The first proper, in-person Oscars since the ‘p’-word proved that, when it comes to doing glamour, even the stars are struggling.

All bets were off, all rules torn up: men in women’s clothes (Jessie Buckley), women in men’s clothes (Timothée Chalamet); cleavage (Lily James and many, many more), nun’s necklines (Jamie Lee Curtis), explosions of colour (Kirsten Dunst), and lessons in monochrome (Penelope Cruz).

And that made it, for once, a genuinely useful series of style lessons.

Those who hit the style jackpot shone. Lupita Nyong’o looked both glamorous and modern in her gold and pink sequinned Prada gown, while her hair looked stunning. Mila Kunis, Nicole Kidman and Zoe Kravitz showcased the strongest trend of the night – pastels – while Jessica Chastain made the case for metallics. The midlifers – from Olivia Colman and Uma Thurman to Lee Curtis – showed that when you have poise and experience, you don’t need gimmicks to get people talking. And Sienna Miller and Zendaya had us ready to renew our gym membership. Never has a bare midriff looks so sophisticated.

It can be no accident that the white shirt was such a strong trend, as worn by Thurman and Kristen Stewart. A white shirt is androgenous, always contemporary and, worn right, sexy in the classiest of ways. It can be dressed up with a fishtail skirt a la Thurman, or teamed with shorts, as Stewart did. It’s the passepartout of fashion – perfect for those moments when the dress code has imploded.

Before we even get to Timothee Chalamet’s naked torso, more of which shortly, let’s discuss Jamie Lee Curtis’ abs.

Or rather let’s not. For while all and sundry bared theirs, with varying degrees of elegance, JLC opted for a cunningly designed shimmery tummy skimmer by Stella McCartney that flowed over her body like a wave of affection. The 63-year-old looked graceful, glowy and glamorous – the holy trinity of red carpet alliteration. And the reason she did so is in no small way because she is 63. Been there, worn the high cut Eighties leotard, not playing that game again. 

Only a few weeks ago Lee Curtis posted a picture of herself in character as a tax auditor in forthcoming film Everything Everywhere All at Once, wearing an unflattering polo neck in a bilious mustard shade that emphasised a large stomach that the actress insists was not prosthetic. Whatever. The picture went viral. Lots of publicity for the film and Curtis gets to go to the Oscars without having to wear the kind of stunt outfit others actors resort to when they want to shine a light on The Work. 

Whether it was Spanx, Skims or squats, Curtis looked fabulous and has obviously learned a thing or three about working the carpet. Ditto Olivia Colman, 48, in another fluid sparkly column that let her beautiful smokey eye make up and slightly back combed hair do all the heavy lifting. She’s never looked better or – as far as the Oscars allows – more effortless. 

Can we count Nicole Kidman as a midlifer? Her birth certificate says so even if the 54-year-old defies earth years. Her exploding Armani cocktail stick has split the jury. The lilac colour is perfect on her – a similar shade to Sharon Stone’s 1998 Vera Wang skirt, it is soft and light reflecting – and it’s a commendable display of risk taking that somehow stays the right side of classy.