Once again this week, our Instagram feeds were filled with celebrities tottering down the red carpet garbed in the weird, wonderful, and everything in between. In the wake of this, like the hundreds of press boats following Oxford and Cambridge down the Thames, comes the critique of their wardrobes. Both the Academy Awards Ceremony and Associated Parties have long been a magnet for the press, and now in the age of the internet, everybody with a keyboard or a microphone is able to weigh in with their opinion.

“Chanel continues in their quest to make the Oscars look like a Victorian funeral”

So, without further ado, here is my review of some notable looks from the 2025 Academy Awards and the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. The Good, the Bad, and the Bonkers…

The Good

Miley Cyrus in McQueen and Boucheron

For me, this outfit encapsulates everything attendees should aim for in an Oscars look – it shows Cyrus’ personality, while still looking polished and high-end. The black lace gloves add a touch of Madonna that nods to Cyrus’ career as a musician without the ensemble looking like a concert outfit. No notes.

Amelia Dimoldenberg in Roberto Cavalli (Vanity Fair)

I was quite disappointed by Dimoldenberg’s dress at the Main ceremony, but this dramatic black dress makes up for it and more. The deep v-neck and gathered fabric add a touch of drama to the silhouette, and I appreciate the decision to leave the neck unadorned. In a night full of DeBeers, Dimoldenberg’s look is simple without being dull. It’s definitely one of the more wearable dresses of the event, and I could see something similar working well for a May Ball.

Michelle Yeoh in Balenciaga and Boucheron

This year, the carpet was dominated by neutrals, so Yeoh’s metallic blue gown by Balenciaga was a welcome breath of fresh air. The classic draping and dramatic train gave the look punch, which I felt was lacking from many other attendees.

The Bad

Margaret Qualley in Chanel

Why does Chanel keep dressing young women like widows from the 1890s? The dress takes ‘simple’ beyond the point of classy to pure boredom, completely ignoring Qualey’s silhouette and smothering her in fabric. The neckline reminds me of Tilda Swinton in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and not in a good way. Despite what Gen Alpha on TikTok might try to convince you, 30 is not old – and is certainly not old enough to warrant dressing in this manner.

Fernanda Torres in Chanel

Chanel continues in their quest to make the Oscars look like a Victorian funeral. The bodice is nice, if a little unadventurous, but I was completely baffled by the fluffy, feathery item in the photo. At first I thought Torres was holding a set of pom-poms, or perhaps an overdramatic muff, which would have at least made a bit more sense. But no – the fluffy mass turned out to be the top section of the skirt. Overall, the look felt disjointed, as if someone had bought a pretty straightforward dress, and then stuck something on top of it to make it feel more edgy.

Ethan Slater in a suit

Between Cambridge May Balls and the world of Hollywood, one thing remains constant; there will always be a group of men who dig out the same black tuxedo every year. In this review, Ethan Slater is representing a whole hoard of men I had to scroll through, all of whom took about three seconds to decide what to wear to the event. Does it fit the dress code? Yes. Does it do anything else for us? No, not really. He could have at least put a funky hat on or something. Anything. Please.

Charlotte Lawrence in Valentino

Lawrence’s Valentino dress is undeniably lovely, achieving a delicate balance between whimsy and edge. However, several commentators have noted the dress’ similarities to the viral ‘strawberry dress’ by Lirika Matoshi which first gained popularity in 2020. The dresses are not identical, but they certainly produce the same effect: both are a dusty, rose pink, with a softly gathered waist, flaring skirt and sleeves, and dark red detailing. To anyone familiar with the ‘strawberry dress’, it will instantly come to mind when you look at Valentino’s new design. Perhaps this is simply a case of convergent evolution, so to speak, but the similarity between the dresses is so distinct that I certainly think it requires further conversation.

“There will always be a group of men who dig out the same black tuxedo every year”

The Bonkers

Yasmin Finney in Harris Reed

This is possibly my favourite look of the night. It balances the weird with the aesthetically pleasing, with Finney’s face peeking out from behind the black peacock feathers like a character from Dune. It’s beautiful, it’s eye-catching, and it’s cohesive. I do wonder, though, whether the people sitting behind Finney would have been quite so enamoured with the height of her dress…

Julia Fox in Dilara Findikoglu

Julia Fox’s gown emulated Eve in the Garden, with nothing but a few carefully placed tendrils of hair covering her modesty. I had to wonder whether this was in reference to the controversial look worn by Bianca Censori at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where she wore a completely see-through dress while accompanying her then-husband, Kanye West. Was Fox, who also dated West in the past, showing some sort of solidarity to Censori? Whatever the intended impact, it has certainly made headlines.

Sarah Paulson in Marc Jacobs

This look is giving ‘fashionable red blood cell’, and I’m not hating it. Could it be a good teaching aid? Definitely. Would I wear it to a red carpet event? Who knows. One thing is for sure – she’s guaranteed the best seat in the house, because she’s carrying it into the event with her. Paulson said in an interview that she intended to go ‘straight to the bar’ when she got into the event, so perhaps the outfit was a strategic move; those shoulder pads could certainly cause some damage. I’d love to see someone debut the same outfit in Revs or Kiki’s – Any volunteers?

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