Awkward is an understatement when describing the best picture Oscar award fiasco this year’s Oscars. Fortunately, there was nothing awkward (although some perhaps misguided) about the Red Carpet celebrities strutting their fashion. And there was drama before the event, when Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel bashed Meryl Streep for requesting a Chanel dress and claimed backed out when she found a label willing to pay her for wearing their dress.  So who did she wear? Our 3T stylists, Carol Davidson, Paul Julch, Marla Tomazin, and Scarlett DeBease weigh in on Meryl’s dress along their Red Carpet picks and pans.

The Stylists: (L-R) Carol Davidson, Scarlett Debease, Paul Julch, Marla Tomazin

Viola Davis – Best Dressed

All four of our stylists had Viola Davis in their top 3 best dresses (as did the 3Ts). Her beautiful red Armani Privé dress was stunning. Here’s what our stylists said:

Carol Davidson: Normally I don’t love a red dress on the red carpet, but Viola Davis looked like an Oscar winner even before the envelope. The color, drape and fit of her dress were incredible and the cutout shoulders added just the right amount of allure – not to mention a touch of trend.  Her hair was sleek and sophisticated and her jewelry was appropriate, yet understated, so there was nothing to distract from her beauty (and the beauty of the dress).  In my book she’s not only a contender for best dressed, but also best speech of the evening.

Scarlett Debease: I am partial to red, but when a dress is so cleverly designed to cover up the dreaded upper arm area, I’ll take one in every color.

Paul Julch: I love a bold color statement, especially on the red carpet, and Viola didn’t disappoint.  The red column gown was seemingly simple, but with architectural details that kept it eye-catching.  The color was amazing against her skin, and the straightforward styling allowed her to shine.

Marla Tomazin: Viola’s dress was a vibrant clear red and it really complimented her. I loved her side swept hair and simple gold accessories. 

Other Best Dressed

Emma Stone

Taraji P. Jenson

Chrissy Teigen

Nicole Kidman

Naomi Harris

Taraji P. Jenson (Alberta Ferretti)

Paul Julch: Stunning in navy velvet.  Classic Hollywood glamour.

Carol Davidson: Looked nothing short of stunning.  Her va-va-voom velvet dress fit her to perfection and really showcased her body in the best possible way. Her tousled hair echoed the allure of the dress and her diamond collar was to die for.  The midnight blue color was not only exquisite on her, but a welcome departure from basic black. The recreation of the Angelina leg moment was the cherry on the sundae!

 Naomi Harris (Calvin Klein)

Paul Julch: She was simple, chic and classic in a strapless white sequin dress.  I truly appreciate her going against the grain in a knee-length style with a dramatic train – a true minimalist moment, topped off with pop yellow shoes!

Emma Stone (Givency)

Marla Tomazin: Emma looked Hollywood elegant with her choice of dress, the wave in her hair, and her makeup and earrings. I also loved the color of her brick red lipstick. 

Nicole Kidman (Armani)

 Marla Tomazin: Nicole looked statuesque in her embellished peachy gold gown. Her hair was simple and her red lips really made it pop.

Carol Davidson.  Nicole showed us that subtle can still be show-stopping.  The delicate, nude color can be tough to wear on lighter skin tones, but the embroidery and embellishments gave it dimension.  The higher front, halter top put the spotlight on her model-like shoulders, while the lower back ensured that the dress was beautiful coming and going.  Her hair was simple yet elegant and her bold red lip and lashes really punctuated her look – as did those amazing ruby and diamond earrings~ I think the word “flawless” best sums up her look.

Kristen Dunst (Christian Dior)

Scarlett Debease: Award winning LBD with the bonus of pockets! 

Chrissy Teigen (Zuhair Murad)

Scarlett Debease: Nothing better than making a stunning entrance coming and going.

Missed the Mark (or Not)

Dakota Johnson (Gucci)

Paul Julch: Overly draped, overworked and covered neck to wrist to toe in a gold gown. And the styling was not Oscar-worthy – her hair did not fit the look.

Marla Tomazin: I didn’t think Dakota Johnson’s champagne gown was flattering to her. She is an attractive woman, but the pale shade washed her out, and the period details of the dress really brought her down. 

 Carol Davidson: In a word, wow…but not in a good way.  In fact, I think this one could be dubbed “Gucci gone wrong.” To say there was way too much fabric is an understatement.  She was lost in all of the draping, the 80’s shoulders and all that coverage. (I know that this season it’s all about a higher neck and sleeve treatment, but I needed to see skin – somewhere!) Her hair looked stringy, if not unwashed.  Very disappointing to say the least.

Leslie Mann (Zac Posen)

 Paul Julch: A great bold color, but in a fully-skirted ball gown reminiscent of Belle in Beauty and the Beast.  More costume than red carpet.

Marla Tomazin: Leslie’s yellow dress missed the mark for me. The yellow of the gown did not complement her skin tone. And the bow across her chest combined with the layered skirt looked made her look like she might be stepping into Gone with the Wind instead of stepping onto the red carpet!

 Mixed Opinion

Janell Monae (Elie Saab)

Paul Julch: Movies are about drama and fantasy, and so was this dress.  It was a major Oscar moment that took amazing guts to wear, and even with something so detailed, she wore the dress and it didn’t wear her.  

Carol Davidson: She’s a beautiful girl for sure but this is a case where the dress wears the person and not the other way around.  The dress is a work of art but there is so much detail everywhere, you don’t know where to focus.  It’s a lot to take in and regrettably it detracts from her beautiful face.  All that said, I’m not sure who could have pulled that off.  My thinking is that this is a dress that’s best featured in the Met than worn on the red carpet.

Scarlett Debease: Her dress would have less distracting and more interesting if the top was simpler, thus allowing the skirt to be the focal point it was intended to be. 

Brie Larson (Oscar de la Renta)

Paul Julch: Dramatic silhouette.  Another classic Hollywood glamour moment.

Scarlett Debease: Her zig zag cut dress distracts us from seeing her, and causes the eye to zig zag to the floor.  

Meryl Streep (Not on the Best or Worst List)

Meryl Streep’s team took umbrage at Karl Lagerfeld’s comments and said she never is remunerated for wearing a designer’s clothes. But to be honest, Ms. Streep’s Red Carpet choices are not always the best. At the Oscars, she ended up wearing this royal blue Elie Saab gown. What did our stylists think?

Marla Tomazin: I thought it was one of her better moments in fashion. She is a fabulous actress but often misses the mark with what she wears to these shows.

Paul Julch: I thought Meryl’s dress was lovely – I’m always up for a 50’s throwback of pants under a skirt!  Just didn’t feel super memorable to me.

Scarlett Debease:  I thought Meryl Streep’s dress was a much better choice than what she wore to award shows for the last few years. Gorgeous color for her and flattering to her shape. She never goes for all out glamour by starving herself to fit into a skin tight, can’t have dessert, dress. I love that!