By Jackie Brubaker

Despite the pouring rain days before the 86th annual Academy Awards the stars were out in their best to celebrate motion pictures biggest night in movies–and fashion.

Lupita Nyong’o took home gold for best supporting actress and for her Cinderella inspired powder blue sparkle gown. Looking gorgeous in a plunging neckline, this dress certainly is a dream your heart makes.

Competing rival for best supporting actress was Oscar winning actress Jennifer Lawrence in a long red dress with peplum sides. Jennifer looks beautiful with soft makeup and a new pixie cut pushed back to give the illusion of an up do.

Sandra Bullock looked elegant in a dark navy sweetheart shaped blue satin gown. With beautiful nude lips, a slightly smokey eye and her hair in soft curls to the side she was everything an Oscar nominee should be. Though she didn’t take home the gold, she looked ready to.

Cate Blanchett however did take home the gold for best actress in a leading role. Cate looked breathtaking in a peach hued rhinestone encrusted gown, the tone almost matching her skin color perfectly. With its romantic fading neckline and fuller skirt Cate walked effortlessly down the red carpet and onto the stage to accept her award.

Though not nominated, Broadway royalty Kristin Chenoweth dazzled us in a structured art deco lined gold beaded dress. I have to say, this might be my favorite gown of the night.

Donning a similar look was Lady Gaga in a pink beaded gown and light pink chiffon shawl. With light, romantic makeup and her platinum hair swept back, Lady Gaga certainly looked like a lady on the red carpet.

Kate Hudson certainly turned heads and no doubt inspired wedding dress designers and brides everywhere with her 1940’s inspired silver white gown. With its deep V-neck and silhouette hugging lines Kate was a showstopper.

Amy Adams was beautiful in blue gown with classic lines and cute strapless folded collar. Though she didn’t take home the gold she looked beautiful and had a great time dancing to Pharrell Williams nominated song “Happy” that night.

After a rather hard year physically for the Oscar winning actress, Angelina Jolie came with her fiancée Brad Pitt to this Oscars wearing a gorgeous beaded champagne colored dress proving once again that she is indeed Hollywood Royalty.

Champagne and flesh colored dresses were quite the rage last night. Check out some of your favorite stars in their red carpet gowns.

Kristin Bell

Jenna Dewan-Tatum

Guiliana Rancic

Portia de Rossi

Jessica Biel

Jennifer Garner

Julie Deply

Nancy O’Dell

Mommy-to-be and Scandal star Kerri Russell wore a lovely shade of lavender in a flattering strapless satin gown. I loved her dark burgundy lips and romantic half up hairstyle. She certainly had a glow to her.

Black and darker gem tones were spotted as well with stars like Charlize Theron in a mermaid-esue black gown and nude straps.

Jada Pinkett Smith seemed one of the only women to wear a real shade of pink last night. In her coral chiffon dress she waltzed down the carpet in style.

Our boys were in blue last night. A midnight blue tuxedo made a huge comeback from Jason Sudeikis to host Ellen Degeneres.

Steve McQueen

Color also stole the show in men’s attire with Michael Strahan in a black trimmed and red tuxedo and Chis Hemsworth in a deep purple tuxedo.

How cute was Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa in her beautiful blue beaded dress?

And, now for the not so nice portion of our Oscar review. There were some real doozies. Though not as bad as some award shows, the Oscars did not go untouched by some of Hollywood’s worst dressed.

Usually, vibrant Sharron Osborn looked dull in a black long sleeved dress with what looks like two dead squirrels on her shoulders. While I love her hair and makeup, it doesn’t quite cover the fact that she just stepped out of taxidermy’s office.

Naomi Watts is stunning in a white fitted gown and sparkly collar neckline. But did she get caught in a one-sided windstorm? Her hair stays in a Kelly-esque 90210 inspired side flip the entire night. Throw some extensions in their girl if you’re going to rock a laid back beachy look. Or, better yet, don’t. This is the Oscars, not a night at the Peach Pit.

In honor of The Wizard of Oz celebrating its 75th anniversary Whoopi Goldberg no doubt decided to go as a mix between wearing Julia Roberts’ shirtdress from the Golden Globes this year and the Wicked witch of the East.   What is it about Whoopi and her insistent need to wear the puffy shirt from Seinfeld constantly?

Frozen creator John Lasseter brought his wife to the award show in what I believed to be her Christmas dress. When I was watching this on my TV her dress actually appeared green, but in this picture it appears blue. Either shade is equally as bad. Add the poinsettia on the bust and you have one of the worst looks of the night.

I’m not sure what happened here either. I was bored to tears by this ill fitted emerald green dress (can emerald green please be laid to rest already?) worn by Oscar winning actress Viola Davis. She looked tired with overdone smokey eyes and nude lips and the neckline to her dress that did nothing for her. In fact, the whole thing does nothing for her. Uck.

The winner of worst dressed at an Academy Award red carpet goes to none other than Cabaret star, Liza Minnelli. Liza showed up wearing a super hero cape draped over her body with a matching blue streak in her hair. I’m not sure who told her it was okay to put Kool-Aid in her hair or if she’s just trying to revisit our youth (certainly not hers) but this screams, ageism.

All in all I think the Oscars this year won for best dressed at an award show. Simply beautiful gowns graced the historic halls of The Dolby Theatre making it the most watched runway of the year. Here’s to all of the winners on and off the runway!

By: Jackie Brubaker