Oscars 2018 Red Carpet Report: Rita Moreno and Eva Marie Saint, Class Acts

They didn’t appear together and don’t have any professional overlap or longstanding friendship, so far as we know. Maybe it’s a bit facile to pair them for this post based on their ages, but we submit that their ages were only part of the story here. Yes, it’s kind of stunning that this is what 86 and 93 look like now. And yes, the show producers, in their quest for a diverse show, did surprisingly well letting the above-70 crowd have more than a few moments in the spotlight. All of this is worth noting, along with their wildly different approaches to Oscar fashion. But we wound up pairing them both in our minds because in both instances, we were genuinely impressed by how each of them commanded the stage for the few minutes they had it – and kept the audience in the palm of their hands the entire time by lightly reminiscing and telling tales of the past.

It was also nice to see maturity represented in different ways. Rita Moreno, ever the performer, is a total hoot. Eva Marie Saint has always characterized herself by having great poise and elegance, neither of which are even slightly diminished in her advanced age.

With Rita, the big story of her look is that it’s the same dress she wore to the Oscars in 1962, when she won Best Supporting Actress for West Side Story. In other words, Miss Rita really leaned into her image as a walking piece of Hollywood history:

Rita Moreno in Pitoy Moreno

And yet she livened the look up with new touches. That’s to her credit, and we love the head wrap, necklace and gloves, but the choice to alter the top wasn’t so great. The fullness and exuberance of that skirt needs a bit more of a substantial top to balance it out visually. Still, there’s no question that she looks – and clearly feels – amazing.

Eva Marie Saint in Landero

This is just pure elegance. The splashes of white keep it from being too somber and shapeless, making her ever-proper and most likely ever-present pearls the perfect accompaniment.

Style Credits:
Rita Moreno: Pitoy Moreno Black and Gold Strapless Gown
Eva Marie Saint: Landero Black Column Wrap Gown with White Calder-Inspired Print, Pleat Drape Detail at Neckline and Full Sleeve

[Photo Credit: INSTARImages]

• Eva Marie Saint
• Landero
• Oscars
• Oscars 2018
• Pairs Division
• Pitoy Moreno
• Red Carpet
• Rita Moreno