As we gear up for the Oscars, here are the most major red carpet dresses of all time

While we were admittedly pleasantly surprised by many of the ‘red carpet’ looks that came out of last year’s ‘virtual’ awards season (I’m sure we weren’t the only ones who expected celebs to throw on a nice jumper, at best, to make their acceptance speeches from their living rooms) we can’t help but feel thrilled about the return of moments of real red carpet drama.

You know the ones, where actresses, musicians, models and occasionally even royalty spend months liaising with designers debating the right gown, weeks perfecting their skincare routines and hours (at least) ensuring that their full makeup/hair/dress look came together in exactly the way their team envisaged.

The ones that would see many of us mere mortals agonise over whether to stay up late to bear witness to the mesmerising sartorial antics LIVE or to wake up early and catch-up on every single inch of fabric detail the next morning before work.

The ones that see each dress photographed even more than a newborn with particularly snap-happy parents.

Remember *those* red carpets? Let us refresh your memory as we count down the hours ahead of the Met Gala’s return next month…

Remember Kate Middleton‘s lilac Alexander McQueen gown at the 2011 BAFTAs?

How about Rihanna‘s 2015 Guo Pei Met Gala look that was one of the most meme’d-about outfits ever?

What about Jennifer Lawrence‘s 2013 Dior dress at the Oscars?

Naomi Campbell‘s Versace look at the 1990 Met Gala?

Lupita Nyong’o‘s exquisitely beaded Calvin Klein gown at the 2015 Oscars?

Selena Gomez in that bustier-detail Atelier Versace number at the MTV Music Video Awards in 2013?

We’re giddy just thinking about all of them.

Scroll down to take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about some of the red carpet’s most epic dresses ever as we wait and see what 2022’s Met Gala has in store…