A new formal among classics: Trends that stood out at the Critics Choice Awards

As we continue to descend well into the awards season, it is becoming more clear who the frontrunners are for those always anticipated Oscars. This was only confirmed during the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards, which were held last night at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, and gathered all the biggest stars for the past year of film and TV. And as always, attendees were on hand to bring forth their dazzling red carpet looks. FashionUnited has brought together some of the glamorous trends that took precedence ahead of the ceremony.

Red on red

Akin to last week’s Golden Globes, red hues continued to lead the way. Yet, for this red carpet, the colour’s spectrum was much broader. Looks jumped from striking scarlets, seen on Emily Blunt’s Giorgio Armani Privé gown, to a darker maroon, adopted by Valentino for Charles Melton’s suit. Another tone was present on Margot Robbie’s custom Balmain piece, complete in a form-fitting shape with rose-like detailing along the off-shoulder neckline. Meanwhile, singer Dua Lipa chose a blood red, highly textured Prada look for her own floor-length dress.

All about volume

Voluminous trains and sculptural silhouettes were popular for this year’s attendees, a trend that was largely driven by an abundance of layers or weighted skirts that trailed the floor. Best supporting actress nominee Danielle Brooks brought a bit of fun to the red carpet, with a pink tulle Monsoori gown, while Ariana Greenblatt’s Louis Vuitton look also favoured a flouncy skirt, yet contrasted the breeziness with a structured bodice. Volume was in both the neckline and skirt of Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Jovana Louis attire, differing from Greta Gerwig’s drop-waisted Molly Goddard dress that ballooned at the hem only.

Floor-sweeping whites

Many a statement for this year was made utilising the colour white. While Camila Morrone subtly played with shape in a Chanel spring 2022 couture piece, it seemed trains were the way to go for others. Here, Fantasia Barrino was out in front, pairing a sleek, thigh-slit gown by Alin Le’Kal with a show-stopping feathered cloak. Keri Russell’s Stéphane Rolland look, meanwhile, favoured straight lines that contradicted heavy floral embellishments, akin to Sandra Oh’s Harbison Studio frock.

Casualised two pieces

While robes had much of a grasp on the star-studded guest roster, some took a more casualised approach to the dress code in the form of two-piece ensembles. Billie Eilish’s button-down black dress by Thom Browne was a perfect example of such, with its fitted silhouette bringing form to a white shirt underlayer. A white shirt was also a part of Maria Bello’s getup, paired with a glittering lace skirt by Falguni Shane Peacock.

Anything but black

Much welcomed tailoring refreshes were present among the men. Particularly for those that opted for bold colour choices in their suiting. Coleman Domingo was a clear winner here, dazzling in a 70s-inspired yellow two-piece, a look that was only elevated by a golden coat and Christian Louboutin boots. Keiran Culkin’s Capitol-esque attire was brought to life by a prominent turquoise, while Matt Bomer opted for an electric blue in the form of a Berluti creation.

A new formal

It was also gratifying to see that while blacks and navies were still generally at the forefront, this season’s men-of-the-moment also felt inclined to bring a series of fresh updates to classic formalwear. This could be seen in alternative cuts, as adopted by Lenny Kravitz; flared pants, see Jeremy Allen White’s Saint Laurent ensemble; or sleek fastenings, present in the ever-stylish Barry Keoghan’s Zegna look.

The classic LBD

Classics were not misplaced, however. The LBD – or Little Black Dress – still made its way onto the red carpet, for example, favoured by some of Hollywood’s leading ladies. Emma Stone, Best Actress winner, chose an asymmetrical Louis Vuitton gown for her own look, Reese Witherspoon added a bit of volume with a Celine robe and Prada’s typical sleekness was donned by Brie Larson. It was Christina Ricci, however, that offered a renewed take on the staple, setting the carpet ablaze in a latex Atsuko Kudo Couture gown with a deep-cut, scallop-shaped neckline.

Sparkles galore

It wouldn’t be an awards show without a bit of glammed up sparkle. As always, sequins caused a stir on the red carpet, often in bold colourways that shone even brighter. Fans of this look included Saltburn’s Rosamund Pike, who was a standout in a bright blue Rodarte gown, and Mandy Moore, who donned a beaded Elie Saab creation. Barbie’s America Ferrera, meanwhile, stuck to a more muted tone in a subtle gold Alberta Ferretti.

Florals are in

While florals may be a common recurrence off the red carpet, they aren’t a typical choice for award show attendees. Yet, for this Critics Choice Awards, it was clear that flowers were very much ‘in’. Ali Wong offered up a shining example of that, in a classy Givenchy gown with intricate embroidery contrasting the leaf green sheer material. Sheer was also in favour with Quinta Brunson, whose Georges Hobeika dress came complete with 3D elements to bring texture to the carpet. Meanwhile, Carla Gugino opted for a voluminous Monique Lhuillier robe, with a more linear texture to the material.

Pants to that

Pants and catsuits were adopted by some as alternatives to the typical gown. Greta Lee’s sparkly co-ord by Loewe was among the frontrunners here, presenting a polished iteration on casual-chic. The Morning Show’s Jennifer Anniston, meanwhile, sported a custom Dolce&Gabbana catsuit, with a feathered bustier and floor-sweeping ribboned belt. Elizabeth Debicki was another to favour the ribbon, a detail that had a prime place on her Oscar de la Renta ensemble.

Monochrome madness

In keeping with the obvious stray from standard black-on-black tuxedos, monochromatic looks – largely in greys, browns and whites – provided onlookers with yet another rejuvenation on tailoring. Ramy Youseff’s brown Zegna getup, reminiscent of classic sci-fi attire, was elevated using contrasting textures. Another to choose Zegna was Last of Us star Pedro Pascal, who instead stuck to a solid grey – even for his arm support. In the realm of white, it was Ayo Edebiri who stood out in a suit by The Row, taking on an androgynous flair.