Valentino

This awards season the red carpet was filled with many shades of its namesake hue! At the Golden Globes, Jennifer Lawrence walked the red carpet in a coral organza Dior Haute Couture gown, for the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Jessica Chastain chose a figure skimming scarlet Alexander McQueen column, Rihanna picked a vibrant crimson Azzedine Alaïa dress for this year’s Grammys, and at the Academy Awards, Jennifer Aniston donned a strapless gown in classic Valentino Red. To see the rest of the ladies who made a statement in the standout color of the season, click through the gallery!

As soon as the red carpet rolled up following the 85th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood’s brightest stars hit the party circuit for the all-night festivities! Adele (in Jenny Packham) was all smiles at the Governors Ball, the official after-party held just five floors up from the Oscars stage, posing with the golden statue she nabbed for Best Original Song for “Skyfall.” (“Watch the dress!,” she kindly told guests who kept stepping on her train.) Across town, two annual soirees continued their must-see appeal: Vanity Fair’s epic annual bash heated up with Jennifer Aniston, who posed with legendary designer Valentino Garavani, and Elton John’s 21st annual viewing party, which included guests like Heidi Klum (in Julien MacDonald), also raised money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. “I love that Elton gets all these people out every year, and he makes a fun night into a very important night,” Klum told InStyle.com. “He’s raised more than $300 million dollars since 1992, and people show up!”

See more of the biggest parties of Oscars weekend in the gallery!

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• Anne Hathaway’s Tousled Pixie
• Oscars 2013: Behind-the-Scenes Instagrams!

— Reported by Sharon Clott, David Hutchings, and Carita Rizzo

Jennifer Aniston walked the red carpet at last night’s Academy Awards in a gorgeous Valentino gown from the designer’s spring 2013 Haute Couture runway. The star’s strapless, full-skirted red dress echoed the advice of celebrity stylist Cher Coulter: “Red always looks good on the red carpet—especially Valentino red,” said Coulter. “The color’s a no-brainer if you want to go classic and you want to stand out.” Aniston finished off her look with Salvatore Ferragamo heels and her signature layered locks. And she isn’t the only one who took a dress from runway to red carpet: George Clooney’s main squeeze Stacy Keibler looked striking in a studded column gown by Naeem Khan, which debuted at New York Fashion Week less than two weeks ago. When we asked Khan if he had any Oscars dresses in the works, he wasn’t so sure if he’d see one of his designs on the red carpet. “There are so many of them! Those kinds of things aren’t so easy, so we’ll see what happens!”

Plus, see what everyone wore on the red carpet.

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• Jennifer Lawrence’s Dreamy Nude Lip
• Anne Hathaway’s Tousled Pixie
• Oscars 2013: Behind-the-Scenes Instagrams!

When it comes to successfully dressing celebrities for the red carpet, Cher Coulter‘s list is almost as long as the Oscars red carpet! (Kate Bosworth, Kirsten Dunst, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley—check!) So with the Academy Awards happening tomorrow, we asked the stylist what she thinks the stars should wear to be sure to wow. “I think the young girls have a responsibility to be more fashionable, otherwise it’s just a sea of mermaids,” she told InStyle.com. “But at the same time if you’re an actress this is your moment to shine.” And when it comes to finding the designer to help you do that, she has a lot of love for one in particular: Valentino, whose latest couture looks are featured above. “Red always looks good on the red carpet—especially Valentino Red,” said Coulter. “The color’s a no-brainer if you want to go classic and you want to stand out.” Bottom line: be fashionable but classic—and don’t avoid color. Good luck ladies!

Plus, see the 25 most breathtaking Oscars dresses of all time!

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Jennifer Lawrence hasn’t picked a dress for the Oscars yet, but she’s working on it, and it’s going to be maj-or. Why? Because this year, she teamed up with Rachel Zoe, and already the super stylist has dressed her in a variety of high-fashion pieces this awards season, including Valentino (for last night’s Oscar Nominees bash), Chloe (for yesterday’s nominees luncheon), Dior (for the SAG Awards and Globes, she’s the face of the luxury label), and beyond. So, what does this mean for The Biggest Night of All, the Academy Awards? At yesterday’s Annual Oscars Nominees Luncheon, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the Best Actress nominee gave reporters a few hints… 

1. SHE HASN’T PICKED A DRESS, YET.
“I’m going to wear sweat pants. Yeah, I have been thinking about it. We’ve got some sketches together, but nothing decided yet.”

2. COMFORT IS NOT NECESSARY.
“No, last time was comfort. This year, I’m like suck it up, wear a corset.”

3. SHE WANTS A HIGH-FASHION LOOK.
“Yeah, I am going to go for fashion this time. I say that, but that’s the problem with the Oscars, they’re always at the end, where you are just exhausted from dressing up, so I never care. Now, I will. Fashion.”

4. HER GO-TO PREP: FOOD.
“Eating normally calms me down. I remember before the Oscars [in 2011] I was wearing that skin-tight dress, and I ate a Philly cheesesteak and fries, and I was like, ‘This is definitely going to help,’ which it didn’t cause I had to double Spanx it.”

5. HER POSSE HELPS HER STAY CALM.
“Yeah, I normally just have my friends there while I am getting ready, so I am not thinking about it. When you’re quiet and can’t talk, I’m in my head, so it’s fun to have like friends there while you’re getting ready.”

We can’t wait to see what she picks on February 24! In the meantime, see more 2013 nominees in the gallery.

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— Lindzi Scharf

Rose Byrne loved the Valentino gown she wore to last night’s SAG Awards, but had only one qualm about the look: “I think I’m the only one in bright colors!” she told InStyle.com. “It’s weird. Everybody is in simple colors in monochrome colors. I didn’t realize I would feel like such a fish out of water, but whatever!” And we like her carefree attitude (own it, Ms. Byrne!). “It was very me and I put it on and instantly, I just loved it,” she said of how she picked the multi-hued design, which she accessorized with Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry. “It’s really, really fitted.“

Plus, see what everyone else wore to the SAG Awards in the gallery!

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• SAG Awards Party Photos!
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— Brianna Deutsch