Ruth Negga dripped in responsibly sourced rubies with a custom Valentino gown to match, Nicole Kidman appeared fashion-effortless in Champagne-colored Armani Prive and Janelle Monae made a large statement in a black tulle Elie Saab gown with soup-to-nuts embellishment — bird broaches, feathers, sequins, beads and crystals — on Hollywood's biggest night at the Oscars.

Hailee Steinfeld, a presenter, walked in a positively ethereal, pleated back ruffle couture gown in a floral design with a long, sheer train, from Ralph & Russo. She's been a recent person-of-interest on red carpets. This time, her hair was up and she let her bare shoulders speak volumes.

Meryl Streep, who exchanged words over Oscar gowns with Karl Lagerfeld recently, wore midnight blue satin. It was Elie Saab Haute Couture and fell off her shoulders with delicate beading, slim ankle trousers underneath.

There was plenty of ornate gold, including a fringed dress on Emma Stone that appeared part goddess, part flapper. It fit her perfectly. Charlize Theron, always a red carpet favorite, received the metallic dress memo, hers in a gold-pleated lame veiled in black by Dior Haute Couture, paired with huge 25-carat, pear-shaped diamond earrings from Chopard.

Rocking two tones: Michelle Williams, plunging black on top and Champagne below the waist, by Louis Vuitton. It popped against her pixied platinum hair.

On the couples front, Chrissy Teigen joked with hubby John Legend on the carpet dressed in white Zuhair Murad Couture with gold embroidery and a dramatic cape. Legend wore Gucci. Another favorite carpet couple, Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, chatted amiably — he in a Tom Ford tux and she in a slinky KaufmanFranco textured gown with a statement gold-and-silver collar adornment that lent the appearance of metallic fringe.