The Academy Awards celebrate the best and brightest talents in Hollywood, from on-screen stars to costume creators to musical geniuses.
However when it comes fashion, the red carpet not only plays host to some of the award season’s most successful moments, it also serves as a backdrop for some of the year’s most awkward sartorial failures.
At this year’s Oscars, it was Olympic skiing star Lindsey Vonn, 33, who led the charge as far as worst-dressed celebrities, totally missing the mark in a gothic black lace dress, which featured awkward cut-outs at the knee, as well as some bizarre tassel embellishments that did little to elevate her look.
Oh dear: Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn topped the list of worst dressed stars at this year’s Academy Awards
Shiny disaster: Salma Hayek’s dress was baffling to behold, with the combination of sequins, layered ruffles and military-inspired neck embellishments serving as more of an eye sore than a style statement
OTT: Actress Blanca Blanco also hit a low note with her red-and-white dress, which flashed far too much flesh thanks to its tacky neckline and thigh-high split
Take a seat: Singer Andra Day, who is performing at the ceremony, wore a bizarre dress that looked more like a pair of curtains than a black tie dress, standing out for all the wrong reasons thanks to its unflattering shape
Missing something? Singer St. Vincent appeared to be missing part of her dress, and the part that was remaining served only to prompt several unanswered questions regarding the bizarre arm shape and unique hemline
Eek: Although the color of Renee Bargh’s dress was incredibly flattering with her skintone, the shape of the gown, as well as its awkward lace additions gave the overall look a rather awkward finish
She paired the gown with a large diamond choker that jarred slightly with the high neckline on her dress, which – despite its over-the-top aesthetic – did flatter her figure thanks to its clinging silhouette.
Inspired by Bozo? Kelly Ripa looked like she had borrowed accessories from a clown costume in order to achieve the garish bows on the back of her otherwise-elegant dress
Feeling blue? Louise Roe’s gown (left) looked as though it had been painted in a child’s art class, while TV host Nancy O’Dell’s royal blue frock hit a tacky note thanks to its too-high split and glittering embellishments
Fifty Shades of Rippon: Figure skater Adam wore what appeared to be a bondage-inpisred suit
Awkward: Actress Paz Vega swamped her figure in a too-big dress that had an incredibly garish pattern
Flashing the flesh: Lebanese actress Rita Hayek wore a multicolored gown that showed off far too much side boob
Shiny: Songwriter and singer Taura Stinson went too far with the shimmering fabric that did not photograph well