The Best-Dressed Men at the 2017 Oscars
This 89th Academy Awards were a roller coaster of emotions, from the underlying Trump tension (Jimmy Kimmel got in some good jabs), a particularly devastating In Memoriam (good riddance, 2016), all the way to the what-just-happened?! Best Picture mix-up, with La La Land being mistakenly crowned the winner before an on-stage correction handed the award (quite rightly) to Moonlight.
But in spite of the heavy proceedings, it was heartening to see that the attendees used fashion as both an opportunity to have fun, with plenty of stunning gowns and perfectly tailored tuxes on the red carpet, while also showing solidarity with important human rights causes by donning different pins. Here, our picks for the best-dressed men from a very memorable evening.
Mahershala Ali
Mahershala Ali walked away with his first Oscar for his role in Moonlight, and he absolutely looked the part of a winner. An all-black look can go wrong really fast, but Ali made it work by mixing in some satin accents on the lapel and bowtie that provided extra levels of depth. His choice of accessories (pocket square, lapel pin, and watch) also helped add some shine to brighten up the look.
Riz Ahmed
Some men might see wearing a bight colour as a gamble, but Riz Ahmed bet big on his blue tux and it paid off in spades. Brighter than your typical navy, the colour is rich and vibrant and really stands out against the red carpet. However, the bright colour is also less forgiving of sloppy tailoring, so luckily his suit was the perfect fit. And the blue-and-black patent shoes were a great finishing touch.
Ryan Gosling
There were plenty of people who took issue with Ryan Gosling’s choice of a ruffled shirt, but if there’s anyone that can pull of this retro touch, it’s him. The ruffles are kept fairly controlled, but the embroidered edges add visual interest to the look. It’s also a perfect compliment for the rest of his Gucci ensemble, with its unique dark grey colour and velvet shawl collar lapel with matching velvet bow tie.
Andrew Garfield
Andrew Garfield, along with the help of Tom Ford, delivered a master class in how a classic tuxedo should fit. No frills, no fuss, just perfectly tailored with some subtle details — peak lapels, a larger bow tie, turned up cuffs — to keep it feeling current. We should all be so lucky to look this good in a tux.
Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon is a bit of a wild card when it comes to getting dressed for the red carpet. You get the feeling that he doesn’t really spend much time worrying about his appearance — he’d rather show up, do the work, and go home. But he really knocked it out of the park this time by choosing a double-breasted tuxedo, one of the only ones of the night, that fits him well (though the pants could be an inch shorter), and even added a red flower to his lapel for a pop of colour and playfulness.
Tarell Alvin McCraney
Not everyone can pull off an all-white look, but Tarell Alvin McCraney, who co-wrote the screenplay for Moonlight (based on his play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue), makes it look easy. It helps that the tuxedo is more of a cream colour, so the white shirt adds a bit of contrast, and lets the red ribbon he’s wearing in support of those living with HIV/AIDS stand out. The loafers may look a bit casual to some, but the Oscars take place in laid-back and warm L.A., so they work just fine.
