Oscars fashion: Many of the red-carpet stars went soft

Alicia Vikander set the tone on the Oscars red carpet Sunday as she walked early in a pale yellow custom Louis Vuitton gown, her hair flowing down her back.

The Swedish actress has become an "it" girl for glam and didn't disappoint this time around in the strapless princess gown with a balloon hem that was higher in the front. Like her hemline, her hair was also high-low, fastened into a half bun that showed off her chandelier earrings.

"I love the color," she said from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Brie Larson, another of the new "it" carpet ladies, wore a blue ruffled Gucci with a silvery belt and columns of loose ruffles.

Marchesa and Lorraine Schwartz were the carpet's annual bombshell Sofia Vergara's best friends. She wore a deep blue strapless from Marchesa and Schwartz diamond earrings that burst like fireworks, her hair swept back, further showing off her tight-waisted look.

Mindy Kaling was in a sleek black crepe gown from Elizabeth Kennedy with a huge violet blue silk sash that tied at the back and fell in a train to the ground.

Other looks: Olivia Wilde in a sexy, low-cut blush; Priyanka Chopra in a strapless white Zuhair Murad Couture; Andra Day in a light, one-shoulder yellow; Sophie Turner in oh-so-slight mint green. They were just a few of many who chose soft shades.

"I felt very princessy today," Chopra said of her form-hugging, mermaid-cut dress in silk tulle adorned with climbing flowers.

Wilde wore Valentino Haute Couture cut to the waist and highly dependent on sticky tape to keep everything up top in place. She paired it with a dainty choker.

"It's pretty fun," she said of the look that gave off an apron vibe.

And then there was Whoopi Goldberg. She was bold in black. She said her look was modeled on a gown Bette Davis wore in "All About Eve."

Several celebs went with shorter hemlines, just above the ankle, including Daisy Ridley in a sparkly silver look that had dainty sheer at the waist and hem.

Representing her native Ireland, Saoirse Ronan chose all-around sequins in emerald from Calvin Klein. The gown hugged her body just right, her drop Chopard earrings mismatched — one in white pearls and the other emeralds.

Turner's side-slit Galvan for Opening Ceremony was part of an "ethically made" project called Red Carpet Green Dress. The initiative was spearheaded by James and Suzy Amis Cameron and had another participant on the carpet, Lily Cole.

"Everything here is all sustainable," Turner said.

It's not possible, meanwhile, that Rooney Mara's hair could have been any tighter. There was a tiny knot on top and it was braided close to her skull, her lips a deep red. Her dress, Givenchy Haute Couture, was long-sleeved, which is somewhat unusual, and had a diamond-shape cutout at the chest, along with a fairly modest slit. It also had buttons and busy pointed ruffles, all in embroidered gray tulle.

The evening's fluffy confection? Heidi Klum in Versace. It was also a pale color and swallowed her up in folds.

Who stuck out among the guys?

Abraham Attah, the 14-year-old from Ghana who appeared in "Beast of No Nation." He rocked a tuxedo, but he also rocked a pair of Tom's slip-ons in black. They were custom made but the company plans to distribute 10,000 pairs of shoes to Ghana in Attah's honor.

Of his big evening, Attah said: "Yeah, it's pretty crazy."