By Melissa Singer
If you're an actress who is part of the #metoo and #timesup movements but you don't want to wear black (now deemed too political, natch), of course you wear the next best thing: white.
All white ... Margot Robbie in Chanel at the Oscars.Credit: AP
Jane Fonda, Laura Dern, Mary J Blige and Margot Robbie, after a slight wardrobe malfunction when one of her straps on her Chanel gown came undone, went sans colour for Hollywood's biggest night.
And it was with the blessing of the Time's Up organisers, of which Dern is one, that colour returned to the red carpet.
Best dressed ... Nicole Kidman in Armani Prive.Credit: AP
"We are not an awards show protest group," filmmaker Ava DuVernay said. "So we stand down this time. It's really important that you know that Time's Up is not about the red carpet."
But that didn't stop many stars making a statement through their looks.
There was best-dressed Nicole Kidman, in Armani Prive, with a bow that screamed "my peplum needs its own seat-warmer", perhaps to send the message that women will be taking up more space in Hollywood from now on. In this post-Weinstein world, there is no turning back.
Greta Gerwig in custom Rodarte.Credit: AP
The bow trend was one of the embellishments de jour, with Saoirse Ronan wearing musk Calvin Klein that echoed Gwyneth Paltrow's 1999 Ralph Lauren gown.
Another way women stood out from the crowd (that is, the men) was in solid colours; best supporting actress Allison Janney in crimson Reem Acra, Viola Davis in bubblegum Michael Kors and Eiza Gonzalez in banana Ralph Lauren were among the best.
US skater Adam Rippon in custom Jeremy Scott.Credit: AP
And then there was Lady Bird's Greta Gerwig, the first woman to be nominated for best director in eight years, wearing an egg-yolk custom Rodarte gown that said, "We are here, Hollywood patriarchy!"
Nudes and metallics were also a key trend, with many looks straight off the couture runways, including Jennifer Lawrence doing her ambassadorial best for Dior.
Adventurous ... St Vincent in Saint Laurent.Credit: AP
Gal Gadot, in Givenchy, had the most impressive bling of the night, complementing her Givenchy couture gown with a one-off piece by Tiffany & Co that featured more than 1000 diamonds and 61 carats worth of aquamarines.
But the sparkle queen of the night – and the actress who most closely resembled an actual Oscar statuette – was Lupita Nyong'o, in molten gold Atelier Versace.
In the world of stylists and designer kickbacks, risk-takers at the Oscars are increasingly rare. Salma Hayek divided the critics in a lilac sequinned tiered gown by (gasp!) Gucci, while musician St Vincent had purists tutting over her choice of a Saint Laurent mini-dress.
But the boldest choice (that paid off) was American figure skater Adam Rippon, who stepped out in a bondage-inspired jacket with harness detail by Moschino's Jeremy Scott.
Finally, two outfits that really got people talking were Tiffany Haddish, in a traditional Eritrean dress that paid homage to her late father, and Rita Moreno, who gave #sustainabilestyle a nod in the same gown she wore to accept the 1962 best actress Oscar for West Side Story.
Tiffany Haddish arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.Credit: AP