Antonoff was actually dressed right on the official Oscars dress code, which is formal rather than black tie. But for some tux-clad guests, fit was the least of their issues. I liked Joe Alwyn’s look until I got to the shoes. Jeremy Strong and Andrew Garfield could try ordering their coffee-colored suits black next time. As for Benny Blanco, I don’t have words.
The war on the tuxedo continued in Conan O’Brien’s opening monologue, where he noted that it is “important that everyone is properly dressed” on such a prestigious night. Cut to a basketball-shorts-and-hoodie-wearing Adam Sandler. The host described Sandler’s groove as “A guy playing video poker at 2 a.m.!” I wonder if Tom Ford laughed.
I don’t think the Oscars red carpet should look like a scene from March of the Penguins. The ceremony had been a venue for fashion experimentation since the ’80s, when Giorgio Armani began dressing stars, and over the years some actors have proved how to boldly evolve eveningwear while staying true to its classical form. Take Edward Norton’s groundbreaking Thom Browne tux all the way back in 2003. Or Lakeith Stanfield’s custom Saint Laurent jumpsuit, the epitome of flashy but classic. Prince’s purple dinner jacket, of course, gets a pass.
What worries me now is that tailoring is already a dying art. It’s arguably easier to churn out endless iterations of fashion-forward formalwear because that doesn’t come with a rule book. But tuxedos are maddeningly difficult to make right, and there’s an impending shortage of tailoring know-how. Italy is grappling with a genuine economic crisis in that not enough young people want to learn the national craft of suitmaking. The owner of a historic Savile Row house called me recently to ask if I had any ideas how he could find new apprentices, as he was coming up empty. As the Met Gala showcases designer ingenuity, couldn’t the Oscars serve to promote the finest in tailoring?
There were a few glimmers of hope on Sunday night. Jeff Goldblum did look awesome in his fanciful custom Prada look, but not as awesome as The Brutalist composer Daniel Blumberg, whose own Prada rig epitomized how you make a statement thanks to cut and drape and not color, pattern, and accessory. Though it was a bit tight, Adrien Brody’s Armani tux was exactly what you want to wear when collecting the best actor trophy. Giancarlo Esposito did brown the right way. Mark Eydelshteyn proved that conceptual fashion need not clash with classicism in a beautiful Balenciaga Couture tuxedo that just looks handmade. Paul Tazewell looked downright regal. Ralph Fiennes might have been wearing a tuxedo straight from his closet—extra points.
But for my money, the best-dressed man of the night was Kit Price, an actor and influencer I had never heard of until now. Price’s double-breasted Dolce & Gabbana blazer was cut in a rigid rectangle, and his trousers had just the right amount of theatrical flare around his patent leather shoes. He looked extravagant, but also classic and chic. According to an Instagram post by Price’s stylist Harry Lambert, a different look hadn’t arrived on time. A perfect tuxedo was the faithful backup.