Oscars 2011: Fashion on the red carpet

Cate Blanchett is never afraid of the bold fashion choice. This dress also handily comes with its own frame - useful for those red carpet snaps. With that coral growing on the back, it should also qualify for some kind of biodiversity grant. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Hilary Swank proving that there ought to be far more ostrich tributes on the red carpet. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Helena Bonham Carter is wearing what at first sight seemed to be exactly the same dress she wore to the Baftas. But no, on close examination, it's merely uncannily similar. And her Lulu Guinness clutch is, er, white on black. Rather than black on black. Well, if it works for you ... Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Colin Firth and wife Livia. She is wearing a frock made from 11 recycled dresses by ethical designer Gary Harvey. And all of them come from the era of The King's Speech. It's all part of her Green Carpet challenge - and she looks lovely. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

The tabloids are going to love this Jennifer Lawrence dress. To me, it looks like she's channelling Pamela Anderson during the Baywatch years. Even the hair. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Penelope Cruz had a baby just over one month ago. One month. Shouldn't she be lying on the sofa stuffing chocolate biscuits down her face in a fluffy dressing gown? Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Love Annette Bening's art deco dress. Also, Warren Beatty got a bit choked up talking about how wonderful she is on the red carpet. Call us sappy, but it was rather sweet ... Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Christian Bale is growing this facial monstrosity because he's not working right now. Re-read that. Absorb the implications. THIS IS NOT FOR A ROLE. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Florence Welch looking like, well, Florence Welch. Vintagey feel dress, tick. Tousled hair, tick. Understated make up, tick. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Sharon Stone. Beehive hair and carrying a raven on her shoulder. This woman is 52. There's a portrait crumbling in a Hollywood attic right now. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Stylist Rachel Zoe is allegedly being paid six figures to dress Anne Hathaway. The result looks ... remarkably like Anne Hathaway in previous Oscars dresses. Only with a bustle on the side. Tell Twitter this is your favourite Photograph: Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Natalie Portman is wearing Rodarte - the designers who somewhat controversially missed out on a costume credit on Black Swan. Nice colour, but strangely bland design for a usually reliably out-there design team. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Halle Berry floats ethereally above a pale pink cloud of fluffiness. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Scarlett Johansson clashing rather with the Oscars red carpet. How she can possibly walk in a dress that tight is beyond my understanding. Possibly she was winched in by helicopter. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Matt Sayles/AP

Reese Witherspoon has come dressed as a pint of Guinness. With VERY big hair. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Mila Kunis is revealing a surprisingly large amount of cleavage for the traditionally, well, traditional Oscars. Fact alert: Halle Berry wore this same dress just a few weeks ago in a more vibrant shade. The verdict? Think Halle did it better. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Hailee Steinfeld has pulled off some serious fashion kudos at previous ceremonies. I fear she has undone all the good work here. This looks like it ought to have a Barbie logo on the back. Dressing like a little girl when you are not much more than one is all very well, but adding four inch heels is just weird. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Melissa Leo solves a mystery that has been troubling me for some years: what did happen to that tablecloth I made at primary school. It was a nice tablecloth, too. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

What is it about Gwyneth Paltrow that leaches the sexy out of every outfit, no matter how slinky? Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Michelle Williams looks rather washed out in this column dress. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Cap sleeves seem to be emerging as a mini Oscars trend. Amy Adams goes for minimalism, and then un-minimalises it with several layered necklaces and a rather severe high neck. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Matt Sayles/AP

Mark Ruffalo and wife Sunrise Coigney. Anyone else strangely reminded of Kurt doing Victor Victoria in Glee the other week? No? Just me? Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Matt Sayles/AP

Nicole Kidman: Not sure about the strange shape around the hips. Such as they are. Click here to tell Twitter this is your favourite Oscars outfit Photograph: Steve Granitz/WireImage