Mindy Kaling Floored Everybody With This Daring & Dramatic Gown at the 2023 Oscars 

Mindy Kaling did more than turn heads on the red carpet at Sunday night’s Oscars, she made a fashion statement. The 43-year-old actress and writer stunned in a daring, white column gown that was the perfect outfit for presenting from the Dolby Theatre stage.

The spaghetti strap dress had cut-out designs along her toned abs as the fabric draped straight down her legs. The design showed off her fit physique while the unique bell sleeves enhanced her shapely arms — it was such an unexpected ensemble from The Office star. She slicked her hair back in a half-up, half-down style to draw focus to her glowing face. With a gorgeous cat eye and a deep-hued lip, Kaling looked like an old Hollywood movie star.

Her accessories were simple, yet perfect, for the glamorous look. She wore dramatic chandelier earrings, a pink polish on her nails, and Giuseppe Zanotti’s custom-dyed Bebe platform sandals. This is Kaling’s fashion evolution and she’s debuting her new look at the Oscars. It’s something she started exploring while on The Mindy Project, where her character famously had 23 outfits changes in one 22-minute episode.

Even though designers are clamoring to dress her now as an A-list star, Kaling found a way to make her affordable wardrobe work for years. She shared her inside secret with Yahoo Style (via Allure) that is so genius, we should all be taking notes. “I had tweed separates from Reiss. I replaced the hardware on it, and people thought it was a Chanel skirt suit—which I could never afford,” she revealed. Now that she can afford a full Chanel ensemble, we love a gal who can make any outfit work — from the red carpet at the Oscars to her humble beginnings in Hollywood.

Before you go, click here to see all the most shocking Oscars looks over the years.