The last couple of months have had no shortage of awards shows, but they were all a lead-up to the biggest night of them all: the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. We had been looking forward to the Oscars for awhile now, not only because we wanted to find out which films would win, but because it’s the night celebs don their very best on the red carpet. That means the gowns are more dramatic, the jewelry is more expensive (at least we’d like to think so!) and the hairstyles are even more sky-high (hello, Reese’s ponytail!).

Luckily, we weren’t disappointed. Rodarte, Marchesa and Chanel were all in attendance and they all looked phenomenal (to be fair, so did the actresses who were them!). While the designers varied, the trends were pretty noticeable. The carpet was flooded with sequins that left us dazzled, lace that showed just the right amount of skin and lots of nude and lipstick red dresses!

Keep reading to find out who made the cut on our best dressed list for Oscars 2011!

Click on the photo above to see our entire Oscars 2011 red carpet flipbook!

If Natalie Portman is vying for the best-dressed mommy-to-be, she definitely has our vote. Natalie arrived in a deep purple gown by Rodarte which she paired with Tiffany jewels. The dress was perfect, and the hair (she parted most of it to one-side) was just as great. Of course, co-star Mila Kunis was nothing short of stunning herself in a breathtakingly beautiful lavender dress by Elie Saab. We loved the lace detail, her loose bun and eye-catching earrings.

Red was a major trend on the carpet last night, and few pulled off the color as well as Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway. Jennifer arrived in a form-fitting, bright red Calvin Klein Collection dress, while Oscar hostess Anne opted for a strapless gown which she paired with one seriously eye-catching diamond necklace.

Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz also went with red for the big night, albeit in much darker shades. Scarlett looked absolutely intense in a Dolce&Gabbana dress that featured touches of lace and an open back. The one thing we would have done differently was the hair. We would have liked to see it in a clean up-do, instead of loose and fringy. Penelope was another conversation starter, in a gorgeous sequined gown that showed off her post-baby curves.

Last week’s Style Superstar, Halle Berry, ruled the red carpet yet again at the Academy Awards. Halle arrived in a dreamy, strapless, nude gown by Marchesa that left us (and many others we’re sure) completely dazzled. The form-fitting gown, which featured flared tulle at the bottom, was perfect from head-to-toe. Also in nude Marchesa was “True Grit” star Hailee Steinfeld. The young actress might be a newcomer to these red carpets, but she certainly left her mark in a strapless dress (that she helped design), which she accented with a headband (too cute!).

When it comes to understated elegance, no one does it like Michelle Williams. The “Blue Valentine” star proved she’s a master at simplicity when she arrived in a white, sequined gown by Chanel that left us drooling. Reese Witherspoon also kept it relatively low-key, in a black strapless dress with a white border that many said was reminiscent of Julia Roberts‘ 2001 Oscar dress. While we loved the look, we’ve got to say our favorite part of Reese’s look was her ‘do, which seemed like it was straight out of “Legally Blonde” (only our favorite movie ever!).

Click on any of the photos above to see our entire Oscars 2011 red carpet fashion flipbook!

Which looks were your favorites from Oscars 2011? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!

Posted by Joanna
Filed In News/Gossip, Sandra