Oscar Night 2018: Where to Party, Where to Shop + Red Carpet Predictions

Sunday night marks what many in the style world call the “Super Bowl of fashion,” the Oscars. The 90th annual Academy Awards will recognize the best in 2017 film, but the main event for fashionistas is the red carpet, where the stars parade in designer frocks before entering the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The red carpet celebration starts at 4 p.m. and the awards broadcast begins at 7 p.m. CDT on ABC. 

In Minneapolis, the most glamorous way to watch the event is the officially sanctioned Minnesota Oscar Experience. Presented for the past decade by the Aegis Foundation, this year’s  Oscar Experience takes place at the Hotel Ivy and includes a red carpet, door prizes, predict the winner games, silent and live auctions, passed hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, Instagram photo ops at Constantine, and a live telecast of the Academy Awards ceremony. Plus, all guests receive a complimentary glass of Moët champagne, and VIP ticket holders have the opportunity to enjoy oysters in the penthouse suite & a three-course dinner at Monello Cucina. While the event is technically “black-tie optional,” it’s a great opportunity to go all-out on your look and dress to impress.

Proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction benefit both Aegis, which provides support for education and youth leadership, and nonprofit youth bakery, Cookie Cart. Tickets are $45 to $190 at aegisfoundationinc.org.

Not sure where to find your last-minute red-carpet look? Here’s some local boutiques to check out: 

Women’s wear:
Dugo, 3595 Galleria, Edina
Stephanie’s, 735 Cleveland Ave. S., St. Paul
The Golden Pearl Vintage, 507A E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
Aura Boutique, 2447 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis
Queen Anna, 109 N. 2nd St., Minneapolis
June, 3406 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
Mona Williams, Mall of America, 132 West Market, Bloomington
Luxury Garage Sale, 5051 France Ave. S., Edina

Menwear: 
MartinPatrick3, 212 3rd Ave N #106, Minneapolis
Atmosfere, 730 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis 
Hubert White, 747 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Heimie’s Haberdashery, 400 St. Peter St., St. Paul

But before you go, let’s run down some predictions of what the Best Actress nominees will wear at the ceremony and get inspired for your Oscar night lewk:

Margot Robbie: The I, Tonya nominee has been wearing a lot of soft pinks and shimmering metallics on the lead up to the Oscars—usually with some kind of over-the-top elements, such as marabou feather trim—but with a streamlined, Michelle-Pfeiffer-in-her-heyday, Hollywood-glam vibe. She also has been digging into the late ’80s/early ’90s vibe of I, Tonya, so she’s also been going with era-inspired bold shoulders, as well as sequins in a nod to figure skating costumes. She loves all the big labels (Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Versace), so all but guaranteed she’ll wear something from one of those fashion houses.

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Margot Robbie at the UK premiere for I, Tonya in custom Louis Vuitton

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Margot Robbie at the Los Angeles premiere for I, Tonya in Versace

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Margot Robbie at the 2018 SAG Awards in Miu Miu

Saoirse Ronan: The Lady Bird nominee loves quirky, avant-garde designs by fashion houses such as Gucci as well as lesser-known designers, and tends toward bold colors, patterns, and unusual details. I predict she might tone things down a bit for the Oscars, perhaps focusing on one strong element, such as a bold color and keep things relatively body-con—perhaps a similar vibe to the structured Atelier Versace gown she wore at the 2018 Golden Globes (where she took home the award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy), or the deep-green beaded, minimalist gown by Calvin Klein Collection she wore to the 2017 Oscars, so it’s anyone’s guess what this wild card will wear.

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Saoirse Ronan at the 2018 Golden Globes in Atelier Versace

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Saoirse Ronan at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in Gucci

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Saoirse Ronan at the Met Gala 2016 in Christopher Kane

Sally Hawkins: Like Saoirse, The Shape of Water star has a fairly quirky, left-of-the-dial style by red carpet standards—exemplified with the rainbow-striped, bell-legged Dior Couture jumpsuit she wore to the 2018 SAG Awards. But it’s doubtful she’ll go as unconventional for the Oscars—she does well in 1940s-era looks, so I predict she’ll go Old Hollywood with a modern twist, similar to the black Dior Couture gown she wore to the Golden Globes.

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Sally Hawkins at the 2018 SAG Awards in Dior Couture

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Sally Hawkins at the 2018 Directors’ Guild Awards in Armani Privé

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Sally Hawkins at the 2018 Golden Globes in Dior Couture

Frances McDormand: The Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri nominee is a true actor’s actor, and not one for the frills that go along with red carpetry, but she’ll still have to rise to the occasion in her own way. At the Golden Globes, where she won Best Actress in a Motion Picture—Drama, she wore a floor-length, long-sleeve navy dress that was formal yet completely devoid of frills or frippery. For the 2018 BAFTAs, she returned to the long-sleeve simple silhouette she favors, but opted for a bold red-and-pink print, and she took home another statue at the 2018 SAG Awards in an exuberant aqua dress with bell sleeves. For McDormand, her performances speak for themselves, and to that I say, brava!

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Frances McDormand at the 2018 Golden Globes

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Frances McDormand at the 2018 BAFTA Film Awards

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Frances McDormand at the 2018 SAG Awards

Meryl Streep: Like the mighty McDormand, Meryl Streep (nominated for her role in The Post) has little time for such frippery, but she always manages to present herself in strong, sophisticated looks. At the 2017 Oscars, she wore a dramatic midnight-blue embroidered off-the-shoulder jumpsuit with overskirt by Elie Saab, a somewhat unconventional take on the traditional Oscars ball gown. But Meryl’s go-to style is simple, low-key elegance—such as the off-the-shoulder, tuxedo-inspired custom Vera Wang gown she wore at the 2018 Golden Globes. For the Oscars, don’t expect her to move too far out of her comfort zone. Perhaps she’ll take a nod to her 2017 Golden Globes look and experiment with some bejeweled ornamentation.

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Meryl Streep (with activist Ai-jen Poo) at the 2018 Golden Globes in custom Vera Wang

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Meryl Streep (with Javier Bardem) at the 2017 Academy Awards in Elie Saab

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Meryl Streep at the 2017 Golden Globes in Givenchy