The 2026 Oscars will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles. The Oscars, known for its extravagant style, has a history of celebrities being told what to wear through a dress code, starting in the 1950s when legendary costumer Edith Head, who still holds the record for most Oscars won in the Best Costume Design category with eight statues, led to an official and detailed dress code in 1968. This followed sartorial instruction in 1942 when formal attire was banned due to World War II, and women were reportedly asked to cover their cleavage for the first televised broadcast in 1953. In an archived memo shared on the Oscars website, Head advised actresses to wear "formal evening gowns" made at floor or maxi-length (anything midi or considered "day-length" was not to be considered). She also encouraged women to wear pastels to complement the gold and white Oscars setting. The closest the Oscars has come to issuing another formal dress code was in 2021.