Oscar fashion doesn't bore: favorites from the red carpet

By Tony Bravo By Tony Bravo

Published 8:22 pm, Sunday, March 4, 2018

For Oscar’s 90th birthday, the Academy Awards upped the substance during the annual red carpet pre-show. In the three decades since award show red carpets became entertainment events unto themselves, 2018 has seen one of the biggest disruptions of the festivities since Joan Rivers first asked “Who are you wearing?”

The fashion blackout at January’s Golden Globe Awards, where women and some men wore black to show support for the “Me Too” movement and “Time’s Up Initiative” against sexual harassment and gender inequality in Hollywood, changed the conversation this award season and was followed by a similar group dressing statement with white roses at this year’s Grammy Awards. Although there was no unifying fashion symbolism adopted by the stars at the Oscars, many celebrities spoke out more freely than ever before on the red carpet covering topics from the harassment scandals to Puerto Rican aid and arts education.

Here are some of our favorite moments from the red carpet and ceremony, fashion and otherwise.

•Right before tuning in, I hope for some fashion drama in the era of safely-styled stars. I say a silent prayer that Cher, Madonna, Bjork or Lady Gaga will show up wearing the curtains, a meat dress or the entire Bob Mackie archives.

•Turn on the E! network first and find it strange that Ryan Seacrest is on the red carpet in light of recent harassment allegations by his former stylist and am confused that fellow E! correspondent Giuliana Rancic is broadcasting from the Roosevelt Hotel. With additional reports of gender disparity in pay at the network by former host Cat Sadler, it seems especially tone deaf. Twitter agrees.

•Fashion prayers answered. Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon arrived early wearing a Jeremy Scott harness tuxedo. Even though the “Tom of Finland” biopic didn’t get nominated, that didn’t stop the media darling from repping bondage fashion. Fellow gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy is also in attendance.

•Local icon Rita Moreno wears the same gown she wore when she won best supporting actress for “West Side Story” 56 years ago! Sure, it’s been altered a little on top (like many on the red carpet) but how many other EGOT winning performers could pull that off?

•Former Teen Vogue editor and Bay Area native Elaine Welteroth joins the team at E at the Roosevelt and offers some of the most intelligent television fashion commentary of the night.

•Allison Janney’s red, dramatic drop sleep gown by Reem Acra makes her already a winner in my book. The Academy agrees and awards her best supporting actress for “I, Tonya.” In homage to the film’s ice theme, she also reportedly sports $4 million of Forevermark diamonds.

•ABC’s red carpet hosts are going all in on “Time’s Up” and “Me Too” discussions. Former San Francisco first lady and activist Jennifer Siebel Newsom must be thrilled reporters have finally taken to her #askhermore movement. “So proud of how far we’ve come from ‘try out the mani-cam!’ to #TimesUp. When we uplift women’s voices and stories, we change the world. #AskHerMore #Oscars” @therepproject later tweets back to reporter.

•The Black Panther himself Chadwick Boseman has gone full Afro futurist chic with his tribal pattern coat. Turning to fans he shouts “Wakanda forever!”

•Speaking of African style, Tiffany Haddish wears a traditional embroidered Eritrean gown in honor of her late father. She and Maya Rudolph later present onstage… Barefoot, complaining about award show high heels.

•Whoopi Goldberg accessorizes her floral Christian Siriano gown with unlaced boots, a look she says the designer endorsed. I saw Goldberg backstage at Siriano’s New York Fashion Week show last month and the two looked very chummy.

•“Call Me By Your Name” stars Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer walk the red carpet together, Chalamet in a head-to-toe white Berluti suit, Hammer in a head-to-toe bordeaux velvet tuxedo by Giorgio Armani Made to Measure.

•Eva Marie Saint’s heartfelt remarks about her late husband end with a joke: “I just realized, I’m older than the Academy, by about three months.” She looks great, is 90-plus the new 50?

•Gal Gadot is her own best special effect. Her silver fringe gown makes her look as heroic as her “Wonder Woman” armor.

•Mark Bridges wins his second Oscar for best costumes for his period perfect Charles James inspired designs for fashion flick “The Phantom Thread” to no one’s surprise.

•Shane Vieau , winner for best production design for “The Shape of Water” (with Jeff Melvin, Paul Denham Austerberry) is every awesome best man at every wedding you wish you went to in his aviators and Adidas sneakers.

•“Lady Bird” screenwriter and director Greta Gerwig’s choice of a yellow gown by Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy felt especially appropriate: The Mulleavys wrote and directed their first feature film in 2017, the Humboldt-set “Woodshock” and have been major advocates for women filmmakers.

•Even though Cher, Madonna, Bjork and Lady Gaga stayed home, I wasn’t bored!