We are currently in the heart of awards season, when celebrities pull out their most fabulous looks for the red carpet. From the Golden Globes to the Grammys, these events are packed with fashion at its most glamorous. Let’s take this opportunity to dive into the art of red carpet fashion.
First, let’s recap looks from recent red carpet events. On Sunday, Jan. 4, the Critics’ Choice Awards were held in Santa Monica, California. Elle Fanning, nominated for best supporting actress, wore an archival Ralph Lauren dress from Fall 2003. Her look was elegant, including a beautifully draped, shiny gold gown with a cowl neckline.
Fanning is also nominated for best supporting actress at this year’s Oscars. I would love to see her in another archival Ralph Lauren piece, perhaps the iconic bubblegum pink gown that Gwyneth Paltrow wore when she won her Oscar in 1999. The gown would look stunning on her, and the shimmery fabric would complement the rest of Fanning’s sparkly awards season wardrobe.
Speaking of shimmering pink, Ariana Grande wore a sequined Alberta Ferretti gown to the Critics’ Choice Awards, where she was also nominated for best supporting actress. Fanning and Grande’s looks prove that shiny, shimmery, sequined gowns are a red carpet staple.
Another timeless sparkling red carpet look came back in 2001 at the Grammys, when Destiny’s Child was nominated for their hit album “Say My Name.” They wore matching glittering green dresses, which were all designed by Beyonce’s mom, Tina Knowles.
While sequins on the red carpet are classic, my favorite red carpet trend is method dressing. This is when movie stars emulate their characters or the movie at premieres and red carpet events.
Zendaya is one of the best examples of a red carpet method dresser. For the premiere of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” she wore a custom Valentino dress that was embroidered with spider-webs, an obvious nod to the film’s theme. For the Australian premiere of “Challengers,” a movie about tennis, the star wore a shimmering green Loewe dress with a tennis player motif on the dress.
Zendaya wore many tennis-inspired outfits during the “Challengers” press tour. When in Rome, for a “Challengers” event, she wore another sparkly Loewe dress, this time a tennis dress-inspired look that was paired with tennis ball heels.
Margot Robbie for “Barbie” is another example of method dressing done perfectly. Robbie recreated many real Barbie doll outfits for premieres and events, which created iconic fashion moments and high anticipation for the film.
At the “Barbie” London premiere, Robbie dressed as “Enchanted Evening Barbie.” Then, at the Los Angeles premiere, Robbie recreated the “Solo in the Spotlight” Barbie outfit. The outfit was a custom Schiaparelli and was completed with all of Barbie’s accessories, including her pink handkerchief.
Robbie also stars in the upcoming “Wuthering Heights” adaptation, hitting theaters this Valentine’s weekend. Based on the trailer, the movie features many fabulous corseted outfits. I can’t wait to see what Robbie wears on the red carpet for the press tour. Expectations are high!
A recent example of method dressing is Emily Bader at the premiere of “People We Meet on Vacation.” Bader wore a white David Koma dress that featured a flower at the center of the dress, reflecting her character, Poppy. The dress is beautiful and firmly establishes Bader’s name in the fashion world.
Another red carpet premiere that featured show-stopping looks was the season 4 “Bridgerton” premiere. Premiering Jan. 29 on Netflix, season 4 stars Yerin Ha, who wore a beautiful blue Prada gown to the event. The gown featured a shimmering beaded neckline with matching beaded earrings.
Hannah Dodd, who plays the sixth Bridgerton sibling, Francesca, stunned in a Giambattista Valli look at the premiere. The black two-piece ensemble featured a dramatic “bubble” skirt, a very popular silhouette at the moment.
Red carpet style continued to show through at the Golden Globes, which were held on Jan. 11. Nominee Emma Stone looked very on trend in a butter yellow Louis Vuitton dress and a perfectly styled bob.
Ayo Edebiri also bobbed out at the Golden Globes with a 1950s-inspired hairstyle. The nominee wore a black Chanel gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline and jeweled detailing at the shoulder.
One of the most important parts of a red carpet look is the jewels, which 2026 Golden Globe winner, Teyana Taylor, perfectly reinforced in a head-turning Schiaparelli gown. The beautifully draped black gown featured a plunging back with a jeweled bow accent, paired with matching jeweled earrings.
Now that we have gone over some recent red carpet moments and the trends that shape them, let’s look ahead at some upcoming events. Of course, we have more award shows to come, like the Oscars, on March 15, and the Grammys, on Feb. 1. Stars to watch at these events are Jacob Elordi, Addison Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, Jessie Buckley and Timothée Chalamet.
Beyond award shows, there are also many other special red carpet events on the calendar. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” premieres May 1 and is sure to have some extra fabulous looks from stars Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt during the press tour, as the first movie was an iconic moment in fashion history.
Lastly, there can’t be a talk about red carpets without mentioning the most famous red carpet of them all, the Met Gala. Always held on the first Monday in May, the Met Gala creates high expectations for attendees. This year’s theme, “Costume Art,” should inspire looks that are fit to be framed in a museum.
The art of red carpet fashion is always evolving, but sequins and sparkles, method dressing and jewels will always be classic. Current red carpet trends like bob haircuts and “bubble” silhouettes are part of what makes red carpet fashion exciting. I can’t wait to see what stars wear to upcoming red carpet events, especially those who manage to stick to The Met Gala theme!
