It's hard to believe but the 2020 Oscars have come, but they're not gone until we have a chance to recap the fashion for the evening.  I asked yesterday in my Instagram stories if you wanted to see my favorites or if you wanted to see trends. Overwhelmingly, you wanted to see my faves, but there were enough of you that were interested in trends that made me want to touch on some of them. I've loosely gathered together trends and highlighted my favorites within each trend with a few miscellaneous thoughts at the end. 

There were a couple of themes that reoccured throughout the evening that I thought could easily translate into your everyday life. And by everyday life, I mean those days that you get dressed in black tie for a wedding or a gala. In Houston, that really can be every day. 

1. Statement necklaces are BACK! Not that they ever went away, but this year's Oscars saw some serious bling. I think part of the reason for the return of this jewelry classic is that so many of the necklines were open because the gowns were strapless or off-the-shoulder. For ladies that didn't wear a killer necklace, there was no shortage of bling in the form of large earrings and cocktail rings. 

Zazie Beetz in a Bulgari diamond bib necklace with emeralds and matching earrings, on the Oscars red carpet.

Mindy Kaling in a Chopard diamond necklace.

Cynthia Erivo in diamond rings and earrings at the 2020 Oscars.

2. Pink ruled. There's no question that the blushiests of pinks won the carpet. Slightly more unexpected than the ever-popular black and white combo, baby pink could be seen on several A-list stars paired with dramatic black accents like Laura Dern.

Laura Dern in Armani Privé

I loved this look for Laura Dern. She looked like a winner and her dress was memorable without being trendy. 

Brie Larson in Celine

Can't argue with any of this. I can see any number of our clients being able to wear a similar style to a wedding or a gala. Classic with a healthy dose of drama. (Capes also had a moment this year too. See trend 4)

Gal Gadot in Givenchy and Tiffany & Co. jewelry

I'll admit that not every photo of this look was the best, but I thought it moved well on screen. It's also a perfect example of something I preach all the time. Evening separates are the best thing to have in your wardrobe. How easy would it be to switch out this skirt for something more neutral for a completely different look?

Caitriona Balfe in Valentino

We recently made something very similar to this for a client. It's another way to think about evening separates. It's so easy to add a jacket or a blouse to a simple evening gown for a whole new look.

3. Space Invaders. Women claimed their space, literally. I've been thinking about the current trend towards large, statement-making gowns. Yes, they can be seen as a throwback to an earlier era where women were seen and not heard, but this current iteration of larger than life gowns seems to be saying something different. More women are finding and using their voice and they want to be seen. They are taking their space and having their voices heard and I think that's a beautiful thing for both women and fashion. 

Janelle Monáe in Ralph Lauren

Between this and Regina's gown, I would say that the red carpet was a success. I loved the subtle Grace Jones reference. the amount of work that it took (over 600 hours to bead it) is mind-blowing! Janelle has such a presence that she can elevate even the simplest garment, but she really comes alive in this spectacular gown.

Kristen Wiig in Valentino and Christian Louboutin

I know that this look isn't everyone's cup of tea (or plate of lasagna for that matter), but there is something to how confidently she wore this look that makes me respect it. Is it something I would suggest for every client? Probably not, but in this moment and on this wearer, it was unforgettable. And isn't that the point? Like it or not, you probably won't forget it. 

Sandra Oh in Elie Saab and Pomellato jewelry

This is how you use fashion to make a statement and claim your place, at least at the fashion table. The Oscars have not traditionally been a place where a television actress (albeit on 2 hugely popular and acclaimed series) would be noticed, but here is Sandra Oh looking and being taken seriously for every inch (or foot of the sleeves) of the respected artist she is. 

Greta Gerwig in Dior Haute Couture and Bulgari jewelry

Let's get the obvious out of the way. Greta was snubbed by not even being nominated for directing "Little Women." What she did by restructuring the story without changing it was nothing sort of brilliant. I also unabashedly love this gown. It's not a color you often see on the red carpet and I actually like the slightly different shade of green in the emerald necklace. You can disagree, but I can see this gown, even in another color, looking spectacular on many body types.  There was a huge trend of structured double face or dutchess satin gowns on the red carpet, a trend that I've also noticed in our own work for clients lately. 

Kelly Ripa in Christian Siriano

Although I'm not sold on the tiered skirt, the exuberant "crumb catcher" at the bust is fun. 

Florence Pugh in Louis Vuitton (both looks)

Another example of a large, structured satin skirt and a trend for dyed to match shoes. I preferred the gown she wore to the Vanity Fair Party, but that necklace!

Cynthia Erivo in Valentino (both looks)

I'm convinced the Cynthia Erivo can wear just about anything just because she's Cynthia Erivo. I'm still not over seeing her in The Color Purple on Broadway and I thought she had the most powerful musical performance of the night. She is a STAR. She wore 2 space taking gowns Oscar night. Maybe to make up for the fact that more people of color weren't nominated? More power to her. 

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A post shared by Elaine Welteroth (@elainewelteroth) on Feb 9, 2020 at 3:45pm PST

Huge Elaine Welteroth fan here. For obvious reasons.

4. Capes. Maybe it's the prominence of women in superhero movies, but I'm a big favorite of the cape. We've even done them for brides.  

Natalie Portman in Dior

There were several great caped looks, including Brie Larson's above, but my favorite had to be Natalie Portman's Dior cape embroidered with the names of women who weren't recognized by the Academy for their directing work. 

This is regal and just a bit quirky. Perfectly suited to the current head that wears The Crown. She looks confident. 

Kate Bosworth in Ralph and Russo

It's not quite a full cape but it is a fully stunning look. Kate Bosworth rarely disappoints.  

Chrissy Teigen

The queen of Instagram also got on the Cape train.

Zoey Deutch in Valentino

My favorite Politician didn't come to play, looking every bit the star. This reminds me of something a movie star in the '30s would wear. 

Tracee Ellis Ross in Zuhair Murad

QUEEN.

5. KISS. Keep it Simply Stunning. While many A-listers opted for over the top glamour, there were a few gowns that didn't need much to make a bold statement.