Oscars 2016: My Best Dressed Runners-Up

Before I chose costume designer Sandy Powell as the recipient of my prestigious Best Dressed/Wear What You Want combo award for the 2016 Oscars, these ladies and gents were contenders.

Alicia Vikander, who won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, wowed me with her dusty yellow Louis Vuitton mullet dress. (Vuitton also did right by Alicia for the SAG Awards.) I always love a mullet, and the bubble hemline made this one special. The color was very different from what everyone else was wearing, and it looked beautiful on her.

Alicia’s dress reminded the always highlarious Michael K of Dlisted of playing “Beautiful Lady” in his childhood, when he created fabulous gowns out fitted sheets. The fitted sheets were “far more glamorous and show-stopping” than flat sheets. After I read his post, I had to agree. The celebrity dress DOES look like a fitted sheet … but that isn’t a bad thing to me. After all, I once got a dress because it reminded me of a sofa with a dust ruffle.

Surprise pants are fun, so I appreciated Lady Gaga’s white gown/jumpsuit by Brandon Maxwell.

On anyone else, this might have been a winner for me, but Lady Gaga is always competing against herself. I miss the meat dress days. Gaga wouldn’t be Gaga without fashion statements like the meat dress!

Cate Blanchett’s seafoam-colored gown by Armani Prive reminded me of my designing friend Zang Toi’s work. I have a short black dress by Zang embellished with flowers and butterflies.

So few people could carry off both the mother-of-the-bride color and all the fluff. And there’s a train as a bonus.

Men have been kicking ass at awards shows in recent years, and fashion-plate Jared Leto came through again. His Gucci tux featured red piping and, instead of a bow tie, a flower pin.

I saw him up close at the Vanity Fair party and he looked fabulous. So did Common. Seriously, Common is one handsome man, especially in this white Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo.

Extra points for the diamond brooch by Fred Leighton.

I thought this year’s Oscar fashions were much more impressive than usual. Good job, celebrities!