The 13 Best-Dressed Celebrities at the 'Vanity Fair' Oscar After-Party Red Carpet

Everyone in Hollywood knows the best Oscars fashion isn't limited to the official red carpet. The night truly gets going at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party—the only after-hours event where the guest list ranges from major nominees to Hollywood's reigning It girls.

With the formal Academy Awards out of the way, the Vanity Fair Oscar Party is usually stars' place to let loose. Historically, sheer naked dresses and teeny-tiny two-pieces are the unofficial dress code. But this year, the best-dressed guests decided to flip the script. Stars like Keke Palmer and Gabrielle Union traded all-out reveals for a strategic cut-out or a deep plunging neckline, made all the more dramatic by full-coverage fabric everywhere else. Teyana Taylor changed into a second Chanel dress after the Oscars ceremony—and exchanged her see-through bodice for a Marilyn Monroe-esque white silk. Even Hailey Bieber's Giorgio Armani Privé dress and Kendall Jenner's custom Chanel gown steered clear of peekaboo detailing, in favor of modest (but still exciting) beadwork and runway-approved color trends.

At the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, the art of the reveal was ultimately about flexing a new side of one's personal style—and rewriting the rules for late-night dressing along the way. Ahead, discover Marie Claire's picks for the best looks on the biggest after-party red carpet. Trust: These fashion moments were worth staying up late to see.

Sarah Pidgeon wearing Calvin Klein Collection

Throughout press for her FX series Love Story, Sarah Pidgeon has worn almost every brand from her character, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's, famed closet. Just one was missing until the Vanity Fair Oscar Party: Calvin Klein, the same label where CBK worked and made her name before marrying America's most eligible bachelor. She finally stepped into custom Calvin Klein Collection with a starlit silver dress, featuring Calvin Klein's signature spaghetti straps and a deconstructed neckline. Stylist Emma Jade Morrison amped up the '90s energy by handing Pidgeon a CK One perfume bottle to carry like the most minimalist miniature bag. This was an Oscar Party debut even Kelly Klein would approve.

Gabrielle Union wearing Celia Kritharioti 

Gabrielle Union made the whole place shimmer at the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. The source of her shine? A bespoke Celia Kritharioti gown that flowed like a waterfall from her shoulders to a plunging neckline and into a carpet-grazing maxi skirt. She amplified her dress's chainmail glitter with a celebrity-beloved trend: the statement pendant necklace.

Bella Hadid wearing Prada

Bella Hadid's Prada girl era is in full swing. After walking for Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons—four times!—during the Fall 2026 fashion show in Milan, she jetted back to Los Angeles to model a custom Vanity Fair Oscar Party look. '90s minimalism replaced her runway appearance's embellished layers, in the form of a sculpted halter top and tailored column skirt. Knowing Hadid's flair for mixing and matching unexpected pieces, she might just re-wear this top with her favorite Levi's on her next L.A. outing.

Kate Hudson wearing Gucci

Best Actress nominee Kate Hudson spent most of awards season paying homage to Song Sung Blue in dresses ranging from turquoise to cobalt. For the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, she was ready to paint it black. From the gothic shimmer to the abdominal cut-out, this Gucci gown reversed all her red carpet patterns in the most delightfully unexpected way.

Ejae wearing Dior

Singer Ejae's "Golden" night at the Oscars didn't end with her trophy for Best Original Song. The winning energy continued at the after-party, where she pulled a magnificent floral and feathered dress from Dior Fall 2026. This gown only walked the Paris Fashion Week runway days ago. Thank goodness the asymmetric skirt and 1920s-inspired fabric made the flight.

Emma Chamberlain wearing Valentino

Here's a breath of fresh air on the Vanity Fair Oscar Party red carpet, courtesy of Emma Chamberlain and stylist Jared Ellner. The duo looked at the years of barely-there sheer dresses and decided those were playing it too safe. So instead, they tapped Valentino's Pre-Fall 2026 collection for a lesson in grunge-meets-glam juxtaposition. Bright yellow opera gloves, a lacy-trimmed tank, and a sequin skirt wouldn't sound like they work on paper; but in the photos, they're operating in perfect harmony.

Tracee Ellis Ross wearing Marine Serre

Leave it to Tracee Ellis Ross and stylist Karla Welch to break the black-and-white mold on the Vanity Fair Oscar Party carpet. They didn't need a single crystal or peekaboo cut-out to make an impression: just a cloud-like bubble skirt juxtaposed by a second-skin turtleneck did the job for them.

Kendall Jenner wearing custom Chanel

Everyone who thought Kendall Jenner would hit the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in another black dress by The Row lost their bets. The model branched out from her classic red carpet palette, in favor of a glacial blue Chanel gown. Stylist Dani Michelle knew this dress didn't need more ornamentation than its beaded flowers along the neckline and waist, so Jenner kept it nearly accessories-free to let the 2026 color trend shine.

Cara Delevingne wearing Thom Browne

Thom Browne doesn't do fashion the traditional way—not even a naked dress. Instead of having model and actress Cara Delevingne bare her actual torso, the designer provided trompe-l'œil abs crafted from red, white, and deep navy crystals. Set over a stark black skirt, the optical illusion ab-solutely popped.

Teyana Taylor wearing Chanel

It was a night of one Chanel gown after another for Teyana Taylor. After shutting down the Oscars red carpet in a plumed, semi-sheer gown custom-made by Matthieu Blazy, the multi-hyphenate hit the Vanity Fair party in a second creation by the French maison. This time, she swerved to Cloud Dancer-white with a completely open back and a daring, V-cut neckline. Crystal-encrusted straps dangled off her shoulders like the carpet's chicest backward necklace. As far as awards season send-offs go, this was a glamorous one.

Ashley Graham wearing Kallmeyer

Here's a first New York City cool-girls will appreciate: Kallmeyer made its Vanity Fair Oscar Party debut with an assist from supermodel Ashley Graham. The insider-beloved label reworked a Fall 2026 gown to include a mile-high leg-slit for the occasion. If you love the drapey, off-the-shoulder silhouette, there's more good news: a version of the gown will be available to shop this May.

Hailey Bieber wearing Giorgio Armani Privé

Walking on the wild side doesn't have to involve a 30-foot train or a feather cape (though both were present on the 2026 Oscars red carpet). Instead, Hailey Bieber and Dani Michelle thought it was high-time to revamp a classic Giorgio Armani Privé gown with a primal leopard print. Not only does this queen of the jungle dress involve miles and miles of beading, but it also works in fashion history. According to Armani, it's inspired by a Fall 2005 runway gown kept in the maison's archives.

Keke Palmer wearing Gucci

Another workaround for traditional naked dressing? The strategic cut-out. Keke Palmer and stylist Molly Dickson chose a Gucci gown coating her in eggplant purple velvet—save for two hip bone-revealing slashes just above her skirt.