The New York Observer

Here’s Who Was Best-Dressed At the Oscars

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By Daniel D'Addario 2/27/12 1:46pm

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The year’s biggest night for fashion was an unusually metallic affair–with Best Actress Meryl Streep draped in gold, Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer in sparkly silver, Melissa Leo in a pile of sequins, and Jennifer Lopez in a significantly sparser pile of sequins. Aside from all the gold and silver, black and white seemed to rule the evening–the few well-executed bits of color, like Michelle Williams’s sweet red dress, came across beautifully. Here’s who we thought were the best dressed last night!
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Gwyneth Paltrow (Getty Images)

Gwyneth Paltrow makes an argument for her continued existence in a white cape/gown combo that looks like a minimalist reimagining of a scene from "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." (Getty Images)
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Michelle Williams (Getty Images)

Michelle Williams broke out of her often-glum white/black/beige rut with a lovely red dress that looked both very Michelle Williams-y (twee-inflected) and fresh. (Getty Images)
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Octavia Spencer (Getty Images)

Octavia Spencer looked smashing in a beaded, sparkling frock--showing Meryl Streep, perhaps, how one does metallic. (Getty Images)
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Maya Rudolph (Getty Images)

Maya Rudolph narrowly edges out Rose Byrne for best-in-show among the "Bridesmaids" cast--and it's nice to see her at this ceremony not just as P.T. Anderson's plus-one! (Getty Images)
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Cameron Diaz (Getty Images)

Cameron Diaz looks clean and modern at the top of this dress, which devolves into a sparkling, ragged fantasia at the bottom. (Getty Images)
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Jessica Chastain (Getty Images)

Jessica Chastain announced her arrival on the Hollywood scene in a remarkably bold gold-and-black McQueen that was ornate and sparkling without looking fustily like the Oscar statue itself. (Getty Images)