Oscars Burning Question: How Do Stars Pull Off the Dress Quick-Change?

Elizabeth Banks wore a frothy Versace strapless gown to the 2010 Oscars that was sewn onto her body. But for the Vanity Fair party later that night, she slipped into another short and sexy Versace number. Banks made the switch without breaking a sweat, dislodging a hair, or smudging her makeup. How was this possible?

“Our clients that change, change in the car,” says her stylist, Wendi Ferreira, part of the Wendi & Nicole styling team. “They just leave the clothes in the car.”

Not everyone switches it up, though. After winning in 2012 for The Help, their client Octavia Spencer kept her intricate Tadashi Shoji gown on all night. Perhaps the most famous quick-change artist: Jennifer Lawrence, who swapped her Dior dress for a second-skin Tom Ford number in 2014 — going commando for it.

Cars are fine for changing, but not all the time. Some stars have nearby hotel rooms on standby. Others swing by friends’ or publicists’ homes for the clothing swap. Insiders liken it to a NASCAR pit crew — get the celebs in and out and back on the party circuit as quickly as possible.

As for the issue of wrinkles, how do stars stay gorgeous without their dresses becoming a wan version of their former selves after a very long night? After all, for those who don’t change clothes, you’re talking about wearing the same thing for four hours or more, including sitting in it.

“It’s a matter of picking the right fabric, and if you can’t bypass that certain fabric, they [lie] down or they stand up in a tall van [in transit],” explains stylist Nicole Ferreira. “That way they don’t have to sit.”

Read More:
Oscars Burning Question: What’s in That Clutch?
Oscars Burning Question: Does Bling Ever Go Missing?
Oscars Burning Question: How Do Stars Look So Good All Night?

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.