Chrissy Teigen arrives at the 86th annual Academy Awards March 2 in Los Angeles.
Credit: Courtesy of MCT
Unless you were living under a rock this past weekend, you know that the 2014 Academy Awards show took place Sunday night — and with this celebration of excellent artists and actors also came a celebration of fashion. That’s right: the dresses. Almost more interesting than the show itself is waiting to see what your favorite celebrities wore to the event of the year. So this year, instead of lusting after expensive dresses you’ll likely never be able to wear yourself, take the inspiration of some of the best-dressed of the night and craft casual outfits you’ll be able to wear more than once in your life.
Kate Hudson in Atelier Versace
This was probably one of my favorite looks of the night, complete with a flowing train, plunging neckline and a looped cape with structured shoulders. Not only i*s this dress gorgeous on its own, but it provides plenty of inspiration when it comes to creating your own outfit. If you’re a fan of maxi dresses and skirts, you can easily tuck a T-shirt with a plunging V-neck into a floor-length skirt of any color you choose. If you’re more daring, focus more on emulating this ensemble’s upper half; structured shoulders make any outfit look sharper and they are easy to find on various blazers and jackets. Add this piece to dark, sleek jeans and a shimmering top to create the perfect outfit that can go between day and night.
Naomi Watts in Calvin Klein Collection
The cut of this dress primes it for a more casual manifestation, with cap sleeves and a high neckline. To keep your outfit from looking too much like formalwear, switch it up with a white minidress — a tiny shift would help give off a more youthful vibe without losing any of the high fashion appeal. If you’d rather stay away from dresses altogether, though, don’t fret. The texture found on Watts’ gown would look just as good as a cropped shirt paired with high-waisted black pants. Keeping a column-like silhouette brings forth even more inspiration from this ensemble.
Chrissy Teigen in Monique Lhuillier
This full and flouncy dress already has a more casual vibe than the rest of this list, particularly because it features pockets hidden in the skirt of the piece. A minidress in this strapless cut can easily be used for an outfit on its own, making this one of the easiest styles to recreate. If you want to be more creative than that, take more inspiration from the print of the dress and bring a little bit of spring into your wardrobe. This soft floral print would look great on a silky tank paired with a black pencil skirt, or take it one step further and invest in a pair of floral high-waisted trousers that would go perfectly with a black blazer on top.
Meryl Streep in Lanvin
This ensemble is just screaming to be reinvented. It’s already split perfectly between top and bottom, so if you have a cream dolman top and black pants, you’re well on your way to having a casual, Oscars-inspired outfit. If that’s just too plain for you, pull a Meryl and accessorize with standout metallic pieces. You can stick to her classic belt-and-bracelet combo, or drape a lengthy chained necklace that stands out from the stark colors of your outfit.
Though it can be disheartening to think these Oscar-worthy dresses will never grace our closets, just remember your creative re-imaginings are just as good — and you didn’t need a stylist’s help to come up with them.
