post to the top 10 dresses (in chronological order) worn by a best actress winner. There are more than 75 dresses to choose from so this was no easy feat, but I've narrowed it down to my favorites:
This spaghetti-strapped, silk floral creation caused a stir with its bold print in bright red hues. This dress which was clearly ahead of its time was designed by famed costume designer Irene Lentz.
Audrey Hepburn 1954:
This was an ivory lace Givenchy dress that suited Hepburn's classic elegance and girlish charm. This boat-neck, belted style was a signature for Hepburn and became very popular in the 50's.
Audrey Hepburn 1967:
Audrey makes my list again with this fabulous two-piece Givenchy number. It consisted of a white slim cut skirt and beaded vest with floral embellishments. She wasn't the actual winner of the best actress award, but she did accept the award on behalf of Katharine Hepburn who could not attend.
Barbara Streisand 1969:
This particular Oscar fashion moment caused quite a commotion at the ceremony and is still being criticized by many fashion writers to this day. Although quite an off-beat non-traditional ensemble, I find this chiffon Arnold Scaasi pantsuit to be a symbol of that time; rebellious and eccentric yet glamorous at the same time. No one could have pulled this bell-bottomed see-through number like Barbara.
Julia Roberts 2000:
Julia's acceptance speech at the 73rd Academy Awards was one of the most candid and endearing in Oscars history. Not only did she charm the crowd with her sincerity and humor but she also impressed in this vintage Valentino dress that was simply stunning on stage and on the red carpet.
Talk about risqué! Although in Halle Berry's case she would look amazing in a potato sack (a see-through potato sack of course). This dress is still constantly talked about today as being both incredibly sexy and elegant at the same time. The Elie Saab gown with sheer bodice and strategically placed flowers was unforgettably unique and a top fashion moment for Halle Berry.
Hilary Swank 2005:
Hate to watch her go, but love to watch her leave! Nothing could be more true about this Guy Laroche masterpiece worn by Hilary as she accepted her best actress win. The front side was actually quite elegant but I chose to feature the back because it was truly breath-taking. All of that hard training while filming "Million Dollar Baby" clearly paid off.
Cate Blanchett 2005:
So I'm going to cheat a little here and include Cate who was a best-supporting actress winner in 2005 simply because this dress was absolutely stunning and very few people can pull off that shade of yellow. This was a pale yellow Valentino gown with burgundy accent at the waist and diamond broach on the shoulder. She was styled perfectly with simple earrings and retro waves.
Marion Cotillard 2008:
This Jean-Paul Gaultier gown would have been hard for many actresses to pull off on the red carpet. I guess it takes a little french glamour from la belle mademoiselle Cotillard. It was styled to perfection with that long gold strand necklace, white clutch and side-swept hair. I loved how the scalloping effect of the dress magnifies down to the train.
Sandra Bullock 2010:
Of course I couldn't leave an ever sought after Marchesa creation off the list. This dress was magnificent on the red carpet with it's metallic floral accents and delicate beading. It was slightly modified from it's runway version for Bullock with the intricate little sleeve and accented with a metallic clutch and simple drop earrings. Wonder if this year's winner will be able to top it? Stay tuned...
