style: my favorite 2013 Oscar looks...

As an ordinary girl who loves fashion and entertainment, awards season is one of my favorite things about winter.  I love having a good excuse to stay up late on Sunday nights!  Here are a few of the dresses I loved the most from last night's Oscars, and a few overall trends I observed.

Color!

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck via Huffington Post || Jennifer Aniston in Valentino via Perez Hilton

Jennifer Garner's dress was my absolute favorite of the night - she knows what looks good on her, and though her sheath dress/collar necklace/loose updo ensemble wasn't surprising in the least, it was elegant and perfect for a night when her job is to support her husband!  More purple on the Red Carpet, please, Hollywood!  Jennifer Aniston's poppy red ballgown was similar to the dresses Zooey Deschanel and Jennifer Lawrence wore to the Golden Globes, but still looked amazing on her - she said it felt "princessy" and it looked even better on the television screen than it does in still photos.

Ruffles and Lace

Amy Adams in Oscar De La Renta via Tom + Lorenzo || Sandra Bullock in Elie Saab via Perez Hilton

Ruffles, scallops, and lace are all very popular in fashion design right now, and Amy Adams and Sandra Bullock wore my favorite embellished dresses.  Amy's dove grey dress featured a sweetheart neckline and layers of ruffles, while Sandra Bullock's dress combined a conservative fit with a sheer lace design- I expect black and nude lace designs to trickle down into everyday fashion after being so prevalent this awards season (see Julia Louis-Dreyfuss at the Golden Globes).

Black and White

 

Adele in Jenny Packham via Just Jared and performing "Skyfall" via Huffington Post

While white or black dresses are always classic (see Renee Zellweger in 2004, Nicole Kidman in 2006, Jennifer Garner in 2008, and Gwyneth Paltrow last year), 2013's awards season has seen a lot of dresses that feature black and white designs.  Adele has been sticking to black dresses with a high neckline and 3/4 sleeves a lot this awards season, but the look works for her, and she chose a shorter, sparklier version of the same thing for her "Skyfall" performance.  This is a dress I would wear!

Metallics and Retro Beauty

Jennifer Hudson via Huffington Post

Jessica Chastain in Givenchy Couture via HuffPost Style  || Reese Witherspoon via Gossipcenter

Metallics are a perennial red carpet favorite, whether it's Hilary Swank's bronze ballgown at the 2000 Oscars, Keri Russell's champagne dress in 2008, Cameron Diaz's gold-dusted gown in 2010, or the plethora of gold dresses earlier this year.  At this year's Oscars, Jennifer Hudson rocked a sparkly gunmetal-silver dress for her Dreamgirls performance.  I also loved Jessica Chastain's dress, which made for such an Old Hollywood look with her retro side-parted curls and red lipstick that I thought of Jessica Rabbit!

Reese Witherspoon paired a similar retro-inspired hairstyle with a modern trend - her dress featured a mermaid hemline and a black-and-blue colorblocked bodice.  I wish she had gone with a more dramatic lipstick, but her hair is so gorgeous that I will forgive her :)

What did you think of this year's Oscars?  Who was on your best-dressed list?