The Academy Awards are a time-honored tradition where hardworking directors, actors, sound engineers, etc. get rewarded for all they've accomplished in the past year. And that's why we watch it, right? Wrong. We watch it for the dresses. So to get you in the sartorial spirit, we dug up photos of all the dresses worn by the best actress winners from the 1930s up until last year.
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The Academy Awards are a time-honored tradition where hardworking directors, actors, sound engineers, etc. get rewarded for all they've accomplished in the past year. And that's why we watch it, right? Wrong.
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Photo: Getty Images
Norma Shearer, 1930 For The Divorce
Norma Shearer, 1930
For The Divorce
Photo: Getty Images
Bette Davis, 1939 For Jezebel
Bette Davis, 1939
For Jezebel
Photo: Getty Images
Vivien Leigh, 1940 For Gone With the Wind
Vivien Leigh, 1940
For Gone With the Wind
Photo: Getty Images
Ingrid Bergman and Jennifer Jones, 1944 Jones for The Song of Bernadette (1944)
Bergman won for Gaslight in 1945.
Ingrid Bergman and Jennifer Jones, 1944
Jones for The Song of Bernadette (1944)
Bergman won for Gaslight in 1945.
Photo: Getty Images
Jane Wyman, 1949 For Johnny Belinda
Jane Wyman, 1949
For Johnny Belinda
Photo: Getty Images
Judy Holliday, 1951 For Born Yesterday
Judy Holliday, 1951
For Born Yesterday
Photo: Getty Images
Shirley Booth, 1953 For Come Back, Little Sheba
Shirley Booth, 1953
For Come Back, Little Sheba
Photo: Getty Images
Audrey Hepburn, 1954 For Roman Holiday
Audrey Hepburn, 1954
For Roman Holiday
Photo: Getty Images
Grace Kelly, 1955 For The Country Girl
Grace Kelly, 1955
For The Country Girl
Photo: Getty Images
Dorothy Malone, Mike Todd, and Elizabeth Taylor, 1957
Dorothy Malone, Mike Todd, and Elizabeth Taylor, 1957
Photo: Getty Images
Simone Signoret (pictured with Rock Hudson), 1960 For Room at the Top
Simone Signoret (pictured with Rock Hudson), 1960
For Room at the Top
Photo: Getty Images
Sophia Loren, 1962 For Two Women
Sophia Loren, 1962
For Two Women
Photo: Getty Images
Julie Christie, 1966 For Darling
Julie Christie, 1966
For Darling
Photo: Getty Images
Barbra Streisand (pictured with Elliott Gould), 1969
For Funny Girl. Streisand tied with Katharine Hepburn, who won for The Lion in Winter.
Barbra Streisand (pictured with Elliott Gould), 1969 For Funny Girl.
Streisand tied with Katharine Hepburn, who won for The Lion in Winter.
Photo: Getty Images
Liza Minnelli (pictured with Vincente Minnelli), 1973 For Cabaret
Liza Minnelli (pictured with Vincente Minnelli), 1973
For Cabaret
Photo: Getty Images
Louise Fletcher (pictured with Jack Nicholson), 1976 For One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Louise Fletcher (pictured with Jack Nicholson), 1976
For One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Photo: Getty Images
Faye Dunaway, 1977 For Network
Faye Dunaway, 1977
For Network
Photo: Getty Images
Diane Keaton, 1978 For Annie Hall
Diane Keaton, 1978
For Annie Hall
Photo: Getty Images
Jane Fonda (pictured with Tom Hayden), 1979 For Coming Home
Jane Fonda (pictured with Tom Hayden), 1979
For Coming Home
Photo: Getty Images
Sally Field, 1980 For Norma Rae
Sally Field, 1980
For Norma Rae
Photo: Getty Images
Sissy Spacek, 1981For Coal Miner's Daughter
Sissy Spacek, 1981
For Coal Miner's Daughter
Meryl Streep, 1983 For Sophie's Choice
Meryl Streep, 1983
For Sophie's Choice
Photo: Getty Images
Shirley Maclaine, 1984 For Terms of Endearment
Shirley Maclaine, 1984
For Terms of Endearment
Photo: Getty Images
Sally Field, 1985 For Places in the Heart
Sally Field, 1985
For Places in the Heart
Photo: Getty Images
Geraldine Page, 1986 For The Trip to Bountiful
Geraldine Page, 1986
For The Trip to Bountiful
Photo: Getty Images
Marlee Matlin, 1987 For Children of a Lesser God
Marlee Matlin, 1987
For Children of a Lesser God
Photo: Getty Images
Cher, 1988 For Moonstruck
Cher, 1988
For Moonstruck
Photo: Getty Images
Jodie Foster, 1989 For The Accused
Jodie Foster, 1989
For The Accused
Photo: Getty Images
Jessica Tandy, 1990 For Driving Miss Daisy
Jessica Tandy, 1990
For Driving Miss Daisy
Photo: Getty Images
Kathy Bates (with Daniel Day-Lewis), 1991 For Misery
Kathy Bates (with Daniel Day-Lewis), 1991
For Misery
Photo: Getty Images
Jodie Foster, 1992 For The Silence of the Lambs
Jodie Foster, 1992
For The Silence of the Lambs
Photo: Getty Images
Emma Thompson, 1993 For Howards End
Emma Thompson, 1993
For Howards End
Photo: Getty Images
Holly Hunter, 1994 For The Piano
Holly Hunter, 1994
For The Piano
Photo: Getty Images
Jessica Lange, 1995 For Blue Sky
Jessica Lange, 1995
For Blue Sky
Photo: Getty Images
Susan Sarandon, 1996 For Dead Man Walking
Susan Sarandon, 1996
For Dead Man Walking
Photo: Getty Images
Frances McDormand, 1997 For Fargo
Frances McDormand, 1997
For Fargo
Photo: Getty Images
Helen Hunt, 1998 For As Good as It Gets
Helen Hunt, 1998
For As Good as It Gets
Photo: Getty Images
Gwyneth Paltrow, 1999 For Shakespeare in Love
Gwyneth Paltrow, 1999
For Shakespeare in Love
Photo: Getty Images
Hilary Swank, 2000 For Boys Don't Cry
Hilary Swank, 2000
For Boys Don't Cry
Photo: Getty Images
Julia Roberts, 2001 For Erin Brockovich
Julia Roberts, 2001
For Erin Brockovich
Photo: Getty Images
Halle Berry, 2002 For Monster's Ball
Halle Berry, 2002
For Monster's Ball
Photo: Getty Images
Nicole Kidman, 2003 For The Hours
Nicole Kidman, 2003
For The Hours
Photo: Getty Images
Charlize Theron, 2004 For Monster
Charlize Theron, 2004
For Monster
Photo: Getty Images
Hilary Swank, 2005 For Million Dollar Baby
Hilary Swank, 2005
For Million Dollar Baby
Photo: Getty Images
Reese Witherspoon, 2006 For Walk the Line
Reese Witherspoon, 2006
For Walk the Line
Photo: Getty Images
Helen Mirren, 2007 For The Queen
Helen Mirren, 2007
For The Queen
Photo: Getty Images
Marion Cotillard, 2008 For La Vie en Rose
Marion Cotillard, 2008
For La Vie en Rose
Photo: Getty Images
Kate Winslet, 2009 For The Reader
Kate Winslet, 2009
For The Reader
Photo: Getty Images
Sandra Bullock, 2010 For The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock, 2010
For The Blind Side
Photo: Getty Images
Natalie Portman, 2011 For Black Swan
Natalie Portman, 2011
For Black Swan
Photo: Getty Images
Meryl Streep, 2012 For The Iron Lady
Meryl Streep, 2012
For The Iron Lady
Photo: Getty Images
Jennifer Lawrence, 2013 For Silver Linings Playbook
Jennifer Lawrence, 2013
For Silver Linings Playbook
Photo: Getty Images
Cate Blanchett, 2014 For Blue Jasmine
Cate Blanchett, 2014
For Blue Jasmine
Photo: Getty Images
Julianne Moore, 2015 For Still Alice
Julianne Moore, 2015
For Still Alice
Photo: Getty Images
Brie Larson, 2016For The Room
Brie Larson, 2016
For The Room
Photo: Jordan Strauss, INVL
The dress worn by every best actress winner
Best actors aren't remembered for what they wore however, the same can't be said for the actresses.
The night an actress wins her Oscar for being the best, her achievement and the outfit she wore will forever be immortalized.
In this retrospective you will see nearly nine decades of beautiful gowns and dresses that are a reflection their time period, and the talented woman that wore them.
The Red Carpet: Throwback couples at the Academy Awards
Can you remember Cher's 1988 Oscar look? If you can't recall the image, just think of anything that Cher would normally wear to an event. The Moonstruck actress remained completely true to her image and looked drop dead gorgeous.
Since Norma Shearer was photographed in 1930 wearing long necklaces and sleeves trimmed in fur, some actresses have worn gold, some showed skin, some rocked pantsuits; but there's one item all of these winning women are wearing: Confidence.
(Story continues below.)
On Sunday Feb. 26, 2017 a best actress for the year will be announced and her gown will join the ranks of the past greats.
Best Actress nominees are:
Emma Stone – "La La Land"
Natalie Portman – "Jackie"
Meryl Streep – "Florence Foster Jenkins"
Isabelle Huppert – "Elle"
Ruth Negga – "Loving"
Take a look at the gallery above above for almost all of the dresses worn by every best actress.
Slideshow originally published on elle.com