Catt Sadler's Oscars Dress—From the Fittings to the Red Carpet

See her Michael Costello gown

By Catt Sadler Feb 26, 2017 11:55 PMTags
ESC: Catt Sadler Oscar Gown DiaryE!

There's a lot that goes into an Oscars dress—rules, politics and unfortunate circumstances. Sometimes, though, it can be just as glamorous as you'd imagine. 

So, when Michael Costello—the man behind Beyoncé's 2014 Grammys stunner—agreed to dress E! News' Catt Sadler for the big night, we asked the host to capture every step of the process. 

I met Michael at New York Fashion Week a few years' back and slowly became friends. Obviously, he's insanely talented, but also just a kind human being. He has generously loaned me dresses for different events, and every time, I'm so genuinely pleased. When it was time to start working on this year's Oscars gown, I reached out to see if he'd want to "play" with me, and he immediately said, "Yes!"

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Oscars 2017 Red Carpet Arrivals
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The initial conversations were more about what I don't like in a gown in regards to my body type: I'm personally not a fan of short sleeves, and  I always try and accentuate my waist somehow. Too much fabric swallows me up. I also didn't want to wear black or repeat any of the nude tones I've worn on the carpet in recent years. That's when my stylist, Becca Jefferson, came into the mix. She and Michael discussed the direction from our end, but ultimately, we wanted Michael to just work his magic.

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As can happen during the process, you start in one place and end up somewhere very different. His first sketches were stunning. I was obsessed with the raspberry color and design of one, so we aimed for something in that world. Michael went out, found the fabrics and created the most beautiful dress.

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However, after trying it on, it felt slightly too relaxed for Oscars. It would have made the perfect Emmys dress, but we wanted to elevate my look just a tad. 

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We had a fitting at Michael's studio and one at my house. They're quick and painless but vital. You can have the most gorgeous dress on the planet but if it doesn't fit just perfectly, it's a fail. 

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We tried on a few more options. Michael selected another new gown that's from his current collection. I tried it on and instantly knew it was THE ONE!

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We had our final fitting 20 hours before I hit the E! red carpet. But which dress did we end up with?

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This stunner! Am I comfortable? No pain, no gain. That's the truth. But when the lights go on and the world approves of all of your hard work to slay on the carpet, it's an adrenaline rush. You forget that you can't breathe and that your feet are swelling. It's all in the name of fashion.

For more details on Catt's Oscars look, visit TheCattwalk.com.

For complete Oscars coverage, tune in to E! News at 7 p.m. and Fashion Police at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27.