During the Y2K era from around 1997 to 2003, the Oscars’ red carpet showcased jewelry from independent designers and vintage emporiums based in Los Angeles and New York. It was a big upgrade from the practically nonexistent jewelry of the early 1990s and a world away from the period we live in now when stars receive ginormous contracts to act the part of ambassador for a big jewelry brand.
Working with stylists was a new thing back at the turn of the 21st century. Some stars had them. Many of the best-dressed women from this period were very hands-on and collaborated directly with fashion designers. They also cultivated relationships with jewelry designers and vintage dealers.
In anticipation of tonight’s Oscars, I’ve compiled 7 of my favorite looks from those glory days, when the red carpet felt a bit spontaneous, or at very least, less calculated.
The looks seemed like they might have been grabbed out of a star’s own jewelry box and sometimes they actually were. Jewelry ran the gamut from Mughal-style vintage treasures to a contemporary carved Lucite-bead bracelet that cost less than $100 and is still available.
