With all of its opulence and Old Hollywood history, the Oscars tend to lend themselves to the sort of polished tie-backs and glossy curls that exude luxury. But there’s something to be said for the power of subverting those expectations with a slightly mussed mane of golden blonde—or so says Nicole Kidman. For the 2023 Oscars, the actor ditched the bouncy blowouts and regally wound topknots for a center-parted mane of loose blonde, the finish verging on an insouciant air-dry. 

A heavily embellished custom Giorgio Armani Privé gown — one-shoulder, sequined, and bloom-bedecked — veered somehow into the understated arena when coupled with Kidman’s bombshell blonde and minimalist makeup (just power brows and a subtle wash of peach by makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan). And to cement her approach, Kidman opted to indulge in a bit of bombshell behavior (aka, some unapologetic PDA) with the help of her husband, Keith Urban. So very rock ‘n’ roll.