The Most Memorable Oscars Dress the Year You Were Born
Want. All. Of. These.
By Lauren Adhav
KATIE BUCKLEITNER//Getty Images
Want. All. Of. These.
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1
2017
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Janelle Monáe brought her A-game for her Oscars debut with this dramatic couture Elie Saab gown. She definitely made a memorable statement both on the carpet and on the silver screen, having been nominated for her breakthrough performance in Moonlight, which won Best Picture.
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2
2016
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Alicia Vikander channeled Beauty and the Beast's Belle in this yellow Louis Vuitton gown with her hair worn half-up. The strapless, bubble-hem dress featured metallic embellishments, and she accessorized with silver platform sandals and chandelier earrings. But perhaps her best accessory was the Best Supporting Actress Oscar she won for her role in The Danish Girl.
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3
2015
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Emma Stone wore a show-stopping chartreuse-colored beaded gown by Elie Saab that featured a thigh-high slit and matching peep-toe shoes. The actress was nominated that year for Best Supporting Actress for Birdman.
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4
2014
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Lupita Nyong'o wore a stunning power-blue Prada dress to her first Academy Awards, where she won Best Supporting Actress for her emotional performance in 12 Years a Slave. Nyong'o accessorized with a headband and selected the dress color because "it's a blue that reminds me of Nairobi," she told Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet.
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5
2013
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This was an unforgettable dress because it helped make Jennifer Lawrence look incredibly graceful even as she tripped walking onstage to accept the Best Actress Award for Silver Linings Playbook. She wore a soft pink Dior Haute Couture gown designed by Raf Simons with tiers of fabric — and accessorized with a LOT of diamonds from Chopard.
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6
2012
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Angelina Jolie wore this black Versace dress featuring a thigh-high slit that catapulted her right leg into Internet stardom. She worked the red carpet and presented an award in the same leg-baring pose, which became a truly meme-worthy moment.
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7
2011
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Amy Adams opted for a simple, midnight-blue sequined gown by L'Wren Scott, but its simplicity is what made the dress so elegant. The Best Supporting Actress nominee (for her role in The Fighter) completed her knockout look with a vivid emerald necklace and bracelet.
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8
2010
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Zoe Saldana wore this statement-making couture Givenchy gown with a sparking bodice and purple ombre effect at the hem. Saldana presented the Oscar for Animated Short Film with Carey Mulligan.
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9
2009
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Anne Hathaway, who was nominated for Best Actress for Rachel Getting Married, wore this paillette column by Giorgio Armani. She kept her accessories to a minimum, wearing only simple jewelry to keep all eyes on her gorgeous strapless dress.
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10
2008
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French actress Marion Cotillard wore a couture mermaid gown by Jean-Paul Gaultier to the Oscars, where she picked up the Best Actress award for her role in La Vie en Rose. She accessorized with long necklaces and a white clutch.
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11
2007
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Penélope Cruz, nominated for Best Actress for the movie Volver, dropped jaws in this pale-pink feathered Atelier Versace gown. The bodice was constructed with intricate pleating, while the train added just the right amount of drama to the red carpet.
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12
2006
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Reese Witherspoon looked absolutely ethereal on the red carpet in a vintage Christian Dior dress from 1955, which featured an empire waist and a V-neckline. She took home a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of singer June Carter in Walk the Line.
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13
2005
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Hilary Swank's navy backless dress by Guy Laroche featured pleated fabric and a back that dipped *down to there*, and the look became a legendary Oscars fashion moment. She won the Best Actress award for her role in Million Dollar Baby.
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14
2004
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Charlize Theron shined in this Gucci gown designed by Tom Ford, as she picked up the Best Actress award for her serial-killer role in Monster. She looked stunning in this shimmery look and accessorized with metallic heels, a diamond bracelet, and a silver clutch.
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15
2003
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Jennifer Lopez wore this one-shoulder, pastel-green Valentino gown at the prime of the "Bennifer" era in the early aughts, when she attended the Oscars with then-fiancé Ben Affleck. She pulled her hair into a chic chignon so her statement earrings stood out, and she carried a cream envelope clutch.
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16
2002
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Halle Berry's sheer, burgundy Elie Saab gown made a splash on the red carpet, in part due to its strategically-placed floral embroidery. In a historic win, she was the first black woman to receive a Best Actress Academy Award, for her performance in Monster's Ball.
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17
2001
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Like Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts also hit the fashion archives for her iconic Oscar dress, a vintage black-and-white Valentino number. She even told People magazine that she still keeps it in a box under her bed. Roberts wore it when she won Best Actress for her titular role in Erin Brockovich.
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18
2000
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Tyra Banks looked like she came straight out of a fairytale with this iridescent, princess-like tulle ballgown by Vera Wang — and a super-tiny top-handle bag. The film Life Size, which debuted in the same year, featured Banks playing the role of a doll who transforms into a human.
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19
1999
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Gwyneth Paltrow wore this princess-pink Ralph Lauren gown when she picked up the Best Actress award for her performance in Shakespeare in Love. The hard-to-miss color and simple silhouette made this an iconic Oscar gown.
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20
1998
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Drew Barrymore wore this sparkly black gown with a plunging back and tiny train on the red carpet, but she really made it a look by placing two daisies in her short, blonde hair. She presented the Oscar for Best Achievement in Makeup.