The main attraction at the Academy Awards is the distribution of statuettes, when Hollywood declares which of its products and people are most deserving of applause — or, at least, that’s supposed to be the main attraction. At Sunday night’s ceremony, the red-carpet clothing is sure to give the main event a run for its money.
And that’s nothing new. Though the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences first gave out its awards at a low-key event, it didn’t take long for the honorees and the audience to realize that the Oscars would be a fine occasion to break out the finery.
In honor of that history, here’s a look back at some standout midcentury looks from Oscars ceremonies of the 1930s, ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. From Bette Davis’ dramatic 1939 feathers and Elizabeth Taylor’s Gone With the Wind-esque 1949 gown to Janet Leigh’s summoning of TheJetsons in 1960 and Barbra Streisand’s mod 1968 look, these photos capture not only the faces of some of the biggest stars of the 20th century but also the evolution of fashion over this period of time.
And, though the styles may change, they’ve all got that something that has helped the movies and fashion stay so closely linked, from the earliest days of Hollywood all the way through this weekend. These people, it’s impossible to deny, ought to be in pictures.
Norma Shearer poses with her Oscar at the Academy Awards banquet in 1930.AP PhotoBette Davis and Victor McLaglen after winning their Oscars at the Academy Awards banquet, 1935. AP PhotoJack Warner with Fay Bainter and Bette Davis who hold their Oscars at the Academy Awards, 1939.Hulton Archive—Getty ImagesGinger Rogers receiving an Oscar at Academy Awards presentation, 1941.Peter Stackpole—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty ImagesBarry Fitzgerald, Ingrid Bergman and Bing Crosby at the Academy Awards, 1945.Harold P. Matosian—AP PhotoLoretta Young looks at her Oscar at the Academy Awards, 1948. AP PhotoLoretta Young congratulating Jane Wyman at the Academy Awards, 1949.Pictorial Parade—Getty ImagesElizabeth Taylor presents the Oscar for best costumes for black and white films to producer William Gordon of Universal-International at the Academy Awards, 1949.
AP PhotoHumphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall at the Academy Awards, 1952.AP PhotoEva Gabor, Pat O'Brien and Evelyn Karloff attend the eastern part of the telecast of the Academy Awards presentations in New York City, 1953.AP PhotoAudrey Hepburn, wearing a Givenchy gown, at the Academy Awards, 1954.NBC via Getty ImagesTyrone Power and his wife Linda Christian at the Academy Awards, 1954.Earl Leaf—Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesDonna Reed poses with her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in From Here to Eternity at the Academy Awards, 1954.Earl Leaf—Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesGrace Kelly at the Academy Awards, 1955.Hulton Archive—Getty ImagesEleanor Parker and husband Paul Clemens attend the Academy Awards, 1956.Earl Leaf—Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesCleo Moore and Jayne Mansfield at the Academy Awards, 1956.Hulton Archive—Getty ImagesMiyoshi Umeki, Red Button, Joanne Woodward and Jean Simmons at the Academy Awards, 1958.AP PhotoTony Curtis and Janet Leigh at the Academy Awards, 1960.Hulton Archive—Getty ImagesRita Moreno gets a kiss from dancer and actor George Chakiris after they each won Academy Awards, 1962. AP PhotoGregory Peck with Sophia Loren at the Academy Awards, 1963.AP PhotoSidney Poitier with Diahann Carroll at the Academy Awards, 1964.Earl Leaf—Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesAngie Dickinson at the Academy Awards, 1964. Hulton Archive—Getty ImagesSammy Davis Jr. with Barbra Streisand, holding the Oscar for Best Song, at the Academy Awards, 1968.
Fotos International—Getty ImagesJoanne Woodward arrives with her husband, Paul Newman, at the Academy Awards, 1969.AP Photo