Oscar Red Carpet Rewind: Dressing the part

By Elizabeth Snead, Special to the Times

On Sunday these nominated actresses will play their most glamorous role. What will they wear?

For the first time in recent Academy Awards history, six of the nine Oscar nominated actresses are newcomers to the Big O red carpet, often called the most important fashion runway in the world.

Dual nominee Cate Blanchett, Julie Christie and Laura Linney have all walked the Oscar red mile before. But what a strange year this must be for Ruby Dee, Saoirse Ronan, Ellen Page, Tilda Swinton, Marion Cotillard and Amy Ryan, what with all the nervous speculation over whether there would even be a red carpet. But while the fashion frenzy has been dimmed this season, there's still anticipation about who will wear what.

Here's a look at the veterans' past Oscar gowns and the newcomers' recent awards attire, all of which could predict the choices they'll make on Sunday.