Oscars 2023's sparkles, shoulder pads and a carpet colour choice that bucks tradition

It's Oscars day and the biggest names in Hollywood have waltzed down the "red carpet" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. 

While there have been plenty of big red-carpet moments this year, the Academy Awards are a bit like the grand final of awards season.

Wait, that carpet isn't red! 

The red carpet is actually not red this year — a choice made by creative consultants Lisa Love, a longtime Vogue contributor, and Raúl Àvila, the creative director for the Met Gala.

"We chose this beautiful sienna, saffron colour that evokes the sunset, because this is the sunset before the golden hour," Love said.

Other adjectives to describe the colour of the all-important ground covering have been "champagne" and "sand".

In case you're worried about celebrities tracking dirt in on their fancy, fancy shoes and staining the lighter-coloured carpet, take comfort in knowing that it's undercover, so it'll be protected from the weather.

Here are some of the themes we've noticed:

Bridal

Michelle Yeoh looking like her dress was fashioned out of millions of tiny snowflakes.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

It would be impossible not to impersonate a dove in Halle Berry's dreamy dress.   (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

There's no way Tems's spectacular structured dress could possibly conform to standard, portrait-sized dimensions. It deserves its own custom crop.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

You just don't see enough white suits with rose boutonnieres these days, but hopefully Paul Mescal's look changes that.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

That cloak Michelle Williams is wearing would provide very little in the way of warmth, but it's got bucketloads of Lord-of-the-Rings-themed-wedding whimsy.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Harry Shum Jr tying his look together with a black sash around his middle.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Pale pinks

Hong Chau's baby pink dress has a simplistic elegance that would have looked perfectly lovely without the train — but if you had the choice between wearing a dress with a train or without train, why in the world would you go without!? (Reuters: Eric Gaillard)

What shade of pink is Dwayne Johnson's jacket? Unripe peach? Coral? Taramasalata? Whatever it is, we're glad to see he didn't go with a basic tuxedo. (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

You might see this black suit and be baffled about why it's in the "pale pink" section, but look at Riz Ahmed's collar!  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Delicate detailing 

Andrea Riseborough's lace looks like it was made with real rose petals instead of fabric.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Zoe Saldaña is channelling a bit of Great Gatsby with this one, which would no doubt be delightful to swish around in.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

The flower that supplied the petals for the bottom of Ana de Armas's dress must have been really, really big.   (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Look! Something shiny!

Malala Yousafzai's dress looks like it should make a twinkling sound effect every time she turns around.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Fan Bingbing's look reminds me of a Christmas tree — but not one of those chuck-whatever-you-got-on-it Christmas trees, one of the Christmas trees at a fancy department store where all the pricey decorations are colour coordinated. (Reuters: Mario Anzuoni)

Salma Hayek's dress looks like a waterfall of fireworks. (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Sigourney Weaver's dress is like leopard print, but if the leopard was made of gold.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

That gold embellishment on N T Rama Rao Jr's shoulder adds just the right amount of sparkle to this elegant look.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Jessica Chastain's knockout of a dress is probably beaded, but there's a possibility it could be made from flattened-out Easter egg wrappers.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Pop the champagne 

If the champagne carpet was embodied in human form, Jamie Lee Curtis could very well be that cosmic being in this sparkly, shoulder-padded banger.  (Reuters: Eric Gaillard)

Did you ever wrap a sheet around you and pretend it was a ball gown when you were little? Florence Pugh's replicated that look (complete with what could be black bike pants underneath) but manages to actually make it look good. (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Samuel L Jackson's look embodies the kind of classy New Year's Eve we all dream about but rarely experience.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Night shades

Rihanna could be a supervillain in this cut-out number that doesn't muck around.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Danai Gurira's dress is practically begging her to run melodramatically down a grand staircase. (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

It's possible Nicole Kidman told designers: "You know when you're in bed and you're too warm to stay fully under the blanket but too cool to kick it off completely? I want something like that, but glamorous." (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Her jewellery is well chosen, but that bold shade of lipstick is the knockout accessory for Lady Gaga. (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Idris Elba takes a subtle detour from the basic tuxedo trend.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

The bottom of Cate Blanchett's dress is very Morticia Addams, while the top is like a calm blue ocean.   (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

The carpet wasn't red, but these looks were 

Shirley Kurata's dress has it all — sparkles, big sleeves and an in-built cape.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Cara Delevingne looks like one of the Holiday Edition Barbie dolls in this festive red gown, with a thigh slit that's reminiscent of Angelina Jolie's iconic red carpet look from 2012 … you know the one.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Everything, Everywhere All at Once directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert may have coordinated outfits ahead of time.  (Reuters: Mario Anzuoni)

Melissa McCarthy's dress is screaming at you to pay attention to the tulle skirt, but it's in your best interests to pay special attention to those silky sleeves. (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Sunset hues 

Sandra Oh could be a Game of Thrones-era queen in this bight flowy gown, especially with that pendant that looks like it would glow when she's about to do something dramatic.   (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

There's no missing Janelle Monáe in this silky bright orange skirt. (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Stephanie Hsu does need any statement jewellery to make an impression — that shade of pink is doing all the talking.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Angela Bassett could be a cosmic queen in this regal gown, especially with that planet-like clutch dangling at her side.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Pastel party

Barry Keoghan wearing a suit in a colour that would make for a great icing flavour, while Alyson Sandro sparkles in sequins.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

It looks like Monica Barbaro couldn't choose between paying homage to that iconic Lupita Nyong'o Oscars dress or wearing a cape, so she decided to do both. If that's the case, she made the right choice.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

Halle Bailey's skirt looks like a time-lapse photo of any icy blue waterfall.  (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)

And a dress with a message 

Shohreh Aghdashloo's  dress features the names of Mahsa Amini, Hajar Abbasi and Nika Shakarami. She says it's championing the women "whose lives ended far too early in the hope of freedom after 44 years of oppression and religious tyranny under the Islamic Republic". (AP: Invision/Jordan Strauss)