9. Pearl Beauty
The Oscar winner turned heads at the 2015 Oscars with this $150,000 Calvin Klein gown, which contains 6,000 pearls. It was stolen from her hotel room after the ceremony and appeared to have been recovered several days later, police said.
8. Daring to Wear a Tricky Color
Having deep, gorgeous skin isn't a fashion trouble zone for this red carpet killer. It's an opportunity to highlight that feature with unique colors, few, if any, can pull off so brillianty. This Valentino is exactly that moment.
7. Reclaiming the Crop Top
It's not easy to turn the uniform of Vanessa Hudgens and Miley Cyrus into Audrey Hepburn-era elegance, unless you're Lupita, apparently. We'll give designer Giambattista Valli credit for this mod cream combo, but it's all in the confidence of the A-lister wearing it.
6. Bringing Sexy Back
Things were a little on the safe side until the Best Supporting Actress winner stepped out in this J. Mendel look. We had a feeling the buff beauty had a little dark & twistiness to her fashion tastes, but here she kept all the sexy in all the right places (aka that leather bodice).
5. Stealing Ireland's National Color
Forget St. Patrick's Day. In this classic Christian Dior ball gown, Lupita should have her own holiday where she wears green and the rest of us just turn that same shade in envy.
4. Making a Metallic Jumper Work!
Not everyone could pull off this Stella McCartney combo. In fact, on most people, the gold fabric and mature cut might end up looking like that '70s-era romper your crazy aunt wore to Atlantic City. On this starlet, it's as chic as it is modern.
3. Defining White Hot
This Calvin Klein stunner was an early awards season choice for the 12 Years a Slave star, but it's exactly when we knew a flawless red carpet run was in her future. The bodice cutouts are perfectly placed for maximum sex factor, but just as much sophistication.
2. Winning at Life
That Oscar statue is only one among the myriad things the Kenyan beauty won in this Prada perfection. Not only is she best dressed but the Nairobi blue creation is also the most personal, most confident and most original choice of a nominated actress that night.
1. Starting it All Off With a Bang
We like to think of this red Ralph Lauren as the look that launched a thousand paprazzi. After an entire season of perfection, this first impression is still our favorite of them all. Love at first style sight.