Quirkiest ever Oscar dresses
The weird, the wacky and the wonderful
For every traditional gown on the Oscars red carpet, there's one that's a little bit kooky. And as much as we adore gorgeous dresses, we have to admit that it's those looks that subvert the boundaries of fashion and challenge conventional notions of style and taste that really capture our attention. So in celebration of risk-takers everywhere, we take a look at the quirkiest Oscar dresses of all-time. Bjork, Cher, Whoopi Goldberg et all: we salute you.
Simply click on an image to launch the gallery.
Words: Elodie Russo, picture credit: Getty Images and Rex Features
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - B…
Bjork flaunted this Swan Lake-inspired look way… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Bjork, 2001
Bjork flaunted this Swan Lake-inspired look way before Natalie Portman did her first demi-plié.
Needless to say, the Marjan Pejoski design immediately secured a place in fashion history - and will always hold a place in our heart for its sheer, unabashed weirdness.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - G…
Onlookers got a little more than they bargained… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Gwyneth Paltrow, 2002
Onlookers got a little more than they bargained for when Gwyneth Paltrow debuted this translucent-topped Alexander McQueen design and taffeta skirt in 2002.
It certainly was an unforgettable look.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - C…
Cher's long-time designer of choice, Bob Mackie,… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Cher, 1986
Cher's long-time designer of choice, Bob Mackie, dreamt up this eye-popping outfit for the 1986 Oscars - complete with extended midriff flash and a two-foot headress made from rooster feathers.
Understated it ain't.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - C…
It was another Oscars triumph for dream team Cher… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Cher, 1988
It was another Oscars triumph for dream team Cher and Bob Mackie in 1988 - at least in terms of column inches.
She chose sequins and an abundance of skin with which to pick up her best actress Oscar for Moonstruck.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - U…
"It was a beautiful dress," Uma Thurman… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Uma Thurman, 2004
"It was a beautiful dress," Uma Thurman insisted, after this Christian Lacroix couture gown was dubbed the Swiss Miss by fashion critics. "Turns out I wore it wrong."
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - D…
Demi Moore took a plunge into the unknown back in… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Demi Moore, 1989
Demi Moore took a plunge into the unknown back in the 80s, when she decided to design her own look for the Oscars.
The result was this tapestry-lined gown with tight lycra shorts. Innovative.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - K…
Demi Moore was not alone in wandering down the… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Kim Basinger, 1990
Demi Moore was not alone in wandering down the DIY route.
Kim Basinger also designed her own dress for the Oscars in 1990, combining a menswear influence with that of a merinque-esque bridal gown.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - G…
Nominated for Thelma and Louise, Geena Davis… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Geena Davis, 1992
Nominated for Thelma and Louise, Geena Davis created a talking point with this ruffle, mullet-skirted creation from costume designers Ruth Meyers and Bill Hargate in 1992.
The long white gloves were an added touch of genius.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - K…
Kate Hudson turned heads with this pale grey… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Kate Hudson, 2001
Kate Hudson turned heads with this pale grey see-through design by Stella Mccartney for Chloe in 2001 - but not really for the right reasons.
"I turned on the television to find out I was on every Worst Dressed list possible," she later recalled. "I called Stella and we just laughed our arses off and she said to me, 'Look babe, it was the hair wasn't it?'"
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - A…
Angelina embraced her gothic image (and her… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Angelina Jolie, 2000
Angelina embraced her gothic image (and her brother) in this Versace dress and jet black extensions.
It was a bit Morticia Addams for some, but we personally admired the way she shrugged off Oscars convention in one fell swoop.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - D…
Talking of unconventionality, Diane Keaton gave… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Diane Keaton, 2004
Talking of unconventionality, Diane Keaton gave two fingers to the customary Oscar dress code in 2004, by donning a Ralph Lauren tux and bowler hat.
How very Charlie Chaplin.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - C…
But Diane Keaton wasn't the first lady to rock a… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Celine Dion, 1999
But Diane Keaton wasn't the first lady to rock a tux trend.
In 1999, Celine Dion gave her own unique twist to the theme by wearing Christian Dior complete with trilby and a back-to-front jacket. Priceless.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - F…
Faith Hill decided to dress the part when she… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Faith Hill, 2002
Faith Hill decided to dress the part when she performed Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the Oscars back in 2002.
This pastel Versace design jarred with some, but at least it lived up to the task at hand.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - W…
Whoopi Goldberg let loose on a leopard print… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Whoopi Goldberg, 2009
Whoopi Goldberg let loose on a leopard print theme in 2009, to the dismay of some.
But the actress shrugged off criticism of her Christian Dior creation. "This dress gave me everything I wanted, which was for comfort and flow. I wore regular underwear – no girdle, no nothing," she said. "You would have thought it odd if I would have showed up with one of those off-the-shoulder things or trying to look like I was 22."
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - W…
It wasn't the first time Whoopi Goldberg had… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Whoopi Goldberg, 1993
It wasn't the first time Whoopi Goldberg had stunned onlookers at the Oscars with her choice of gown.
This Disney-inspired number from 1993 was especially garish.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - J…
This white strapless Prada dress sported by… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Jessica Biel, 2009
This white strapless Prada dress sported by Jessica Biel was a bit too kooky for mainstream taste, with commentators slamming it as shapeless and oddly designed.
Still, it was credit to Jessica that she still managed to look stunning either way.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - …
Tyra Banks channelled her inner princess with… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Tyra Banks, 2000
Tyra Banks channelled her inner princess with this startling Vera Wang gown. While the choice certainly raised a few eyebrows, it at least ensured she stood out from the crowd.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - G…
Gillian Anderson's Eduardo Lucero gaping gown… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Gillian Anderson, 2001
Gillian Anderson's Eduardo Lucero gaping gown revealed perhaps a bit more than she intended back in 2001 - little wonder she ruled the limelight.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - J…
Jada Pinkett Smith showed off her incredible… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Jada Pinkett Smith, 1997
Jada Pinkett Smith showed off her incredible figure in this green metal-mesh Versace design in 1997.
A courageous choice.
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Quirkiest Oscar dresses - …
Granted she was at the Vanity Fair after-party… More details
Quirkiest Oscar dresses - Selma Blair, 2002
Granted she was at the Vanity Fair after-party rather than Oscars itself, but Selma Blair still got tongues wagging with this barely-there Versace creation in 2002.
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Tags: 2012 Oscars, Academy Awards
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