The 5 best dressed actresses at the 84th Annual Academy Awards

Posted on 27th February 2012 | Celebrity

The movie stars were in abundance and Billy Crystal was back in full funny form. The Artist took home top honors, including Best Picture. The 84th annual Academy Awards was a great show, on and off the red carpet, where stars like Angelina Jolie, Viola Davis, and Michelle Williams wowed in gowns that were eye-catching stunners.

As always, the question on everyone’s mind (after the “Who wins Best Picture?” question, of course,) was “Who wins in the Best Dressed category?” Up for the challenge, Oscar winner Meryl Streep in a gold Lanvin gown, Jennifer Lopez in an art-deco Zuhair Murad design, and Cameron Diaz in beautiful Gucci. Michelle Williams chose a strapless Louis Vuitton dress.

Click to read our BAFTA Awards 2012 Best and worse Dressed

But there were 5 women (and gowns) that stood out on the red carpet. FashionTV highlights the top 5 best dressed stars on the 2012 Oscars red carpet.

Penelope Cruz in Giorgio Armani

Usually Spanish actress Penelope Cruz prefers red gowns. This time she went for a different look and chose a beautiful Giorgio Armani blue organza gown with off-the-shoulder straps. The Chopard necklace and earrings added another luxury touch to the appearance. After watching her on the red carpet and presenting an award on stage, we have no doubts left. Cruz should leave the red hues and let herself “go crazy” with other styles and colors.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford

Gwyneth Paltrow chose to wear a dress from Tom Ford's latest collection (presented only few days ago during London Fashion Week.) The combination between Paltrow's hair and gown made her look stunning. The removable cape she wore at the beginning of the evening added another dramatic level to her overall look, but with her great smile the drama turned into a very successful fashion choice.

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace

For this occasion, Angelina Jolie chose to expose her wild fashion side again. Her black and glamorous Atelier Versace strapless gown and her huge smile made her the head turner of the evening. She also showcased lots of leg with a thigh-high baring slit in the dress. The leg came out more than once during her poses for photographers. No wonder Brad Pitt never left her hand...

Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen

A combination between black and gold can be uber-stylish and trendy, but can also look trashy. Luckily, Jessica Chastain's Alexander McQueen gown belongs to the first category. Unlike other actresses, Chastain didn't go for a form-fitting, solid color dress but preferred a beautiful patterned one. The outcome: a n amazing fashionable look with a floor-length gown.

Natalie Portman in Christian Dior

Dotted fabrics are not so common on red carpets. Yet Oscar winner Natalie Portman proves that with the right fabric and design, dotted gown can be a super fashionable choice for the Academy Awards. The vintage red dress of Portman made her stand out with a ladylike sweet look. We liked it a lot!