Favourite celebrity-parent fashions from the Oscars

Mom to: Apple, 7, and Moses, 5

Gwyneth Paltrow's stark-white Tom Ford dress was number-one on a lot of best-dressed lists — including America's Next Top Model star Jay Manuel, who tweeted, "OMG!!!!! Gwyneth Paltrow is officially my best dressed in none other than TOM FORD! Nicole Kidman who? :-)" — which sums it all up.

Mom to: Matilda, 6

There was some debate over what colour Best-Actress nominee Michelle Williams' fabulous Louis Vuitton dress was. On the TV screen it seemed to match the red carpet — perhaps a little too much like the dress she wore to last month's SAG awards. But Michelle, 31, cleared it up for all of us, suggesting it was "maybe coral?"

Mom to:  8-month-old Aleph

After winning an Oscar while pregnant for her role in Black Swan last year, Natalie Portman, 30, looked postively precious in this red and black polka-dotted vintage Christian Dior dress. Can you guess what year it's from? 1954. Her modern adaptation of an old-Hollywood hairdo made the whole look perfection.

Mom to: Maddox, 10, Pax, 8, Zahara, 7, Shiloh, 5, and Vivienne and Knox, 3

Angelina Jolie, 36, or, as Billy Crystal called her, "the original girl with the dragon tattoo," rocked her jet-black Atelier Versace gown.

Angelina was actually very late to the red carpet. When she was finally interviewed by E!'s producer, she revealed that her kids had no idea what she and Brad were up to tonight. "We don't let them watch these things," she said. "They don't really know about them, actually. We just said, 'We have to go to work tonight,' and they just said, 'Hurry home.'"

Mom to: Genesis, 1.5

Best Actress nominee Viola Davis, 46, beamed in this emerald green Vera Wang gown. "She did right by me," Viola told Ryan Seacrest of Vera Wang. Viola then pointed to her unusually short, light hair and shared that it was by her mother because, for once, she left her wigs at home and went au naturel — thanks to her husband, Julius Tennon. "My husband wanted me to take the wig off,” she told InStyle. “He said, ‘If you want to wear it for your career, that’s fine, but in your life wear your hair. Step into who you are!’ It’s a powerful statement.”

Mom to: Vivian, 4.5, and Georgette, 23 months

Best actress nominee Melissa McCarthy, 41, glowed on her special night, in a blush-coloured Marina Rinaldi gown. But it was her funny bit with Billy Crystal in the dressing room that stole the show.

Mom to: Max and Emme, 3 year old twins

The always-glowing Jennifer Lopez, 42, looked stunning on the red carpet in a white Zuhair Murad gown. While the internet was buzzing with talk of a wardrobe malfunction on her left breast while presenting, turns out it was just the shadow of the dress against her skin.

Mom to: Pearl, 6, Lucille, 2, Jack, 7 months

Funny Maya Rudolph, 39, wore this plum-coloured (or eggplant) Johanna Johnson gown, which was plain and pretty from the front, but sassy and glitzy to the back. Lovely!

As always, she was hilarious on stage presenting with her Bridesmaid's costars. Was that not one of the best moments of the night (other than Angelina's pose, Billy Crystal's opening, and, ermm, Sacha Baron Cohen's red carpet prank)?

Mom to: Louis, 2

Sandra Bullock, 47, looked lovely in this classic Marchesa dress.

When asked why she chose to be part of the Oscar-nominated film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close after taking a long break to enjoy new baby Louis, Sandra explained, "The book was extraordinary. And also the ability to see how the children were affected. To see it from a child's point of view is so completely different that an adult's point of view because they know so little and they want to know so much that we can't possibly answer. I liked the challenge of that. I thought it was beautiful."

Mom to: one-year-old Leo

Penelope Cruise, 37, looked perfect in periwinkle! Well, the dress looked blue on the red carpet, but like a gorgeous deep mauve on the Oscar stage when she presented the award for Best Original Score alongside the very dapper Owen Wilson. The truly stunning dress was made special for her by Armani Privé when she was in London, and it was spectacular.

Mom to: Alice, 6, and Penelope, 5 months

Tina Fey, 41, looked totally sharp in this custom black, floor-length Carolina Herrera gown. Just 6 months after giving birth, Tina looks amazing. And this classic, chic dress — beautifully tailored for her figure — was a perfect fit. Bravo!