

Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
If you're still debating the recipient of your own personal "Best Dressed" Academy Award, allow me to draw your attention to the dazzling intricacy of Janelle Monáe's Oscars dress (opens in new tab), a bejeweled, hooded Ralph Lauren number fit for futuristic space royalty (bet you $100 you can't suggest a better description of Monáe). According to Ralph Lauren, the dress "combined lacquered silk lamé tulle with three sizes of faceted crystals"—over 168,000 crystals, to be precise.
What's more, all 168,000 of those crystals were embroidered onto the gown by hand, taking a total of 600 hours to stitch. Which is the equivalent of 25 non-stop days without so much as a bathroom break, which is more time than I suspect I will ever devote to anything in my life?
A post shared by Ralph Lauren (@ralphlauren) (opens in new tab)
A photo posted by on
If you missed the Oscars last night (or just indirectly absorbed the event via your Twitter timeline), Monáe's opening performance is absolutely worth catching up on. For one, she called out two of the major criticisms of this year's ceremony: the overwhelming whiteness of the nominees, and the absence of any women in the best director category. "Parasite, it’s time to shine," she sang, as the Guardian recaps (opens in new tab), continuing, "it’s time to come alive, cause the Oscars, it’s so white."
"Tonight, we celebrate the women who directed phenomenal films," Monáe went on to declare. "I’m happy to stand here as a Black queer artist telling stories. Happy Black History Month."
#Oscars Moment: @JanelleMonae kicks off the #Oscars with an opening number that leaves everyone feeling alive! pic.twitter.com/J76UFuqxbyFebruary 10, 2020
Watch, too, for Billy Porter's standout rendition of Elton John's "I'm Still Standing," Monáe in Florence Pugh's terrifying Midsommar floral coat, and Brad Pitt's absolute horror at the prospect of audience participation. Delightful!
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.
-
The Queen's Trick for Breaking in New Shoes
Who has time for royal blisters? Not Elizabeth!
By Alicia Lutes
-
Princess Charlotte is Learning to Draw from Lady Louise Windsor
Creating art with your cousins: is there anything better?
By Alicia Lutes
-
Prince Andrew Still Receiving Taxpayer-Funded Police Protection
Protecting the Duke of York doesn't come cheap.
By Alicia Lutes
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
By Katherine J Igoe
-
68 Times the Kardashians Posed Fully Nude and Owned It
And we mean fully nude—as in, not a shred of clothing.
By Bianca Rodriguez
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
By The Editors
-
Surprise! Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas Are Parents
They welcomed a baby via surrogate.
By Neha Prakash
-
Meghan and Harry Share First Photo of Their Daughter Lilibet Diana
The Sussex's holiday card is here!
By Rachel Epstein
-
The 50 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes Ever
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton
-
Alicia Keys Gets What She Wants
With her jazzy new album, Keys, the singer stopped worrying about everything except what matters: Her own opinion.
By Jessica Herndon
-
Brooke Shields on Reinventing Yourself, Making Friends in Your 40s, and More
The actress and CEO shared inspiring advice during a panel at 'Marie Claire's' "Power Trip: Off the Grid" conference.
By Rachel Epstein