Well, the day has officially arrived, people! The 92nd Academy Awards are tonight (February 9), and soon, the brightest stars of today's cinema will gather at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to find out whose work has earned them a shiny, sought-after golden statue.

For many viewers, however, there is one thing more exciting than the handing out of awards, and that's the red carpet. Watching our favorite celebs step out of their blacked-out Cadillac Escalades in couture gowns and vintage designer dresses has become an integral part of the Oscars magic.

While it's too soon to tell which stars will be making statements with their gowns this year, we have high hopes for some of this evening's nominees, from Cynthia Erivo and Saoirse Ronan to Charlize Theron and Florence Pugh. As we sit here dreaming of the frocks to come, why not throw it back to some of the best Oscars gowns of the past, say, 20 years or so? Trust us, they're amazing.

2000: Cate Blanchett

Blanchett's attended the Oscars many times throughout her impressive career, and not once has she disappointed when it came to her outfit. At the turn of the century, the actress stole the show in this gorgeous black Jean-Paul Gaultier gown, complete with cutouts, gold accents, and an open back. Stunning!

2001: Julia Roberts

Roberts had a big night when she attended the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001. Not only did she take home the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Erin Brockovich, but her black-and-white vintage Valentino gown from 1992 immediately became one of the most iconic dresses in Oscars history. If there's any gown that screams classic Hollywood glam, it's this one.

2002: Halle Berry

Following Roberts's lead, Berry won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Monster's Ball just one year later. And like Roberts, Berry was also — in our humble opinion — the best-dressed celeb on the carpet that night. The Elie Saab gown — with its burgundy mesh and floral appliqué's — was certainly a risk, but if you ask us, it was one worth taking.

2003: Jennifer Lopez

J.Lo may not have been nominated for an Academy Award at the 75th Oscars, but she sure did leave a lasting impression on the red carpet. Lopez posed for photos in a mint green, off-the-shoulder Valentino gown that will go down in history as one of her most iconic fashion moments ever. And trust us, there have been a lot.

2004: Charlize Theron

It's almost like Theron knew she was going to win the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Monster before she left her house on that fateful day in 2004. The actress walked the red carpet in a sparkly, nude Gucci gown that we haven't stopped talking about since. And honestly, we probably never will.

2005: Beyoncé

Some people might remember the 77th Oscars as the year that Hilary Swank won for her performance in Million Dollar Baby, but Swank wasn't the only show-stopper on the carpet that night. That same year, Beyoncé attended her first Academy Awards ever. And even though she wasn't nominated, the "Mood 4 Eva" singer still deserves a round of applause for showing up in this incredible black velvet Atelier Versace gown.

2006: Michelle Williams

A vibrant splash of color is always appreciated on the Academy Awards red carpet, and in 2006, Williams arrived in a custom saffron Vera Wang stunner that remains one of our all-time favorites to this day. With its deep neckline and amazing ruffles, this gown would be just as stunning on the carpet now as it was over a decade ago.

2007: Nicole Kidman

Speaking of timeless Oscars gowns, Kidman's 2007 Balenciaga dress will truly never go out of style. The floor-sweeping ensemble was memorable for several reasons, with the bow at the neck being the first. And despite not being nominated herself, Kidman still left a winner that night because, well, anyone who wears a dress like that simply cannot lose. Sorry, we don't make the rules.

2008: Penelope Cruz

People haven't stopped talking about Cruz's pale pink Atelier Versace gown from 2007. And while that dress will certainly go down in history as one of Cruz's best looks ever, we're equally in awe of her black Chanel gown from the year after. Honestly, this dress has a bit of everything. And between the lovely drapery in the front to the layers of feathers, there's no ignoring this major fashion moment.

2009: Miley Cyrus

Cyrus has attended the Oscars on more than one occasion, but when she hit the carpet in 2009, she was there to slay. The multi-layered, fully-sequined Zuhair Murad gown gave everyone in attendance a lot to look at. Between the beadwork and the plunging neckline, this gown completely transformed Cyrus from a Disney star to a dazzling Disney princess.

2010: Zoe Saldana

As we mentioned earlier, a splash of color on the Oscars red carpet never hurt anybody, and that was once again proven true when Saldana arrived at the 82nd Academy Awards in a Givenchy gown with a purple gradient that had just about everything going for it, including a crystal bodice and lots of ruffles. And though the dress might be too much for some, Saldana truly shined that night — and not just because of the crystals.

2011: Hailee Steinfeld

There were many beautiful gowns on the red carpet at the 83rd Academy Awards, from Jennifer Lawrence's custom red Calvin Klein dress to Cate Blanchett's lilac Givenchy number. But perhaps the most memorable look of the night was Steinfeld's tea-length champagne Marchesa gown. If we could've dreamed up a dress for Steinfeld's first-ever Oscars, this would've been it.

2012: Angelina Jolie

For a classy event such as the Oscars, a black gown makes a lot of sense. And in 2012, Jolie opted for this classic Versace number. And it was Jolie's right-legged power pose peaking through the gown's thigh-high slit that brought the whole look home. Yep, this one's iconic.

2013: Jennifer Lawrence

J.Law won big at the 85th Academy Awards, taking home the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Silver Lining's Playbook. Luckily, she came prepared for the honor, strutting into the event in the same Dior gown that she took a tumble in later that evening. Clearly, clumsiness happens to the best of us.

2014: Lupita Nyong'o

Nyong'o's powder blue Prada gown was all anyone could talk about after the 2014 Oscars. Not only was the color absolutely stunning on her, but she accessorized beautifully with a thin headband and understated jewels. Not to mention, she went home that night with the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for 12 Years A Slave, making the evening all the more special.

2015: Dakota Johnson

Johnson stopped people in their tracks when she showed up to the 87th Academy Awards in this one-shoulder, red Saint Laurent gown. Not only was it impeccably tailored, but the sexy dress was the perfect choice for the actress, whose movie, Fifty Shades of Gray, hit theaters the following week.

2016: Lady Gaga

When it comes to finding the perfect Oscars dress, it's hard to decide whether to wear something classic or modern. Well, Gaga found the perfect balance in 2016, when she arrived at the 88th Academy Awards in an all-white Brandon Maxwell gown, which was actually — wait for it — a jumpsuit. Incredible!

2017: Emma Stone

Stone's 2017 Oscars look was her most unforgettable red carpet look to date. The actress posed for photos in her crystal-embroidered, golden Givenchy dress. And not only was she on-theme with La La Land, the movie she was nominated for, but she also looked very much like the statue she would go on to win later that night — in a good way, of course.

2018: Zendaya

Let's be honest: Zendaya can make a paper bag look good. But when she arrived at the 90th Academy Awards in 2019, we could hardly believe our eyes. The Spider-Man: Far From Home actress stunned in a one-shoulder Giambattista Valli Dress. And even though she wasn't nominated for anything that night, all eyes were on her.

2019: Billy Porter

Porter made history at last year's Oscars when he strutted onto the red carpet in a ballgown-tuxedo hybrid by designer Christian Siriano. And after asking the designer if he could make him a custom gown, Siriano agreed and came up with the concept. "We wanted to play between the masculine and the feminine," Porter told Vogue. "This look was interesting because it’s not drag. I’m not a drag queen, I’m a man in a dress."