For powerhouse female talent in Hollywood, it would be hard to beat these two: Meryl Streep and Barbra Streisand. Alphabetically seated, they participated in a special presentation for the Academy Awards' 75th anniversary.
Renee Zellweger pulled out all the stops in a tight embroidered chiffon red gown with delicate spaghetti straps by Carolina Herrera. She wore no necklace or earrings; just a 16-carat red ruby ring on her left hand.
Nicole Kidman arrived in an elegant, understated, vintage asymmetrical black dress with a handkerchief hem. When she went home, she had her first Oscar, for her leading role as Virginia Woolf in "The Hours."
Salma Hayek's outfit, also by Caroline Herrera, featured a black embroidered lace, V-neck top with an attached white silk long skirt.
Catherine Zeta-Jones had a two-tone look: a Versace gown in dark brown and black chiffon with amber and bronze embroidery. She won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in "Chicago," which also won for best picture.
Meryl Streep, who's usually known for subdued styles, selected a glamorous black dress with silver sleeves and an elaborate, early 20th-century Fred Leighton necklace with emeralds and diamonds in a leaf pattern. She attended the Oscars with her daughter and her husband, Don Gummer.
Diane Lane wore a sparkling bronze, body-hugging strapless dress with a skirt covered in feathers that she accessorized with pink coral and diamond drop earrings, also from Leighton.
Richard Gere went for the traditional look, also favored by such stars as Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, Ed Norton, John C. Reilly and Oscar host Steve Martin.
Sean Connery accented his tuxedo with a frilly white bib, leading Martin to quip, "So many people here tonight are wearing Armani but Sean was wearing Red Lobster."
A small pin inspired by Picasso's "Dove of Peace" was visible on the lapel of Adrien Brody's midnight blue suit by Ermenegildo Zegna. A large smile was visible on Brody's face after he won the best-actor Oscar for his work in "The Pianist."
Kathy Bates put her peace pin on the satin opera coat she wore over an Eric Gaskins cranberry silk gown.
Halle Berry, who wore a burgundy floral dress by Elie Saab when she won the best-actress award last year, again chose an outfit by the Lebanese designer. This time, it was a beige one-shoulder beaded tulle gown.
Gold lace covered Kate Hudson's champagne chiffon Versace gown.
Hilary Swank's pink ballerina-style dress was a short skirt with a long tulle overlay and a Bulgari diamond brooch at her waist. She was escorted by her husband, actor Chad Lowe.
Crystals added sparkle to Jennifer Garner's pale blue, spaghetti-strap gown by Versace
Marcia Gay Harden wore a draped one-shoulder green gown.
Heather Graham was in a black gown with a sheer inset.
Geena Davis' black Escada gown featured a deep V-neck and layers of ruffles.
For his performance of "The Hands That Built America" from "Gangs of New York," Bono wore basic black. He looked cool but his song lost to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from "8 Mile."
Hollywood's reigning best actresses, Nicole Kidman and Catherine Zeta-Jones, share a hug backstage with each other and their new gold trophies.