Stunning Gowns (Plus Total Fashion Failures) At The 2022 Academy Awards

Kelsey Berish | April 19, 2022 2:37 pm

The 2022 Academy Awards was a night of celebrating and seeing who slayed their high-end designer looks on the red carpet. While some looked like true movie stars, not everyone found a flattering look for the big night.

From Aunjanue Ellis and Jessica Chastain and Nicole Kidman and Maggie Gyllenhaal, here are some of the best and worst dressed stars from the 2022 Oscars.

Best: Jessica Chastain

94th Academy Awards - Photo Room
Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Actress Jessica Chastain walked onto the Oscars' red carpet in a magical Gucci gown. With the purple ombre coloring and the pom-pom detailing on the skirt, the gown was just the right amount of unique while not going overboard.

It was also the perfect choice, considering she got to show it off on stage when accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress!

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Worst: Billie Eilish

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P. Lehman/Future Publishing via Getty Images
P. Lehman/Future Publishing via Getty Images
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While singer Billie Eilish is known for wearing oversized clothing (which there is nothing wrong with), her Academy Award gown was not exactly flattering. The custom black Gucci gown was overly ruffled, swallowing Eilish's small frame.

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In 2022, Eilish won her first Academy Award for Best Original Song for the film No Time to Die.

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Best: Lily James

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Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
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Actress Lily James was all legs during the 2022 Academy Awards. The Pam & Tommy actress chose to wear a light pink gown, complete with a whole lot of lace and an exaggerated slit going up one of her legs.

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The gown was from the Atelier Versace Fall and Winter 2021 Couture collection.

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Worst: Maggie Gyllenhaal

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David Livingston/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
David Livingston/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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Maggie Gyllenhaal might have been going for a royal and regal look with her Academy Awards dress choice, but it didn't hit home. The Schiaparelli Haute Couture black column gown was so structured that it made Gyllenhall look as though she was wearing a "T."

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On top of that, the gold accents looked like melted figurines.

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Best: Lupita Nyong'o

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Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images
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Walking onto the red carpet, actress Lupita Nyong'o looked like one of the golden award statues. She dazzled in a gold sequined gown from Prada.

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While the dress was adorned with a whole lot of gold sequins, it also had little details, including light pink flowers and fringe that gave the structured dress a bit of movement when she walked.

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Worst: Carolina Gaitán

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Kevin Mazur/WireImage; David Livingston/Getty Images
Kevin Mazur/WireImage; David Livingston/Getty Images
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Carolina Gaitán's Tony Ward gown could have been striking but there is too much going on to even consider it one of the "best dresses" seen on the red carpet in 2022.

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The rose color does wonders for the Encanto actress's complexion, but she is swallowed up by one too many ruffles and very structured sleeves.

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Best: Amy Forsyth

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David Livingston/Getty Images; David Livingston/Getty Images
David Livingston/Getty Images; David Livingston/Getty Images
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Actress Amy Forsyth looked gorgeous during the 2022 Academy Awards. Wearing a bold red Marchesa gown, Forsyth rocked a cascade of ruffles and a floral detail on her shoulder.

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The gown was a mix between classic and modern, giving a bold side slit up one of her legs. The CODA actress looked amazing!

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Worst: Renate Reinsve

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Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
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People always look for stars to wear something new and interesting when they attend the Oscars. Unfortunately, actress Renate Reinsve went a little too "interesting."

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Opting to wear a dress from Louis Vuitton Spring 2022 collection, the dress looks as though it would have been better suited for a ghost in a classic horror film with the lace and embroidery detailing and strange beige necktie.

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Best: Zuri Hall

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94th Academy Awards - Arrivals
Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Entertainment reporter Zuri Hall looked stunning on the Academy Awards red carpet. The Access Hollywood correspondent wore a blush pink Sophie Couture gown.

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The dress was sleeveless with a textured bodice and skirt, full of ruffle detailing that swirls into what looks like flowers. She was definitely one of the best dressed that evening.

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Worst: Naomi Scott

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94th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
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Actress Naomi Scott wore a Fendi Spring 2022 Couture dress during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony. The dress was seen on the runway earlier in 2022, with a shorter skirt and cape that Scott would have definitely benefited from.

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Aside from the strange turtleneck, everything with the dress seems a bit too long, making it awkward and too structured.

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Best: Penélope Cruz

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David Livingston/Getty Images
David Livingston/Getty Images
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It's no secret that Penélope Cruz looks magnificent in whatever she wears. The 2022 Academy Awards was no different, with Cruz wearing a stunning Chanel gown.

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The black dress had a lot of subtle detailing, including the button traveling from the top of the bodice to the middle of the skirt, the textured corset, and the bow on her neck.

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Worst: Caitriona Balfe

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Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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Sadly, Caitriona Balfe looked a bit washed out on the red carpet in her white Louis Vuitton gown. Aside from the color, the ruffled train looked a bit out of place on the column dress, making it seem as though Balfe was wearing two separate designs.

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Her regal Van Cleef & Arpels heritage necklace was on point, though!

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Best: Aunjanue Ellis

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94th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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Orange is a difficult color to get right but Aunjanue Ellis looked stunning wearing a bright orange custom Versace gown during the 2022 Academy Awards.

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The full skirt was full of the perfect amount of ruffles, while the asymmetrical bodice and sleeves gave the right amount of texture and detail.

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Worst: Becky G

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Mike Coppola/Getty Images; David Livingston/Getty Images
Mike Coppola/Getty Images; David Livingston/Getty Images
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Singer Becky G was so close to being one of the best-dressed stars on the Academy Awards red carpet. Alas, she didn't fall onto that list solely because her blush pink Etro dress had strange detailing on either side of her hips.

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Take those strange protrusions away, and the column gown fit her like a glove.

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Best: Rachel Lindsay

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94th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
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Rachel Lindsay became the first Bachelorette to snag an invite to the Academy Awards, and she didn't let the opportunity go to waste. Stepping onto the red carpet, Lindsay looked like a dream.

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She opted to wear a navy blue ankle-length dress with silver detailing, leaving her hair down in soft curls to accentuate the sleeves nature of the gown.

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Best: Rosie Perez

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94th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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Actress Rosie Perez should always wear red; the color looks amazing on her! During the 2022 Academy awards, Perez wore a decadent Christian Siriano gown. The red body-hugging gown had minimal detailing with a textured portion on her waist.

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The "wow" factor of the dress, though, is definitely the cold-shoulder sleeves and halter accent that made way for a long train in the back.

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Worst: Maya Rudolph

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David Livingston/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage
David Livingston/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage
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She might have been the most comfortable person at the Academy Awards in 2022, but Maya Rudolph missed the mark when it came to style. Rudolph wore a bright orange Valentino gown during the ceremony, showing how not everyone can pull off bright orange color.

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The pullover dress gave off high-end poncho vibes with the feather detailing on the sleeves and skirt.

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Best: Kirsten Dunst

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David Livingston/Getty Images
David Livingston/Getty Images
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Actress Kirsten Dunst brought old Hollywood glam to the red carpet during the 2022 Academy Awards. Wearing a stunning red Christian Lacroix gown, Dunst looked stunning and regal.

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The sleeveless gown was very textured, something between a wavy fabric and ruffles that didn't overwhelm the actress's small frame. In a bold move, she opted to wear no jewelry, something that actually worked out very well, as it brought more attention to the gown.

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Worst: Nicole Kidman

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David Livingston/Getty Images
David Livingston/Getty Images
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Even though Nicole Kidman had her own custom gray-blue color created by Armani, the dress failed to impress. The sleeves gown is gorgeous with its accented bodice and regal-looking train right up until the midline ruffles.

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The ruffle detail makes it look as though the actress needed a place to rest her arms. Take it away, and the gown would have been stunning.

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Best: Mila Kunis

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Mike Coppola/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Mike Coppola/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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Mila Kunis looked like the star she is, walking on the 2022 Academy Awards red carpet. She wore a blush pink gown by Zuhair Murad Couture for the ceremony.

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The one-shoulder dress featured a textured bodice with asymmetrical detailing and a long, flowy train. The interesting part of this otherwise formal dress is the skinny belt around her waist.