Dazzlers: red carpet dress slideshow

Disasters: this year's bad looks

Hollywood's leading ladies painted the carpet red at the Oscars last night, with scarlet gowns sweeping up to the entrance to the Kodak Theatre on a hot afternoon that threatened rain.

Heidi Klum's red dress was perhaps the most dramatic. Klum, who appeared with her husband, the musician Seal, wore a custom-made John Galliano that will be auctioned as part of The Heart Truth campaign to benefit women with heart disease. "Heidi Klum was the most beautiful I've ever seen her," said W magazine fashion market editor Treena Lombardo, according to AP.

Anne Hathaway in Marchesa and Katherine Heigl in Escada both sported one-shouldered floor-length styles. Fabric flowers wended their up Hathaway's left shoulder on her stunning gown, accessorised with simple drop earrings. Heigl's dress started with a circle on her left shoulder and hugged her curves all the way down. Helen Mirren waved a Union Jack during interviews in her Georges Chakra duchess satin dress with Swarovski crystal drop sleeves and back. Ruby Dee wore a floor-length dress with skinny belt and matching jacket. And singer Miley Cyrus walked the carpet in a long gown with cap sleeves.

On the other end of the spectrum, Jennifer Garner, Hilary Swank and Penelope Cruz wore dark gowns. Garner paired her black Oscar de la Renta with wide tiered skirt with a necklace made from 61 carats of Van Cleef & Arpels diamonds. Swank wore black Versace and drop earrings. Cruz's navy blue organza dress was designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel Haute Couture and embroidered with feathers.

Bare shoulders were in abundance, with Cameron Diaz, Kelly Preston, Renee Zellweger and George Clooney's girlfriend Sarah Larson going off-shoulder.

Meanwhile pregnant actresses Jessica Alba, Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman wore empire waist dresses. Alba's was a plum Marchesa with feathers at the bust. Kidman topped her black Balenciaga with a multi-strand L'Wren Scott necklace with almost 1,400 carats of diamonds.

And the youngest nominee, actress Saoirse Ronan, appeared in a graceful green Alberta Ferretti. Another young nominee, Ellen Page from Juno, wore a floor-length black gown with simple jewellery.

While some outfits drew early jeers from bloggers and news sites, there weren't any dramatic fashion faux pas as from Oscars past.

See the best frocks from last year

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