Though it's Hollywood's foremost evening of glitter and glamour, we regret to note that the 86th Annual Academy Awards followed suit in the red carpet march towards classy monotony — imagine there ever being a moment as wonderfully unexpected as Bjork's Marjan "KTZ" Pejoski swan dress, or Cher's  iconic Bob Mackie gowns in 2014? It's a shame. The age of the professional stylist, on one hand, has helped some stars dress better and more sleekly; on the other hand, it's wiped out a lot of the risks and/or originality that individuals might venture on their own. Still, there will be highlights and low lights at any black tie event, regardless of the adventurousness of its attendees. Here are the best and the worst of them. By Julianne Escobedo Shepherd

See all our 2014 Oscars coverage here!