The 81st annual Academy Awards drew a star-studded crowd to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood last night. There was an unmistakable trend toward white and ivory hues. Among the dazzling white-washers, Taraji Henson, Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei and Penelope Cruz.

Never one to follow the crowd, Angelina Jolie shows off her post-delivery-of-twins figure in a classic black sweetheart-neck gown by Elie Saab, with emerald jewels to accent. Hollywood’s golden couple looked retro with hubby Brad Pitt in his classic black bow tie. Also in black was Kate Winslet, taking home the oscar for Best Actress in a gorgeous YSL Atelier gown.

It was shiny metallics for Jennifer Aniston, Tina Fey and Anne Hathaway. All three were shimmering and gorgeous on the red carpet.

Young silver screen starlet and singing sensation Mylie Cyrus topped the best dressed list in her Zuhair Murad gown. “She looked old Hollywood,” observed Suze Yalof Schwartz, executive fashion editor at large for Glamour magazine. “It looked like something from the ’40s — and it was on the youngest person there.”

Providing a punch of color, Natalie Portman in a pink Rodarte pleated gown, Amy Adams in a stunning in a crimson silk frock and Freida Pinto, star of the much-nominated Slumdog Millionaire, in a cobalt sari-inspired John Galliano gown.

In a dress fit for a winner, Best Supporting Actress for her role in Vicky Christina Barcelona, Penelope Cruz sported a romantically vintage gown by Pierre Balmain, full of sheer touches. Sex and The City’s Sarah Jessica Parker looked like a princess in her barely mint colored Dior Haute Couture gown. Donning jewels from Fred Leighton, the 43-year-old actress teamed up with Daniel Craig to present Oscars to Best Art Direction and Costume Design.

Making the worst-dressed list this year is model/reality show host Heidi Klum, who was a little less than ravishing in a spacey red gown by Roland Mouret. Come on Heidi, you critique designers on Project Runway, we expected much more! Also not meeting our expectations was Beyonce; the singer is usually a knock-out on the red carpet. Her black and gold foil mermaid gown, though extremely figure-flattering, was reminiscent of grandmother’s drapes.

With awards season coming to a close, so does the season for endless red-carpet critiques. For a while, anyway.