And just like that, new year means new awards season! The Golden Globes kicked off the most wonderful time of the year (for lifelong celeb gawkers like me) and as always, stars were bringing it on the fashion front!
The Globes have traditionally had one of the more fun and adventurous red carpets and this year's was no exception. A few micro-trends seemed to emerge: riotous colors you'd struggle to find even in a Crayola box; yellow; ribbons — as trim and in hair! And we have reached a point I thought I'd never see, which is men taking fashion risks! It's a new day. Let's take a look, shall we?
Best Dressed
With a train that left stars literally stuck waiting for her to pass, Lady Gaga welcomed all of us to what will surely be an awards season to remember. We are truly far from the shallow now. I loved that she managed to balance both her new movie star persona with her shock-and-awe persona, pairing a regal periwinkle Maison Valentino gown with locks to match, a perfect diamond necklace and (not pictured) dramatic platform heels.
What a pleasure it's been to see Regina King's star rise higher and higher the past few years after so many decades in the game. She looks FIRE in this rose quartz Alberta Ferretti gown, fitted within an inch of her life and accessorized with eye-catching flying-V diamond earrings.
Lupita Nyong'o is just luminous. Her skin is so breathtakingly beautiful, and I swear she can wear any color. This swingy beaded blue Calvin Klein gown is simple perfection. If you can find a close-up pic, pay attention to the dewdrop shape of the beads. Magic.
Nicole Kidman is here to haunt your fantasies in a poured-on oxblood sequined Michael Kors number. She's the red carpet GOAT and basically at this point is ready for a Costume Institute Gala just dedicated to her commitment to doin it and doin it and doin it well. Not pictured: her perfect black hairbow. Girlish and fun.
Speaking of sexy, this slinky Art Deco-meets-Futurism Gucci gown on Saoirse Ronan is elegant with just the right amount of skin. I love the shimmery drape effect.
HI BILLY PORTER HAS ARRIVED AND HE'S SERVING FABULOUS MATADOR. Everything I ever needed but didn't know I wanted in this Randi Rahm ensemble. He literally told the NY Times: "I'm black, I'm turning 50 and I'm fierce!"
This turquoise blue Christian Siriano might be one of my favorite looks EVER on Allison Janney. The color: spectacular. The draping: flawless. The accessories: dreamy. What a freaking babe.
Amy Adams wore a similar off-the-shoulder blue Calvin Klein gown with a great fit. I think it could have used a little something more in the accessories — maybe a freaking award for once? This poor girl.
By jove, Anne Hathaway has cracked it. She managed to find a way to wear a classy and elegant leopard print by Elie Saab. Team that with the most luminous, glowy clavicle; shiny hair; fun sparkly earrings; and eyelash drama, and you are sure to stand out from the pack.
Charlize Theron is also a legendary Red Carpet Slayer, and this Dior gown — a riff on so many timeless motifs — manages to still add some new ideas to the canon. Love the black and white, love the bow, love the dark nails, love the bangle selection, obsessed with the smoky eye, worshiping the sleek bob. This is how it's done.
I don't know if I'm 100% sold on Alison Brie's Vera Wang confection, but there's enough here that I like. I'm into the frothy tulle paired with a rhinestone bustier. I'm very into the haphazard long bow. All of it together? Hm. Yes?
Without the sash, Constance Wu's Vera Wang would be another perfectly fine entry in the long march of nude Vera Wang tulle gowns in red carpet history. But with a persimmon velvet sash, it sings. I look forward to seeing her climb the ranks.
Dakota Fanning served up classic late 90's Gwyneth Paltrow-meets-Cinderella in this beautiful blue-silver Armani Prive gown. I especially love the terracotta red lip. I believe the French would call this look "soignee."
Keri Russell was ROBBED AGAIN of all the accolades for her incomparable performance as a complicated and restrained spy on The Americans, but I guess she figured she'd make up for it by bringing the hottness and blinding everyone with her effortless glamour. I love a drapey silver fit-for-Bianca Jagger gown by Monique Lhuillier as much as the next person who watched VH1 specials about Studio 54 in middle school.
I love how Patricia Clarkson just casually strolls up in this Georges Chakra gown that's at least four colors, a little bit Grecian, a little bit Fifth Element and is like, "Oh me? I'm just your normal almost-60 Southern belle!" Anything but. This woman is hot.
I love the micropleating detail of Laura Dern's deceptively simple red chiffon Valentino dress. It reminds me of the artwork of Yayoi Kusama. I feel very sure it was even more beautiful in person than it could ever be in pictures/on camera.
Speaking of pleating, I also liked the unfinished quality of the gathered fabric at Sandra Oh's shoulder, like a waterfall spilling. I also thought it was fun she wore all white all night! This Stella McCartney dress was just interesting enough.
Jamie Lee Curtis is now Miranda Priestly, in case you missed the memo. Her shock of white hair was perfectly complemented by this sexy white gown.
I love this shade of pink, like a dusty rose, and Emmy Rossum's makeup really is so perfect. This Monique Lhuillier is the kind of dress every girl wants to wear just once.
ALERT! ALERT! This look on Tony Shalhoub was very confusing for me because never before have I harbored a crush on Tony Shalhoub and now it's happening.
The men are having SO much more fun with fashion these days, playing more with color, pattern and fabric, and I especially was loving this deep teal on Idris Elba.
Good
Rachel Brosnahan's canary Prada gown was close, but no cigar for me. It felt borderline recycled bridesmaid gown, and I felt like a lot could be solved if it was maybe one shade closer to saffron? Or maybe it just needs something more? It moved very beautifully and the back was very lovely. Sigh.
Julianne Moore's white Armani Prive is indeed quite elegant, but not super thrilling from the front...
BUT THE BACK!!! Now that's a whole different story. I love how it manages to reference so many design ideas — the traditional tie of a kimono obi, with a sporty racerback — and yet looks so classic.
I couldn't shake the feeling that I've seen Emma Stone wear some variation of this Louis Vuitton gown before, but it's nonetheless beautiful. It felt a bit muted, but maybe that's by design, so she can ramp up the fashion in the slow march to the Oscars.
Thandie Newton has taken me on a red carpet rollercoaster and I'm happy to be along for the ride. I truly never know what look she's gonna try next, and Diana Ross disco diva Michael Kors gown is a welcome twist.
Penelope Cruz's gown looks mesmerizing in the light, and I wish I could see it super up close in person to catch all the detail. Kudos to Ralph & Russo for finding a way to make the black gown more interesting.
Catherine Zeta-Jones is here to remind us she's a movie star, dahling, and don't you forget it. Who am I to deny a Welsh raven-haired beauty folded up in pleated and draped emerald satin Elie Saab? Her earrings were also to die for.
I like the crochet-meets-glam vibe of Emily Blunt's Alexander McQueen, but I do not love the dishwater shade. She also looked extraordinarily stiff on the red carpet, as though she was trying to move in a brace, so I'm guessing it was not very forgiving.
To be real with you, I would probably bump Taraji P. Henson's Vera Wang look to my "meh" category if it weren't velvet and if the color weren't some mystifying shade of gray-green-pewter that forces me to take second, third and fourth looks.
I'm the last person to endorse formal shorts, but dammit, Gemma Chan looks fantastic in this gorgeously draped sapphire blue ensemble by Valentino. The color, along with her makeup, is flawless.
Darren Criss had the most fun with pattern, and looks very ready to host a Christmas special in this Dior tux.
Lili Reinhart's frou frou red gown is very pretty, classic and interesting, if a little mature for an ingenue. But I can't fault anyone for succumbing to the temptation to look like a cloud when crossing the room.
"Pose" was one of my favorite new shows last year and I was so impressed to see how all of the cast really showed up on the red carpet. I was especially blown away by the breathtaking beauty and simple glamour of Dominique Jackson's simple white Grecian gown.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge is carving out a fascinating career as a writer and actress, and this sexy bad mamma jamma Jessica Rabbit dress reminds everyone she's available for acting gigs when she's not penning twisty obsessive tales for "Killing Eve."
Lucy Boynton nailed the assignment: try to get on the radar of everyone so you can go from who? to "oh her." She's in "Bohemian Rhapsody," but I previously saw her in "Sing Street" and a BBC update of "Sense and Sensibility" and she's definitely magnetic, so I expect to see her more and more. Her perfectly mussed bob was the ideal accessory to this Dynasty-ready gold Celine gown.
It is truly not fair for two people to be this hot, so let's not even utter their names lest we give them more power.
MAKE IT FASHION
Yes, Janelle Monae did look like an extra from Michael Jackson's "Do You Remember" music video and no, I can never fault her for her derring-do. What can I say? Even when it's ostensibly a Chanel costume, she's winning.
What would you call this Louis Vuitton look on Timothee Chalomet? Like, how do we describe it? It's like a black glitter harness meets evening lederhosen meets ballet danseur meets Interpol band member. It truly left me speechless! Good for him. Also, his face looks like it was carved from marble, seriously.
We may be experiencing a new heyday of androgynous fashion and hear, hear, I'm ready for it. Cody Fern (who you may remember from "The Assassination of Gianni Versace") had maybe the best smoky eye on the red carpet and his sheer black jumpsuit gives me major early 80's-David Bowie vibes.
Indya Moore's wide-mesh Louis Vuitton gown looks vaguely like something you'd see a Romulan wear on Star Trek, vaguely like the netting on a bag of oranges and vaguely like chainmail, but I'm pretty sure she's pulling it off. Way to show up, Pose fam!
On the Fence
Jodie Comer is a red carpet newcomer, but arrives on the heels of a big TV fashion moment as Villanelle in the buzzy "Killing Eve." So she's in an interesting position, where she could play the part of the ingenue who wants to be alluring or play the part of the ingenue who's anything but risk-averse. She chose the latter and I commend her for it, although I'm not completely sure what to make of her goth dressing gown look.
From the torso up, Julia Roberts looked like a damn angel walking on Earth and then from the bottom down she looked like a bank vice president. The fit on those Stella McCartney pants is just rude and the combo feels jarring. She's had a few missteps over the past couple years and it makes zero sense because she's basically the best.
Rosamund Pike likes to be adventurous with her fashion and sometimes it works in her favor and sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it's like...hm? I don't want to like any bit of this Givenchy and yet she really is serving such great face and looks so certain about the whole thing. It's like she wanted to be very very sexy and then decided to tamper it with a cardigan, but it kinda works?
The silhouette here on Catriona Balfe's Moschino gown is wildly unflattering, but the fashion historian nerd in me recognized it immediately from some of my favorite Erte drawings that I used to trace as a child. It's a very early 20th-century look (including the bob) that I'm not sure translates to today's red carpet. I like it in theory, but maybe less in execution?
Meh
Claire Foy's Miu Miu look is maddening because it has some very good elements, but the fit is atrocious. This gown looks two sizes too big, especially in the chest, and the shade of yellow really does nothing for her complexion. The choice to go with a dark lip with cool tones also did no favors. I like the starburst sequins and the train, but not enough to call this good.
I feel like Rachel Weicz has been out of the scene for a little bit, and this Celine isn't quite the prodigal daughter look I'd be hoping for when it comes to her triumphant return. It was quite fun to see it moving on the red carpet, but if you don't think too hard, it basically looks like a thousand coffee filters popped on top of a basic black column. Not awful, but not thrilling.
Olivia Colman is about to become much more well-known to American audiences, thanks to "The Favourite" but more so because she's taking over the role of Queen Elizabeth on "The Crown." We had loved her on AMC's "The Night Manager" and I'm excited for her! This Stella McCartney dress was interesting, but ultimately a little blah. I like the sheer fabric, but the cut is a little mumsy. Her hair and makeup were lovely, though.
This shade of coral is divine on Jamila al-Jamil, and I mostly like this Monique Lhuillier dress, but I find myself very distracted by the subtle stripes in the fabric that look almost unintentional. Stripes + appliques + origami-like draping + riotous color all feels like a lot of ideas to me.
Here's how this usually goes: You see someone from just the torso up in red carpet interviews and you love the look and then later, when you see the full body image, you see the bottom of the outfit is a hot mess disaster. Michelle Yeoh here managed to pull off the rare opposite, where the top looks like a green duct tape prom dress and the bottom is quite lovely. I gotta give kudos for an unconventional choice — better this than boring — but these feel like two very different dresses.
Yvonne Strahovski is kind of a boring dresser. I feel like red carpet either isn't her thing or she just doesn't have enough star power to get some interesting looks thrown her way. This Alberta Ferretti is fine, but not memorable.
Melissa McCarthy has worn a host of drapey long-sleeved gowns over the years and I rarely love them, but I do like the color of this Reem Acra with the stars. As an ensemble, it gives me slight Mickey in Fantasia vibes, but I guess I'll allow it.
I'm an old person now because I had no idea who Sofia Carson here is, and apparently she's a Disney star which means she'll soon be running this planet. I think this is a pretty interesting first outing for her onto the Globes red carpet, and sets her up to be a sophisticated fashionista. That said, this Giambattista Valli feels ultimately pretty meh. I don't think it's particularly memorable, which is the goal when you're attending your first one of these things.
Ashleigh and I could not make heads or tails over Gina Rodriguez's Reem Acra gown and why it bothered us. It looks more nightgown than evening gown, for sure, but I think ultimately the problem lies with the cut of the bodice, which makes it appear like her chest is flopping around all over the place, and that couldn't be further from the truth. It just gives the illusion of more volume in a way I didn't find particularly flattering.
Jessica Chastain is a tricky one who either strikes out or hits a home run and rarely falls in between. This Riccardo Tischi for Burberry look feels a bit slapdash ("Let's just pop a cape on here!") and her make-up looks heavy-handed. I would like to see her in Taraji P. Henson's pewter-green velvet — with her red hair? Fuggedaboutit.
Amber Heard, hoo boy. So much happening here. My first impression is that her Monique Lhuillier gown with this hairdo looks a little like Marie Antoinette in her underpinnings. I am almost never a fan of this silhouette, which always feels like an optical illusion...my eye just wants the volume to start a little lower or a little higher than mid-hip. I saw her adjusting her cleavage on camera probably at least 2-3 times. Her make-up was A LOT. I think she was wearing a jewelry box full of baubles. It all adds up to what appears to be a carefully planned disheveled mess that is poorly executed.
Oh Elisabeth Moss, back to your boring ways in this Dior dress. She's been really dressing down for these events lately, just popping on very basic black strapless cocktail dresses that could have easily been plucked off a rack at Nordstrom. I wish she could just have a teensy weensy more fun. Also, her hair looked truly wild from the side, as though her stylist added too many extensions for volume and accidentally created a helmet.
Worst
I want to hug sweet Elsie Fisher for sticking to her guns this hard and there's a part of me that wonders if this head-to-toe red velvet (with clashing red-orange accessories) Kenzo is more of a "best worst" than worst just for chutzpah. But the other part of me sees this and can't unsee this:
Also I'm apparently a grandmother now because I kept wanting to tell her DON'T SLOUCH!
OK, I was wrestling with whether this look on the divine Glenn Close was truly "worst" territory and it probably isn't. On one hand, it's dramatic and different. But I couldn't shake the vision of a stylist saying to a designer, "Like a garment bag but make it fashion." This feels like Professor McGonagall's formal attire. And I bet it was comfy as hell.
Joanna Newsom is a reliable kook and I wouldn't have her any other way. This Rodarte dress — surely the product of a Thrift Store curtains-and-doilies design challenge — is wild. The trim at the bottom of the dress legitimately looks like lampshade trim. I would frankly be mad if she turned up in something safe and pretty. Why bother, when you can come dressed as a grandma's living room?!
I'm ducking arrows because I know this Rodarte on Danai Gurira isn't the worst worst and for many fashion folks, this is the best best. But friends, as soon as I saw it, I thought it looked like Hunger Games Capitol cosplay and I can't unsee it.
Amy Poehler, queen of my heart, is a worst-dressed all star and what's really frustrating is that I don't think it's ever because she's kooky or a risk-taker or any of the good reasons to wear something bonkers. It's like her taste skews a little off and no stylist has been able to steer it in a productive direction. This kinda polka-dotted mint and black dress is just weird, right? I can't imagine seeing it on the rack or trying it on and saying, BY GOD, THIS IS IT.
I love a gender flip lady in a tux and I assume Judy Greer went in this direction for many good reasons — rebelling against the patriarchy, flipping the script on herself now that she's a director, etc. etc. All about that! What I'm not about is the comically large bow tie and large fit. It doesn't look like she got a custom Alberta Ferretti tux fitted for her specifically; it looks like she stole this one from Elliott Gould:
Hide your pitchforks! I know some of you probably loved Lucy Liu's extra adventurous Galia Lahav look. I just found it really challenging to love. Pops of neon? Ok. Wild patterns? I'm listening. Metallic belts? I mean...ok...but maybe stop there. Mosquito nets? THAT'S WHERE YOU LOSE ME.
Marin Hinkle here is a stone-cold fox and I adore her performance as Rose on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" but this rumpled Lanvin gown looks like a fashion interpretation of Elphaba's journey to being Wicked and I just cannot. Just say no to a wrinkled center seam, friends.
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