Fashion Notes: 12 Best and Worst Dressed at the 2022 Oscars

The 94th Academy Awards were anything but a bore this year, and neither was the red carpet.

In this Fashion Notes, I break down my best and worst dressed for the evening.

Best Dressed: Jessica Chastain in Gucci

My favorite aspect of Jessica Chastain’s custom tulle gown, embellished with sequins and an organza ruffle-trimmed hem, from Alessandro Michele at Gucci is that it totally embodied the great Tammy Faye Bakker whom she played in the biopic “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” and won the Best Actress award.

The glitter, the sparkle, the purple, the tulle, the earrings — it’s all so 1980s Evangelist. Tammy Faye would have definitely worn this frock!

Worst Dressed: Amy Schumer in Oscar de la Renta

Amy Schumer did a bang-up job hosting the Oscars (who would have suspected?!) but her worst moment was on the red carpet in this ill-fitting, plunging navy gown by Oscar de la Renta.

Not even a giant cutesie bow can save this look.

Best Dressed: Zoë Kravitz in Saint Laurent

If you’re a fan of old Hollywood like me, you’ll know that Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent designed this custom gown for Zoë Kravitz in the vein of Audrey Hepburn’s pink number in “Funny Face.”

Kravitz took it to another level by matching Hepburn’s iconic chopped short bangs and with subtle diamonds adorning her neck and ears. It’s the inspiration behind the look that makes it all the more magical.

Worst Dressed: Kristen Stewart in Chanel

This look is sort of funny because it’s as if Kristen Stewart knew she had barely made the Best Actress category for her role as Princess Diana in “Spencer” and decided she was going to disrespect the Academy by showing up in hot pants.

Well, you made your point Kristen but in horrid fashion. Karl Lagerfeld would have never allowed a starlet to walk the red carpet looking like this in one of his designs.

Best and Worst Dressed: Penélope Cruz in Chanel

I have an appreciation for this Chanel gown that Penélope Cruz wore to the Oscars. There’s an old-world quality to it with its subtle peekaboo cleavage, bustling skirt, and buttons down the center. It could almost be a costume from “Little Women.”

At the same time, there’s something I can’t stand. Perhaps, the bow tied around her neck? Maybe the length of the skirt? If we ripped that sequin bow off and hiked up the skirt to tea length hem, this could be a classic for the ages.

Best Dressed: Demi Singleton in MiuMiu

This girlish MiuMiu column dress that Demi Singleton is really lovely. The way the embellishments fall away as they drip from her bust and then gather back together at the hem gives the eye a break in all the right ways.

A simple little lavender number with a great strappy heel. Sometimes, good fashion is easy.

Worst Dressed: Jada Pinkett Smith in Jean Paul Gautier Couture

My first thought when seeing Jada Pinkett Smith in this Jean Paul Gautier Couture gown was “Why is she wearing kale?”

Best Dressed: Maggie Gyllenhaal in Schiaparelli

There are so many actresses that try to wear art as fashion and it’s a flop about 95 percent of the time. Maggie Gyllenhaal in this custom Schiaparelli gown by Daniel Roseberry is breathtaking.

The surreal, fortified wool crepe and velvet bodice on this column dress stand up effortlessly across Gyllenhaal’s shoulders and the gold trompe l’œil buttons that are meticulously placed down the center takes this look to the next level.

It’s a showpiece, no doubt. But isn’t that what the Oscars are for?

Worst Dressed: Nicole Kidman in Armani Privé

I never thought I’d live to see the day that Nicole Kidman would make it on my worst dressed list but there’s a first for everything when you pick a baby boy’s baptism cupcake designed by Armani Privé to wear to the Oscars.

Best Dressed: Alana Haim in Louis Vuitton

This is the definition of class, elegance, regalness. Louis Vuitton’s custom silk embroidered gown for newcomer Alana Haim is divine. She played it right with timeless waves thrown behind her shoulders, soft makeup, and a strappy silver heel.

There’s nothing wrong with this look and that’s a hard thing to do with all the bad celebrity styling in Hollywood today.

Worst Dressed: Serena Williams in Gucci

The chopped hair, the over-the-top makeup, the plunging neckline, the black beaded floral arrangement across her beck, the color, the gloves, the sleeves, the slit up the side.

What on earth makes someone like Serena Williams, with all the fashion at her disposal, make this many bad decisions in one look for one night?

Best Dressed and Worst Dressed: Zendaya in Valentino Haute Couture

Zendaya is certainly having a moment. And I get it. She’s a stunning girl with a toothpick frame that seemingly looks fabulous in anything she throws on. I love the Cher-like quality of this Valentino Haute Couture getup and her hair swept back in this way.

The styling is impeccable (note those bracelets that look to be crawling up her arms and their matching necklace).

At the same time, I wish it weren’t in silver and white. Perhaps Fuschia or black or orange? White seems a bit too obvious for the Oscars and red carpet.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.