The red carpet is a tightrope walk, but Mikey Madison and Timothée Chalamet made sure-footed choices – while many mature attendees showed younger performers the way

Anora is a fairytale about holding on to humanity in a cold and ruthless world, clinging to romance in a climate of porn, and staying true to your values in a transactional culture.

Which is the story that fashion at the Oscars has been telling for years. Its red carpet is the ultimate expression of the dream-big mindset, where anyone can be a princess or a dashing hero. But it has also become, in the 21st century, a pay-to-play game where fashion houses cut behind-the-scenes deals with actors to get their clothes in the spotlight. For women, it is also a tightrope walk through a savagely judgmental environment in which having just enough sex appeal is a golden ticket, but too much is a guilty verdict.