We Found Amy Adams’s 10 Best Red Carpet Looks Ever

"I've been to the Academy Awards before, but I've always worn column-style dresses," said Adams, who was nominated for her performance in The Master. "Oscar de la Renta has dressed so many of my idols ... I thought, 'If anyone's going to make a ball gown, he's the man to do it.'"

What does Adams want in a dress? According to her stylist Petra Flannery, "She loves things that are modern, chic, and clean-lined." This Giorgio Armani LBD, which the star wore to the Gotham Independent Film Awards with Brian Atwood pumps, checks every box.

"Even though it's white, there's something really bold about the gown's simplicity," says Flannery of the custom Lanvin look the actress picked for the BAFTAs. "The crystal belt and tassel made it even more memorable.”

When Adams took home the Golden Globe for American Hustle, she stunned in this vibrant Valentino Haute Couture number—a nod to the film's sexy '70s swagger. A 30-carat diamond pendant by Lorraine Schwartz played up the plunging neckline.

"We tried this same Gucci Première gown in red as well, but the navy won out because of its elegance," says Flannery. "She looked like a modern-day Grace Kelly.”

"I was going for fun Hollywood glamour," said Adams of this corseted Proenza Schouler dress and 19th-century gold mesh Fred Leighton bag, which she admitted was actually empty.

"Amy loves to experiment with color," says Flannery. "And the icy blue shade of this Atelier Versace dress was spectacular because it matches her eyes perfectly.”

After Adams wrapped Nocturnal Animals with designer turned director Tom Ford, he made this sleek gown for her Batman v. Superman première. "Whenever she chooses something by Tom, it's special to her," says Flannery.

The thousands of tiny sequins on this L'Wren Scott gown may appear to be the most high-wattage part of Adams's Oscar look. But in fact the emerald and white gold Cartier watch on her wrist is worth over $1 million.

"This Carolina Herrera design was inspired by a dress that Mrs. Herrera created and wore in the '70s," recalls Flannery. "It has that cool Studio 54 vibe, but the silhouette and draping still felt really fresh for an Oscars after-party.”