Should she have worn a dress?

Hollywood is image obsessed they all shout out who are you wearing on the red carpet when I think about it it is really shallow

It was quite a formal swan though.

Given what her job is, I'm fairly sure she knows how to dress as she likes.

I agree with lass she must have been expecting attention - but don't see that this is a bad thing. She's started a big debate about whether or not it's appropriate for women be judged on their clothes and I applaud her for that.

I think sneering at her for being attention seeking is missing the point, as assuming she just couldn't be bothered.

Thats true once a swan is worn then anything including a leather jacket goes

Bjork wore a swan once, FFS. That was weird!

Surely the nominees can wear anything they want? Pharrel turned up in shorts when he was nominated for 'Happy' (this year he went for capri pants). The evening is about celebrating professional achievement, it's not a party. And none of her fellow nominees were thinking 'well she's bagged the Oscar but I've got a great outfit on'.

www.debretts.com/british-etiquette/british-behaviour/h/dress-codes/lounge-suits

Apparently!

For me a lounge suit is subtly different from what you'd call 'business attire' - if I were a man and a stickler for formal convention then I wouldn't wear a sharp pinstripe if the dress code said lounge suit. But I also wouldn't wear tweed, as that's country attire.

But what the heck is the woman's equivalent of something halfway between pinstripes and tweed?!

(Of course a woman could wear a suit, but in my experience women's suits don't seem to be available in quite the same range of 'tones' if that makes any sense...)

I certainly hope the people not clapping didn't realise who she was - unbelievably rude otherwise.

Not showing up to pick up your Oscar isn't the done thing unless you have a reason, and they usually have someone pick it up for you and hen explain why you can't be there.

You don't just say, 'nah, don't fancy it' on the morning.

Be a pretty good way of fucking your career I imagine.

A normal suit I think. The kind men wear to work.

What is a lounge suit anybody know

I also think weddings are different. Showing up at a wedding looking scruffy is a conspicuous way of expressing disrepect for the individuals getting married. Individuals who you presumably know well and are supposed to care about.

Wearing a non-formal outfit to the Oscars isn't aimed at an individual, it's not a mean dig at a friend or relative. The organisers have the option to turn you away or enforce dress requirements, so it's their choice.

Surely the fact that she was allowed in means that there isn't a forml dress code? If they wanted everyone to comply, then they would make it a requirement - you either wear black tie or you get turned away.

If it had been me, I'd have worn a dress. But there's no reason people can't wear what they want provied the organisers are happy to let them in like that, which they obviously were.

If she had dressed up, would the media then have just said she'd obviously taken Stephen Fry's comments at the BAFTAs to heart? I suspect after the attention on her clothes then that she'd have been damned if she did and damned if she didn't for the Oscars.

Somewhat derailing, but I spent four years going quite frequently to formal events with varying dress codes, and it always got my goat that the dress code was expressed in terms of what the men wore. What the heck does a 'lounge suit' mean in terms of a dress?

Also, some of the men bend the definition of 'black tie' pretty far...

Yes and when the award was announced and they said "Jenny Bevan could not attend because she didn't want to wear the Oscar's dresscode, but would like to send her thanks to the Academy", you'd have nothing to say about that either?*

What? That makes no sense. They would not say that. The event was formal black tie- if you disagree with formal black tie events - don't go. Turning up and making a point of not conforming is having your cake and eating it.

As for the suggestions she couldn't afford something classier- she's a costume designer, presumably she or her team could have run something up?

I'd be pretty pissed off if one of the bridal party turned up at my wedding looking like that tbh.

There are dress codes all over the place that people seem to manage to stick to - not sure why the Oscars should be any different.

And yes, I think a lot of people didn't clap because they didn't realise who she was. They were seen clapping as she went on stage.

She could have been dressier but she didnt need to wear a dress but its up to her what she wears i guess but I cant be doing with im an individual look how non conforming i am types. If you go out to a formal do you make more of an effort although the reception she got was just rude

Totally fine for her to not wear a dress and I'm a non-heel wearer myself, but I thought she should have dressed much more smartly. I would say exactly the same about a bloke who attended the Oscars in a black leather jacket, scarf and black trousers

That doesn't excuse the po-faced rude miseries who weren't clapping (looking at you, Inarritu) when she made her way up to accept the award

I can't find a picture of her but if the description of an event is black tie and you can't be bothered, then don't go.

Yes and when the award was announced and they said "Jenny Bevan could not attend because she didn't want to wear the Oscar's dresscode, but would like to send her thanks to the Academy", you'd have nothing to say about that either?

Also, people did discuss her looks they said she didn't look cleanb. She looked perfectly clean to me. People think natural unsurrendered "unkempt" curly hair is dirty.

I can't find a picture of her but if the description of an event is black tie and you can't be bothered, then don't go. She didn't need to wear a dress or high heels , there are plenty of other options.

I find the "Ooh I'm so non conformist,look at me defying convention " attitude of peopleceho do this tedious, self-indulgent and showy - off.

That's a really good point too.

And i would rather be criticised for my choice of outfit than my looks, personally.

I would not go to the Oscars like that, but I think she looked perfectly at ease and happy, which is the main thing, for sitting through a 5 hour show!

No doubt a dress or tux would've attracted its own criticism as well, because women's looks are fair game, especially grey haired, non-skinny women (see also Mary Beard)

Viking, my point was, the "support staff" probably don't get free dresses but have a pay packet a fraction of the actors!

None of the men were clapping, just giving awful looks. Horrid [eurgh]