THIS. DRESS.

Selena Gomez has a specific silhouette. This is where she’s comfortable and confident – even when it’s not hourglass there is almost always a snatched waist. What she and her stylist Erin Walsh have been able to do together is keep it fresh, even when there’s not necessarily a lot of variation in the shape. Over the course of this award season, they have elevated this skill to a level of breathtaking mastery. As the kids would say, they snapped. 

 

This is custom Ralph Lauren – and of course it is, because custom is the only way to achieve a fit this flawless, this molded to her body. And somehow also perfectly matched to the Oscars’ rose gold colour theme year. In all my years of covering the carpet, it was the first time I’ve seen them go to this combination in the backdrop. I’m not sure if Erin Walsh actually reached out to the Academy to find out how they’d be designing the carpet this year but at the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was that committed. 

 

It's a stunning colour on Selena. And, naturally, her makeup was exactly right, too. In person, and I saw her from not that far away, it was lighter and peachier than you see it in the photos below, with a lot more glow. 

 

And then there’s the second look for Vanity Fair. Giorgio Armani, midnight sequins that looked like black liquid, a sweetheart neckline, and a showstopping necklace. Sometimes I don’t understand it, how stars and stylists designate the first and the second, and it ends up that the first should be the second and vice versa. With Selena’s two dresses though, it’s an easy decision. The old Hollywood Ralph Lauren for the Oscars proper and the slinky black for the party – the obvious choice in this case is the right choice. Not that I’m not ready for Emilia Pérez to be over but I am sad that Selena’s run of style smash hits is coming to an end. 

 

As for the rest of her night, I was looking for Benny Blanco when she was posing on the red carpet and he wasn’t with her. By the time she turned the corner though, heading towards the big steps leading up to the theatre, Benny was right there – and they bypassed the glambot and went straight inside. What I wrote earlier about Timothée Chalamet and the secret passageway? Selena and Benny were given access to it as well. 

 

Going back to Selena and old Hollywood, though, and not just in her dress, she presented with Samuel L Jackson, a septuagenarian. And they had chemistry! They were having a great time the day before during rehearsals…

…took selfies together backstage last night… 

Selena Gomez and Samuel L. Jackson attend the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California
 

And the timing on their bit was adorable. 

This is one of her super powers! Steve Martin, Martin Short, Sam Jackson – she’s good with old Hollywood! She vibes with the septuagenarians! These are her people! 

Selena Gomez attended the 96th Annual Academy Awards and the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 2, 2025.
Photo credits: ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA/ WENN, Jay L. Clendenin/ Chelsea Lauren/ Shutterstock

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