The 2021 Oscars Red Carpet Was All About the '90s Midriff
The inspo is basically: "Anything Jennifer Aniston wore in 1999."
- Several of the top A-list actresses at the 2021 Academy Awards brought back a '90s fashion trend by wearing creative cutouts and crop tops.
- Zendaya and Best Actress nominees Vanessa Kirby, Audra Day, and Carey Mulligan all wore the trend on the red carpet.
- This trend was epitomized in the '90s by red carpet icons like Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Aniston.
Tonight's Oscars is an award show like none other. The show's producers took great pains to make the show feel as normal as possible during a decidedly abnormal time. Instead of broadcasting from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood as usual, the ceremony was staged at Union Station in Los Angeles, to better comply with COVID-19 restrictions and maintain a safe environment for everyone in attendance.
This has also been a landmark year for the Oscars in terms of diversity and inclusion among the nominees and in speeches. In a lot of ways, it feels like we're watching the Academy Awards step into modern times. That isn't the case in every way, though. When it came to fashion on the red carpet, it felt like stepping back in time to the '90s thanks to the prevalence of partial midriffs.
In case you need a little visual reminder of the '90s trend we're talking about, it's creatively-cropped cutouts like Jennifer Lopez's at the 1998 Golden Globes:
Or Halle Berry at the 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards:
Or most of Jennifer Aniston's personal wardrobe in 1999:
Tonight, it almost felt like the most fashionable A-listers at the Oscars created a shared mood board full of those pictures and used it as their guide in choosing their looks.
Zendaya wore a custom Valentino cutout dress in stunning canary yellow and Jimmy Choo heels. The actress accessorized with Bulgari diamonds reportedly worth more than $6 million in total.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Best Actress nominee Vanessa Kirby (for her role in Pieces of a Woman) showed just the tiniest sliver of midriff in a light pink Gucci gown and accessorized with Cartier jewels.
The United States vs. Billie Holiday starAndra Day, who is also nominated for Best Actress, opted for a custom, gold Vera Wang gown with a large, asymmetrical cutout.
Finally, Carey Mulligan, also nominated Best Actress for her role in Promising Young Woman, wore a shimmery gold Valentino Haute Couture gown with a cutout high on her midriff and Cartier High jewelry diamonds.
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
How Kamala Harris Dressed for President Trump's Second Inauguration
She left a style legacy as the first woman Vice President.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Cecile Richards, Former Planned Parenthood President and Women's Rights Activist, Has Died at Age 67
"Our hearts are broken today but no words can do justice to the joy she brought to our lives."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kate Middleton Took a Vacation Skiing in the Alps with Prince William and Their Kids Amid Her Cancer Recovery
"They looked like a normal English family, and a lot of people didn't recognize them."
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Who Is Jessica McCormack? Zendaya's Engagement Ring Designer and a Celebrity-Beloved Jeweler
Jessica McCormack's pieces are red-carpet staples.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Zendaya's Engagement Style Era Starts Anti-Bridal, Pairing Her East-West Diamond Ring to a Dior Black Blazer and Lacy Skirt
Her first look post-ring reveal is head-to-toe black.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated
-
Zendaya's Massive Diamond Engagement Ring From Tom Holland Has an Even Bigger Valuation
It's valued at an eye-watering sum.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated
-
Zendaya Sneakily Quick-Changes Into a Second Golden Globes Dress—Inside the Ceremony
One red carpet look just doesn't cut it.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Zendaya's 2025 Golden Globes Louis Vuitton Gown Expertly References Old Hollywood History
It was worth the wait.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated
-
Zendaya's Best Red Carpet Fashion of 2024 Proves She's Celebrity Style's MVP
Her mastery was so much more than method dressing.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Zendaya Wears $8,890 Worth of Reimagined Archival Pieces in New Louis Vuitton x Murakami Campaign
The queen of archival strikes again.
By Kelsey Stiegman Published
-
2024's Best Celebrity Couple Outfits Say Matching Is a Love Language
We fell in love with these duos' personal style.
By Hanna Lustig Published