At last night's Academy Awards, Zero Dark Thirty star Jessica Chastain was a vision: the copper nails, rolling Veronica Lake waves, the cluster earrings, the cherry red lip and THAT GOWN. I can't think of an actress who wore a colour that flattered her skin and hair tone better.

Though she didn't eclipse my favourite Oscar look of all time , Chastain was downright luminous. Totally Oscar-worthy in every way. I was particularly pleased that the bottom gently pulled into a subtle column, rather than dovetailing into excessive and unnecessary ruffles/feathers (ahem, Jennifer Gardner and Kristen Stewart). The gentle flick of black liner, lush lashes and the delicately pressed in champagne eyeshadow—this is no-fail Hollywood glamour. [caption id="attachment_8789" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Love Chastain's copper colourway.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8817" align="aligncenter" width="325"] Swoony webs of silver sequins on Chastain's gown.[/caption] And as for worst, I'm choosing Anne Hathaway. More on that in a second. When I'm judging my top picks, I scale it down to the key players—the nominees and presenters. It's not because I think George Clooney's date doesn't count (she doesn't), but it's because of what's at stake. Hathaway went into the awards knowing she'd walk out with an 8.5-lb buddy—therefore, her choice of dress is all the more crucial than Clooney's girlfriend's. This dress is everything.

 

Which is why I was so hugely disappointed in Hathaway's Prada gown. I'm all for the minimal '90s revival, but this just wasn't working for me. Firstly, I was bored by the hue. We've seen blush and blush and more blush for a few years on the red carpet, and this was just too precious. The apron halter neckline so poorly paired with that gorgeous Tiffany necklace. The back was downright awful. Hathaway described it as "business in the front, party in the back." That's one party I'll skip, thanks. And please, enough with the comparison's to Gwyneth's Ralph Lauren. Apparently she snubbed Valentino at the last minute and I just can't help but wonder which ended up on the cutting room floor. Was it custom, like her wedding dress? Ruffled? Classic Valentino red? Will we ever know? But colour, detail, fabric (awful—just awful) aside—the most erroneous part of the dress was the fit. There's a distinction between skimming and slipping and I'm not even mad about the darts—if the dress was tailored to her shape, they would serve a purpose in shaping the dress to her body. But that's what happens when you pick your dress three hours before showtime. And I don't even want to talk about hair. Images courtesy Getty.