Oscars 2019 Countdown: Lady Gaga-ology

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If we had to sum up Steffi’s awards season style progression (and we do, because that’s the whole point of this series of posts), then there’s really only one word that comes to mind. And it’s the very last word we expected to use back when A Star is Born opened and it looked like an Oscars poledance was a likely thing: Disappointing.

Lady Gaga in Valentino at the Governors Awards
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A quick glance at the collage up top tells the initial tale: Your girl opted to strip color almost completely out of her wardrobe. We figured it likely that she would opt for a restrained sort of elegance as she moved through the season, but neither of those qualities come naturally to her, so her restraint was overdone and her elegance factor wasn’t perhaps as high as it should have been.

Lady Gaga in Dior Couture at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Patron of the Artists Awards
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She wore a couple of interesting and dramatic things during the film tour and even a few times on the awards circuit, like this dramatically minimalist number with a very Gaga-like silhouette.

Lady Gaga in Azzedine Alaïa at the American Cinematheque Award
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But for the most part, she hewed the straight-and-narrow of movie star looks, with most of her choices no more dramatic or stylish than the average Amy Adams dress. Sure, this is see-through, but since when is that new on a celebrity red carpet?

Lady Gaga in Ralph & Russo at the National Board of Review Awards
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We’d say she nailed a certain level of elegance one or two times. This look is great because it combines a fairly traditional gown with a fairly Gaga accessory. We would’ve liked to have seen a bit more of that.

Lady Gaga in Valentino Couture at the Golden Globes
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In fact, we’d go so far as to say if Gaga had hit the awards track with a style plan that felt a little more true to herself, she might’ve had a better awards season. This was as close as she came to giving us the kind of Gaga drag we’d expected from her. And we’d say it’s easily the best look she wore all season.

Lady Gaga in Calvin Klein by Appointment at the Critics’ Choice Awards
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We suppose we can understand why she’d want to tone things down so much, but honestly, it’s not like that approach worked for Cher. The Academy loves rock stars who become movie stars, but they want to be reminded that they’re still rock stars at heart. You strip that aspect away and you become just another actress in a lineup, vying for the prize in a gown.

Lady Gaga in Dior Couture at the SAG Awards
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Anytime she brings a little edge to a look, it helps her tremendously. While we’d hardly call this a cutting edge ensemble, the frayed edges and arguable overuse of jewelry give it a slightly harder, less conventional feel that suits her better.

Lady Gaga in Celine at the Grammy Awards
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The Grammys aren’t a usual stop for most Best Actress nominees, but she took the opportunity to marry classic Rocker Chick hair and a movie star-glam gown with a big fashion twist to it. It’s not our favorite of these looks, but it’s closer to the way we think she should have approached this poledance. The Academy voters love a star who can fake sincerity like a champ. This all felt a little too off-brand for her.

As for Oscars night, we kind of hope she learned her lesson (along with realizing she’s not likely to go home with the prize) and shows up in something jawdroppingly Gaga. Do it Cher-style, girl. Let her guide you.

[Photo Credit: INSTARImages]

• Lady Gaga
• Ologies
• Oscars
• Oscars 2019
• Red Carpet