Stars of the Hollywood film industry put their fashionable foot forward as they walked the red carpet towards the Dolby Theatre on Feb. 24 for the 85th annual Academy Awards. Before they could claim their prestigious awards, they were propositioned, commended, and sometimes even persecuted on the red carpet for their various fashion statements. For some, the red-carpet preview is the highlight of the Oscars experience. “I love watching all of the beautiful actors and actresses dressed in their finest walking the red carpet,” said Elizabeth Champney, a senior in communications from Illinois. Observing the glamour of the red carpet is almost as popular as the films themselves. “While I don’t usually watch the Oscars, I always make a point of looking at the best dressed the week after, as well as who won the awards,” said Jess Giles, a senior in TESOL from California. Like Joan Rivers, students who watched the awards were debating between the best and worst dressed. “My favorite of the night was Jennifer Anniston,” commented Daryl Lee, a sophomore in graphic design from Arizona. “She looks absolutely incredible for her age, and her red dress really popped out against the sea of classic black dresses and suits.” Champney said, “Adele, in my opinion, was one of the best dressed there. I love when bigger girls just let their radiance shine and throw their confidence behind what they are wearing, despite our culture’s persecution of bigger people in Hollywood. And that’s exactly what happened tonight. Adele just absolutely owned what she was wearing and it paid off.” Setting a new record at the Oscars this year for the youngest nominee in the Academy’s history was 9-year-old upcoming star, Quvenzhane Wallis, who was nominated for her role in the film “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Quvenzhane attended the show with her mother, aunt, and tiny dog that she carried in her puppy purse. “Quvenzhane was so adorable. You could just feel her excitement,” shared Lisa Thompson, a senior in psychology from Texas. “While there were definitely other stunning actors and actresses there, I loved Quvenzhane’s outfit and matching puppy purse the most. She made the ceremony seem complete.” Students were skeptical about the importance placed on the artists’ look rather than on their work. “These award shows are an interesting mix between high and low culture. They are low in the sense that everyone is overly obsessed with the aesthetic appeal of these stars, but also a high culture ideal with these artists that takes great skill and talent,” shared Aaron Coffey, a junior in communications from Georgia. “The media circus around their outfits does seem to cheapen the whole thing overall. It’s like a 4H (youth agricultural competition) fair but with people.”
Writer: Sydney Odell~Multimedia Journalist
