The iconic red carpet is rolled out for one of the most prestigious events in the world — The Oscars. The 97th Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles last 2 March. The parade of more than a hundred celebrities, creatives, personalities and artists walked the red runway in front of endless flashes that captured style statements strike a pose.

The night dazzled, sparkled, displayed a lot of form, spoke volumes that matter, gave a toast to modern neutrals and last, but not the least, men were suited in color.

Couture-inspired creations came in stellar and elegant voluminous shapes. These captivating pieces of sophistication channeled a lot of fairytale, a handful of wedding and a few debutante.

Swinging the pendulum of fashion in extreme, form had its spotlight moments, too. Hourglass sexiness came in minimalist simple or flirty and ornate celebrating body beautiful. It’s all about the stylish and chic curves and not too much on the reveal.

Shapes weren’t all that mattered. The glamorous evening sparkled with hundreds of thousands beads and sequins. Embellishments ruled this time around and shone bright as celebrities simply blinged it on.

No need for high-wattage or super statement jewelry because some of the glittering and dazzling masterpieces were just simply shining through.

Neutrals in black and white are forever red-carpet staples. Adding to the classics, the new color on the block was Mocha Mousse and its close gradient hues. For the discerning fashion eye, there were some vintage and vintage inspired sightings, too, which will be more of a presence in the years to come.

Lastly, we just had to hear it from the boys. Style playfully painted the classic black suit (which we’re still predominant) with color. There were shades of green, beige/khakis, nude and a daring red. And there were a handful who braved with beading, sparkles, brooches and even reinventing the bowtie. No judgement on having just a little break from normality.

This Oscar season, fashion took a few steps back and was more relaxed but present. A lot of best dressed veterans were missing in action. There wasn’t any grandstanding trend or fashion — everyone came comfortably chic in the best version of themselves. You are what you wear, and nowadays, authenticity and inclusivity are key and come in the tallest order.