Breakdown of the 2023 BAFTA Red Carpet Fashion

In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a big fan of red carpet fashion. And after big events, it’s always fun to give a hot take on the biggest trends and celeb best and worst dressed ensembles. Today, I’m taking a look at the 2023 BAFTA red carpet fashion.

BAFTA Red Carpet Fashion

For those of us in the US, BAFTA stands for the British Academy of Film and Television Awards—it’s basically the UK’s version of the Oscars. Which means, that while we may not watch the ceremony the here in the states, it’s definitely a big deal. And the winners are often a good predictor for how things will shake out on Oscar night.

But for this post, I’m ignoring all of that and only looking at the BAFTA red carpet fashion. Let’s take a look!  

Trending Colors

It’s always fun to look at the different trends on the red carpet, starting with color. Unlike other top fashion events, the 2023 BAFTA red carpet didn’t have a lot of trends when it came to dress color. Instead, we saw plenty of the usual hues.

Little Black Dress

Ah, the little black dress. It’s been a staple of the red carpet since red carpets were invented. Black is a chic color that never goes out of style, and these stars prove that you can wear something simple and still look absolutely amazing.

I’m especially into Sara Sampaio’s gown. It’s so simple and understated, yet the peekaboo cutouts and the way it drapes make it a standout for one of the best dressed of the night.

Cate Blanchett is another star who, once again, lands at the top of the best dressed list. (Seriously, this woman has never seen a worst dressed list!)  

Beige but not boring

For so long, beige has been viewed as the color of blah. But not anymore! So many stars have been wearing this neutral shade lately and making it their own.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is one of my absolute favorites of the entire evening – her gown is so unique and beautiful. It’s a little edgy, but at the same time, very sweet and feminine.

Pale Pinks

Blame it on Barbiecore, or the rise of millennial pink, but pale pinks have become increasingly popular on the red carpet.

I love Ana De Armas in her gown, but the standout for me in this category is Michelle Yeoh.

White Hot

Just like with black, wearing white is a surefire way to give off an effortless and elegant vibe. And again, these stars prove that less can be more when it comes to fashion.

Lily James wore a white structured gown with what I can only describe as a sparkly spiderweb in the front, but she made it work.

But again, I’m going to give my best dressed here to the Princess herself. Kate Middleton always looks amazing, and the 2023 BAFTA’s were no exception. I love her white gown, but the addition of elbow length black gloves really takes it to the next level for me.

Shades of Blue

Color wasn’t necessarily a big trend this year with one exception: shades of blue and purple were everywhere.

Viola Davis looks amazing in a deep navy/eggplant gown, but my favorite here is Lashana Lynch. Her pale, light blue gown is absolutely stunning.

2023 BAFTA Red Carpet: Top Trends

Don’t worry trend watchers. Just because there wasn’t a lot of cohesiveness when it came to color doesn’t mean there weren’t fun new fashion trends to check out.

Metallic Looks

The metallic trend was a big surprise! A lot of stars wore gowns with a futuristic feel, and I definitely didn’t hate it.

Cynthia Erivo looked like a goddess in bronze, but for me, it was Anya Taylor Joy who stole the show. Her gold, velvet mini-dress with a undeniably unique, and the cherry on top was the added shawl.

Edgy Black Dress

Again, black is always a popular choice, but there were a lot of really edgy black gowns on the 2023 BAFTA red carpet.

Alex Scott and AJ Odudu both went for optical illusion type dresses with a black and white design and sheer overlay.

But my favorite in this category (and one of my favorites of the entire night) was Sophie Turner. She wore a long sleeve, high neck gown that showed almost zero skin but managed to look incredibly alluring. Props to her!

Deconstructed Trend

Here’s another unexpected trend: the de-constructed gown. Gowns that look a tad bit unfinished definitely give an edgy, fashion-forward vibe.

Vera Wang looks incredibly (especially given her age!) but I’m giving my best dressed to Hong Chau here. I’m obsessed with this look.

Fun and Funky

Finally, we get to a frequent red-carpet trend: the seriously unique fashion choices.

Some stars went for bold, bright, look-at-me gowns in dazzling colors.

Florence Pugh wore an orange dress with a ton of frills. I’m torn on this one. I love Flo, and normally am all for a big fashion statement, but I’m not sure about this one.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, on the other hand, is giving serious sex appeal with this look! And then there’s Jodie Foster Smith who is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites on any red carpet. Once again, she’s bringing her A-game with this sparkling purple attire.

Busy and Bold

While these gowns weren’t quite as bright and colorful, they’re definitely part of the go-big-or-go-home camp.

I’m not sure I love Andreea Cristea’s, but I’ll give credit where credit is due. She wasn’t afraid to try something new.

HoYeon Jung, though, is absolutely killing it with this gown.

What do you think about the 2023 BAFTA red carpet? Let me know in the comments down below!