It was a return to classic Hollywood glamour on the Oscar red carpet. Nicole Kidman was red hot, leading the fashion stakes in a striking fire red gown with bow detail at the neck.Naomi Watts, who arrived with Kidman, looked noticeably pregnant in a strapless canary yellow gown, with the King Kong star, who is yet to officially confirm her pregnancy, holding a small evening bag in front of her protruding belly.

Soft, neutral shades were a popular trend, with Helen Mirren sparkling in an ecru beaded gown, Penelope Cruz looking elegant in pale pink and Jennifer Lopez wowing in a diaphanous shell pink gown with heavily jewelled neckline. Green was also a noticeable trend, with Australian actress Isla Fisher donning in a dark green body-hugging strapless frock, Kate Winslet wearing a ruched pistachio one-shoulder gown and Celine Dion choosing a vivid jungle shade. Cate Blanchett made a rare couture crash, with the best supporting actress nominee donning an unflattering one-shouldered, sequinned charcoal gown by Armani Prive. "It's a bit like the love of your life - they choose you these frocks," she said.

Australian actress Portia De Rossi, whose girlfriend Ellen DeGeneres was hosting the extravaganza, stood out in a gorgeous navy satin gown with gathered neckline and plaited racer-back detailing. Two-toned frocks proved popular, with Maggie Gyllenhaal donning a glamorous black and navy one-shouldered and Anne Hathaway in a cream strapless column with black bow detailing on the bodice.

Those making loud statements with their outfits included Jessica Biel who was eye-catching in fuscia and Kelly Preston in a leopard print gown.Fully encrusted gowns proved popular, with The Devil Wears Prada star Emily Blunt sparkling in a peacock blue strapless gown and Dreamgirls star Anika Noni Rose shimmering in a grey low-backed number and Kristin Dunst in a daudy pale blue sequinned gown and Classic black proved popular with leading ladies including Catherine Deneuve, Babel's Japanese starlet Rinko Kikuchi.

Blue was big, with Melissa Etheridge in a striking navy suit and Jodie Foster in teal halterneck with matching blue earrings.Metallics shone with Rachel Weisz in silver Vera Wang and Laura Harring in bronze.Fashion fauz pas included Jennifer Hudson with a gaudy silver cropped jacket over a ruched chocolate gown, Cameron Diaz in a fitted ivory off-the-shoulder column with a kooky neckline and hemline and Jada Pinkett Smith in an unflattering boned yellow strapless gown.......

Accessories trends included stars fore-going necklaces to having a bare decolletage and instead make a statement choosing to don large earrings.Hair trends included glamorous formal old-world buns, loose waves and curled side ponytails.Kidman and Reese Witherspoon were among the stars who bucked the trends, with their locks poker straight.Hair don'ts included JLo's boofy curled do and Cameron Diaz's messy curls.