Inspired Oscar Night Styles

Is it just me, or did the looks of certain Academy Awards attendees bring to mind images of something, or someone? Could covert muses have conspired to inspire behind dress scenes? Several ensembles make me curious.

Consider Reese Witherspoon’s deep purple-hued dress; what was its inspiration? Maybe the gown creator grows plum-tone Johnny Jump-Ups in a garden. Or perhaps the designer encountered an eggplant at the grocery store. A weirder source: the couturier could’ve pulled a new bottle of Crown Royal whiskey from its iconic purple packaging.

While we’ll probably never know where most dress designers source their ideas, it’s fun to speculate. One look at a screen siren is all it takes to form an opinion about his or her outfit’s fashion muse. And though none of Oscar night’s inspirations were quite as obvious as Bjork’s bird dress—she wore a Swan suit to the Oscars years ago—some fairly illustrative outfits were evident nonetheless. JCKstyle explains.

Star: Jennifer Hudson

Inspiration: The King of Pop

Star: Sally Kirkland

Inspiration: Flamenco dancer

Star: Faye Dunaway

Inspiration: Carvel wedding cake

Star: Kirstin Dunst

Inspiration: feather duster

Star: Doug Jones

Inspiration: The original Riddler

Star: Catherine Deneuve

Inspiration: funeral wreath

Star: Rashida and Quincy Jones

Inspiration: spin art