Oscars Party Outfits: What to Wear, From Black Tie to a Night on the Sofa

The best Oscars party outfit follows the invitation, not the red carpet. For a black-tie party, wear a floor-length gown; for a cocktail party, a dress between the knee and mid-calf in satin, velvet or sequins; and for a watch party at home, polished separates with one red-carpet element, such as crystal drop earrings or tuxedo trousers. The 99th Oscars air live on ABC on Sunday, March 14, 2027, from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern and 4 p.m. Pacific, according to the Academy's announcement, and Conan O'Brien hosts for a third consecutive year, ABC has announced.

Below: what each kind of invitation asks for, black-tie gowns, cocktail dresses with red-carpet details, the at-home watch party, shoes you can sit in all night, earrings and gloves, and what the host should wear.

Oscars party outfit: read the invitation first

An Oscars party can be anything from a seated black-tie dinner to friends on a sofa with printed ballots. The wording on the invitation and the hour of the party tell you which.

Mind the clock. ABC carries the ceremony live across the country, so the same broadcast makes two different parties. On the East Coast it starts at 7 p.m., so the party is an evening party from the first drink, and full sequins and metallics look right. On the West Coast it starts at 4 p.m., which makes it an afternoon party that runs into the evening. There we would wear satin, velvet or crepe and put the sparkle into earrings, which look right at any hour. Parties in the Central and Mountain time zones fall in between.

Mind the sofa. Whatever the dress code, you will sit for hours. Crepe and jersey recover well after a long sit, satin shows every crease, and velvet can crush where you sit, so choose satin and velvet with some room in the skirt, and stand up during the commercial breaks.

Red carpet party: dress the theme, not a costume

A red carpet party asks you to dress like a guest of the ceremony, not like any one nominee. The simplest answer is one of the red carpet's recurring codes: a cape, a column, long gloves, a feather collar, a tuxedo worn with heels or a single dramatic color. Choose one and keep everything else classic. If the host asks guests to come as a favorite film, evoke it with a color or one piece rather than recreating a costume.

Black-tie Oscars parties: choosing the gown

Black tie at a private party is still black tie, which means a floor-length gown. The difference from a gala is the room. You will spend the evening on sofas and dining chairs rather than on a dance floor, so choose a silhouette that sits well. A column with a slit, a soft trumpet skirt or a gown with a cape gives you the drama of the red carpet without a skirt too wide for a sofa. Save the ball skirt for a party with a long dining table and room to move.

• Color: black, red, ivory, deep jewel tones and metallics all work. Ivory, which you would not wear as a wedding guest, is fair game at an Oscars party.
• Jewelry: a strapless, halter or high neckline asks for statement earrings and no necklace; a plain round neck can take either.
• A layer: a black tuxedo jacket worn over the shoulders covers the trip there and a cool room, and suits almost any gown.

Four black-tie formulas:

1. A black velvet column with a sheer cape, crystal chandelier earrings and pointed satin flats for the sofa.
2. An ivory satin halter gown with a trumpet skirt, gold drop earrings and a red lip.
3. A crimson jersey gown with a front slit, gold jewelry and a black satin clutch.
4. A bronze sequined gown with a black tuxedo jacket over the shoulders.

Carolina Herrera and Givenchy cut red-carpet silhouettes in velvet, satin and crepe, from capes to halters; Emilia Wickstead and Stella McCartney make satin gowns with sleeves for anyone who prefers to cover her arms. Browse all evening gowns, and see our black-tie guide for hemlines and fit.

Cocktail Oscars parties: red-carpet details in a shorter length

A cocktail invitation calls for a dress between the knee and mid-calf, and the red carpet's best ideas translate to that length better than you might expect. Its most copied elements are details rather than whole looks: a cape falling from the shoulders, a feather collar, a sculptural sleeve, a sheer long sleeve or all-over sequins. On a shorter dress, any one of them reads as a party outfit rather than a costume. Choose one per outfit and keep the jewelry, shoes and bag quieter.

Three cocktail formulas:

1. A red satin mini with a cape at the back, sheer black tights and black satin flats.
2. A black minidress with a feather collar, no necklace and crystal-buckle flats.
3. A long-sleeved sequined midi in plum or navy with velvet slippers and small gold hoops.

Feather trims from Valentino Garavani and the sculptural sleeves Khaite favors carry an outfit on their own; a draped velvet midi from Isabel Marant does the same with a single bare shoulder. For more, see the best cocktail dresses and our guide on how to dress for a cocktail party.

The awards watch party outfit: red carpet from the sofa

Many Oscars parties are watch parties at someone's home: dressy casual, a room of people you know, a long broadcast and a plate on your lap. What works is comfortable separates with one piece that nods to the night. Tuxedo trousers are the easiest: they look formal and feel like any other pair of trousers. A satin skirt does the same job below the waist, and a sequin-flecked knit brings shine without a sequined dress.

• Fabrics for sitting: wool tuxedo cloth, knitwear and crepe recover after hours on a sofa; linen and satin crease. If you love satin, a long, full skirt hides creases better than a short fitted one.
• Soft shoes: velvet slippers or embellished flats, because at many house parties the shoes come off anyway.
• One nod to the night: crystal earrings, a red lip or a tuxedo stripe is enough. A full gown in a living room of jeans is a costume.

Three watch-party formulas:

1. Black wide-leg tuxedo trousers, a navy ribbed sweater flecked with sequins and velvet slippers.
2. A champagne satin maxi skirt, a fine black turtleneck and crystal-buckle flats.
3. Dark green velvet trousers, a black sequined tank and a black blazer over the shoulders.

Tuxedo trousers from The Row and sequin-flecked knits from Brunello Cucinelli are made for exactly this kind of evening: formal at a glance, comfortable for hours.

Evening shoes you can sit in all night

At an Oscars party you sit far more than you stand, and your shoes are on show every time you cross your legs. That makes it the one evening when a flat can be the dressier choice: a satin flat with a crystal buckle or a crystal-embellished ballet flat looks as formal as a pump and never has to come off. Under a floor-length gown, a pointed toe continues the line of the hem; with a cocktail dress and sheer tights, a round-toe ballet flat looks right.

Manolo Blahnik's crystal-buckle flats and Roger Vivier's crystal-embellished ballerinas are the classics, and velvet slippers are the at-home version. Browse all ballet flats.

Earrings, gloves and a red lip: the details that do the most

When everyone is seated, people see you from the waist up, so earrings do more work than shoes or a bag. They are also the red-carpet reference that suits every dress code, from black tie to a night in.

• Earrings: crystal chandeliers or long drops with a strapless, halter or high neckline, and no necklace with them. With a sequined dress, choose plain gold or a single crystal drop.
• Long gloves: opera-length gloves are the most red-carpet accessory you can wear, and they suit a strapless or sleeveless gown. Take them off to eat and drink, and wear bracelets over them rather than rings. Browse gloves.
• A red lip: the simplest red-carpet reference of all, and it works with black, ivory and metallics alike.

Long crystal drops from Rabanne and Magda Butrym read from across a room, and clip-on chandeliers, such as Oscar de la Renta's, suit anyone without pierced ears. Browse all earrings, and see our edit of the best evening bags for the clutch.

Hosting an Oscars party: what the host wears

The host is on her feet from the red-carpet arrivals to the last award, refilling glasses, handing out ballots and clearing plates. Dress to the code you set, but choose pieces you can work in: tuxedo trousers with a silk shirt, a jumpsuit, or a knit dress with sleeves you can push up. Wear flats, keep capes and feathers away from candles and the stove, and have a jacket nearby at a West Coast party, which begins while it is still light.

Coming as a guest? Bring something for the host; our hostess gift guide has ideas at every budget.

How we chose

• Dress codes first: gowns for black tie, dresses between the knee and mid-calf for cocktail, and separates for a watch party, each with one red-carpet element.
• Sitting: silhouettes that work on a sofa (columns, slits, soft trumpets, capes) and flat or low shoes.
• Photographs, not color names: every piece, from the gowns to the flats, was judged on its product images rather than the retailer's color name, which is sometimes wrong.
• Houses and availability: top luxury houses on Vêtir only, Carolina Herrera, Givenchy and Valentino Garavani among them; no house fills more than two places in a module, and every piece was live with sizes in stock when we checked.
• No affiliation: Vêtir is not affiliated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or the ceremony. OSCARS® is a registered trademark and service mark of the Academy; we use it only to name the ceremony. These are pieces we would wear to watch it.

Know the invitation but not the outfit? Ask our AI stylist with the dress code and the start time, or book one of our personal stylists.

Frequently asked questions

What do you wear to an Oscars party?

Follow the invitation. Black tie means a floor-length gown; cocktail means a dress between the knee and mid-calf in satin, velvet or sequins; a watch party at home means dressy separates, such as tuxedo trousers with a fine knit. Add one red-carpet detail, such as statement earrings.

Is an Oscars party black tie?

Only if the invitation says so. Many Oscars parties are cocktail parties or casual watch parties at home. With no dress code given, dress cocktail for an evening party and dressy casual for a gathering at a friend's home.

What time do the Oscars start?

The 99th Oscars air live on ABC on Sunday, March 14, 2027, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern and 4 p.m. Pacific.

What should I wear to an Oscars watch party at home?

Dressy casual with one nod to the night: tuxedo trousers or a satin skirt with a cashmere or sequin-flecked knit, velvet slippers or embellished flats, and statement earrings.

What colors should I wear to an Oscars party?

Black, red, ivory, metallics and deep jewel tones all look right. Unlike at a wedding, ivory and white are fine. If the host sets a theme, commit to it in one piece.

Can I wear flats to a black-tie Oscars party?

Yes. A pointed satin flat or a crystal-embellished flat is as formal as a pump under a floor-length gown, and you will sit for most of the night.

Keep reading

• How to dress for black-tie events
• The best cocktail dresses
• The best evening bags
• What to wear to a gala
• Luxury hostess gift ideas