You would never have guessed that many of the lovely ladies on the red carpet were a bundle of nerves. Decked out in some of the finest designs by leading fashion houses, they posed and showed off their threads to the photographers with ease. From Dior to Armani, we picked out five key trends that dominated the red carpet at the 89^th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

Old school is cool

When channelling the glamour of yesteryears, these ladies know how to do it best. From flapper dresses to feathers and perfectly coifed hair, the red carpet was the perfect place to showoff the vintage style. In Givenchy Haute Couture, was Best Actress nominee Emma Roberts who dazzled us in a gold number that is believed to be one of Ricardo Tisci’s last designs for the fashion house. In the same breath, was actress Sofia Boutella, who chose a gown from Chanel Haute Couture that featured feathers. Rounding up the list of ladies who did a major throwback to the era, was actress Emma Roberts. Wearing a vintage Armani Privé, Roberts kept it elegant and chic with her hair and makeup.

Dazzle me

“Sticks and stone may break my bones” but sequins and appliques amaze me. Apart from the sheer amount of beads, time and manpower needed to craft each of these gowns; this style is one we admire for its ability to outlive other trends each award season. First on our list is another Oscar-nominee, Nicole Kidman who stunned on the red carpet in a nude gown by Armani Privé. Second on our radar is none other than actress-singer Hailee Steinfeld. Her delicate Ralph & Russo gown showed Hollywood that the new generation in entertainment is ready to take the reins in fashion. Our final leading lady who completed the list, was none other than Priyanka Chopra, was seen wearing a white number by Ralph & Russo.

Metallic Chic

That coveted gold statue wasn’t the only one to shine on this night. Another trend that was favoured by the ladies who walked the red-carpet was that of metallics. Dakota Johnson selected a gold gown by Gucci that channelled the Victorian era perfectly. Another gold number was seen on actress Jessica Biel. She paired the sparkly Kaufman Franco number with jewellery from Tiffany &Co. and kept her makeup simple, which made this look a win in our books. Joining Johnson and Biel is the red-carpet queen herself, Charlize Theron. While she opted for a fiery red number by Dior last year, she posed for the cameras in a gold and black gown by Dior Haute Couture, which was paired with jewellery from Chopard.

Dark and seductive

Forget the LBD, for these ladies showed us how to rock dark colours on the carpet like a pro. Taraji P. Henson, another nominee for the evening, certainly gave Angelina Jolie a run for her money in a midnight blue Alberta Ferretti gown with a thigh-high slit. Another actress rocking a Dior Haute Couture piece was actress Kristen Dunst. With pockets and a cascading hemline and train, the black gown was sweet, simple and elegant. Last year’s Best Actress winner, Brie Larson was another to set the light bulbs flashing with her black Oscar de La Renta gown that featured ruffles and a slit.

Lady in red

As we write this, Viola Davis won the award for Best Supporting Actress and did so in style while wearing her custom-made Armani Privé gown. As a favourite to win both the award but also on the red carpet, the actress seems to be having a great 2017 so far. Following the trend was Ruth Negga who wore a red Custom Valentino gown that seemed to have been inspired by the Victorian era much like the one worn by Johnson. The final actress to join our list of the best-dressed is Ginnifer Goodwin in Zuhair Murad. While there was a striking resemblance to Negga’s gown, the designer placed cutouts in strategic areas that added a modern touch to the creation.

All images are courtesy of A.M.P.A.S and Chopard.