What 68 best actress winners have worn to the Oscars

Kirsten AcunaApr 24, 2021, 03:49 IST

Renée Zellweger accepts the award for best actress at the 92nd Academy Awards.Craig Sjodin via Getty Images

The 93rd Academy Awards will take place Sunday, April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
Insider rounded up the looks of best actress winners from 1930 to 2020 to show how styles evolved.

1930: Norma Shearer wore a jacket with fur-lined sleeves over her dress when she won the Oscar for her role in "The Divorce."

Norma Shearer. AP

1931: Marie Dressler received the Oscar for her part in "Min and Bill."

Marie Dressler (left). AP

1935: Bette Davis wore a patterned ensemble when she took home the award for best actress for her work in "Dangerous."

Bette Davis and Victor McLaglen. AP Photo

1937: Luise Rainer took home the Oscar for her portrayal of Anna Held in "The Great Ziegfeld."

Luise Rainer. AP

1939: Bette Davis won her second best actress Oscar for her role in "Jezebel."

Bette Davis. AP

1940: Vivienne Leigh wore a patterned dress while accepting the Oscar for playing Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind."

Vivienne Leigh. AP

1941: Ginger Rogers accepted the Oscar at the 13th annual Academy Awards for "Kitty Foyle" in a brown dress with lace details.

Ginger Rogers. AP

1942: Joan Fontaine won best actress for "Suspicion."

Joan Fontaine and Gary Cooper. AP

1945: Ingrid Bergman wore a dark skirt and blouse when she won the Oscar for her role in "Gaslight."

Ingrid Bergman. AP Photo/Harold P. Matosian

1947: Olivia De Havilland took home the gold for her role in "To Each His Own."

Olivia De Havilland Ray Milland. AP Photo

1948: Loretta Young donned a green satin gown with matching gloves to accept the award for "The Farmer's Daughter."

Loretta Young. AP

1949: Jane Wyman kissed her best actress Oscar for her role in "Johnny Belinda."

Jane Wyman. AP

1950: Olivia de Havilland embodied '50s style when she accepted the Oscar for her role in "The Heiress."

Olivia de Havilland. AP Photo

1954: Audrey Hepburn wore a belted Givenchy dress as she accepted the award for her performance in "Roman Holiday."

Audrey Hepburn. AP

March 1955: Grace Kelly accepted the award for her role in "The Country Girl."

Grace Kelly. AP

1958: Joanne Woodward accepted her award for "The Three Faces of Eve" in a strapless gown accented with white gloves.

Joanne Woodward. AP

1959: Susan Hayward wore a black dress to take home the Oscar for "I Want to Live!"

Susan Hayward, David Niven, Ingrid Bergman, and Maurice Chevalier. AP

1960: Simone Signoret won the Oscar for "Room at the Top."

Simone Signoret. AP

1961: Elizabeth Taylor went floral in a Christian Dior gown to accept her award for "Butterfield 8."

Elizabeth Taylor. AP

1965: Julie Andrews hugged her Oscar for "Mary Poppins" in a pale yellow gown.

Julie Andrews. AP Photo

1966: Julie Christie wore a shiny gold dress to match the Oscar she won for "Darling."

Julie Christie (second from left). AP

1969: Barbara Streisand didn't realize her Arnold Scaasi pantsuit was see-through under the lights as she accepted the Academy Award for "Funny Girl."

Barbara Streisand. AP

1972: Jane Fonda accepted the Oscar for "Klute" in a black Yves Saint Laurent suit.

Jane Fonda, Gene Hackman, and Philip D'Antoni. AP

1973: Liza Minnelli shone in a bright yellow Halston dress to accept the award for her role in "Cabaret."

Liza Minnelli. AP

1976: Jack Nicholson kissed Louise Fletcher after their Oscar wins for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Louise Fletcher. AP Photo/JFM

March 1977: Faye Dunaway wore a black Geoffery Beene dress to accept her award for "Network."

Louise Fletcher and Faye Dunaway. AP Photo/Penderbrass

1978: Diane Keaton accepted the award for "Annie Hall" in a unique Ruth Morley suit.

Diane Keaton. AP

1979: Jane Fonda wore a gorgeous James Reva gown to accept her trophy.

Jane Fonda. AP

1980: Sally Field embodied spring in a white Bob Mackie dress with sheer floral cover as she accepted the award for "Norma Rae."

Sally Field. AP Photo

1981: Sissy Spacek took the award for "Coal Miner's Daughter" in a black jumpsuit.

Sissy Spacek. AP

1983: Meryl Streep won the Oscar for "Sophie's Choice" in a gold Christian Leigh dress.

Meryl Streep and Ben Kingsley. AP Photo

1984: Shirley MacLaine wore a Fabrice dress suit when she won for "Terms of Endearment."

Robert Duvall and Shirley MacLaine. Reed Saxon/AP

1985: Sally Field cried out her famous, "You like me! You really like me!" in a strapless black dress as she won for "Places in the Heart."

Sally Field. AP

1986: Geraldine Page, who won the Oscar for her work in "The Trip to Bountiful," layered a cape-like shawl over her dress.

Geraldine Page. Lennox McLendon/AP Photo

1987: Marlee Matlin paired her pink dress with a floral headpiece when she won for her role in "Children of a Lesser God."

Marlee Matlin. AP Photo/Lennox McLendon

1988: Cher famously wore a sheer Bob Mackie ensemble to accept the award for "Moonstruck."

Cher. Lennox McLendon/AP Photo

1989: Jodie Foster wore a light blue gown when she took home the Oscar for her role in "The Accused."

Jodie Foster and Dustin Hoffman. AP

1990: Jessica Tandy sparkled in a two-piece getup by Giorgio Armani as she accepted the award for her performance in "Driving Miss Daisy."

Jessica Tandy and Jeremy Irons. AP/Bob Galbraith

1991: Kathy Bates wore a black gown with shoulder pads to accept her award for "Misery."

Kathy Bates. Bob Galbraith/Associated Press

1992: Jodie Foster took home the gold statue again for her role in "Silence of the Lambs."

Jodie Foster. Bob Galbraith/Associated Press

1993: Emma Thompson wore an emerald Caroline Charles gown when she won for "Howards End."

Emma Thompson. Douglas C. Pizac/AP

1994: Holly Hunter wore a black Vera Wang dress with a hint of sparkle when she won for "The Piano."

Holly Hunter. Lois Bernstein/AP

1995: Jessica Lange wore Calvin Klein when she won the award for "Blue Sky."

Diane Wiest and Jessica Lange. AP

1996: Susan Sarandon wore a bronze Dolce & Gabbana gown when she was recognized for "Dead Man Walking."

Susan Sarandon. Reed Saxon/Associated Press

1997: Frances McDormand wore a simple black dress when she won for "Fargo."

Frances McDormand. AP

1998: Helen Hunt stunned in a strapless blue dress by Tom Ford for Gucci when she won for "As Good as It Gets."

Helen Hunt. Kevork Djansezian/AP Photo

1999: Gwyneth Paltrow wore a baby pink Ralph Lauren princess gown when she took home the Oscar for "Shakespeare in Love."

Gwyneth Paltrow. Newsmakers/Getty Images

2000: Hilary Swank wore a strapless green Randolph Duke dress when she accepted the award for "Boys Don't Cry."

Hilary Swank. Eric Draper/AP

2001: Julia Roberts wore a black Valentino gown with white accents when she won for "Erin Brockovich."

Julia Roberts. David McNew/Getty Images

2002: Halle Berry wore one of the most memorable Oscars dresses when she accepted her award for "Monster's Ball" in a floor-sweeping Elie Saab gown.

Halle Berry. AP

2003: Nicole Kidman accepted her Oscar for "The Hours" in a black Jean Paul Gaultier dress.

Nicole Kidman. Kim D. Johnson/AP Photo

2004: Charlize Theron rocked a glittering Gucci dress when she won for "Monster."

Charlize Theron. Laura Rauch/AP

February 2005: Hilary Swank accepted her Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby" in a backless Guy Laroche dress.

Hilary Swank. Chris Pizzello/AP Photo

2006: Reese Witherspoon looked radiant in a Christian Dior gown when she won for her performance in "Walk the Line."

Reese Witherspoon. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

2007: Helen Mirren wore a Christian Lacroix gown when she accepted the Oscar for "The Queen."

Helen Mirren. AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian

2008: Marion Cotillard took home the Oscar for "La Vie En Rose."

Marion Cotillard. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

2009: Kate Winslet took home the Oscar for "The Reader" in a one-shouldered, blue-gray Yves Saint Laurent.

Kate Winslet. AP Photo/Matt Sayles

2010: Sandra Bullock wore a silver Marchesa dress as she accepted the award for her role in "The Blindside."

Sandra Bullock. Jason Merritt/Getty Images

2011: Natalie Portman wore an off-the-shoulder Rodarte dress while accepting the award for "Black Swan."

Natalie Portman at the 2011 Oscars. Jason Merritt/Getty Images

2012: Meryl Streep matched her Oscar for "The Iron Lady" in a gold Lanvin dress.

Meryl Streep. AP Photo/Matt Sayles

2013: Jennifer Lawrence accepted her award for "Silver Linings Playbook" in a white Christian Dior gown.

Jennifer Lawrence. Jason Merritt/Getty Images

2014: Cate Blanchett wore an embellished Armani Privé gown when she took home the award for "Blue Jasmine."

Cate Blanchett. AP

2015: Julianne Moore wore a strapless Chanel gown when she accepted the award for "Still Alice."

Julianne Moore shows off her Oscar statue. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

2016: Brie Larson accepted the Oscar for "Room" in a belted, royal blue Gucci dress.

Brie Larson. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

2017: Emma Stone wore a vintage-inspired gown when she won the award for her performance in "La La Land."

Emma Stone at the 2017 Oscars. Getty Images

2018: Frances McDormand won the award for her role in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," wearing a black dress with a gold pattern.

Frances McDormand at the 2018 Oscars. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

2019: Olivia Colman wore an emerald green Prada gown that took months to create as she accepted the award for "The Favourite."

Olivia Colman upset Glenn Close, who was favored to win for her performance in "The Wife." ABC/Craig Sjodin

2020: Renée Zellweger won her second Oscar in a custom white Armani Privé gown.

Zellweger was the favorite to win for her role as Judy Garland in "Judy." Jennifer Graylock/PA Images via Getty Images

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Child stars who were nominated for Oscars

Cookies on the Business Insider India website