Laura Dern has had some doozies when it comes to her fashion. She doesn’t take calculated fashion risks that pay off sometimes, nor does she always wear fug looks. She skirts that line between decent and fug looks which aren’t even fun. Last night she was in an Oscar de la Renta gown which was just like a too-long black turtleneck paired with a full feather skirt. It was bad, her presenting was tiresome, and her styling was off. It looked like she got her hair curled and set without a brush through. There’s no rhyme or reason to her look but that’s often the case.
Laura hit the red carpet with her buddy Reese Witherspoon and they were super annoying when they were interviewed on ABC ahead of the ceremony. I completely agree with this comment on Twitter that those two are “Absolutely the two girls who tell you the night before prom that they ‘totally forgot to tell you there’s no more room in the limo.'” Reese’s presenting was also a bit cloying. She did the animation categories. Reese was in Dior, in a crimson chiffon gown with a magenta accent. This is a rather classic gown and it needed a little something, but I don’t think the belt is right for it at all. It looks like an afterthought.
Olivia Colman was in London and she was also in Christian Dior. This didn’t occur to me until Anthony Hopkins accepted his award later, but it was super early in the morning in London! They must have been completely exhausted over there. They’re six hours ahead of EST so they ended at 5:30 in the morning. This gown is a bit frumpy but I like the clean belt and I also think that Olivia elevates anything she wears. Her husband is really cute and they were cute together on screen.
photos credit: Avalon.red and Backgrid
I found Laura and Reese annoying. When Reese was talking about movie snacks or whatever, I was just like, is this really happening right now? Her dress was nice but she needed to lose the belt. Laura Dern looked like a bit of a hot mess but I don’t really have high expectations for her fashion-wise.
Seeing Laura Dern’s gown…feather duster. All night I was singing “be our GUEST be our GUEST, put our service to the TEST…”.
Oh my god, that’s too funny!! Yes, Dern missed the mark in regards to that dress. As for Reese, she is usually pretty well put together but the belt takes away from the dress and she should have highlighted the dress with jewels on her wrists instead.
I am going to dissent – I think Dern looks great, but Reese really messed up with that belt. Otherwise, her gown is pretty though. I love how committed Witherspoon is to women’s roles, so I see her as the opposite of the girl who says there’s no room in the limo. Very much the opposite.
I also liked Dern’s outfit. I thought it looked great on her even though I get the feather duster reference. Reese’s belt didn’t bother me – in fact, I rather liked it.
Me too, I liked Dern’s outfit. It’s fun and she’s very statuesque so she can pull it off.
Agreed. I really liked her dress. It was fun and she looked great and not too serious. Perfect gown when you’re not a nominee.
She spoke the night before at out Planned Parenthood virtual fundraiser for Santa Barbara area, so I’m all good with her and the dress. Actually liked the black turtleneck top part.
I also liked it. One of the folks on E said it was a reminder of Bjork’s swan dress and … I liked that too. Have fun with your ridiculous party frocks.
Not a fan of the feather duster dress. Very very 90’s.
Reese looks Ok. She looks like she put on some weight. It suits her. There were times when she was very think and she looks healthy in the pics. The hair could have used something – kinda harsh looking.
Laura Dern also won an Oscar last night as producer of the animated short If Anything Happens I Love You. But she looked like an ostrich
Yes! But a beatnik ostrich in a super cool turtleneck
Laura Dern looks like a bird. A crane, maybe? Yes, some kind of lovely bird.
Ostrich
I don’t hate either Dern’s or Witherspoon’s looks, I feel like they’ve done much worse. And Colman’s styling aged her a bit.
I love laura’s outfit because i am now at an age where i will judge things based on two factors: can i wear a bra with it and is it comfortable? Lol!
That being said though i really wish that this outfit chose a side to be on as it’s weird but nothing so weird that it was vulgar. Like if you’re gonna do this pls go full on and commit. Be weird!
My only reaction to her dress is I guess she’s comfortable in it! I always find that buildings in the US are cold because the AC is kept so high so at least she looks cosy.
Right? At least she’s warm!!!
I will give Laura points for wearing something different. Same thoughts about Reese – belt ruins it. I thought Olivia had a nice dress but it didn’t completely suit her.
That dress is horrid on Laura. She looks like the illegitimate daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Big Bird.
Getting 1996 Sharon Stone Oscar vibes from Laura Dern. 1996 was the year that Sharon wore a Gap turtleneck over a Valentino skirt.
However, Sharon looked pulled together. This does not.
That was a great look! I think my fav SS was when she wore her husband’s shirt and that lavender Vera Wang skirt. GORGEOUS!
Here’s a site that has a pic of both those outfits: https://pagesix.com/2020/04/17/why-sharon-stone-wore-a-gap-t-shirt-to-the-1996-oscars/
(The OG) Jan 90067, I forgot about her husband’s shirt! She looked fantastic.
The original white shirt maven, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-get-carolyn-bessette-kennedys-radically-simple-style-1523471702
And, the most current take, the duchess:
https://www.today.com/style/meghan-markle-dazzles-black-white-givenchy-look-t148370
I kind of loved it, especially the in motion pic where it gets bonus points for being a hi-lo (mullet?) dress. The turtle neck was a bit severe, but as a woman of a certain age where I can appreciate a silhouette that tames my turkey neck, batman arms AND that over tanned V at my neckline…I dig it.
Also a sucker for anything feathered so there’s that.
The mean girl limo comment nails it. Reese is self-made at least, but Dern’s family is Hollywood royalty. She’s always been overrated and her overacting in Big Little Lies was embarrassing.
Hey, we can’t pick our parents!! I happen to think that until recent history Laura Dern was *incredibly* underrated. (Reese has an Oscar, so I wouldn’t say SHE is underrated, exactly, but I do think she’s consistently underestimated.)
She was great in Enlightened. Really sad when that got canceled.
I don’t hate it, but if it had been monochrome and the feather skirt began at her waist, it would have been incredible.
Oooh monochrome would have been amazing with the feather skirt. Monochrome elevates everything IMO, but I never buy expensive pieces so it’s hard for me to get this look right. I feel like the pieces have to be made to go together to get this look right for daily wear.
Yes to both of your suggestions. The drop waist looks good on no one with any hint of a figure at all. It’s for super skinny, super straight figures, and even then I think the person wearing it could have done better. I don’t get it as a “style” at all.
I kind of like Laura Dern’s look. This was not your business -as-usual Oscars, so I liked the unusual this year. That is why I didn’t care for Reese’s look. Belt aside, it was too ‘normal’ a look for Reese.
For Reese it was a bit different. She’s usually in something more structured and she likes her black and white. So I give her 1/2 points for the color at least, but something about it wasn’t quite right. Maybe the belt but I think it’s something more than that.
I kind of like Laura‘s too, for the same reasons.
I really like Reese‘s dress, but agree the belt is not a good match.
Ostrich feathers rarely look good on anyone, especially as a skirt imo. And Reese girl who told you to put a leather belt on a chiffon dress? Yikes!
Agree, big yikes. The dress would be ok without the belt.
I think Laura needed a beaky headdress to complete her ostrich costume.
Bjork swan dress!
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210420-bjork-swan-dress-a-reviled-oscars-outfit-thats-now-iconic
Reese and Laura would definitely have caused my heart to raise and palms to sweat from intimidation induced anxiety – and not in a good way.
Laura’s dress reminded me of a dress I had in the 80s, black closely fitted body with a poufy white skirt that started at the hips. I think it looked great (on my pre -baby body, not as a timeless style 😂) and wish I had a picture to prove it. I love Olivia Colman so much but can’t recall a time when I thought one of her formal looks did her justice.
Reese Witherspoon never really fails on the red carpet, she knows what works for her and she sticks to it.
I love this dress! It was actually my fave look. This is the kind of wedding dress I always wanted – snug at the top, and something super busy and flowy at the bottom. In some shade of white. She looks amazing.
As annoying as those two are, not the worst dressed. I don’t think anyone is going to top my two worst lol.
To me, Reese’s look was off. It was about 3 years outdated, and that belt tip looks like the end of a bb gun. Her hair was brassy and underdone.
Not gonna lie, I love Laura Dern’s big poufy feather skirt, and I would enjoy wearing it, as she clearly did. Coleman was one of the worst look of the night.
I really liked Laura Dern’s whole thing, even though it looks like a sanitary nightmare. Like, wouldn’t you drag a lot of dirt home? But I loved the look anyway.
I kind of didn’t NOTICE Reese’s dress at the time, soooo my compliments to her! She wore the dress, and not the other way around. Yes, maybe she should’ve left the belt at home, but I probably would have tried to add a belt to that dress, too. It’s fine.
Olivia Coleman just looks like “Mom at the Oscars” to me and I just love her.
I think if anyone can pull off that look it’s Laura Dern, because she’s so straight, fine-boned and skinny. But in two of those pictures she’s making faces/gestures that make her seem exhausting.