Oscars 2026 red carpet: The best, worst and most bizarre looks of all time from Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Margot Robbie

It all comes down to this: the 98th Annual Academy Awards. After a long awards season and months of campaigning, this year’s nominees for the Oscars are about to put on their finery, pose for photographers on the red carpet and maybe even take home an iconic golden statuette.

Conan O’Brien returns as host for the year’s Academy Awards tonight — Sunday, March 15 — at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. Canadian audiences will be able to watch the show on CTV and Crave, while Americans can tune in on ABC and Hulu.

Sinners leads the pack this year with 16 nominations, snagging a coveted best picture nod and a best actor nomination for Michael B. Jordan. The Ryan Coogler film earned the most award nominations in Oscars history, breaking the record of 14 previously held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997) and La La Land (2016).

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another followed closely behind with 13 nominations, including acting nominations for stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor.

Before the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s biggest night, we’re taking a walk down memory lane to revisit some of our favourite Oscars fashion moments of all time. Keep scrolling to see stars at their best — and their worst — on the red carpet over the years.

BEST: Nicole Kidman (1997)

Kidman’s chartreuse gown by John Galliano for Christian Dior is one of the rare examples where haute couture transitions seamlessly to the red carpet. In 1997, Kidman’s then husband, Tom Cruise, had a best actor nomination for his role in Jerry Maguire. But all eyes were on Kidman’s chinoiserie-inspired gown, featuring delicate embroidery and a fur trim.

WORST: Ariana Grande (2024)

Grande wore a pink, bubble-shaped, strapless dress by Giambattista Valli Haute Couture in 2024. While the colour was stunning, the dramatic cape-like train overpowered her petite shape. She paired the look with a matching necklace and earring set featuring pink gemstones.

BEST: Catherine Zeta-Jones (1999)

Zeta-Jones has always been a red carpet standout. The Welsh actress wore a strapless red Versace gown for her first Oscars red carpet, where she served as a presenter. Her raven locks, impeccable skin and stunning gown make this one of her best Oscars looks of all time — even though it was her first.

WORST: Margot Robbie (2020)

Nominated for the best supporting actress award in 2020 for her work in Bombshell, Robbie wore a hybrid of two gowns from the 1994 Chanel Couture runway. However, the unflattering look simply added to the long list of looks that many fans of the Wuthering Heights star have deemed “ugly.”

BEST: Audrey Hepburn (1954)

Hepburn was a lifelong muse for Hubert de Givenchy. It’s only natural the actress, who wore the French designer’s pieces in many of her films, wore a tea-length white lace belted gown to collect her Oscar in 1954. Hepburn was just 24 when she won best actress for Roman Holiday.

The gown, along with her statement, bold eyebrows and short hair, is an example of the elegant minimalist style Hepburn became known for.

WORST: Uma Thurman (2004)

Thurman might turn heads anywhere she goes, but for the 76th Oscars, the attention was for all the wrong reasons. The Kill Bill actress has cited wearing this Christian Lacroix design as her “most embarrassing experience.”

BEST: Debbie Allen (1982)

Allen looked timeless at the 54th Oscars. That night, the Fame star wore a glittering gown featuring a thigh-high slit and broad, commanding shoulders.

WORST: Jennifer Hudson (2007)

Jennifer Hudson didn’t look her sharpest at the 79th Academy Awards. Still, at least the Dreamgirls star ditched the metallic bolero to let her Oscar de la Renta gown shine after she won best supporting actress that year.

BEST: Timothée Chalamet (2022)

Say what you want about Chalamet, but the Marty Supreme actor’s shirtless Louis Vuitton look at the 94th Oscars was full-on chic. Not many stars can perfectly rock an embroidered lace tuxedo jacket with lace trim detailing, along with sharply-fitted trousers.

WORST: Timothée Chalamet (2020)

But don’t get us wrong: Chalamet has had his fair share of red carpet misses. For the 92nd Oscars, the Dune: Part Two star stepped out wearing a navy blue Prada getup that could either pass as a paramedic’s uniform or a costume for the live-action version of Paw Patrol.

BEST: Fan Bingbing (2023)

At the 95th Oscars, Bingbing was one star who looked absolutely jaw-dropping. The Chinese actress, who starred in the Hong Kong film Green Night, looked like a princess in a Tony Ward halter dress and green cape with oversize sleeves and a train.

WORST: Björk (2001)

Björk’s “swan dress,” crafted by Marjan Pejoski, is probably the most iconic look ever seen at an Oscars red carpet — but not in a good way. While walking at the 73rd ceremony, the Icelandic singer even stopped several times to “lay eggs” in front of bewildered spectators. Still, the artist leaned into the criticism, noting that her look was a joke intended to “take the piss” out of the event.

BEST: Emma Stone (2024)

Stone was perfectly regal at the 96th Oscars, where she ultimately won best actress for her work in Poor Things. She worked with Nicolas Ghesquière’s team at Louis Vuitton to create the strapless mint-coloured column gown. It featured structured peplum detail and a subtle shell print, and the whole look was paired with a 30.47-carat golden Sri Lankan sapphire and diamond necklace.

WORST: Lady Gaga (2015)

We definitely love a major fashion moment by Lady Gaga, but her look for the 87th Oscars did not serve glamour. With a gown by Paris-based designer Azzedine Alaia, the Joker: Folie à Deux actress was the subject of countless memes thanks to huge red gloves that make her look like she just finished a shift at her dishwashing gig.

BEST: Natalie Portman (2005)

Portman opted for a metallic Grecian-inspired gown by Lanvin for her first Oscars night as a nominee. The then 23-year-old star was nominated for best supporting actress for Mike Nichols’s Closer, which costarred Julia Roberts, Clive Owen and Jude Law.

The look’s textured fabric, along with the metallic and pearl details, remains one of our favourite Portman ensembles to this day.

WORST: Whoopi Goldberg (1993)

Playing with camp can sometimes be fun when it comes to red carpet fashion, but Goldberg’s green and purple look for the 1993 Oscars landed her on many worst-dressed lists the following morning. Sadly, it’s one that kept The Color Purple star from dressing up for “a very long time,” according to Vanity Fair.

BEST: Halle Berry (2002)

If you’re at all familiar with the internet, it’s likely you’ve seen the iconic clip of Berry becoming the first woman of colour to win best actress for her work in Monster’s Ball. Wearing an intricately embroidered Elie Saab gown for the 74th Oscars, Berry looked like a winner before even stepping into the venue.

WORST: Melissa McCarthy (2024)

McCarthy tried to make a red-and-pink colour combination work at the 96th Oscars, but her Christian Siriano gown didn’t do her justice. The Unfrosted actress was covered up for the evening in the long-sleeve gown and long cape, pairing the look with silver jewelry.

BEST: Angelina Jolie (2004)

When you think of regal beauty, how can you not think of Jolie? For the 76th Oscars, the Maria actress looked angelic wearing a satin white gown designed by Marc Bouwer.

WORST: Gwyneth Paltrow (2002)

You can’t blame us: Gwyneth Paltrow herself admitted the Alexander McQueen gown she wore for the 74th Oscars was a wrong move. Writing on her website Goop in 2017, the Marty Supreme actress shared her “goth” look had “a few issues.”

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