Fashion does not simply come to those who follow a trend. True sophisticated style comes only to those who possess good taste and the knowledge of what looks best on their body. This year’s Academy Awards beautifully exemplified this belief. The show-stopping stunners were not the people desperately displaying as many fads as possible, but were the brave soldiers of fashion, unafraid to stand alone, liberate a current standard or revive a classic look. Those fashionable few were:

Anne Hathaway

A Julie Newmar for a new generation, Anne Hathaway would look great in anything. My favourite on-stage for her of the evening was maroon dress she wore towards the end of the evening.

James Franco

The perfect combination of James Dean and Marlon Brando, James Franco will go down in history as one of the great Hollywood sex symbols. Though many of his looks fell short of my high expectations, I did thoroughly enjoy his tuxedo with the off-coloured shirt and bowtie.

Russell Brand

Many men tried the dark suit, dark shirt, and dark tie look this year, but I think Russell Brand pulled it off the best. He retained his personal style while maintaining the level of formality required for such an event in his navy blue suit. This daring choice paid off on stage; while every other darkly dressed man was lost in the dark scenery, his navy suit stood out amidst the sea of black.

Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr.’s updated take on the classic Hollywood look was the perfect opposition to Jude Law’s classic Hollywood tuxedo. Jude Law looked like he was straight out of an old black and white broadcast of the Academy Awards but he pulled it off, seamlessly fitting in with the less formal gentlemen.

Colin Firth

Quite possibly a side effect of being British, Colin Firth always looks dapper. During the night of sloppy bowties, he remained poised all night long in his dashing tuxedo with his neatly tied bowtie and perfectly placed pocket square. I even enjoyed his buttons.

Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren looked regal in her beautifully coloured gray dress. Not only did the dress look great on her, she looked great in the dress, which is not always an easy accomplishment.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock’s red dress was the perfect accent to her natural colourings, as well as, the dark background of the Oscar stage. The interesting bust and neckline looked great on her body type.

Mila Kunis

This was my favourite dress of the night. It was uniquely different from any other dress that graced the stage that night. The spring flower colour of her dress cast a fresh and uncharacteristically sweet aura all around her. This soft, flowing, vaguely Grecian dress gave her a flattering, more curvy look than she naturally has. Mila Kunis definitely takes the award for best breasts of the night.

Of all the beautiful people who stepped on the Oscar stage Sunday night, while I watched from afar, in my pajamas, these were the few that left me in awe. Their magnificent style is sure to inspire many of my own outfits to come this year, from the formal right down to the everyday.