Oscar Fashion 2010: Editors' Picks

If you're like us, you've been known to vehemently disagree with fashion's reigning talking heads when it comes to red carpet fashion. And that's part of what's cool about style — it's a provocative and highly subjective art form.

Which is why when it came to deciding on the "bests" of Oscar night fashion, we didn't even attempt to come to a consensus. Below, our personal picks for the most sartorially savvy ensembles of the evening...

Emili Vesilind, who was actually kind of into Bjork's swan dress.

It's heartening to see so many celebs suddenly embracing high fashion on the red carpet. Just a year ago it was only Diane Kruger and Tilda Swinton carrying the conceptual-fashion flame, while their spaghetti-strapped contemporaries looked more suited to a wedding party than a major Hollywood event. Many of my favorite looks this year featured unusual silhouettes (not just the same old body-hugging cuts) and atypical detailing.

PURPLE REIGN: Zoe Saldana in Givenchy.

From the swirls of ombre-dyed purple to the beaded champagne-hued bodice and major slit up the left leg, this Givenchy dress takes a minute to digest. But once you do, you see clearly that it suits the statuesque Saldana (Avatar) to a tee. The actress could get away with wearing anything — she's flawless — but wisely chose a gown that sets her firmly in the sights of the big fashion houses. And ultimately, she looked like she loved wearing it.

BUTTER CREAM: Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel Haute Couture.

We've seen SJP in countless fit-and-flare party dresses, so it's lovely to see her try another look. And this Chanel Haute Couture strapless gown is divine. Check out the silver flower-y detailing at the neckline, and the way the column is tailored to flatter even though it doesn't closely follow the body's form. I could have done without the neck sash, but it also didn't diminish by fond feelings for the this buttery dream of a dress.

SILVER BELLE: Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent.

I feel like Kate is always showing up in something cerulean or green — never a neutral. But this is a tone she should definitely revisit. She looks like a sexy collectible coin...and I mean that in the best way. The bodice fits her like a glove, then relents into a softly fitted shape in the skirt. The clutch, for me, is too matchy-matchy (and I always think she wears too much bling) but I love the gown's classic, unfettered lines.

OPPOSITES ATTRACT: Diane Kruger in Chanel.

Diane Kruger is one of my favorite red carpet fashion plates; she always goes there. And last night was no exception. The Inglorious Basterds star wore a feminine black-and-cream confection from Chanel featuring a halter neckline ringed in a bunched-up black fabric. It was classic Chanel, but actually pretty daring by today's play-it-safe red carpet standards. And though Kruger always pushes the envelope, she never looks fussy or overdone, a state many envelope-pushers fall into on occasion.

SEVENTIES SCENE: Nicole Richie in Reem Acra.

I think it must have been her former stylist, Rachel Zoe, who taught Nicole Richie that covering up can be way more sexy than stripping down on the red carpet. However she learned it, the girl's got the maxi dress look down cold. I adore this Seventies-inspired Reem Acra number, which reminds me of circa '79 dinner parties at my grandparents' house, where women stalked around the veranda in huge polyester maxi-gowns and even longer Winston 100s.

Andrew Harmon, who thinks rocker tuxedos belong at the Grammys.

As far as tuxedos go, Hugo Boss, Prada and Armani usually have a headlock on the leading lads who may end up spilling scotch or Moet & Chandon on their $5,000 suits towards the tail end of the InStyle party (there's usually a few office rocker-types who opt for John Varvatos, a label I still don't quite get). Though I think Prada is one of the best in the biz for this type of occasion, this year's red carpet is all about Tom Ford and Burberry, two diametrically opposed labels as far as formalwear goes.

STRAPPING STYLE: Tom Ford in his own design.

 Tom Ford — who wore ... Tom Ford, along with Best Actor nominee Colin Firth, Ryan Reynolds and Matthew Broderick — is straight-up power-dressing. Ford may have made his directorial debut with A Single Man, but A Sensitive Man he is not. And it worked tonight. His chunky shawl lapel tuxedo echoed the confidence in Reynolds' wide peak lapel version. A lot of Ford's menswear is so rarified and aggressive that I'm immediately turned off when I hit his ads midway through the front pages of GQ. But his design talent in formalwear is simply undeniable.