10 best Oscar dresses of all time
3. Charlize Theron
One year later, in 2004, all talk was of Charlize Theron. Let’s be honest: Charlize Theron, at her worst, still looks better than most of us do at our best. The South African actress is a former model who stands at a statuesque, nearly-six feet tall, and has a face – and curves – for days. In 2004, she was off to collect her Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Monster – playing serial killer Aileen Wournos – and scooped up her place on this list of the 10 best Oscar dresses of all time.
Charlize took the best elements of every Oscar dress that came before hers – backless, curve-hugging, asymmetrical, floor-length, and gorgeous hemline – and combined it into sheer perfection with her custom white Gucci dress. She completed the look with a Marilyn Monroe-esque hairstyle that evoked memories of old Hollywood, open-toe shoes, and simple diamonds. She also chose a more muted makeup style than what might be expected of such a, well, dramatic night. By eschewing basic black, and opting for a classic white, Charlize Theron was a perfect picture of beauty, and she’ll forever be remembered for the night that she had all of Hollywood talking about her win in more ways than one.