11 V-Neck Gowns for Virtual Prom, Inspired by the 2021 Oscars

This year’s red carpet was full of plunging necklines. Here’s how to tap into the celebrity-approved look for your virtual prom night.

The pomp and circumstance around prom — and the importance of finding the perfect ensemble to wear to it — goes back decades. But prom trends have come and gone since young men wore powder blue tuxedos with matching cummerbunds in the 1970s, and it wasn’t until the aughts that lavishly beaded and bedazzled gowns became the standard for high school grads — largely thanks to young stars upping their game on the red carpet and millennial TV dramas beginning to adorn teen stars in luxury brands for their senior dances. (Take Marissa Cooper from The O.C., who showed up to prom dressed in Chanel!) It’s as if the night has become an extension of the star-studded red carpets and best dressed lists we ogle at each year. After all, these grand-scale Hollywood events are where designers and celebrities flex their influence — and are a quintessential stop on a trend’s journey from the designer runway to the high street.

Consider the 93rd Academy Awards that recently took place on April 25. Although this year’s event was smaller than usual due to the pandemic, it didn’t fail to deliver on trends. After postponing the date by two months and safely altering the evening to fit into a COVID world, the stars dove onto the red carpet, albeit a more scaled-back one that normal years, in a variety of glamorous looks, include deep plunging necklines.

Stars walked the red carpet in a variety of deep V-neck dresses or gowns with plunging bustier torsos. Regina King’s Louis Vuitton fusion of Cinderella and the fairy godmother delivered an embellished, structured neckline. (Yes to the 3,800 crystals and 62,000 sequins.) Maria Bakalova also took a page from Louis Vuitton’s tome of fairytales in a whimsical white frock, while Halle Berry’s custom Dolce & Gabbana gown showed off how craftsmanship can subtly put a major plunge in a sweetheart neckline. And from Vanessa Kirby’s Gucci gown to Amanda Seyfried’s red Giorgio Armani number, not to mention Tiara Thomas’s white pantsuit, there was no shortage of décolletage.

There’s no doubt this style will trickle into prom looks this season. Even with expected adjustments — like virtual proms instead of IRL ones — fantastic costuming should still take place to fête this momentous occasion. With that, we’ve searched for some deep-V neckline dresses so you can to attend the prom feeling like an Oscar nominee.

Browse the gallery below for 11 dresses inspired by 2021 Oscars dresses.