Lupita Nyong’o

We know this rising star (nominated for Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave) loves a pop of colour and we also know she looks fantastic in white. After her cape triumph at the Golden Globes, it’s clear she knows how to work a structural statement. This Giambattista Valli gown ticks all those boxes and then some. We also think it would be super cool if Lupita, like the model, used the hip details as pockets. You know she can get away with it.

Hair and makeup: The less she wears, the better she looks. We suggest minimal makeup and a bold, coral-coloured lip. She’s also the only woman we know who looks great with very little hair. A nearly-shaved head would make the right kind of statement.

Sandra Bullock

She’s nominated for another Best Actress Oscar and needs to go big. Strapless gowns show off her toned arms and the midnight blue embroidery on this Armani Prive gown is reminiscent of the galaxy she hurled through for the majority of Gravity. She can carry off any colour but this shade of blue is unique and unlikely to be seen on anyone else.

Hair and makeup: This would look great with a messy, side-parted updo, smoky eye and nude lip.

Amy Adams

Adams, Best Actress nominee for American Hustle, is a woman who knows how to wear blush. We advise her to embrace the 70s vibe of her film and choose this flowy Elie Saab dress. Add a simple drop earring and retro updo and she will have throwback glamour in spades.

Hair and makeup: Simple, with a focus on the eyes. Big false lashes would not go astray.

Margot Robbie

Okay, so she’s not nominated, but she should be. The Australian breakout star of The Wolf of Wall Street needs to make a statement. We know she can do sexy, but we would rather see her try the old Hollywood look, just like the Vanity Fair shoot she did last September. This black Zac Posen masterpiece is all drama in the best way possible.

Hair and makeup: Dark brows, red lip, winged eyeliner and side-swept 1940’s-style hair.

Jennifer Lawrence

We know she’s going to wear Dior, it’s just a question of which dress. We’re sick of seeing Lawrence in strapless dresses in light colours. With her blonde pixie cut she can afford to vamp it up a bit. This sheer black and silver Dior offering is understated elegance.

Hair and makeup: Sleek hair and a dramatic lip. Done.

Cate Blanchett

This Aussie icon does weird well. Coincidentally, so does Valentino. Her statuesque figure and classic good looks will allow her to carry off this statement look with confidence. Plus, the tiger embroidery can be representative of her ferocious ability to out-shine pretty much every other actress who ever lived.

Hair and makeup: Simple, side-swept hair in a neat bun with a nude lip.

Lea Seydoux

The French ingenue isn’t nominated and, in a shocking snub, neither is her widely acclaimed film Blue is the Warmest Colour. Regardless, we hope she turns up because she positively dominates on the red carpet. With her newly flame-red hair, this stunning Badgley Mischka gown will be taken from sophisticated elegance to all-out edgy glamour. Seydoux can also rock a statement shoulder.

Hair and makeup: A middle-parted, slicked-back updo will allow the details on the dress to shine and smokey makeup will play up Seydoux’s striking eyes.

Sally Hawkins

The Blue Jasmine star is the underdog in the race for Best Supporting Actress, but on the red carpet she’s far from a wallflower. Hawkins favours texture and pastel colours, so we think this high-necked Chanel gown fits the bill.

Hair and makeup: Her trademark is messy hair, so we would love a huge up-do piled on top of her head and simple, dark makeup, possibly with winged eyeliner.

Julia Roberts

Roberts is a contender for Best Supporting Actress for her role in August: Osage County alongside Meryl Streep. However, if her recent red carpet choices are anything to go by, she’s also a contender for worst dressed lists the world over. We advise her to keep it simple and stick to what she knows. Ralph Lauren knows how to dress a woman, and this simple grey embellished sheath is a safe but stunning choice.

Hair and makeup: A loose up-do with a nude lip and simple eye makeup.

Adele Exarchopoulos

Like her Blue is the Warmest Colour co-star Lea Seydoux, this 20 year-old French actress isn’t nominated. But if she turns up, she will inject a much needed dose of youthful, unabashed sex appeal. Exarchopoulos would turn heads in this racy Prabal Gurung burgundy gown. Bring it on.

Hair and makeup: Anything she wants.

Emma Thompson

After her stellar presenting performance at the Golden Globes, we’re praying the British Saving Mr. Banks star arrives at the Oscars tipsy again. While she’s at it, we’d love for her to choose this Jenny Packham dress that is pretty, playful and practical, just like Thompson herself.

Hair and makeup: Sleek, blow-dried and side-parted, with a smokey eye and a diamond drop earring.